Grandchildren and Reverse Mentoring

Having grandchildren is a blessing. Although sometimes care giving of grandchildren becomes a necessity, Rita and I are in a position to enjoy our grandchildren and then send them home to parents! The joy comes from watching them grow, learn, and come into their own as unique, gifted children of God. They also teach me a lot.

Earl Creps in Reverse Mentoring presents an argument for young adults in the church helping their elders learn how to be more effective in ministry. I think this also applies to interactive grandparenting as my grandchildren help me to learn things that I need to know.

First, they keep me informed about contemporary Christian music and the culture it reflects. I don’t attend a contemporary worship service on a regular basis but through my grandchildren’s encouragement, I now have a couple of stations programmed into my car radio that play contemporary Christian music. This makes them happy, but it also gives me an idea of the music that engages and informs young people as well as the theology it presents.

Second, they keep me updated on contemporary culture. I probably would know nothing about the Avengers, Legos, or Darius Rucker if it were not for my grandchildren. Why is this important? Because I know that we cannot hope to engage our culture with the gospel unless we understand the values, heroes, and challenges communicated by popular films, music, and literature. Becoming aware of the toys that either encourage creativity or stifle it helps to me to know what engages the minds of a new generation. Innovation and creativity are important not only for personal satisfaction but for meaningful contributions to our faith and our society.

Third, they continue to teach me about digital technology. If you have a problem with your iPhone or iPad, ask your teenage grandchild (and sometimes your preschool grandchild). They understand tech intuitively and are comfortable with all types of digital gadgets. As much as we may curse the digital age, we must learn to use it rather than letting it use us. Grandchildren help us to see both the danger and the promise of technology.

Thank you, God, for the opportunity to be involved in these young lives both as a mentor and as a learner.

Comments

Check these out

Confessions of a Recovering Southern Baptist

I am grateful for my heritage as a Southern Baptist. I was exposed to the Bible and worship from a very young age. I grew up in a church in south Alabama that supported the Cooperative Program of missions giving. This meant that our church had the benefit of being part of a supportive group of local churches and the educational opportunities that afforded. Our state convention provided varied and effective ministries with groups like orphans, ethnic groups, and college students. We supported missionaries at home and abroad. We had good Bible study and training literature (which we paid for, of course). I went to an accredited seminary and paid a remarkably low tuition. Wherever you went on a Sunday morning (in the Southeast and Southwest, at least), you could find a church that sang the familiar hymns and studied the same Bible lesson. In hindsight, I realize that this Southern Baptist utopia was imperfect. There were significant theological differences, often geograp

The Bible Tells Me So

As I read the story of the Good Samaritan during my devotional today, I was reminded of the times that I have heard the story in the Christian education setting of the local church--as a youngster in primary and intermediate classes (old terminology), as a young adult in college classes, and then as an adult, often teaching the passage myself. The characters and story line are very familiar due to these experiences of Christian education. These are challenging times for Christian education in the church. Like so much of what is happening in the church today, the old forms do not seem to support present needs. What once worked no longer seems to be effective. Christian education or the formation of believers is in a state of flux. In an article on ethicsdaily.com , retired professor Colin Harris addresses this issue. He points out that the period of the 60’s and 70’s “saw the beginnings of a loss of vitality within the educational dimension of church ministry, as the

Metaphors of the Kingdom of God

In a recent blog , consultant Seth Godin addresses the power of metaphor. He points out, “The best way to learn a complex idea is to find it living inside something else you already understand.” In other words, “this” is like “that.” “When you see a story, an example, a wonderment,” says Godin, “take a moment to look for the metaphor inside.” Jesus turned this around. In the use of parables, he told a story or provided a metaphor and challenged his hearers to see the truth within. For example, in his teaching on the Kingdom (or Reign) of God in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus compares the Kingdom to such things as a mustard seed, yeast, a hidden treasure, a net, a king, and a landowner. His hearers are encouraged to use their imaginations to understand something that they had never experienced. He also attempted to shift their perspective so that they might see signs of the Kingdom breaking into their present reality. These are metaphors for the Kingdom. Where do w

The Tragedy of Willow Creek Community Church

File photo of Steve Carter, Heather Larson, and Bill Hybels As Christian brothers and sisters, we need to pray for Willow Creek Community Church. On the eve of the Global Leadership Summit, a worldwide conference sponsored by the church in cooperation with the Willow Creek Association, church leadership imploded as a result of further allegations against former pastor Bill Hybels. Last year, Hybels introduced the team who would assume church leadership upon his retirement--lead pastor Heather Larson and teaching pastor Steve Carter. Although the founding pastor planned to stay on to assist in a time of transition, reports of sexual impropriety involving Hybels surfaced early this year. He accelerated his departure from the church and left the board of the Willow Creek Association. When other charges emerged last week, teaching pastor Carter resigned. On Wednesday evening, Larson and the entire elder board--lay leaders who provide accountability on behalf of the congreg

A Future for the Global Leadership Summit?

Craig Groeschel, the founder and senior pastor of Life.Church. The Global Leadership Summit which began as a project of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois, and its founding pastor, Bill Hybels, over 25 years ago was held this week without Hybels. For several years, the GLS has been now produced by the Willow Creek Association, a spin-off organization and a loose network of churches but Hybels has been its driving force. Attended by thousands at the church facility in South Barrington and broadcast to thousands more at satellite locations, the annual meeting brings together not only evangelical leaders but outstanding speakers from business, charitable organizations, politics, and business. For the first time, Hybels did not appear due to allegations of sexual impropriety brought against him over the past year by former employees, staff members, and business associates. He has already left the church and resigned from the board of the association.

Barnabas File

Search This Blog