Faith formation in children during COVID-19
An important truth that confronts us is this: COVID-19 impact does not excuse us from loving God.
It does not excuse us to seek first the Kingdom of God.
Advertisement
It does not excuse us from loving our neighbour.
It does not excuse us from loving children.
It does not excuse us from responding to Jesus’ invitation to bring the children to Him.
Love for Christ, for neighbour, for children requires that during the COVID-19 pandemic, we still engage diligently in the ministry of faith formation in children.
Martin Luther says during the epidemic “Christian pastors cannot abandon their congregations. The plague does not dissolve our duties”.
So, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sunday School teachers cannot abandon our posts and our duties of Faith Formation in children.
In fact, an essential ministry dictum is this: “Faith formation in children must first be a passion before it becomes a programme”.
That was the spirit of Paul in Galatians 4:1(Amplified): “My little children, for whom I am again in [the pains of] labour until Christ is (completely and permanently) formed within you”.
A Set of Key Considerations for Faith Formation During COVID-19 and After: It is extremely important to: think outside the box, innovate, re-engineer and step forward to take action:
• Rethink
• Redesign
• Retrain
• Re-evaluate (what should we be measuring?)
• Re-reproduce (2 Timothy 2:2)
a.Rethink:
• Rethink our God-given Vision & Mission for Faith Formation during COVID-19. The Great Commandment and the Great Commission still hold during COVID-19.
• Rethink after the Lord Jesus on Faith Formation Ministry (see John 4:34, ESV; John 14:66; Luke 22:41&42)
• Rethink after the Apostle Paul on Faith Formation (1 Timothy 2:3-6; 2 Timothy 2:2; 2 Timothy 4:2; Acts 2:24)
• Rethink after the Apostle Peter on Faith Formation Lifestyle and Ministry. (1 Peter 1:6&7; 13-15)
• Rethink and Reflect again on a continuing Challenge and critical necessity for Faith Formation ministry (Galatians 4:19)
b. Redesign
• Redesign Curriculum content.
• Relevance of content is important. E.g.: the 5 regular questions on thinking biblically about COVID-19:
- Will God protect us?
- Why is outbreak of Coronavirus disease happening?
- Is this God’s judgement?
- Does sin cause illness?
- Are these the End times?
And “How do we keep hope alive in the children?”
• Redesign content presentation format: leverage technology use and apply multi-digital formats for presentations. (Compare with introduction of E-learning platform on National Television by the Ministry of Education)
• Hybrid approach (of both Non digital /print and Digital presentation) is highly recommended.
• Ensure IT/Data disadvantaged children are not left out!
c. Retrain
- Plan on re-equipping Sunday School Teachers/ Leaders for effective Faith Formation ministry.
- Determine skills gaps and organise appropriate training to develop Sunday School Teachers. eg being IT savvy.
- Re-emphasise training or Sunday School Teachers’ continued growth in authentic Christian spirituality.
Becoming Christ-like is a lifelong pursuit.
As Sunday School Teachers, who we are in Christ and how Christ-like we are becoming is more important than what we do in the Church or Christian organisation!
d. Re-evaluate
What are we measuring? What should we measure?
• The bottom line is whether the lives of children are being changed? Are we noticing transformation?
How properly can we monitor children that are experiencing changed lives and offer appropriate spiritual guidance and help?
• What percentage of your target group are actually being reached on your IT/digital platforms?
• What additional value does a “hybrid approach” give to ministry outcomes?
• Are some children being left behind? Why? In what innovative ways can we help them?
e. Re- reproduce
“You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.” (2 Timothy 2:2, NLT).
This Bible verse speaks of four generations of Faith Formation leaders.
Paul (the one writing): his disciple, Timothy (the person he is writing to); the “reliable people” Timothy will teach in his church; and those “others”, the people who will teach about Jesus and his ways.
It is a beautiful picture of how multiplication works.
Who are the next generations of effective Sunday School Teachers?
Are you planning for and working on them?
Think legacy and think about fruit that lasts.
“You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.” (John 15:16, NLT)
“The Church is always just one or two generations away from extinction”.
The current generation of children will be the leaders of the Church and state in the future.
What we do in faith formation with these children in our homes, in the churches and in the public education system will determine the strength, vitality and quality of leadership in the Church and Public Service and Politics in the years to come.
(The author is the President of Africa Bible Centre for Disciple-making; an International Conference Speaker and former CEO of Scripture Union. [email protected])
