The Dance of Teaching Scripture
Much of this past week has been spent in Russia planning mode. A few quick updates for you:
We leave July 20 with a team of 8. We'll meet a 9th team member in Moscow. From there it will be camp as usual (in Dombai like last year...hello altitude sickness!), just with a smaller team and hopefully some new creative ideas on our part.
Aaron, Hunter, Ms. Lori, and I are waist-deep in kids curriculum planning. Our theme is The Miracles of Jesus, including stories like Lazarus, the blind man, turning water to wine, etc. It seems like a pretty straight forward idea, but we are trying to beef it up with a deeper look into the physical v. spiritual realities in the miracle stories. My biggest challenge is making the lessons relatable to the wide range of ages we have...challenging the older ones without losing the younger ones. I've been asking the Lord for wisdom to understand the deeper messages of the stories and relay them in a way that is faithful to the account, yet understandable to our kids. It's a little like walking a tightrope. :)
Raising the (minimal) support I need this year is turning out to be simple. There are such generous people in my life. People who've had lots of practice supporting me in this thing and continue to do so. God is so faithful through them. I'm grateful. I still have a few hundred dollars left to go, though!
In my preparation of Day 5, the resurrection of Lazarus, I've been challenged in my view not only of the story, but also the task of teaching the Bible. Teaching the Bible to children, no less. How often do I take for granted the ability and privilege of teaching Scripture? I do it every Sunday, and it's one of the goals of the degree I'm earning, but when I start to prepare for Family Camp I always feel humbled. These are kids I would otherwise never interact with, ever. They are kids who are growing up in a culture foreign from mine, with unique spiritual challenges. And yet, I'm teaching them Scripture. I balk at the thought. It has become of the utmost importance to me to first love the people (in this case, kids) I am teaching, to first honor them and listen to them, and wait for the invitation to teach. At at that point, I don't take the job lightly, because these are ancient words inspired by the Holy Spirit, words I hardly grasp myself. Words that can bring life and healing or be used to hurt and stunt growth. I don't always know how to be faithful to God in this task, but I'm convinced the only way it can work is if I'm experiencing the Bible through the Holy Spirit in me. Experiencing it as part of my story, and humbly offering it as part of theirs. These kids are eager to hear from God, hungry for love and truth, but I know how much hurt can be done if the messenger gets in the way.
This thing we call missions is a delicate dance. I only pray I will be sensitive to the Spirit and keep first things first: love and honor before preaching.
Pray with me?
We leave July 20 with a team of 8. We'll meet a 9th team member in Moscow. From there it will be camp as usual (in Dombai like last year...hello altitude sickness!), just with a smaller team and hopefully some new creative ideas on our part.
Aaron, Hunter, Ms. Lori, and I are waist-deep in kids curriculum planning. Our theme is The Miracles of Jesus, including stories like Lazarus, the blind man, turning water to wine, etc. It seems like a pretty straight forward idea, but we are trying to beef it up with a deeper look into the physical v. spiritual realities in the miracle stories. My biggest challenge is making the lessons relatable to the wide range of ages we have...challenging the older ones without losing the younger ones. I've been asking the Lord for wisdom to understand the deeper messages of the stories and relay them in a way that is faithful to the account, yet understandable to our kids. It's a little like walking a tightrope. :)
Raising the (minimal) support I need this year is turning out to be simple. There are such generous people in my life. People who've had lots of practice supporting me in this thing and continue to do so. God is so faithful through them. I'm grateful. I still have a few hundred dollars left to go, though!
In my preparation of Day 5, the resurrection of Lazarus, I've been challenged in my view not only of the story, but also the task of teaching the Bible. Teaching the Bible to children, no less. How often do I take for granted the ability and privilege of teaching Scripture? I do it every Sunday, and it's one of the goals of the degree I'm earning, but when I start to prepare for Family Camp I always feel humbled. These are kids I would otherwise never interact with, ever. They are kids who are growing up in a culture foreign from mine, with unique spiritual challenges. And yet, I'm teaching them Scripture. I balk at the thought. It has become of the utmost importance to me to first love the people (in this case, kids) I am teaching, to first honor them and listen to them, and wait for the invitation to teach. At at that point, I don't take the job lightly, because these are ancient words inspired by the Holy Spirit, words I hardly grasp myself. Words that can bring life and healing or be used to hurt and stunt growth. I don't always know how to be faithful to God in this task, but I'm convinced the only way it can work is if I'm experiencing the Bible through the Holy Spirit in me. Experiencing it as part of my story, and humbly offering it as part of theirs. These kids are eager to hear from God, hungry for love and truth, but I know how much hurt can be done if the messenger gets in the way.
This thing we call missions is a delicate dance. I only pray I will be sensitive to the Spirit and keep first things first: love and honor before preaching.
Pray with me?
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