Practices, programs, projects, and structures that lack rigorous attention to an informing philosophical foundation tend rarely to be effective over the long run. Lacking a philosophical base that informs practice assures that most educational enterprises will flutter from one technique, approach, or fad to another trying to find “what works.” That practice ensures a perpetual lack of direction, an inability to practice discernment, and a lack of guiding principles and values to inform and shape practice.

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It is always gratifying to see attention paid to the perennial ideas and ideals, the importance of understanding the events and lessons of history, and to the appreciation of the classics in any educational enterprise. Perhaps more so today, it is cause to celebrate when that attention happens in the context of theological education. An informal survey of courses of study in theological schools will reveal a diminishing opportunity for being introduced in any systematic way to the history and philosophy of educational thought and Christian education.

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The following is from the book Myths: Fact and Fiction about Teaching and Learning by Israel Galindo. How well do you know fact from fiction?

Fiction: In the beloved fairy tale, Cinderella wore glass slippers to the ball at the palace, which she loses at the stroke of midnight.

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A church’s educational program will be shaped by several factors: its history, denominational relations, size, location, predominant social class, identity, life stage, and leadership, for example. Below are some essential congregational education program areas common to most churches:

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There are many factors that influence Christian education programming in congregations. Two of those factors are staff leadership and congregational size. While we may desire otherwise the fact is that congregations are highly dependent on program staff for leadership, development, and effectiveness for educational programs. And often, educational program leaders are the last staff hired (the typical order of staff hires are: pastor, musician, part-time youth/children staff, full-time youth/children staff, then, educator). Which means that any educator who is the first full-time program staff person in a congregation likely has to deal with years of neglect in the area of church-wide educational programming.

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I’ve been invited to write a magazine article on artistic interpretations of biblical texts. I enthusiastically accepted the invitation from the editor. Given my lifelong interest in art in general, and religious art in particular, and the fact that I’ve never written (as well as I can recall) anything along these lines made the novelty attractive.

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My friend and colleague Marty and I have turned in our manuscript for the book on educational planning in the congregational context. This is the sit and wait stage before the next phase of editing. For me this is always a time of gratitude for the break from writing and anticipation toward finishing the work.

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I received this comment via an e-mail from a workshop participant some time ago:

Toward the end of the day you said something like, “certitude is the greatest obstacle to faith.” Since you saved it for last, I am thinking it is one of our take-home points, but I am having trouble getting my arms around this concept. I looked up certitude (it is not a word I am very familiar with) and Websters defines it as “Freedom from doubt, especially in matters of faith.” syn-certainty.

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A colleague is making a change in his church staff position. He’s struggling with coming up with a new ministry job title. He says, “While I realize the main thing is how one functions, job titles are suggestive and important.”

He’s moving from a generalist position as Minister of Christian Formation, to a more focused ministry with adults. Here are some titles he’s considering.

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I discovered the book, Becoming A Community of Salt and Light, by Peggy Prevoznik Heins (Ava Maria Press, Notre Dame, Indiana) while I was researching our (Galindo and Canaday) soon-to-be-published book, Organizing for Christian Education Formation: A Faith Community Approach. The author makes the point that leadership is an issue of skill development, and that leaders not only need to be able to address the functions they are called to, but must possess certain leadership qualities. She calls attention to eleven leadership qualities in a chart in her book. These eleven qualities are listed with slight modification below.

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