Spin 1: Get to know the Topic
Every single day of life is wrapped up in this question. Do things happen by design, carefully planned by God? Or do things just happen at random? Can we plan our own lives? Is what we do our predetermined destiny? Or do we make up our destiny from the chaos as we go along? Notably, youth don’t go around talking about whether they believe destiny or chaos is the guiding principle for their lives! Like adults, they tend to face this question when something traumatic happens and they need to make sense of it. They try to figure out whether this event happened for a reason or had no purpose at all. Both options have their positives and negatives! To believe life is guided by destiny means knowing that every life event happens for a good reason within the greater scheme of God’s destiny. However, it also means that when someone you love gets cancer, it was the will of God. In this view, painful life events are often interpreted as punishment in order to explain how God could will or allow the destruction of life. Great atrocities like ethnic cleansing or the Holocaust of World War II are even harder to explain in this view. To believe that we make our own meaning out of life’s chaos means knowing that we are free to choose in every life event. This view makes painful events easier to explain. They are just part of the chaotic mix. However, it also means that we are vulnerable to a sense of isolation and neglect. Meaning, purpose and direction may be hard to find in this view.
This question plays a significant role in the development of our understanding of who God is and how we understand God to be at work in our lives! This is the ultimate reason for this conversation. All humans, our youth included, experience life at its best and at its worst. Our hope is that they do not throw away their faith in God because the understanding of God we have taught them no longer fits real life. This conversation may well flow nicely and even be interesting for the youth. However, its greatest impact may be years later when it allows someone to continue to find hope in God even though life itself has attempted to steal that hope from them.
As you prepare, rent the movie, “Forrest Gump. ”’Watch it for the first time or again for the 20th time, but as you do, think about what you believe about destiny and chaos. Needed: the movie “Forrest Gump” for class.
Spin 2: Set the FOCUS
There are many scenes in “Forrest Gump” that intentionally point out this question. However, the scene in which Jenny is dying and the following scene in which Forrest stands at her grave are the most direct articulation of it. Show this clip to the class and move on to Spins 3 and 4.
Spins 3-4: Discover “What” they believe Explore “Why” they believe it
- Due to the sensitive nature of this conversation, Spins 3 and 4 are combined for smoother flow.
- How many of you have seen this movie? How many times?
- What is your favorite scene in this movie? Why? What did you like about it?
- Which perspective do you agree with? Why one, not the other? If both, why?
- Lt. Dan-his belief that he was destined to be a hero.
- Forrest’s mother-we make our own destiny
- Do you think that Lt. Dan’s life influenced how he understood destiny? How?
- Did Forest’s mother’s life influenced how she understood destiny? How?
- What about your life? Does it affect what you believe? Why or why not?
- Does your understanding work for people who have cancer, fight in a war, etc. Why or why not?
- What does God have to do with your life?
- Do you believe that God directs your life with a purpose? Why or why not?
- Does everything happen for a reason? Why do you believe this?
- Did you learn your perspective from anyone? Who? Share stories.
- As a person who believes in God, what would you have said to Forest Gump at Jenny’s funeral to give him hope? How do you see that as hopeful?
- What kinds of things would you want to hear from the faith community during a time like Jenny’s funeral? Why?
- Do you believe that God allows painful things to happen to teach us a lesson? Why or why not?
- What do you believe is the purpose of tragedies in our lives?
- What is God doing during these tragedies? Is God there at all?
- Have you ever questioned whether God was even real when life seemed so bad? Listen to the stories.
Spin 5: Introduce Sources of AUTHORITY
Note: This authority has been chosen in an attempt to continue their connection between their understanding of real life and their understanding of faith.
** Ask someone to retell the story of Jesus’ life from birth to the cross! Retelling and remembering this story reinforces the story as an authority. If necessary, read the Crucifixion passage from any of the four gospels.
Spin 6: INTERACT With the Authorities
- Do you believe that God had a destiny for Jesus? Why or why not? Do you believe that God’s plan for Jesus was for him to die for our sins? Do you think Jesus did die for our sins?
- On the other hand, do you think God had other plans for Jesus? Did God just have to make the best of a bad situation when humans rejected Jesus and killed him? Why or why not?
- How does your understanding of Jesus compare to your understanding of how God works in your life? If God had a plan for Jesus’ life does that mean God has a plan for yours? If God just made the best of it in Jesus’ life, does that mean that God makes the best of the many complex decisions you make in your life? Why or why not?
Spin 7: ACT on What You Learn
–Attend a funeral, gather together and talk about the meaning of life.
–Make a list of things you think God might be calling you to do.
–Turn this discussion into a Youth Sunday
