Mark Roques- Worldview Course
An understanding of worldviews can be used as a powerful tool for understanding young people, communicating to them and reaching them with the good news of Jesus Christ. Bishop N.T. Wright, in New Testament and People of God, demonstrates convincingly that the chief component of a person’s worldview is story. The story which that person lives by, which shows itself in praxis, symbol and provides answers to life’s basic questions (Who am I? Whats wrong with the world? Whats the solution? Where am I going?).
I have found time and time again, working with Year 7’s in schools to ‘punks and emos’ in detached youthwork/evangelism, that stories have power. Stories can open up new possibilities for the hearer, challenge false stories which dehumansie young people, such as the stories of Nihilism and Consumerism. In fact we see that Jesus’ preferred method of teaching was through stories. Stories can’t be pinned down like propositional truth, but they are able to communciate to mind and heart, particularly in these postmodern times.This is not some mere academic banter but is something which actually works in the classroom
On top of the power of stories to challenge and subvert we must also consider the fact that adults, teenagers and children alike, love a good story. We don’t find many young people watching lectures or documentaries, but we do find them watching movies (visual stories), reading novels, and telling stories of their own lives to their mates.
In the light of this when I discovered that Mark Roques has developed a course for young people which is based around storytelling, I was delighted. My delight, upon reading through the course, has increased for here we have a tool, as teachers, preachers, youth workers, from which we can communciate effectively to young people today. I wholeheartedly reccommend it. See here for details.
Mark Roques has developed a beauty of a course which uses stories to point to the larger stories which are at work in this world today.
Nice one Swalesy! I unequivocally agree; stories can open up young people to the gospel in a way that other ways cannot. I’ve seen the way students lap up stories and how stories can be used to unlock their worldviews. Rocky’s course is a timely and important tool for evangelism and discipleship. It is ideal for schools and college work as well as in church groups.
Steve Bishop
FE College lecturer
Stories are part of the life-blood of being human. When Jesus was confronted by an angry mob did he deliver a complex, doctrinal diatribe? No doubt he could have, but instead he disarmed, challenged and in some cases provoked people with pithy vignettes that still hold up 2 millenia later. Rocky’s course is timely and engaging - use it!
I agree with all this stuff about the worldview stuff. I work for Urban Saints, and know that many of our group leaders found this stuff really useful with secondary school age kids. I personally use it to. I recently did a talk on money, sex and power to a group aged 15 plus. Exasperated over what to base the teaching on, I looked at some of the stories of the characters that Rocky has put together. The young people were fascinated. It made me aware of the benefits of the lost art of story telling, and I for one will continue to use this excellent resource, and promote it amongst those I work with. Indeed, whenever I’m looking for a way of tackling a subject to teach on, one of the first places I turn to is Reality Bites. As well as engaging the young people, it engages with me more as I’m putting sessions and talks together!
There’s lots of Rocky love here… How much has he agreed to pay you all to comment?!