Y OU WOULD THINK Large Presbyterian Church would have all the tools and ideas and staff to make Christian education run like clockwork. In one sense, it did; in another, it was repeated failure.
Every few years, the Christian education team would begin a new class for young adults. They had the right tactics. Recruit a young adult to be the leader, make a list of people within the age group, contact them, publicize, invite, plan a kickoff dinner.
The same routine, the same results. About a third of the invited young adults showed up for dinner and the first class. After a few weeks about 25 percent of those dropped out. Within a few months, the class would dwindle to a handful of faithful participants, then ultimately die out.
There’s a saying about doing the same thing over and over, yet expecting different results.
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THE BREAKTHROUGH came when a middle-aged couple stepped forward. They had children this age. They had taught Bible studies before. They were welcoming and accepting. Most importantly, they felt God’s nudging to do this work. They promised the Christian ed team to give it their best shot.
This couple talked with each young adult individually to ask questions and to discover their hopes for the class. They searched the internet to see what other churches were doing. They made phone calls, visited other ministries. They formed a small group willing to discuss and plan how to proceed. Most couples wanted to bring their children to the opening evening meal. What to do? They decided providing childcare for these parents was essential, so they made it happen. At the first gathering the leaders provided purpose, topics, and ideas for activities and ministries they might do together.
The group bonded without becoming cliquey. They invite others to join them. They care for each other in times of illness and life changes. They even began to look for service projects that utilizes their talents and passions.
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THROUGH CHRISTIAN EDUCATION, we invite people and communities to:
■ know and experience God through Jesus Christ,
■ claim and live God’s promises, and
■ grow and serve as Christian disciples.
From our “five practices” banner, today we look at intentional faith development. This group born out of God’s nudging to a middle-aged couple, and later blessed by the pastor and Christian education team, fulfilled the goal of intentional faith development — the purposeful learning in community that helps the followers of Jesus mature in faith, such a Bible studies, Sunday school classes, short-term topical studies and support groups that apply the faith to life challenges.
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THERE WAS A GROUP of older adults — eight or 10 — who met for Sunday lunch. They have been doing this for so long, it’s impossible to remember when and how it started. All were involved in church somewhere and they met following worship, although it was getting harder to do with so many different worship times nowadays.
They ate at one of those restaurants that give a discount if you bring in your bulletin from worship. Every week the conversation turned to what was going right and wrong, from their perspective, in their respective congregations. Over time, it became a meal of roast preacher, mashed pianist, and sautéed session. Nothing positive came from this time together. In fact, it seemed they each grew less satisfied with what was going on in their churches.
One day, out of the blue, someone suggested that instead of complaining about church, why not come next week and promote one thing positive about their church. Their whole attitude changed. Eventually they added sharing a favorite Bible verse and why it was special. Or, summarize the sermon.
They began to share a time of prayer. Over time, they transformed from grumbling to growth. Maturing in faith as they shared stories of struggle and faith.
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FOLLOWING THE STORY of Pentecost and a sermon by Peter, the author of Acts writes these words:
So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayers.
From the foundation of the church, teaching and growing in faith was an important dynamic. From the very beginning, the earliest Christians practiced intentional faith development. From the first generation of Christians to the youngest generations of faithful members today, the followers of Jesus mature in faith by learning together in community.
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THIS PRACTICE of learning in community is the same way that Jesus taught his disciples. Everywhere he went, he gathered people into community. He told stories and taught lessons that helped them to understand and interpret Scriptures. He did this around dinner tables, on hillsides, and even along the seashore. He went wherever the people were and then, having taught them, sent them out into the world.
So, what do we do as the church that falls under this category of faith development? Essentially it is everything that we do that helps people to grow in faith and in their understanding of and love for God. And then take what they learn and live it every day.
