Does God speak to you in unexpected ways? Say, while listening to the radio? Seven years ago I heard an NPR report on how cutting-edge classrooms are changing to fit our changing culture. This is where I first heard that teachers must shift from being “the sage on the stage” to “the guide by the side.” A few days ago, I heard another report on NPR about education. Only this time, it wasn’t a cutting-edge classroom. It was about a school district in bad shape, with low scores on state tests that weren’t improving. Then they accomplished a major turnaround.
Like the report seven years ago, I listened intently, making connections to church and discipling. What can this school district’s advancements teach us about how we train people in the Way of Jesus? Here are the quotes from the radio program, and why they matter:
Theories don’t cut it
From the NPR Reprt: “Joe Curtis is one of the superstar teachers, whose students tend to make big gains on the tests. He doesn’t talk about graduate school or professional development days. He talks about other teachers: talking to them, trying out their methods and watching them in action.” What if we did the same and spent time with effective disciple-makers? Here’s how we do it currently:
- First, the person wanting to become a pastor must get a seminary degree.
- In seminary, students learn various theories and approaches.
- After graduating and getting pastoral jobs, these people give weekly lectures.
Lectures are a fine way to impart raw information. But it’s not enough to make disciples who make other disciples. Information transfer isn’t enough, we need life transfer. Don’t tell me, show me.
Going solo doesn’t cut it
NPR: “Heather Long is a new teacher. Not only does she watch Curtis teach, he watches her and gives feedback and advice. They also plan lessons together. Curtis works with the veterans in his building too.” The report goes on to highlight a shift from teachers doing their own thing, to helping each other. It leads me to ask, “Are church services just a gathering of many Lone Rangers into one place?”
Sermons are mostly a one-way delivery. We think a good preacher offers a challenge for how to apply a teaching to your life. But then it’s up to you, on your own. Maybe you’ll get it, but probably not, because there’s no one coaching you. And you’re not coaching anyone else, either. It’s certainly not a team effort. North American Christianity suffers from excessive individualism, and there’s an entangled cause-and-effect relationship between that individualism and our sermon system:
- Preparation: One person researches and creates the message.
- Delivery: One person delivers a lecture to multiple people.
- Processing: Each person sits and listens to the message.
- Application: Each person is on their own to apply it to their lives.
Do you see how it’s about individual effort, even when we’re all gathered? Evangelicals are quick to criticize “Lone Ranger Christians” who have left the church. But are church services just a gathering of many Lone Rangers into one place, still largely isolated from each other?
Sermons don’t cut it
NPR: “Teacher Penny King says she and her colleagues have learned all kinds of new teaching techniques. One thing they’ve learned: Don’t lecture at the students. Their goal now is to get the kids thinking and talking.” God knows we don’t need more lectures. Deliver me from sitting still and listening to one person talks. And I’m an introvert. Sermons happen to be about spiritual topics, but they’re still lectures. That’s not to say they have no benefit. But a modern sermon is a lecture, with computerized slides. Just like at work.
That is, except when I heard the CEO of eBay address the rank-and-file engineers, he presented his vision of the future but then spent most of the time letting anyone ask questions. And instead of using a question as an opportunity to provide his quick answer and move on, he lingered on it. He explored it. He carried on an open conversation with the person who asked the question, and got input from others. And he took his time and did this for each question.
How do we move from monologue to dialog? How can we move from teaching informing our lives, to our lives informing the teaching?
Effective discipling: What is God telling us?
These were the things that struck me as I listened to the radio article on education. I’m reminded of what I read years ago in The Master Plan of Evangelism: Effective discipling isn’t a curriculum. It’s demonstrated. It’s imparted. And the torch is passed on. Read the accounts of Jesus. Pay attention to what he does, and how his disciples watch him. They ask him questions. He answers with more questions. Then he sends them out to do the same stuff he was doing. Then they come back to debrief.
I encourage you to listen to the radio report that caught my attention. Here’s a special challenge for pastors: Can you find someone who is an effective disciple-maker and shadow them for a week, or even 3-4 days? Even if you’re a good discipler, watching someone else in action will give you different insights.
