Confessions of a High School Bible Teacher
Theology from the perspective of High School Bible Teachers
Have you ever had an unproductive or damaging conversation about any of the following topics? Transgenderism. Supporting Donald Trump. Kneeling at the National Anthem. Charlottesville. Building a wall on the Mexican border. Las Vegas. Gun rights. War.
In this episode, Chris and Wayne talk about how to properly orient ourselves in conversations within the increasingly polarized political climate. How can Jesus help reframe our perspectives?
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Helicopter Parents, Mama Bears, and Uncut Umbilical Cords, oh my! In this episode, Chris and Wayne talk with psychologist and friend, Dr. Nate Turner about the relational triad between children, parents, and teachers. Listen as they discuss parental attachment, releasing control, and navigating conflict within that triad.
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Back to school! Does this phrase inspire depression or joy for you? In this episode, Chris and Wayne explore the emotional and spiritual impact of returning to the daily educational grind. They also share strategies for starting the year well, setting norms, and preparing students for meaningful learning experiences.
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“Doesn’t the Bible say…?” All too often, this phrase rears its head in Bible classes, life groups, and even our adult conversations. Chris and Wayne discuss some of their most common “Doesn’t the Bible say…?” questions and get to the root of why these questions are even asked.
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In Episode 3: Church and Competition, Wayne and I tossed around a few numbers as we estimated and hypothesized how many Christian denominations there are. Depending on how you are counting, the number can span anywhere from 300-30,000. This helpful article from National Catholic helps explain the conflicting data.
The World Christian Encyclopedia says “World Christianity consists of 6 major ecclesiastico-cultural blocs, divided into 300 major ecclesiastical traditions, composed [sic] of over 33,000 distinct denominations in 238 countries (Vol. I, p. 16).”
Also, as some of you picked up in podcast episode 3, there were probably some mixed signals sent. One listener pointed out that we were sort of sounding anti-institution toward the beginning, but then seemed to advocate for the benefits of “church life” in Christian schools (an institution with potentially more oversight and bureaucracy than local churches). As we wrestle with some of these topics, one of our main motives is to get thoughts brewing, and to open cans of worms that perhaps have remained sealed on the shelf too long. So please, help us continue the conversation and keep sending us your thoughts and feedback (commenting on the website, tweeting, or Facebook). We need your brains to sort out this muddled can of worms!
Churches and parachurch organizations (like Christian schools) sometimes find themselves competing for members, marketshare, and money. In this episode, Chris and Wayne explore the difficult and complicated nature of those spaces where local churches and parachurch organizations overlap. Listen as we ask: What is the Church? How do Christian schools fit into that bigger picture? And what happens when churches and organizations operate within a capitalistic system and worldview?
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My friend Jen asked me, “So, what’s the deal with this podcast? What are you doing?” She is definitely not the only person who has asked me this question. In fact, when we started, Chris and I had to ask ourselves why would producing such a podcast even be worthwhile? The original impetus was to produce something for people like us, people who find themselves in the interesting world of Christian education with teenagers. Essentially what we realized is that Christian school teachers and students needed a space where they could explore their own theology, grow in the way they frame their discussions with students, and have a couple of voices out there talking about the things they encounter in their world.
In the United States alone, there are about 14,000 Christian Schools (Catholic or Protestant) connected to different private school associations. These schools account for over 3 million students and about 250,000 teachers. We wanted to make space at the theological discussion table for those who grow up, teach, and raise children in this unique educational faith context. While the topics we discuss will definitely apply to those who never attended or taught at a Christian school, our primary lens through which we choose and approach topics will be through the Christian school lens.
Shalom,
Wayne