The Cost of Christian Education

 I send a "Weekly Encourager" to all our Sunday School teachers and Small Group leaders. Some Christian Educators view these as competing roles. I think they are complimentary and both are only part of the Christian Education process. Read below for some thoughts about the best way to educate believers. At the bottom of this post is a link to the whole article.

The thought of watching my youngest pick up her high school diploma tomorrow has started me pondering education—in our nation and in the church.

I've been concerned about both, and I'm hardly alone. Teachers, students, parents, and administrators all can wax eloquent about the problems of public education. And anyone who has taught Sunday school knows that the joy of being with children during that hour is accompanied by concern about what exactly is being accomplished. In many churches, Sunday school feels like baby-sitting with a lesson attached.

Sensing a problem, we've created other venues to educate children—VBS, AWANAs, and so forth. Mostly, the church tells parents (rightly!) it is their "teaching" that ultimately matters the most. Yikes! This sends a bolt of fear through every parent's heart. I have a seminary degree, and I can tell you that I was often clueless about how exactly to teach my children about the faith.

Source: The Cost of Christian Education | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

I recently read a book that asks “Do you preach because you love Jesus or do you preach because you love preaching?” OUCH!!
I must honestly admit that over the years my purpose has shifted back and forth between a love for our Savior and a love for what He has called me to do. Any time you deal with people there will be encouragements and discouragements, times when you will love what you do and times when you question if you should keep doing it.
We are approaching the end of the Christian Education year and you are most likely fatigued and asking yourself if you should continue. I have a few suggestions.
1. Ask yourself “What has God done in my life through my role this past year?”
2. Ask yourself “Has God ever failed me in my role this year?”
3. Thank God for the opportunities He has given you to rely on Him for strength, ideas, wisdom, patience, etc.
I think Sean’s illustration yesterday of losing focus and ending up in the river (if you didn’t hear the story, check out the audio file on the church website) is applicable to all of us. As the educational year closes, now is an opportunity to regain perspective and focus. I love the song “Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus.” If you are unaware of the song, the chorus says “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”
I have spent the last couple of days focusing upon God for who He is (not just what He does) and have been refreshed and energized in some amazing ways. I wish for you the same.

They Smell like Sheep

 A Couple of years ago I got the book "They Smell like Sheep" which sounds like a gripe book about congregations. But the general theme of the book is that when shepherds spend time with their sheep, then they begin to smell like sheep. The application for Small Group leaders is that when we spend time with the people in our groups then their problems (and successes) will become ours also. The link below highlights several ways that individuals can shepherd the group you have been called to lead.

Link to Learn to Shepherd Your Small Group | Building Small Groups

Faithful are the Wounds of a Friend.

In the last 24 hours I have learned that a personal friend (who is a police officer) shot somebody and in our staff meeting we discussed several situations where confrontation is necessary. What do these two have to do with each other? They are both loving and necessary, but neither are easy.
Loving – both of these actions required intentional, deliberate action without malice in the heart of the intervening person. Both the confrontations discussed and the police shooting are necessary for the benefit of others and neither permanently incapacitated the wounded party.
Necessary – If the behaviors of the criminal and the people to be confronted are allowed to continue, it would put the community’s good in jeopardy and the offending party could find themselves confronted by somebody else who does not have the skill or self-control to remedy the solution incrementally.
Easy – nobody wants to be the bad guy! Most soldiers and police officers dream of a career where they never have to discharge their weapon at another person. Most Christians yearn for an environment where confrontation is not necessary. We don’t want strife; we don’t want conflict; we want everybody to like us.
Proverbs 27:6 says “Faithful are the wounds of a friend.” It takes a true friend who is willing to speak the truth in love! As a teacher or small group leader, that is my encouragement for you today – be that kind of friend.