Diving In

To much of life is spent waiting to dive in. The unknown that lurks under the surface keeps us from plunging in. Well this blog is that plunge for me. Some friends have encouraged me to set up a blog page that explores the experiential stuff that I talk about all the time and that my book, "The Experiential Youth Ministry Handbook," looks at. My hope is to create a place where thoughful, honest people (with a good sense of humor and grace) can join this expedition into how individuals learn and grow, how groups learn and grow and how community can be explored and developed intentionally. It should be a wild ride with lots of passion and good natured debate.
Here's something to chew on. If you are a teacher, pastor, manager or leader you are a manipulator. In these roles we manipulate the room by how we set it up and how we arrange the lights. We choose where and when our programs occure. We can control the energy in the room by how we choose to sequence activities and lessons. My guess is we can have a huge impact on what people say and do if we choose to. The question is how much and what should we manipulate? Where is the ethical line where manipulation in teaching and leading becomes negitive?
So dive in. The water is ...........

Comments

Len said…
That's the last time I give away a new blog address before I leave a comment. I'm going to beat DYP the first time we meet!

I'm looking forward to the blog and I've struggled with the symantics of manipulating an event as compared to creating an environment. Good thing I trust God more than my abilty to reason and analyze all that I do.

Oh and Dead One, I forgive you. ;-)
10:18 PM
Adam McLane said…
OK, just some bits of a precursor... but who are you and why should anyone listen to you or read your book? :)
6:30 AM
John Losey said…
DYP Walking said
"I believe one needs to maintain a balance between the two in order to have a situation of integrity."
That's my question. Where is that balance? Even if we sat in a blank room and said nothing that would be choosing an environment. Why do we choose to put sofas and/or posters on the walls?
Did Jesus choose a sader dinner on purpose to present the ideas of footwashing and communion?
7:42 AM
'neice said…
Oh...don't listen to DYP...he's all talk! ;) Looking forward to reading the blog and diving into the book. I bought it at The Core on Saturday!
7:50 AM
John Losey said…
PA - please note that I don't ask you to listen to what I say but to explore the concept with me. Together we may be able to get a better understanding of how experience can influence and impact how and what we do as teachers and leaders. We may be able to ask new and better questions if we have others to bounce them off.
Should you read the book? I don't know. I wrote it as an offering and hope that some might find encouragement and use it as a springboard toward a more intentional, Spirit lead ministry. Read it and tell me where I'm off.
7:52 AM
John Losey said…
Len- you rock. So forgiving.
What's the difference between creating an environment and manipulating an environment?
7:54 AM
EYouthWNY said…
And how quickly does this dissolve into over thinking the problem? If you are choosing the environment in order to facilitate the group exploring whatever then you're doing useful positive manipulation. If you are attempting to enforce a point of view or direct the group to a pre-determined point then I think you're contriving the situation.

If you allow yourself to become bogged down worrying about where precisely that line is then you're failing at all levels.

I believe we sometimes need to simply do like the woman with the nard. Jesus said "She has done what she could". We should do likewise. Stop thinking and start doing and being.
8:06 AM
Adam McLane said…
I didn't mean that negatively... I've just never had the pleasure of hearing you or meeting you or reading anything. I meant that as a way to introduce yourself.

Why reaction to what you've said so ar is "of course we are manipulators of our environment." We don't live in vacuums and our personal experience can both a hinderance and incarnational at the same time. How does it effect how we teach? Like the question and look forwar to your thoughts!
9:01 AM
Len said…
Okay, the difference between creating an environment and manipulating an environment is a heart issue. Sometimes it's the same actions but different motives. Benny Hinn has an environment but it's 100% manipulated as opposed to Billy Graham who creates an environment, through music, ligts, and even having the volunteers begin to walk down at the invitation. God's Spirit honors the activity because the activity honors God.
9:05 AM
Roger Williams said…
LEN, how does acting like you are responding to the most important message anyone will ever hear for the first time to "make" others feel comfortable about getting up too, be God honoring. Manipulation is maniputlation. It's never good, it's manipulation. If I seek others to be Spirit filled, I better let the Spirit do the work and not me.

Roger

A quick story: I went to a summer camp for student leaders four summers ago with five of my kids. One of the good things this camp had us do was to give a "seven minute life story". Every student had to get up at some point in the week and share their story. It was awesome. But one of the things I noticed was that out of the 30 students that shared that week, 25 shared in their story that they had multiple "first time" conversion experiences. Is that because the they didn't mean it the first time or was it because every time they went to an event they manipulated into thinking they needed to do it again? 80% is an awefully high number to me.
6:43 AM
John Losey said…
Len, do you think Benny Hin thinks his heart is off? Do you think it's "manipulative" when Billy plays another chorus of "Just as I am" and says "The busses will wait, I know there's one more?" And if it's a heart issue doesn't proverbs tall us that the heart is evil? Just wondering.
2:49 PM
John Losey said…
Roger - If the spirit does the work than what do you do? Do you prep for lessons, do you plan stuff? I think that manipulation is...; it's what we do when we plan, organize or arrange. Manipulation is neutral. We fool ourselves if we think we don't use manipulation in our roles as teachers, leaders and pastors. Manipulation becomes dangerous when we don't acknowledge our role in it's use. It becomes evil when we purposely manipulate people to respond in ways that they don't want to or that they don't believe are true.
2:55 PM
John Losey said…
Da Youth Guy - When you say it's contriving to "direct the group to a pre-determined point" does that mean we shouldn't have an outline when we teach or be leading people toward anything. Why lead or teach if you don't lead anywhere or teach anything?
I agree that there are times when we just need to be with Christ and do acts of worship but as leaders teachers and pastors we are called to be more intentional. I don't think Christ ever inteded us to stop thinking. To not worry about our impact on the hearts and minds of the people we lead is a scary thing to me.
2:57 PM
John Losey said…
PA - I didn't take your request negitively. I think it a good idea to know who's posing the questions or comments. (By the way, who are you?)

I like the question too. What do you think?
3:01 PM
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