This past weekend I had the opportunity to put some of my dissertation thoughts into an hourlong workshop at a youth retreat at nearby Southeastern Baptist Youth Camp.
In keeping with one of the basic principles of good teaching practices, I decided to ask the teens a simple question on Friday night before my workshop on Saturday. I was planning to talk about the gospel being bigger than the typical "you're a sinner so Jesus died for you and if you believe in Him you can go to heaven when you die" concept, and I wanted to know what the kids already knew.
So I asked the retreat organizers to hand out these cards and ask the teens to give their best responses:
When I came in the next morning, the cards had been filled out AND the other adult leaders - local pastors and youth pastors - had read over the replies.
They were aghast!
I had received responses like these:
- "The gospel is what helps you get closer to God, like listening to Christian music, praying, reading your Bible, or talking to someone."
- "The gospel is the story of Jesus Christ, who is the light of the world."
- "The gospel is a place where you learn about God and what he did for you because he loves you."
The responses prompted talk among the camp leadership of revamping the summer camp teaching for next season! They realized they were entirely overestimating what the teens already knew.
Basic teaching: Before the lesson, find out what your students already know, what they don't know, and what they think they know.
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