I
n Almost Christian: What the Faith of Our Teenagers is Telling the American Church, author Kenda Creasy Dean speaks of the importance of "liminal" experiences. Liminal experiences are experiences in which we are out of our element--disorienting experiences. It is the time in the desert, in a culture out of our own, in a situation never faced before (loss of job, child, etc.). It is during these times that we often become most open to God.
Dean tells the story of Gabrielle, a teen who took a mission trip to Mexico, which was a new, disorienting experience.
"In Mexico, doing new work with new people under new circumstances, Gabrielle begins to reconsider the person she was in Watertown. Her denses melt, making her pliable to Holy Spirit's prompting to think about God, herself, and others in new ways. In the reflection times throughout the week, Matt [the youth minister] reframes his youth group's sense of cultural and existential clash with the gospel of Matthew, sharing the story of the rich young man who sneaks out one night to ask Jesus what he must do to be saved. As Matt describes Jesus' challenge to this young man to give away his most cherished possessions--to leave his comfort zone and follow Jesus--Gabrielle recognizes herself in the story for the first time." -p. 172
Camps, short term mission trips, retreats--these are the types of experiences that open people up to a new experience of God. This is, I believe, part of what Jesus was doing by sending out his disciples without their purse or shoes before wolves in the Limited Commission. He was making them depend upon God and one another.
I have had a minister friend of mine say, "We need camp for adults." It is true. We need to get people out of their comfort zones so that they may have an opportunity for a profound God encounter. Short term mission trips, retreats, and the like are great for this--not only to reach others, but for our own transformation.
I believe that Almost Christian is the most significant book on youth ministry to come out in some time. It is theologically ba
sed, sociologically informed, practically grounded, and well researched. I highly recommend this book for all Christians.
How have you seen "disorienting experiences" help lead a person to faith or open them up to God? How could we better facilitate such experiences in youth and adults?
You need to be a member of Missional Outreach Network for the Missional Church to add comments!
Join Missional Outreach Network for the Missional Church