unChristian: Post 2
Finished the book last night. Closed the book more convinced than ever that the reasons that our ministries are not connecting with Outsiders is that we use our evangelical subculture as the point of reference as we design our ministries instead of being cognizant of the needs and perceptions of those outside of the church.
The data in unChristian explored those 16-29, those new parents who a decade ago turned to the church for parenting support, but who now wonder if we would turn their children into intolerant fundies if given half-a-chance. I’m becoming increasing convinced that our habit of reducing Biblical narratives into instructive moral dramas is clouding the gospel– that Jesus died to infuse us with an abundant quality of life and to reconnect us in relationship with God (which, yes, includes the overcoming of sin and sin nature).
1) Our curriculum needs to emphasize how Jesus responded to people– all people, the moral outcasts and those on the societal fringes. One of the unspoken desires of parents is that our children would chose good, safe friends. We want our children to make good moral choices that honor God. However, we subtly or not so sublty do this be labeling those with whom we disagree. I recently saw an advertisement for a “Follywood” VBS that made judgments about Hollywood and the values coming out of the studios. Certainly, discernment is vital. However, there’s a danger of teaching our children to demonize those who have not yet connected to Jesus.
2) Our curriculum needs to emphasize servanthood. We need to teach our children to serve those who are likeable and those who are not.
3) We need to emphasize the doctrine that Jesus died to reverse alienation. We need to hold up Christian heroes like MLK Jr. who referred to the Old Testament prophets as he shared his dream.
4) We need to teach children to befriend those non-biblical family structures. Christian children should the ones protecting the child of the homosexual couple from bullying.
5) Jesus’ work on the Sermon on the Mount needs to be taught with the same emphasis as his work on Mount Calvary. We need to teach children that following Jesus begin with conversion but continues in a life of following Jesus.
I couldn’t agree with you more! We need to step outside of our evangelical box and see those things that make people cringe about church. We’re constantly evaluating that at our church; we want to reduce the “cringe factor” so that people actually want to come to church and invited their friends to church. I especially like what you said about the Sermon on the Mount. Our staff is in the middle of reading a book “A Community Called Atonement” by Scot McKnight, which is a wonderful book on atonement. It challenges all of us to chuck our one-size-fits-all view of atonement and see atonement as more than just “Jesus and Me.” Atonement has to do with more than that; it deals with all peoples and creation coming into a right relationship with God. It’s a good book. I think you’d like it!
henryjz
February 14, 2008 at 10:55 am
I’m trying to grapple with your statement about children protecting other children from bullying. Children are at the mercy of anyone bigger, and I believe it is the adults responsibility to prevent or intervene with bullying. I get your point, but why do we as adults keep setting children up for opportunities to be bullied? It’s our culture that needs to change that believes bullying as inevitable. I see bullying as a breakdown needing to be fixed.
truevyne
February 14, 2008 at 11:36 am
Hey truevyne,
Some research see three groups in an incident of relational aggression: 1) The bullier; 2) the victim; and 3) the bystanders.
We’re learning that when the bystanders speak up it places social pressure on the bully to NOT be aggressive.
But yes, there is a time and a place to teach children to get an adult.
I always appreciate your comments and challenges. You make me think.
Larry Shallenberger
February 14, 2008 at 11:49 am
Love your post Larry (I’ll use these in my outreach talk in the SF Bay area) and I got my newest “Family Times” monthly “home lesson” from Rethink and http://www.familytimes.org and was amazed at it’s silly and quite harmful emphasis on “character qualities”. The one I’m looking at is “Initiative: Seeing What needs to be done and doing it right” !!! Seriously, this stuff is too much telling and not enough living! Parents who are so one-dimensional and in need of a quick fix to CONTROL kids not GROW kids seems to me the antithesis of what Unchristian is illustrating.
Keith Johnson
February 14, 2008 at 11:52 am
There’s a balance, Keith.
Character lessons ARE found in scripture. In 2 Peter we find a “character ladder” not unlike what was found in 1st Century Greek Culture. Paul lists the “fruit of the Spirit.” The authors of Proverbs used moral aphorisms.
unChristian doesn’t dismiss wisdom lit. or even address the issue of Character Based Curriculum. (Reggie Joyner makes a great contribution in the book).
I think Kinnaman might caution that as we present a character trait to a family that we need to be mindful that we don’t perfectly practice it, and that we need to be authentic about it.
There’s also the issue of being viewed as ’sheltered’… Kinnaman would caution us against intellectually oversimpifying our presentation of Christianity.
Larry Shallenberger
February 14, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Sounds like a book I will need to read.
Ken
February 14, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Good point, and balance, on the whole, is often a good thing, or an example of the fallacy “of the golden mean.” Families create close bonds by means other than “flash card” truisms or wise sayings which frankly are lofty platitudes of oversimplification. Do you ever wonder about Proverbs being written by Solomon–great family pastor wouldn’t you say? Or Poor Richard’s Almanac written by the abandoned husband Benjamin Franklin (not to mention his foray’s in French salon culture on several levels). Knowing and Doing are always at odds, but families that seek to preserve the relationship would do well to avoid the over-simplification that Reggie provides
Keith Johnson
February 14, 2008 at 12:22 pm
I re-read the “ladder” in 2 Peter and fully agree with it’s appropriateness for effectiveness and productivity as a Christian.
What I take odds with is the “Character Qualities” that Reggie is pushing: Initiative? These don’t separate us and make us peculiar people but merely reinforce the Christian as some sort of noble man, even a great character. It is our RELATIONSHIP with Christ that makes us a peculiar people and a winsome witness. This is not nit picking, but even Peter (or his amenuensis) stated qualities that were in Christ Jesus, our model of the noble life! Character qualities are simplifications that reduce our life to a very bland and often misguided attempt to look “godly” and not have the heart and mind of Christ Jesus.
Keith Johnson
February 14, 2008 at 12:35 pm
I would say that that even though I’m not lining up to purchase the 252 curriculum that there is much to be commended in the Orange Movement. I just watched the Orange DVD from last year and was impressed and challenged.
Larry Shallenberger
February 14, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Here’s a question for all: What needs to be added to our curriculum to combat unChristain faith?
Larry Shallenberger
February 14, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Not so fast! You state “I’m becoming increasing convinced that our habit of reducing Biblical narratives into instructive moral dramas is clouding the gospel.” This brought to my mind the current practice of 252 Basic to go beyond the text into character qualities. You support Reggie (don’t we all) but fail to critique this example (in my mind) of “reducing bible narratives”. Is it not an example that you discuss? What other examples do this? We are bound on the one hand by the constraints of childhood to developmentally appropriate reductions that I think we would all agree with (keeping the text instructive and helpful rather than, say, exegeting Jephtha’s harsh vow).
To be practical, we should not say what we should ADD to our curriculum but indeed what is missing! What in my mind is missing is the one-on-one approach (personal rather than a crowd or audience approach) or even an avoidance of practical application that is relevant to their world and even accommodates a child’s questions.
My observations of teachers is that they TELL children more than GUIDE children. They TALK more than they LISTEN. They teach LESSONS and often don’t teach CHILDREN. By doing this they amplify their anxiety that the truth they are relying on is not a relaxed and ascendant life, but one that they must argue for.
Keith Johnson
February 14, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Keith, It’s obviously a matter of addition and subtraction.
We need to subtract frameworks shackle scriptures to a system. 252 isn’t the only curriculum with a strong organizing filter. I’ve experienced occasional discomfort in my own history as a curriculum writer for another company.
Additions would include becoming more missional in our teaching and praxis.
Larry Shallenberger
February 14, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Very Interesting! God Bless!
Prescshool Teacher
February 16, 2008 at 7:24 am
This has been implied in some of the answers preceding mine…I would say what is “missing” from our curriculum/teaching is a focus on DOING–”My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s POWER” (1 Cor. 2:4)–We need to guide kids in making the leap from “learning” to “doing.” We teachers love to TALK…and we love for kids to LISTEN…but it’s time to start challenging them to ACT on what they hear in God’s Word!
Chris Clinchard
March 12, 2008 at 7:25 am