Adapted and Inspired from Pagan Christianity? by Frank Viola and George Barna.
Socrates is the father of contemporary Christian education. The heart of this problem, to use a metaphor from the Bible, is that Socrates ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil rather than the tree of life. (See Watchman Nee, The Normal Christian Life). Socrates believed that one could use human mind and power to elevate themselves into divine truth; essentially saying, "I'll do it on my own," just as Adam and Eve said.
Today, Christian education is essentially data transfer. If a student accurately regurgitates the information that they are fed, they are awarded a degree and considered "qualified" to be a minister. While there is usefulness for knowledge, the essence of Christian education in the New Testament was relational. And it took place in the highly taxing environment of the body of Christ where Christians lived in close-knit community and struggled to make corporate decisions together under the headship of Christ without the presence of a human head whatsoever.
Giving and receiving information is not enough. They must be given a revelation of Jesus Christ and taught to live a corporate life under Christ's Headship, of which millions of books and memorized Bible verses will never accomplish. THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR BODY LIFE!
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