Last week I shared my definition of learning:
Learning is a relatively permanent
change in behavior,
based on experience.
(credit due to LeRoy Ford
for helping me with this wording)
change in behavior,
based on experience.
(credit due to LeRoy Ford
for helping me with this wording)
Let’s explore how
this might work in the life of a disciple. A child is born into a Christian
family; mom and dad are both Christ followers (disciples), and they raise their
child to love the Lord. This infant is brought to church, but understands
nothing of what happens there. However, it feels loved and accepted and safe.
Important learning in the Affective Domain!
As time passes, the
toddler comes to know many of the other children, and some of the youth and adults in the church. At the appropriate time,
the child leaves the nursery and sits with dad and mom in worship – and begins
to learn some new behaviors! Behaviors like how to be quiet and respectful, how
to fold hands, close eyes, and bow head during prayer, how to find songs in the
hymnal, how to find books in the Bible, and so on. Relatively permanent
changes in behavior, based on experience.
At some point, the
child begins to develop a conscience. This might begin around age 7. Many of my
seminary students have told me that they were saved at around age 7, 8, or 9.
What exactly happens when a child this young professes faith in Christ?
Well I don’t really
know, but here’s what I think: After a (short) lifetime of being loved and
nurtured in the Family of God, the Concrete Operational child (reference
Piaget’s stages of intellectual development) makes a conscious decision to
accept Christ and to become a Christ follower. A relatively permanent change
in behavior, based on experience.
As the child
continues to mature, and enters adolescence, a series of life changing
decisions is made. Decisions about who my friends will be, who my role models
will be, who I am, what I will do with my life. Relatively permanent changes
in behavior, based on experience.
The same analysis
and understanding can be applied to anyone who comes to faith in Christ and
then follows Christ into mature Christian adulthood. Take for example a woman
who came from a broken home and never heard the Gospel until she was 43 years
old. A coworker shares Christ with her, she explores Christ and makes a
decision to accept Christ and ask forgiveness of sin. Her life continues, but
on a brand new trajectory. A relatively permanent change in behavior, based
on experience.
There is no end to
examples of how this paradigm applies to discipleship and discipling. My big
point is simply this: We disciplers need a fresh view of learning and
how it factors into the life of the disciple. We can learn to share in the
normal, natural comings and goings of life so that others begin to experience
Christ and have some relatively permanent changes in behavior, based on those
experiences.
Peace, and good
discipling to you!
Of course these permanent changes in behavior based on experience in the example of the children came from being brought up in an environment of Christ-like love. Let's get out there and be beaming examples of Christ's love. The woman in her forties who comes to know Christ is probably not going to display permanent change in behavior without such support.
ReplyDeleteUnderstanding each stage and deciding what outcomes each church wishes to observe at each level will assist churches in the development of activities and curriculum to be used. Knowing the end helps you produce the beginning.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of forming habits. We intentionally make decisions and follow them until they become easier to follow, to then make additional decisions and follow. A great set of statements for accountability and continued growth.
ReplyDeletei thought noting the ages between 7 and 9 where children choose to follow Christ due to developmentally beginning to have a conscious was an interesting note. I do believe that these sound a lot like forming habits, we preform or do a task over and over until it becomes natural. I think that it is important to not that we are all continually learning and developing and as the church grows, it too will learn and develop.
ReplyDeleteIt would also need to be mentioned is that not everyone learns the same way. We cannot put individual learning in a box and say that is the end all. People of all ages learn in many different ways and that way is effected by culture, environment, economical status and so forth. This are good guides but to be used as guides not an end all way that everyone learns and comes to each level of learning.
ReplyDelete