Reflection paper—Christian education assignment

Madhav Shyam
21 April 2024

What is Christian education?

Christian Education is learning process which would guide the student to have a better understanding on
what it means to be a Christian, and subsequently striving to live a life that is faithful to the teachings of
Jesus Christ. Although it should be systematic, it should not be rigid in structure to such an extent that
the Holy Spirit is prevented from working in the learning environment. Therefore, depending on
situations i.e. demographic, topics covered and intended outcome, the educating process can either be
in a classroom environment or a home Bible study or something informal like a conversation over dinner.

In the New Testament, the epistles serve as a means to educate the believers in various topics and
circumstances, therefore, Christian Education should be applied to all believers, regardless of age or
seniority in the church. Ephesians 4:11 states that God has gave some to be teachers (among others in
the five-fold ministry). Therefore I believe there will be believers who will feel a burden to be teachers,
and it would be good for those who are called to answer the call. That being said, discipling a new
believer is a part of Christian Education as well, and that should be a shared responsibility among all
believers.

Christian Education is vital in transforming a new babe in Christ to a disciple of Jesus Christ in the manner
in which they think, speak, and treat others (inside and outside the church). The author of Hebrews
recognized that some in the church are “still carnal” thus can only be fed spiritual milk while some a
matured enough to be fed sold food, implying there are various people in the church with different levels
of need. The only way to address these needs is through Christian Education.

My role as a Christian educator

Personally, I am inclined to be involved with the young adult group. I believe the learner and the
educator should have a good relationship with each other. Therefore I think this age group would be the
best fit for me to build a rapport with. Although I do prefer a more informal setting like a home Bible
study, I would consider being part of a classroom program as well.
If I were to pick a topic, I would probably choose a topic revolving around the gifts of the Spirit as I
believe this age group is young enough to have that zeal to work in the gifts God has given them yet
mature enough to realize that they are merely vessel by which God chose to manifest these gifts.
Among the challenges I may face is the potential doubts the learners may face in exercising these gifts or
practical application. I would like to think that I can alleviate these doubts by getting testimonies from
believers who had the same doubts but had their doubts cleared by God. The idea is for them to keep
persisting in the desire for these gifts and be bold in exercising them.

Important learning

The most prominent takeaway I received from this lesson is that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-
all approach to education. Although we cannot possibly create a specialized education programme for
each individual in church, but adapting to the learner’s learning styles would go a long way into
developing them into matured Christians. Although teachers may teach the same topic to all students,
creating materials that cater to visual, kinesthetic, and auditory learners was a good learning point for
me. Instead of looking inwards on what I churn out, I learned that I should look outward into what the
learners will receive. Therefore, realizing “how” they receive new lessons will go a long way into
developing into living a fruitful Christian life.
Teaching goals

The immediate goal is to have at least 5 people going through a home Bible study. I would open up
invitations to the church congregation to invite their friends and family members to a Bible study. This
would also be accompanied by promotional material to help peak interest. A long-term goal s to create a
curriculum on the gifts of the Spirit including activities that would address each of the gifts. I would need
to look through available resources we have in the church and if necessary, search for learning materials
available in the internet that would be in line with the apostolic doctrine. Once that is done, I will need
to discuss with a team to go through the materials and decide on how to build a smooth learning
journey that would make it easier for the learner to grasp and appreciate the lesson.

Further education

As much as the topic interests me, I have by no means the qualifications that would enable me to teach a
group of aspiring students. Therefore I would definitely need to have a one-on-one session with my
Pastor to go through this topic extensively. I would also need to research online on suitable materials
that could help me in developing myself and subsequently the learners. Among the viable reading
materials I found is the book called “Spiritual Gifts” by Rev David Bernard and “Activating The Gifts Of
The Spirit” by George Pantages