Learning

“The goal isn’t learning, it’s the love of learning!” – Batterson, Mark.

Batterson in his book “Play the Man: Becoming the Man God Created You to Be” talks about the rite of passage for his son as he entered manhood. He gave his son a collection of reading materials as a requirement in the process. However, what caught my attention was Batterson’s explanation that giving such a list was not the goal of learning, but to encourage the love of learning. How many of us have a love for learning? 

I believe the greatest challenge that Christian Education departments in local churches face is encouraging the love of learning. Many churchgoers have very little knowledge of the development of Christianity as a religion. The bible stories of childhood, no longer remembered and the adoption of midrash version, inform their faith. They do not read the bible and current Christian writers with a critical eye and an interest in context. Their own experience and feeling is their depth. No wonder the church is dying and has been labeled as ineffective by others.

Maybe, our lack of a love for learning cornered us into circular fights around issues that the world has pushed passed.  Do you feel that your local church is stuck in past? What are the things that your church is doing to encourage the love of learning? What do your small groups look like?