To Share or Not

ME: “Imagine that you are sharing what you have learned about yourself and your role in The Body of Christ with others. You can share ANYTHING you like about your experiences-but your words could have the power to inspire or change a life. What would you want to share?”

HERO 1: “I wouldn’t really want to share. It’s kind of personal.”

HERO 2: “I agree. I might feel comfortable if I shared with just my parents, but I wouldn’t want to share with everyone.”

During one of our discussions today, our heroes expressed some concern about sharing their learning experiences with others. After hearing a few more heroes express their thoughts, one chimed in and said, “I think some of us are afraid to speak in front of people.”

Our heroes’ comments lead to a discussion on fear. While I had anticipated the discussion to go in a completely different direction, our heroes had a lot to say about fear and speaking in front of people (a skill that many adults struggle with). I think this is the power of a student-driven learning environment-we can address and learn from the very experiences and challenges that our heroes are facing.

This week, our heroes’ journey through The Body of Christ involved reflecting on their growth and all they have been learning. Our heroes answered a series of reflection questions, started writing about some of their experiences (with their mentors, service projects, and other quest challenges), and also discussed what they have learned about The Body of Christ through some of the challenges they have faced.

In addition, our heroes also tackled a few new challenges. On Monday, our heroes learned about the Inner City Christian Federation (ICCF) which works to provide safe and affordable housing to families in Grand Rapids. Our heroes also worked on making blankets for families that will soon be moving into a new housing/apartment unit.

On Thursday, our heroes also took a field trip to Christian Healthcare Centers (CHC) where they participated in a variety of activities to learn more about the heart. Afterwards, our heroes discussed how though the doctors and professionals at CHC are not directly involved in the church building, they are still operating as a part of Christ’s church, and functioning in specific roles.

Discussion Questions This Week Included:

• Should humans invest more money into robotics? Would the world be better if there were more human robots like Sofia?
• When you are growing in excellence, is it most helpful to look at a “world class example”, have a peer review your work, or revise your work (adding and changing it)?
• What is your definition of a “student-driven learning environment”? What is your definition of an independent learner?
• What have you learned about The Body of Christ through this quest so far?
• Do you think the world should use a virtual and universal currency system (like The Bitcoin)?
• What was in your challenge this zone? Your comfort zone? What is something that was in your panic zone?
• Is it ever good to act out of fear?