It generally started with a funny argument about something ridiculous, then a challenge to each other to actually carry it out, taking it to extremes in order to resolve the issue. One book saw Dave Gorman travel the world in an attempt to meet at least 54 other Dave Gormans, while in another Danny Wallace said ‘yes’ to everything for a year!
Ask your mentee to write a list of the top ten things that confuse, irritate or generally hold them back in their faith: a ‘bucket list’ of things they would like answered before they die. Which questions do they never get a satisfactory answer for? Which issues never get addressed in church? Which gripes does God never answer?
Get them to bring this list and have a good chat about which one in particular they could use to go on an adventure and find some answers. Don’t try to answer, address or resolve any of these things.
They will each choose one item from their lists. Over the next month they are to complete a set of agreed tasks in order to get helpful answers, experience and enlightenment, although most of these things will stay with us right through life. The following ‘rules’ may help them when it comes to tackling the ‘game’.
1. Points of view.
Find the five most conflicting answers about their chosen question or issue: theologically as well as from different demographics and experiences.
2. People.
Spend 30 minutes with five people who have the most diverse stories and experiences relating to your question. Just listen, don’t argue any point. Probe their views and try to get their view.
3. Experience.
Come up with five experiences that will challenge you most and hopefully give you experiential insight. For example, you could feed the homeless for a night, visit an unfamiliar type of church, pray for healing in the street or start a social justice campaign.
Your job is to help your mentee go beyond what would be comfortable; to help them identify what will bring insight and process their experience. Encourage them to blog about the whole journey.
Struggling for inspiration? What are the big questions your mentee struggles with? Maybe it’s, ‘Why doesn’t God heal more?’ Get them to find and interview ten people who have been healed. Think about the current refugee situation. Could they organise a trip to Calais, or help fundraise for #LoveCalais? The fun of this is to take it as far as possible in order to get some answers ‘once and for all’. I’d love to hear about your mentee’s wackiest, most exciting adventures and ideas, or the ones that become most meaningful and helpful to them. Email your stories to me at joeltoombs@hotmail.com
