Christian Education

The average churchgoer views the terms Christian education and Sunday school as being synonymous. Such is not the case. Christian education is a learning function of the church, which is tied with worship and mission in a climate of fellowship. These functions are interrelated and supportive of one another. As I learn more about my faith, I am motivated to worship my God more fully. As I worship, I am in turn motivated to learn more about my Christian faith. Likewise, as I learn about my faith, my desire to share that faith with others in witness and service increases. And as I share my faith and serve others, my desire increases to learn more. Learning, worshiping and mission overlap in a fluid manner. The balance of growth between these functions is what discipleship is all about. Sunday school, on the other hand, is a tool or program that helps the church accomplish the goal of Christian education—which is to educate for growth (Col. 1:9-11). To better understand this essential function of the church, we must explore several characteristic themes.

A Lifelong Process

Too often the association of Christian education with the Sunday school has linked our impression of it in our minds with the school model. As a result, we think of our education in the church coming to a conclusion in much the same manner as a student finishes a course or program. In addition, we tend to view the educational ministry in the church as a ministry for children. But education and spiritual growth for the Christian take place throughout one’s whole life. While lifelong learning has enjoyed rising popularity in continuing education programs at community colleges, it remains a new idea in many churches.

More than a Classroom Process

Along with the false idea that education in the church is tied to a school model, there is the view that educational ministry is primarily a classroom experience. In the book of Deuteronomy (Deut. 6:4-9), we see that parents were encouraged to teach their children the truths of God in the midst of everyday situations. Likewise, much of Jesus’ teaching used everyday occurrences as a springboard to an important truth. Our classroom mentality can greatly limit the learning process. Little behavioral change in Christians takes place through the use of classroom lectures or discussions. In contrast, the discussion of a biblical truth in real-life situations seems to have a more lasting impact on the learner. Foundational beliefs of our faith can be easily shared within the walls of the church, but real application and growth usually take place in the home and workplace. The Christian educators’ task is to breach this created gap.

Several years ago a teacher of twelve- and thirteen-year-olds in our church took these young people on “walk-talks” on Sunday mornings. The group would walk several blocks to different locations near the church where the teacher would begin asking questions related to the walk. For example, a visit to the local courthouse prompted questions about how a person decides what is right and wrong and, in turn, how God decides what is right and wrong. Another walk to the nearby hospital led to a discussion about sickness and why God allows suffering. Another walk down a busy street prompted a discussion about why people do and do not attend church. Christian education is much more than classes and programs; maturing in Christ is a dynamic process.

Interaction with Truth

A primary purpose of the educational function of the church is to teach the truth of Scripture (2 Tim. 3:16-17), communicating this knowledge to others so they can teach others (2 Tim. 2:2). While the methodology of this process may vary, the focus of this endeavor, as seen in Paul’s encouragement to Timothy, is to pass along a true understanding of God. This giving of information includes not only the facts and principles of Scripture but other related insights that enable Christians to better live their faith in their society, insights that do not contradict the truth of Scripture.

Information transmission, however, should not be an end in itself. It may only be the initial stage in a process of growth. The learner must interact with truth. Alongside information for the learner, formation of the learner must take place. This, in turn, leads to a transformation through the learner of what they are involved in. When Moses was at the burning bush, he did not just listen to God, but he interacted with what God was telling him. Through his questioning of and discussion with God, Moses began to assimilate God’s truth into his own life. He was then able to begin fulfilling the lifework God had for him. Oftentimes in the church we are content with merely passing along truth, never knowing whether the learner has grasped the truth for his or her own life. Wise leaders, teachers and parents allow those we teach to wrestle with the truth we share in order to promote living that truth.

Interaction with Others

God designed the church to be a community (Acts 2:42-47). The strength of a community rests on its members’ ability to learn from one another through modeling, encouragement and rebuke. Healthy settings for interaction, such as classes, small groups, committees, work groups, mentoring relationships and friendships, can be a tremendous asset to enabling believers to share and learn from one another. What one is learning often needs to be refined through the input of others. This refining can come through both encouragement and loving rebuke. Encouragement can enable one to apply what is known to be true. Loving rebuke can keep one from distorting scriptural truth.

In the church we often fail to provide this important dimension of learning, as when we rely too heavily on the lecture approach, even with some added small-group discussion. When people hear a new truth, they often lack the experiences to help them turn knowledge into wisdom of life. In-depth interaction is essential for this. The ultimate interaction takes place when modeling truth is included in interaction. Paul reminds the Thessalonians of this involvement when he writes, “We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us” (1 Thes. 2:8). Effective Christian education in the church must go beyond providing programs to providing a climate for nurturing relationships to be formed and encouraged.

The Learning Climate of the Church

Research by the Search Institute of over five hundred congregations has indicated that a primary factor in the spiritual maturity of Christians is their involvement in the Christian education ministry of their church. Though the technical aspects of this study are debatable, the general findings demonstrate the importance of the educational function of the church. Continuous spiritual growth can be stimulated if leaders in the church promote a positive educational climate empowering learners, whether children or adults, to use their gifts for the benefit of the community. In this way learners grow in teachableness. This growth will be seen in ongoing worship, mission and fellowship of the church.

An openness to learning leads us beyond the six to eight traditional Christian education programs in the church. It, instead, leads the church to endless dynamic possibilities for accomplishing the education of Christians. The church itself becomes a learning fellowship. The whole life of the church becomes the curriculum through which all members grow into full Christian understanding and maturity. So while the shape of the educational ministries may need to change constantly in order to be effective in a changing society, the educational function of transforming Christians into believers who know what they believe and who are growing up in Christ (Ephes. 4:14-16) is essential for every nurturing and growing church.

» See also: Conversation

» See also: Discipleship

» See also: Education

» See also: Spiritual Growth

» See also: Spiritual Formation

» See also: Sunday School

» See also: Teaching

Resources and References

E. A. Daniel, Introduction to Christian Education (Cincinnati: Standard Publishing, 1987); M. Harris, Fashion Me a People (Louisville, Ky.: Westminster/John Knox, 1989); P. J. Palmer, To Know As We Are Known: A Spirituality of Education (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1982); E. C. Roehlkepartain, The Teaching Church: Moving Christian Education to Center Stage (Nashville: Abingdon, 1993); D. S. Schuller, ed., Rethinking Christian Education: Explorations in Theory and Practice (St. Louis: Chalice Press, 1993); J. Wilhoit, Christian Education and the Search for Meaning (2nd ed.; Grand Rapids: Baker, 1991).

—James Postlewaite