Mid-Life Church Crisis

Post due by 11/1 class:

Consider this excerpt from an article on Christianity Today (see http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/september/midlife-church-crisis.html for full article):

"A while ago, my husband and I went to a newcomers’ luncheon at a church we were considering attending. We watched as church staff, almost all in their early- to mid-30s, schmoozed with the young families. While I recognize the demands at these types of events, only one staff member connected with the newcomers who were obviously the oldest people in the room. We left the gathering feeling like we’d become an anachronistic punch line.

I’ve had one too many conversations with empty-nester peers about what it’s like to go to church once our kids are grown and gone. Our midlife crisis of faith came from questioning not our beliefs, but our role in the body of Christ."

Consider our discussion of Fowler's predicted faith stage for midlife adults, and your understanding of their developmental concerns according to Fowler. How does this complaint fit with what we know about this life stage? How might the church intervene?

Mental Illness and the Church

Post due by 10/25 Class:

Rob Lee, in his call to action for the church, states that the church must speak a Gospel of Resurrection for people suffering with mental illness. He goes on to say: For the church to proclaim this sort of resurrection it will require a sort of “coming out.” Clergy will have to proclaim from the pulpit their own struggles with mental illness; church members will have to have honest conversations with each other surrounding their own experiences. For this is part of resurrection — a realization that the worst is behind us, and that no matter what the future holds we can face it with a peace and a hope that may have eluded us for so long.

(See http://www.abpnews.com/opinion/commentaries/item/29069-time-for-the-church-to-respond-to-the-mental-health-crisis for whole article.)

Consider our discussion of human and faith development thus far. How might people's decisions to share about their experiences with mental illness (whether personal or familial) be impacted by developmental needs and/or faith stage?

Children's Definition's of Faith

Post due by 10/18

Take a look at this video: Children's Definitions of Faith. Reflecting on Fowler's stages of development, which stages do you think these children exemplify? You can pick a particular child, or talk about them as a whole.

Engaging Different Learning Styles

Post due by 10/11 Class

Let's say that you have these two learners, and  you are trying to teach about the process of salvation:

First, Identify the learning styles that each of the two learners is exhibiting. Second, how might you design a short lesson that would help both of these learners to grasp the concept?