Jonathan Edwards and the Christian Education of today’s young people
2/14/2014
Jonathan Edwards and the Christian Education of today’s young people – David Jull, CEJ September 2006, Vol.49, No.2, p 15~21
Most Churches know that ‘teaching children the fundamentals of the Christian faith is important and value some sort of Sunday morning training program, such as Sunday School lessons, to do that. It is in the application of this ideal that two major trends emerge’. 1) Due to the lack of young yet committed families, feel that they are incapable of implementing the Sunday school ideal of having dedicated adult teachers for various age ranges of children. 2) To incorporate a significant element of worship into the children’s program so that it becomes an authentic worship service, equivalent to, though different from, the adult worship service.
(p.15)
Today’s church can get ‘valuable insights that can still be learned From Jonathan Edwards’. He pointed out that ‘children have the need and ability to develop and relate socially. If that ability and need is present, then they have the capacity to relate to God and grow in their relationship with him. They need and benefit from worship’. (p.16) As much as he valued children’s worship session, he believed that they needed guidance and supervision. (P.17) And He organized training and being frank with children. He created and respected opportunities for spiritual exploration and worship. And he took a time for frank discussions with the children about doctrine. (p. 20)
These key ideas – creating space for children’s worship, innovative techniques that are consistent with the worshipping community’s goals, the de-emphasis on long discourses with the emphasis instead being placed on the experience of worship, and the active involvement of the senior pastor in requiring laypeople to be involved in children’s teaching – have stood the test of time and should be incorporated into any children’s church strategy. (p. 21-22)
I agree that the ‘valuable insights that can still be learned From Jonathan Edwards’. Through his observation and study will be helpful to church community. I was surprised that the child boy can really pray to God wholeheartedly. As a minister for kids(I lead this group only just 4 month long), I have never seen to pray seriously like that boy. I think it is nearly miracle. It was very interesting story. And also it has given to me a hope and expectation. Children’s teaching has a special meaning to me, above mentioned by Jonathan Edwards. And I think Training of doctrine is useful for my children group.
Most Churches know that ‘teaching children the fundamentals of the Christian faith is important and value some sort of Sunday morning training program, such as Sunday School lessons, to do that. It is in the application of this ideal that two major trends emerge’. 1) Due to the lack of young yet committed families, feel that they are incapable of implementing the Sunday school ideal of having dedicated adult teachers for various age ranges of children. 2) To incorporate a significant element of worship into the children’s program so that it becomes an authentic worship service, equivalent to, though different from, the adult worship service.
(p.15)
Today’s church can get ‘valuable insights that can still be learned From Jonathan Edwards’. He pointed out that ‘children have the need and ability to develop and relate socially. If that ability and need is present, then they have the capacity to relate to God and grow in their relationship with him. They need and benefit from worship’. (p.16) As much as he valued children’s worship session, he believed that they needed guidance and supervision. (P.17) And He organized training and being frank with children. He created and respected opportunities for spiritual exploration and worship. And he took a time for frank discussions with the children about doctrine. (p. 20)
These key ideas – creating space for children’s worship, innovative techniques that are consistent with the worshipping community’s goals, the de-emphasis on long discourses with the emphasis instead being placed on the experience of worship, and the active involvement of the senior pastor in requiring laypeople to be involved in children’s teaching – have stood the test of time and should be incorporated into any children’s church strategy. (p. 21-22)
I agree that the ‘valuable insights that can still be learned From Jonathan Edwards’. Through his observation and study will be helpful to church community. I was surprised that the child boy can really pray to God wholeheartedly. As a minister for kids(I lead this group only just 4 month long), I have never seen to pray seriously like that boy. I think it is nearly miracle. It was very interesting story. And also it has given to me a hope and expectation. Children’s teaching has a special meaning to me, above mentioned by Jonathan Edwards. And I think Training of doctrine is useful for my children group.
Labels:
Christian education,
Jonathan Edwards,
young people
