Last week Friday night I had the opportunity to help my uncle Leon Mulder in the pits during his races in Rock Rapids. Now, I’m not sure if this is true in all classes, but the modified cars have an incredible rear end suspension system that allows a driver to adjust it to any kind of track condition. In addition to all of those possible adjustments, Leon also brought several different sizes of tires to help make the car handle more smoothly in the corners. Well, after placing third in his heat, and based on the fairly dry track conditions, Leon decided to change one tire, two linkages, as well as adding 17 ½ pounds of weight to the left side of his car. After we finished making the adjustments to his car, he said to me, “Either this thing is going to fly, or it’s going to be so bad I won’t be able keep it on the track.”
The point of the experience for me was that Leon was willing to take a risk on trying something different in hopes of having an even more effective car for the feature race.
When thinking of risk, I began thinking of the risk that the Education Committee is taking by trying something new in its discipleship process. Beginning on Sunday September 9, we are going to try an intergenerational Sunday school class. In connecting multiple generations in a learning environment, we are hoping not only to bridge the gap in generations, but also to develop additional friendships within community of faith. As a trial run for this fall semester, we are going to combine ages 10th-12th – all adults, as we “Continue the Conversation” which will include a discussion of our Fall series of Pastor Mike’s messages on A God Centered Church.
Actually this process is nothing new, in fact, this method is probably more Biblical than our current method of discipleship. Intergenerational education was the primary method of learning at least as far back as David, as he writes in Psalm 78:1-8, “1 O my people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth.2 I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things, things from of old—3 what we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us. 4We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done.5 He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children,6 so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children.7 Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. 8 They would not be like their forefathers —a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him.”
So parents and grandparents, our hope is that you won’t be too shy to risk joining our 10th through 12th graders. And for the 10th, 11th and 12th graders, this doesn’t mean you can skip Sunday School. I honestly believe this can become a very effective means of building community together as we continue the conversation about who we are, who God is, and what he wants to do through our lives. Oh yeah, and don’t worry, Harold Ver Steeg and Cheryl Fey are going to facilitate the discussion which will be held in the Fellowship Hall. You won’t want to miss it!
Oh, and still wondering how our adjustments worked on Leon’s race car. Let’s just say, I’m sure this Sunday School class will have a greater chance at finishing better than Leon did.
Risking it all for the Kingdom, Mike