When I was in college, studying Youth Ministry, one of the lines our Prof. Len Kageler would say is: "In Youth Ministry, we need to steal ideas from one another, for the Glory of God". I fully agree! Some great ideas are produced by Youth Pastors all over the place, so why not "borrow" some of them! I post all my stuff in the hopes that any Youth Pastor reading it can indeed steal my ideas and mold them for his/her own group.Anyways, this idea of iBelong is kind of a hodge-podge thievery.
First, the idea of belonging and the deep seated need for it has been a topic discussed (especially recently) by a ton of top notch Youth Guys (i.e. Marko from YS, Andrew Root and many others).
Second, a Youth Pastor friend of mine (named Jimmy D) had all these great themes all tricked out with the letter "i" in front of it to make it kinda feel like iPod (further connecting to youth culture).
As I prayed about what the Jr. Highers in Nyack needed to be hearing about, this theme of belonging screamed out at me. Jr. High was a rough three year spell in my life. I didn't feel like a belonged anywhere, really. I was picked on at school for being the "Bible Boy" or even once, I was called "Blow Fish" by a girl named Ashley (who then proceeded to make a blow fish face). Even at youth group I was picked on. In a LEADERSHIP TEAM meeting, someone put a huge tack on my chair which I sat on...of course. So, I too can relate to this innate need to belong to something bigger than myself.
I asked God to lead me to Bible Characters whom have all dealt with this issue of Belonging, seeking God's answers for people, but teen especially about the need and desire for belonging.
Week 1 was the Prodigal Son. He thought he belonged with all the "rich kids" and drunks he hung out with. He blew his inheritance trying to gain their acceptance and love. He spent "mad amounts of money" (teen lingo for a ton of money) on clothes, food and wine. Eventually he ran out of money...and was abandoned by his "friends". He sat there wondering where he belonged...knew that the place where he was, was NOT it and decided to go work for Pops.
What the son didn't realize is that His father was waiting for him. He didn't understand until his Daddy was kissing and hugging him that he belonged with his Daddy. He belonged in the love and care of his Father's arms!
Week 2 was the Woman caught in Adultery. This woman was hated by her people. She was looked down upon, ridiculed and dragged into the middle of the street so the people could expose her and her sin to Jesus. What would he do? They wondered. In short, this woman belonged nowhere and to no one. She was the woman with the "Scarlet Letter" (most 8th graders have this in their curriculum, so you can use it as a illustration and they'd get it). She was scorned. Jesus however, gives her belonging...with Himself. He saves her from death by stoning and calls out the stone throwers. He then says: "Go and sin no more". He gives her safety and salvation first, then asks her to change her life!
Many scholars would say that this very woman was Mary Magdalene. If that is so, we see her life radically different from that day forth. She is a devout follower of Christ and is even among the first to see his resurrected body! Talk about belonging!
Week 3 was the Ethiopian Eunuch. This guy was a bag of not belonging. He had no balls, he was African and he wanted to meet God. I'm still not sure how, but people knew he was a Eunuch. Thus, being so he would not be allowed to enter certain places within the temple in Jerusalem. The text infers that he was there seeking God...and was on his way back to his own country, still trying to figure it out. He is in the midst of reading Isaiah and is supremely confused by the text. (He obviously wasn't helped much at all by the people in Jerusalem). In walks Philip and explains the text. The text is talking about Jesus! Philip explains from that text on through the life, death and resurrection of Christ what Isaiah was talking about.
The Eunuch catches the idea that he too can belong to Christ, accepts the truth about Jesus and then gets baptized!
*If you're not catching it, all these stories tie into Belonging to Christ, Belonging with Christ...explaining that the meta-narrative of the Bible is that we Belong in the family of Christ! Not all will accept, or believe this, but God desires all to know Him*
Week 4 was the Samaritan Woman. Samaritans in general were despised by the world. The Jews called them "abominations" and people outside of Jewish or Samaritan decent just thought they were the scum of the earth. This woman would've been the scum of the scum. She had 5 husbands and was living with a man who was not her husband! Even in Samaria, this was looked down upon. She didn't belong, even with the scum of the earth!
She was so despised by the world and her own people, that she went to draw water at a time she knew no one else would be there...too bad for her (or so good?) Jesus was there. A Jewish Rabbi. Jesus shocks her. He begins a conversation (something totally taboo...especially for a Rabbi). He shares with her about himself, about herself and gives her belonging. It's a beautiful story, one that is finished by Samaritans coming to Jesus through one, despised woman who received the Gift from God!
Next week, we are finishing off the series with: "The Reason We Can Belong" which will entail the message of the Gospel and will show the Cross to the Jr. Highers in detail.
In Christ, because of His death, we too can Belong to His family! Hallelujah!
