A Faith of Their Own by Chris Folmsbee

Author:Chris Folmsbee
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook, book
Publisher: Beacon Hill Press
Published: 2013-05-23T00:00:00+00:00

Dimension 3: Integrating

The third and final dimension, integrating, is comprised of three aspects: (1) responding, (2) deepening, and (3) experiencing. Integrating happens when preteens—and adults, for that matter—begin finding practical application for faith in their everyday lives. It happens when preteens begin not only to associate and incorporate the meaning of their faith into a greater whole but also to take action to do something about it.

Responding is when a preteen goes past the idea of simply naming or choosing something and takes action on the observation. For example, when preteens begin to integrate their faith into everyday life through responding, they will no longer need to be shown the need or be told how to take action but will address the need themselves.

This can happen in any number of different ways but usually emerges within the contexts of school or family. For my daughter it is no longer, “Can you please help your brothers with ___________?” It has become, “Thank you for helping your brothers with ___________.” Although the responding usually takes hold in what I call near situations, like home, school, church, or a social channel, the preteen during this dimension also becomes more aware of the needs outside the local and near sphere and begins to take small steps toward missional expressions on a larger, more global scale.

Deepening is a fun aspect of the integrating dimension. This aspect takes place when preteens begin to take hold of the relevant and accessible aspects of the faith, such as prayer, Scripture reading, fasting, study, solitude, and so forth, and begin expanding their knowledge of God through personal habit or practice. I love to walk by my daughter’s room and see her reading her Bible or listening to or singing worship music without my wife or me prompting it. She is deepening or intensifying her faith on her own.

I get plenty of resistance to the deepening aspect of the integrating dimension. Many of my peers contend that deepening is not substantive without the parent or pastor teaching the truths through some formal or traditional means. I couldn’t disagree more. Remember in a previous chapter, when we looked at the convergence of spiritual development with the major components of life development such as physical, emotional, social, and so on? I agree that most preteens may not be able to fully comprehend what they practice through the deepening process, but they are fully aware at this stage of their lives and can certainly put two and two together. Moreover, the practice of the discipline at this point is even more important to the overall, lifelong spiritual deepening process than completely understanding what something about the faith means.

The last aspect of the integrating dimension is when preteens begin to experience the faith on their own, without the help of any other person. Can preteens experience God by integrating their faith and life together by themselves? Absolutely. This doesn’t mean we stop guiding them. It does mean, however, that we help them through the

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