He’s like Walter Payton, I’m more like Peter
I love football. This weekend I’ll be pulling for my Hokies to keep the run alive and beat Georgia Tech. While doing my usual pregame activities this week, like reading anything I can find mentioning Virginia Tech football, I ran across several articles talking about our running back, Ryan Williams. You see, from a very young age he loved Walter Payton and even has a tattoo of Payton’s number 34 with the tag, “Little Sweetness” on his forearm. Now that Williams is getting national publicity for his success, many people are comparing him to his hero. They have a similar style and greatness in the way they play the game.
All this got me thinking about which Bible character I’m most like or want to be like. I think this is a fun question to ask and it may be a great way for you to start this week’s lesson. For me, the answer is pretty easy. I definitely see myself as one of Jesus’ apostles, probably even Peter. Now before you go thinking I’m being a little arrogant with my choice, let me explain. I chose Peter because he promised Christ he would stand beside Him until the end, even if it meant dying with Him, and then a few hours later he barked at a little girl for thinking he was a follower of Christ. I can relate to Peter because I like to say I’ll do great things only to find myself sleeping in the garden and missing out on a great Jesus moment. Also, I like to think I’d fight a Roman soldier or evil Pharisee, but most likely I’d run away with the rest of them.
You know what’s beautiful about following Christ? It’s that having moments of weakness like those mentioned above isn’t what defines us. Honestly, if everything you knew about Peter was based on Mark 14, you’d think he was a chump rather than one of the founding fathers of our faith. God used him in mighty ways to establish the church and spread the story of Jesus around the globe.
That gives me hope and I hope it does for you, too. I mess up all the time. No matter how hard I try or how focused I am at one moment, I fall asleep at the wheel the next moment. I’m thankful for a loving Father who’s encouraging and equipping me for success and is ready to catch me when I fall.
So, which character are you, and why?
Below is a clip from Bolt where the pigeons try to remember why they recognize him. Another way to get some conversation started is to ask the people in the class who they remind each other of. This could be a biblical character or someone else, but make sure the focus is on positive traits. I hope some of this helps give you a few ideas and maybe an additional thought or two for this weekend’s time with your group. As always, feel free to share your thoughts below.
There have been 7 replies so far
I think this is a really interesting approach to this lesson! Its helpful to look at Peter and think about how we live our lives as Christians. Sometimes we think Peter looked like a wimp, but are we really that different?
1 | Cathy Stein
Saturday, October 17, 2009, at 9:19am
I’m sorry, but I’m trying to find current information about the lesson earlier in the week. As a Minister of Education, I’m encouraging my teachers and myself to begin preparing for Sunday’s lesson on Monday. Begin reading it. I miss the old “Extra’s” that gave us current topics, stories from the past week or month. Any helps for us out here that like to study ahead of time. I’ve emailed several here trying to get more information and recieved promises that I would hear from some…but still, just not much here in the way of techer helps….
Hate to be negative, but our teachers are wanting more…and I’m about to look elsewhere…
Michael
2 | Michael Ryer
Thursday, October 22, 2009, at 10:28am
Michael- What types of things are you looking for? If your leaders begin by reading their Leader Guides, their Bible, the commentary we provide and the areas of the Learner Guide we mention, that would be a great start. Are they currently doing all of that? That is the main reason I do my blog later in the week, because I want the leaders to have already spent some time working through the lesson and then my goal with the blog is to bring one more personal touch to the lesson and a media option or two as well.Another option is http://lifewayextra.ning.com/. This is a new community we created here that has leaders and ministers from around the country talking about the upcoming lesson and any ideas they had.
If I could customize things for your group, what would it look like? What things would you want them “studying” early in the week that we don’t already provide? Help me know how to better help you and your leaders.
3 | Chad Jordan
Thursday, October 22, 2009, at 10:39am
Thanks for the quick reply, I’ve done a lot of thinking about it as we are starting to look for new avenues of lessons.
First I would like to see daily devotions in the student books. (they had them before…where did they go?). Encouraging our students to spend time in the word and also delve into the lesson more before hand.
I would like a leader’s supplement (much like the old “Extra” that gave up to date clips, stories, from the past week or month to bring it closer to home…(by the way, can anyone find the wingclips movie clip ask for in last weeks lesson?….Kingdom of Heaven? not me).
I would like to see questions in the Teaching section that were not the same questions as in the learner’s guide. (I know there are one or two a lesson)
I would like to see more activity learning exercises. Question and answer just doesn’t cut it anymore.
I would like download-able posters, print materials, daily things that we can send out email or post on facebook or blogs to encourage our students weekly to think about the things we studied or are studying.
Not to be mainly negative, I’ll post things I like because not only am I the Minister of Education, I teach the college class.
I like the powerpoint slides that come with the CD. I like the posters that are in the teaching kits (however I would like more consistency) some months have a poster each lesson, others just have a introductory poster. I do like the commentary section in the teacher’s guides.
Maybe these are out there but no one has shown me where to find them. I just checked out the website you have given me…I’ll continue to look further.
Hope this helps, and this was compiled by a number of my teachers.
Michael
4 | Michael Ryer
Thursday, October 22, 2009, at 11:18am
Michael- I just emailed Wing Clips and this was the response from them about Kingdom of Heaven: “Hi Chad,
Thank you for contacting us. Unfortunately, we had to remove this title for the time being because our contract with this specific studio had expired. Until we obtain an updated agreement, we are not allowed to continue posting this film. Since we are working with licensed content, we have to be very sensitive as to not violate any of our contracts, so we can continue to provide this service to our subscribers.”
I do apologize for the inconvenience of the movie not being there. I will follow up via email about your ideas, and I would love to hear from the rest of you. What is important to you in a Bible study. We certainly can’t provide every single piece for every group, groups are too different, but what are the non negotiables for you and your group?
5 | Chad Jordan
Thursday, October 22, 2009, at 1:00pm
I was just looking at this discussion again. I checked out that lifeway.ning.com page, and that discussion is the same one that I get via email each week. I agree with a lot of Michael’s comments and suggestions. My needs are a little different, but still, some new stuff would be so helpful!
6 | Cathy Stein
Friday, October 23, 2009, at 11:13am
Chad, I want to thank all of you at Threads for your faithful dedication to young adult ministry. You truly do provide much needed support.
I read this blog with great interest because I have also found myself thinking that the Life Matters material would be even better with a couple of additions.
Like Michael, I believe it would be very useful to have daily devotions, similar to those in the Collegiate. They could either be parts of the weekly readings or other related/relavent scripture that provide breadth.
I also believe that serious consideration should be given to including the Personal Bible Study section from the Leader Guide in the Learner Guide. I have found myself sharing it with them anyway, because it is so valuable in providing DEPTH. They can handle it. And as you well know, they are hungry for it. Really, I do not see why the Leader and Learner books need to be that different at all.
I also agree with Michael that additional leader helps like activity ideas, exercises, and “Extras” are helpful. But, I get the weekly email “Insights” and maybe that or a web site posting is the best vehicle. That would make it easier to include the “current issues” material Michael is desiring. Again, I know that your (and others) blogs help to serve this purpose as well.
I offer these suggestions humbly, knowing that ya’ll are working very hard. I value your ministry and the support it provides the rest of us. I truly feel that we are in this together. God bless.
7 | Rob Bailey
Saturday, October 24, 2009, at 12:43am
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