BUILDING FAITH IN JESUS
THROUGH CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
G
race Church of Eden Prairie, MN, where I am a pastor,
has offered a Christian Education Fair for the past four
years. I want to highlight what I’ve learned and provide you
with a vision to host a similar type of event.
But first, why should a church host a Christian education
fair? Here are three reasons:
• The church and Christian school are partners working
toward the same goals of evangelism and discipleship of
young people. Colossians 1:28 summarizes the shared goal
of pastor and Christian educator, “teaching everyone with all
wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.” A
Christian Education Fair is a way for churches and schools
to work together to help young people know Christ and
grow in Christ.
• Education greatly impacts a child’s faith in Jesus. Pastors
who are serious about shepherding their congregation must
pay attention to the shaping influences in their people’s
lives. What are the most influential faith-shaping forces in a
child’s life? According to a study by George Barna, the single
most influential voice in a young person’s life, other than
parents and grandparents, is education. Young people spend
approximately 16,000 hours at school between K-12 grade,
and this fact must be taken into account by pastors.
• Christian education has been a focal point for pastors
at key periods of church history. I believe a majority of
individuals in the evangelical community have lost sight of
what the Reformers knew: a child’s education was a criti-
cal component of a pastor’s responsibility. Riemer Faber, a
professor of Classics, writes: “It is sometimes forgotten that
the Reformation was as much concerned with school as it was
with church and home. Appreciating the role of education in
directing church and society back to the source of the Chris-
tian faith, the Reformers were committed to the schooling of
the young. One of Martin Luther’s first acts as a reformer was
to propose that monasteries be turned into schools, while one
of his last acts was to establish a school in Eisleben, where he
died in 1546. Not only Luther, but also Melanchthon, Zwingli,
Bucer, Bullinger, and Calvin actively promoted reformed
education in their writings and works.” 1
Throughout periods of church history, Christian educa-
tion has been the adjunct servant of a gospel-centered
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By Josh Mulvihill
church. Unfortunately, for many today, it has become a
forgotten partner of the church. It is critical for pastors to
understand that education is not outside the mission of the
church, but central to it. Each pastor and church should
prayerfully wrestle through what shape education takes in
their discipleship ministry to young people.
One option is to host a Christian Education Fair. A Chris-
tian Education Fair is a low-investment, high-impact way
for churches to support local schools and serve families in
the community. A Christian Education Fair is a gathering
of local Christian educators, including Christian home-
school groups, K-12 schools, and Christian colleges, for the
purpose of promoting Christian education and providing a
one-stop shop of local Christian education options.
If you are interested in hosting a Christian Education Fair,
then follow these seven steps:
1. Communicate internally with the leadership of your
organization. Share a concise list of reasons why it is valu-
able to host a Christian Education Fair. Reasons may include:
education shapes a young person’s worldview (for added
impact contrast the differences between a biblical worldview
vs. secular worldview), to help young people develop faith
that lasts (so they do not walk away from Jesus), and to
increase impact outside the walls of the church (churches
have about 1,200 hours with a child between K-12 grade).
2. Identify a point person to oversee the details of the
fair. The responsibilities of the role include contacting area
schools, handling questions and RSVP’s, coordinating the
promotion of the event, offering a resource table at the
fair, and being a host the day of the event. For examples of
promotional videos see vimeo.com/39077330 and vimeo.
com/58631765.
3. Choose a date that works for your congregation. Janu-
ary or February is our preferred months as families in our
community are seriously considering education options at
this time of year. Find out when this occurs for your families,
and position your education fair accordingly. Key groups to
target include families with preschool aged children and
families with children in transition ages (i.e., moving from
elementary to middle school). It takes most families one
full calendar year to digest, discuss, and decide what direc-