Those that live give to others:

Abstract

Sitou timou tomou tou, the title of this thesis, a philosophy founded by G.S.S.J. Ratulangi (one of the Minahasan Figures of this Century), literally means: "a living person is destined to make other persons alive". The philosophy does include all fields of human life; and education is one of them. By education, one teaches, educates, trains and leads the others that they may learn to develop and grow to become educated ones, scientifically, morally, and spiritually. It is this, "to make others alive". It is acknowledged and realized that the Church exists to response to God's revelation. The response can revealed in many ways of ministry. One of them is educational ministry. By this, it can be said that educational ministry is one of essential functions and qualities of the church. The ministry, therefore, cannot be ignored. As the Church has to preach, so it also has to teach or educate, to instruct and to lead someone to be able to make responsible decisions anytime and anywhere in his or her daily life. GMIM (= Christian Evangelical Church in Minahasa) is one of the established denominations in Indonesia. As a church, she has essential functions and qualities of teaching mentioned above. As congregations in general. GMIM is a teaching-learning community. This can be done in many ways, formally and informally. To do this, the church has its own terminology, i.e. Christian Religious Education. One of these ministerial forms is commonly Sunday school. This field of ministry is handled by Sunday School Teachers under the supervision of a children's ministry leader. As far as I know, most of the Sunday School Teachers in GMIM do not have enough background or knowledge needed for doing this ministry. The situation is closely related to the fact that until now. GMIM has no special institute to train those who plan to handle the ministry. As a matter of fact, most of the teachers are those who only have general education backgrounds in senior high school. Actually, they need equipment to make them capable to do their ministry. They need knowledge in Biblical materials, theology, sociology, didactic-methodical, and so on, i.e. those knowledge and skills needed for a teacher. By having these, it is hoped, they can teach in such a way that there will be a process of learning within the children themselves. In this teaching-learning process, the role of the teacher is to help the children to develop and deepen their faith and enable them to make their faith a part of their daily lives. In this sense that there is a parallel between the teachings as an essential function and the quality of the church and the situo timou tumou tou philosophy explained above. GMIM as a living church is called to make her members to be living members. This can be done through the teaching ministry. In order for Sunday school teachers to do their ministerial work successfully, it is the responsibility of GMIM to equip them. It means that the church has to provide special training within which the teachers may get the experiences, knowledge, and skills needed for doing their teaching job. The responsibility cannot be ignored. To ignore it means to deny one of her essential tasks. Based on the above understanding, this thesis is subtitled with: The Role of the Church to equip Sunday School Teachers for Christian Education Ministry for the Children in the Christian Evangelical Church in Minahasa. To discuss this topic, the thesis will be done according to the following structure: Chapter one: It discusses the church or the people of God as a teaching-learning community. In this part, the writer scrutinizes the biblical materials and the ideas of the several theories concerning six issues: the theological bases of educator, pupil, aims, content and the process of teaching-learning. It is found in the Bible that Jesus Christ is the Supreme Teacher. He initiates the teaching-learning experience. As a matter of fact. God was giving the teaching task to the people who have confidence in Him. They are parents, prophets, priests, sages, poets, apostles, teachers and ordained mi nistets/clergies. It is a must for them to be equipped before doing their task. Equipping and preparing those is the responsibility of the community and individuals. Teaching-learning activities are their essential function so that the church cannot neglect it. The Bible is the source and center of the teaching-learning experience of the church. That is why this thesis begins with scrutinizing the biblical materials. Besides the Bible, the writer also scrutinizes the ideas of some theorists especially Martin Luther, John Calvin. John Amos Comenius and Randolph Crump Miller. These four theorists intentionally were chosen by the writer because among all the theorists, they explicitly discuss the importance of the church being a teaching- learning community. Martin Luther for instance, has an idea about "the communion of saints or priesthood of believers." John Calvin enthusiastically bring forward his idea about the church as mother. John Amos Comenius encourages the church to develop a teaching-learning community. Randolph Crump Miller confirms that the church has a duty to instruct her people in Christian’s truths and life not only through its sermons but also through the whole educational program. Chapter two: It discusses theoretically the understanding of educator and pupil according to several approaches in Christian religious education, especially, traditional and contemporary theological approaches, social science and socio-cultural approaches and also developmental psychology approach. Through these approaches the writer will find the ideas about what, who and how educators and pupils are. These understandings will then become the basis to respond to the problems and the needs of the Sunday school in the Christian Evangelical Church in Minahasa's context. Chapter Three: It discusses the image of the educator and pupil according to the Sunday school teachers. This part is the result of my field research. The result of field research showed that there are some teachers who have not been equipped yet with the various skills needed to qualify them for their task, of teaching the children. On the other hand there are Sunday school teachers who have been equipped by the church, but practically they are not able to develop the children's faith. Chapter four: It states that the church as individuals and community have to teach, that is to equip the Sunday school teachers, for it is her essential function. The equipping task, essentially, is the responsibility of the ordained ministers, the adult members who have knowledge and skills related to the teaching ministry, and also the theological college. It is important to arrange workshops, mini courses and integrated conversation weekly among the Sunday school teachers, the ordained ministers and the members of adult congregation. Finally, the last part consists of conclusions and suggestions. To realize its essential function and quality the church has to learn and to teach. This task is not more glorious, nor humbler, than other church ministries. The importance of teaching/learning lies in helping the pupil to be able to make decisions anytime and anywhere in his/her daily life. One of a GMIM's teaching activities is - that of equipping - the Sunday school teachers in the form of training. Any training, particularly in Biblical theology, didactic-methodic, psychological and sociological knowledge, both theoretical and practical, is an absolute necessity. In connection with this perhaps it is better if the church has a special institute to train those who plan to handle the ministry of teaching children. This suggestion is especially directed to GMIM as a teaching/learning community in order that she may use, efficiently and effectively, all instruments available to her and to think about the possibilities she can pursue in the coming future.