Youth Ministry According to the Tree of Life

2. The Bible and LIFE

Murray Brown

A Tale of Two Trees

For so long I could not understand it. Here are newly created Adam and Eve in need of so much instruction and oddly God forbids them of eating from the very tree which could have so easily provided it for them.

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil stood in the garden in sharp contrast to the Tree of Life. They represent two quite different paths. God had forbidden Adam and Eve to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, but why? Isn’t this knowledge what we strive for in so many of our youth programmes? Don’t we spend week after week teaching the knowledge of what is good and what is evil – what is wrong and what is right? Why then forbid them from accessing this knowledge?

We discover a clue when we read the words of the serpent telling them that God does not want them to eat of that tree because when they do, they too will become gods. Like many of the devil’s lies there is an element of truth to what he says. Eating of that tree would given them knowledge that only God possessed. Complete knowledge. Knowledge that would even take away their need for God and their reliance upon Him. Knowledge that would take them away from relationship. You see, it was God’s intention all along to supply them with this information but His plan in doing so was to teach them in the context of a loving and dependent relationship.

The two paths then were these. One was a path of knowledge without relationship; the other was a path of knowledge within relationship. One was a way of rules; the other was a way of relationship.

Two Ways and One Bible

When it comes to approaching Scripture in our youth ministries the question we must ask ourselves is which of these two ways will we follow? How will we present the Bible to our young people – as a list of lifeless rules to be followed, or as a Living Word from a Father to His children? In other words through our approach does it appear to them as just another textbook to be learnt and memorised or is it more an expression of God’s nature and His individual love for us? Is it a series of points that must be believed by the mind, rather than a narrative that must be engaged with their whole being? Is it words on a page or God breathed insights? Is it presented as something one way and instructional or do they come to see it as means to dialogue with God? I hope you can see that in each case it is primarily intended to be the latter.

Does that mean we don’t teach rules from Scripture? No – it means we don’t teach Scripture as rules!

There are two ways of looking at Scripture: as general revelation and as personal revelation. The Greeks had two words that differentiated these two: logos and rhema. As we read and study logos, God’s general revelation, His Spirit quickens its contents to us and the issues in life we face and so it becomes a more personal word – rhema.

We are no doubt familiar with Bible teaching as logos. Here we give young people a good understanding of the flow of Scripture and have them study basic theology. It is good and right that we do. However if that is all we do, we end up filling their minds with rules and information, and these will not sustain them. In fact, eventually Scripture will become dull and boring to them. So we do not cease from doing those things, but what we do is add a more personal aspect to our engagement with Scripture – one that breathes Life into them and has them learning within the context of a relationship with God, just as He always intended.

A Personal Approach to Scripture

In a personal approach to Scripture we teach young people to approach the Bible devotionally – not simply as a book of information but as Living Word through which God desires to speak to them. We teach them that in reading a passage it is good to understand the background to it, both culturally and linguistically – out of such understanding grows sound Bible knowledge and theology. But we must also ask questions that have them pondering what God is saying to them personally through the passage. Questions such as, is there an attitude I need to change, a sin I must confess and forsake, an sin to avoid, a command to obey, an example to follow, a promise to claim, a warning to heed, some praise or thanksgiving to offer, or a significant truth I need to be mindful of?

All these questions are asked in an attitude of prayerfulness in which the young person remains open to the promptings of the Spirit. It maybe as a group they read a passage together and then share with one another their thoughts and insights under each of these headings. From there each person asks the question, “Lord what are you saying to me personally through this passage? What is the rule you wish to impress on me in the context of our relationship?” Allow just one thought to come to mind – generally it will happen quickly and easily. Take this as being instruction, correction or comfort from God.

Teach and encourage them to journal these insights and to refer back to them, reminding themselves of God’s personal words to them and providing a degree of accountability for implementation.

Help them also to develop a prophetic approach to Scripture – one in which they are encouraged to share verses with one another as they pray for each other’s needs. In prayer, if a verse or passage comes to mind they must feel free enough and confident enough to share it in faith, believing that God will use it, if it is indeed intended for the one being prayed for.

Finally, approach Scripture experientially so as to involve them in the text. You might read a passage of narrative and meditate on the sights, sounds and smells that were there at the time. They can ponder what it might have felt like to be each of the characters in the story. Why did they act or not act the way they did? What thoughts, hopes and fears may have been going through each person’s mind?

The experiential approach may include visiting a setting similar to the story, such as a rubbish dump and then a cemetery to reflect on the death and resurrection of Christ. Or it may be that we create a scene indoors reminiscent of what we read, or even set up various stations which young people visit and engage with objects present in the story. We could use drama, role playing, improvisation or simulation games in order to help young people experience the text in a more real way. We are limited only by our own creativity! However we must guard against the temptation to use creativity and experience for its own sake. Its purpose is not to make our lessons more fun and interesting (although that will be a by product!) It is to help young people see the personal dimension found in Scripture and enter more fully into a personal relationship with a loving God.

This is Bible study according to the Tree of Life.

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* This article is not an exceprt from Life: The Missing Dimension in Discipleship, but it is based on its concepts. To find out more about the content of this book and purchase a copy, click here.