Things we don’t talk about

Part 5: We don’t need no education 4 October 2009 Things we don’t talk about

There are some things we just don’t talk about • Among these are: • Religion and politics (just don’t go there please!) • Environmental concerns (that’s for greenies) • The world of work and industrial relations(umm… unions and bosses) • War (a necessary evil?) • Asylum seekers (aka ‘illegal immigrants’) • Changing the world (oh so you are Miss Universe?) • Tax (yeah we pay too much) • Indigenous issues (tell me who they are again) • Education (we don’t need it) • The intersection of these things with Christian faith just doesn’t seem to get traction among many Christian or non-Christian leaders Recap

We don’t need no education A song by the band Pink Floyd says: We don’t need no education We don’t need no thought control No dark sarcasm in the class room Teacher leaving kids alone Hey! Teachers! Leave them kids alone! All in all it's just another brick in the wall. All in all you're just another brick in the wall. • Provocative lyrics but what is the relevance here?

Why is it so?

What does this tell us?

Our values are shaped by the world we live in • We are invariably influenced by the world around us • Our ‘worldview’ sometimes prevents us from seeing things as they really are • However, we need to be influencers for the world around us (Jesus describes this in terms of being ‘salt’ and ‘light’ to the world) • In order to be influencers we need to engage with the world (Jesus talks about being in, not of, the world • If we are to do this we need to engage in education...

Christians engaging in education means... • Christian parents getting involved in public school P&F and school councils • Supporting Christians in their role as school chaplains • Christian teachers seeing their role not as ‘just a job’ but rather as ministry • Church members actively contributing to and being informed about (through education) issues that affect our community • Christians taking seriously the challenge of training in theology, ministry, evangelism • Christians learning through serious Bible study

‘but all we need is the Holy Spirit’ • There is an argument that agrees with the Pink Floyd song... • We don’t need no education... • Because we have the Holy Spirit... • And this is the root cause of the problems in society... • And besides, education leads people away from faith... • And Theological training does the same... • And the disciples didn’t have a proper education did they—and look what they did, they were ‘uneducated’!

Uneducated? • AC 4:13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

Professor Jesus: no ordinary teacher • Mt 8:19 Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.“ • Mt 9:11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and `sinners'?“ • MT 19:16 Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?“ • MT 22:16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. "Teacher," they said, "we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. • MT 26:18 He replied, "Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, `The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. • MT 7:28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. • MT 4:23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. • Mk 6:7 Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits.

A room at the top • Heath Ducker’s book A Room At The Top is an enthralling account of one boy’s struggle to rise above the dysfunction of his family. • He talks about his social worker, Phillip: • Phillip was like a big brother or older, wiser mate who was there to help us through difficult times, but he never gave the impression that he was assessing or judging us. He was the nearest thing to a role model of that type I’d ever come across and I admired him enormously. He was without pretence. He undertook his work with genuine heart and purpose. These are not concepts that I necessarily understood when I first came into contact with him, but as children we knew intuitively that this guy was for real. (p. 77) Ducker, H. and Trenoweth, S. 2009. A room at the top, North Sydney, William Heinemann.

‘but faith is not learned’ • That’s right, faith is not learned, it comes by believing. • In the process we are imbued with the Holy Spirit • JN 14:26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. • And indeed the role of the Spirit is to be a teacher, • But this does not abrogate our responsibility to learn—the best teacher can’t teach without a learner

And so to the challenge • Let’s not be swayed by the worldview of our culture that says ‘we don’t need no education’; • As Christians, let’s take hold of the opportunities to study under the supervision of Prof Jesus—allow Him to shape our identity; • In turn let’s use our learning to be influencers in our community, sharing what we have learned from the Master teacher, by... • Devoting ourselves to learning from God’s word • Learning to understand the world in which God has placed us • Applying that learning to our role in God’s world • Sharing what we learn with others so they too can benefit • Being willing to be taught by the Prof all the days of our lives

Things we don’t talk about