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Luncheon speakers praise Christian educators


From PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ecunet.org>
Date 27 May 2003 13:22:48 -0400

Note #7724 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

26-May-2003
GA03034

Luncheon speakers praise Christian educators

by Nancy Rodman

DENVER, May 26  Presbyterian Christian educators enthusiastically received
former Moderator Fahed Abu-Akel and Prof. Grace Yuell when they jointly
addressed the annual General Assembly luncheon of the Association of
Presbyterian Church Educators (APCE) on Monday.

	Yuell, a professor of Christian education at Presbyterian College and
author of this years Assembly Bible study, introduced the theme, The
Connection between Mission and Education, with the image of two women, many
years ago, riding horseback through Appalachia with Bibles attached to their
belts, taking the gospel to children as mission extension workers. 

	Education has always had an integral role in bringing the churchs
mission to life, she said. The challenge for educators for the future, she
continued, is to get back into the Great Commission. 

	Yuell related a revelation she had while rereading Matthew recently.
Go, therefore, and make disciples means to make students, she said. And to
make students, she continued, means introducing them to their teacher, Jesus
Christ, initiating them into the practices of a student so that they are
students all their lives, and providing resources that will help keep their
encounter going with Jesus Christ.  

	Educators must inform themselves about the mission of the church so
that they can bring it to life in their congregations, she said. They must
inform themselves about what is going on in world Christianity. There are
amazing things going on out there, she said.

	Continuing the theme, Abu-Akel said: The Christian educators role
is more important now than ever before. Education is crucial for a better
America, a healthy America. We need to understand languages, cultures, and
the religions of the world. 

	Indonesia, he said, is the worlds largest Muslim country, yet there
are more Presbyterian and Reformed Christians there than in the United
States. 

	Every mission trip, he said, should include some Christian educators.

	We need to get out of our box, he said, and understand conditions
in the world.

	If mission around the world is going to be successful, we need
Christian educators to educate the children.	  

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