Many folks who find themselves engaged in the task of congregational education tend to be able to jump right in and keep the programs running. And they do an acceptable, if not admirable, job of keeping things going smoothly. Programs…
May 20, 2019—Throwing out some old files and materials (New Year’s Resolution no. 7) I stumbled across an old final exam from a course I offered over two decades ago when I was teaching adjunctively. Reviewing the course material I…
May 6, 2019—An Episcopal priest played golf regularly with the local Baptist minister and two of his members. The priest kept inviting the Baptists to visit one of his services until they were embarrassed at not having gone. So they…
April 1, 2019—At a gathering of congregational educators the discussion centered on teaching in the church. We discussed the perennial challenges of training church teachers. Those challenges include getting teachers to participate in training events, getting them to see the…
March 18, 2019—A couple of days I received that phone call I enjoy so much. It goes like this:
Caller: “Hello, Dr. G? You probably don’t remember me, I was a student at the seminary a couple of years ago…
February 18, 2019—One major drawback to teaching in Christian education is the unwarranted, and often unintended, practice of setting ourselves up for inactive, non-participatory, learning. Many teachers of adults tend to shy away from challenging their class or group to…
February 4, 2019—Study and research on moral development was a standard area of study for Christian educators some decades ago. As with many disciplines, some studies wane as others take their place—new fads, emerging fields of study, whatever is deemed…
While it’s always exciting to see a post do well, it’s exceptional to watch some posts get attention year after year. In particular, a number of posts by our Associate Dean for Lifelong Learning, Israel Galindo (aka Dr. G.) continue…
December 3, 2018—At the heart of much of what is wrong with the educational program in many churches today is a continued failure to understand the unique corporate nature of both faith and Christian education formation. And while there is…
November 5, 2018—Starting new programs is not just a good idea, it’s necessary for cultivating a vital education and formation program. Programs tend to have a short shelf life—though many tend to be maintained long past their expiration date for…
Earlier this year, Dr. Kathy Dawson was appointed the Benton Family Associate Professor of Christian Education, a chair previously held by Dr. Rodger Nishioka. Her inauguration was held on Wednesday, October 10, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. in the Harrington Center…
Congregational ministry associates are second chair leaders. They are the lieutenants of the congregation who “get things done.” For those called to this ministry, it can be a rewarding and fulfilling experience (“I can’t believe they pay me to do…
March 12, 2018—Every now and again I come across the call from enthusiastic, often dissatisfied, church educators to create within the congregation a model of seminary or “school for faith.” The motivation is an earnest desire to make Christian education…
February 8, 2018—Soon, for many of our sisters and brothers from the eastern hemisphere is the Lunar New Year celebration. I was blessed to be invited to a celebration last year by one of our students, Loann Nguyen, to her…
January 29, 2018—If there’s one thing to learn from lone rangers, it’s that communal congregational life cannot be healthy and effective when one, two, or a few people run the show with agendas that do not consider the overall educational…
