Week 10 - Final Revision of Paper

It sounds like this outline will work based on your comments from last week. I'm not sure what other revisions to make to it. I suppose I could add more details but those might be best left to being read in the paper. Anyway, this outline is the same as last week. The paper will be on its way soon!

I. Describe a particular aspect of culture - youth culture in Boulder, Colo.
A. Barker's insights
1. Nature of youth in Barker
2. Contrast with Chap Clark
3. Hurting kids
B. Boulder Colorado's youth culture climate
C. First Pres Boulder's youth culture climate
II. Use the "Countercultural" Model from Bevans
A. Why the model is good for this.
B. Possible dangers needed to avoid
C. How this model will aid in pointing toward the gospel in this culture
1. Relationships
2. Rich Young Ruler Example
III. Specific ways this will address the culture
A. Building Kingdom of God communities
1. For Families
2. Cultural difference
B. Partnering with Families
1. Resources
2. Deconstruction of wealth/achievement myth
C. For Kids
1. Expanding their worldviews
2. Teaching them to deconstruct on their own

Week 10 - Response to Joe E.

Joe's blog wins the most entertaining of the quarter by far. I agree with most of what he said except for one thing. Joe calls to "embrace popular culture." I'd disagree with that one. I agree the church has its head in the sand (for the most part) and I'd agree that alternative cultures created by the church are often weak efforts to be cool. I don't think the answer is to "embrace popular culture." We should work WITHIN popular culture but not necessarily embrace it. As youth workers we should stop scouting out what kids will someday grow up to be our volunteer leaders and interns and start pouring into kids that will be the next generation of movie producers. We need to sow the message of Jesus withing pop culture without fully embracing it.

Week 10 - Monday Class Reflections

The Merchants of Cool does a great job of illustrating the peril kids face from "producers." My fear is that we don't ask the question, "What makes them vulnerable?" I'd love to see a companion video that illustrates the way adults have "abandoned" kids and not invested in their lives. We, as parents and youth workers, should not see pop culture as the enemy and ignore the enemy within ourselves.

Week 9 - Revised Outline

I. Describe a particular aspect of culture - youth culture in Boulder, Colo.
A. Barker's insights
1. Nature of youth in Barker
2. Contrast with Chap Clark
3. Hurting kids
B. Boulder Colorado's youth culture climate
C. First Pres Boulder's youth culture climate
II. Use the "Countercultural" Model from Bevans
A. Why the model is good for this.
B. Possible dangers needed to avoid
C. How this model will aid in pointing toward the gospel in this culture
1. Relationships
2. Rich Young Ruler Example
III. Specific ways this will address the culture
A. Building Kingdom of God communities
1. For Families
2. Cultural difference
B. Partnering with Families
1. Resources
2. Deconstruction of wealth/achievement myth
C. For Kids
1. Expanding their worldviews
2. Teaching them to deconstruct on their own

Week 9 - Wednesday Class Reflection

I was struck by how the number of choices and technology means speed is a necessity for producers. If an identity isn't established within seconds, the remote control takes a consumer somewhere else. I hadn't thought about it in this way before - producers must literally craft every second of programming to be captivating or risk losing an audience (and advertising dollars). This "need for speed" means sensationalism will happen a lot. Interesting to me that choice and technology indirectly breeds sensationalism.

Week 9 - Comment on Ben's Blog

Ben's blog got me thinking about "genealogy" in churches and how that relates to our church. I've always wondered, "Why are people so against change - especially in cases where it clearly needs to happen?" Obviously, some people are just fearful of something different but I think there are other reasons too. Change indirectly can say, "You older people messed up." It can bring up feelings of anger, resentment and, perhaps, guilt. Some of these things are behind negative reactions to new ideas. I like the "genealogy" way of thinking - how can we tie "change" to an extension of the good work that the church has been doing for decades? In this way, we partner between generations instead of divide.

Week 9 - Bevans, Ch. 9 (Countercultural)

Countercultural model takes people seriously but calls for a "u-turn" of the mind. Culture is not evil and does not need to be replaced. Encounter or engagement of the culture perhaps a better term. Gospel has primacy over culture because humans and culture are ambiguous. Dangers include becoming sectarian. Baxter led movement to identify Catholics as Catholics, over and above being American.