Searching the Scriptures

In Psalm 145, we find the Psalmist considering the greatness of God, and he underscores the
importance of meditating on His works:
3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; And His greatness is unsearchable.
4 One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts.
5 I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, And on Your wondrous works.

One powerful way through which we can do that is to read God's Word and see how He has operated in the past and also to learn the principles that illustrate for us how He desires to move in our lives today.  Bible stories can teach us much about the character of God, and as we read for the purpose of learning more about Him and His nature, we can discover reliable principles that we can integrate into how we live our lives each day.

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In the book of Joshua, we read the instructions that God gave to him as he prepared to lead the nation
of Israel. In Joshua 1, we see these words:
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

Yes, it has been one of those time-honored rites of summer for churches and for children who not only attend church, but also to those who do not.  It's Vacation Bible School, which, according to a Christianity Today story about an innovative partnership between schools and VBS leaders in Louisville, Kentucky, was started by Mrs. Walker Aylette Hawes in the 1890s for the benefit of immigrant children living in poor neighborhoods in New York City.

John Marshall, chief equity officer for the Jefferson County Public School system in Louisville, is part of the "15K Degrees Initiative," a partnership of Louisville schools, churches, and other local groups aimed at helping more African-Americans in that city earn college degrees. Only 14 percent currently have degrees, according to organizers, compared to about 20 percent of African Americans nationwide.

One of Marshall’s main challenges is combatting the “summer slide.” Students from minority and low-income backgrounds have a greater risk of learning loss during the summer than their wealthier classmates. Researchers say it’s one of the biggest factors driving the achievement gap between the two groups.

Growing up, Marshall was inspired by one of his Sunday School teachers, who was also an English teacher and read Bible stories to the class, then led students to uncover their literary themes using plot and Venn diagrams.  Marshall states, “She was an English teacher, and she’d ask us, ‘What is the metaphorical meaning behind Jonah and the whale?’ ‘When were you in the belly of a whale?’ ‘Who are the Delilahs today?’” 

So with that Biblical background and desire to see more students succeed academically, Marshall has been involved in trying to integrate educational standards into VBS curriculum. This year, 25 VBS and Sunday school leaders from about 20 churches—mostly African American—were trained by JCPS officials at the city’s Urban League at the beginning of June.   

During the training, facilitators read a passage about Jesus’ disciples and then asked participants to write a description of them in their own words. Among other suggestions: doing addition or multiplication exercises to calculate the number of animals entering Noah’s ark.

One VBS teacher quoted in the article tried the approach with her 8- to 10-year-olds on Sunday mornings. She recently taught a lesson about Jesus’ baptism and subsequent temptation in the desert. She divided the students into small groups, where they discussed the passage, summarized the story, and then presented it back to the class.

Yes, because the standards are the oft-criticized Common Core, you could criticize the approach.  I will say this: CT reports that academic improvement has been seen in the state since it adopted the standards.

Al Mohler, President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, expresses a further concern - he said, "The real issue here is not a controversy over Common Core, but an urgent concern for the teaching of the Bible,” adding, “If the church allows Vacation Bible School to be redefined as a refresher course for some other curriculum, the church will have lost its way.”

But, Kevin Jones, an education professor at Boyce College, SBTS’s undergraduate school, and former public school teacher, praised the program for engaging churches—and at the same time serving students, parents, and teachers. Taking part in the training sessions could give church leaders a chance to share their faith with school officials, he said.

So, there just might be an upside here.  And, we can be reminded about the importance of not only learning stories from the Bible, but also making application in our own lives, just as Marshall was saying that his Sunday School teacher challenged him to do.   It has been said that in the early days of our country, that the Bible was a primary device through which people learned to read - period.  You hear about missions efforts in which children are being taught to read, based on God's Word.  To me, this Louisville pilot program could be considered as a throwback to times past.  And, as the Christianity Today article points out, in a way, Marshall is attempting to take VBS back to its roots.

We have learned the stories, perhaps you've memorized verses, and maybe even read the New Testament or the entire Bible in a year.  A challenge for each of us is to carefully consider the Scriptures - to meditate upon them and intentionally think about and even strategize how we can apply the Scriptures; in other words, think, "how can I take this principle and integrate it into my life?"  In so doing, we renew our minds and can be strengthened in our Christian life.