what undergirds christian education?

Here is an email (below) that I received and responded to regarding the heart and operation of Christian Education on a Sunday morning and beyond. This is to further the continued conversation of “Spiritual Formation” in Wisconsin.

This email highlights a lot of programmatic elements of what we do @ Hayward Wesleyan, but it is peppered with underpinnings of thought and values that should be present in a ministry context and discipleship environment regardless of what “program” or “vehicle” one uses. Most core values get lost in translation when all one does is talk about programs and “what we do at our church” type stuff. I don’t care (necessarily) what a program is… I care more about the people and heart behind the program and the interaction and intentionality that exists as a foundation.

Perhaps the ongoing conversation will focus more on core values; and the tension, nail-biting, convicting teachings and parables of Jesus; and the application of being the people of God in the world today that are tasked with the mission of bringing God’s Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. Eternal stuff!!

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From: Jeremy
Sent: Monday, November 27, 2006 11:20 AM
To:
Subject: RE: Christian Education

[Name]--

1. Who oversees/coordinates the program? Paid staff person or a volunteer?

I do. I am the children’s pastor and I am full-time on staff.

2. How is curriculum chosen?

I choose it. Actually, I write it. My gifitings rest primarily in teaching and leading (and relationships). Therefore, the teacher in me would rather spend time and energy creating curriculum than buying it and using someone else’s stuff. So that is what I do. It has taken a lot of work, but it is paying off. I’ve been here over three years now (moving in to my fourth year). When I came, there was no comprehensive plan with Sunday School curriculum. So my plan was (and continues to be) to teach through the Bible Stories (all of the real significant ones) in a chronological way (from beginning to end) in three years. At the end of three years we would repeat it because the first grader who started in Genesis will be in an entirely different developmental level (mentally, emotionally, and physically) and will be ready to learn on a new level when he or she is in the fourth grade. Since I am currently in my fourth year, we have re-started the curriculum back at the beginning again. My teachers just love it! They tell me that they themselves have really learned about the Bible going from beginning to end. I write the curriculum to the teachers and for their learning, not so that they will say certain stuff to the children. I want the teachers to be impacted and learn from the Holy Spirit and His Word. Then turn around and share and give what they themselves have learned to the children. So, basically, the curriculum that we have compiled in the last three years looks like commentary on all the major stories of the Bible, life application ideas, coloring sheets, activity and craft ideas. Thus what the teacher’s main job is to reinforce the story in whatever way they can to that age group they are working with. For example, our first grade teacher. Her job is to be the best first grade teacher she can be. I expect her to know and be able to step inside the mind of a first grader. What do they need? What is the best way to teach and instruct? What can we do each week that helps them remember and be transformed by the stories of God’s word? So that is what this teacher does. She has become, arguably, the best first grade teacher I know! All because we set her loose on these kids! I didn’t tell her what to do. I only told her what story had to be taught that day, and then gave her absolute freedom to create and bless the first grade children each and every week. This curriculum is used for our grades 1-6.

Nursery age is just Bible story book, puppets and things like that.

Pre-K and Kindergarten is interactive continual Bible stories as well. We are currently directing some greater focus and long-range planning with this age group

3. How is it staffed?

With teachers and helpers for each age group. In our Nursery for 24-48 months there is play time, story time, sing time, snack time, craft/make stuff time. For our Pre-K to Kindergarten (4-6 years old) there is a teacher and helper(s) who play with them then do stories and crafts. Our elementary group (grades 1-6) all meet in one large room together for 20-25 minutes. During that time we do some motion-type singing, then B-day celebration, then prayer, then announcements, then, to the large group, in a creative and fun way, the day’s story is told. Then the students get sent in grade divided small groups or classes. Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, etc. Grades 7-8 have one teacher who (through the whole hour) currently is doing a story-based idea (which is working fairly well) and then questions and discussions in light of the story. High school (grade 9-12) have their own thing going on in a large classroom with different teachers on different topics.

4. During what time frame does it function?

We have three services on Sunday morning (8:20, 9:40, and 11:00). During the 9:40 service, there is Sunday school going on at the same time (from 9:40 – 10:40).

5. How is it administered/governed?

Since I have oversight over this ministry, I (with the support of the church board) administer and govern this thing. We don’t do superintendents and stuff like that. The church used to prior to my position being created. I wouldn’t know how to work something like that. The less you can think about “governance and administration” the more successful any kind of children’s ministry/Christian Education program you will have. Children and parents and families can smell “governance” a mile away!

[Name], the above is a window into what we do on Sunday mornings with the children (Sunday School, we call it MAIN STREET). I’ve got to say, though, that the real power of a children’s ministry focus is on mid-week programming options (at least for our church's context). The real impact our church has had on the Hayward community is in our children's ministry after school programs called Followers and Junior Followers that happen on Mondays after school. This has created an amazing ministry to children in the community, not just church kids (which is primarily what one gets on a Sunday morning). Sunday morning should be targeted and specific and a definite curriculum plan should be in place for Christian Education and where you want children to learn as they grow up (i.e. catechism).