Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Sanctification of Church: Learning and nurturing of faith practice
Proverbs 22 1-6
v6 Teach children how they should live, and they will
remember it all their lives.
When
the Industrial Revolution broke out in Great Britain in 1750, it brought about
major changes in the areas of manufacturing, agriculture, and mining. This gave
way for the rise of a number of factories in and around Great Britain. Children
often used to work in these factories. Once out of the factories, the children
engaged themselves in crime, robbery and mischief for quick money and fame.
Robert Raikes watched children wasting themselves away in a slum in Gloucester.
He was moved by this and was convinced that schooling was the best
intervention. The best time was on Sunday as the boys were often working in the
factories the other six days.
The teachers were lay people of the church, and the textbook was the Bible.
From there the Sunday School progressed through the years and it has taken the
form of what we have today. Our Marthoma Sunday School Samajam was founded in
1905. The growth and development of the Sunday School Samajam was the result of
the extraordinary organizing ability of Rev. V P Mammen and his untiring
efforts for 47 years. The goal of our Sunday school is to teach today’s kids
the right path so that they become better role models in society tomorrow and
live a better Christian life as adults. The motto of our Marthoma Sunday School
is, “Come to Jesus, bring every child to Jesus”
Apart from Sunday School, parents are the first educators of their children,
providing the foundation for a spiritual and religious life. We know that the
family needs to be a vital part of the process of lifelong faith formation at
all stages of faith development, and that parents need help to assume their
roles in fostering faith and a deeper spirituality within their homes. We are
aware of the tremendous changes family life has undergone over the years, and
the present day diversity in family forms and structures. Christian families
that spend time daily to pray, read and learn the word of God nurture faith in
their children and develop a new generation of believers rooted in faith.
In 1st Samuel we see Hannah making a promise to God. Once God blesses her with
a son, she keeps her promise and brings the little boy Samuel for training
under the priest Eli. This shows her dedication and devotion to God. Samuel was
called at a young age and became one of the greatest prophets of Israel. We
also read in the book of Samuel, though Eli was a faithful priest he failed to
bring his sons in good moral and this brought about God’s
punishment.
Children are a gift from God and to dedicate time and patience in the
child-training process is the right, responsibility and joy of all parents. All
children are born with a propensity towards evil and training infants and young
people in godly conduct, equipping them with wise choices and appropriate
accountability for their actions and attitude will nurture them to bear fruit
for the kingdom of God.