Tyler Klein: Week 3

Tyler Klein: Week 3

A. Time Spent this week: 2.5 hours total (S.S.=1 Worship=1.5 Youth)
B. My Class this week:
1. Pick-up of last week’s topic
Mike began simply by saying hello this week, and by asking everyone if they remembered the question we had talked about last week. A few kids raised their hands and got close to the question, but it wasn’t right on. It was a good way to get some involved right away. Then he got everyone involved again by asking the question again, and jumping right to conclusions.
He asked each person in the room for a yes/no answer. Most everyone said either yes or sometimes and this presented Mike with an opportunity to stir the pot, which he did.
He simply said that his opinion was no, which got a lot of people to be question him, or simply turn to his opinion. He allowed a few responses, but then he went into the Scripture focus that he was unable to get to in the previous week.

3. Dissection of James 2
Mike then transformed the original question into a question of favoritism. He asked for the kids to think of an example, and did a great job of preventing gossip by setting very strict standards on what could be said, no names and things like that. Two people gave examples, and Mike broke down what was going on with the favoritism, talking about how each person justified the favoritism.
Then with favoritism introduced he went over James 2:1-4 which was to answer the question How is favoritism inconsistent with Christianity? He got an answer then went on to James 2:5-7 with which he asked what is God’s attitude towards the poor? Then the final verses, James 2:8-9 had the question How does loving neighbors as yourself relate to showing favoritism at church? With this question he asked the kids to consider how different churches reach different classes of people, and why that happens.
That turned the discussion into why people don’t feel comfortable with the church as a whole, and then the attitude that Christians show towards the rich. We had just started getting into the fact that we favor the rich because we are selfish people and are trying to get something from the rich for ourselves.

C. My Questions for the Week
1. How can you safely disagree with something you actually agree with, just to stir discussion? Mike chose to disagree with the entire class when he said he didn’t think riches were ever a sign of God’s favor, just to stir discussion, but what if kids think you are serious, and never get a clear reason of why. I personally felt a little confused because he never explained himself.
2. Continuing this thought… How far is it appropriate to go in terms of not revealing what you think? I understand that Mike was only doing so to stir thoughts in others heads because he believes the best learning comes through self-reflection on a topic.