Teaching to Expose to the Great Commission
I am a stranger to much of the Christian Curriculum as well as the Church schools in North America. I feel least qualified to comment on the same. But my visit to a few schools and interactions with learners in some classes gave me a window glimpse and got me thinking. My interaction with some of the curricula books also kept feeding me with certain impressions. So, I do accept my limitation even as I pen my thoughts on the stubborn reflections that glare at me from the few observations that I made. To this end, I also do express that I remain open to your corrective thoughts on my perspective.
To what extent would our teaching and content be exposing the learners to the Great Commission? Would there be any additional room for our teaching and content to do a little more in this area? If yes, then this needs to be far more intentional and strategic. Each teacher and every curriculum developer needs to be conscious about the existence of this need. There seems to be more nostalgia about what we don't want for our children (learners) and the curricula and content are particularly designed and delivered from that protective edge. While not losing sight of these, how would we help our learners to receive more of what we equally want for them. My relationship with missionary and expat staff families in Kenya has given me a hint that those who grew up in the mission field find it easy to step into the mission field. Likewise with those who have had satisfactory contact with close people, known to them, who serve or have served in the mission field.
As such, what would be the impact if a little more of the mission field focus was integrated into our teaching content and curricula approaches. For example, this can be done by integrating formative stories as part of our content. Such stories will go a long way in shaping the beliefs and values of the audience learners. I am persuaded that we do have stories, past and present, from the mission field, rich with Anabaptist or conservative Mennonite characters which demonstrate the joy and agony of serving the Lord in the mission field. It would enrichen the minds of the learners with examples of those who have made sacrifices in their love for the Lord God and His people. I do slightly assume that with the little more comfort in North America, many learners may find it hard to step out of their traditional Mennonite communities to serve elsewhere. Many presently shrink their service experience to the classical mission or nursing homes, youth camps or choir-singing tours. How about if the curriculum and content explored fields like drug addiction or homelessness as fronts that can form their mission focus.
What if that little more in the mission field can be in the form of exposure to another culture. I know there is already relevant coverage in the curricula in terms of learning a foreign language. That reminds me of the joy we shared in some of the US church schools as I introduced them to some Swahili or Luo words (which are the local languages that missionaries in Kenya get to learn). They seemed so interested and expressed eagerness to learn even more but that was not the focus of my time with them. I guess I am allowed to guess that the interest would be much more intense if they knew they were soon going to use these languages to serve other people. What if by learning about that other culture provokes in them a desire to go and serve God among those other people. Learning another language may also become handy when there is need to translate some of the available literature to that language. How can these aspects be integrated into our lessons and content.
As mentioned from the start, this article is not assuming that there is not anything happening along these lines. It is meant to stir up the doing of more in these areas to the glory of God. You can contribute more and improve my thoughts through your comments that are welcome.