(10-15 minutes)
Students will brainstorm taglines before discussing a section from Chapter 1 in the Radical book and Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s concise summary of the Christian message.
(10–15 minutes)
Provide a few sheets of poster board or butcher paper and markers. Refer to the “The Cost of Nondiscipleship” section from Chapter 1 (“Someone Worth Losing Everything For”) of Radical on page 14.
Ask: What are some of the most popular slogans being used by companies today to promote themselves? Allow for responses (for example: McDonalds’ “I’m lovin’ it.”; TOMs: “One for one.”; EA Sports: “It’s in the game.” etc.)
Divide students into groups of three or four. Instruct them to spend some time brainstorming what their slogan might be if they had to market Christianity – How would they sum up the meaning and message in one simple phrase? Direct groups to use the provided supplies to make a simple poster with their slogan. After a few minutes, invite a volunteer from each group to share their catchphrase.
Refer students to the first paragraph of the “The Cost of Nondiscipleship” section from Chapter 1 (“Someone Worth Losing Everything For”) of Radical on page 14. Ask: What slogan did Dietrich Bonhoeffer propose? (Come and Die.) Clarify that those words were just as shocking and unexpected then as they are in our own culture today. Say: Why in the world would he say that? While something like “Come and Die” may not be the most appealing catchphrase, today we’re going to discover that it really does capture the true meaning and message of following Jesus.