Building a Community and a Culture

A Deliberate and purposeful Journey

Scot Headley, ICCTE President; May, 2012

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. (Galations 5:13)

From Galatia, to Kenya, to Azusa and Beyond

Culture

Symbols

Ritual

Technology

Experience

Relationship

The purposes of the International Christian Community for Teacher Education (ICCTE) are to:

•Promote communication and encouragement among Christian teacher educators;

•Promote research-based and theoretically informed conversation about a range of topics related to the preparation of educators; and

•Promote broader awareness of the importance and value of Christian thought and practice in relation to the broad field of education.

The Galations: outsiders (Gentiles) wooed by an outsider (Paul), loved by Christ (an outsider in his own right), begrudgingly accepted and ultimately told to conform to culture and religion or to get out of the “club” by the insiders (good, religious folk).

Paul tells them in a letter that they know the truth because they know Jesus and that their lives, indwelt by Christ’s Spirit were sufficient. He challenged them to stand up against the demands on them to conform to cultural/religious norms.

Learning from Galations 6:1-6 (The Message)  

•Live creatively, friends.

•If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day's out.

•Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ's law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.  

•Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that.

•Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.

• Be very sure now, you who have been trained to a self-sufficient maturity, that you enter into a generous common life with those who have trained you, sharing all the good things that you have and experience.

Live creatively, friends

Deliberate and Purposeful Steps for us to develop community and culture

Live creatively, friends

•affection for others •exuberance about life•serenity•a willingness to stick with things •a sense of compassion in the heart•a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things

and people •loyal commitments•not needing to force our way in life •ability to marshal and direct our energies wisely(5:22-23)

Creative, Spirit-led Living

If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for

yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day's out.

If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day's out.

For everything we know about God's Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That's an act of true freedom. If you bite and ravage each other, watch out—in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then? (5:14-15)

Loving Correction

Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so

complete Christ's law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.

Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so

complete Christ's law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.

And don't you remember that even though taking in a sick guest was most troublesome for you, you chose to treat me as well as you would have treated an angel of God—as well as you would have treated Jesus himself if he had visited you? (4:14)

Serving Needs

Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then

sink yourself into that

Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink

yourself into that

Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. (5: 25)

Reflection and Commitment to Act

Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best

you can with your own life.

Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must take

responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.

The person who lives in right relationship with God does it by embracing what God arranges for him. Doing things for God is the opposite of entering into what God does for you. (3:11)

Personal Growth

Be very sure now, you who have been trained to a self-sufficient maturity, that you enter into a generous

common life with those who have trained you, sharing all the good things that you have and experience.

Be very sure now, you who have been trained to a self-sufficient maturity, that you enter into a generous

common life with those who have trained you, sharing all the good things that you have and experience.

Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith. (5:10)

Community Growth

A Foundation of Creative Living: allowing Christ to live through us, manifested by the Fruit of the Spirit

Working Together to Build our Community

A Foundation of Creative Living: allowing Christ to live through us, manifested by the Fruit of the Spirit

Lovi

ng C

orre

ctio

n

Ser

ving

Nee

ds

Working Together to Build our Community

A Foundation of Creative Living: allowing Christ to live through us, manifested by the Fruit of the Spirit

Lovi

ng C

orre

ctio

n

Ser

ving

Nee

ds

Reflection and Commitment to Act

Working Together to Build our Community

A Foundation of Creative Living: allowing Christ to live through us, manifested by the Fruit of the Spirit

Lovi

ng C

orre

ctio

n

Ser

ving

Nee

ds

Reflection and Commitment to Act

Personal Growth

Working Together to Build our Community

A Foundation of Creative Living: allowing Christ to live through us, manifested by the Fruit of the Spirit

Lovi

ng C

orre

ctio

n

Ser

ving

Nee

ds

Reflection and Commitment to Act

Personal Growth

Community Growth

Working Together to Build our Community

Christian thought and practice in relation to the broad field of education

Com

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&C

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Enc

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&S

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Research and Theory Base

Scholarship and Teaching

Service and Outreach

Working Together to Build our Community

Christian thought and practice in relation to the broad field of education

Con

fere

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Fel

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ship

ICC

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Membership

Leadership

Community

Working Together as The ICCTE

Culture: Accepting, welcoming

Symbols: cup, sleeve and napkin?

Ritual: Conference, Peer review

Technology: Communication and Information exchange

Experience: Fellowship, communion

Relationship: Enduring, familial