Yesterday at church I saw a great idea one of our teachers had used I want to share with you. A three year old came out of his Bible class wearing a crown made from a strip of blue, scalloped bulletin board trim that was stapled or tape together in a circle to fit his head. I have hunted many a time for a crown pattern or even ended up drawing my own when I want to make crowns for the children. This is just perfect and way too easy. I thought you could even use gold trim and have the older children decorate theirs with jewels and glitter. Some people are soooo creative!
Dana
Monday, February 27, 2006
Saturday, February 25, 2006
If You Teach, Teach!
I am in the process of writing some ladies Bible class material and one of the subjects I am addressing is the common attitude toward not wanting to teach children's classes. And you know how your mind wanders, well, at least my mind wanders. I began thinking about my own experience in Bible classes; my experience as a child.
I was "raised" in the church and have attended Bible class all my life. I have vivid memories of my teachers and classes. There were times that I could hardly wait to get to Bible class. When I was old enough, I might spend hours working on my assignment for the week. I was excited about God's word. Then I reflected on other times that I dreaded that hour of Bible class. Any preparation was done at the last minute in the back seat of the car on the way to church. What was the difference? I was the same kid. Much of it happened in the same basic time period of my life. So what really was the difference? As I look back, I now see, the difference was the teacher.
I had some cool teachers throughout the years. They were excited about God and what He had done for us and they took very seriously their "responsibility" of teaching me about Him. I remember sand box lessons of the walls of Jericho falling down when I couln't have been more than three or four years old. I remember this wonderful hand drawn chart (there were no computers in those days) of the children around the world in all of thier colorful costumes when I was not more than five. I remember an awesome model tabernacle in the third grade. Those were exciting classes and I was eager each week to be there and see what was next.
But I have other memories of classes and teachers as well; and sometimes there are just no memories at all. I remember a class where I was afraid of the teacher; I'm not sure why, but she was just so stern that I was afraid. I didn't learn much in that class. I also remember classes where I was more prepared than the teacher because at least I had filled in the blanks in the back seat of the car and that was more than you could say for him. I have memories of teachers who obviously wished they were not teaching; they had made no preparation, they were unenthusiastic and some were almost angry.
My whole point of this ranting is, if you are going to teach, then teach! When we agree to be a Bible class teacher, we have agreed to take on the shaping of not only a child's mind but thier life. And don't think that just because you ONLY teach the three or four year olds that it's not that important. I can remember to back then, can't you? As we teach children, we are building on thier memory blocks and what they learn at two and three is as important as what they learn at thirteen and fourteen. Maybe even more important is if a child is turned off by a bad teacher at six or seven they may not want to learn any more at thirteen or fourteen. If you do not take your role as teacher seriously, then it would be better you did not teach.
The church is desparate for good teachers. And, before you get the idea that I would wish more Christians would stop teaching, let me say, I wish more Christians would get excited about teaching. There are very few people who can't teach in some capacity IF they would make the effort. But it is a lot easier to just not try. Good teaching is hard work and takes a lot of prepartion and effort but a good Bible class teacher can make the difference in a soul that reaches heaven and one that is lost. This is one volunteer job that pays big dividends.
Dana Burk
I was "raised" in the church and have attended Bible class all my life. I have vivid memories of my teachers and classes. There were times that I could hardly wait to get to Bible class. When I was old enough, I might spend hours working on my assignment for the week. I was excited about God's word. Then I reflected on other times that I dreaded that hour of Bible class. Any preparation was done at the last minute in the back seat of the car on the way to church. What was the difference? I was the same kid. Much of it happened in the same basic time period of my life. So what really was the difference? As I look back, I now see, the difference was the teacher.
I had some cool teachers throughout the years. They were excited about God and what He had done for us and they took very seriously their "responsibility" of teaching me about Him. I remember sand box lessons of the walls of Jericho falling down when I couln't have been more than three or four years old. I remember this wonderful hand drawn chart (there were no computers in those days) of the children around the world in all of thier colorful costumes when I was not more than five. I remember an awesome model tabernacle in the third grade. Those were exciting classes and I was eager each week to be there and see what was next.
But I have other memories of classes and teachers as well; and sometimes there are just no memories at all. I remember a class where I was afraid of the teacher; I'm not sure why, but she was just so stern that I was afraid. I didn't learn much in that class. I also remember classes where I was more prepared than the teacher because at least I had filled in the blanks in the back seat of the car and that was more than you could say for him. I have memories of teachers who obviously wished they were not teaching; they had made no preparation, they were unenthusiastic and some were almost angry.
My whole point of this ranting is, if you are going to teach, then teach! When we agree to be a Bible class teacher, we have agreed to take on the shaping of not only a child's mind but thier life. And don't think that just because you ONLY teach the three or four year olds that it's not that important. I can remember to back then, can't you? As we teach children, we are building on thier memory blocks and what they learn at two and three is as important as what they learn at thirteen and fourteen. Maybe even more important is if a child is turned off by a bad teacher at six or seven they may not want to learn any more at thirteen or fourteen. If you do not take your role as teacher seriously, then it would be better you did not teach.
The church is desparate for good teachers. And, before you get the idea that I would wish more Christians would stop teaching, let me say, I wish more Christians would get excited about teaching. There are very few people who can't teach in some capacity IF they would make the effort. But it is a lot easier to just not try. Good teaching is hard work and takes a lot of prepartion and effort but a good Bible class teacher can make the difference in a soul that reaches heaven and one that is lost. This is one volunteer job that pays big dividends.
Dana Burk
Friday, February 24, 2006
We're Connected
I have severe asthma and have been sick for the last couple of months. I think I've only been able to be at worship services on Sunday twice since Christmas and only been able to make two Wednesday evening services as well. I've been "hibernating" a long time. How frustrating.
Yesterday, a friend from church stopped by to visit with me and during the conversation we talked a little about how "out of the loop" I felt. She made the statement, "You feel disconnected." I agreed.
I love that friend that came by very deeply. As she left and was about to get into her car, I called out to her that I loved her and appreciated what she stood for (as a Christian). Afterwards, I began to reflect on how important the connection we have with one another as Christians is.
We have been priviledged to live in and travel to a number of places and among several different cultures. Because of that, we have friends in the Church, literally all over the world: from Australia to Oregon, in Venezuela to Mexico. We have friends in Puerto Rico and throughout the Caribbean, South Africa and even Canada not to mention in just about every state in which the Church exists. One sister I am very close to, I met in the Virgin Islands during the eight years we spent there working with the Church. She moved to the tiny island we lived on for two years and came to worship with us. We grew very close to one another. She then returned to New York City where she had lived for over 20 years.
Sometime back, she called me just to chat and catch up on life. I apologized to her because I had not called her in months. She said something to me that has hung with me since. She said, "Don't worry about it Dana, we're connected." How right she was. We are connected. But what connects this poor, black, school teacher and single mother living in the heart of New York City with a white, middle class, homemaker in small town Tennesee? The Lord's Church. Do you realize how awesome that is?
The Christians I know and love so very deeply, I would not know or love if it were not for the relationship I have with them through Christ and His Church. Where would I have ever met them? Why would I have ever even been in the same part of the world with them or in the same state for that matter? I often wonder how many people I would know and even scarier, how many friends would I have, if Christ had not established His Church. How thankful I am that He did, and I can know and love my friend in NYC, Australia, South Africa, and the Caribbean as well as my friend who stopped by yesterday. What a gift.
Dana Burk
Yesterday, a friend from church stopped by to visit with me and during the conversation we talked a little about how "out of the loop" I felt. She made the statement, "You feel disconnected." I agreed.
I love that friend that came by very deeply. As she left and was about to get into her car, I called out to her that I loved her and appreciated what she stood for (as a Christian). Afterwards, I began to reflect on how important the connection we have with one another as Christians is.
We have been priviledged to live in and travel to a number of places and among several different cultures. Because of that, we have friends in the Church, literally all over the world: from Australia to Oregon, in Venezuela to Mexico. We have friends in Puerto Rico and throughout the Caribbean, South Africa and even Canada not to mention in just about every state in which the Church exists. One sister I am very close to, I met in the Virgin Islands during the eight years we spent there working with the Church. She moved to the tiny island we lived on for two years and came to worship with us. We grew very close to one another. She then returned to New York City where she had lived for over 20 years.
Sometime back, she called me just to chat and catch up on life. I apologized to her because I had not called her in months. She said something to me that has hung with me since. She said, "Don't worry about it Dana, we're connected." How right she was. We are connected. But what connects this poor, black, school teacher and single mother living in the heart of New York City with a white, middle class, homemaker in small town Tennesee? The Lord's Church. Do you realize how awesome that is?
The Christians I know and love so very deeply, I would not know or love if it were not for the relationship I have with them through Christ and His Church. Where would I have ever met them? Why would I have ever even been in the same part of the world with them or in the same state for that matter? I often wonder how many people I would know and even scarier, how many friends would I have, if Christ had not established His Church. How thankful I am that He did, and I can know and love my friend in NYC, Australia, South Africa, and the Caribbean as well as my friend who stopped by yesterday. What a gift.
Dana Burk
Thursday, February 23, 2006
A Great Quote:
"Christians are losing their power and influence...
because they are losing their separateness!"
Charlene Kaemmerling
because they are losing their separateness!"
Charlene Kaemmerling
What I Could Do If I Wanted To
I found this poem the other day and want to share it with you. Just think what we could do if we would do it!!!!
- If I wanted to, I could help make the church the most wide awake and working church in the world.
- If I wanted to, I could visit members who are sick or home bound and find other ways of helping them.
- If I wanted to, I could attend Bible classes regularly and encourage others to do the same.
- If I wanted to, I could show more devotion in worship and receive much more good from the services myself.
- If I wanted to, I could profit more from the sermon by not resenting the truth when it reveals some of my weaknesses.
- If I wanted to, I could tell others about Christ and His church and lead them to Him.
- Of course, this all depends on what I want to do. I could be an honor servant of the greatest King. I have the ability - if I really want to.
--Author Unknown
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