Results: Let's discover you - 12/01/19
Last week we had an exercise where students answered a short series of questions that gave them a chance to reveal some things about themselves. Those students who missed last week and were here this week got to complete the questions as well. What you see in the results below are the summarized answers from 28 students.
Questions have a way of nudging us to provide insight on ourselves that we may not give on our own. Not to mention, we aren’t always the best at talking about ourselves outside of the common things we do. “I had so much homework!” or “UUUUUGGGHHHHH RRRRRRRR!” can be the most insightful we get at times. But we know students have a depth of feelings and knowledge that is greater than the common characteristics they regularly show.
Two great insights came from students when we walked through the results and got into more detail on the responses:
Students have a great concern for people. They want to help how they can but they don’t want to disappoint anyone, specifically their parents.
Though different from one another, students share in some of the same interests and fears. They have more things in common than differences.
The next step is to create an individual “mission plan” for each student to help them grow into the mission they are on.
Question: Which of these things do you enjoy the most? Each student ranked their top 3 answers.
Discussing the answers to this revealed both what they enjoy and what feels important to the students. For the large majority, activity through sports, being outside, or video games were the primary answers. Not too shocking. Spending a significant amount of time listening and learning needs an outlet. Playing in general gives us a sense of achieving immediate results (along with fun) that learning doesn’t.
How does this relate to the gospel and growing in relationship with Jesus? What students can take away from this is to see how every interaction with their teammates and friends is a mission opportunity. The playing field/court/course/etc is a mission field. Whatever we enjoy doing, wherever we enjoying doing it is a chance to build relationships to share the gospel.
Going to make disciples and teaching doesn’t have to take place on Wednesday nights or Sunday mornings. Matter of fact, the relationships being built that lead to gospel conversations may not lead to immediate opportunities to invite to church. Some may. God puts many chances in our lives to share with people. Some friendship connections happen quickly and others take time. Just remember, the things you enjoy are chances Jesus gives you to let someone know about Him.
Question: Which of these things are you afraid of most? Each student ranked their top 3 answers.
This question is so important, and not just for students, because it helps us to identify the things that hold us back from taking action. Looking at the 2 highest selected answers, the students fear has to do with a response from someone else. Disappointing people and being embarrassed requires someone to give us a response for something we did that was either disappointing or embarrassing. Either way, we would have had to do something no so good.
We could probably sum up several of these fears into one and everyone would select it: I’m afraid of looking stupid. We don’t like to look stupid. We don’t like being wrong. We don’t like to look anything less than the best we can. You know what? This isn’t a bad fear, nor does it have to stay a fear. This idea, this fear, can be turned into a discipline that helps us create good expectations.
Scripture tells us over 300 times to not be afraid. Why? Well, who is it that is telling us not to be afraid? God. So if God tells us hundreds of times to not be afraid, He must know something, have something greater in store, and helping us set an expectation that we shouldn’t be afraid. This and other expectations are given to us all throughout scripture.
Knowing God’s word helps set good expectations. When we are equipped with the word, we can be prepared for almost anything. Then, fears won’t stay fears but will turn into actions we take.
Question: Which of these statements encourages you the most? Each student ranked their top 3 answers.
Each of the options given for this question were all outcome-based encouraging statements. When you think about the top options students chose, what appears consistent is the response is in relation to something the student has come up with. “Great idea” and “I like how you think” doesn’t come from getting a math problem correct or getting chores done, but from creating something and/or voicing it.
This is one of those instances where we look at the answers and infer some things from them. We have a number of students that look to have creative and leadership aspects about them. Creativity isn’t always art and leadership isn’t always a title. Thinking about different ways to solve problems is being creative. Bringing people together for good reasons is a trait of leadership. Understanding the traits of students helps to guide them on the mission they’ve been called to.