03/03/2026
A PARABLE: DOES YOUR DISCIPLE-MAKING MAKE THE GRADE?
By David Posthuma
Imagine with me that your family moved into a new community and was exploring schools for your children to attend. You and your spouse schedule an interview with the head principal of a prospective school. The day and time arrive for the appointment. You both nervously enter the principal’s office for the interview. As the pleasantries are eventually set aside, the serious questions begin:
Parents: So, Dr. Smith, what makes your school so popular in this community.
Dr. Smith: We have lots of exciting activities and events for our students. This is one major reason our students have lots of fun and enjoy coming to school every day.
Parents: Well, that sounds interesting, but is school supposed to be just full of fun and exciting activities?
Dr. Smith: Our strategy has made us one of the biggest schools in the community…I think our size proves our educational strategy is the best in town.
Parents: We recognize your school is the largest in our community, and that is why we wanted to learn more about how your school functions as we seek the best opportunities for our children. What about academics?
Dr. Smith: We teach many topics of interest to the students. The students are free to select from any topic that appeals to them.
Parents: Doesn’t your school have an established curriculum?
Dr. Smith: Curriculum?
Parents: Yes, curriculum…a pre-established series of courses that build upon one another in order to stimulate intellectual growth within each student?
Dr. Smith: No. We prefer to let the students come together in unstructured “Thought Groups” and allow them to develop among themselves topics for discussion. This way, everyone’s individual opinions can be affirmed. Developing each student’s self-esteem is, of course, our greatest ambition. Students will develop according to their own areas of interest. We don’t believe there are any fundamentals that must first be mastered.
Parents: What about reading? How can students self-direct their own learning if they have not first learned to read effectively?
Dr. Smith: Students who want to read will teach themselves to read. Other students will teach themselves whatever they wish. We do have large group mandatory events once a week which require attendance of all our students. In these events we try to inspire our students to desire education by giving them an introductory sampling of many academic topics. But ultimately it is up to the student to self-educate.
Parents: Do you test the students to ensure that they are indeed learning at your school?
Dr. Smith: Never. Testing only reveals failure, and failure feeds a poor self-image.
Parents: If you do not offer tests, then how can you assign grades?
Dr. Smith: Grades? We assume every one of our students is self-educating and so everyone receives an “A”.
Parents: No tests. No grades. How do you know when your students graduate?
Dr. Smith: That is between the student and their God, God will let them know if and when they graduate.
Parents: That’s what we’re afraid of. We don't think this school is right for our children. Goodbye Dr. Smith.
A PARABLE: DOES YOUR DISCIPLE-MAKING MAKE THE GRADE?
David PosthumaJuly 1, 2024Theology, Training
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A PARABLE: DOES YOUR DISCIPLE-MAKING MAKE THE GRADE?
DOES YOUR DISCIPLE-MAKING MAKE THE GRADE?
Imagine with me that your family moved into a new community and was exploring schools for your children to attend. You and your spouse schedule an interview with the head principal of a prospective school. The day and time arrive for the appointment. You both nervously enter the principal’s office for the interview. As the pleasantries are eventually set aside, the serious questions begin:
Parents: So, Dr. Smith, what makes your school so popular in this community.
Dr. Smith: We have lots of exciting activities and events for our students. This is one major reason our students have lots of fun and enjoy coming to school every day.
Parents: Well, that sounds interesting, but is school supposed to be just full of fun and exciting activities?
Dr. Smith: Our strategy has made us one of the biggest schools in the community…I think our size proves our educational strategy is the best in town.
Parents: We recognize your school is the largest in our community, and that is why we wanted to learn more about how your school functions as we seek the best opportunities for our children. What about academics?
Dr. Smith: We teach many topics of interest to the students. The students are free to select from any topic that appeals to them.
Parents: Doesn’t your school have an established curriculum?
Dr. Smith: Curriculum?
Parents: Yes, curriculum…a pre-established series of courses that build upon one another in order to stimulate intellectual growth within each student?
Dr. Smith: No. We prefer to let the students come together in unstructured “Thought Groups” and allow them to develop among themselves topics for discussion. This way, everyone’s individual opinions can be affirmed. Developing each student’s self-esteem is, of course, our greatest ambition. Students will develop according to their own areas of interest. We don’t believe there are any fundamentals that must first be mastered.
Parents: What about reading? How can students self-direct their own learning if they have not first learned to read effectively?
Dr. Smith: Students who want to read will teach themselves to read. Other students will teach themselves whatever they wish. We do have large group mandatory events once a week which require attendance of all our students. In these events we try to inspire our students to desire education by giving them an introductory sampling of many academic topics. But ultimately it is up to the student to self-educate.
Parents: Do you test the students to ensure that they are indeed learning at your school?
Dr. Smith: Never. Testing only reveals failure, and failure feeds a poor self-image.
Parents: If you do not offer tests, then how can you assign grades?
Dr. Smith: Grades? We assume every one of our students is self-educating and so everyone receives an “A”.
Parents: No tests. No grades. How do you know when your students graduate?
Dr. Smith: That is between the student and their God, God will let them know if and when they graduate.
Parents: That’s what we’re afraid of. Goodbye Dr. Smith.
By David A Posthuma
E-Church Essentials, LLC
Copyright 2024
A BETTER SOLUTION
If your church sounds a lot like the school in this parable, then we want you to know there is a better way. It’s time for your church to checkout…Intentional Discipleship Tracking (https://www.assessme.org/discipleship/).
3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be....lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. 2 Timothy 3:1-5
