?All of my life I've gone to mass.?

[Dennis M. Scott]

"I've always taken the Eucharist, but I just didn't get that body and blood part. But this week I was doing our reading assignment, and I suddenly 'got it.' I realized I really believed that Jesus died for me, and I got this warm and loving feeling. This has been the greatest Easter ever!"

I am privileged to teach in ENC's Adult Studies Program. Since last September, 800 new students have enrolled in the Early Childhood Education division. These are daycare teacher who thought they were through with school, and most never dreamed about going back to college. They are amazed to be taking Introduction to the Bible. Most have never read the Bible, and it is coming alive. A few students with stories like the above inspire to teach better.

[Mike Schutz]

Teahing Adult Education students at ENC was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my service there, and something I greatly miss. The testimony you shared was one I heard more than once.

[Dan Henderson]

I love those aha moments. They don't seem to come often, but they are great when they do.

[Marian Schwaller Carney]

Dennis, will we hear more about this at Assembly this week? This is a great testimony and an encouraging story for all of us when it comes to ministering to adults. Glad you've shared it form time to time here, keep it coming.

[Jon Twitchell]

Marian,

At our District Assembly, we also have an ENC alumni/friends luncheon. Dr. McGee spoke at length about ENC's new program, and how it all came about. In short, the school was in a unique position to fill a critical need at an opportune time... and it's reaping great results for the Kingdom. If you get a chance to hear her speak (report to the assembly, or in a less formal gathering), be sure to catch it. I'm excited about so many of the things that are happening on campus... and this is just one part of it.

[Sarah Smith]

Last night I channel surfed and passing ewtn came across an earnest young catholic man telling how he finally "got it" that Jesus' mercy is so great, we should all aspire to be saints.

Not that we can any of us do it in our power. No, he said, we just need to fall into the arms of Jesus and let Him lift us up. Went on with a great AHM testimony of his own and from other young catholics.

Can anybody say Amen?

[Dennis Bratcher]

I am privileged to teach in ENC's Adult Studies Program. Since last September, 800 new students have enrolled in the Early Childhood Education division. These are daycare teacher who thought they were through with school, and most never dreamed about going back to college. They are amazed to be taking Introduction to the Bible. Most have never read the Bible, and it is coming alive. A few students with stories like the above inspire to teach better.

I have found the above to be true, not just for adult education, but also for college age young people who have grown up in a religious environment yet have had little exposure to, or awareness of, much solid Biblical or theological education (not faulting youth pastors; it's a complicated issue involving cognitive development as well as context). It's a difficult journey (especially if complicated by well-meaning but spiritually suspicious and fearful pastors and parents; lots of stories).

Adult students have almost as hard a time making the mental shift since it involves belief structures, but are also better able to process the implications and value of such new insights. Here's an example of that journey from a strongly conservative evangelical adult Christian from a "Bible-believing" tradition who really encountered the Bible for the first time in an adult education class.

What I Learned from My First Bible Class

Grace and Peace,

Dennis B.

[Dennis M. Scott]

Dennis,

Thanks for the link. Jeremy and I regularly send students to your website. This link will be included in my first class readings. I begin a new Intro to Bible class this evening. Our students seem to be of a little different position than the student that wrote the above. Most of ours are nominally from a faith tradition that simply has not encouraged them to read the Bible, for any reason. Most are intrigued to learn the Bible has two major divisions, and have never even thought about how it came to be in it's present form.

I suspect that many of us who have been around the church most of our lives have very little idea of how others think and live.

[Dennis Bratcher]

I suspect that many of us who have been around the church most of our lives have very little idea of how others think and live.

Sad, but very true.

-db