Nursery Rhymes and Cotton Wool

Perhaps my most daunting task as a local minister is to go in to the local high school from time to time to conduct morning assemblies for some or sometimes for all of the pupils. That means speaking to between 150 and 700 young people plus a number of their teachers. I usually have around 7 minutes to say something that I hope will actually make them think about the things of eternity, the truth about who Jesus really is, and the certainty that they too, need a Saviour. I realise that the opportunity to even say such things in a state school is a real privilege, not shared by many countries, but I find the task truly daunting. In addition, this is one tough crowd. On my first few visits I could almost hear the hairs bristling as I walked in. I found I had to steel myself in much the same way as I must prior to jumping into the lake in mid-March; the urge to run away to the quiet cosiness of a log fire, a cup of tea and solitude is sometimes almost overpowering. Nevertheless, just as I keep jumping into the lakes, so I keep going back into the lion's den of the high school assembly.

The more I communicated with the young people there, and the more I listened to "how you need to reach young people" the more I realised that there was something very sadly wrong somewhere. I was being advised "not to say anything controversial", "don't be overly spiritual" and of course, "just say something general that might make them think a bit". All this very sincere advice  gave me the overwhelming sense of being already defeated, and having to apologise for the sad fact that I was getting in the way of everybody's day with some trite platitude that had all the cut and thrust of cold rice pudding. Even that's being overly generous because I love rice pudding.

So I chose to ignore the advice.

I talked about sin. I talked about abandoning ones life to a God who deserves our worship. I told them about my stepping off a cliff in the middle of a Norwegian night. I told them about how we believe in God even when the world is full of suffering and pain, and how we are meant to handle injustice in society. I talked about being selfish and how Christians have an answer for all that; an answer that I have found neither in any other religion nor in a non-faith environment. I did not say this all at once you understand. It was over the space of the past couple of years!

Here are a few of the comments I have received recently concerning my assemblies, in no particular order:

• I want everyone to listen very carefully to what Russell is about to say, because it is always thought-provoking, challenging and really interesting when he comes here.
• My friends and I really enjoyed your assembly this week. We talked about what you said a lot.
• I am so sorry to have missed your assembly yesterday. I really enjoy it when you come.
• Alright mate? (that means hello in parts of Great Britain, in case you were wondering). You're the bloke that speaks at our school aren't you? Well cool! N.B. This was the same young man that used to swear at me from across the street.
• Assemblies are usually really boring. Yours are ace!
• I really enjoyed what you said today. It was quite inspirational.
• Perhaps you shouldn't be quite so challenging.
• I do not think that the children will have followed what you said. You said too much. It needs to be simpler.

Now, just bear in mind, the first six comments were from young people and adults, none of whom are churched, and none of whom claim to be Christian. The last two are from Christians.

I think I know whose opinions I need to listen to, in order to be relevant to a world that needs to hear who Jesus really is, and what it is really like to be a Christian.

Please be clear, I am in no way trying to bull myself up. I am simply saying, young people and unchurched people do not, on the whole, need cotton wool and sweeties when it comes to discussion topics. They want to know what you believe and why you believe it.

And they want you who claim Christ to be passionate and dynamic about it.

So, Christian, how about it? And as for you non-Christians, go ahead, ask some hard questions, and keep asking them till a Christian steps up and starts having a really good dialogue with you. If you cannot find any, try me. I might not be able to answer you, but I will try to find someone who can.