Christian Education [Paperback]

Lawrence O. Richards (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1988

This is a book that relentlessly pursues defining the goals of Christian education and then offers a plan in keeping with those goals. So many books in the field assume the goals and simply describe the methods. Not so Larry Richards. His biblical and theological analysis conveys an excitement that makes Christian education a mission, not just a responsibility. And still his approach is eminently practical, insightful, and motivational.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

This is a book that relentlessly pursues defining the goals of Christian education and then offers a plan in keeping with those goals. So many books in the field assume the goals and simply describe the methods. Not so Larry Richards. His biblical and theological analysis conveys an excitement that makes Christian education a mission, not just a responsibility. And still his approach is eminently practical, insightful, and motivational.

About the Author

Lawrence O. Richards is currently a full-time author and speaker. He has written over 200 Christian books, including commentaries on every book of the Bible and Zondervan bestselling Adventure Bible and Teen Study Bible, which he did with his wife, Sue. SPANISH BIO: Lawrence O. Richards tiene una licenciatura en filosofia de la Universidad de Michigan, una maestria en teologia y educacion cristiana del Seminario Teologico de Dallas y un doctorado del Seminario Teologico Evangelico Garrett de la Universidad Northwestern. Es autor de unos 200 titulos en temas como la filosofia de la educacion cristiana, renovacion de la iglesia, el ministerio de ninos, ministerio de jovenes, liderazgo, grupos pequenos, y ensenanza biblica. Sus libros han sido traducidos en 24 idiomas. Richards reside en Hudson, Florida donde es participante activo en su iglesia, Hudson's First United Methodist Church.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (September 1, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310520819
• ISBN-13: 978-0310520818
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,087,840 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lawrence O. Richards is currently a full time author and speaker. He has written over 200 Christian books, including commentaries on every book of the Bible and Zondervan best-selling Adventure Bible and Teen Study Bible, which he did with his wife, Sue.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sparked a radical change in how I understand Christian ed, February 21, 2001

By 

Eddy Hall "Senior Consultant, Living Stones A... (Goessel, KS USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Christian Education (Paperback)

In college, I majored in Christian education. Shortly after I graduated, I discovered Larry Richards and began relearning about 90% of what I'd learned in college.

My college Christian education classes consisted of how to run traditional Christian education programs--Sunday school and youth groups. Richards doesn't talk much about how to run programs; he focuses on how to make disciples.

The goal of discipleship is not to fill the learner's head with cognitive knowledge, but rather life transformation. "The disciple when he is fully trained," says Jesus, "will be like his teacher" (Luke 6:40, NIV). It does not say the disciple will know what his/her teacher knows. It says the disciple will be like his/her teacher. This is the starting point for discipling, both in goal and in method. The goal is Christlikeness. The method is teaching by example in the context of an intimate, trusting relationship, in real life settings.

There is a world of difference between training Bible scholars and making disciples, and by the time you have digested this book, Richards will have helped you to think in terms of making disciples rather than pouring knowledge into the minds of Sunday school students.

Yes, this book is a classic. I first read it in the mid-70s (the first edition was published in 1975), and it began the process of redefining how I understood Christian education and the whole question of how the church makes disciples. Today, as a full-time church consultant, Richards' mentoring continues to shape the way I work with every church I consult with.

Richards' books on CHURCH LEADERSHIP and CHILDREN'S MINISTRY, which I read after this one, continued to remold my thinking about Christian education. If you have a passion for making disciples, and if you're not married to the way we've always done Christian education, you need to discover Larry Richards.

5.0 out of 5 stars Word of Life Books Goes Beyond my Expectations! Super People, February 3, 2009

By 

Alan Kozlow - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Christian Education (Paperback)

The staff at Word of Life books went far beyond what their agreemnet was. They did this for the purpose of getting one single book into my hands. What a work ethic. Do you think this review might get me a free book?
Alan from Michigan

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A CE Classic, August 8, 2001

By 

Tim Orr (Hammond, IN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Christian Education (Paperback)

In this book Dr. Richards defines the goals of Christian education. The primary goal, reasons Mr. Richards, is to produce faith as life. He bases this belief on John 10:10 when Jesus says, "I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly." Furthermore, another goal, believes Richards, is transformation. Thus, Christian education is not a medium that simply offers religious information, but to the contrary, it is to produce transformation. Transformation, then, becomes the fundamental nature of Christian education. After Mr. Richards establishes these two goals, he then offers other goals that CE is to achieve. Definitely a must read for pastors and laymen alike. A true CE classic!