Yesterday morning in Sunday School (Faith Journey), Laura and I informed our Jr. High Confirmation class they would be "tested" on the material we had covered. They laughed, then I told them that we were serious. They laughed again. Then, I told them that we were serious. Now they were incredulous. "Why would we be tested on this?" What a great question!
I have heard it said that we only measure the things we deem to be important. This is part of the reason why companies have outcome measures and schools have tests. But if it is true that we only measure the things we deem to be important, then what can we conclude, when we don't measure anything related to what is taught on Sunday mornings?
We don't want the Jr. High students to be stressed out, and so we are going to have a fun review next Sunday via the format of "The Family Feud" game show. In the near future, we will also have them meet with some elders in the church to "test/review" with them the things they have been learning. This is not to find out what they don't know, it is for students to express what they are learning and applying. Now this should be exciting for them.
However, what struck me at the end of the class was a series of questions Laura and I asked. The first question went like this, "Is it at least partialy true that you have tests in school because how well you do in school will in some regard determine how successful you are in life?" They answered "Yes." The next question was, "Do you think the information we share with you in this class about who God is, who we are and how our Creator has created us to live, will determine how successful and content you are in life?" They were silent. Some even said, "No." Laura asked the students, "Do you think this information is relevant and important to how you live for eternity?" They had not thought of that question.
Oh how far we have come. By never testing, nor being explicit that we expect anything from students on Sunday mornings, have we not communicated that the information being shared is secondary and optional? When I mention the "we" in the previous sentence, do you interpret that to mean, "we" -the Sunday School teachers." Or did you interpret the "we" to mean, "us" the parents or "us" the congregation member who made a commitment to help this student grow up in the knowledge of Christ.
If we are going to be guilty of anything in relation to teaching students about God's Word, may we be guilty of expecting too much of them rather than too little. Television has those occassional and annoying test that interrupt programs and say "This is only a test, if this were a real emergency, you would have been expected..." By expecting much and testing periodically with what students are being taught, may we send them the message that "This is a test and because its important there is urgency and continually testing."
Beams Away!
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You might carry that concept one more level. When we always cater to youths Fun and Fellowship (with I believe too much emphasis on the fun... I believe we further their misunderstanding of what it is to bear the name and recognition and alignment we are to have with our Lord and His suffering. I would further to say that we confuse them as to the true nature of learning the gift and level of sacrifice true Christianity requires. Further this lack of self discipline is carried in to other areas of their lives rather than the positive way to learn to grow and flourish in their general secular lives as well.
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