Secrets of Jonathan Sperry

At the teachers' retreat earlier today, I was shown a movie entitled "Secrets of Jonathan Sperry." The movie is based on a real story about an elderly man in the last months of his life, who in the course of one summer introduces Jesus into the lives of young boys of the neighborhood and changes their lives for ever. One day he approaches a boy named Dustin and invites him to start mowing his lawn. He then invites Dustin and his two friends to a Bible study with a chocolate cake. His lessons of the Bible are not long discourses or exegesis, but are simply taken from life situations -- chocolate cakes, a trip to a local cemetery, and dealing with a school bully. Mr. Sperry's Bible studies change the boys, so that they begin to read the Bible on their own and tell their friends about the Bible. Eventually even the bully is changed by the Word. Though Mr. Sperry passes away before the summer is over, the boys are permanently changed, with Dustin becoming a pastor.

As a youth group teacher, I could not help wondering how effective I have been as a teacher, compared to Mr. Sperry. Mr. Sperry's method was to build a relationship with his boys and take advantage of life situations to point them to the Bible. The Word of God then did the rest, changing the boys. The wonders of the Bible do not depend on human wisdom to shine through. Paul confessed that he was not called to preach the gospel with (his) wisdom or eloquence, "lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power." (I Corinthians 1:17). The gospel message is powerful in its own right. One only needs to share it without adding or substracting.

Mr. Sperry's method might have also been Jesus' method with His disciples. Jesus spent time with the disciples every day for three years. The disciples walked with Him, talked with Him, ate with Him, watched him teach about the kingdom of God, asked Him questions -- they saw Him live His life on earth from a very close range. That prepared them for their ministry later.

In a scene from the movie, Mr. Sperry talks with Nick the school bully. Mr. Sperry tells Nick about his father -- how he became a Christian, how he was rejected by his wife who did not understand faith, and how he would have given the proper attention to Nick if he had been with him. The phrase "the proper attention" struck me like a bolt of lightning. What kind of attention have I given to my own children and my students in the youth group Bible study? A good Bible lesson has to be based on a good relationship; relationship building starts with giving a "proper attention." That is where I will start to improve.