In his doctoral dissertation entitled Emerging Young Adult Spiritual Formation: A Developmental Approach for an Intergenerational Church, Frederick R. Fay argues that “Creating an environment that supports and involves generations together will help shape [young adults’] faith.” Greater Pittsburgh Christian Schools Network agrees! Our teachers join with parents and the Church at large to help shape the faith of the next generation. Fay also writes, “In order for Christian leaders to facilitate spiritual formation, three things need to occur. A leader has to engage the head, the heart, and the hands.”
This brings to mind the Two Greatest Commandments of our Lord, from Matthew 22:
“Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?”
He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”
It makes sense why engaging the head, the heart, and the hands leads to Christian spiritual formation, for those are the ways of the Christian. And these are the tenets of Christian education.
