I have been sharing this with my current online facilitator. The recent Sabbath School congress introduced a new method of lesson review - more interactive, the teacher as co-learner with the students rather than a lecturer and sage; reading Bible texts; meditating on them, then sharing in two's (vertical and horizontal relationships) and finally application of the text in a personal way (transformation) - all in an effort to increase participation and hopefully attendance in the Sabbath School. Sounds good to me!!! Sounds like a constructivist approach to learning in church!!!
So as the head superintendent I have to introduce this 'new' method in the Sabbath School. I'm game. So last week instead of breaking up into smaller units I conducted the lesson review to the entire adult SS (about 200 persons) to show how it could be done. I asked 2 elders to assist me to answer some of the expected Bible questions. Went surprisingly well. Thank God. Then later the same day I held a training seminar for the teachers so they can take over in their own classes. Not so good!!! "It can't work"; "It's changing up everything" "Is this a proven method" etc. etc. As one of the elders said - They're acting like you're trying to introduce a method from hell!!
Some teachers are willing to try, but not all. Tomorrow we'll see what happens. Perhaps after that I will be railroaded out of the church - having the audacity to try to introduce new things!! And I'm not trying to change doctrine!! I'm only trying to implement a method of presenting the doctrine. Lord help me!!
Friday, 23 November 2012
Saturday, 3 November 2012
Recovering
A little better today. A good friend Skyped me to say that they were having a prayer and fasting day; was there anything I wanted them to add to the prayer list for me? Yes!!!! Yes!!!! Yes please!!!!! There's so much I need prayers for. So much in which I long to see God's hands working.
This weekend we're involved in a Sabbath School congress. The aim - to restore the Sabbath School as the heart of the church - since the overwhelming observation is that SS attendance is down compared to the main preaching service. I noted that this was not true of my church, it is the opposite, so much so that the pastor has been launching a number of initiatives from the SS platform. I was once asked whether a well-organized SS was responsible for unity of the church members. My answer was that it contributed to the unity. One of my daughters said that yes it was - since the SS was really the place where deep study of God's word occurred - not during the sermon time when perhaps only 1 or 2 Bible verses would be mentioned. My other daughter thought that if the Superintendent's role was that important, then it should be a paid position, like the pastor!!! Not likely!!! (I received an award though for leadership in the Sabbath School. Muchas gracias).
The 2 days of the congress so far have been interesting and have provided some ideas that are worthy of being implemented (if I'm asked to serve in this dept. next year!!). We'll see!!!!
This weekend we're involved in a Sabbath School congress. The aim - to restore the Sabbath School as the heart of the church - since the overwhelming observation is that SS attendance is down compared to the main preaching service. I noted that this was not true of my church, it is the opposite, so much so that the pastor has been launching a number of initiatives from the SS platform. I was once asked whether a well-organized SS was responsible for unity of the church members. My answer was that it contributed to the unity. One of my daughters said that yes it was - since the SS was really the place where deep study of God's word occurred - not during the sermon time when perhaps only 1 or 2 Bible verses would be mentioned. My other daughter thought that if the Superintendent's role was that important, then it should be a paid position, like the pastor!!! Not likely!!! (I received an award though for leadership in the Sabbath School. Muchas gracias).
The 2 days of the congress so far have been interesting and have provided some ideas that are worthy of being implemented (if I'm asked to serve in this dept. next year!!). We'll see!!!!
Friday, 2 November 2012
Hitting the wall
No new blog. Too discouraged :( Losing all enthusiasm. Activity in class s-o-o-o-o s-s-l-l-o-o-w-w........ feels almost like being punished. Plus a challenging year F2F. Plus personal matters of concern. Almost like carrying a too-heavy cross.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)