What is my confidence & challenge in learning the Bible together in community?
There is an answer to release the “common” man and woman to uncommon learning responses.
Jesus did. He took 12 unschooled men and trained them for three-years consistent with God’s original Eden-design. He then watched these spirit-filled men turn the world upside down. Read Acts 4:13. What was the open secret in the 1st century that turned unschooled, ordinary people into people of courage?
When [the schooled leaders] saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus
(Acts 4:13, emphasis added).
First, these common men had been with Jesus. Release the “common” man and woman to uncommon responses. We are already learning this as we interact a bit together.
Second, Jesus taught in a more complete, natural, life-relating way. We are also taking small steps together toward this kind of active-learning. Can you feel the power of active learning begin to stir hope within? You know more than you think you do! Really!
Imagine the impact on our faith-communities today!
How did Jesus learn in the temple at 12-years of age (Luke 2:46-47)?
He was listening with an open heart and mind, asking honest questions, and answering questions with understanding as an active learner.
Learn like 2-year olds.
A child is characterized by ignorance and inability…and doesn’t even care. Since a child is ignorant, healthy education must provide teaching to communicate to the child the experiences of life (called knowledge). Since a child lacks ability in the awareness and use of all his or her capacities, authentic education provides whatever training will bring the child to full development of skills, values and character.
Though separable in thought, teaching and training are not separable in practice. We may have severed them from each other in our 21st century learning theory, but teaching and training are the two, indispensable “wings” of education.
What happens when a bird tries to fly with just one wing? “Ever decreasing circles until we crash and become ground-bound.” I am amazed at how many feel this accurately describes their past educational experiences. We must break the chains of a 17th century scholarship as our learning theory.
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” (Benjamin Franklin)
Do you believe that…
-
new information does not become our own until we do something with it?
-
information alone just puffs us up unless it’s put into practice in ways to build up?
-
when we hear the Word of God and don’t respond, we build inner walls of deceit?
-
the knowledge and experience of each of us in the group is as important as our teacher’s (and more important to us)?
-
the basic nature of those created in God’s image is to desire to question, dialog, interact, learn and change?
-
an experience is a more powerful way to learn than simply listening?
-
what people say personally is more potent to bring life-change than what the teacher may say since we don’t argue with our own data and point of view as much?
-
learners will remember what they say and do more than what we say?
Unless we are convinced of this, we will not put in the hard work needed to switch from an information-based belief system. Really convinced to the depths of our being.
What part do you want to play in this new/ancient learning process that God is releasing?
Unless you are personally convinced that the learning community together has more to offer than any one teacher does, you will never pay the price to tap into the creativity lying dormant in the church. We must begin with a high view of mankind designed in the image of God. I am already anticipating the rich pleasure of sensing those growing glimmers of a new way of learning and living in this group as we learn from each other!
What is your choice?
The hyperlink has a free PDF download of this expanded page.
Return to “I Have a Dream” page.