abcd's lesson 2

8/7/2019 ABCD's Lesson 2

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The ABCs & Ds of Young Adult RelationshipsLesson 2: Belonging

BylineBy Kasper Haughton Jr.

PROGRAM AIM AND PREPARATIONThis lesson is designed with discussion in mind. The goal is not tolecture on the topic, but to foster an atmosphere of dialogue anddiscovery among your young adults.

SCRIPTUREJohn 17:21

MUSIC

"North American Division Sabbath School Theme song andCheer"(www.myleadmagazine.com) is an option one could choose.A more relevant option could be Blest Be the Tie That Binds(Hymn 350).

ICEBREAKERDo:

Have a group of 8-10 people lock arms in a circle facing eachother. Tell them they must not let anyone in at all costs. Haveone person do everything they can to try to break into themiddle of the circle.

Ask:How did it feel to be on the outside breaking in? How did it feelto be the group of exclusion?

PROGRAM:[I strongly encourage leaders to read the praxis paper prepared byDr. A. Allan Martin (available on my blog: http://bit.ly/bIZcjd) in orderto gain an understanding of the purpose for this four part series onyoung adult relationship values.]

The Big IDEA: Belonging

I. IntroductionSayIn 2007, the General Conference of Seventh-dayAdventists said this about the state of the value ofcommunity in the Seventh-day Adventist Church:The reasons most frequently cited by personswho leave local church fellowship are found in therealm of relationships, the absence of a sense of


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belonging, and the lack of meaningfulengagement in the local congregation and itsmission. (General Conference of Seventh-dayAdventists Executive Committee, 2007, para. 5).

General Conference of Seventh-day Adventistspresident, Jan Paulsen (2006) has said:We [church leaders] need to hear andunderstand what they [young adults] are saying,for it comes across clearly and strongly fromthose who are under thirty in our church. Thepoint they are making is this: Being included,being trusted, being considered responsible, forelders to be prepared to take some risk withinexperience, are sentiments and attitudes which

senior leadership must be willing to show, or we[young adults] are gone! We are gone simplybecause we have no ownership responsibility inthe life of this church (para. 14).

While every church is different, there is a clearneed across the board for our churches torediscover the value of belonging to a community.Our question today is: What does it mean to be acommunity that values belonging?

D. DiscussionRead:

John 17:20-26Ask:

What does Jesus prayer for the believersunity have to do with the value ofbelonging? Based on what Jesus saidabout his relationship with his Father, whatdid the Father do to create a sense of unitywith Jesus? [Some hints come in Luke

3:21-22, John 14:10-14, and otherpassages] What are some descriptivewords for the kind of relationship Jesus haswith the Father?

Jesus prayer was for the believers to havethe sense of oneness he and the Fatherexperience. Lets read how that prayer was


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answered in the first century church.Read:

Acts 2:42-47Ask:

What makes the church described here a

place of unity? What parts of Jesus prayerare fulfilled?

E. ExplanationAsk:

If you were a member of the Acts church,how would you define the value ofbelonging from your experience?

A. ApplicationAsk:

What is our church doing well in fostering a

sense of community? In what ways do yousee a fulfillment of Jesus prayer for unity inour church?What makes you feel like you belong to agroup (like our church)?How can our church be a place with astronger sense of unity and belonging? Inother words, how do you feel (or not feel)one with the body of Christ around you?What can be done about it?

ReferencesGeneral Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Executive

Committee. (April 10, 2007). Conserving membership gains An appeal. Retrieved December 19, 2007 from:http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/other_documents/conserving-gains.html

Paulsen, J. (2006). Special Report: Annual Council 2006. Paulsensermon: Service--an attitude. Retrieved December 20, 2007from: http://www.adventistreview.org/article.php?id=774

Bio Sketch: Previously serving as a worship leader and youth pastor inthe South Pacific and North American Division, Kasper Haughton, Jr. iscurrently a graduate student at the Seventh-day Adventist TheologicalSeminary, Andrews University. You can follow his new blog atkasperjr.wordpress.com.

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