Resources for Christian Education

Chaos and the Kingdom

Using six well-known Bible stories, Chaos and the Kingdom identifies different symbols of chaos in those Bible stories and highlights our typical responses to the chaos and the unintended results of those responses. The chapters then reveal the spiritual path that God offers the people in the story to rise above the chaos and experience the new creation of God's kingdom.

The book is designed for use in a 7-session, small group setting, but is accessible to the individual reader as well. At the end of each chapter, there is a suggested outline to structure the class, including discussion questions related to the chapter’s contents. To see that the book is written with the same style and insight you've come to expect and appreciate from rfour.org material, previews are available on the book's website: chaosandthekingdom.com/chapters.html

Adult Christian Education Resources

While the bulk of the Christian education resources I have developed and shared on rfour.org are mostly focused on the K-12th grade age range, it is also important to me to write and offer Christian educational resources for adults. See my thoughts about why (at bottom of page). Despite a different audience, I remain committed to producing content that is low-cost, high-quality, easy-to-use, easy-to-understand, and non-dogmatic. I will update the page as more resources are produced.

The Listening Prayer Project

The premise of The Listening Prayer Project is that prayer - like conversation - works best when we speak and listen. Written in a light-hearted conversational format between me (Nathanael) and “God,” the Get Started section of The Listening Prayer Project covers the basic properties of listening prayer and provides on-going examples of what to expect as you practice and engage in listening prayer.

I developed this resource because I think listening prayer is the most important and potent spiritual practice that is available to us in terms of strengthening our relationship with the divine. It also seems to be one of the least discussed and taught practices.

Start your listening prayer project, today.

1.  Adult Christian education is a helpful experience that reminds us that we are not meant to know it all as adults. If the divine is infinite and nothing is impossible for God, then we best expect to keep learning our whole lives.
   
   
2. In the Walk to Emmaus story, the disciples recognize Resurrected Jesus once Jesus talked with them about the faith stories, revealed how the events in Jesus’ life fit within the context of those faith stories, and then repeated a familiar action with them (breaking of bread). Once the disciples recognized Jesus, they retraced their steps to tell the other disciples. In other words, when Jesus engaged in a form of adult Christian education with his disciples, they saw how Jesus was with them in their daily lives which eventually led to them reconnecting with their faith community. It is my personal experience that adult Christian education with other members of the faith community leads to a similar experience and result.
    
3. In the same way reading helps authors improve their writing, on-going education improves our ability to teach. If we are serious about providing Christian education for our children and youth, then we should be serious about receiving and participating in Christian education as adults. And when we do so, we will be better teachers for our children and youth.

Companion for the Journey:
A Study Guide for the Gospel of John

John's Gospel was originally offered to a community of Jesus followers to help them live into the fullness of God's life and bring more of that "abundant" life into the world. However, over the centuries it has been reduced by some to a series of verses that make claims about "who is going to heaven" and how they get there. This guide reclaims the life-giving purpose of John's version of the story about Jesus, his companions, and the Spirit's power to transform us and the world in the here and now. Written by my co-author of the Chaos and the Kingdom book, Companion for the Journey is designed to be read with the Gospel of John and is organized by verse. The guide is accessible to individuals and groups, but is an especially helpful resource for those leading a John study group discussion.

Bring a guide when studying the Gospel of John.

Reasons to Consider Offering Adult Christian Education Classes