Sunday School, part 2
We have committed parents who are pulling hard to equip their kids for a life of faith. But there is a gravity that pulls us in an opposite direction toward expertism. If we church leaders think we can carry the spiritual water for all the formation of kids, it is foolishness at best. So putting the old man glasses back on, “The problem with world today, is that everything has been exported to experts instead starting with the home." And like the guy who stands on his lawn to yell at kids for walking on his grass, I want to grump, "the home is too busy for much of anything except more busyness." How can the church help its people take at least one iron out of the crowded fire? Captain Obvious says that activities won’t save our kids, only Jesus will. I wonder how we church people can take seriously the formation of our kids without taking it so seriously that parents can offload all responsibility for faith formation on the church, and then ironically, not bring their kids to Sunday School. I know that is not you, but if it is what do you need to live into a different way of being? Enough speculation. I am prone to rearrange stuff that I perceive as not working optimally. Our Sunday School now is not optimal. Wonder with me how we can partner with parents to diligently undertake the work of formation while swimming in a world steeped in the overscheduled “sainthood of all children”. Thanks father-in-law for that expression. When he said that to me as if it weren’t always true, it really opened my eyes to the world that I and my fellow parents have created. Hell hath no fury than the parent whose child has their perfection doubted. Is the sainthood of kids deceiving us to double and triple booking every spare second of down time in families? This I think goes back to preaching. How do I preach a God who is lovingly in charge of the world, when I and everyone around me is scurrying around thinking our kids and our life are up to us. We think we can give our kids a perfect life by starting with the right latin teacher, softball coach, and college prep course. I want Jesus and his presence in my life, but as a church leader, I am knee deep in my own programmatic overload along with everyone else. How can I be faithful to the call of Christ to create programs that actually form both leaders and participants become lovers of God and nothing else. Before we rearrange everything, we have to ask two hard questions. First even if there was a highly funded, spotless Sunday School program, would it serve the needs of families and be used more? Second, if the answer is “no”, how do we 'ninja style' slipping the transcendent God into children's lives? Fellow clergy have similar issues with lackluster SS attendance, and they are trying different things. So, please without giving me a curriculum that will solve all my problems, solve all our problems.
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AuthorAn Episcopal Priest in beautiful Danville, CA. Archives
April 2018
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