Christian Education at Vine Street

Seven Areas of Urgent Change

The conversation about Christian Education at Vine Street has been a significant part of the Journey process, as well as the focus of several groups meeting between September 2009 and April 2009.

In our story, Vine Street 2019, Christian Education is given much deserved attention:

In it, we introduce ourselves to “FACE, the forum for adult christian education, a. k. a. the liberation of Christian education from the grip of Sunday school.” The story speaks of a set of courses, ranging in length from three weeks to eighteen months, that cover the entire curriculum for adult learning and spiritual formation, and ad hoc classes for the discussion of current issues in light of the gospel.

Our story also lifts up the ancient yet revolutionary insight that “Christian education isn’t a program, but a dimension of everything we do,” i. e. we learn important lessons through worship and service, not just through classes and study groups.

At the end of the extended group process, organized around Karen Tye’s book, Basics of Christian Education, participants named the following SEVEN AREAS OF URGENT CHANGE:

We want variety. This includes looking beyond Sunday morning Sunday school at different times and places, but also offering more classes, more topics, more speakers, or more programs. Variety also means paying attention to different learning styles and offering multi-sensory experiences for learning (not just talking, listening, and reading) or simply using a variety of methods and media. One area we have barely explored is the use of online resources for personal and/or group use like study programs that integrate music or arts, podcasts, or seasonal offerings integrating worship and learning.

We want short-term opportunities. It is easier to commit to classes lasting 2-6 weeks than to a life-time membership in a Sunday school class. A lecture is, of course, a short-term learning opportunity, and so are brief topical studies, or Bible study groups focusing on just one book or theme at a time. But we also like the idea of short-term, small-group opportunities, modeled on the prayer triplet experience: an intentional, focused time of learning, possibly integrating service and reflection, or prayer and study.

We want integration. Integration has multiple dimensions like the idea of service/learning, where action and reflection are the primary means of learning, or like the integration of worship or prayer and study, where Christian education is not just learning about something, but experiential and attentive to the spiritual formation of participants. By integration we also mean the intentional use of a variety of methods to meet the needs of persons with a variety of learning styles and preferences. One of the key ideas emerging in the conversation around integration has been the intentional tying together of worship, study, fellowship, and service, where our community would 1) study an issue like, e.g., hunger, from several angles, 2) plan opportunities to engage in ministry for the hungry in the community, 3) design a worship service around the theme, and 4) participate in the CROP walk. Habitat builds or Room in the Inn quickly come to mind as additional possibilities for this kind of integrated approach.

We want to overcome age-segregation. There is a growing desire for intergenerational learning, where the roles of teacher and student can be fluid, and we learn to see the world through each other’s eyes (and not with our respective generational bias). Generational integration is a key part of integration, and we believe that mission trips as well as the intergenerational neighborhood groups provide great opportunities toward this goal.

We want intentional planning. Whether we call it a curriculum for children age 2 to graduation, or a comprehensive set of courses for adults, or just an annual 12-month plan, we want intentionality, purpose, guidance and coordination. The details are secondary at this point (like which books to focus on in Bible study, or how long a course on denominational history should be, or how to structure Christianity 101 for adults).

We want a complete change in attitude. How can we help each other understand that Christian education is important? How can we grow in our understanding of Christian education as bifocal: spiritual formation for disciples and outreach to the community? How can we reclaim Christian learning as a key part of worship with things like topical sermons or thematic worship services? How can we stop doing stuff and learn to do less with greater intentionality? How can we match our desire for variety with a commitment to discipline?

We want fresh paint. Yes, it’s as simple as that. Context matters, and a fresh coat of paint is an inexpensive and effective way to make a room more attractive. Let’s start with the children’s wing, and let’s not stop there. With a little attention, the room below the steeple could be transformed into a great space for small groups, and not just for youngsters. We should also look at having one room for grown-ups where a tv, sound system, and projector don’t have to be hauled in and out; perhaps this should be part of our considerations for the transformation of the fellowship hall.