This year several friends and staff from Grace Presbyterian Church attended the Global Leadership Summit. Any time one sits for several hours and listens to others speak about effective leadership there is a possibility that one might get inspired. Well, one did. This one, heard a brief statement that she could not seem to forget.

That statement was from Bill Hybels who said, “one day, many years into ministry, after surveying our congregation, I realized that we had neglected to focus on helping our people become self-learners, and we had failed them at offering tools that would help them teach their own children about the person and life of Jesus.”

As we begin a new season of Christian education at Grace for both adults and students I pray that we will be committed to the idea of becoming self-learning, thinking Christians who will not stand for letting our children become a statistic. Barna research shows that 32% of people between the ages of 0-14 enter into a relationship with Jesus. After age 14 the percentage drops to 6%.

Children’s ministry is so very important. I say it all the time, “what we do on Sunday morning matters.” But what we do in our personal walk with the Holy matters too. How we pass on the Christian story matters, and the good news is that we have each other. We get to draw from the experience of others and offer our own unique spin as we become better connected families who are committed to raising up well-informed followers of Jesus Christ.

I encourage you to explore the classes being offered for adults and remember that the children will be learning age leveled classes on a curriculum called “Feasting on the Word,” a class that is also being extended at the adult level. The hope in doing this kind of comprehensive teaching is that adults and children are able to learn and worship the same Scripture each week in order to foster discussion at home. Grace and peace to all of you who are raising up children in the way of the Lord.

There is something to be said about routine. We expect certain things to happen at certain times each day. For families, the start of school launches a new spin on routine. There is a sadness that accompanies the end of summer, but there is renewed, hopeful energy around the academic routine.

If your start to school promises are anything like mine, you tell yourself this year things are going to be different. You determine the routine will not rule your life. You plan to make freezer meals for months at a time. You commit to syncing the school calendar on your electronic devices so that you never miss bring your teddy bear to class day. And this year, you are going to make healthy homemade snacks from one of your Pinterest boards.

My intentions are pure. My goals are attainable, but somehow, by mid-October I find myself swimming in soccer socks and tri-fold projects. The homemade snacks are replaced with graham crackers and milk, and all I can do is pray for Thanksgiving break to arrive. Thankfully, God knows that our best intentions are still fallen and fickle. That is why celebrating the Sabbath brings perspective and even holiness into our busy lives.

After Labor Day the entire church studies the same curriculum, Feasting on the Word. Colissa Frye teaches our toddlers in the nursery, Merodee Granis teaches our pre-K through 2^nd graders downstairs and Geoff Snook and Sherry Camargo teach our 3^rd – 5^th graders in the tower. Here’s the great news. Parents: you have the chance to join a Feasting on the Word class, too. The whole family learns the same content and maybe you will step into your own routine led by a God who loves you, pursues you and will not be without you.