What does “let the conversation be the content” mean to you?

Listen to the Pragmatists

Matt Price wrote a paper for Didache: Faithful Teaching in 2003 titled, “Why Experience Matters: What Pragmatists Teach Wesleyans About Educational Experience.“  In the paper, Matt engages the works of William James and John Dewey on the topic of educational experience.  Matt describes Dewey’s analysis of experience as:

Dewey explains purposeful experience as a “trying [that] involves change, but change is meaningless transition unless it consciously connect[s] with the return wave of consequences which flow from it.”… “when the change made by action [or active trying] is reflected back into the change made in us [by passive undergoing], the mere flux is loaded with significance.” Outward activity always results in something new with each experience. It is in this experience of flux between trying and undergoing , says Dewey, that “we learn something.”

It is this purposeful experience that Chris was pointing to in his comment.  When a person in a small group connects with the content through a personal story then they engage the content through their imagination of reality.  An indication that the person is in the “flux between trying and undergoing.”  It is at this point that learning can take place.  This learning encounter (i.e. educational experience) expressed in the form of conversation should be encouraged by the small group facilitator.  In fact, letting the educational experience (read conversation) be the focus (read content) may not be a challenge as much as it is a possibility for shared learning or transformation.

Wondering is Good

The question remains, “How do youth workers practice letting the conversation be the content?”  The use of wondering or open ended questions in small group is a good practice.  Wondering questions open people and the group up to alternative ways of engaging the content.  A great resource to learn how to develop this practice is Jerome Berryman, “The Complete Guide to Godly Play, Volume One: How to Lead Godly Play Lessons” and Michael Novelli, “Shaped by the Story: Helping Students Encounter God in a New Way“

1. I might assume the silence is an affirmative because it is too elementary to answer.
2. I might assume the silence is a no and out of fear of being ousted all the youth workers stayed silent.
3. I might assume that my three subscribers (thanks mom, dad and Felipe) didn’t have time to respond.
4. Or I might assume that the question needs guidance.  A little unpacking if you will.

I am going to go with the last assumption for two reason.  One it helps me continue to process through my original gut reaction to the thought of such a question.  Two it is more comforting to believe the 4th assumption then the prior 3:)

Youth Ministry Activity

If I am correct in my analysis (and I will just go with that assumption because it would ruin the rest of the post if I didn’t) then this diagram depicts what most youth workers think about when planning a youth ministry activity.  You may not use the same language but here is a brief description of each of these elements.

Content – the lesson, sermon, games, music, curriculum, etc.

Youth – This may include their family system, stressors, life issues, culture, learning ability, learning style, language, belief system, etc.

Youth Worker – We think of ourselves and ministry team. This could include our schedules, skills, gifts, knowledge, preferences, etc.

Environment – Youth workers think of the place.  Church, camping, inside, outside, Local community, foreign location, etc.  And the way we structure the place matters.  We may decide that it needs to be contemplative or energetic depending the circumstance.

So now let me refine my question, “Do you think theologically about these elements?”

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