Section 1

How Our Congregation Changed Its Approach to Making Disciples

As I met with the Christian education committee that evening, I could not hide my displeasure at the thought of three long months of Thursday afternoons, trapped with a group of unwilling teenagers in our annual confirmation class. Despite my earnest efforts to make sessions on the sacraments, church history, the Bible, ethics, and beliefs more interesting, who could blame these youths if the last thing they wanted was the pastor putting them through two more hours of school every Thursday in Lent. For me and for them, Lent was truly the season of cross-bearing.

I was reminded of an Episcopal friend of mine saying, "Confirmation is a second-rate junior-high graduation ceremony. After we have marched the kids through a series of boring classes, we then lay on hands to graduate them out of the church."

"Can't we come up with something better?" I wondered aloud to the committee.

"One can't devise an appropriate educational method," commented one layperson who teaches youth for a living, "until one has first defined what it is that one wants to teach. What is the 'end product' of this confirmation? What do you hope to accomplish?"

Off the top of my head, I responded to her, "All I want is a group of our youth who may one day grow up to resemble John Black." (John Black was a true leader of our congregation, everybody's idea of how a Christian ought to look.)

"That's it!" she said. "All we want is a dozen youth who, in their beliefs and lives, come to look like our best Christians. Is it too much to ask of confirmation?"

"Now, how on earth do we go about doing that?" asked another.

So, we put our heads together and went to work creating an approach to confirmation that would most effectively meet our goal. We agreed on a number of points.

Confirmation has as its goal discipleship — the production of people who resemble disciples of Jesus in their lifestyle, beliefs, and values.

1. We are uninterested in our youth knowing more "about" Christ; we want them to know and follow Christ. Therefore, confirmation must be more than the elementary mastery of a few facts about Jesus, church history, and the Bible. Confirmation is nothing less than giving people the equipment they need to be disciples here and now. (See my article, "Making Christians in Secular World," The Christian Century, Oct, 22,1986, pp. 914–917).

2. Christianity is more than a mere "head trip." It is a way of life together. The total person is engaged in the process. Education for the journey called discipleship must therefore be experiential, personal, and engaging, suggesting that confirmation doesn't end our growth as Christians. Our youth already are Christians. They are not ignorant of the faith since they already have been trying to live as Christians in their own way. Confirmation continues and strengthens Christian growth that has already begun. It is an important step in the journey, not the end of the journey.

3. The manner in which most of us became Christians was by looking over someone else's shoulder, emulating some admired older Christian, taking up a way of life that was made real and accessible through the witness of someone else. So, while books, films, and lectures might play a part in confirmation, they will all be subservient to the main task of putting young Christians in close proximity with older Christian guides — "mentors," we shall call them — who invite these younger Christians to look over their shoulders as they both attempt to live as Christians. The younger Christian will not be the only one who expects to grow and develop during the process of confirmation.

In meetings over the next few weeks, the committee devised a new approach to confirmation, based on our assumptions. We polled various groups in the church, including the youth, asking them, "Who comes to your mind as an adult in this church who would be especially good at helping our youth deepen their faith?" "Who are some of our most credible Christians?" I then took these lists (which were confidential) and selected twelve adults ranging in age from 23 to 68. I contacted each of them, telling them what we were asking them to do. Some expressed reservations, and all but two agreed to help. All were deeply moved that they had been named. I then assigned each of our ten youth to a mentor.

A setup meeting was called for the first week of Lent. Youth met their mentors, and the "journey" (as we called it) began. To each pair, we gave a one-sheet list of learning activities that had been devised by me and the committee. We told them to proceed at their own pace and to follow their own interests. The activities could be completed in a few weeks or inasmuch as three months.

The following learning activities were included:

• Read the Gospel of Luke together. As each of you reads at home, keep a notebook with you and note those passages that you find interesting, confusing, or inspiring. Every two weeks, make some time to discuss what you have read.

• Attend Sunday services together for the next three months. After each service, discuss your reactions to and impressions of the service, and any questions you may have.

• Get a copy of our church's budget. Find out where our money goes. Discuss together how each of you decides to make a financial commitment to the work of the church.

• Together, attend a board meeting of our church during the next three months. Decide what congregational board or committee you would like to be on at the end of the confirmation process.

• In your own words, explain "Why I like being a United Methodist Christian." Discuss two areas in which you would like to know more about our church. Ask our pastor or church librarian to help you find this information.

• Together, attend a funeral and a wedding at our church. After each service, discuss "Where was God at this service?" When in the service did you feel closest to God? Why is the church involved in this service? What is the purpose of this service?

• Spend at least fifteen hours volunteering together at Greenville Urban Ministries or at one of the other service agencies that our church helps to support. Why is the church involved here? What is Christian about the work done by this service agency?

As coordinator of the program, my work was much different than it was when I taught confirmation classes as the pastor. I kept checking with the teams on how things were progressing. One young person dropped out of the process. A number of mentors needed frequent encouragement and guidance. At the end of Lent, I met with each young person for an hour to discuss what was learned and to talk about what was still needed.

On Holy Saturday, all mentors and confirmands met at the church for a late-night vigil. There was a video about the church, followed by a prayer...