1. Experiencing Truth in a
Culture of Doubt

2. Over the past chunk of years...
✤
“I have doubts but I still have faith”!
!
!
✤
“I have doubt so therefore I cannot have faith.”

3. Safety as a Value

4. Safety as a Value
Safety = creating an atmosphere where there is no !
question students are too afraid to ask.

5. SORRY, YES YOU HAVE TO

8. ✤
You have to find out if they doubt!

9. ✤
You have to find out if they doubt!!
✤
You have to find out what they doubt!

10. ✤
You have to find out if they doubt!!
✤
You have to find out what they doubt!!
✤
You have to tell them you know they doubt!

11. ✤
You have to find out if they doubt!!
✤
You have to find out what they doubt!!
✤
You have to tell them you know they doubt!!
✤
You have to tell them it’s ok and that it doesn’t freak
you out!

12. How an Atheist Student Came to
Give the Benediction at Big Boy
Church...

13. How an Atheist Student Came to
Give the Benediction at Big Boy
Church...
Simply, in terms of our !
community and ministry,!
NOTHING WAS EVER OFF LIMITS FOR HIM

14. We need to
provide
meaningful
belonging
before we can
expect belief.

15. New Definition of Success...
Are you moving forward in your faith?

16. Small Groups. Every. Time.

17. Small Groups. Every. Time.
✤
To Know & Be Known

18. Small Groups. Every. Time.
✤
To Know & Be Known
✤
Safe space to ask questions, dialogue & wrestle
with faith

19. Small Groups. Every. Time.
✤
To Know & Be Known
✤
Safe space to ask questions, dialogue & wrestle
with faith!
✤
They develop trust and mutual understanding
with an adult.

20. Having multiple, trusted adult voices
allows them to connect a whole host of
people that love, accept and respect
them... to God.

21. OK- they’re safe. So how do we fix them?
(don’t actually try to fix them)
✤
Know your Sh&*!

22. OK- they’re safe. So how do we fix them?
(don’t actually try to fix them)
✤
Know your Sh&*! !
✤
Know the narrative story of redemption in Scripture!
✤
But know more!

24. OK- they’re safe. So how do we fix them?
(don’t actually try to fix them)
✤
Know your Sh&*! !
✤
Don’t water down what is presented!!
✤
use explicit & direct language

26. OK- they’re safe. So how do we fix them?
(don’t actually try to fix them)
✤
Know your Sh&*! !
✤
Don’t water down what is presented!!
✤
Teaching “Rightness” more than an
end-goal prayer

27. This Jesus thing is not about just going
to Heaven when we die, but it is about
being to this world what Jesus was the
world.

28. OK- they’re safe. So how do we fix them?
(don’t actually try to fix them)
✤
Know your Sh&*! !
✤
Don’t water down what is presented!!
✤
Teaching “Rightness” more than an
end-goal prayer!
✤
Experiences matter. Be a Tour Guide.

29. Be a Tour Guide
✤
Students exist in a culture of:!
✤
IMMEDIACY &!
✤
DISPOSABILITY.

30. OK- they’re safe. So how do we fix them?
(don’t actually try to fix them)
✤
Know your Sh&*! !
✤
Don’t water down what is presented!!
✤
Teaching “Rightness” more than an
end-goal prayer!
✤
Experiences matter. Be a Tour Guide.!
✤
Lift up progress over perfection.

31. Experiencing Truth in a
Culture of Doubt