“One generation shall laud your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.”
(Psalm 145:4 nrsv)

“Mommy, tell me that story again. You know, the one about how Grandma used to take you to town on Saturday mornings. Tell me everything.”

“You’ve heard that story so many times. Let me tell you another story.”

“No, Mommy, I like that story. It helps me remember that you were little like me.”

The power of story! Remembering, retelling, rehearsing. The stories that are part of our lives are the stories we like to hear, the “anchors” we lean on when we need to be rooted and grounded. The ministry of Christian education is a ministry of story. The primary task of every congregation is the transformation of individuals into disciples of Jesus Christ. We are called to reach out, receive, and connect people with God, nurture them in the faith, and prepare them to live as servants in the world. Accepting this task means telling the stories of our faith—the biblical story, our congregational stories, our United Methodist stories, and our personal stories.

Our lives are marked by rapid change. We live in a world of chaos marked by rapid change—societal, technological, cultural, economic change. Violence beyond belief is in our school systems and on our streets. Racism, war, ethnic cleansing, and other horrors raise their ugly heads too often. We long for order, to be rooted and secure. We live in a time when stories are essential to remembering who we are. Our congregations are not immune to the cultural change that surrounds us. Mobility patterns, blended and multiple family structures, the desire for instant gratification and entertainment, and a lack of loyalty to the denomination and institutions affect us. Attendance patterns are sporadic; the ways we reach people and instruct them in the faith seem close to ineffective. The inability to see beyond institutional maintenance and current scheduling impedes our ability to create a better future. We must take a look at who we are and what we are called to do. Because we are the church, we are called to transmit the faith to all generations, to pass on the story. That is what Christian education is all about.

The purpose of Christian education. The United Methodist purpose statement for the educational ministries of our congregations reads: “Through Christian education, we invite people and communities to be transformed as they are inspired and challenged to: know and experience God through Jesus Christ, claim and live God’s promises, grow and serve as Christian disciples” (Foundations, p. 5). This statement grounds us for the task and challenges us to provide opportunities for people to be transformed into faithful disciples who practice disciplined lives, lived out in service and witness. It gives us the foundation for Christian formation.

A systemic approach is needed. If we want people to become faithful disciples, we needto take a systemic approach. We can no longer assume that one becomes a faithful disciplesimply by participating in Sunday school. We must begin to understand that Christian education, Christian formation, is broader than Sunday school. Each time a person is engaged in an activity done in the name of the church, he or she is learning about what it means to be a disciple.

The important questions to ask relate to the kinds of experiences we provide in our congregations and how they create disciples. How are people being transformed by participation in our congregation? Transformation speaks of a changed way of thinking and living. Are opportunities for transformation happening for children, youth, and adults? Are people practicing discipleship in the world, living out what they profess to believe through their actions?

We need to teach people about the Bible, theological concepts of Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit. People need to understand about love, sin and salvation, about prayer, the sacraments, and United Methodist beliefs. We must create settings for teaching these concepts through experiences that touch the heart as well as the mind. We need to offer opportunities that help people see and interpret life experiences in terms of their faith understanding, that connect them to the holy, that teach sensitivity to the God that is actively at work in the world, that bring people into relationship with others who also believe, to share insights and life-giving conversations that strengthen and guide.

Wesleyan heritage offers a model. We have a strong legacy and model in our Methodist tradition. John Wesley insisted that the believers who followed in his footsteps become people disciplined in the faith. They were united in small groups for the purpose of holding one another accountable. They met weekly, weaving a tapestry of personal, scriptural, and traditional stories that included their devotional and worship life, their times of prayer and Bible reading, their attendance at the service of holy communion, their acts of mercy and compassion, as well as their conversations with one another. These early Methodist Christians were steeped in discipline and understanding related to how a disciple was called to live. We should be no less attentive to the disciplines that lead us to become more effective disciples. Our congregations should provide experiences that teach about these disciplines. And we must provide opportunities for people to practice them and to be held accountable for how well they are living out their beliefs. Spiritual leaders—people grounded in the stories of the faith— are a critical need in our church today. Those who lead us in worship, teach our classes, facilitate our Bible studies, coach our teams, rock our babies, chair our committees—all should be disciplined believers in order to help others know what it truly means to be a Christian disciple.

A faith-forming community — What does that mean? It is essential that people be connected to God and to one another. We can provide that connection if we seek to be faithful in our efforts to be formative in the lives of our people. Our existing groups, including Sunday school classes, can be challenged to take a new look at their mission and to interpret it in light of what it means to be part of a disciple-making system. The ongoing support groups and ministries that guide people through crises and life changes can begin to evaluate how they are equipping people to be transformed into faithful disciples. Through careful work, leadership classes can provide all those who lead with a renewed commitment to personal discipline while equipping them to enable others to do the same. The leader who is growing in Christ will model for others what it means to be a disciple. Teachers who are committed to personal growth will better enable children, youth, and adults to relate to the content they teach.

It takes the whole congregation working together to develop a system for making disciples. Congregational leaders need to gather at the table for conversation and discernment. Christian education, evangelism, worship, and outreach leaders need to work with the pastor, lay leader, committee chairs, and others in order to focus on a holistic approach. Together they need to work toward a common vision, seeking God’s vision to bring direction to their work. An honest examination of how people are being grounded in Scripture and the practice of spiritual disciplines will reveal areas of need. Consider existing ministries within the congregation and how the stories of the faith are learned, rehearsed, and shared by the congregation; this will provide additional direction.

A systemic approach to making disciples will look different in each congregation—a continuation of many ministry opportunities in one place, a completely new approach to ministry in another. When we are truly connected with and through Christ, we are building relationships, learning, serving, and sharing our faith. Telling the story is crucial for re-forming the stories of our church today. Telling our stories becomes a cornerstone of the formational experience. Teaching, learning, and experiencing through lenses that help us focus on what it means to be making disciples is our ministry of Christian education.

Christian Education and The General Board of Discipleship: Partners in Discipleship
The General Board of Discipleship is a partner in Christian education. The Book of Discipline charges the General Board to provide systems of resources and support that will assist people in the historic disciplines of the church, including Christian education. To fulfill that mandate, the General Board provides resources that assist congregations and educators with the task of Christian formation.

Christian Education Resources

These and other resources are available from Discipleship Resources, (800) 972-0433, www.discipleshipresources.org, and Cokesbury, (800) 672-1789:

Basic Resources

Additional resources that help congregations and conferences prepare for a sound approach to Christian formation are available, such as:

For Teachers of Children

For Teachers of Youth

For Teachers of Adults

Curriculum Resources

These and other resources are available from Cokesbury, (800) 672-1789:

For Children

  • Exploring Faith. Resource for pre-school; early, middle, older elementary; and pre-teen children.

  • One Room Sunday School. For programs where four or more age groups are taught in the same classroom.

  • BibleZone. Bible-centered with hands-on learning experiences for children ages 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12.

For Youth

  • Bible Lessons for Youth. Quarterly resource that encourages interaction between youth and the Bible.

  • LinC. An innovative, interactive approach to the study of current issues. Available by fax or download.

  • Claim the Name. Official United Methodist confirmation resources.

For Adults
  • Adult Bible Studies. Quarterly resource based on the International Lesson Series.

  • FaithLink: Connecting Faith and Life as United Methodists. Topical resource that looks at current life issues from the perspective of the Christian faith. Available by fax or download.

  • 20/30: A Bible Study for Young Adults. Contemporary Bible study series.
Resource Events

  • Youth 2007, an international event designed for United Methodist youth and their adult leaders.
  • Connection (formerly Forum) is a national event for adult workers with youth. Tollfree: (877) 899-2780, ext. 7069.

  • Focus is a national training and network event for persons in ministry with children. Tollfree: (877) 899-2780, ext. 7143.

  • Keeping in Touch seminars for teachers and small-group leaders.
For additional resources and events, visit the General Board of Discipleship's Christian education pages online at http://www.gbod.org/education or contact the following Christian Education Staff at P. O. Box 340003, Nashville, TN 37203-0003:

Joy T. Carr formerly served on the staff of the General Board of Discipleship, Nashville, TN.

(Updated May 2004)
 

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