#3. Capability in Community
Community Reality Score (1-10)= _____
Congregational Reality Score (1-10)= _____
Congregational Mission Score (1-10)= _____
But Moses said to the Lord: "My Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor even now that you have spoken to your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue;." Then the Lord said to him, "Who gives speech to mortals? Who makes them mute or deaf, mute or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to speak." Exodus 4:10-12
Statement of Reality
The community people have developed the skills, knowledge, resources and personal qualities to renew themselves and reinvent their future. They learn collectively and individually. Learning itself has a high priority as a community activity.
Since the beginning of civilization, education has been an active mission of successful communities. Teachers at all levels and in all environments have spoken of their occasional confusion of missions. Sometimes ‘book learning’ seems nothing more than driving data into the brain, just as filling a tub with water. At other times rote learning becomes an end. Perhaps the wildest failure is in religious education. Here, it is God’s own vision, purpose and tools that are at stake. Teachers who themselves to be in partnership with Lord may take their own calling more seriously.
Teachers, administrators and support personnel tend to become more excited when education is much more. It is that tool that opens persons to new options of life, especially the options arranged by their Creator. With a little knowledge, the people can rearrange their lives. They become more able to live according to Christ’s vision.
The Sunday School movement began as the attempt by the church to bring literacy to the masses of the world. Today’s Protestantism uses education largely as an evangelistic tool. This is sad, for education has the potential to be much more. Church education could bring ethics, logic, geography, morality, art and many ore subjects as gifts to the people. This all, in turn, creates in the students and community a much more capable society.
Religious education has often succumbed to parental temptation. It can become a time killer or babysitting tool for the local congregation. Teachers give students platitudes and moralistic recruiting homilies and nonsense recreation. Christ calls for faith-building work that opens tomorrow as we work through today.
As a pastor and one who has tried to be faithful, I have sometimes struggled. I have tried to answer one question at the close of every worship service, class, board or committee meeting. "What have I learned here, and what have others learned?" The answer to this can be both stimulating and frustration?
Questions for evaluation:
/ Do our community and church share an active commitment to skills education for everyone as a means toward a better life?
/ Does the church function as an educational organization always?
Examples of programs that may enhance Capability in Community:
( The church might lift up the various community teachers in celebration. Gather the group together and reinforce their commitment with praise, songs, pictures, meals, etc. The group should include workers from many different arenas. Public schools , religious schools, charter schools, private schools, home schools, Sunday schools, immigrant education, colleges and universities, senior hostels, hospital dieticians and any others exist in every community. Celebrate them and point out their value in God’s vision.
( The church can be host to classes and tutoring programs in any area it wishes. Providing facilities, leadership and administration for literacy classes is easy and appropriate. It is a mission action as easy as reading the Sermon on the Mount. For those who choose to pursue the vision of Christ, it is appropriate. In 1976-1977 the schools of Cottage Grove, Oregon, were closed for lack of funding. Teachers from the schools voluntarily met their classes in various churches and other buildings in town.
( In the worship service itself the congregation learns literacy and language in many simple ways. Extremely young children can learn to pray using pictures in a special bulletin along with words.
( The church might officially or individually involve themselves with the various surveys of the schools in the area taken each year. It can look at the results of test scores, college success rates, etc. The church can be involved.
( In selecting leaders, a most worrisome thing is the tendency of congregations to choose their most experienced and trained persons. This may be a dreadful error, for several reasons.
First, many of us would like to spread our abilities into larger areas of life. Many accountants, for instance, rebel at being limited to the treasurer’s role.
Second, most of us enjoy learning new work and taking on new responsibilities. I have often wished to quarterback a football team. I will never have that opportunity.
Third, spreading the training around forces an inclusiveness that just won’t come any other way.
Given these ideas, perhaps the congregation could commit itself to a three-year term in an area. The congregation can and should set its own limits. One year for training, a second year as chair, and a third year just serving the area is a possibility.
If the training is strong, we know many in our congregations who can and will do the work. We may give up the question, "Who can do the work right now?" and ask "Who can we train to do the work?" People who want to learn to operate a business can learn to handle financial matters. Those who intend to pursue a teaching career can look at issues of the church school.
As a junior high school football coach, one of our league rules was a matter of inclusiveness. Every player was to play in every game. I will never forget the look on one young man’s face when I forget to get him into a game. It broke my heart and his.
What are your own brainstorm and creative thoughts to help the community become more capable?
1. What evidence have you found to support the rating you have given your own community?
2. What evidence have you found to support the rating you have given your community?
3. What programs might work in your church and community?
4. What will be your work in this process?
5. How will you reveal these thoughts to your church and community?
Yachats Blue Link
