In my undergraduate education I was required to take a course called “The Church at Work in the World” that focused on the task of Christian Education. One of the earliest teaching points was explaining the difference between Christian Education and other forms of Education.
In my graduate courses I took a class that started with a classic definition of the learning process (“a function of learner, teacher, curriculum and environment”) but we added an overriding dimension of the activity of a Triune God.
Yesterday in our worship services we focused on the attribute of God that is known as sovereignty.
Have you considered how the sovereignty of God impacts your group? The events that God allows into the lives of your students influences their perception of the things you say. Before you ever step foot into your teaching environment, factors beyond your control have altered the teachability of your students.
Sometimes I have stepped into a room and been impressed by God that the current needs will not be addressed by the lesson I had prepared. This is NOT an excuse to avoid preparation. If you have done the hard work of preparation (both the content and methods you will use as well as preparing your own heart and mind for delivering that content) THEN God can freely redirect according to His sovereignty.
What other ways are you aware that God’s sovereignty affects your class or small group?
You mention that only after you have done the work of preparation will God be able to redirect if the situation requires. That raises a question in my mind: Why didn't God impress a different direction during the preparation process?
ReplyDeleteIt seems that God often works in ways that are contrary to what we would want or expect (though never contrary to His character and Word), just to keep us a little off balance. When we think we can predict what God will do, we begin to assume some control over Him, challenging His sovereignty.
Keeping us guessing keeps us dependent. Which means: work on preparing for your next small group meeting, but when you walk through the door, expect the unexpected. And let God be God.