John 1:12-13 - “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.” Brought to you by BibleGateway.com. Copyright (C) NIV. All Rights Reserved. Thank you for visiting our site!
“Why?” is nearly always the most critical of questions we can ask, but all too often we never ask it. We are typically more concerned with the questions that seem more immediately relevant to the situation, and “How?” is the one most often topping the list. We are an impatient culture. We want things to get done and want them done in the very best way. And there is nothing wrong with that, but the tyranny of the urgent must not be our first question. “How?” is a critical question, but it should not be the first question we ask. The first question for us to ask is “Why?” And we should always ask “Why do we seek education in the church?”
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." — Matthew 28:19-20
Recognizing we are called to be and to make disciples, there is one significant reality we all live in: the Fall. Genesis 3 changed everything. Perhaps learning and education would have been an easy discipline to master before the Fall, but we don’t live in that time. We live in a broken world where we know that things aren’t as they should be. So what does this mean for why we seek education in the church?
The process of being human is full of success and failure. But both success and failure have one important thing in common: they tried. Without failure or success you have stagnation… no progression, moment backwards and certainly no movement forward. The very essence of education is trying. In both successes and failures, movement is happening, because sometimes even a movement backwards helps propel us forward. We must understand the Lord gives us a safe place to fail, and it is in this grace our fears are dispelled. Many times we cannot move forward unless we understand why we went backwards in the first place. (There’s that word “why” again.)
The CE Team and I covet your prayers as we look to the next stage in the education of our church. We are working on building a strong support system for teachers, which includes prayer support, training, helpful resources and mentoring. We are in great need of teachers and for those who are willing to step forward in this area, we desire to love and support them as they teach.
Please prayerfully consider teaching Sunday School this Fall, and pray for those who have the gift to teach to step forward and volunteer. Our children need you, and because of God’s grace, we don’t have to fear what may seem fearful (such as teaching!).
“The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.” — Matthew 8:25-26
In seeking to answer the great question of “Why?” sometimes the answer is as simple as “Why not?”
Stephanie Nelson
Family Life Director
| First Presbyterian Church
702 E. Cottonwood Lane
Casa Grande, Arizona 85122-2703 Telephone: 520.836.5981
Fax: 520.836.4884
 Sunday school Sunday school will resume Aug. 1. Children's Sunday school, TBA. Junior and Senior High, Rooms 14 and 15. Adult classes: Bill Heinle on Christian History, Room 10; Richard Taylor and Gary Butler on Going Deeper, Fellowship Hall. Additional adult classes will begin Sept. 12. Family Movie Night Celebrate the start of a new school year with Family Movie Night at FPC on Aug. 13 at 6:30 p.m. The movie will be the Disney and Pixar hit "Ratatouille." Bring pillows, blankets and chairs and enjoy popcorn and soda as you sit back, relax and enjoy the movie with your church family. Summer vacation Jim and Barbara Cobb, our Parish Associate and our Director of Caring Ministries, respectively, will be on vacation during the months of July and August. If you have concerns, call the church office to be directed to the appropriate resources. |
