Across the Centuries Video Leader's Guide
Across the Centuries: The Church Constitution Today
DVD Leader's Guide
Revised for the Internet June 2007
by Miriam L.R. Meister and J.W. Gregg Meister
Possible Settings For Use | Suggested Workshop Design | Leader's Preperation
Introduction
This Leader's Guide is designed to assist leaders using the DVD in their on-going task of teaching our Presbyterian Church Constitution. This Guide is continually in process. All suggestions are welcome. Please e-mail me the various ways that you are using the video and I'll try to incorporate them into this Guide.
While Across the Centuries provides an overview of our church constitution, you can develop your own curriculum on our Presbyterian beliefs by combining this DVD with the 40-minute Interlink Media video that covers all eleven documents in the Book of Confessions (To All Generations , the 20-minute video on the Directory of Worship (In Spirit and in Truth), and the 16-minute video on church history in America (Celebrate the Journey). You may order these videos on-line at our at Presbyterian Shop or by calling 1-800-662-1151.
Possible Settings For Use Several optional settings to consider for planning a workshop:
...Part of the training of newly elected elders.
...A confirmation class.
...A special workshop for church officers or your presbytery.
...A series of enrichment periods during several regular Session meetings.
...Part of an adult education class on our Presbyterian heritage.
...Part of a church officers' retreat.
Leader's Preparation To prepare to use this DVD for a workshop you may need to:
...View the program, "Across The Centuries," at least two times; the first time to get acquainted with the style, content, and flow of the presentation and the second time in order to consider how to use it with the intended viewing group.
...Read (and print) this Leader's Guide in order to decide which parts to use, which parts to supplement, and which parts to omit.
...Plan carefully the time-frame, the setting, the room arrangement, and the sequence of activities for the workshop.
...Devise a workshop plan that seriously considers the needs, interests, and abilities of those who attend. You know these better than anyone else.
...Provide each person with a copy of the current edition of the Book of Order and the Book of Confessions, or at least portions of the parts you especially intend to cover.
Use Of The DVD For Personal Viewing
The DVD, Across the Centuries: The Church Constitution Today, can be used very effectively by individuals or small groups, even though this Leader's Guide is designed to assist pastors and other leaders to use the DVD in a workshop setting. If you decide to view the DVD by yourself, or with another person or two, you will probably find the exercises and Bible studies helpful. Please note that there are several programs on the DVD.
Use Of The Video In A Workshop Setting
- Physical Arrangements
Certainly one way that we demonstrate pastoral care for our people is to arrive early to make certain the chairs are arranged so that everyone can see the television set or projection screen, and that the handouts and/or written materials (Book of Order, Book of Confession) are readily available. - DVD Operation
Speaking as a producer, there is no alternative to actually playing the DVD prior to people arriving! This assures you that the cables are working, that the tv set is functioning, that the sound works. Go to the back of the room and make sure you can hear it from there, remembering that once people are present the sound needs to be a little bit higher. Practice turning on the DVD and then playing the program you want to watch, that the sound is at a comfortable level, and all the other tuning devices are set correctly. Ask someone to turn out the lights just before you start the program. - Necessary Materials
You might provide for each participant a current edition of the Book of Order, the Book of Confessions, a Bible, notepad and pen. - Introduce the DVD
Briefly alert the participants to what they will be seeing. The animated figure is "John Calvin," founder of the Presbyterian denomination. Acting as host from his "heavenly spaceship," he suggests how the Church Constitution has unified Presbyterians across time and distance. Suggest that on the initial viewing all they need to do is watch the video. There is no need to absorb all the information at once.
- Present the DVD Without Interruption
It is, after all, only 10-minutes in length. (And they can always take it home to watch it again, or even to share with friends and neighbors who might want to know more about the Presbyterian Church.) - After Viewing
Some leaders provide time immediately for people to make comments and to raise their questions. This depends on your style. Alert the participants that there is more to the workshop and that some of their questions will be dealt with in other activities.
- If your workshop is part of a retreat or day long meeting
You may want to present the video for a second viewing later in the workshop, as well as use one of the other videos mentioned above or one of the other programs on this DVD.
Suggested Workshop Design You will no doubt adjust this design to suit your particular purposes.
I'd appreciate hearing about your additions to it.
Opening Prayer and Scripture Reading
Invite the group to share a time of prayer. Encourage people to share specific prayers about the church.
Viewing the DVD Just get to it! Wave the jacket cover in front of the group, indicate we're here to learn more about our Presbyterian Constitution in the hope of becoming more knowledgeable church members and even better disciples of Christ's, and play the DVD!
Bible Study Consider using Bible passages to guide the discussion. And, in the Book of Confessions there are hundreds of references available, especially at the end notes following each document (a trivia note, not every document in the Book of Confessions is a confession).
Discussion Lead the group in exploration and discussion of topics you feel are important to understanding the Church Constitution.
Problem Solving Present problems or issues that might arise in the church and challenge the participants to think of solutions and guess the policy the church follows (or
should follow). Then ask them to locate official solutions by using the texts (See
"Case Studies").
Viewing the DVD a Second Time
After viewing the DVD again, ask group members to share any new insights that came from this viewing and any points that were confirmed as a result of the several activities since the first viewing.
Conclusion Ask if there are any questions or issues about anything discussed. Outline post-workshop review methods that would help participants become more familiar with the Church Constitution. If there are additional questions or issues not addressed due to time constraints, present those as ìhomeworkî problems for future research. A sheet with a list of questions (to which the answers can be found in the texts) could also be handed out so the participants can become more familiar with the texts on their own time and study them at their own pace. By answering such homework questions, participants will gain a better understanding of what type of information is in the texts, when it applies, and how to access it. Close with a prayer that reminds Christians of our mission and our responsibility to Christ in doing our part in building up His Church.
Three Bible Studies
You can apply this method to virtually any section in the Book of Order.
First Bible Study Grace, Faith and Scripture
Read the Book of Order, Section G-2.0400. Notice the sentence which includes the phrases,"grace alone, faith alone, and Scripture alone." This brief Bible reading activity features six passages of Scripture which emphasize these three affirmations, and not incidentally encourages us to pick up the Book of Confessions.
Lead the group through these steps:
Work in pairs. Assign each pair a different one of the six passages with which to work.
Passages from which to select:
To focus on grace: Rom.3:21-31 or Eph 2:1-10
To focus on faith: Rom 4:13-5:11 or Gal. 2:15-21
To focus on Scripture: Rom.15:1-6 or 2 Tim. 3:10-17
Each pair reads its passage and discusses two questions:
Q: What meaning does this passage express for you about Paul's understanding of grace, faith, and/or scripture?
Q: How is your own understanding of grace, faith or Scripture enhanced or challenged by this passage?
After about 10 minutes, form new groups of three or four, each person with a different passage. Spend time in these groups sharing insights from the several passages.
Conclude by inviting each person to write a brief statement (one or two sentences) of affirmation that expresses his/her beliefs about grace, faith and/or Scripture.
Provide the opportunity for persons to share their affirmations.
Encourage your people to use the Book of Confessions in their private devotional life, and continue to write their belief statements.
Second Bible Study Responsibilities of Church Membership
Read the Book of Order, section G-5.0102, where you will find a list of nine responsibilities of those who are faithful members involved in the ministry of the church. (Aren't these really privileges?) The following Bible study helps explore further these responsibilities by focusing on selected passages related to each responsibility (needless to say, add your own additional passages).
Again working in pairs or small groups, consider using the following set of passages:
Proclaiming the Good news
Ps. 40:1-11, Mt.28:16-20, and Lk.4:14-40
Taking part in the common life and worship of a particular church
Acts2:37-47, Rom.12:1,2 & 9-13, I Cor. 12:12-26.
Praying and studying Scripture and the faith of the Christian Church.
Matt 6:1-15, Luke 11:1-13, and 2 Tim.3:10-17
Supporting the work of the church through the giving of money, time, and talents.
Matt 25:14-30, I Cor. 12:1-13, and 2 Cor. 9:1-15
Participating in the governing responsibilities of the church
Eph. 4:1-16, 1 Pet. 4:7-11, and 1 Tim.3:1-13.
Demonstrating a new quality of life within and through the church
Jer. 31:31-34,2 Cor. 5:11-21, and 1 John 4:7-21
Responding to God's activity in the world through service to others.
Matt 25:31-46, Luke 10:25-37, and John 13:1-20
Living responsibly in the personal, family, vocational, political, cultural, and social relationships of life.
Rom. 12:1-13:14 and Epsh 4:17-32
Working in the world for peace, justice, freedom, and human fulfillment.
Amos 5:21-24, Mic. 6:6-8, Ps. 146:1-10 & Luke 6:27-36
The pairs or small groups might discuss at least
two questions related to their selected passages.
Q: How do these passages help us to understand the particular responsibility of ministry?
Q: What are some ways we as leaders can help to equip members of our church to fulfill our responsibilities?
Next, in small groups of three to five people, each with a different set of passages and responsibility, share with one another the insights gained.
Finally, as a whole group you might discuss one further question,
Q: What do you believe that the Risen Christ is calling us to be and do as a Presbyterian Church in ?
Third Bible study Elders in the New Testament
In this Bible study, the participants will explore several passages which articulate the role of the elder in the early church.
Each person can work individually and read all of the following passages featuring the word elder: Acts 15:1-11. 1 Tim. 5:1-22, Tit. 1:5-9, Jam. 5:13-18 & Pet. 5:1-11.
After reading all the passages select two to four key verses that, for the individual, suggest something important about being an elder.
When all have finished reading and selecting, invite each to share his/her verses and to explain why those verses were chosen.
Conclude with the question: What acts or characteristics of elders from the early church do you think are just as appropriate for today's church?
Discussion Questions Why is it important for a Presbyterian to understand the church constitution?
What are some of the areas of our particular church life that might be improved? How might understanding the church constitution assist us?
How are the Book of Order and the Book of Confessions "living documents"?
We become church officers and church members out of a need to both build up the church and to deepen our own spiritual lives.
Looking at the Directory for Worship, how might we use this to improve our spiritual lives?
Looking at the Book of Confessions, how might we use this to improve our spiritual lives?
How does the Book of Order help to follow Godís will? How is the Book of Confessions helping follow Godís will?
How is it helpful to think of Presbyterians as a "people of the books"?
Case Studies
Present possible problems that might arise with the following case studies and give each case study to a small group of participants. Let the groups first guess the solution or policy (or form an opinion of what the policy should be) and then challenge them to actually search out the answer using the texts. Reconvene and have the groups present to the whole workshop their problem and solution. If an "official" policy does not echo an opinion, then discuss how to make that change.
Sunday school curriculum
Calling a pastor
Relationship of church to presbytery
What type of business can be conducted at an annual meeting and what type can't be?
What are the audit requirements set forth by the Book of Order?
What are the issues around ownership of church property?
Who decides whether the senior highs can have a sleepover in the church?