By Not Known
The Minister’s messages this month will each focus on a key ministy area in the
life of our congregation. Today, the focus is in Christian Education.
Christian education can be defined as the teaching and learning of the Bible to
all age groups with the purpose of helping people to grow into Christian
maturity. Let’s think about that definition.
The teaching and learning… Teaching and teachers are important but they are
only the means to learning by learners. In this sense, Christian education must be
learner-centred and learning-centred.
… of the Bible…. We believe that God has spoken and that the Bible is the ‘
collection of God-inspired writings (2 Tim 3:16). The Bible is the place where we
can know God with clarity and reliability. for this reason, our Christian education
activities all focus on the Bible
… to all all groups… Christian education is often seen just for children and
youth. But the Bible itself is addressed to an adult audience. Further, as we go
through the many stages of adulthood we are able to understand the Bible from
new angles and to gain the new learning needed for the different stages of
adulthood.
… with the purpose of helping people to grow into Christian maturity. Bible
learning is for Bible living. Various text affirm that God’s people are to learn
what God says in order to do what God says (Dt 5:1), to be prepared for a well-
rounded Christian life (2 Tim 3:17) and, especially, to help us grow into the
likeness of Jesus (Eph 4:1 1-16). As we grow into the likeness of Jesus we will bear
God’s image with increasing clarity and so fulfill our created destiny (Gen 1 :26-
27).
Christian education should be an important ministy in every church. For this
reason it is central in our list of activities and our allocation of precious resources
such as time, talents and treasure
We need key leaders and many ministry helpers at all levels of our Chrislian
education programme so that we can teach the Bible effectively at all levels. Are
you able to help in this ministy?
We also need keen Bible learners. What are you doing to advance your own Bible
learning?