Highschool Christian Club

High school Christian Club 1995-1996

by Gregory Valentine

There are many things that I've learned while constructing and hosting a Christian club back in high school. It took seven weeks to form it, find a teacher willing enough to be the faculty advisor and offer a room for it. I will simplify this experience as best as possible.
 It started as a Bible study and transformed into a debate team.

1. People like to have their point heard, but not like to listen to your point.

We had almost every belief system come and project their views. When I said everyone I mean everyone. We had agnostics, Jehovah witnesses, Wiccans, Hindu, Buddhists, Mormons, Muslims, every branch of Christianity, we had LGBT members and we even had the chess team. Everyone believed they were right and equally believed everyone else was wrong. Funny, we all got along quite well in school. It was a very intellectual club. I found the ultimate difference when the dust settled was with who was Jesus. Every one had a different take on who he really was. We could not all be right.
So the bulk of our conversation was about who Jesus was what did he come to do, why did he die, what is the significance of the resurrection, why did take our sin. How could he be fully God and fully man and be able to sleep in a ship. Tough questions tackled in high school Christian club with the world as an audience. It was fun, when we'd listen to each other.

2. Arguments get you nowhere but they're so fun!

 There is a verse on the Bible that speaks of persuading people to your side. Totally different than try to land points on a target,  like target practice. You will win your argument but a person who's convinced against their will is of the same opinion still. When I argued it was for fun and for information gathering. I once got cornered by another religious group and they beat me up spiritually and won the argument. I went home got my Bible and came back the next day and returned the favour. So taking on this challenge I felt fulfilled; my opponent didn't care to join my side just stated that I fight well.

3. A blackboard is a very helpful tool in explanation of points.

Nothing says "I can see what your saying" more than a chalkboard. Its not words its pictures. The people who made Pictionary knew what they were doing. Napkins and loose leaf are also very helpful. Draw a picture and the people can see it. That is the entire purpose of why people make stories they paint a mental picture and eventually you completely see where they are coming from.

4. There was no such thing as once a week meetings.

We meet everyday and it was fun. Some real good friendships where formed in that 32 weeks were invaluable. Think about it, do you schedule meetings with your friends? Nope, I didn't think so. Your friends meet with you, to fight with you, and talk with you whenever they see you and whenever they want. I became friends with a lot of people because of this club, I have never been the same since.

5. One to one conversation is the best if you are trying to win friends and influence people.

 If you engage in a conversation with someone in a group, good luck, because everyone has branching points that will diverge ad infinitum and also it was high school; we all had short attention spans. If you really want to get your point across you will let the other person speak first, where you can take notes at what they're saying and really listen to them. Then you have earned your opportunity to speak and you can incorporate what they say in your answering time. I found this very helpful and it was a very good time of exchange.

6. Hecklers are really there to boost your morale and give you new weapons to fight back with.

The greatest friend anyone one can have is the opposition. Not everyday of course, but there to keep you in the fight. There is a difference between a heckler and a jerk. I do believe that a heckler really wants to know the truth and will use ridicule to get it. A jerk is just a jerk and there is no winning a jerk. They really don't care and want nothing more than to make you stumble and  tumble. A heckler and skeptic is there to make you try your best and to keep at it. I would have eased  up many times had it not been for the numerous hecklers in my life. They kept me trying harder so I could provide them the right answer to the real question they are asking. This has been the greatest lesson I believe I have learned in life is  that adversity makes you stronger and that adversity is necessary in regards to becoming a better person.

7. The bottom line.

It was a Christian club. So at the end of the day we spoke about the Bible, Jesus and about the resurrection apparently many people who attended not only wanted to redefine the club but to transform it into something else. Of course we never let that happen but it was a very good experience of standing against external pressures in their attempt to redefine you ; The experience of sharing made me a stronger person.

8. Less is more.

It lasted for 32 weeks and at the end of it I didn't pass it on to anyone else. My idea on the matter is that this  was my opportunity to have something that had a hand in forming and also removing it from operation once i left it. I have many thoughts on that very thing in other aspects of life. This idea keeps the idealist happy while making the next generation have to create their own rendition. It leaves no room for contamination, compromise, and corruption if when you leave you take your memories with it and shut off the lights.
Legacy? have you not seen what happens to everything in time? It is not what the creator intended when it was first made it usually becomes a system of money and power politics. End it when you leave it, applies here.

Those are the eight lessons that I can think back almost 18 years in history to remembering.
Thank you for reading.
Club dismissed :)