I've learned many times over the last few years to "plan in pencil" because God may have others. But just because I've been away from the blog doesn't mean I haven't been writing.
A New Project
One of the projects I've had the pleasure to work on is a curriculum for our church called "Investig8 Life with Jesus." The curriculum has been used as part of our "New Believer's" children's classes.
I wrote the first draft we used in a class taught in December of 2013. Since then the workbook has continued to develop and grow. Wesley and I have taught the class at least four times in the last year and assisted another friend teach the material as well. In the last year God has graciously allowed us to share clearly the Gospel, explain basic theology, and explore what following Jesus looks like in our daily lives with more than fifty children between the ages of five and eleven.
The Beginning
Wesley and I had taught "Sunday School" for three years, sticking with the specific group as they were promoted each year. Once they graduated to the youth group we took a break, but were pretty sure we'd work with children again.
In the summer of 2014 we were asked if we once again would be interested in serving the children of our congregation. After considering how we might serve best we felt very interested in leading the "New Believer's Class" for kids interested in getting baptized.
As I looked through the material, I had to honestly tell the Children's Minister that I thought it was very disappointing. I looked for materials from other sources and nothing I came across really struck me as something I would use to disciple my own children. So I asked permission to try and come up with something original.
During the brainstorming, we thought about ways we have purposefully discipled our own children as well as what we would hope to do in the future. I knew that I wanted to clearly present the gospel and challenge their understanding of theology by introducing major themes of Christianity in a way kids could grasp them. I didn't want to shy away from difficult questions--or any questions for that matter. Let them ask!
Why did Jesus have to die to save us from our sins?
What is "sanctification" and how is it different from "salvation"?
What does the word "omnipotent" mean?
Do I have to be baptized? Why is it important?
My heart was for them to understand the Christian life was a process that would continue all their lives.
It also emphasized the idea that even though Christ alone is the one who saves us, we have a responsibility to seek, learn and grow in our knowledge of God. Because I grew up in a denomination that didn't offer any sort of confirmation or foundation of faith class, I was left to put all the (disconnected) Bible stories from Sunday School together and make sense of who God really was and what in the world he wanted with me.
With the belief that we often water down or even neglect important foundations of theology and doctrine, it is my genuine hope that God will use Investig8 to give our children firm roots that will grow deeply into His Truth.
Format
To tie the curriculum into the identity of our congregation I named it Investig8. The "8" is a pattern that had been established before in other ministries in our community: Integr8 (youth), Navig8 (elementary), and Cre8 (preschool/nursery).
After teaching the first class we felt it would be beneficial to separate the classes into Kindergarten through second grade and third grade through fifth grade. We modified the workbooks to suit the different ages as well: Investig8 Junior and Investig8. Although both workbooks are full of colorful pictures and spaces to draw or fill in blanks, these vary depending on the workbook.
A leaders' guide is also in the works so other adults and/or parents can facilitate the material. This includes facilitator notes, answers, activities, and other tips to assist anyone in leading the material. Ultimately, it is my hope to have many other resources built into this so anyone can access it and receive other kinds of support and tips.
Beginning in January we began to use the curriculum for the fifth graders in our church community on a weekly basis for the entire semester. This will allow for deeper conversations and more thorough teaching of the material. We are calling this format our "pilot" program but we believe there will be some amazing things that God will bring out of this class!
But even as all of this looks like it is unfolding, I will still "plan in pencil" and trust that God's plans are ultimately far more incredible than anything I could come up with.
