In last weekend's Wall Street Journal article on a "new" approach to
Sunday School at a large and influential New York City church that is surrounded
by poverty and educational dysfunction, the reporter noted without alarm that
this is "a jazzed-up Sunday School, without a Bible in
sight."
While this program includes the telling of some Bible stories, it "has
dispensed with didactic Scripture teaching, religious workbooks, and
off-the-shelf curriculum."
No books? Is it a "school" at all? How
tragic! At a church that could make a much greater difference to its
children, youth and adults — and to its needy community — the urgent language
empowerment is ignored, and the transforming engagement with Scripture is
bypassed. What WSJ failed
to mention is that this spiritual and educational dumbing
down of Sunday School is nation-wide, infecting much of the full range of
denominations and independent churches.
We all know that children and youth are increasingly failing to read
well, as the Department of Education's National Report Card recently exposed
again, and we quickly
reported. Are people talking about
this?
Now it is time for churches to take prophetic
action to empower people both in words and in the Word. Language skills are
precious for every human person, especially in a democracy. Besides, words are
the primary tools for protecting human rights and empowering every person's
potential and giftedness. Moreover, frequent and engaged
Bible-reading continues to provide the
most profound empowerment for vibrant Godly living.
Read more at
http://www.christianpost.com/news/sunday-schools-politically-correct-religion-dumbing-down-church-150456/#yJe1bIFw9JbUeQuv.99