Monday, November 16, 2009
Interview: The Wandering Jew travels the world for stories, Ben Harris of Jewish Telegraphic Agency
by Peter Menkin
An American journalist named Ben Harris , who works for Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA), is traveling the world in search of stories about Jews in their various communities. He says in his blog how unique this assignment has been.The blog has all the reports on his work as the “Wandering Jew,”.
This lively interview with the Wandering Jew, American Journalist, Ben Harris , about his travels and traveling, was done mostly by email, with two conversations via webcam on Skype. When this writer spoke to him off the record for background, he was in the Jewish Telegraphic Agency offices in New York City, but the reported interview via email comes mostly while he was abroad.
He reports in his blog about getting the assignment:
“Imagine this: Your boss calls you up one day. He tells you he wants to send you on a trip of many months, pretty much anywhere you want to go to write about ... well, pretty much anything you want to write about. You will be blogging, making videos, Twittering, and writing that old standby, the feature story. Starting now, he says, you are to spend your days scrounging up great stories of Jewish life and dreaming up interesting ways to report them around the world. Amazing, right?
“That's more or less the genesis of The Wandering Jew, a new JTA project that will take me across Europe and North America in the coming months, searching out stories that illuminate the many ways people express themselves Jewishly. Along the way, we'll hopefully shed some light on some larger themes of Jewish life in these early years of the 21st century.”
How do you pack for this trip of yours?
Nothing special on the packing really, though I probably travel less lightly than I should. I have a wheeling Victorinox suitcase, a NorthFace backpack with all the fragile items -- laptop and cameras mostly -- and a tripod in a third bag. I can manage alright with everything, but I'm not exactly light on my feet.
I generally manage on my own. Backpack on one shoulder, tripod on the other, and the suitcase trailing behind. Again, if you're looking for tips on light travel, I'm not your guy. I have waaaay too much stuff.
Have you anyone to help you carry all that stuff? Where do you usually stay, by the way? Hotels? Will you tell us the names of one or two that you recall, and how about the food?
I normally stay in hotels, but Europe is expensive, so I have had to get creative. The Pfefferrebet hostel in Berlin was clean and adequate, though not cheap for a hostel. I paid 59 Euros for a private room. It was also a little noisy, and I need quiet to work and sleep. So I upgraded to the Hotel Amano, a very stylish place, and about 25 more Euros a night. The room was tiny and the heat didn't work. Berlin was not great on accommodations.
In Warsaw, though, I stayed at an exquisite hotel. The hotels are relatively inexpensive here, even the nice ones, so I treated myself a bit. The room was gorgeous, staff incredibly helpful, though the Internet was a bit pricy, which was an issue for me. But I would highly recommend the place -- the Hotel Rialto.
Food wise, it has varied. I sampled kosher Hungarian ghoulash in Budapest and kosher Wienerschitzel in Vienna. But this part of the world is meat and potatoes country, and frankly it gets old kind of fast, especially not being a meat eater. I found a lovely vegetarian restaurant a few blocks from my hotel in Warsaw and I've been there three times already.
Any special tips to travelers who want to know about packing and carrying? You are now a professional traveler.
My best tip is bring an inexpensive laptop and familiarize yourself with the crucial travel sites. I have no idea how I could have pulled this off without web access -- every city I visited, I read the reviews, checked the maps, made hotel and flight reservations, networked with people over Facebook and Twitter, searched recommendations for food, and on and on.
Here's a good story for you. In Mexico, I was in Zacatecas visiting friends for the weekend and wanted to visit Guadalajara to be with the Jewish community there for Yom Kippur. But communities in Mexico are very closed -- you can't just show up. And we tried to get in touch with people there and were having trouble. Then out of the blue I get a message on Twitter from someone who was following my trip, just asking if I was planning to come to Guadalajara. I responded immediately that not only did we want to come, but we couldn't find anyone there to host us. Turns out, the guy who Tweeted me was the rabbi of one of the two synagogues there. He invited us for dinner before the fast and generally hooked us up with everyone we needed to see. Was amazing.
Most of my movement around Europe has been by air, though I have taken some trains mostly for shorter hops. I have a lot of equipment with me. I have a Sony HD video camera, a wireless lav mic, a Samson USB mic (for voiceovers mostly), a heavy duty tripod, various electrical adaptors and connectors, and my MacBook pro for writing and editing video. All my work is done on the laptop, and for interviews I either write, record, or take notes right into the computer -- and sometimes a combination. Depends on the circumstances really. Recording tends to be the worst option because of the time required to then go back and transcribe the interviews.
How did you hook up with this assignment?
How long will you be gone, and will you do it again? Or don't you know, yet?
I really have my editors to thank. The trip is being financed by grants that we have received for a number of different types of coverage. I don't have to worry about it.
The Europe stretch is about six weeks. Before that I was in Mexico for 10 days and in Nevada for a week. When I return before Thanksgiving, I will be setting off again a few days later for about 2.5 weeks in the American South -- Mississippi, Texas, Arkansas and possibly some others are on the schedule. I would love to keep doing this. It's exhausting, physically and mentally, but the opportunity to travel and meet incredible people is really to good to pass up. If JTA is willing to keep me on the road, I'm happy to keep at it.
(Just at the beginning of November, 2009 Ben Harris reported on how things were going with his stories and travels. He has some ups and downs:
“One after another, the stories I intended to pursue have fallen through, or wound up not being stories at all. After three weeks on the road, I have to admit the possibility that it's me -- too little sleep, too many nights in strange hotel rooms, a certain fatigue beginning to set in. And I know it's dangerous, if not lazy, to traffic in crude stereotypes. But after weeks in which I've barely seen the sun (except for the few hours I spent in transit above the clouds), it's hard to resist.”)
Who is your favorite person you've met, or most memorable, so far?
Tell us something of the character of the European Jew, as contrasted with the American. If you want to do so.
I'm reluctant to name favorites, but given Europe's difficult Jewish history, there is no shortage of amazing stories. In Germany, I met an Orthodox rabbi who was born to a Jewish mother and non-Jewish father in Budapest. Intermarriage and kids with difficult, or even unknown, Jewish identities is extremely common in Europe because of the Holocaust and decades of Communist oppression. But this guy had an amazing story of discovering his roots, and today is helping to rebuild Jewish life in Germany. I could share some more details about him if you're interested.
Please do tell us more. This is interesting, to learn about the Jewish community of Europe “growing” and “growing up.”
I've also come across a lot of American Jews who have, for various reasons, left the relative comforts of Jewish life in the United States behind and dedicated themselves to helping Jews, particularly in Eastern Europe (my travels have been entirely in central and Eastern Europe so far -- I'm heading west this week), rediscover their identities. Their selflessness has been quite inspiring.
In Budapest, I met a group of young Jews who had opened a bar/event space as a sort of hangout for young Jews and as a way to participate in the wider Hungarian discussion. Hungary is unique in this part of Europe because its Jewish community is so large. Most were totally wiped out during World War II. But a sizeable number of Hungarian Jews remain -- estimates are around 100,000. These kids couldn't get the permit to open the bar, so they essentially occupied the place. They are squatters, three years later. And the place is a huge success. There's a video about them on the blog.
(Hungary is a special situation, for a recent JTA story reports on how few Jews live there. They hope to bolster its Jewish population through immigration. Ben Harris says in one report about his visit to Hungary:
“The offices of the Haver Foundation occupy one room of an apartment on the third floor of building around the corner from my hotel (convenient, see?). There I met Mircea Cernov, the Romanian-born director, just before noon. With Cernov as its only full-time employee, Haver uses a network of some 30 volunteer educators to bring Holocaust and Judaic studies to Hungarian public school students.
"’Generally speaking, Hungarian society became very intolerant, I would say, or a bit aggressive,’ Cernov told me. ‘Everything is very polarized. There is no dialogue. I think that is the most problematic thing at all levels of society, from the top political elite to the level of civil society.’"
I’ll be sure to offer the video to readers. Thank you.
There's a lot to say about European v. American Jewish identity -- if you can sharpen the question a bit maybe I can be more helpful.
Do you plan to meet a famous or prominent Rabbi? Have you? Who?
Are you getting a friendly reception?
I'm getting an unbelievable reception. I've been able to tap into truly transnational networks of young Jews that have been incredibly helpful and illuminating to me on the way. In almost every city I've visited, there has been someone who has taken it upon themselves to show me around, to show me a good time, to introduce me to the relevant people, etc.
I've also had the chance to meet the leadership of the local communities. In Poland, I spent the Sabbath here with the chief rabbi, a New York born and bred rabbi who has been here on and off for about 15 years.
He's one of the selfless Americans I mentioned above.
Will you tell us his name and the Temple or community of which he is a part? You have some thoughts on this, as I see by your answer.
His name is Michael Schudrich. He's the chief rabbi, so that's his community I guess.
He's one of the selfless Americans I mentioned above.
(Here is a taste of Ben Harris’ reporting on Michael Schudrich:
“Poland's chief rabbi, Michael Schudrich, has the air of someone who enjoys being a little unorthodox. I suppose you have to be to leave behind a comfortable Upper West Side upbringing, spend six years leading a community in Japan, and after that set up shop in post-Communist Poland. He's an Orthodox rabbi who was originally ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary, a vegetarian in a meat-and-potatoes country, and seemed to relish telling me about seeing the Grateful Dead perform at Nassau Coliseum in 1973.”)
This is interesting, to learn about the Jewish community of Europe “growing” and “growing up.”
In Central and Eastern Europe, not surprisingly, the legacy of the Holocaust and Communism has been the dominant narrative of Jewish life since World War II. The Holocaust wiped out an entire generation, and most survivors and their children who grew up under Communism denied or hid their Jewish identity. When the Iron Curtain fell, rebuilding those communities began in earnest, largely with philanthropic help from the West.
Now 20 years have passed, and the work continues. But in significant ways, the communities are beginning to deal not just with the baggage of the past, but with the very same challenges that Jewish communities everywhere are facing -- how to engage the young, how to ensure continuity, build support for Jewish organizations, etc. And that, I believe, is a sign of their maturity.
One issue you see in the East is the absence of a philanthropic culture. In America, Jewish organizations are almost entirely private non profits that rely on the support of their membership to survive. In the former Communist bloc, this notion remains a foreign one. Most Jewish communities are official entities, recognized by the state, and often receive substantial public funds for their activities. Their members expect services. This makes it hard for innovative projects outside the communal structure to win support. At present, the majority are dependent on philanthropy from Americans and Israelis. There's some effort to change this, but there's a long way to go.
It was you who told me something of the differences, and what you said rang true. Jews in Europe tend to be more conservative and Orthodox. Americans are more secular and most are Reform. Say something on this, and about mixed marriage.
That's not quite the situation. What I said was that European community institutions are generally Orthodox, or hew to Orthodox standards. Most Jews everywhere are not particularly religious. But in Europe, this creates a certain tension. Religious pluralism is not a widespread value here. In several countries I visited, only certain Jewish religious movements are represented on the established community councils. Other groups are effectively left out in the cold. And because these councils are conduits for public funds, the other groups are at a significant disadvantage.
In America, if the existing communal institutions are not serving your needs, religious or otherwise, you go down the street and start your own. Of course, you can do that here too, but the price is higher -- it normally means being shut out of money. And given what I saw before about the philanthropy thing, the other groups struggle, or get funds from abroad.
In Hungary, I met a young Jewish theater troupe, the Golem Theatre that gets 95 percent of its support from abroad. There are plenty of other examples.
On the intermarriage thing -- this is an issue everywhere. But in the former Communist countries, you rarely find a single young Jew who has two Jewish parents. And if your mother is not Jewish, Orthodox Judaism does not recognize you.
Also, given the tiny numbers of young Jews in a lot of these communities, it’s hardly clear that the younger generation is going to do much better finding Jewish mates.
It’s so good to be wined and dined, especially as part of a worship community. Is there a characteristic you noticed about the practice? Food? Hospitality? Where did you sit, for instance, and did you give a short speech? Were you introduced? (One seminar I took at a San Francisco Bay Area theological seminary – Presbyterian – had as visitor to the luncheon the editor of “Weavings,” and he gave about five or ten minutes of talk to everyone from his table. Very informal, and memorable in that he commented on religion and Hollywood and movies. That was the subject of the seminar.)
It depends. In Osnabruck Germany, they had me give a little talk on Friday night, which they translated sentence by sentence. In Warsaw, Rabbi Schudrich conspicuously invited me up to sit next to him at the communal Shabbat dinner. Normally, I try to slip in unobtrusively and sit in the back. But that's often not possible.
Best of luck and good travels on your journey.
Images: (1) Ben with Miriam Tauber and Donkey in Zacatecas, Mexico. Note sombrero on donkey; (2) Ben Harris at work with his notebook ("Hard at Work"), Cafe Spinoza, Budapest; (3) The Wandering Jewesss at Burning Man. This quote from Ben Harris' blog:" My companion for the week at Burning Man was the Wandering Jewess, who as the director of the Six Points Fellowship, knows a thing or two about art. Here's her take on the Burn's artistic offerings and their relationship to Jewish experience:
One way to characterize Burning Man is as an art festival. When I'm pressed to reduce the meaning of art to a sentence, I often say that art "creates meaning in people's lives," or "helps us see the world and our experiences in a new way." Part of the allure of Burning Man (and part of what made it such fun) was that I often felt like I was living inside a gigantic piece of ephemeral participatory performance art."
(4) Rabbi Michael Schudrich with friend; (5) On his bicycle at Burning Man, Ben is seen here in the Nevada desert. All photos courtesy Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Interview: Theology Professor tells about cell groups and Sunday schools in Southern Baptist Church
by Peter Menkin
We talked by phone of the design of the Southern Baptist Church, and I note that it is comprised of more classroom and educational setting than worship space. That isn’t to say worship space is small. We also talked about cell groups, a recent phenomenon of Sunday school where people gather to study scripture and other related Church matters in a small group, sometimes in a home setting.
Will you tell me something of the beginnings of this “movement” in the Southern Baptist Church, and how it has grasped the imagination of Church goers?
Southern Baptists were formed in 1845 around values of winning souls, educating and training members for effective Christian living and service in the US and around the world. In 1909, a man named Arthur Flake was recruited from Mississippi to work for the Baptist Sunday School Board in Nashville. At that time, there were about a million persons in Southern Baptist Sunday schools. In forty years, that number would grow to six million and well beyond. Some of this growth was due to a book Flake wrote entitled How to Build a Standard Sunday School, which was studied by over a million Southern Baptist workers. This book taught Flake’s famous five-fold formula for Sunday school growth:
1) Know the possibilities,
2) Enlarge the organization,
3) Enlist and train leaders,
4) Expand the space, and
5) Go after the people. Southern Baptist pastors often recited the Flake mantra that “the formula works only if you work the formula!”
Who came up with the Cell Sunday School, or small group, and how have Sunday School students of various ages responded to this?
Can you tell us where in the Bay Area or even California or the U.S. where this is more popular, and something of the character of the Southern Baptist Church that takes this methodology of direction.
(I know, methodology is a big word, so if you want to provide an example to help take it out of the professional level that only the Sunday School teacher really grasps, please do. Or do most Southern Baptists grasp this Small Group or Cell Group Sunday School method today?)
Southern Baptist innovative pastor Ralph Neighbour Jr. first brought cell groups to the attention of SBC churches. He studied the tremendous growth of cell group churches in Korean and published a book called “Where Do we Go from Here?” He later backed away from the argumentative tone of the book, which really argued that cell groups and Sunday school were incompatible in the same church. His book lays out the principles and best practices for starting and multiplying cell churches.
The attraction for Southern Baptists for the cell or small group method has been fourfold. First, Southern Baptists are pragmatists and love to look into if not imitate what’s successful. It’s hard to argue with the success of the Yoida Full Gospel Church in Seoul, Korea with its near 800,000 well disciple members.
That church is based on cell groups.
Second, Baptists love what’s biblical. They want to be “New Testament churches.” The cell group or house church appears to be the norm for the spread of Christianity in the first century through the ministry of the apostles and other early missionaries.
Cell groups look more like those New Testament house churches than do Sunday School classes on church property, so many SBC churches are moving in that direction.
Third, buildings cost so it is more cost effective and less limiting to growth to simply have cells meet in homes.
Fourth, people wanting to explore Christianity are thought to be more comfortable in a home of a friend as opposed to a classroom on church property. So many SBC leaders believe that cell or small groups meeting in homes is the better way of reaching new people with the gospel.
The education of a Southern Baptist starts in the baby years, and goes through childhood to adulthood, a Discipleship program of some magnitude in conception, and thought out in a curriculum and almost systematic consideration for periods of human development. So I understand in my conversations with various people in the Church who are knowledgeable in the training and education of members, including the education of ministers. You educate ministers at Golden Gate Baptist Seminary located just north of San Francisco in Mill Valley.
As one knowledgeable in such, will you talk a little in this email correspondence about how this helps to make Southern Baptists the “Sunday School Church,” and talk a little of the emphasis for each age range in what they study or look to learn about. Please say something of the Biblical imperative, and the evangelical imperative of the Southern Baptist, if you will.
Southern Baptists (SBs) made their Sunday Schools a center for both evangelism and discipleship and built their campuses accordingly with educational space for all ages equal to or greater than worship space.
To assist this focus of the churches, the Baptist Sunday School Board (now called LifeWay Resources) publishes age-graded Bible teaching literature organized around a cyclical curriculum to cover the sixty-six books of the Bible over a five year period.
SBs were and are serious about sharing the gospel and its implications through the Sunday school and small groups. Most Sunday school leaders are trained to be aware of developmental issues at the formative stages of human development and how the gospel and knowledge of Scripture is best acquired and applied at that stage.
Churches receive coaching and training from their local or state networks called associations at the area level and conventions of churches at the state level. Most of these training events are led by women and men trained in education ministry and human development at one of the many Southern Baptist colleges or six Southern Baptist seminaries for graduate theological education and ministry training.
Most Southern Baptist pastors have a “heart for souls” meaning that they believe God’s Spirit works in the hearts of persons who receive a clear presentation of God’s love and so are drawn into a personal and enduring walk with God.
SBs believe that the mission of Jesus as God’s Son was to remove any barrier to relationship with the holy and loving God through His sacrifice on the cross outside Jerusalem 2000 years ago. It is the Spirit’s work to make that event current as conviction and commitment in lives today.
Southern Baptists are the most self-critical when it comes to whether or not people are being baptized and new churches are being started.
How can a baby go to Sunday School, or a small child? What does this mean for the baby or child?
Infants and young children go to Sunday School as brought by their parents. They learn experientially that church is a safe, loving and interesting environment. They hear music and songs of Jesus and this lays down a rich positive affective memory for their later development as they become more abstract thinkers and are able to read and learn in primary school.
The Sunday school is a large part of Christian life in the Southern Baptist Church. Please let us know why is there so much time spent on Biblical study, and how does a child get to be introduced to the Bible? Can you tell us what you tell the Sunday school Ministers what it is in Christian formation that is key to Sunday school for adult disciples and young people. Tell us, too, what is new in the life of young people in their Christian education. I understand from what I’ve been told this can mean going into the world in a missionary way to help others. What is the lesson here, and what is the need for this for a member in his religious life as a member of the Church?
One of the more interesting changes that is occurring in Sunday School and small group ministry among SBs is the movement, from students to adults, to practice “what we preach” by going on mission locally, regionally, nationally or internationally to show and share the good news.
Teenagers, college students and committed adult adults in many SBC churches regularly build homes and churches, aid at disaster relief sites, conduct training conferences related to health, life and Scripture, and conduct soccer and basketball camps.
This has become so effective that 80% of all meals cooked at Red Cross Disaster Sites are cooked by Southern Baptist volunteers. In preparation for these mission events, the volunteers are trained in personal spiritual formation.
Often called “having a quiet time,” SBs are taught and exhorted to spend time with and for God each day. Many practice the spiritual rule of well known SB evangelist, Billy Graham, “fifteen minutes a day to listen to God (read the Bible), fifteen minutes to talk with God (prayer) and fifteen minutes a day to talk with people about God (gospel evangelism).
Because SBs believe in regenerate church membership (you must have been converted to be a member) and in priesthood of the believers (all members are ministers together), pew sitting in not enough. And the key instrument for mobilizing the members into ministry has been the Sunday school.
What is the role of the Sunday School teacher or staff member in the experience of practicing what is preached?
Church leaders, whether Sunday School teachers or staff members, are the early adapters and eager interpreters of the Sunday sermons. Sometimes the subject of discussion during Sunday School is the sermon. In those instances the teacher leads the members in thinking through the implications and applications from the morning message.
About Rick Durst, who answered the questions in this interview:
Director of eCampus
Professor of Historical Theology
Ph.D. Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary
M.Div. Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary
B.A. California Baptist College
Dr. Rodrick Durst has served as faculty and administration at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary since 1991. He served eleven years as the Vice President of Academic Affairs and, prior to that, three years as the Director of the Southern California Campus.
Dr. Durst loves the classroom. He teaches theology and history from a leadership formation perspective. His passion is for developing life-changing ways of communicating and teaching Christian truth for transformation, retention and rapid reproduction.
His current research includes study of emerging church movements, ecclesiology for rapid cell and simple church multiplication, research into a biblical doctrine of the Trinity, and faith and film.
Dr. Durst tests what he teaches in his local church and in interim pastorates.
He loves cooking, hiking, and art. He and his wife, Kristi, belong and serve at BayMarin Community Church (SBC), San Rafael. The Dursts have three children and one grandson, Donovan.
(These notations are taken from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary website.)
by Peter Menkin
We talked by phone of the design of the Southern Baptist Church, and I note that it is comprised of more classroom and educational setting than worship space. That isn’t to say worship space is small. We also talked about cell groups, a recent phenomenon of Sunday school where people gather to study scripture and other related Church matters in a small group, sometimes in a home setting.
Will you tell me something of the beginnings of this “movement” in the Southern Baptist Church, and how it has grasped the imagination of Church goers?
Southern Baptists were formed in 1845 around values of winning souls, educating and training members for effective Christian living and service in the US and around the world. In 1909, a man named Arthur Flake was recruited from Mississippi to work for the Baptist Sunday School Board in Nashville. At that time, there were about a million persons in Southern Baptist Sunday schools. In forty years, that number would grow to six million and well beyond. Some of this growth was due to a book Flake wrote entitled How to Build a Standard Sunday School, which was studied by over a million Southern Baptist workers. This book taught Flake’s famous five-fold formula for Sunday school growth:
1) Know the possibilities,
2) Enlarge the organization,
3) Enlist and train leaders,
4) Expand the space, and
5) Go after the people. Southern Baptist pastors often recited the Flake mantra that “the formula works only if you work the formula!”
Who came up with the Cell Sunday School, or small group, and how have Sunday School students of various ages responded to this?
Can you tell us where in the Bay Area or even California or the U.S. where this is more popular, and something of the character of the Southern Baptist Church that takes this methodology of direction.
(I know, methodology is a big word, so if you want to provide an example to help take it out of the professional level that only the Sunday School teacher really grasps, please do. Or do most Southern Baptists grasp this Small Group or Cell Group Sunday School method today?)
Southern Baptist innovative pastor Ralph Neighbour Jr. first brought cell groups to the attention of SBC churches. He studied the tremendous growth of cell group churches in Korean and published a book called “Where Do we Go from Here?” He later backed away from the argumentative tone of the book, which really argued that cell groups and Sunday school were incompatible in the same church. His book lays out the principles and best practices for starting and multiplying cell churches.
The attraction for Southern Baptists for the cell or small group method has been fourfold. First, Southern Baptists are pragmatists and love to look into if not imitate what’s successful. It’s hard to argue with the success of the Yoida Full Gospel Church in Seoul, Korea with its near 800,000 well disciple members.
That church is based on cell groups.
Second, Baptists love what’s biblical. They want to be “New Testament churches.” The cell group or house church appears to be the norm for the spread of Christianity in the first century through the ministry of the apostles and other early missionaries.
Cell groups look more like those New Testament house churches than do Sunday School classes on church property, so many SBC churches are moving in that direction.
Third, buildings cost so it is more cost effective and less limiting to growth to simply have cells meet in homes.
Fourth, people wanting to explore Christianity are thought to be more comfortable in a home of a friend as opposed to a classroom on church property. So many SBC leaders believe that cell or small groups meeting in homes is the better way of reaching new people with the gospel.
The education of a Southern Baptist starts in the baby years, and goes through childhood to adulthood, a Discipleship program of some magnitude in conception, and thought out in a curriculum and almost systematic consideration for periods of human development. So I understand in my conversations with various people in the Church who are knowledgeable in the training and education of members, including the education of ministers. You educate ministers at Golden Gate Baptist Seminary located just north of San Francisco in Mill Valley.
As one knowledgeable in such, will you talk a little in this email correspondence about how this helps to make Southern Baptists the “Sunday School Church,” and talk a little of the emphasis for each age range in what they study or look to learn about. Please say something of the Biblical imperative, and the evangelical imperative of the Southern Baptist, if you will.
Southern Baptists (SBs) made their Sunday Schools a center for both evangelism and discipleship and built their campuses accordingly with educational space for all ages equal to or greater than worship space.
To assist this focus of the churches, the Baptist Sunday School Board (now called LifeWay Resources) publishes age-graded Bible teaching literature organized around a cyclical curriculum to cover the sixty-six books of the Bible over a five year period.
SBs were and are serious about sharing the gospel and its implications through the Sunday school and small groups. Most Sunday school leaders are trained to be aware of developmental issues at the formative stages of human development and how the gospel and knowledge of Scripture is best acquired and applied at that stage.
Churches receive coaching and training from their local or state networks called associations at the area level and conventions of churches at the state level. Most of these training events are led by women and men trained in education ministry and human development at one of the many Southern Baptist colleges or six Southern Baptist seminaries for graduate theological education and ministry training.
Most Southern Baptist pastors have a “heart for souls” meaning that they believe God’s Spirit works in the hearts of persons who receive a clear presentation of God’s love and so are drawn into a personal and enduring walk with God.
SBs believe that the mission of Jesus as God’s Son was to remove any barrier to relationship with the holy and loving God through His sacrifice on the cross outside Jerusalem 2000 years ago. It is the Spirit’s work to make that event current as conviction and commitment in lives today.
Southern Baptists are the most self-critical when it comes to whether or not people are being baptized and new churches are being started.
How can a baby go to Sunday School, or a small child? What does this mean for the baby or child?
Infants and young children go to Sunday School as brought by their parents. They learn experientially that church is a safe, loving and interesting environment. They hear music and songs of Jesus and this lays down a rich positive affective memory for their later development as they become more abstract thinkers and are able to read and learn in primary school.
The Sunday school is a large part of Christian life in the Southern Baptist Church. Please let us know why is there so much time spent on Biblical study, and how does a child get to be introduced to the Bible? Can you tell us what you tell the Sunday school Ministers what it is in Christian formation that is key to Sunday school for adult disciples and young people. Tell us, too, what is new in the life of young people in their Christian education. I understand from what I’ve been told this can mean going into the world in a missionary way to help others. What is the lesson here, and what is the need for this for a member in his religious life as a member of the Church?
One of the more interesting changes that is occurring in Sunday School and small group ministry among SBs is the movement, from students to adults, to practice “what we preach” by going on mission locally, regionally, nationally or internationally to show and share the good news.
Teenagers, college students and committed adult adults in many SBC churches regularly build homes and churches, aid at disaster relief sites, conduct training conferences related to health, life and Scripture, and conduct soccer and basketball camps.
This has become so effective that 80% of all meals cooked at Red Cross Disaster Sites are cooked by Southern Baptist volunteers. In preparation for these mission events, the volunteers are trained in personal spiritual formation.
Often called “having a quiet time,” SBs are taught and exhorted to spend time with and for God each day. Many practice the spiritual rule of well known SB evangelist, Billy Graham, “fifteen minutes a day to listen to God (read the Bible), fifteen minutes to talk with God (prayer) and fifteen minutes a day to talk with people about God (gospel evangelism).
Because SBs believe in regenerate church membership (you must have been converted to be a member) and in priesthood of the believers (all members are ministers together), pew sitting in not enough. And the key instrument for mobilizing the members into ministry has been the Sunday school.
What is the role of the Sunday School teacher or staff member in the experience of practicing what is preached?
Church leaders, whether Sunday School teachers or staff members, are the early adapters and eager interpreters of the Sunday sermons. Sometimes the subject of discussion during Sunday School is the sermon. In those instances the teacher leads the members in thinking through the implications and applications from the morning message.
About Rick Durst, who answered the questions in this interview:
Director of eCampus
Professor of Historical Theology
Ph.D. Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary
M.Div. Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary
B.A. California Baptist College
Dr. Rodrick Durst has served as faculty and administration at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary since 1991. He served eleven years as the Vice President of Academic Affairs and, prior to that, three years as the Director of the Southern California Campus.
Dr. Durst loves the classroom. He teaches theology and history from a leadership formation perspective. His passion is for developing life-changing ways of communicating and teaching Christian truth for transformation, retention and rapid reproduction.
His current research includes study of emerging church movements, ecclesiology for rapid cell and simple church multiplication, research into a biblical doctrine of the Trinity, and faith and film.
Dr. Durst tests what he teaches in his local church and in interim pastorates.
He loves cooking, hiking, and art. He and his wife, Kristi, belong and serve at BayMarin Community Church (SBC), San Rafael. The Dursts have three children and one grandson, Donovan.
(These notations are taken from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary website.)
Play review: Spiritual drama played in North Berkeley by Actors Ensemble--rewarding production
by Peter Menkin
The problems of living in community were dramatized for this rewarding play, "As it is in Heaven" from Actors Ensemble of Berkeley. On a cool night Linda and I visited the comfortable theatre that is part of a recreational center, getting there via directions by MapQuest that led us directly to the foot of the location we wanted to be: Live Oak Theatre, Berkeley, CA USA.
Known better as Actors Ensemble of Berkeley, and well said since the all woman cast of this "Spiritual Drama" was polished and practiced, that their rehearsal and study paid off shown well in the performance we attended on a Saturday night.
The able and even dramatically imaginative directing by Jeremy Cole in his last production of the 2009 season played so well that with nary a hitch the dance and singing, the dialogue and drama moved ahead and movingly in a choreographed series of conversation, angel sightings, character dialogue of a revealing kind on the backgrounds of these dedicated Shaker women. The women were afterall both entertainingly and skillfully played as their 19th Century simplicity of lifestyle and faith in God in Christ at their Kentucky village in Pleasant Hill.
Written with obvious compassion and feeling by playwright Arlene Hutton, this sometime comic and amusing portrayal is a two-act pleasure. As we expected, the evening was a good one as both Linda and I became involved in the lives of these devout and dedicated women of special character and conviction. The musical singing was soothing, melodic enough without being harmonic (appropriately so for Shakers, we learned), and all in all the event was worth the 50 minute drive from where I live in Mill Valley, CA (north of San Francisco).
The North Berkeley location is well lit, and the man behind the ticket counter amusing as he took our money or did the will-call ticket check-in with a little story or a few words to each patron in line. An hospitable experience by the young man who wore a fashionable hat while keeping the line going.
The theatre house blurb notes of the play: "Based on actual events from the Era of Manifestations in the late 1830's, "AIIIH" interprets a time when reports came to light of young Shaker girls experiencing unusual trancelike activities, communication with angels, and descriptive journeys to heavenly places."
Let me note that the Deacon was well played and with a fierceness that was convincing and effective. The elder of the Shaker village women showed her steadfast willingness to keep the community stable and long lasting, though required to make tough decisions about the lives of her flock. An admirable and mature performance by the actress was obvious. In fact, the entire range of performance was mature in outlook and rendering, no small feat given the various emotions and situations of a living kind the women practiced in their work of getting along, living together in religious community.
In conclusion, let the playgoer know that this ensemble play acting will entice and even bring joy with some edification to the fortunate theatre goer who takes the extra measure of checking out Actors Ensemble of Berkeley's very good production of "As It is in Heaven." Certainly, this is a theatre that gives value for the price of admission judging by this show, the first Linda and I have attended.
Addendum:
When: October 23rd - November 21st, Fridays and Saturdays, with an extra show on Thursday, November 19th. All shows 8pm.
What: "As It Is In Heaven"
Who: Actors Ensemble of Berkeley
Where: Live Oak Theatre, 1301 Shattuck Avenue (@ Berryman) in Berkeley
Public Info: (510) 649-5999 (510) 649-5999 www.aeofberkeley.org
Admission: All shows - $15 General Admission; $12 for Seniors and Students (w/ I.D.). To order tickets online, go to www.aeofberkeley.org. To reserve tickets, call (510) 649-5999 (510) 649-5999.
Contact: Eric Carlson (510) 525-7511 (510) 525-7511 - unknown5@earthlink.net
Contact: Alan Barkan - sleeping.dog2@gmail.com
Director Jeremy Cole
Musical Director Alexis Lane Jensen
Assistant Director / Props Martha Luehrmann
Stage Manager Jose Garcia
Set Norm De Veyra, Shu Ping Guan
Costumes Elizabeth Van Buren
Lighting Alecks Rundell
Producer Alan Barkan
by Peter Menkin
The problems of living in community were dramatized for this rewarding play, "As it is in Heaven" from Actors Ensemble of Berkeley. On a cool night Linda and I visited the comfortable theatre that is part of a recreational center, getting there via directions by MapQuest that led us directly to the foot of the location we wanted to be: Live Oak Theatre, Berkeley, CA USA.
Known better as Actors Ensemble of Berkeley, and well said since the all woman cast of this "Spiritual Drama" was polished and practiced, that their rehearsal and study paid off shown well in the performance we attended on a Saturday night.
The able and even dramatically imaginative directing by Jeremy Cole in his last production of the 2009 season played so well that with nary a hitch the dance and singing, the dialogue and drama moved ahead and movingly in a choreographed series of conversation, angel sightings, character dialogue of a revealing kind on the backgrounds of these dedicated Shaker women. The women were afterall both entertainingly and skillfully played as their 19th Century simplicity of lifestyle and faith in God in Christ at their Kentucky village in Pleasant Hill.
Written with obvious compassion and feeling by playwright Arlene Hutton, this sometime comic and amusing portrayal is a two-act pleasure. As we expected, the evening was a good one as both Linda and I became involved in the lives of these devout and dedicated women of special character and conviction. The musical singing was soothing, melodic enough without being harmonic (appropriately so for Shakers, we learned), and all in all the event was worth the 50 minute drive from where I live in Mill Valley, CA (north of San Francisco).
The North Berkeley location is well lit, and the man behind the ticket counter amusing as he took our money or did the will-call ticket check-in with a little story or a few words to each patron in line. An hospitable experience by the young man who wore a fashionable hat while keeping the line going.
The theatre house blurb notes of the play: "Based on actual events from the Era of Manifestations in the late 1830's, "AIIIH" interprets a time when reports came to light of young Shaker girls experiencing unusual trancelike activities, communication with angels, and descriptive journeys to heavenly places."
Let me note that the Deacon was well played and with a fierceness that was convincing and effective. The elder of the Shaker village women showed her steadfast willingness to keep the community stable and long lasting, though required to make tough decisions about the lives of her flock. An admirable and mature performance by the actress was obvious. In fact, the entire range of performance was mature in outlook and rendering, no small feat given the various emotions and situations of a living kind the women practiced in their work of getting along, living together in religious community.
In conclusion, let the playgoer know that this ensemble play acting will entice and even bring joy with some edification to the fortunate theatre goer who takes the extra measure of checking out Actors Ensemble of Berkeley's very good production of "As It is in Heaven." Certainly, this is a theatre that gives value for the price of admission judging by this show, the first Linda and I have attended.
Addendum:
When: October 23rd - November 21st, Fridays and Saturdays, with an extra show on Thursday, November 19th. All shows 8pm.
What: "As It Is In Heaven"
Who: Actors Ensemble of Berkeley
Where: Live Oak Theatre, 1301 Shattuck Avenue (@ Berryman) in Berkeley
Public Info: (510) 649-5999 (510) 649-5999 www.aeofberkeley.org
Admission: All shows - $15 General Admission; $12 for Seniors and Students (w/ I.D.). To order tickets online, go to www.aeofberkeley.org. To reserve tickets, call (510) 649-5999 (510) 649-5999.
Contact: Eric Carlson (510) 525-7511 (510) 525-7511 - unknown5@earthlink.net
Contact: Alan Barkan - sleeping.dog2@gmail.com
Director Jeremy Cole
Musical Director Alexis Lane Jensen
Assistant Director / Props Martha Luehrmann
Stage Manager Jose Garcia
Set Norm De Veyra, Shu Ping Guan
Costumes Elizabeth Van Buren
Lighting Alecks Rundell
Producer Alan Barkan
Interview: LifeWay Southern Baptist teacher David Francis about Sunday school, the strong program
by Peter Menkin
In a letter via email, LifeWay’sDavid Francis, Director, Sunday school, Discipleship, Church & Network Partnerships, LifeWay Church Resources, supplies a response to this writer’s inquiry regarding Southern Baptists, the Sunday School Church.
He responds in part to questions asked of Sharon Ely Pearson of the Episcopal Church in her earlier interview. The answers themselves provide a context for his statement. But note his email carries this quotation: “As God works through us . . . We will help people--through churches--know Jesus Christ and seek His Kingdom by providing biblical solutions that spiritually transform individuals and cultures.”
The questions with answers are found below this email letter, an informative and full reply that has the mark of inspiration and spontaneity:
The email letter:
Sunday school remains a strong program of ministry in Southern Baptist churches. On a typical Sunday in our denomination, about 6 million people will gather for worship in SBC congregations. About 4 million will attend Sunday school, or two out of three worshipers. My estimate is that these folks will attend one of more than 400,000 Sunday school classes. Well over half of those who attend one of these classes, typically meeting on Sunday mornings before or after a worship service, will be adults.
In an analysis I conducted with Eric Geiger, co-author with LifeWay President Thom Rainer of the popular book Simple Church, we found that in a sample of the SBC's most vibrant churches, over 87% operated Sunday school--or its functional equivalent by another name--as the critical "second step" in their church's discipleship process. 50% of these groups simply called the program "Sunday School." The rest used a different term, although I would agree with one of the comments made in response to the Episcopalian article that most of the folks still just call it "Sunday School" regardless of any new, official, cool name!
The other 12.5%? Those churches' primary "Step 2" strategy was off-campus small groups--at least for the adults. This is a shift in Southern Baptist church practice, to be sure. Nevertheless, Sunday school remains very strong. You can find a copy of a summary of that project here.
In terms of broader "faith formation," the term preferred by your Episcopal source, Sharon Ely Pearson, Southern Baptist churches have traditionally operated another program ministry to help members grow more deeply in their faith, defend its doctrines, and equip themselves for ministry and missions.
This program is typically called "Discipleship" or "Discipleship Training." That name has evolved more than "Sunday School." It was originally "Baptist Young People's Union," then "Training Union," then "Church Training," then "Discipleship Training," and now typically just "Discipleship" or some name that includes the word, such as "University of Discipleship."
Typically, the occasion for "Discipleship" offers a variety of elective options. That occasion has typically been on Sunday evenings, before an evening service. In some churches, the occasion is Wednesday evenings. In others, these elective courses are offered at various times throughout the week.
The important thing to note is that in terms of "faith formation," this program ministry represents sort of a "third step" in a discipleship process where worship attendance is step 1 and a Sunday school class or small group is step 2. Hope that makes sense! Or provides you some ammo for a probing question!
Part of our assignment at LifeWay is to provide curriculum materials for both Sunday school and Discipleship groups. Our full name is LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, and we are governed by a Board elected by the convention, and are therefore an SBC entity. We enjoy a broad base of customers from many denominations, however.
LifeWay also operates a chain of LifeWay Christian Stores and produces Bibles and trade books through our B&H Publishing Division, along with the products and services offered through the division where I work, LifeWay Church Resources.
The Interview:
Is salvation individual, and if it is how the congregational or Church experience does enter into the experience and faith formation process? In what way does LifeWay introduce a concept of individual salvation and the salvation of the congregation and Church?
Salvation is individual for Baptists over against a "covenant" understanding of salvation held by those in some faith walks (such as the Presbyterian Church in which I was raised!). Here is a link to the article on "Salvation" from the Baptist Faith & Message, a statement generally agreed to (but not a creed that is binding on) by Southern Baptists: http://www.sbc.net/bfm/bfm2000.asp#iv.
Jerry Vogel, Director of Childhood Ministry Publishing at LifeWay, wrote: "Salvation is definitely an individual response/decision. The church experience for children should include some type of small group learning experience. LifeWay resources begin at birth to lay the foundation upon which God's Spirit can work and draw each child unto Himself in a personal relationship.
These concepts from birth through Preteen are represented in our Levels of Biblical Learning document showing the natural progression of learning precept upon precept by children. Significant adults in the church congregation provide the environment of unconditional love and trust building needed for children to begin their faith journey.
A well-planned scope and sequence provided in LifeWay childhood resources (continued throughout all of LifeSpan, providing foundations for salvation for all focus age groups beyond childhood) helps guide teachers along a balanced journey of creating learning environments for children to "hear, know and do" God's Word.)"
Note: The Levels of Biblical Learning document Vogel refers to is quite impressive, and is a great visual depiction of how LifeWay approaches 10 basic biblical concepts from a developmental view.
Here's a link to an online version:
It has a sister document, Levels of Bible Skills:.
Together, these documents illustrate our approach to "Faith Development." We have similar guidelines that guide our approach to students (youth) and adults: http://www.lifeway.com/studentstrategy/
http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/mainpage/0%2C1701%2CM%25253D200730%2C00.html?cid=RDR-Adults (click on "Connect Grow Serve Grow" handout in toolbar on right if interested)
How is Sunday school Christian oriented? That is student and teacher?
Sunday school teachers must be Christians. The students need not be. That includes adults. We promote Sunday school as "open groups practicing open enrollment."
I have coined a five-word definition of an open group: "Expects new people every week." An open group is an intentional mixture of believers and unbelievers, Baptists and non-Baptists, veteran and "rookie" church-goers. In fact, any person can enroll in any Sunday school class at any time, without making any obligation--to become a church member or even a Christ follower.
The way I say it is "Enrolling in Sunday School does not make you a church member or obligate you to become one." I also have a five-word definition of this concept of "open enrollment:" You can belong before you believe." Even if you never choose to believe. These principles are two of the distinctive of how Sunday school is practiced in many Southern Baptist churches.
What new directions are taken with students, re previous decades? Please speak to the new wave experience of Cell Groups.
I actually "debated" LifeWay's small groups specialist, Rick Howerton, in a live on-line format recently on the topic "Sunday School vs. Small Groups." This "debate" is still available for viewing online here. .
The number one challenge for the small group movement is the question, "What do you do with the kids?" Or, more seriously, at least from the standpoint of faith development, "What do you do meaningfully with the kids?" LifeWay has a brand new resource, Small Group Life that attempts to address that question.
In addition to inexpensive Bible study guides for each participant, who are flexible enough to be used either every week or every other week, free online helps are available for Bible-centered activities with the kids--written in such a way that a teenager can execute the plans--that connect conceptually to the material being studied by the parents. Samples available here.
Does praise of God enter into the equation of Sunday school? What component does this hold in the formal Curriculum?
Music has historically been an important element of Southern Baptist Sunday Schools. Back in the pioneer days of the Sunday school movement, when Sunday Schools met many places where there was no organized church or formal worship/preaching experience, Sunday Schools conducted "opening assemblies," where participants gathered together before going to their individual age-group classes. Singing was an important part of this "general assembly."
Fewer and fewer churches continue this practice today, but some do. In terms of curriculum, all of LifeWay's Sunday school materials for preschoolers and students include music as an important element. Preschool music is available as a separate resource, a CD-ROM that includes additional teaching materials as well as music.
My wife and I teach pre-K kids in our church. Yesterday, we began a unit on prayer. I put the CD in the player and set it to repeat a song about thanking God. After hearing it all morning, the kids were ready to sing it when we gathered for "large group time" to hear the Bible story. In LifeWay's curriculum materials for elementary children, the music CD is included in the Leader Pack. Words to all songs on the CDs are printed in the back of the leader guides. LifeWay's innovative curriculum for youth, KNOWN, includes an mp3 playlist:
http://www.lifeway.com/known. Music as well as serial dramas are a feature of LifeWay's DVD-driven youth curriculum, called Fuel.
What is the prime difference in approach between youth and children, and where does it break? Will you tell us something of the "care and feeding of babies" in the Sunday school experience and approach? This seems unusual, that babies get religious education.
LifeWay is one of the few--if not the only--publisher that produces a line of Sunday school curriculum especially for babies. We believe strongly that that the preschool years are the most important in spiritual as well as physical, emotional, and intellectual development. If nothing else, babies can learn that church is a safe place to go and that people who care for me there love me and love Jesus. One of the Levels of Biblical Learning documents focuses on babies and what we believe they can learn about 8 basic biblical concepts.
What music do you use?
Think I answered that above. We have actually been pleasantly surprised at the success of the new Baptist Hymnal (also published under the name Worship Hymnal) which LifeWay Worship published just last year as the "hard goods" part of an ambitious next generation online platform called The Worship Project. http://www.lifeway.com/worship if you're interested in learning more. This project promises to put great musical accompaniment at the fingertips of even the smallest church.
Why do you think Sunday school practice, that is the Sunday school itself as educational entity in the individual church is so high in the Southern Baptist church? I note the Wall Street Journal article says Sunday Schools are on the decline:
"Why Sunday Schools are Closing," by Charlotte Hays says, "Fewer children are having that experience, though. Like West Olive United Methodist, many churches have drastically curtailed or given up entirely on Sunday school for children. Two years ago, Bruce Morrison, an official with the Missouri Baptist Convention, wrote about attending a "ministry conference where several denominations were represented." During a break, he recalled, "I overheard a discussion between several of the attendees about the value of Sunday school in today's culture. The implication was that Sunday school ministry in the local church is obsolete."
Two responses, not in order: (1) I would recommend that a careful reader of the cited article read the comments posted in response to the online article. Some challenge the accuracy of the reporter's conclusions. Enough said. (2) Sunday School--or more broadly, Bible study in age/life-stage appropriate groups--is just important to Southern Baptists.
Maybe it's a cultural thing. A historical thing. And it is typically year-round. No summer break. Not just for kids while mom and dad go to worship. For the typical Southern Baptist church, the first two steps of its disciple-making process are worship and assimilation/foundational discipleship/fellowship/ministry through small group Bible study. As I note in the conclusion to an analysis conducted as a follow-up to the popular book Simple Church, "What could be simpler? Accomplishing the first two steps of your discipleship process, with every member of the family, on one trip to the church?!?" (Just Google "Sunday School in Simple Church" if you'd like to see the entire paper.)
I was interested to hear you say the worship experience is number one in the Sunday school experience. Will you say more about that and something of the role of the Sermon?
I think my point is the same as above: The worship service is the primary/first step in the discipleship process for most churches today. Sunday school used to be. In fact, Southern Baptist churches were not asked to report worship attendance until 1990, at which time average annual Sunday school attendance was 85% of reported worship attendance. That ratio has steadily declined to a about 2/3, with a typical Sunday finding 4 million people in Southern Baptist Sunday Schools and 6 million people in worship (including preschoolers being cared for during worship, children's worship, any separate youth worship services, etc.).
That is still strong versus the same ratio in other denominations. (Assemblies of God and Nazarenes may give us a run for the money!)
Images: (1) Man at prayer. (2) Dramatic Praise "Chef" Chantéa Kirkwood and the LifeWay choir, led by LifeWay Worship Director Mike Harland, perform in "The Joy of Christmas," LifeWay's 2007 Christmas program. Photo by Kent Harville. (3) Quiet white Snow creates a peaceful scene around Holcomb Auditorium at LifeWay's Glorieta Conference Center outside Santa Fe, N.M. Photo by Kent Harville. (4) The preacher Billy Graham, April 4, 1966. This is a representational and popular photograph of the Reverend (Wikipedia has photo). He is currently 91 years old. (5) Gathered Dozens of men come forward to commit and rededicate their lives to Jesus Christ during an invitation offered at the Be the Man conference May 8-9, at LifeWay Ridgecrest Conference Center. Photo by Kent Harville. Photographs courtesy LifeWay. Slideshow photographs, courtesy LifeWay (Southern Baptist Church).
by Peter Menkin
In a letter via email, LifeWay’sDavid Francis, Director, Sunday school, Discipleship, Church & Network Partnerships, LifeWay Church Resources, supplies a response to this writer’s inquiry regarding Southern Baptists, the Sunday School Church.
He responds in part to questions asked of Sharon Ely Pearson of the Episcopal Church in her earlier interview. The answers themselves provide a context for his statement. But note his email carries this quotation: “As God works through us . . . We will help people--through churches--know Jesus Christ and seek His Kingdom by providing biblical solutions that spiritually transform individuals and cultures.”
The questions with answers are found below this email letter, an informative and full reply that has the mark of inspiration and spontaneity:
The email letter:
Sunday school remains a strong program of ministry in Southern Baptist churches. On a typical Sunday in our denomination, about 6 million people will gather for worship in SBC congregations. About 4 million will attend Sunday school, or two out of three worshipers. My estimate is that these folks will attend one of more than 400,000 Sunday school classes. Well over half of those who attend one of these classes, typically meeting on Sunday mornings before or after a worship service, will be adults.
In an analysis I conducted with Eric Geiger, co-author with LifeWay President Thom Rainer of the popular book Simple Church, we found that in a sample of the SBC's most vibrant churches, over 87% operated Sunday school--or its functional equivalent by another name--as the critical "second step" in their church's discipleship process. 50% of these groups simply called the program "Sunday School." The rest used a different term, although I would agree with one of the comments made in response to the Episcopalian article that most of the folks still just call it "Sunday School" regardless of any new, official, cool name!
The other 12.5%? Those churches' primary "Step 2" strategy was off-campus small groups--at least for the adults. This is a shift in Southern Baptist church practice, to be sure. Nevertheless, Sunday school remains very strong. You can find a copy of a summary of that project here.
In terms of broader "faith formation," the term preferred by your Episcopal source, Sharon Ely Pearson, Southern Baptist churches have traditionally operated another program ministry to help members grow more deeply in their faith, defend its doctrines, and equip themselves for ministry and missions.
This program is typically called "Discipleship" or "Discipleship Training." That name has evolved more than "Sunday School." It was originally "Baptist Young People's Union," then "Training Union," then "Church Training," then "Discipleship Training," and now typically just "Discipleship" or some name that includes the word, such as "University of Discipleship."
Typically, the occasion for "Discipleship" offers a variety of elective options. That occasion has typically been on Sunday evenings, before an evening service. In some churches, the occasion is Wednesday evenings. In others, these elective courses are offered at various times throughout the week.
The important thing to note is that in terms of "faith formation," this program ministry represents sort of a "third step" in a discipleship process where worship attendance is step 1 and a Sunday school class or small group is step 2. Hope that makes sense! Or provides you some ammo for a probing question!
Part of our assignment at LifeWay is to provide curriculum materials for both Sunday school and Discipleship groups. Our full name is LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, and we are governed by a Board elected by the convention, and are therefore an SBC entity. We enjoy a broad base of customers from many denominations, however.
LifeWay also operates a chain of LifeWay Christian Stores and produces Bibles and trade books through our B&H Publishing Division, along with the products and services offered through the division where I work, LifeWay Church Resources.
The Interview:
Is salvation individual, and if it is how the congregational or Church experience does enter into the experience and faith formation process? In what way does LifeWay introduce a concept of individual salvation and the salvation of the congregation and Church?
Salvation is individual for Baptists over against a "covenant" understanding of salvation held by those in some faith walks (such as the Presbyterian Church in which I was raised!). Here is a link to the article on "Salvation" from the Baptist Faith & Message, a statement generally agreed to (but not a creed that is binding on) by Southern Baptists: http://www.sbc.net/bfm/bfm2000.asp#iv.
Jerry Vogel, Director of Childhood Ministry Publishing at LifeWay, wrote: "Salvation is definitely an individual response/decision. The church experience for children should include some type of small group learning experience. LifeWay resources begin at birth to lay the foundation upon which God's Spirit can work and draw each child unto Himself in a personal relationship.
These concepts from birth through Preteen are represented in our Levels of Biblical Learning document showing the natural progression of learning precept upon precept by children. Significant adults in the church congregation provide the environment of unconditional love and trust building needed for children to begin their faith journey.
A well-planned scope and sequence provided in LifeWay childhood resources (continued throughout all of LifeSpan, providing foundations for salvation for all focus age groups beyond childhood) helps guide teachers along a balanced journey of creating learning environments for children to "hear, know and do" God's Word.)"
Note: The Levels of Biblical Learning document Vogel refers to is quite impressive, and is a great visual depiction of how LifeWay approaches 10 basic biblical concepts from a developmental view.
Here's a link to an online version:
It has a sister document, Levels of Bible Skills:.
Together, these documents illustrate our approach to "Faith Development." We have similar guidelines that guide our approach to students (youth) and adults: http://www.lifeway.com/studentstrategy/
http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/mainpage/0%2C1701%2CM%25253D200730%2C00.html?cid=RDR-Adults (click on "Connect Grow Serve Grow" handout in toolbar on right if interested)
How is Sunday school Christian oriented? That is student and teacher?
Sunday school teachers must be Christians. The students need not be. That includes adults. We promote Sunday school as "open groups practicing open enrollment."
I have coined a five-word definition of an open group: "Expects new people every week." An open group is an intentional mixture of believers and unbelievers, Baptists and non-Baptists, veteran and "rookie" church-goers. In fact, any person can enroll in any Sunday school class at any time, without making any obligation--to become a church member or even a Christ follower.
The way I say it is "Enrolling in Sunday School does not make you a church member or obligate you to become one." I also have a five-word definition of this concept of "open enrollment:" You can belong before you believe." Even if you never choose to believe. These principles are two of the distinctive of how Sunday school is practiced in many Southern Baptist churches.
What new directions are taken with students, re previous decades? Please speak to the new wave experience of Cell Groups.
I actually "debated" LifeWay's small groups specialist, Rick Howerton, in a live on-line format recently on the topic "Sunday School vs. Small Groups." This "debate" is still available for viewing online here. .
The number one challenge for the small group movement is the question, "What do you do with the kids?" Or, more seriously, at least from the standpoint of faith development, "What do you do meaningfully with the kids?" LifeWay has a brand new resource, Small Group Life that attempts to address that question.
In addition to inexpensive Bible study guides for each participant, who are flexible enough to be used either every week or every other week, free online helps are available for Bible-centered activities with the kids--written in such a way that a teenager can execute the plans--that connect conceptually to the material being studied by the parents. Samples available here.
Does praise of God enter into the equation of Sunday school? What component does this hold in the formal Curriculum?
Music has historically been an important element of Southern Baptist Sunday Schools. Back in the pioneer days of the Sunday school movement, when Sunday Schools met many places where there was no organized church or formal worship/preaching experience, Sunday Schools conducted "opening assemblies," where participants gathered together before going to their individual age-group classes. Singing was an important part of this "general assembly."
Fewer and fewer churches continue this practice today, but some do. In terms of curriculum, all of LifeWay's Sunday school materials for preschoolers and students include music as an important element. Preschool music is available as a separate resource, a CD-ROM that includes additional teaching materials as well as music.
My wife and I teach pre-K kids in our church. Yesterday, we began a unit on prayer. I put the CD in the player and set it to repeat a song about thanking God. After hearing it all morning, the kids were ready to sing it when we gathered for "large group time" to hear the Bible story. In LifeWay's curriculum materials for elementary children, the music CD is included in the Leader Pack. Words to all songs on the CDs are printed in the back of the leader guides. LifeWay's innovative curriculum for youth, KNOWN, includes an mp3 playlist:
http://www.lifeway.com/known. Music as well as serial dramas are a feature of LifeWay's DVD-driven youth curriculum, called Fuel.
What is the prime difference in approach between youth and children, and where does it break? Will you tell us something of the "care and feeding of babies" in the Sunday school experience and approach? This seems unusual, that babies get religious education.
LifeWay is one of the few--if not the only--publisher that produces a line of Sunday school curriculum especially for babies. We believe strongly that that the preschool years are the most important in spiritual as well as physical, emotional, and intellectual development. If nothing else, babies can learn that church is a safe place to go and that people who care for me there love me and love Jesus. One of the Levels of Biblical Learning documents focuses on babies and what we believe they can learn about 8 basic biblical concepts.
What music do you use?
Think I answered that above. We have actually been pleasantly surprised at the success of the new Baptist Hymnal (also published under the name Worship Hymnal) which LifeWay Worship published just last year as the "hard goods" part of an ambitious next generation online platform called The Worship Project. http://www.lifeway.com/worship if you're interested in learning more. This project promises to put great musical accompaniment at the fingertips of even the smallest church.
Why do you think Sunday school practice, that is the Sunday school itself as educational entity in the individual church is so high in the Southern Baptist church? I note the Wall Street Journal article says Sunday Schools are on the decline:
"Why Sunday Schools are Closing," by Charlotte Hays says, "Fewer children are having that experience, though. Like West Olive United Methodist, many churches have drastically curtailed or given up entirely on Sunday school for children. Two years ago, Bruce Morrison, an official with the Missouri Baptist Convention, wrote about attending a "ministry conference where several denominations were represented." During a break, he recalled, "I overheard a discussion between several of the attendees about the value of Sunday school in today's culture. The implication was that Sunday school ministry in the local church is obsolete."
Two responses, not in order: (1) I would recommend that a careful reader of the cited article read the comments posted in response to the online article. Some challenge the accuracy of the reporter's conclusions. Enough said. (2) Sunday School--or more broadly, Bible study in age/life-stage appropriate groups--is just important to Southern Baptists.
Maybe it's a cultural thing. A historical thing. And it is typically year-round. No summer break. Not just for kids while mom and dad go to worship. For the typical Southern Baptist church, the first two steps of its disciple-making process are worship and assimilation/foundational discipleship/fellowship/ministry through small group Bible study. As I note in the conclusion to an analysis conducted as a follow-up to the popular book Simple Church, "What could be simpler? Accomplishing the first two steps of your discipleship process, with every member of the family, on one trip to the church?!?" (Just Google "Sunday School in Simple Church" if you'd like to see the entire paper.)
I was interested to hear you say the worship experience is number one in the Sunday school experience. Will you say more about that and something of the role of the Sermon?
I think my point is the same as above: The worship service is the primary/first step in the discipleship process for most churches today. Sunday school used to be. In fact, Southern Baptist churches were not asked to report worship attendance until 1990, at which time average annual Sunday school attendance was 85% of reported worship attendance. That ratio has steadily declined to a about 2/3, with a typical Sunday finding 4 million people in Southern Baptist Sunday Schools and 6 million people in worship (including preschoolers being cared for during worship, children's worship, any separate youth worship services, etc.).
That is still strong versus the same ratio in other denominations. (Assemblies of God and Nazarenes may give us a run for the money!)
Images: (1) Man at prayer. (2) Dramatic Praise "Chef" Chantéa Kirkwood and the LifeWay choir, led by LifeWay Worship Director Mike Harland, perform in "The Joy of Christmas," LifeWay's 2007 Christmas program. Photo by Kent Harville. (3) Quiet white Snow creates a peaceful scene around Holcomb Auditorium at LifeWay's Glorieta Conference Center outside Santa Fe, N.M. Photo by Kent Harville. (4) The preacher Billy Graham, April 4, 1966. This is a representational and popular photograph of the Reverend (Wikipedia has photo). He is currently 91 years old. (5) Gathered Dozens of men come forward to commit and rededicate their lives to Jesus Christ during an invitation offered at the Be the Man conference May 8-9, at LifeWay Ridgecrest Conference Center. Photo by Kent Harville. Photographs courtesy LifeWay. Slideshow photographs, courtesy LifeWay (Southern Baptist Church).
Reflection on Wellspring
A poem
By Peter Menkin
Revised February 14, 2009
We reflect in words.
The colors of the room
where we go to reflect
are present to the bright
morning time, windows clear to day
letting in much light and largeness
that the privacy of the heart
is awake, more so.
How we are in slumber is noticed during awakening,
and being more alive in the eternal
we grasp time together.
These times allow us with God, to come, go
abide
with knowledge; we are passing through,
journeying with what is given.
That is the renewing sigh of gift.
The season is changing as we come to the end of Pentecost, knowing the
risen Lord.
New living members grow
among the spirit's times, we in quiet pray:
present growing light,
illumine us.
We are in these bodies that are
flesh of man and woman as before time itself;
we know the ancient, and feel our humanity.
Audio reading by poet is here:
A poem
By Peter Menkin
Revised February 14, 2009
We reflect in words.
The colors of the room
where we go to reflect
are present to the bright
morning time, windows clear to day
letting in much light and largeness
that the privacy of the heart
is awake, more so.
How we are in slumber is noticed during awakening,
and being more alive in the eternal
we grasp time together.
These times allow us with God, to come, go
abide
with knowledge; we are passing through,
journeying with what is given.
That is the renewing sigh of gift.
The season is changing as we come to the end of Pentecost, knowing the
risen Lord.
New living members grow
among the spirit's times, we in quiet pray:
present growing light,
illumine us.
We are in these bodies that are
flesh of man and woman as before time itself;
we know the ancient, and feel our humanity.
Audio reading by poet is here:
Reflection on Wellspring
A poem
By Peter Menkin
Revised February 14, 2009
We reflect in words.
The colors of the room
where we go to reflect
are present to the bright
morning time, windows clear to day
letting in much light and largeness
that the privacy of the heart
is awake, more so.
How we are in slumber is noticed during awakening,
and being more alive in the eternal
we grasp time together.
These times allow us with God, to come, go
abide
with knowledge; we are passing through,
journeying with what is given.
That is the renewing sigh of gift.
The season is changing as we come to the end of Pentecost, knowing the
risen Lord.
New living members grow
among the spirit's times, we in quiet pray:
present growing light,
illumine us.
We are in these bodies that are
flesh of man and woman as before time itself;
we know the ancient, and feel our humanity.
Audio reading by poet is here:
A poem
By Peter Menkin
Revised February 14, 2009
We reflect in words.
The colors of the room
where we go to reflect
are present to the bright
morning time, windows clear to day
letting in much light and largeness
that the privacy of the heart
is awake, more so.
How we are in slumber is noticed during awakening,
and being more alive in the eternal
we grasp time together.
These times allow us with God, to come, go
abide
with knowledge; we are passing through,
journeying with what is given.
That is the renewing sigh of gift.
The season is changing as we come to the end of Pentecost, knowing the
risen Lord.
New living members grow
among the spirit's times, we in quiet pray:
present growing light,
illumine us.
We are in these bodies that are
flesh of man and woman as before time itself;
we know the ancient, and feel our humanity.
Audio reading by poet is here:
Summer weather ballyhoo rejoice heat wave
by Peter Menkin
Audio reading by poet is here:
by Peter Menkin
Hot comes the days,
to languor
and avoid the warm; wait
evening after sunset
hour of cool; summer sends
messages with earlier sunset,
darker morning, laze to late
wakening and night good
with Sunday that special time.
Come festive days, wanted weather.
Straw hats, suits, shorts, lace
gown, khakis; costumed for roller
skating go the mother-daughter duo,
costumed things grown up growing.
And there the grandmother sachet for
granddaughter from the ice cream
store where flavors abide (many).
Do, yes, heat wave people talk,
eat ice cream (cones and Sundays)
yogurt, while children delight
heat wave, hot, warm today.
Two Christenings, (three months and
four years) twenty years later
dialogue of pulpits in one sermon;
many rejoinders of September
heat wave; coolness desired must.
What a good report this weather
brings in blazing ballyhoo rejoice.
Audio reading by poet is here:
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