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Lesson 2 Starting Up

The Sticky Gospel

(For this lesson, have students and parents seated at different tables. Be sure to have a discussion leader at each table.) Church announcements, upcoming events, and prayer. Start by clearing up misconceptions about the stats from last weekthey were from a variety of studies and I may have given the impression they were all from the books survey of youth group graduates. The number to remember from last week: 40-50. This is the percentage of kids who graduate from a church or youth group who fail to stick with their faith in college. And we need to ask ourselves: are we satisfied with this? No! So where do we begin in changing this? The authors say that the core of Sticky Faith is developing a clear and honest understanding of both the gospel and biblical faith. When it comes to a faith that lasts, there is nothing more important than students view of the gospel. However, many young people embrace what the authors call The Red Bull Gospel Why do people drink Red Bull? The sugar and caffeine will sustain you through a few tough hours. But eventually you crash. And crash hard. The Red Bull gospel can get young people through high school, helping them make the right decisions, sometimes just barely, but then they crash when they get off of it in college. In order to avoid the Red Bull gospel, we are asking ourselves this big question

What Does It Mean to be a Christian? Play 6:31 to 8:12 of Sticky Faith Group Bible Study by Dr. Kara Powell video. When asked, What is being a Christian all about?, one-third of youth group graduates didnt mention Jesus. Instead, the majority of students mentioned behaviors like loving others or following Jesus example. In other words, they described a performance-based faith; one that is based on a list of dos and donts. The reason our kids define their faith in this way is because we as adults define our faith in this way. They are mirrors of us. I believe that our definition of the Christian faith must always begin with God and what He has done and is doing and not with us and what we have done or are doing. In the video, Kara says, We cant base our faith on behaviors like love, no matter how virtuous those behaviors are. We must move from a me-centered definition of the gospel to a God-centered definition of the gospel. Table Talk Question 1: How would you summarize the gospel? How would you briefly lay out the basic components of the gospel message? The Gospel in 4 Gs Here is one way to briefly explain the gospel: 1. Good. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created themAnd God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good (Genesis 1:27, 31). 2. Guilt. You were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world (Ephesians 2:1-2). 3. Grace. But God being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with ChristBy grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:4-5, 8).

4. Gratitude. We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10). Trust and Obey At the heart of Sticky Faith is a faith that trusts in God and that understands that obedience is a response to that trust, in everything. A Little Greek Lesson: pisteuo. This is the Greek word for faith. But it can also be translated as believe or trust. In seeking to build Sticky Faith, we should help our young people understand that every decision, every thought, and every action comes down to this: where do I place my trust? Do I trust my instincts, my desires, my convictions, or do I trust in Christ? Lets get practical. Here are the all-important questions: What does it mean to trust God? How do we put this kind of trust into practice every day? The authors suggest three ways to help foster this kind of faith: 1. Focus on trusting God ahead of obeying God. The reason for this is that obedience is the response as we trust in God. Read from Sticky Faith (bottom of p. 39 to top of p. 40). Table Talk Question 2: What do you think of the parenting approach described in this section of the book? Do you like it? Why or why not? When we shortcut to obedience, we neglect the foundation on which that obedience is laid: our trust in God. Obedience will blossom out of a desire to trust in God. Another reason to focus on trust ahead of obedience: Focusing on trust begins a conversation. Focusing on obedience ends a conversation.

2. Frame discussions and activities as opportunities to know and trust Christ. When kids are younger, family devotions can be a useful tool to help them see God as an active member of the familyWhen kids reach middle school or so, the most productive kinds of family devotions are often those that are less rigid and scheduled, and more organic and even spontaneous (what we sometimes in our family call planned spontaneity)Parents have to be creative and, again, organic and contextual in bringing ordinary issues and faith together. Table Talk Questions 3 (Give each question to at least one parent table and one student table.) What are some activities that can help families grow together in trusting God with their money? What are some activities that can help families grow together in trusting God with their time? What are some activities that can help families grow together in trusting God with relationships? 3. Respond with grace when your child messes up. Default with compassion. When our kids go through rough spots, their greatest need from us is gentle stability and compassion. Dont panic. Instead, pray. See Philippians 4:6-7. Take the long view. The ultimate hope that is part and parcel of trusting God is the hope we have that in the long run, Gods mercy will win. Closing Out The greatest gift you can give your children is to let them see you struggle and wrestle with how to live a lifetime of trust in God. Your own love for the Sticky Gospel of trusting God will be more caught than taught. As you trust the gospel and the Lord who saves, your love of the Sticky Gospel will help your kids fall in love with Jesus also.