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SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT OF BOYS

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CAMPING MINISTRYTHE CAMPING MINISTRY

Em'seni Centre for Youth Development

“All transformation takes place in liminal space. Nothing fresh or creative emerges when we are inside our self-constructed comfort zones, only more of the same. The male must be separated from business as usual, particularly from the feminine, the warm nest, existing roles and securities. Liminal space must be created where the initiate can be taken, usually in nature and usually apart. Much of the work of the biblical God and human destiny itself is to get people into liminal space and to keep them there long enough to learn something essential and genuinely new. It is the ultimate teachable space…” Richard Rohr in Adam’s Return.


Liminal space Victor Turner:Liminal space – Victor Turner:Both liminal and liminality are derived from the Latin “limen,” which means “threshold”—that is, the bottom part of a doorway that must be crossed when entering a building.

“Liminality may perhaps be regarded as the y y p p gNay to all positive structural assertions, but as in some sense the source of them all, and, more , ,than that, as a realm of pure possibility whence novel configurations of ideas and relations may g yarise” ...liminality represents the midpoint of transition in a status-sequence between two qpositions…”


“Nothing good or creative emerges from business as usual. This is why much of the work of God is to get people into liminal space, and toof God is to get people into liminal space, and to keep them there long enough so they can learn something essential It is the ultimate teachablesomething essential. It is the ultimate teachable space.. maybe the only one. “ Rohr

A camp allows the boys to leave their normality and comfort zones and move towards a place of pliminality. Add a beautiful place, close to nature and you have a potential for new things toand you have a potential for new things to happen…


In order to arrive at what you do not know Y t b hi h i th fYou must go by a way which is the way of

ignorance. In order to possess what you do not possess

You must go by the way of dispossession. g y y pIn order to arrive at what you are not

You must go through the way in which you areYou must go through the way in which you are not.

A d h t d t k i th l thiAnd what you do not know is the only thing you know

And what you own is what you do not own And where you are is where you are not.y y

T.S. Eliot, “East Coker III,” in Four Quartets

Liminal vs liminoid:Turner coined the term liminoid to refer to

Liminal vs liminoid:Turner coined the term liminoid to refer to experiences that have characteristics of liminal experiences but are optional and don't involve aexperiences but are optional and don t involve a resolution of a personal crisis. A graduation ceremony might be regarded as liminal while aceremony might be regarded as liminal while a rock concert might be understood to be liminoid.liminoid. The liminoid feels like the real thing but it is just a diversion not a threshold at all but only morea diversion, not a threshold at all but only more of the same and a diversion from what is real.


Biblical experiences and liminal space:Most important things in the lives of greatMost important things in the lives of great men of the Bible happened on the

t i d lmountains and alone.This was and still is the quickest way to q ycreate the liminal space of openness to GodEveryone of Jesus important decisions wasEveryone of Jesus important decisions was made on the mountain.Hi 40 d i th d t l iHis 40 days in the desert was a classic experience of liminality which transformed him into ministry


Christian Camping creates p gsacred liminal space where:

1. Genuine community is experienced; 2. Ministry to the whole person takes place; 3. Relationships are built with God and with 3 e at o s ps a e bu t t God a d t

others; 4 Memories and major life commitments are4. Memories and major life commitments are

made; 5. Tomorrow's leaders are developed today.

From Christian Camping International


1. Temporary, but genuine Community:C i l t t thi tCamp is a place to try new things, meet new people, and have new adventures. The "newism"

k d i th t it tworks wonders in that it opens campers to change in many ways and, most significantly,

i it llspiritually. Jesus knew this when he called His disciples from their permanent communities where they were known as mere fishermen, tax collectors, carpenters, and so forth, to a temporary community experience where they would be more free to change.


2 Whole person ministry:2. Whole person ministry:

Camp powerfully communicates spiritual truths and spurs spiritual growth amongtruths and spurs spiritual growth among campers — in the midst of God's creation participating in Bible studiescreation, participating in Bible studies, experiencing teachable moments,

orship rela ation and reflection timesworship, relaxation, and reflection times .


3 Meaningful relationships3. Meaningful relationships.Camp is foremost a highly relational experience.Camp is foremost a highly relational experience. At camp, spiritual mentors are always present. They are visual examples of how to live whenThey are visual examples of how to live when tired, how to be kind when others are unkind, how to control anger, how to discipline with love,how to control anger, how to discipline with love, how to ask for forgiveness, how to grow spiritually, how to deal with temptation, and howspiritually, how to deal with temptation, and how to live in community. Among all of these relationships Christ is held asAmong all of these relationships, Christ is held as the most significant relationship to cultivate, and the relationship that brings meaning and healingthe relationship that brings meaning and healing to all other relationships.


4. Memories and commitments:e o es a d co t e tsBecause camp is a contrast to everyday life, and b thi t t th 'because this contrast causes the camper's senses to be heightened, time takes on new

i C li i th h l i lmeaning. Campers live more in the psychological present. Events at camp become more engaging,

li i id th fill d ith d t t llalive, vivid; they are filled with energy and totally absorb campers. It offers the opportunity to

tt h i it l t th t kiattach spiritual truths to memory-making experiences. After they have long since returned h h i f thome, when memories of camp return, campers also remember the spiritual truths and are moved t d t th t thto respond to those truths.


5 Leadership Development 5. Leadership Development A survey commissioned by Christian Camping International/USA noted that more than half the people in full-time Christian ministry today had made life-changing decisions at camp. Many not only gave their lives to Jesus Christ at camp, but learned their leadership/ministry skills there as well.

Camp is a powerful tool for ministry and leadership development because it closely follows a pattern ofdevelopment because it closely follows a pattern of ministry used by our Lord and embraces these five closely held values consistent with His.closely held values consistent with His.


Experiential learning:Experiential learning:

Th / f tti llThe camp/conference setting allows greater use of experiential learning:

Less structured timeLess structured timeOutdoor and open indoor spacesAdventure activitiesSimulation activitiesSimulation activitiesFun environment


Kolb Cycle simplified:


Conscious competence Conscious competence learning process:

Conscious

Unconscious Competence

Conscious Incompetence

Competence

Unconscious Incompetence


Spiritual Development of Boys:Sp tua e e op e t o oysQuick look at some excellent ideas that could be whole sessions on their own:

Fowler’s Stages of Faith Developmentg pElisabeth M. KimballReginald BlountReginald BlountRichard Osmer

The opportunity created by a camp environment pp y y pis almost essential in creating a “sacred” free space for the spiritual development to be “turbo


p p pcharged”

Fowler’s stages of faith:Fowler’s stages of faith:1. Intuitive-Projective faith (ages 3-7)tu t e oject e a t (ages 3 )2. Mythic-Literal faith ( junior school)

S C f (3. Synthetic-Conventional faith (adolescent and many adults remain here)y )

4. Individuated-Reflective faith (young adult…)5 C j ti f ith ( id lif d )5. Conjunctive faith (mid-life onwards)6. Universalist (very rare)( y )


Three core developmental Three core developmental processes of Young Men: p g

- Elisabeth M. Kimball

1. Awareness or awakeningg2. Interconnecting and belonging3 A way of living3. A way of living

Em’seni Centre for Youth Development

A camp will create liminal A camp will create liminal space for these boys:

Potential for change is increased by removing them from their place of “security”, trauma, helplessness etc.Many groups in USA and UK working with problem juvenile boys make use of theproblem juvenile boys make use of the camp and adventure process to connect and build new ways of reframing the boysand build new ways of reframing the boys understanding, developing skills to cope and building self esteem before mentoringand building self esteem before mentoring them in context. Em'seni Centre for Youth Development

7 Spiritual Yearnings of 7 Spiritual Yearnings of Youth: - R. Blount

Identity: - Who am I? I believe our challenge is to help youngI believe our challenge is to help young people to embrace what it means to t l b d i th i dtruly be made in the image and likeness of God.


Intimacy: -Whose am I?Intimacy: -Whose am I?

Young people are yearning, longing for intimacy, longing for relationship, y, g g p,longing to love, and longing to be loved.loved. Our challenge is to offer young people ways that help them embrace theways that help them embrace the unconditional love of God and assist th i b ildi h lth l ithem in building healthy, loving relationships with others.


Purpose: - “Why am I here?”Purpose: - Why am I here?

What is my reason for being?What is my reason for being? What is my purpose in life? Does my life really have any meaning? As young people search for purposeAs young people search for purpose, our challenge is providing an

t it f l topportunity for young people to discover their purpose, discover their calling, and then make room for them to live out their God-given destiny.to live out their God given destiny.


H li “Wh d I h t”Healing: - “Why do I hurt”

I believe our challenge is to acknowledge o ng people’s brokenness and offeryoung people’s brokenness and offer

pathways of healing through faith, hope, d land love.

Our challenge is to create an atmosphere g pwhere young people can experience the presence of God and bring their wholepresence of God and bring their whole selves to God, brokenness included.


Mentoring: - “Who is on my side toMentoring: - Who is on my side to help me?”

Young people deeply desire persons inYoung people deeply desire persons in their lives who are willing to help them

i t th f d l tnavigate the seas from adolescence to adulthood.Our challenge is to create mentoring relationships that provide the on-going p p g gsupport structures.


Nurture: - “How can I grow?”Nurture: - How can I grow?

What young people really need on a daily basis is safe places challengingbasis is safe places, challenging experiences, and caring people.O h ll i t t t itiOur challenge is to create opportunities for growth and safe risk taking within the fellowship of the youth ministry


Courage: - “How can I beCourage: - How can I be strong?”

I believe one of the more overlookedI believe one of the more overlooked yearnings of young people is to live a

lifcourageous life. Our challenge is to enable young people to have the courage to live the Christian life in the midst of a popular culture that p poften is in opposition.


R Blount 3 important R. Blount- 3 important aspects of Youth Ministry

Teaching to Transmit

p y

Teaching to TransmitTeaching to TransformgTeaching to Transgress


Kenda Creasy Dean says, “Immersing adolescents in the practices thatImmersing adolescents in the practices that

participate in the life, death, and ti f J Ch i t d t j tresurrection of Jesus Christ does not just

turn them into nice people that help others; it shapes them into subversives and prophets, forever marked by theirand prophets, forever marked by their identification with Jesus Christ and set apart by grace for lives of holy service ”apart by grace for lives of holy service.


Jesus was a transgressor:Jesus was a transgressor: He healed on the Sabbath; he got angry with the Pharisees; he turned over the money table; he intentionally associated y ; ywith sinners; he intentionally included women in his inner circle; he rebuked hiswomen in his inner circle; he rebuked his disciples for stopping the children from

i t hi t b bl dcoming to him to be blessed. If we are to take Christian discipleship p pseriously, then we must teach our young people to transgress like Jesus didpeople to transgress like Jesus did.


R Osmer 3 important R. Osmer – 3 important Goals by time they leave y yyour youth ministry!

Creed to BelieveCreed to BelieveCode for the RoadDream to Esteem


Creed to Believe:By creed I mean understanding and

Creed to Believe:By creed I mean understanding and confessing for themselves the basic elements of the Christian faithelements of the Christian faith. If this is to take place, then they must

ti i t i ti th t t thparticipate in a practice that presents the gospel to them and challenges them to give their life to it.I am going to call this re-proclamation of the g g pgospel and handing on of the core elements of the Christian tradition the practice ofof the Christian tradition the practice of catechesis.


Code for the Road:

A id l t li t t t i t d

Code for the Road:

An ideal to live up to, to strive toward. That is what I mean by a code for the road. By the time young people leave your ministry, you want to try your best to helpministry, you want to try your best to help them develop an inner ideal of the sort of person a Christian ought to be morally It’sperson a Christian ought to be morally. It s an ideal to live up to and strive toward.Thi i th h t f h t ti thThis is the heart of exhortation: the challenge to live up to a moral ideal.


Dream to Esteem:Young people are inherently risk-taking

Dream to Esteem:Young people are inherently risk-taking. They are willing to take risks on behalf of the loftiest most idealistic dreamsthe loftiest, most idealistic dreams.

The practice of discernment is about learning to use bifocal vision1. seeing the new creation struggle in the g gg

present2 simultaneously seeing the ultimate2. simultaneously, seeing the ultimate

outcome of this struggle in the future.


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