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Teaching "Standards" - IFB No More - 01-09-2011 06:59 PM
Whenever I hear any Christian talk about what's acceptable for a believer to do/hear/see, I cringe because it reminds me of my IFBx days.
My present church's gonna give two lessons on music and movies to the youth group throughout the year, and I don't like what I hear - "... After this lesson you may want to consider deleting some songs on your I-Pod, or thinking carefully 1st before you listen to something, since it may not be helpful to your walk with God... especially if the lyrics are bad"
How then should a church teach what's acceptable and what's not? (Such as music, movies etc.)
RE: Teaching "Standards" - exIFB - 01-09-2011 07:59 PM
I honestly don't think they should. The church should be teaching the reality of who we are in Jesus Christ, and that the Spirit of God lives in us. When we really believe that, and listen to that Spirit, we don't need a bunch of laws to tell of right and wrong, because we have the mind of Christ, the Spirit and the Grace of God!
Too many churches try to take the place of the Holy Spirit in peoples lives, because they don't know what the purpose of the Spirit is. To most churches, the Spirit is this floaty thing that makes you feel guilty when you sin (It doesn't). Instead, they need to teach that sin has been dealt with, the Spirit that once convicted them of their sin because they believed not on Christ is now convincing them of their righteousness in Christ, and that if they listen to the Spirit, and are lead by the Spirit, then they won't feed the lusts of the flesh (whether those lusts be a desire for gross sins, "ungross" sin, or law keeping).
RE: Teaching "Standards" - The Chef - 01-09-2011 09:30 PM
(01-09-2011 07:59 PM)exIFB Wrote: I honestly don't think they should. The church should be teaching the reality of who we are in Jesus Christ, and that the Spirit of God lives in us. When we really believe that, and listen to that Spirit, we don't need a bunch of laws to tell of right and wrong, because we have the mind of Christ, the Spirit and the Grace of God!
i totally agree. It is a sight of the who Christ is, who God is, His holiness, His mercy, His love that changes hearts. Point people to Christ. Show them the love of God and the character of God. When people love God they'll want to be more like Him. This is much more effective than making a bunch of rules like this.
Additionally, lists of dos and donts make for immature Christians. Maturity means learning how to apply the principles of God's Word to your own life. If every possible issue, problem, event or challenge is pre-imagined and all the rules laid down there is never any practice in applying God's Word.
RE: Teaching "Standards" - Faith - 01-09-2011 11:00 PM
X3! Following Jesus is not about a bunch of external rules, it's about an internal change.
RE: Teaching "Standards" - JessB - 01-09-2011 11:02 PM
Yep. The best youth program I ever saw had the leader (an older man, BTW) teaching the teens the Bible book by book. They would have lexicons, concordances and dictionaries spread out all over the table and look up Greek/Hebrew words.
They were the most balanced, level-headed group of teens I've ever seen. They acted mature and didn't have authority issues. Basically, they were treated like adults and talked to like adults instead of being beat over the head about everything they shouldn't be doing.
Also, an amazing thing happens when an expository method is used - just about every issue that comes up in a person's life is touched on in some way and there is room for questions, discussions and finding Biblical answers.
RE: Teaching "Standards" - Tony Mel - 01-09-2011 11:26 PM
(01-09-2011 06:59 PM)IFB No More Wrote: Whenever I hear any Christian talk about what's acceptable for a believer to do/hear/see, I cringe because it reminds me of my IFBx days.
My present church's gonna give two lessons on music and movies to the youth group throughout the year, and I don't like what I hear - "... After this lesson you may want to consider deleting some songs on your I-Pod, or thinking carefully 1st before you listen to something, since it may not be helpful to your walk with God... especially if the lyrics are bad"
How then should a church teach what's acceptable and what's not? (Such as music, movies etc.)
It is wise to examine all things and hold on to the good, and this includes music, movies... and church lessons.
RE: Teaching "Standards" - IFB No More - 01-09-2011 11:31 PM
I see a problem within the group in our church. Most of the youths are children of the members. They are externally like the typical church youth today (obviously, "worldly" in IFB eyes). My main concern is that only the adults (members) are given expository preaching while the youth ministry still uses the topical method. I hate to say this but there may be a general thought among the older members that the youths shouldn't be fed solid material yet since they are still "immature" and have not made an official profession of faith (baptism).
The church's trying to rope me in to teach these teens and want me to be a mentor to them - I'm the only guy in church that is caught "in-between" the youths and adult groups. So I'll offer a new "fresh" perspective if that happens - I have little time though. Definitely will adapt some of your suggestions.
RE: Teaching "Standards" - pastor's wife - 01-09-2011 11:49 PM
I like the answers about focusing on Christ and allowing the Spirit to work. As far as specific standards, I'd focus on the lists actually in the Bible like the fruit on the Spirit on the positive side, 1 Cor. 13 (love is not rude, etc.), and lists like Paul's "in the last days perilous times shall come and men shall be . . ." etc. Plenty of room there for discussing what Christian behavior should be like. I also really like the times in Proverbs where it says what God HATES!!!!! It's really funny, because listening to music with a beat isn't on there! Going to movies isn't either! But stirring up dissensions among brothers - that's there, and that's something "good" fundy teens do all the time. God HATES it! They're smugly thinking how good they are because they'd never wear jeans to church or pierce their nose while they gossip, stir up strife, destroy reputations, and more, all of which DISGUST God. THOSE are the standards I'd wished I'd heard emphasized more when I was growing up instead of endless messages on women in skirts and the KJV.
By the way, my last post made it sound like I think preaching AT teens about how horrible they are for arguing with their family is the best way to reach them. That's not what I meant at all. But there's a lot of self-righteousness and pride in a lot of church youth groups that I'd like to see broken. Still though, yelling at them (whether over music choices or pride) is not going to reach them, (nor BTW of course are teens the only ones who display this sort of behavior). I do think systematic Bible study (not a preacher yelling at them) is helpful.
RE: Teaching "Standards" - Historian - 01-10-2011 01:15 AM
Speaking to the teens issue, I agree that it seems a lot of time teens are treated like they can't think. Teens already struggle sometimes with feeling like they aren't understood. Sticking them off in their own private world separate from the "real teaching" is only going to reinforce that feeling.
RE: Teaching "Standards" - Tony Mel - 01-10-2011 08:42 AM
(01-10-2011 01:15 AM)Historian Wrote: Speaking to the teens issue, I agree that it seems a lot of time teens are treated like they can't think. Teens already struggle sometimes with feeling like they aren't understood. Sticking them off in their own private world separate from the "real teaching" is only going to reinforce that feeling.
Completely agree. I would give them food for thought, but I would not chew it for them. That's what's usually done in Fundy churches.