Christian Education Europe - Weekly Blog #christianeducationblog

How Much Do We Need Each Other In Christian Education?

Thu, 26 Nov 2020 13:32:57 +0000

Steve Beegoo has recently been appointed as Head of Education for Christian Concern and highlights the importance of mutual encouragement…

I was sitting at my desk when I received the email last week. “I am overwhelmed with your kindness… Thank you!”. Then a little later from someone else, “Thank you for your prayers, I really appreciate that especially as I have had a hospital procedure this week - very timely!”. My own encouragement of others comes back to encourage me!

As a trainee teacher I was overwhelmed, and almost destroyed, by the amount of criticism which was the standard vernacular of the teacher trainers. When in my early days as a teacher, the ‘robust’ criticism of Ofsted set a fear inducing atmosphere for so much of school life. Yet, there were always those who brought Christianencouragement. En- courage-ment. Putting in courage! And the value of this, is incalculable for those of us in education…

When I spoke at the Christian Education (CEE) conference two years ago, the sense of mutual encouragement around was a powerful dynamic. I find this in courageous Christian communities, and schools all around the world. The distinctive flavour of Christian encouragement, which multiplies courage, is not the bland flattery which forever shuns from facing issues, nor is it the ‘please-like-me’ platitudes given to curry favour. No. Christian encouragement is deeply real, and deeply needed. This kind of encouragement has given me courage and sustained me, in very challenging times, because it is divine. And it multiplies itself!

Paul, in Ephesians 4, explains a wide range of gifts and abilities needed in the ventures of the kingdom. In speaking about teaching, he encourages the Ephesians with this: “Speaking the truth, in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by everysupporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Ephesians 4 v 15-16; NIV 1984).

We tend to understand that there are different gifts, and different parts to ‘the body’, and that they all have a part to play in our ventures for Christ. But in this passage there is also a revelation that what we say to each other, ‘speaking the truth, in love,’ as we are equipped by Christ, will have the effect of holding us together through the supporting ligaments of relationship that you and I can cultivate. Deep attachment, formed through divinely inspired encouragement. As each of us do our work in this truth-speaking in love, the body holds together and is built up. How are your supporting ligaments of love? As you bring divinely inspired encouragement to another person, so others in turn bring that to you. Are you being divinely encouraged and equipped through others?

Another equally good translation of the word ‘supporting’ is ‘supplying’. As we are connected to the Head, we supply each other through strong relationships. The gifts of skilful apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, connected to the Head, can equip us and supply us, so that through great teaching and encouragement we can all mature into all that God has for us. And as we actively seek to be encouragers, suppliers to others, so this comes back to us and we all benefit.

But even without these events, there is something we can all respond to today. Can you choose to see, what God sees, in a child, a colleague, a friend or a family member? Bring divine encouragement by simply naming it in them, thanking them and thereby honouring God for who they are, as much as for what they have done.

May your supplying ligaments strengthen you in these months ahead! May you not only ‘hold together’, but grow and be built up in love. May you receive from the great people God is giving you opportunity to connect with, so that joy-filled courage may sustain you.

The link to the ‘Further Up Further In’ conference can be found here.

F A I R

Thu, 05 Nov 2020 12:09:08 +0000

Fairness—or equity—is integral to God’s character and His dealings with humanity.

"With righteousness He shall judge the world, And the peoples with equity." - Psalm 98:9.

If evolution were true, then fairness would not exist as it is based on survival of the fittest, and good moral behaviour only counts as an expedient to 'perpetuate the species’. So the fact that there is a sense of ‘fair play’ points to a higher calling for humanity than just living out animal instincts.

The enemy of God on the other hand is intrinsically unfair. He doesn’t play by the rules. He distorted the Word of God to Adam and Eve. He inspired false accusations against Naboth, John the Baptist, the Apostle Paul and the Lord Jesus. And against William Tyndale and the many saints described in Foxes Book of Martyrs. And against many Christians today accused of hate speech for faithfully testifying to the gospel of salvation from sin through repentance.

There is another dimension to God’s fairness which goes beyond human reasoning. God is more than fair. He gives us salvation we don’t deserve (definition of Grace) and does not give us the judgment we do deserve (definition of Mercy). He receives the prodigal son back home. He pays the worker a full day’s wage when he has only been hired at the end of the day. He credits righteousness apart from works. "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God." - 1 John 3:1

So, how should we react? Like the unmerciful servant who has been forgiven much but then goes back and throttles someone who owes him little? No, we should adopt God’s measure of fairness. Forgive 70 times 7. Love our enemies. Shout from the rooftops the gospel of salvation. To do any less would not be fair.

S T E A D F A S T

Thu, 03 Sep 2020 21:33:07 +0000

Change is, as the saying goes, inevitable.

Circumstances change. Seasons come and go. Government leaders step up and stand down. Schools open and close. People in our lives move on. And we ourselves change… we grow, we move, we adapt.

BUT in all this change – some of which can be scary – we can be at peace and be assured of this: that God never changes (Malachi 3:6), and His Word remains forever (1 Peter 1:25). It might be helpful in these ever-changing times to remind ourselves of some of the attributes of God:

God is eternal. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:17)
God is omnipresent (everywhere, all the time). Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? ... you are there! (Psalm 139:7-8)
God is wise. Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! (Rom.11:33)
God is good. For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. (Psalm 100:5)
God is merciful. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:4-5)
God is holy. There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God. (1 Samuel 2:2)
God is faithful. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:24)
God is STEADFAST! Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

Steadfast means: resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering. God is firm and unwavering; He is our rock!

Interestingly, not only is God steadfast, but He calls us to be steadfast too.

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labour is not in vain.
(1 Corinthians 15:58)

So, how can we remain immovable in a very ‘movable’ world? How do we remain firm and unwavering in the face of challenges?

Keep our eyes on Jesus. (Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Chronicles 16:11)
It's easy to be distracted by everything that is going on around us – COVID 19, natural disasters, protests, unrest – and it is easy to become discouraged by these circumstances. In these times, we should remember where our hope is found, where our strength comes from, and turn our eyes upward. Like Jehoshaphat facing a battle he couldn't see a way out of (2 Chronicles 20), let's respond by turning to God and setting our eyes on Him – and He will lead us to victory.
Spend time in God's Word. (Proverbs 30:5; Psalm 119)
We all know we should be reading God’s Word daily, but how often do we follow through? And when we do, do we approach it as a task to be completed or as an opportunity to hear from God and be encouraged and equipped to live in this ever-changing world? Are we allowing our faith to grow down deep and be firmly rooted in Christ (Colossians 2)? God’s Word has the ability to revive the soul, give wisdom, make our hearts rejoice and enlighten our eyes (Psalm 19). Let’s rush to read it and meditate on it every day!
Stay on our knees. (Ephesians 6:18; James 5:13; Matthew 5:44)
We should never underestimate not only the power of prayer – but what the act of prayer accomplishes in us. Prayer is not about long, flashy sentences or loud exclamations. It is about humbling ourselves before God and genuinely taking the time to speak with Him, sharing our cares and concerns as well as our joys and triumphs. And as we do, we are strengthened and our faith grows. And we find we are able to keep going, to be firm in our convictions and our calling.
Focus on sharing the Gospel. (Matthew 28:18--28)
We have a sure and steadfast hope, an anchor for our souls (Hebrews 6). We know that we have eternal life because of Jesus’ work on the cross, His resurrection and His amazing grace towards us. How can we not share this hope with those we meet? When we encounter people who are disillusioned or confused, let's not shy away from sharing this great gift with them but boldly offer them the grace that we have so freely received.

So, as we step into this new month, a new season – and for some the start of the new academic year – let’s do it with our focus in the right place and hearts committed to being unwavering in the good works which God has called us to do. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

May we remain steadfast, confident in the hope that we have a steadfast God!

My heart is steadfast, O God,

my heart is steadfast!

I will sing and make melody!

Psalm 57:7

Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

D E T E R M I N E D

Thu, 09 Jan 2020 13:00:00 +0000

adj. having made a firm decision and being resolved not to change it

This time of year people are all about starting fresh. They make plans for their lives. Resolutions. Goals.

They rehash old dreams, conjure up new ones.

Hope for the future seems to appear out of nowhere.

All the mantra's get posted and paraded:

This year we will live a healthy lifestyle, this year we will achieve the grades we want,

this year we will travel, we will meet that creative goal.

Everything lost in the old year has been born again in the new.

Then real life happens.

The adrenaline-like effect of New Year wears off, and motivation becomes that mysterious character who lingers in the back of your mind as a nice idea. The school work you planned to crack on with with a new vigour has become a mountain of boredom that you don't want to think about. Money is tight in January, so you can't afford to buy those healthy meals, or pay for gym membership, and then it just doesn't happen. And so on, and so forth....

There is this saying: Without doubt, there is no faith.

Well, without determination, you don't have a realistic goal.

What is a goal or resolution? It's a challenge to reach further, to aim higher, to go beyond what you have achieved before.

And to follow through with that, what do you need?

Answer: Determination

Determination is KEY in being successful in reaching your goals. It is an attitude that you have to nurture, until it becomes part of you. It is the characteristic that will take you from being a goal setter to a goal achiever. In fact, goal setting and determination should go hand in hand, paired from the beginning, the perfect combo.

So, how do you nurture determination in your life?

Here are a few suggestions:

1. Be thankful for what you already have.

Setting goals should not come from a place of greed, but rather, from a place of hope.

Step back, look at what you have already received and achieved, what you have already been able to do.

Take some joy in what you have accomplished in the past.

Be assured by remembering what God has already enabled in your life.

2. Trust God to guide you.

Having support is invaluable when you are aiming to achieve something.

If you have people who are there for you and in your corner, you are #blessed.

Unfortunately, there are times when people let you down -- it's inevitable.

That's why before you go to people, go to God.

God will give you vision and fuel your determination in a way that nobody else can.

His limitless love for you will settle your spirit and always remind you how valuable and precious you are.

In every situation, whether you are at full steam ahead or on a downer (which happens), He will be there.

With every dream and aspiration, go to Him. Sometimes, what we want and what He wants for us are two different things.

One thing is for sure, what He wants for us is what we were created to do, and when we agree to do what we are created

to do, determination is never far away.

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him. - Psalm 28:7

3. Find someone to be accountable to.

Once you've got things sorted with God, find someone who you trust to share your goal with.

This could be a relative, teacher, mentor, or friend.

Being accountable to someone will help you to meet your goals.

Why?

Because you are human. There are times when you will want to give up.

Having someone there who is invested in your life and wants to see you develop will not only encourage you,

it will also give you a person who will motivate you when you don't have the motivation within yourself.

Remember, it is a privilege to have someone to be accountable to. Don't take this lightly.

Listen to them, accept their encouragement -- and their criticism -- and be thankful for the time they give to you.

4. Give yourself a break

If you are on the verge of giving up, take heart: Rome wasn't built in a day.

In any project you have, remind yourself that it takes time to become a master of something.

If you're tired or frustrated, don't give up on your goals; just have a break.

Spend some time seeking God, go for a walk, take a nap. Being burned out never helped anyone.

You are ALLOWED to rest. In fact, God encourages it.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.

He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. - Psalm 23: 1-3

In conclusion:

Nurture your determination by being thankful, trusting in God's guidance, having accountability, and giving yourself a break when you need it.

Then, with that determination, OWN those 2020 goals and resolutions!

Comment below on what you do to grow determination in your own life.