Buzzard BlogGospel. Culture. Life. → in the West

The first that comes to mind is maintaining sexual purity and integrity in dating relationships.
I will try to think of more…

Politics- not endorsing parties or anything like that but getting people to think Biblically about issues…
Sexuality- marriage, singleness, dating, homosexuality, etc.
God’s heart for the nations (unreached peoples, all nations are equal in his eyes, etc.)
Creation (could describe the vastness of the universe, stars, etc.)
Spiritual Warfare (angels, demons, etc.)
Work (glorifying God)
Food (eating disorders, obesity, fasting, etc.)
Just some thoughts. Have fun : )
Curtis
Age: 21

I really like Curtis’ idea of Spiritual Warfare (angels and demons).
I think it would be neat to go through a set of lessons on the concepts of salvation…a salvo of the strengths and weaknesses of both Calvinism and Arminianism so that there is understanding of both to help them settle their own thoughts a bit.
I think it would be interesting to look at the differences between Biblical Christianity and the cults (as some may not be aware what groups are cults, what common cults believe, or the dangers of those beliefs).
I think the history of the Canon would be interesting to see why some books didn’t make the cut and why some churches use other books in addition to what we find in our NIV/NASB/ESV, etc.
Biblical roles of men and women in and out of relationships/marriage.
I think a worldview study would be good too…but even a brief overview would take far more than 3 1/2 months…maybe another time.

Evangelism – I feel our group has had some amazing victories in reaching the lost, simply by being Gospel centered and loving. The spirit leads, but I feel some deliberate direction and encouragement in this area couldn’t hurt. Through this series I suspect there will be a great deal of much needed exhortation and conviction to stop doing certain things. I think this topic would be a proactive lesson on what we can start doing.
I also think this topic is needed for the 20′s because our church mission is to MAKE and MATURE more followers of Christ. I believe we (myself included) need to be better equipped and motivated in the “MAKE” part. We are called to be like salt and not blend in with the world. We are called not to be loved by the world or only contribute in ways that are comfortable to us. For example, I don’t think we need improvements on more game nights or pool parties etc. The group already does such a great job of creating Godly fun community, that is our strength in my opinion. I think we need more spirit led, uncomfortable conversations with non believing friends and family. I envision a culture where considering bringing a friend to bible study or church is a normal, consistent thought.
I would also like this topic to include getting “uncomfortable for Christ” and what that could look like on the peninsula. As a member, it is my opinion that this is one of our weaknesses. I remember in small groups in that past, people saying they felt embarrassed to publicly admit their faith or unable to share their faith for fears of how they may appear to others. The speaker from our retreat was so convicting in this area regarding getting uncomfortable for the Lord and I think many in our group were convicted regarding their lacking in this area. This would from my perspective, be a perfect follow up topic.
Thanks

Sorry, a second one popped into mind.
Biblical Creation – Public school teaches that we are decedents of apes and the world is the result of an accidental explosion. Some basic biblical clarification and rebuttals I think would be priceless.
No one ever really explains to believers that science is not at odds with Christianity. I think we are made to believe that every form of scientific measure and logic proves evolution to be true. I think a simple survey would show a lot of confusion in this area.
Thanks!

I like Francis’ suggestion above.
Also, how about something with the Holy Spirit?

Sexuality- marriage, singleness, dating, homosexuality, maintaining sexual purity and integrity in dating relationships,etc.
Spiritual Warfare (angels, demons, etc.)
concepts of salvation
differences between Biblical Christianity and the cults

So, given our specific group, and the culture we live in, I think some of the following topics are “drop it like it’s hot”:
1. Materialism/idolatry (tech/gadgets/internet included)
2. Sovereignty of God doctrine (particularly with regards to salvation, etc). An academic look at Calvinism/Arminianism might be helpful. I think knowing God’s role and our role in salvation would totally help us in the area of evangelism.
3. Radical Christian Living- taking the leap from Jesus as a side dish, to Jesus as the main course.
4. Sexuality (some time spent on homosexuality)
5. Biblical manhood/womanhood
6. Modesty in dress, etc- practical guidelines and a look at the biblical root and why.
7. Gossip/slander/speech
8. Islam
9. Science + Christianity
10. Body image/food

Sounds like a great idea Justin. Here are my thoughts based on the group and the peninsula (you’ve probably covered some of these):
-Spiritual disciplines (prayer, fasting, study, worship, solitude)
-Rest (besides movies, and the occasional nap)
-Giving (time, listening, serving, talents, abilities)
-Inviting people into ours lives (from work, other activities) some might call that evangelism, I like to think of it as good relationship
-Doing our work really well
-Volunteering/Sereve in a place that is not our normal thing
Yeah dude, do what you think is best, plus everyone else has great ideas too!
Blessings

I thought Claire’s idea of Islam was really good, so I wanted to second that. To me there are a great deal of other religions, but really only one that looks and smells like the monotheistic God of the bible and totally isn’t.
A religion that doesn’t believe in a god like Buddhism or a religion that worships 300 gods or ancestors is easily distinguishable. But Islam seems to have Satan’s fingerprints… that is it characterizes many truths about God but has a few main lies in it. I think Islam contributes to the sentiment I hear so often, “there are so many all powerful gods out there, it’s impossible that one religion is right. Alah is just another word for the Christian God, so why can’t we call it the light or truth or mother nature?”

my two cents:
1.the trinity-why it is important, what it is, what it means for us in our everday lives
2.the meaning of the cross
3.the meaning of the resurrection
4.evangelism, evangelism, evangelism
5.luke 14, discipled living
6.manhood/womanhood (probably the most beneficial thing i have ever taught my youth group)
7.how to study Scripture(meaning, not the “this verse made me feel” type study)
8.the preciousness of prayer
9.worship as life…all for the glory of God
10.sex, drugs and rock’n'roll. for lack of a better definition…living in the culture but not being of the culture
i hope the study goes well. i’ll be praying for ya’ll.
-joe

I’d really like to see some Biblically-based discussion on to “set ourselves apart” as Christians, without removing ourselves from the world enough that we cannot reach out to the lost. I think there’s a great divide between those that believe we can safely immerse ourselves in the world, particularly in the realm of entertainment, without harming our witness or our walks, and those that think you must remove yourselves completely and stand out to the point of being odd. Then there are all the rest of us in between the two extremes. Based on theology and Christian values, how do we “keep ourselves unstained by the world” (James 1:27)?

Biblical manhood and womanhood, dating/courtship, the necessity of world missions, something about ‘don’t waste your life’, spiritual discernment, spiritual warfare and the Holy Spirit (because many people do not know what is of the Holy Spirit and what is not, and what to think of healings, etc.). I also liked the idea about ‘radical Christian living.’
Also, I think it would be good if the importance of reading is emphasized – not just reading the news, but books by, for example, Elisabeth Elliot (I think many people who wouldn’t be ready for authors such as C.S. Lewis, would enjoy reading her books, which are still very good) and biographies of missionaries. But perhaps you’re already recommending many books to them. I think I would :).

#1- Contentment in Christ vs. Contentment in singleness/Contentment in Spouse
#2- Extending your Adolescence
#3- The Doctrine of Adoption for the fatherless (C.J. absolutely demolished this topic last Sunday at our church. Same topic as NA sermon but WOW)

How should the will of God be done on earth? How does the Gospel of Jesus Christ call us to action regarding the following?
World Poverty
Slavery & Political Oppression
Peacekeeping & Conflict Resolution
Equity and Fairness
Cultural Engagement
Political Activism
HIV/AIDS Pandemic
Environmental Stewardship
Community
Spiritual Transformation

Love your blog, here’s my 2 cents, in no specific order:
1. Predestination
2. Evangelism
3. Biblical Sexuality
4. Biblical Finances
5. What the Gospel is
6. What the Gospel is not (e.g. just social justice)
7. Repentance
8. Idols of the heart (self, pride, secret sin, etc.)

Many good ideas so far, but I’d like to also say contentment. Also, I think the rest one is good, particularly in an age where the TV, Internet, iPod, mobile…create so much noisethat we’re not good at spending time reflecting or resting in Jesus.

i am a mom of a couple of twentysomethings who are not believers. one thing i see not only with them, but also others in the same age group (even believers) is the difficulty they have with [doing] hard things–often a matter of the fruit of the Spirit giving self-control (self denial), but sometimes a matter of “kicking yourself in the butt” when you don’t FEEL LIKE DOING SOMETHING, but should be doing it. not sure exactly how you could address this. thanks for all.

1. Surrender to God in everything, and what that is and what it is not.
2. Being satisfied with God even when He does not give us something that we greatly desire.
3. Repentance
4. How to study The Bible
5. How to prepare yourself to hear God’s voice, how to hear God’s voice, and how to distinguish God from the enemy.
6. Christian dating, relationships, mariage, sexual purity
That’s about all I can think of for now.

I would like to discuss ways to get closer to jesus.
what it means to be a follower of christ
How to live it and keep living it
Non Christian friends and staying strong in faith
Christian Dating, sexual purity and how to keep yourself pure in a relationship
Getting rid of the idols in your life.
Help in weeding out what really matters in this life of chaos. Simplicity in Christ.

I like the idea of focusing on how to live on the Peninsula in the world but not OF the world. And not just how to live in a materialistic place and only get one ipod and not two, but to go deeper into how our lives are supposed to look different, on every level, than the rest of the world.
There have been some interesting comments about politics, social justice and other religions – I would really like to do a study on how Jesus dealt with all these things. How did Jesus deal with the “religious hearted” (my own made up word) as well as people from other religions? How do we be involved and relevant in our community and society while still doing God’s work.
Another spin on that in light of election season is how we are first citizens of heaven, what that means, and that citizenship in this country or anywhere in the world is secondary to that…
Going back to the other religions issue, I think the first place to start might be with the inerrancy of Scripture, why we have the books in the Bible that we have, how they got there, where they are reliable.
Just some thoughts.

I meant to say “why” they are reliable. :)

-contentment
-suffering
-loving our enemies
-worry and stress
-patience
-understanding purpose
-how to pray
-how to study the Bible
-how to apply what we’ve learned from the Bible

1. Is is possible to be content even during times of trials?
2. Is is possible to have joy even during times of suffering?
3. How can I love my enemies even when I find it difficult to love God with all my heart, mind, soul and strength?
4. How do I remove worry and stress? Do I lack faith?
5. Is impatience a sin?
6. How do I discern God’s will for me in my life?
7. Does prayer benefit me more than it glorifies God?
8. Will stuyding the bible make me a better Christian?
9. How does one walk by the Spirit when my flesh desires to live by the world?

I can’t believe no-one has said “Work” yet. People in their 20s usually spend over half their waking hours at work, but understanding your work in a biblical context is hardly addressed.
From the other suggestions I’d take (in no particular order):
Contentment in Christ,
Singleness (especially the positives),
Guidance/Determining God’s will,
Prayer,
Being a member of a church,
Evangelism,
Living for Christ with non-Christians,
Being made in God’ image,
Love

I like what Claire Callaghan suggested. Also, what Trisha and Lailah suggested as well. Many of those could be found in James or (and I am just wrapping up a series on this myself) Sermon on the Mount…I know that those topics may seem like, “Oh, we already do those a lot” but really, it’s what Jesus chose to preach on, and, those are the topics we really live out day to day.
It seems super simple, and Christians will act like it is “not deep enough” and yet…who actually lives any of it out?

Also, I, Joe Koski, posted that last comment, not “Nick Fortescue”
(I hit “post” and forgot to add personal info. why it came up “Nick Fortescue” I don’t know)

Justin, we’re a church of twenty-year olds. I’m in the middle of a series on American Idolatry. I’m using Keller’s/Powlison’s definition of idolatry as turning a good thing into an ultimate thing. Some of the topics we have addressed or will address: power, money/stuff, family/relationships, image, sex, security, escape, education, fame. This is kind of a catch-all series in which we could put anything: politics/politicians, tolerance, etc.

In light of Mark’s message this past Sunday…How about…
Choosing Friends and
Being a Friend.
How to choose a Christian friend and/or mentor?
How to cultivate and preserve mature, intimate Christian relationships?
How can I eventually beocme a mentor and/or disiciple a new believer and be a “True” friend?
How can I ultimately make Christ my best friend?
Can I become a friend to Jesus on this side of heaven? How?

Not to be overly sarcastic or a real downer, but the wrath of God is a great topic. You can touch on two important but oft neglected topics: sin and hell. And it leads to some cool Christ stuff like substitutionary atonement.
Our college crew just finished several weeks of God’s Will material and your reading of ‘Guard Us, Guide Us’ might provide some good stuff for that topic; ‘discerning God’s will’ always seems to be hot topic for that life stage. They are currently enjoying a good end times study but that might just be a reflection of the teacher’s passion.
Sexuality and finances are very relevant topics. I agree with others who cast votes for contentment and idolatry. Someone mentioned studying the trinity and that opens the door for a little comparative religions study; another way to do that might be a ‘What Makes Christianity Unique?’ series.
Good luck sorting through your options; listen to the Spirit. Lookin’ forward to seeing what you settle on.

Everyone, thank you. This is very helpful.

I am so excited to start 20′s again. I thought of some things I would be interested in hearing/studying/knowing more about then I read most of them when I went through everyone else’s comments. But here they are…
1. Mentorship
2. Growing in faith
3. Being a woman/man of God
4. How to pray
5. Serving our community
6. Living in the world but not being of the world (thanks Joe)
7. Tithing and giving financially

The biggest stumbling block issue I’ve seen among young adults and singles is dealing with sex… the past and the mistakes as well as the now and the future. The “what about sex” question is huge… and the answer isn’t just yes/no, specific types of sexual actions, or just the sex thoughts running around in your head as you’re bombarded with subtle messages every day. It’s more than just confession of a sin and it’s “fixed”. Some people ache from the sin that the perversion of sex in their life has wrought; whether through their own action, inaction, or the actions of others. Sexual sin is like gaping wound in an individual life and a festering sore in the modern church.
The Roman empire of Paul’s day was overflowing with sexual immorality and versions of religious worship that involved sex. It was tough for these people who “worshiped” at the pagan temple regularly to totally change their life upon acceptance of the Gospel. It’s about abstaining from all sexual immorality… even the very hint of it. It’s all about being cleansed from all unrighteousness. It’s about coming face to face with the holiness of God and transforming into someone who can radiate His holiness. It’s about taking a stand against the spiritual forces of wickedness that attempt to hound you with your past or your thoughts or anything else.
I believe if you chose to wholeheartedly address this issue, the lives of those you lead will change dramatically. There are so many parallel issues that you can teach while addressing the matter – who am I as a creation, who am I in Christ, sin, confession, repentance, holiness, forgiveness, living in the world and not of it, what other religions teach (about sex or related stuff), friendship, dating, marriage, money and sex, the faithfulness of God as we chose to obey, the physical/spiritual/emotional healing that only God can bring, learning contentment, et cetera.
…and a bonus is that many young Christians who wouldn’t be brave enough to ask their friend to church are suddenly brave enough when the church is talking about sex… particularly they’ll tend to ask the friend they know who is hurting as a result of sexual sin.