The Purpose of Christian Education One primary task of every church is to make Christian disciples. "Christian education settings can be entry points for persons into the congregation, places to reach out and receive others. Persons can come to know God and make life-changing decisions in those settings, whether they are toddlers in the two-year-old class or the oldest adult in a weekly Bible study session. They are encouraged to grow and mature in the faith and are sent forth as Christian disciples to make the world more loving and just." (Foundations, page 8).

Rows of shoes lined the temple steps, patiently waiting for the owners to return. The shoes never go into the temple. They leave with the owners and never see the inside of the temple. For Christians, this image would become, "The shoes never go into the church." Imagine the shoes as a metaphor for how our faith and life connect. Many of us leave the shoes of daily life and service outside the church. We go inside to don the "slippers of faith." But when we come out, do we leave our "faith slippers" inside for another week and return home with just the "daily shoes"? If we leave our faith inside the church, what do we take with us into the workplace and activities of the week?

Often, people live, act, work, and serve as faithful disciples without realizing it and without the support of their congregations, which itself is an extended family. How can our families and congregations equip all of us to cultivate our relationship with God and the Christian community during worship, then return to the workplaces and daily life, equipped to serve as faithful disciples wherever we are? How does the congregation welcome persons back to the worshiping community? Does the congregation affirm us for the work and service we have done during the week?

I can see all the faithful disciples returning to the worshiping community ready to be re-energized, wounds healed, willing to share battle stories from their workplaces and in their communities. How do congregations welcome and nurture our faith, and how do they prepare us to be sent back out into our workplaces and communities?

Christian Education Week 2003 centers on the theme, "Connected Through Christ: Serving in Community." We encourage you to consider how Christian formation occurs during our service to others in the name of Christ and about how our varied family and extended family systems can support and nurture people in service.

Alyne JoAnn Eslinger is the Director of Ministry in Daily Life and Community and Justice Ministries for The United Methodist General Board of Discipleship in Nashville, Tennessee.