DR. TERRY LINHART RELEASES EXCELLENT NEW BOOK ON CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
Baker Publishing Group has just released a new book entitled “Teaching the NEXT Generations: A comprehensive guide for teaching Christian formation” which is edited by our own Dr. Terry Linhart, the chair of the Religion and Philosophy Department at Bethel College. Terry has gathered some of the top thinkers in the area of Christian education and assigned them topics such as “A Scriptural Basis for Teaching,” “How People Develop Their Thinking,” “Teaching the Bible so Young People Will Learn,” “Learning through Simulations,” and many, many more.
The book is filled with some of the best contemporary thinking on Christian Education, delivered in short, practical chapters. I was impressed with both the breadth of the subject matter and the depth of thinking evident by each author.
Beside s editing the book, Terry contributed an important chapter on the topic of curriculum and teaching. In this chapter Terry lays out a premise for the use of curricula, and then examines a variety of curricular approaches. His chapter concludes with a helpful checklist for evaluating lessons which can be used by any teacher examining curriculum.
This is a good book! It is dedicated to helping people to become spiritually mature through their relationships with Jesus Christ. It is academic without being too technical, and it is practical without becoming simplistic. Terry has succeeded in producing a book that is substantive and valuable to the body of Christ. I am not surprised to hear that the book is being snapped up… not just by scholars , but by parents who want the best tools at their disposal as they provide Christian education for their own children!
I encourage you to buy the book and to recommend it to your Christian education or Sunday School departments as well as your small group leaders and anyone interested in understanding education that is focused on bringing people to Christian maturity.
-Steve Jones