Developing Unshakable Faith
Welcome to 2021.
For some of you it’s the beginning of a new academic year; for others it is a half-way point in the school year journey. I trust that you all enjoyed a time of celebration and reflection over the Christmas period.
Families and communities around the majority of the world stop everything to celebrate Christmas. Sure, for some people, it may just be tradition, or a welcome break from work; but the truth is that the birth of Christ changed the world and its people forever. The coming of the incarnate Christ reset history and reset the world clock. Santa did not reset the calendar; Jesus did!
The birth of Christ was the visual beginning of the most hope-filled event that has occurred in history. It had always been the Father’s eternal plan to redeem and restore His people; at Christmas we celebrate Christ’s earthly journey to activate that redemption of His people and restore them to a glorious relationship with the Father.
The coming of Christ brought Grace, Truth, Mercy, Meaning, Purpose, Identity and Hope.
How do we continually represent the truth of redemption to our young people through all that we do in the vocation of education? How do we live out the truth that the Triune God is engaged with every moment of our lives, every thought, and every action?
We want to look at some of the research about the faith journeys of young people; we want to critique ways that we might nurture and guide young people into meaningful and life changing faith.
So, this semester we will pose many questions, consider possibilities so that we can exercise our discipling responsibilities faithfully.
“I wish, my brothers and sisters, that during this year you may live nearer to Christ than you have ever done before.
Depend upon it, it is when we think much of Christ that we think little of ourselves, little of our troubles, and little of the doubts and fears that surround us.” (Charles Spurgeon)
To set the context for this semester we plan to develop some ideas and some conversations that relate to the reasons why some of our young people have their faith shaken and what we can do about it.
We will look at some research, some anecdotal situations, some suggestions as to how we might address the issue. We will discuss these areas, not with despair, but with great hope.
Blessings for the year ahead
Brian