Session One: Microscopic

Last Sunday, we found out that no matter who we are, we all have a Godview. And the way we think about God (our Godview) affects how we interact with our world. Many people struggle because they have a negative or distorted view of God. This first week, we took a look at the life of one of Jesus’ closest followers (Peter) who struggled for the very same reason. In the end, we challenged students to begin to see how their view of God shapes the way they live. 
This is where you come in. You, the parent, have a great opportunity to reinforce what we discussed on Sunday through an intentional discussion.


So here you go... your first PARENT SYNC:

Parent Sync: Both of you grab a piece of paper, and take three minutes to write down all the things that come to mind when you hear the word “God.” Both of you be honest, and don’t just write the words that you think you should. There’s no grade for this. 

If you can, comment to this sync and share with us what you and your teen wrote down. 

God View Intro

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT:

Here is an overview of what we’re talking about during the month of November. Listed below the summary is a “parent sync” to help you dialog with your teen about the sessions this month. On Mondays, I will post a review and a question that is intended not just to be asked by you, but to be responded to by BOTH you and your teen. Use this opportunity to find out what God is teaching your teen, and allow your teen to see what God is teaching you as well.

GodView: THIS WEEK'S SYNC

Series Overview

Ask your teen (and share what you think... keep it simple): What comes to mind when you think about God? Who do you believe God is? How do you believe God interacts with you personally and with your world? 

Keep in mind... your teen may not have answers to these questions. This may feel strange to them (or even you) to discuss this together. That's OK. Keep at it for the month. Don't let the discomfort to keep you from asking these questions or discussing them. Also, this is one of the times when you not answering these questions could be wise. You are simply raising these questions (which we will be discussing for the month) and it's good for teens to wrestle with these for a while. 

Every one of us has a Godview whether we think about it or not. For many of us, it’s just a vague impression formed when we were younger. For some, it’s an image of someone against whom we have a strong resistance. For others, God is personal and mysterious, offering an adventure to anyone ready to pursue a relationship with Him. While we can never really know everything about God—because He’s that big and that mysterious—the things we can learn about Him shape the way we respond to whatever life brings. That’s why author A.W. Tozer said, 

"What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”