I think the sheer number of questions I asked the other day (“Equipping the Saints: Request for Reader Info“) overwhelmed people. At least that’s the explanation I’m telling myself as I try to explain the lack of comments.
Let’s simplify then: Share anything you wish to share about how your church handles Christian education.
And have a great weekend. It looks to be a lovely one here.
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Sorry, Dan. I’ll try to return to comment later. I’ve just been too busy and have hardly been reading blogs this week at all (except the very short ones, like today’s!).
I think most people simply don’t know…I know our church has various bible studies, small groups and Sunday school, but I’ve never been in a church that had a structured discipleship program that was widely known and encouraged.
David,
The lack of goals in educational programs in our church at every stage of the growth process is a major oversight. I talked about that more in the post of 8/10/09.
Well, our entire church has one common goal, “to know God and make Him known.” We have a little tree graph that shows where each area of the church fits into this goal.
)
My church has a ton of Sunday school classes. The youth group Sunday school class focuses on main foundations of the faith, as does one of the adult classes. The class I attend goes through devotional books for women. Obviously the overarching philosophy is our church’s motto.
At the church I go to while at college in a different state I help teach the children’s sunday school class, so I don’t know much about the classes, but we teach the basic foundations of the faith as well–as much as we can get into those hyperactive children!
I don’t know, does that help?
Merry,
That graph idea sounds interesting.
I have long advocated that each church have posted in its entrance the core beliefs of the church and the expectations of each member to follow those beliefs.
I didn’t comment to what you wrote, as I have never heard any of those things mentioned much in a church I went to.
I hadn’t been to church in a few years when I started going a couple of years ago; so I may not be the one to answer any of this. I only go for one service on Sunday mornings.
The one thing that does impress me about the young man who is pastopr, is that he is leading the congretation to read their Bible. Learn of God for themselves. DO NOT depend on him for everything you know about God.
I was impressed by that.
Also they are trying to reach the town, handing water out on Saturdays, with a smile and a God Bless You! They did a spa day for the women at an abused women crissis center, they have collected school supplies for needy children going back to school, he teaches to reach out, as the Spirit leads, to help others.
He is definitely a different type of leader than the last one I sat under.
Wow!
I’m impressed, too.
A good church has some kind of education program but they can only go so far.
And ” finding out for themselves”? Another wow!
Make discoveries, compare notes, all good things. But I can only learn up to a certain point until I can no longer figure things out.
A long period of unanswered nagging questions can be tiresome and no education program will help.
As for the original question, my small town Methodist church has a Tuesday night bible study and that is it, apart from regular Sunday services where the pastor preaches at 3 churches in his charge.
Bob,
A disciplined educational program will always help. We expect college to be rigorous, so why do we tolerate less from our Christian educational programs. Are we serious about what we believe or not.
Our church sponsors several missionaries in countries that persecute Christians. Yet these same missionaries tell how Christians over there risk going to Bible classes that could land them in jail. And they delight in doing so, no matter the risk. They have got to now more about Jesus and are willing to risk it all.
The dichotomy between here and there could not be more stark. What that says about us should sober us all.
Thanks, Sulan. Your experiences with that church are encouraging.