Communication for Christ

Over the past few years, I have been blessed with the opportunity to observe in a multitude of different classrooms. Every school has given me a different perspective into the world of education. Many of these schools have been Lutheran- Missouri Synod. Although all teachers are different and all of the classrooms are different, I have noticed one constant similarity. The word of God is often only expressed during "scheduled" times.

In my previous post I talked about what should be the goals (standards) of Lutheran Education. One that I really appreciated was the standard of communicating and establishing christian values in our ever darkening world. However, in my viewing experiences in many Lutheran classrooms I feel that this standard has been one that has almost been pushed aside. It appears to me that because there are scheduled religion times teachers don't feel the need to expand student exposure to Christ through out the day. As Christian educators this is unacceptable. The core standards that are specific to Lutheran Education should be as important as the Common Core. I know that there are not enough hours in the day to complete all that is required in education. However, integrating the faith into the curriculum should be second nature to Lutheran educators. Plus, making faith connections during a lesson is fun and engaging for students!

How do we do this? Well, the better question is, where can't we fit faith into the lesson? Thank about it. How many teachable moments do educators cope with a day? Hundreds! As Lutheran educators we should take those moments and integrate a "faith twist".

Lutheran Educators should not be afraid of taking these teachable moments. We should have confidence in these moments and embrace the faith opportunity in classes such as History, Art, Science, and Language Arts.  Let us have confidence!

2 Timothy 1:7
       " For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline."
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Breaking it all Down.

Where has the simple gone? The water gets muddy on issues and a lot of times it is really difficult to sort through all the constant exposure. There is no "black or white" on issues. This is never more evident then in large institutions.

The institution of the Church in Lutheran schools have really tried to clear the waters for teachers in their current vocations. The current synodical leadership has not only given guidelines for their Lutheran schools, but they have backed them with biblical evidence. The current contemporary standards for Lutheran schools are an encouraging reminder of how Lutheran teachers should use these as a strong foundation for their educational practices.

Here are the main standards for Lutheran schooling, all with a strong biblical base:

1. To Nurture Faith- For those who have heard the Gospel news of Christ and believe already, there is a continued need to study it for growth and NURTURE. (Romans 1:16)

2. To Grow in Grace and Knowledge- The Lutheran school provides opportunities all day long to come to know him who is the "way, the truth, and the life" in a close and personal way. It is the Lutheran teacher who makes sure this occurs and sets the tone in the classroom. (John 17:3, 2 Peter 3:18)

3. To Saturate with the Word- God's people are direct to instruct children in the Word on an around-the-clock basis. This charge is not just given to the parents. Given the realities of modern parenting, the Lutheran school is extremely important in providing instruction in the word on a continual basis. (Deut. 6:7)

4. To Communicate and Establish Christian Values- Lutheran schools are the shining light in an ever darkening world. We are fellowship the promotes, discovers, communicates, and establishes the values that God has ultimately designed. (1 Thes. 5:11, Hebrews 10:7)

5. To Equip for Christian Service- Lutheran schools help students see how their whole lives can be used in the Lord's service. (Matt. 18:20)

6. To Reach Out- Mission refers to the sharing of the Gospel with those who have never heard it before , or who have heard it but have not come to faith. Lutheran schools share the love of Christ, expressing their commitment to reach out to others. (Matt. 28:19)

These few key standards should serve as a reminder for every Lutheran educator before planning any lesson. What a motivator!

Why?

It is a simple question. Why teach in a Lutheran School. There are plenty of perfectly adequate public schools that probably have better funding, resources, and reputation. Why would someone willingly go into an underpaid and immensely hard profession? Do we get a thrill of off the struggle? Do we want to be the hero? As a young Lutheran schools teacher I really had to step back and reflect on my decision. I couldn't just accept this position without giving my faith a "backbone" or a stronger base of faith.

So, what are the reasons for going into this vocation? Why teach in a Lutheran school? I guess I could first state, why not? I have a faith that has been acquired through study of the word and a continual need to expand that knowledge. I look at it as a grand blessing to be on a "co-mission" with Jesus Christ, assisting in the care of souls in a manner that is consistent with the word of Christ that I am familiar with. When on staff at a lutheran school there is a natural need for collaboration. Ideas and ideals are shared to better the learning process/experience for students. This collaboration should be considered when working with the Lord. He should be considered to be on staff in the school setting. We must collaborate with the Lord and this will better the learning experience for students. This is a natural idea for me but it is also one that needs to be constantly reflected upon. 

Why am I a lutheran schools teacher? I am a Lutheran school teacher because God has called me to be one.  What an amazing way to find your profession. 

Interpretations

I am always trying to find ways to connect religion/faith personally to students. If a personal connection is not made for students the bible can become empty words. Our God is a personal God that wants a relationship with each of us. Like any relationship we must cultivate that relationship by spending time with our Lord in the word and opening our hearts to his never ending love. Often, teens do not make this connection. This is the time that students are psychologically discovering their "self". Students are questioning their morals, faith, and other personal traits during this time and this is where connections could be made in faith. 

Here is a link for a great article on the psychological development in the Middle School Setting: Middle School Development

Last month I found a really great resource that could be used to make personal faith connections. Faith coming alive for students can be vary powerful. Movies such as The Passion of the Christ and others have made connections for many individuals. Although their theology may/can often be skewed, they can be a powerful resource for teachers to use with students.

The movie "Noah" comes out in 2014 and it looks like a fantastic film. I would really like to dissect the theology in this film before I would use it as a resource in my classroom. Teachers must be aware of faith-cultural connections such as this upcoming film. This could be a powerful connector for students because of its "real" appeal. This is a Veggie Tale version of Noah that society is often used to. This seemingly historically accurate film could open the door for new questions/connections for students. Teachers and church workers should be very aware of these types of films or cultural influences because they could be used as a connection, not a hinderance for their ministry.

I think this film looks very good and I can't wait to see how it mimics the biblical text. Any thoughts? Feel free to comment!

Here is this upcoming 2014 film, "Noah":

Connecting Literature to Faith

Literature. Friend or Foe in a Christian classroom?

This is not a new idea/conflict to grace the minds of many individuals. Christian educators hear all the time about the "banned books" lists or the "Don't even think about using that in the classroom" books. However, it is completely unrealistic for us to think that these books will not filter into our classrooms. It is human nature to be curious about the unknown or in this case the contraband. Students are going to be drawn to these "no go" books and as christian educators we should prepare them for what they will find in those books. The Lord instructs all His disciples to put on the armor of God in Ephesians 6:10-18. As christian educators we have to help students develop their armor of God by not turning a blind eye to the worldly influences that they will be exposed to. To not connect faith to popular adolescent literature would be doing an injustice to our students.  

On a lighter side to this need for christian influence in popular literature, this integration of faith into literature is FUN! Using the New York Times Bestseller List for Young Adults, I started to develop a list that bridges the gap between faith and modern literature. 

Here is the list of the top three books on the New York Times Bestseller list and how we can integrate faith into their bindings to better our students connection between their faith and their modern world. 

The Book Thief 

By Markus Zusak

The Book Thief is narrated by Death, who tells us the story of Liesel Meminger. This book takes place during WWII and deals with many intense issues regarding love, loss, and self esteem conflicts. 

Theme: Humanity and Dehumanization

There are a multitude of ways that an educator could integrate the faith into this text. In todays society it is still apparent that our society does not value or respect one another. This can be found in this novel in the horrible treatment of the Jewish people. Philippians 2:3-4 is a verse that could be used as a faith connection for students because it is God's instructions on how to live/interact with others. 

Philippians 2:3-4

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interest but each of you to the interests of the others." 

The Fault in Our Stars

By John Green 

Hazel is sixteen, with terminal cancer, when she meets Augustus at her kids-with-cancer support group. The two are kindred spirits, sharing an irreverent sense of humor and immense charm, and watching them fall in love even as they face universal questions of the human condition

Theme: Death and Loss

This book discusses the issue of death. This is a topic that is heavily prevalent in the classroom and it is important to give students the biblical peace and guidance for their faith/armor. It is important to foster the idea that the Lord is all powerful, He has a plan and to rely on Him. 

1 Chronicles 16:11
"Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually."

Looking for Alaska 

By John Green 

Miles Halter is fascinated by famous last words–and tired of his safe life at home. He leaves for boarding school to seek what the dying poet Francois Rabelais called the “Great Perhaps.” Much awaits Miles at Culver Creek, including Alaska Young. Clever, funny, screwed-up, and dead sexy, Alaska will pull Miles into her labyrinth and catapult him into the Great Perhaps.

Themes: Sexuality and Choices 

It is important that with this books students understand that life is about choices. Students will be faced with many important choices in their lives and they need to be informed on how God has designed His people to live. Giving them verses about God's instructions is important when suiting them up in their armor of God. 

Romans 12:2
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

These are just a few examples of how faith can be integrated into modern literature. It is important to prepare our students and make their faith connectable/relevant to their modern world. 

Any further ideas? Feel free to comment and share!  

Just a Verse.

Blogging. It is a word that often comes with a stigma. Images of hipsters sitting in coffee shops sipping on their double shots of espresso loft through my mind when hearing the label of "Blogger". This often is the case, but sometimes there is a rare writer who burst through this stigma shining the light of individualism into the world wide web.

I am not a hipster or individualist radiating creativity onto the world, but I am a future educator who wants to explore Christianity and its correlation to the modern classroom. Specifically focusing on Lutheran Education, I want to challenge myself and others to look into their world and find the light of Christ in everything and share that light with future generations.

This first post is an introduction. The focus of this first post is simply a verse. This verse has been a focus and a motivator to me as an educator and it is a constant reminder of God's love and His plan for me in this life.

2 Timothy 2:15 

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth."