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By Kurt Johnston
8/23/2007
If you were actually able to trace the origins of the tangents your junior highers lead you down, you might be surprised to discover that most of them actually start off as an honest observation or question about the bible study or topic that is being discussed.When a tangent takes over a group, it usually goes one of two ways: First, it may go down a crazy, windy path towards television shows, the cute kid at school or the price of tea in China. In these cases, you probably want to try to bring the tangent to an end as quickly as possible for the sake of your bible study time. But a second route tangents take is simply a small diversion from the original question or topic. These tangents typically stay spiritual in nature but add an unsuspected twist or turn. In my opinion, tangents that are still spiritual in nature are worth pursuing. If 7th grade boys want to talk about why bad things happen to good people instead of your study on the Beatitudes, LET ‘EM! If you find them going down some tangent trail about helping the needy in the middle of your study of Exodus, GREAT! When these types of tangents arise, I suggest going with them instead of shutting them down.
I see my small group really as my kids' small group. So I normally have a concept that I want them to take away from the evening, but if they have an issue to discuss, I let them. Because it must be relevant to them, and God is relevant. That's when I try get them to chat openly about what's on their minds, while trying my best (sometimes very creatively) to relate it back to the scripture we're reading, or the topic we started on.
Gavin Hayes 9:08:00am on 8/11/2009
OffensiveHi, how do you handles the youth group(HS kids). My youth group 85% of them are not yet a biliever. They go to Church because their parents are Christians. What are the suggestions or idea that for us to do or what type of lesson should we do??? Please help THank You
Andy Tran 1:11:16pm on 11/06/2007
OffensiveI agree with your techniques and your attitude toward the tangents but I also purpose some inward discernment for the small group leader themselves(or any church leader for that matter). If we become so focused on saying what we plan to say or talking about a certain thing that is in the cariculum then we loose focus on giving God freedom. An example of this could be that you are teaching a lesson on keeping God in a box and compartmentalizing our lives, then when a student asks a really difficult question that wasnt one we planned on answering we tend to dismiss it as a tangent when really it is an attempt to dive deeper or a beconing of God to shift the discussion a little but since its not part of our plan for the study we try to stop the "tangent" and have unknowingly just become hypocrites for limiting God's freedom of the conversation on putting God in a box. Kinda interesting to think about. I have said this next statment before and will say it again "1 single word from God will speak so much more into someone's life than 1000 briliantly beautifly spoken words that we could say."
Jacob Fields 3:09:13am on 9/17/2007
OffensiveThis is a good one. Most volunteer group leadees at first feel that tangent mean they aren't doing well. When they "get" that tangents are part of the game and they simply need to learn how to manage them well, their confidence goes up.
Erik Williams 4:09:27pm on 9/04/2007
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