A few weeks ago, I was asked by a long-time Christian educator what trends were emerging in Christian education. Little did he know that trend-watching is a subject I took a significant interest in many years ago, so I was more than happy to respond with a list of some of the trends I am watching or expecting to develop. Each of the ten trends below has implications for faith formation in your congregation, so I encourage you to take this list and discuss it with your ministry boards and staff.  In truth, some of these trends have been around for several years now, I'd say, but they are beginning to move from the larger congregations to the mid-sized and smaller churches. 

After you read my list, post a comment and tell me about the Christian education trends you are noticing in your corner of the world. Agree or disagree, I'd love to hear your opinion! (I'll run a Part 2 with some additional trends based on your feedback and ideas.) 

What makes Sunday School at a progressive church different than Sunday School at other churches? Given that there are limited options available for progressive curriculum, particularly for children, in many cases progressive congregations are using “mainstream curriculum”. (We await, with anticipation, the children’s curriculum being developed by The Center for Progressive Christianity.) Therefore, it is not the curriculum that is used in Sunday School, but the manner in which it is taught that sets a progressive Sunday School ministry apart from its counterparts.

Our motto at Different Voice is: “Embrace life. Nurture Spirituality. Inspire change.” These are also worthy goals for a progressive Sunday School ministry. In this three part series, I will explore in more depth what this might look like.

Several of the programs on my computer open with a pop-up window informing me of the “tip of the day”. Every time I use the program I am offered short, concise information about the program’s capabilities, possibilities or time-saving shortcuts. Some of these tips contain information that I either already know, or do not need. However, many times, I am reminded of something that I knew at one time or I learn something new! I admit that I usually don’t watch the tutorials or read the “getting started” information when I put a new program on my computer, but I do read these tips. It only takes a short amount of time to read the tip or to close the window when the information does not apply to the way I use the program.

The start of the year is a perfect time to evaluate your Christian education model. You'll need plenty of time to make significant changes, so starting an evaluation process in January will help you to be ready to launch something new in August or September. Your Christian education model is composed of several parts, including your:

• assumptions about and theology of faith formation
• plan or process for “doing” the ministry of Christian education
• curriculum you use or develop
• training plan for your teachers and leaders
• process for the administrative details of communication, tracking involvement, and evaluation

Most Christian educators understand that the members of their congregations do not learn in the same way, have the same developmental and spiritual needs, or have the same level of moral reasoning. Stage theories of development are useful tools for tailoring teaching methods and making sure you offer a variety of different kinds of activities. I have also found that in progressive congregations, there are frequently several groups of adults, each with their own familiarity with and acceptance of progressive spirituality, and their educational needs or interests vary as well. Here are 7 of them...

December is an exciting time to teach Sunday School. The Christmas story is familiar to most children and they enjoy celebrating Christmas. Part of the reason that children enjoy Christmas is that they like getting presents. I had a second grade boy tell me this week, “The best part of Christmas is getting new toys!” Although some of this behavior is age-appropriate, it does present a challenge for Sunday School teachers. How do you keep the “gimmes” under control and help the children in your Sunday School class realize that there is more to Christmas than getting presents?

Have you ever been in a church meeting that went on and on with little being accomplished? Meetings like that are often evidence that the members are afraid to fail. Ever seen a teacher who literally reads every classroom instruction directly from the curriculum? Again, that behavior is frequently rooted in a fear of failure. "Failure sucks, but instructs" is a motto that Bob Sutton, Professor of Management Science and Engineering at Stanford University, often tells his students. But just what does failure teach us, and how do we ensure that our teachers and leaders a) know it's OK to fail and b) learn the right things from their failures?

"Failing forward" is a popular term in business circles. The idea is that you aren't learning anything if you keep making the same mistakes again and again. (Sounds a lot like my golf swing!) But if you make new and different mistakes, then that's evidence that you are doing and learning something new, because failure is a natural part of life. So, we need to "fail forward," to be ready to goof up and then learn—quickly—from our mistakes.

Going off on a tangent. Chasing rabbit trails. Veering off course. Whatever the terminology, all teachers are familiar with the reality that discussions often get off topic. What's a teacher to do when that happens? Go with the flow, ignore the off-topic comments, force the conversation back to the main topic, or something else entirely? Knowing how to deal with tangents is a skill that is acquired with experience.

Sometimes, tangents take the conversation in a more serious or personal direction, such as when a youth group begins to open up and share personal stories and raw emotions. When that happens, the wise teacher may, if time allows, set aside the planned conversation in favor of the more pressing need. At other times, tangents are clearly superfluous, and a good leader will recognize that and redirect the conversation.

But often, teachers may have a valid reason for wanting to keep a group on topic in order to keep discussions from becoming frivolous or argumentative. In addition, tangents can take a discussion in a direction for which a teacher has not had adequate time to prepare, such as when someone brings up a question about a biblical passage or topic that the teacher has not studied.

In the minds of many, Christian Education is synonymous with Sunday School. Certainly Sunday School is one place that Christian Education takes place. But many more opportunities for Christian Education exist! Besides the Sunday School classroom, where else does Christian Education occur?

To consider this question, it may be helpful to begin by defining what Christian Education is and reviewing its purpose. It is likely that every person involved in Christian Education would offer a slightly different definition and purpose. Here are my ideas. (I invite you to offer your own ideas by posting a comment.)

Many churches give their Sunday School teachers (and other volunteers) a gift at Christmastime. If your church does this, now is a good time to begin thinking about the gifts you will give this year. If your church has not given Sunday School teachers a Christmas gift before, this year is a good time to begin. By Christmas, your teachers have been giving of their time on Sunday mornings for four months. Christmas is a good opportunity to remind them their efforts are appreciated!