Watching this video clip actually gives me the chills... of both fear and optimism. It is a short clip from Ken Robinson who is speaking about our failing systems of education. He says about our education systems:

"It's based on models of mass production and conformity that actually prevent kids from finding their passions and succeeding."

The fear is wondering if the way we educate in the church is preventing "kids from finding their passions and succeeding"? The optimism is what if the way we educate in the church really did help "kids find their passions and succeed"? 

Because we have been taught "here's how you teach and educate in church" - then are we locked into this system. Technology itself isn't the answer. We reproduce via video venues or on the internet whatever we do- but we are using the same system. Ken is talking about something much deeper than that.

This to me has major significance for not just the local church, but what about colleges and seminaries? In seminaries, this should be a major focus for teaching church leaders in their ability to lead and teach in their churches so we don't keep repeating faulty systems of education.

Some aspects of this, I think we know. The biblical truth is that role of the church is to lead people in their understanding of their gifts, passions and to succeed (so to speak) on the mission in life that God has for them. But - if we subconsciously view the church, youth ministry, children's ministry etc. as mass production in how we lay out what we do (in small churches or big churches) - then we will miss the potential of what he is saying can happen. I know we have "spiritual gifts" tests and some efforts which mainly are about how people can serve in the specifics of a local church. But what excited me when watching this video clip, is that I think Ken is talking about encompassing an entire philosophy of education in general. This impacts so much of what we do in the local church. There is a further clip of a full 20 minutes presentation Ken makes you can watch here from when he spoke at TEDS.  I immediately ordered his book after watching it. Taking the 20 minutes to watch this video is REALLY worth the 20 minutes.

The additional overarching truth Ken doesn't address is the addition of the truths of the Bible in this as part of it. Our creativity is not just for the discovery of it so people are creative, but to discover and then be used in the mission of God with what we do. But as I was watching the clips, I was overwhelmed with the potential for what the church could do - if we took this seriously. As we educate children, youth and adults with the Bible and the grand narrative of God and humanity - and we speak of how each of us are designed with a purpose and mission (Ephesians 2:10) - it then means the church needs to make sure we are looking at this from children onward. Not just a class of spiritual gifts when they become adults.

Does the church encourage creativity and innovation in children and youth and helping discoveringtheir talents and gifts and encouraginging their creativity? And think through how we educate children, youth and adults?  He says we educate the creativity out of people with our current systems.

Oh my. This is very powerful to think about. I know my good friends at Mosaic in LA are onto this already and I thought of them the whole time watching this. But I had one of these moments of " oh my goodness... what if?..." when watching this clip and thinking about it from a local church perspective.

What I know is watching these videos, I was feeling a sense of a significant and deep truth being spoken of and I felt that the church MUST be listening to this message. . I don't have answers of what to do yet.... but I think this is something I know must become a major part of my thinking as I dedicate my life to missional leadership - and I know I must be learning from people like Ken and those in churches who are doing this. The potential of missional impact could be stunning if we really think about how to educate people in our churches in the ways that Ken mentions. It's very biblical what I am referring to straight from Ephesians....

"For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

"It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service..."