Like most of the rest of us, Christian students tend to set the bar too
low for themselves, especially when it comes to actively following
Jesus.
This six-week Bible study curriculum (guide sold separately) will
challenge students to accept the mission to live like Jesus now, not
later, by telling the stories of adolescents from the Bible and in
modern life who did -- and are doing -- significant and amazing things
in the world and for the God who saves. In a society where cultural
adolescence is lingering into the 30s, its no wonder Christian students
often fail to confront the call to act meaningfully on their faith in
Christ.
It's easy to package that commitment with big ideas like picking a
college, a spouse, and a career -- and then to never quite get around to
it. God, however, posts no minimum age on discipleship, and his book
contains several examples of younger people both willing and able -- in
his power -- to do extraordinarily difficult and necessary things with
their lives for him. Why Not Now? will mine stories from the young lives
of Miriam, Joseph, David, Solomon, Daniel, and Mary to find why and how
they said yes to God before they would have been old enough to rent a
car in our modern society. All six of these people believed God could
use their lives to do something that mattered. What is holding us back?
To bolster the argument and generate interest in the books, Why Not Now?
will also seek contributions from living examples of people who are
doing or have done things we just don't expect students to do these
days. Abby Sunderland, for instance, generated worldwide controversy for
attempting to sail around the world solo simply because she was 16 at
the time. How dare she? How cold her parents allow that? Another
16-year-old, cheerleader Kealey Oliver, recently made news for
courageously tackling a shoplifter at the local mall rather that letting
him escape. She saw it as her responsibility to stand for justice. And
17-year-old Steven Ortiz made headlines by demonstrating the practical
wisdom of bartering his way from an old cell phone to a convertible
Porsche. Why Not Now? will use stories like theirs -- and those from
Scripture -- to equip youth leaders to challenge students to use their
unique gifts, skills, and opportunities right now to do bigger things
with their lives for God's glory.
The curriculum will include teaching outlines, commentary, group
activities, discussion questions, and engaging assignments that will
help students to catch the vision for imagining how much they might be
capable of. Right now. The daily devotional (sold separately) will offer
a similar challenge directly from the pages of the Bible using brief and
provocative commentary, directed prayers, questions for reflection, and
brief exercises designed to help students quickly put into practice what
they're learning from Scripture.
Designed for use with the Why Not Now? Leader's Guide (sold
separately).
