Education
Etymologically, the word education is derived from educare (Latin) “bring up”, which is related to educere “bring out”, “bring forth what is within”, “bring out potential” and ducere, “to lead” (Wilholt. 1986. 11, Abhijit Naskar, 2017).
Therefore, Education can be defined as the socialization process, the act of educating, instructing, politeness, discipline of individuals. It involves cultural and behavioural awareness, where new generations acquire the ways of being in the lives of previous generations. In its broadest sense, education means the way in which the habits, customs and values of a community are transferred from one generation to the next. Education is formed through witnessed situations and experiences lived by each individual throughout his life. In the technical sense, education is the continuous process of development of the physical, intellectual and moral faculties of the human being, in order to better integrate into society or its own group.
In addition, Education is a process whereby the accumulated wisdom of society is passed on to its members, and, at the same time a process whereby members of a society reach out for new knowledge. Education may involve a general interpretation of the values of a culture, or intensified learning that in some respects may transcend a culture. Example, African Traditional Education through sons, stories, taboos, dramas, myths, proverbs and groups activity from family to family.
127 our experts are availableright now
Christian Education
Generally, Christian Education definition derives its meaning from ‘education’ which is generally defined as the process of training and developing knowledge, skill, mind and character. Therefore, Christian Education implies education that imparts Christ’s character into the individual’s life so that this person embraces the character of Christ, behaving like Christ in the way of people’s conduct, thoughts and understanding.
According to Lameck Zhungu ideas, Christians have regarded Christian Education as; all those ways by which the total the mind, heart and will person is guided into understanding of and conformity with the character and will of God. It is a big tool for nurturing, equipping and empowering believers, through teaching ministry, thereby enabling them to be effective Christian disciples. It takes place at home, at work, in the streets, in the prison, in the bus and wherever there are people. This makes Christian Education the most powerful weapon to effect change in the life of an individual and in the world.
Elie Buconyori has given a more comprehensive definition of Christian Education. He has regarded it because the interpersonal process of learning to become Christ-like and self-reliant person within the society. This definition has four crucial terms, namely, “a person”, “self-reliant,” “Christ” and “interpersonal”. It is paramount as an example what Buconyori implies by his definition on Christian Education.
In terms of person, Buconyori looking at the happy relationship which existed between a person and God because, sin has changed the happy relationship between a person and the rest of creation. Because of sin, there is now enmity between God and the people God created (Gn 1-3; 3:1-19, Romans 3:23). And he looked also at sin which affected all human relationships. Sin has brought a situation of prejudice of all types like racial, tribal, national and sexual prejudice. People with economic power use it to take advantage of, to compete, to cheat and to deceive other fellow people at large. People with political power use it to oppress, to isolate, to detract from dignity and price, to possess property of others and to deceive their fellow people at large, for example, when European colonialism conquered Africa politically and military, the European power was used to disrupt and at times to destroy local economic activities. The African politicians have followed the same manipulative and exploitive ways in relating with their fellow Africans.
In terms of self-reliant, Buconyori points out that the concept of self-reliant refers to people who are able to realize their potential possibilities and understand their limits not only physically and mentally but also morally, socially and emotionally. The task of Christian Education is to enable the people. Self-reliance involves self-realization in human possibilities in addition as human limitations within a given situation.
The term Christ is that the other important term within the definition of Christian education. Christ stands in a very unique position. He alone can reserve the hopeless situation of mortals. People are redeemable. Christ died for our sins on the cross. He continues His redeeming add order to revive people to their humanity where the destroyed relationships are restored. The concept of Christ likeness cannot be understood without Christ’s continuous work of redemption. Redemption in Christ also, involves re-establishment of relationships between persons and God (Romans 8:20-23).
According to Elie Buconyori, the concept of “interpersonal” refers to a relationship between a Christian educator and his/her learners, both being persons. Teachers and learners are people meeting together for the aim of sharing experiences. A Christian educator may be a man or woman along with learners in society. They work along with solutions to the issues that dehumanize people, like solutions to the issues of hunger, disease, poverty, moral decay and ignorance.
Objectives of Christian Education
There are lots of books, magazines, research papers, journals and other published materials which talks about objectives of Christian Education in different number. But this paper summarizes nine objectives of Christian Education: (1) The consciousness God in the mind of people; (2) To produce matured Christian’s disciples that will stand on their own and bear fruits; (3) The salvation of souls to Christ or bringing New converts to Christ; and (4) Christian living; (5) Church membership; (6: For Christian service; (7) Imaging God in Society; (8) To do God’s mission and (9) To transform the society.
Imaging God in Society. The goal is to guide Christians at their level of development, to have interaction themselves and to encourage others into activities, which promote the well-being of groups of people. It is goal is to form the Church a caring community, which helps alleviate dehumanizing conditions in society by promoting justice, good living conditions, and relief of distress.
Christian Living: It is aim is to guide each Christian to develop Christian attitudes, habits, and skills, which promote spiritual growth and apply Christian values and standards to each area of life. Christians are encouraged to measure what they profess. They are encouraged to imitate Christ, living a godly life in mind, body and all told possible relationships. Example, love, forgiveness, peace, justice and truthfulness are part of Christian life which means, living Christ-like.
Church Membership: the aim of this Christian Education is to enable, each converted member to become a full of life member of an area church. Christians need each other for spiritual growth. They need to experience the warm fellowship of other fellow Christians. This can be accomplished by helping new converts to affix an area church as active participants or disciple makers in making.
Christian Service. The goal or aim of this objective is to assist individual persons to get ways to speculate in their gifts or talents, skills and possessions in some kind of Christian service. Christians in the slightest degree levels are persuaded to develop and use their abilities to serve Christ where ever they’re as Disciples of Christ. New believers become sensitive to the wants of others, opening their eyes and hearts to acknowledge injustice, suffering, oppression, and also the plight of these who had fallen by the wayside. As example of this objective is the opportunity that my local church used to give to every group (men, women, youth and children) in the church to take part of the leadership of church and another church’s activities like: preaching, evangelization, and prayer session and show talents in terms of gifts.
Salvation or Conversion. The aim or goal of this objective is to reclaim the image of God that was lost in humanity, due to sin, leading people to the forgiving and state of God through Son. One among the best challenges the Church has today is to urge people converted and live a Christ-like life. Jesus summons people to repent or change direction and folks accept Christ’s summons and that they respond in faith and follow in discipleship (Matt. 8:8, 10; Mk. 10:46-52). Examples, personally I came to forgive my friend after listing to preaching about forgiveness because before I became Christian, I had sworn never forgive to my friend because of the betrayal he had committed about my life.
The consciousness God in the mind of people. Christian education seeks to foster in growing persons a consciousness of God as a reality in human experience, and a way of private relationship to him. It seeks to effect in growing persons the assimilation of the simplest religious experience of the race, pre-eminently that recorded within the Bible as elective guidance to present experience.
To produce matured Christian’s disciples that will stand on their own and bear fruits. The aim of this Christian education seeks to develop in growing persons such an understanding and appreciation of the personality, life, and teachings of Jesus as will cause an experience of Him as Saviour and Lord, loyalty to Him and His cause, and can ensue in everyday life and conduct.
To transform the society. Christian education seeks to develop in growing persons the flexibility and disposition to participate in and contribute constructively to the building of a social order throughout the globe, embodying the perfect of the Fatherhood of God and therefore the brotherhood of man. It seeks to develop in growing persons an appreciation of the meaning and importance of the Christian family, and therefore the ability and disposition to participate in and contribute constructively to the lifetime of this primary group.
Doing God’s mission. Christian education seeks to foster in growing persons a progressive and continuous development of Christ like. It seeks to develop in growing persons the ability and disposition to participate in and contribute constructively to the building of a social order throughout the world, embodying the ideal of the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man.
Christian education seeks to develop in growing persons the ability and disposition to participate in church. It seeks to lead growing persons into a Christian interpretation of life and the universe; the ability to see in it God’s purpose and plan; a life philosophy built on this interpretation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Christian Education is a significant tool, which focuses more on nurturing, equipping, empowering and increase believers, through teaching ministry, thereby enabling them to be effective Christian disciples. Its goal is to supply mature Christian disciples, who will demonstrate true salvation and conversion, live as children of sunshine, become effective members of the church, always available for Christian service and imaging God within the societies or communities where they live. One interesting point is that Christian Education is not confined to or limited to the classroom.
Christian education is often defined in following terms: Jesus Christ Ministry based, a Bible based (Old and New Testaments), Holy Spirit empowered and Church mission activities in the world. It is a teaching and learning process that seeks to guide individuals to any or all level of growth through contemporary teachings means based in Christ Jesus life. This will be to steer individuals toward knowing and experiencing God purpose and planning through Christ and every aspect of living and to equip them for effective ministry with the final concentrate on Christ the master educator’s example and command to form mature disciple.
