Perrydox.com is devoted to the pursuit of truth, whether plain or paradoxical, whether simple or sublime, or simply absurd yet absolute.
Psalm 78 – Bible Classes
How long it would take someone to graduate from High School if the only Bible study they did was in “Bible School?”
It would take 153.6 years. That is based on 7 hours of study time per day for 5 days per week X 38 weeks per annum. The number of total annual hours of school class work is 1330 hours
Given that there are generally 2 hours (and that’s being generous) of Bible classes at the local church each week, the annual Bible class period time would be 104 hours.
So, if we divide 1330 by 104, we get a factor of 12.8.
Multiply this X 12 to get the required years = 153.6 years.
That’s more than 2 lifetimes. (Based on the figures of Howard Justice)
What are some lessons to be learned?
- Is it any wonder that if the only studying we do is as students twice a week that there are so many immature Christians?
- Is there any reason to think we should not attend – and have our children attend – any and all study opportunities presented by the church?
- Can we rely only on the church or must the family and individual also endeavor to study, talk about God, and in general meditate upon God’s word?
The answer to all three questions is…NO!
Hey parents, pay attention to the following…
“Listen, O my people, to my instruction; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not conceal them from their children, but tell to the generation to come the praises of Yahweh, and His strength and His wondrous works that He has done. (Psalm 78:1-4)
This Psalm, written by Asaph, implores us to rethink the importance of teaching our children. Asaph proceeds to discuss the purpose of the law,
“…that they should teach them to their children, that the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born, that they may arise and tell them to their children, that they should put their confidence in God, and not forget the words of God, but keep His commandments…” (vv.5b-7)
Why is this teaching necessary?
“…and not be like their fathers a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not prepare its heart, and whose spirit was not faithful to God.” (v.8)
Asaph then recalls the history of Israel in the wilderness and how Israel “often …rebelled against Him in the wilderness, and grieved Him in the desert! And again and again they tempted God, and pained the Holy One of Israel. (v.40-41)
Then he recounts their history within the promised land itself and how God,
“drove out the nations before them, and He appointed them for an inheritance by measurement…” (v.55).
But did this satisfy the people? No, “they tempted and rebelled against the Most High God, and did not keep His testimonies…” (v.56)
The psalmist goes on to discuss God’s punishment and rescue of His people. Why did Asaph want the children to be taught this parable? To keep them from committing the same mistake. So parents, talk to your children about the mistakes others have made. This includes the heroes and villains in the Bible. This even includes you. Share with your children your mistakes if it will help them make the right decisions.
Talking is the only cure!
[The following notes are from a meeting on improving our Bible classes]
What seems to work well with our teaching program?
Engaging, Open discussion, Continuity from one class to the next, Getting to the heart of at least one or two issues each class, Making a variety of real life applications, Achieving a synergy from the various viewpoints of the class & participants, Differing teaching styles, Teaching that challenges and tests our assumptions, Facilitating getting to know one another.
What are our greatest strengths?
Many members who can teach; Depth of personal experience; Preparedness; Desire to teach well.
What causes those strengths?
Chance, Patience, Tolerance, Maturity, Knowledge, Unity, Joy, Faith, Hope, Love, God.
What is our ultimate goal?
Heaven, Successful evangelism, Increased faith, To become like Christ.
What would excite us and increase participation?
Skip the technicalities, Keep it simple, Increasing personal responsibility to study through out-of-class assignments, Raise expectations for preparation, Encourage active participation, Testing the effectiveness of the class.
How might we personally benefit from achieving our goals?
Grow spiritually and numerically,
Become more committed, Increase our love and trust for one another, Have a better attitude, Better serve God.
What should we do more of, better or differently to reach our goals?
Create more intimate classes, Develop more teachers, Encourage more self-discovery, Focus and develop our strengths, Distribute notes from the class discussion,
Include a review period at the beginning of each class, Link the content of the evening gatherings to the morning classes, Classify and record the outcome of our discussions, Preview the class during the assembly, Create more tools and handouts, Use postcards to encourage class attendance, Include class previews in the weekly bulletin, Make achievement more competitive with contests, add assistant teachers to the children’s classes, Have a regular teachers meeting, Map out where we want to be in one year.
How can we specifically measure the effectiveness of our teaching efforts?
Greater attendance, More participation in the classes, Enthusiasm during the worship, Better singing, Higher responses to mailings, Higher numbers of phone calls from members to prospects, More social interactions among members, Greater love and friendship, Greater knowledge of one another’s suffering and struggles, More private Bible studies
What can you personally do (two or three things) to help the church implement these ideas and achieve our goals? Pray for it!
“Should I make my child go to church? If I do, won’t they hate it and refuse to go when they grow up?”
Parents sometimes face this dilemma, especially parents of teenagers. If that situation already exists, there is already a problem—but the problem is not that the child doesn’t want to go to church! That is but a symptom. Maybe we parents are actually part of the problem.
Let’s return to the query and debunk it: “If I let my child stay home/go out with friends/work a job/etc., instead of going to church, will that make them want to go when they grow up?” No. So if my goal is to build a lifelong desire within them, letting them absent themselves is a faulty methodology. There must be a better way.
If our child wants to skip school, do we let them? Are we afraid that if we make them do their homework, they will grow up to be a bum because they will hate studying? If our child doesn’t want to go see the dentist, do we let their teeth rot? Parents, are we willing to fight for the good of our children, even if it means fighting our children? Let’s hope so, but again there must be a better way. Our hope is they will desire spiritual things.
Paul wrote in Roman 8:5, For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
Wanting our children to set their minds on things of the Spirit means we parents must first be their example. How?
Don’t Be a Hypocrite: Don’t complain about attending and then complain our children not wanting to go!
Don’t Complain: If we grumble about the boring class, awful song leading, and lackluster sermon, does that encourage our children to come?
Don’t Gossip: If our children hear gossiping about the hypocrites, and unfriendly people, or how so-and-so sure wore an ugly dress, what will they think about people at church?
Don’t Look For Excuses: When family visit, do we stay home? Do we choose to work on Sunday or Wednesday? Will that encourage my children to want to go to church?
Do Get Involved: The more involved we are as a family, the more our children create relationships within the church. Who are our kids’ best friends? Who are ours? Make hospitality part of our lives.
Do Spiritualize Our Lives: If as a family we talk about our prayers, and how God blesses us; if we praise others spiritually, our children we see the benefit of a spiritual life.
There are no guarantees the above will “make our children like church.” But there is one guarantee—letting them stay home will not either. Which way is the better way?
Being a parent is a full-time job. There is so much we want to teach our children. Having God in our lives will help us in having God in their lives. Having God in their lives will only enhance our efforts to teach them. I’m not talking about forcing God on them, any more than forcing them to brush their teeth or go to school. However, if we make God such an every-day part of our lives, then God, church, the Bible, will be as natural to them as having relatives and friends. In fact, my youngest daughter once showed me how much she believed in God. She had lost her book that she had to read for a report. She had been looking for days. She cried and cried, looked and looked. Finally she said, “Dear God in heaven, help me find my book.” I’m glad she believes in God. I’m even more thankful she believes in a God that helps. And by the way, she found her book that night.
The below article is a true story. It serves as a reminder to us all how important having God in our lives and in our children’s lives should be, and must be.
A Judge’s Haunting Words
I went to Sunday school when I was small and learned all about God. After I was married I decided to go again and take my children. I couldn’t persuade my husband to go, but the children and I went regularly for a year. Then, I skipped a Sunday. And, soon I skipped two or three. Then, we went only on special days. Soon I joined a bowling team that competed on Sunday. I could go to church and Sunday school, but I would have to give up my bowling. Bowling won the battle.
Not long ago in a courtroom I heard a judge say, “Twenty years!” He was pronouncing sentence on my 21-year-old son – a punishment for a robbery that ended in the death of a man. The sentence might have been less, but my son took a sneering, defiant attitude all through the trial, ridiculing every officer and official in the courtroom.
But, the crowing, shocking climax came when the judge sternly asked, “Young man, don’t you believe in God?”
My son laughed and said, “God? Who’s that?” Every person in the courtroom turned to look at me. If only I had those years to live over! I would attend Sunday school and church faithfully and make sure my children attended as well.
I would like to invite you to make Bible classes on Sunday morning and Wednesday night as much a part of your life as being a parent (Ephesians 6:4) is now part of your life. I know you won’t regret it – and neither will your children.
Questions:
How can you make God, the Bible, and Bible Classes more meaningful for your children?
If you were “raised in the church,” how has your earlier days helped you?
How can you help the teachers in your children’s classes?
How can you make God more part of everyday life?
Prayer: Thank God for our good teachers!
The choices of maturity come from continually and constantly delving deeper and deeper into the word of God.
Of the following which ones describe me?
- Teaching others or just being taught.
- Developing a depth of understanding versus struggling with the basics.
- Self-evaluation or self-criticism.
- Self-evaluation versus evaluating only others.
- Seeking unity or causing trouble.
- Desiring spiritual challenges versus desiring entertainment.
- Desiring spiritual challenges or accepting status quo.
- Careful study and observation versus opinions and halfhearted efforts.
- Active faith or cautious apathy and doubt.
- Confidence versus fear.
- Feelings and experiences evaluated in the light of God’s word or experiences evaluated according to feelings. (adapted from NIV Study Bible, p.2225)
Spiritually speaking, are we grown up or infants? If our spiritual life was graded, which grade would we be in?
Comments