OGUN BAPTIST CONFERENCE WORKERS’ SEMINAR FOR 2009. TOWARDS EFFECTIVE EDUCATIONAL MINISTRIES OF THE LOCAL BAPTIST CHURCH REV. E.A. AJAYI, GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH, ABEOKUTA.

 Introduction

God made the world before he made man Gen1:24-25.  This has made man to be in continuous search for knowledge about God, His creation and relationship.  Although it appear as if the more we know is the more there is to know, man and especially Christians must take teaching and learning process very seriously for the purpose of

1.  Sustaining what we already know and believe,

2.  Spreading the good knowledge to all, Mt. 28:19-20

3.  Improving on what we already know and how we make use of them to better fulfill the purpose of

     God for our lives.

4.  Discovering more new knowledge.  Prov. 24:3-5

EDUCATIONAL MINISTRIES IN THE LOCAL BAPTIST CHURCH

Many of our Church Organisations are educative in nature but the following are some specific educational ministries.

1.      Sunday School – This is the arm of the Church where the Bible is taught to its member in a setting that is less formal than the sermon in Worship Service on Sundays.

2.      Church Training Programme (C.T.P) This is a programme of the Convention designed to train members of the Local Church on doctrines and principles of the Baptists and contemporary issues in the society.

3.      Adult Education Programme – The Church attempt at giving adult members the opportunity to learn to read and write.

4.      Children Training Programme – This is the Church School designed to bring Children up Spiritually.

5.      Family life Education – The Church arm designed to educate the members on marriage and family issues.

THE CHURCH EDUCATION MINISTER

A minister is one who has a ministry.  Teaching ministry is an important ministry in the Church.  Sunday School teachers, C.T.P. Directors, Children Education workers and Adult education teachers are involved in teaching ministries of the Church.  They are expected to exhibit the following traits among others to be effective.

1.      Committed and consistent Christian life. Eccl. 12:12-13  II Tim 2:19.

2.      high quest for knowledge (study Bible, and other Christian Books)

3.      Faithful to God in discharge of their duties.  ICor. 4:2, Jer. 48:10

4.      Deligent in preparation and delivery of his/her lessons.  II Tim. 2:15.

5.      Self improvement through seminars, workshops and other training programmes. 

6.      An example within and outside the Church in punctuality, regularity, morality etc. I Tim 4:13-14.

7.      Understand the word apart from the letter and do what he/she teaches. IICor. 3:6.

ORGANISING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES OF THE CHURCH

The Education Minister should mind the following areas in organizing Educational Ministry in the Church.

1.      Class grouping – It could be by age or by status (literacy).  It must be appropriate.

2.      Class size – The fewer the better.  Maximum could be 20 people in a class.

3.      Sitting arrangement - The class should be arranged such that all members could see themselves.  Female members should be guided not to sit carelessly.

4.      Allocation of teachers to classes – Teachers should be carefully screened in terms of maturity and experience.

5.      Meeting date, meeting time, meeting duration, timing of the programme should suit majority of the people.  The class should not be too long to bore members and time should be well managed.

6.      Teaching the teacher(preparatory class) – It is not good enough to allow any teacher who is not part of the preparatory class to teach.  Preparation includes study, planning and praying.  All teachers are to have programme books of their own.

APPROACH TO TEACHING/LEARNING PROCESS

Teachers should carefully select method of teaching particular lessons.  The method should by dynamic and appropriate to the lesson.  The common “talk – talk” method should not dominate other methods that can be used include: Chalk-Board method, Demonstration method, Drama, use of resource persons, group discussions, paper presentation like of  electronic aids such as Radio or video etc., other aids can also be used to illustrate the lessons.  These include, Charts, Maps, real objects etc., Baptist people should be encouraged to make notes for reference after the class.

CHURCH EDUCATIONAL MINISTRY: A GROUP WITHIN A GROUP

On no account should a Church Education Minister work against or completely independent of the Pastor or the Church.  We are a group within a large group. Sometimes teachers are blessed by God with special Grace.  This is not to lead us to destroy the Church.  We ought to beware of antagonistic tendencies.  Members must not tempt us to rebel against Church leadership.  Num.12:2.

Church Educational Ministry has been found to bless the teachers as much as it blesses the members.  God will always reward faithful workers.  Gal. 6:8 Rev.22:12-13.

May the good Lord help us to be effective Education Ministers in Jesus Name.