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Practice Together
Everyday life is the training ground for character formation . Young people are sent out to test the virtues they ’ ve learned in relationships through modeling and teaching in the church and youth ministry . For example , they ’ ve “ caught ” and been “ taught ” the virtue of forgiveness in community , and now they get to apply that wisdom to everyday life within their families , relationships , schools , and communities . As we practice together , we walk with young people through a cycle of action and reflection , helping them try on service , leadership , hospitality , and holistic practices that move faith out of their heads and into their hands and feet . Through the struggles and victories of everyday life , young people develop character competence and , eventually , begin to own their faith .
Make Meaning
When we create environments where teenagers can reflect on what happens in their lives , we help them understand who they are and who they can be in Jesus . In the midst of once-a-year and week-to-week experiences , teenagers wonder , What happened ? What does it mean ? Where is God ? What now ? Faithful leaders guide students through these cycles of action and reflection ; we make meaning , tapping into the power of naming experiences , evaluating our actions , and connecting to the larger biblical narrative before we go out and try again .
formation , there is no one-size-fits-all solution or easy equation for it — no matter how much we might like there to be one . That ’ s why you won ’ t see a formula for character in this book .
X + Y does not always yield Christlike character .
Instead , our team ’ s prayer is that the Faith Beyond Youth Group Compass will point you in the right direction to form character in your teenagers while also giving you the room to contextualize the five points for your specific ministry setting . We hope it will spark your creativity and inspire you to leverage the game-changing work of character formation in your ministry . As you do , teenagers will leave your ministry with the gift of faith that extends well beyond youth group .
Excerpt from Faith Beyond Youth Group by Kara Powell , Brad Griffin , and Jen Bradbury by Baker Books , a division of Baker Publishing Group , Copyright 2023 . Used by permission . https :// bakerpublishinggroup . com The topography of character-forming discipleship is as diverse and layered as today ’ s young people . When it comes to character
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