Scripture Engagement links to some helpful-looking work by David Benson (including his Master’s thesis from Regent College, Vancouver) on how to help teenagers engage with Scripture.
They note:
‘Most of our Scripture Engagement tools are geared toward teens who are relatively open to the Scriptures though perhaps struggle to see the relevance. But what about the antagonistic atheists and seculars who favour naturalistic science over the implausible supernatural; the untrusting skeptics and agnostics who find the historical and moral assertions in the Bible literally incredible; or the confused seekers and New Agers who want meaning to their life but are suspicious of any (religious) truth claims – no matter how seemingly relevant – lest they be duped and lose their “freedom”?’
Benson’s resources aim to ‘unpack a pre-evangelistic conversational strategy that challenges, informs, and inspires teens to see the Bible as plausible, credible, and relevant’.
Benson’s model, which he is using in Australian schools, is one of ‘apologetic triangulation’. He takes his cue from ‘the discrete approaches’ of Francis Schaeffer, Lee Strobel, and Rob Bell, finding in them ‘three distinct angles on commending the inspiration and authority of the Scriptures to a diverse adolescent audience’.
1. The Bible is plausible
Aim: opening ears by undermining secularism
Strategy: logical verification (reason)
Mode: challenge
Model: Francis Schaeffer
2. The Bible is credible
Aim: establishing trust through advancing credible truths
Strategy: empirical verification (evidence)
Mode: inform
Model: Lee Strobel
3. The Bible is relevant
Aim: arousing interest by engaging experience
Strategy: existential verification (experience)
Mode: inspire
Model: Rob Bell
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