Challenges to Christian Educators

A recent article for Christian educators pointed to the plethora of resources now being marketed to churches for enhancing Christian education programs. The nature of much of the effort is “market driven” accommodation to meet calls for limited preparation demands for those using the materials to fast paced, catchy titled, video enhanced, sound modified, contemporary, traditional, ecumenical, or conservative, globally focused or community minded tracts capable of meeting the religious education needs of churches everywhere.

It’s a long way from the picture card and “quarterly” offered to a generation past. It’s long past the posters and resource kits that targeted age graded groups by developmental needs and age focused content. It’s gone the way of the media minded gameboy generation that must insert religious instruction between the inflatable blow up mangers and the bible verse wrapped candy pacifiers. (Sad, but true…I have the catalog to prove it.)

On the other end of the spectrum are well prepared, carefully designed efforts to share biblical story and knowledge with integrity and impact for the present generation of learners. To learn the scriptures in new ways is a positive in every way. Some bible study tools of this age are more than amazing for their speed and facility in allowing us to study the scriptures with ever increasing comprehension because of links to those enhancing information sources that blend our study of scripture with the culture, the geography, the history and the experiences of those periods of time. As computer resources supplement translators and enhance language review of ancient manuscripts, our knowledge is greater as a reservoir for learning.

At the same time, the question becomes, at what level is the benefit of utilizing this vast array of sources lost in the complexity of determining which of those is beneficial and on what basis? Our decision-making regarding Christian education falls into many categories. Do we require a denomination focus? Do we require a certain theological interpretation of certain material? Do we encourage an ecumenical spirit or something more distinctive? Do we limit discussion and interaction or encourage it? Do we utilize teams of teachers or look for “master teachers” over large groups? Do we wish to utilize drama, music, and the arts, or do we wish to avoid them?
All are questions linked to decisions made by Christian educators today. Even more challenging is the reality that many churches have no one who is instrumental in the responsibility to review these resources or in the position to make good decisions about their application. Denominational publishing, while still widely available, is fragmented and shrinking, while marketing of an expanded list of “outsourced” resources is commonplace. Churches of tomorrow may have more choices than ever, not unlike Toffler’s “overchoice” scenario, but will it be of real value in the basic endeavor to nurture Christian faith? “Faith development” and “maturation” are important to support in positive ways, but we will have to make some difficult choices in regard to the methods of instruction incorporated by the local congregation.

Sound theology, tasteful and appropriate design, clearly biblical insight and focus – all should be hallmarks of good Christian education resources. May their presence be celebrated and their use multiplied!