Know Hope Collective: Attention Study

Sometimes I write studies and articles for a music magazine that leans pretty conservative.  It doesn't lean as far right as some "Rock and Roll is just Satanic" folks, but you get the feeling from the other studies, articles, website, facebook, etc that the folks at Interlinc lean (farther and farther) right. 
I wrote a study for their most recent music magazine (YLO 83) about a Know Hope Collective (an offshoot from the now retired Audio Adrenaline) song, "Attention." 
The study has a distinctly progressive flavor -- with lots of inspiration from the United Church of Christ.

Interlinc has a link to a pdf of the magazine edition of the study on their website. Here it is without any fancy graphics:

Artist: Know Hope Collective
URL:  knowhopecollective.com
Album: Know Hope
Label: Integrity
Song: Attention
Writer: Kirk Moore
Ministry: Union Congregational United Church of Christ
Location: Somonauk, Illinois
Email: kirk@stodgyoldpastor.com  (yes, I have that domain.  Fun, eh?)

Theme:
God’s Leading

Objective:
Participants will slow down and listen for God’s voice.

Warm- up
Attention Exercise: Lead the group through a repetitive exercise. 

• Walk around slowly.
• Find a place and lie down on the ground.
• Stretch your arms.
• Stretch your legs.
• Sit up.
• Close your eyes.
• Breathe in slowly.
• Breathe out slowly.
• Lie back down.
• Count to 10.
• Get up.
• Walk around. . .

Repeat the exercise 2 or three times. After the last “Get up,” instruct the participants to walk back to their seats.

Transition: 

Say:  Are you relaxed? Are you ready to listen? Do I have your attention? Good. Know Hope Collective would like your attention, too. Actually, they’d like you to listen to their Attention. It’s one of the songs on their new record.

Play “Attention” from Know Hope Collective

During the song, have students sit back and listen attentively. If some fall asleep, wake them when the song is done. 

Transition: 

Say: Speak. You have my attention, Lord. How do you think God speaks today?
Leave ample time for discussion. If the discussion isn’t moving well, offer the following suggestions.
How do you hear God speak? Have you ever wondered if God is still speaking today? Do you think God has stopped speaking to the world?

Bible Study:
Have a volunteer read Psalm 23.

Ask:

• Talk about the similarities with the words of this Psalm and the words of the song.
• What ways do you have to slow down and listen for what God has to say to you?

Have another volunteer read 1 Samuel 3:1-11.

Ask:

• Sometimes we think that God only spoke during Bible times. Right at the beginning of this Bible reading it says, “In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.” What do you think of that?
• Samuel kept going to Eli when he heard God speak. Finally, after Eli understood that God was talking to Samuel, he told him to say “Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.” What do you think God said to Samuel?
• What would make your ears tingle if God said it to you?

Wrap-up: God is still speaking to our hearts. God is still calling us to slow down and to listen. And God is still doing things what will make people’s ears tingle.

Closing prayer: Thank you, God, for helping us to find a place of rest and peace. Help us to listen for your voice. Speak, Lord, for we are listening. Amen.