Whom Do Men Say That I Am?

Posted on September 18, 2007 by mcanaday

What would ministry be without a good joke from time to time? I forgot where I found this one, but I thought it was pretty good. I hope it will give you a chuckle for the day.

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Nevitt Sanford’s Theory

Posted on September 13, 2007 by Jon

So when was the last time you looked in your education toolbox and pulled out developmental theory? Strange question? Maybe but it is the focus of this post. Throughout the fall I will address different developmental theorists and how their theory might relate to Christian education. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Education, development theory, personal growth | 1 Comment

Just the facts, please

Posted on September 13, 2007 by Israel Galindo

As a former principal of a private school I suppose I can be accused of being biased on the issue of private “vs.” public schools, parental choice, vouchers, etc. The school I served was in Miami with a 93% minority student population and a 99.5% minority faculty (we had one anglo faculty and three anglo staff persons). The students consistently scored an average of 1.5 years ahead of national standardized scores across the board, with many grades consistently averaging two years ahead of the national norm. The families that made up our school were not affluent. They were low income, blue collar, to middle class whose only commonly shared value was a commitment to their children’s education and a will to do whatever they needed to ensure they got it. Continue reading →

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Things that would cause me to walk out on worship

Posted on September 12, 2007 by Israel Galindo

Due warning: this is a rant of uncommon impatience.

Now that I’m on the other side of the pulpit, in the pews as part of the congregation, I find that my impatience with “bad worship” has increased. This summer I got to visit a lot of different churches while traveling to do seminars, consultations, and workshops, often participating in Sunday worship. For the most part I’m able to set aside my critical brain and enjoy the existential experience of worship with a congregation. At times I’m pleasantly surprised by a well-crafted service and a thoughtful sermon. But there are times when I’m tempted to walk out of the worship service when inflicted upon by some of the things that go on during the sacred hour. Continue reading →

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Posted on September 11, 2007 by Israel Galindo

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What’s the key? Do you know?

Posted on September 7, 2007 by Israel Galindo

I’m the kind that’s wired with a thirst for knowledge and wisdom. As a child one of my favorite books was Proverbs, in the Bible. My dad introduced me to it, extolling the virtues of acquiring wisdom. Seeking wisdom and delving into the “secrets” of life, the universe, and everything (to quote Douglas Adams) remains a pastime. Continue reading →

Posted in world view | 1 Comment

Keeping the Books

Posted on September 6, 2007 by GregR

I was in High School when I first heard about businesses keeping “two sets of books”. My father was a manufacturer’s representative, and he dealt with small, medium, and large sized companies. Almost all of them, he told me, kept two sets of records regarding their income, expenses, and salary. One set was what the government saw and showed lower income for the business and lower salaries to the owners and higher expenses. This caused the business and the owners to pay less in taxes. My dad was always amazed at how little people actually gained by doing this, especially compared to how much worry and fear it caused them. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Education, congregational life, discipleship | 1 Comment

Jedus Mek De Bline Man See

Posted on September 5, 2007 by mcanaday

During my late high school and college years I drove a Royal Crown Cola truck delivering RC Colas (no moon-pies!) in Beaufort County, South Carolina. My daily routes led me into the backwater areas of the lowcountry. Every Friday I sold drinks on Hilton Head Island. This was back in the days before the island was heavily developed. On the main road and tucked away on dirt roads beyond the paved road on the island were juke joints (small buildings with space for serving drinks, snacks, and dancing) that turned to life in the evenings and weekends for the locals. I was always amazed by the numerous drinks the locals purchased for use in their highly-valued social routines.

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“Thinking educationally”: more basic educational questions

Posted on September 5, 2007 by Israel Galindo

At a recent consultation with a school I once again encountered the dilemma faced by school leaders who lack a background in the field of education. This school has been in existence for ten years, well past the “make it or break it” point for a private school. They were at a point in their institutional development where they had the luxury of taking a breath and addressing educational issues that had been long ignored in the flying-by-the-seat-of-our-pants phase. They had a new director and a new assistant director who were eager to see the school step up to a new level as an educational institution, but both lacked formal training in the field of education or educational administration. Continue reading →

Posted in curriculum, philosophy, teaching | 2 Comments

On mentoring

Posted on September 4, 2007 by Israel Galindo

I continue to be fascinated with how people are enamored with the idea of mentoring. It seems to have a romantic hold on people’s imagination. I recently received an e-mail from a friend who is a college program director. She was asking some questions about a program for college students being created at her college. The program design looked pretty good, though it included a “mentoring” component. I sighed and cautioned my friend about the tendency to misapply “mentoring.” Much of what people do under the rubric of “mentoring” isn’t appropriate to their goals, aren’t applicable to their audience, ignores the significance of context, and isn’t designed to be mentoring at all. Continue reading →

Posted in children, discipleship, personal growth, teaching, vocation | 1 Comment