Starting Religious Education at an Older Age
The Church has experienced a decade or more of decline. That means that if it is doing its job many new Christians are coming to know religion as adults. They have no experience in Sunday School, Vacation Church School, family tradition, or years as part of a worshiping community.
Teaching “church” to adults can be a challenge. New Christians can have passion but the foundation can be shaky.
One new young adult member was very passionate. Out came the Bible in every meeting venue. He flipped through the Bible with ease and found answers to every question facing the community. He became increasingly frustrated that older members did not respond to his approach. “It’s in the Bible!” Passion grew with frustration. He flipped even faster through the Old Testament and found all the passages revealing a vengeful God. He became more and more critical of other members. Worship became a target. “You need to spend more time on your knees and less time singing,” he declared. The entire church was beginning to walk on eggshells. A member, at last, took him aside and walked him through the worship service. “We start every service on our knees,” he pointed out. He showed him the progression of a typical liturgical service from confession to absolution, to hearing God’s word culminating in the message of God’s love in the New Testament, to our responses of praise, to the prayers for the whole people of God, to the benediction and sending of worshipers into the world to serve. He delivered several hours of catechism in a ten-minute discussion. It may have been too late to satisfy this seeker’s religious needs.
How do congregations, eager for new members, introduce the newly initiated into the complex world of religion? How do we help them grow in faith at a pace that will foster love and service without frustrating them and the community of believers?
“That’s easy,” might be the answer for larger churches. You hold new member training. But smaller churches are getting by with minimal commitment of clergy — often with pastors who do little more than lead worship. If we are to welcome adults into church all churches must consider a plan for initiating new members into church life.
We’ll explore this topic and welcome input from readers.