Unafraid Youth Leader Guide: Living with Courage and Hope in Uncertain Times - Softcover

Hamilton, Adam

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1501853821 ISBN 13: 9781501853821

Verlag: Abingdon Press, 2018

Inhaltsangabe

Americans are anxious people. A recent study found that one in five of us has an anxiety disorder and we spend over $2 billion a year on anti-anxiety medications. Often our life events play a significant role in our worries and fears.In this study based on his book Unafraid, Adam Hamilton explores the most common worries and fears experienced by Americans today. He considers practical steps for overcoming these fears, and reflects upon fear in the light of Scripture and a faith that promises again and again that we don't need to live in fear. We can live with courage and hope.This Youth Study Book takes the ideas presented in Adam Hamilton’s book and interprets them for young people grades 6-12.

Über diesen Titel

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Adam Hamilton is senior pastor of The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, one of the fastest growing, most highly visible churches in the country. The Church Report named Hamilton's congregation the most influential mainline church in America, and he preached at the National Prayer Service as part of the presidential inauguration festivities in 2013. Hamilton is the best-selling and award-winning author of The Walk, Simon Peter, Creed, Half Truths, The Call, The Journey, The Way, 24 Hours That Changed the World, John, Revival, Not a Silent Night, Enough, When Christians Get It Wrong, and Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White, all published by Abingdon Press. Learn more about Adam Hamilton at AdamHamilton.com.

Auszug. © Genehmigter Nachdruck. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

Unafraid Youth Leader Guide

Living with Courage and Hope in Uncertain Times

By Adam Hamilton

Abingdon Press

Copyright © 2018 Abingdon Press
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-5018-5382-1

Contents

Introduction, 
1. Understanding and Countering Fear, 
2. Crime, Race, Terrorism, and Politics, 
3. Failure, Disappointing Others, Insignificance, and Loneliness, 
4. Apocalypse, Change, Missing Out, and Finances, 
5. Aging, Illness, Dying, and Fear of the Lord, 

CHAPTER 1

UNDERSTANDING AND COUNTERING FEAR

Fear is a universal human condition. We all know what it feels like to be afraid. Sometimes fear can protect us from harm. The fear of pain and injury may keep us from touching a hot stove or jumping off a second-story balcony; the fear of being grounded may inspire us to keep up with our schoolwork and study for the next big test.

But fear also can be destructive. A fear of failure or rejection or getting hurt can keep us from taking advantage of opportunities; it can make us reluctant to take risks and make sacrifices; it can prevent us from answering God's call or taking a stand for people who are suffering.

In Part One of his book Unafraid: Living with Courage and Hope in Uncertain Times, pastor and author Adam Hamilton explores what fear is and where it comes from. He looks at how fear can be a gift and how fear can cause brokenness and suffering. Hamilton also discusses how we — as children of God and followers of Christ — face our fears and respond to fear with faith.

This session corresponds to the following chapters in Unafraid by Adam Hamilton:

• Chapter 1: Afraid

• Chapter 2: The Anatomy of Fear

• Chapter 3: Paralyzed by Fear a Mile from the Promised Land

• Chapter 4: Facing Your Fears

Session Activities

Opening: Hopes and Fears (5–10 minutes)

Supplies: whiteboard or paper, markers

From Unafraid, by Adam Hamilton

The reality is everyone worries about something. We all have things we fear. And most of us will have seasons when anxieties and fear simply overwhelm us. Fear is a powerful emotion that shapes all of us in profound ways we often don't fully understand. Look behind depression's door, and you'll often find fear. Addictions, too. Peer beneath broken marriages and friendships, beneath prejudice and hate, and you'll find fear.

Often during worship and fellowship, Christian communities share joys and concerns. Joys are praises and things that people are thankful for; concerns are worries and situations in need of healing. To open your time together, exchange joys and concerns but, for purposes of this study, use the language of "hopes" and "fears."

For example: "My grandparents are visiting, and I hope that we will have a good time together." "I fear that a friend of mine is hurting because of some family problems." List these hopes and fears on a whiteboard or large sheet of paper.

Open your time together with this prayer or one of your own:

God, as we prepare to begin this study, we give you our hopes and our fears. We thank you for all the ways that you have blessed us and the hope that we have through you. We ask for the strength and courage to face and endure our fears. Watch over us during this time together, that we will learn about ourselves and our faith and grow in our relationships with one another and with you. Amen.

Afraid (10–15 minutes)

Supplies: whiteboard or paper, markers

From Unafraid, by Adam Hamilton

Often we fear things that will never happen; yet real or imagined, these fears have power. Sometimes our battles with fear take a more serious turn, becoming a debilitating struggle with panic attacks or anxiety disorders. There are other times when fear is well placed, and people have good reason to be afraid: they are facing life-threatening illnesses, the impending death of a loved one, potentially devastating legal conflicts, or significant economic distress.

Each person in the group should jot down in the space below a list of his or her top five fears. Participants need not be too specific. Allow a few minutes for everyone to create a list. Ask each person to read aloud the list of fears. Discuss:

Have someone read aloud the selection from Unafraid by Adam Hamilton that's shown above. Hamilton argues that fear is behind many of the problems we face as individuals, communities, and nations, including problems of depression, addiction, prejudice, and violence. Write those four words across the top of a whiteboard or large sheet of paper. Ask:

• What fears might cause each of the four things shown on the board?

As fears are named, list them under the result they might lead to. For instance, someone might say, "Fear of failure." Consider whether a fear of failure could result in depression or addiction or prejudice or violence; then list it under the appropriate heading or headings. Spend about five minutes brainstorming fears. Then ask:

• How has fear had bad consequences for you?

Adam Hamilton says that fears have power. Sometimes fear is justified and protects us from dangerous situations. But often fear is painful and destructive. To counteract the power of fear, we need to take a look at what fear is and what tools God gives us to deal with it.

The Anatomy of Fear (15 minutes)

Supplies: note cards, markers, Bibles

From Unafraid, by Adam Hamilton

Our body's capacity to experience fear, and our ability to respond to perceived threats, when working properly, are absolutely amazing. ... Your heart begins to race, your breathing becomes more rapid and more shallow, your mouth gets dry, your muscles tense up — all aimed at helping you fight or flee. ... Our responses to a perceived danger happen almost instantaneously — before the rational mind can process the experience.

Have each participant write on a note card the name of an animal. The animals chosen should be well-known animals that everyone in the group would be familiar with.

Collect the animal cards. Have one person shuffle them and hand them out to the members of the group. Allow everyone a minute to think about how the animal on the card would react when threatened in a "fight-or-flight" situation. Would the animal on the card lunge and attack? Would it roll into a ball? Would it turn and run away? One at a time, allow each person to mimic how that particular animal would act in such a situation.

Then brainstorm a list of threats that might cause a young person to make a flight-or-fight response. These can be situations where a person feels physically threatened, emotionally threatened, or placed under a great deal of stress. Discuss:

• In which of these situations would you fight? ("Fighting" doesn't necessarily mean swinging fists or exchanging harsh words; it just means actively confronting the threat.)

• In which of these situations would you flee? (Again, "fleeing" isn't limited to literally running away but would include any effort to avoid confrontation.)

• In what sorts of situations is it better to confront a threat?

• In what sorts of situations is it better to walk away from a threat?

Read aloud each of the Scripture passages below. For each one, discuss:

• What threat do people in the story encounter?

• How do they respond to this...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Abingdon Press
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2018
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 1501853821
• ISBN 13: 9781501853821
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 64
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: preigu; mail@preigu.de; ; Lengericher Landstr. 19; Osnabrück; 49078; Deutschland