Saturday, November 21, 2015

Paul De Vries On 'Dumbed Down Sunday Schools.'

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

Tory Destruction Beckons.

  SIR – Kemi Badenoch says that a deal with Nigel Farage is “for the birds”  (., February 11) . Badenoch: Deal with Farage is for the birds ...