Educational wish list, then and now

As I was throwing out some old files and materials (New Year’s Resolution no. 7, still working on it) I came across the results of a survey we conducted through Educational Consultants over a decade ago for a large local church. The comprehensive survey yielded a list of thirty-four distinct program “goals” educational leaders wanted to focus on. Needless to say, when you get that many distinct goals on a wish list it’s a sure sign of organizational fragmentation.

I found myself wondering if a similar survey were administered today, in a church of comparable size, would it yield the same results? Or, has there been sufficient progress in churches’ understanding of what constitutes Christian education that we’d see new and different items listed on a wish list for educational goals?

What do you think? Would your church add something else to the following list?

1. Better training for program leaders
2. Better training for teachers
3. Better visual aids
4. Better physical abilities
5. New buildings
6. Improved adult learning experiences in Sunday School
7. Better parking facilities
8. More organization-sponsored fellowships
9. More and better volunteer workers
10. More paid educational staff
11. More money for Christian education
12. Better outreach program
13. Stronger mission emphasis
14. More emphasis on the family
15. Enlistment of inactive church members
16. Improved media center or church library
17. More emphasis on Christian education
18. More emphasis on specific ministries by members
19. Study and training classes for the developmentally disabled
20. Study and training classes for the mentally retarded
21. Study and training classed for the deaf.
22. Stronger emphasis on prayer
23. Better coordination between programs
24. Regular planning by the leaders
25. A better schedule for weekday activities
26. Better food service for the midweek meal
27. Greater punctuality for leaders
28. More participation from members and leaders in curriculum
29. Enlarged Bible teaching program
30. More weekday programs on political and community awareness
31. More weekday programs for children
32. More weekday Bible study and training for adults
33. More weekday Bible study and training for youth
34. An improved discipleship program