Reflections on "Expressions of Concern"

An interesting week as various parents have come to me with "expressions of concern"... no, that's not a euphemism for criticism as they really have been expressing concern about a couple of chapel messages in particular, and asking questions about what their child(ren) reported back to them. Through this I'm reflecting on a few ideas...

1) I am grateful that the parents are coming directly to me when they have concerns about what their son/daughter is learning in chapel. I am the one "responsible" for inviting the speakers we have in chapel and so I'm glad when there is concerns or criticism that the parent comes to me directly.

2) I am also grateful that students are talking about what they are hearing in chapel with their parents. This means a) they are listening and thinking about what they hear in chapel, b) they are talking to their parents about their day and c) they are talking about spiritual matters with their parents. Our mission at Prairie Christian Academy is to "partner with parents to educate students to think and act Christianly, constructively and critically in order to know Jesus Christ..." Apparently this is happening! Thanks be to God!

By the way, this is not an excuse for having "shoddy" chapel messages just so students can take feedback to their parents about "junk" they hear in chapel. In fact, from my perspective, both messages were in fact quite solid - practically challenging and biblically accurate. This leads to the third learning concept.

3) We do not all hear the same "material" when a person speaks. Each person has presuppositions and we hear things through a pre-existing grid that we may or may not be completely aware of. Even though a speaker may verbally say the content s/he means to communicate, it will be heard differently by each listener... and then interpreted differently by each hearer also. So as a speaker, one must regularly seek to repeat a point or concept with similar phrases in order for the intent of the message to be communicated.

4) And last but not least... anytime we are communicating the Word of God we must pray often that GOD will speak to people's hearts, speak His Truth to each heart, and that our human words will not get in the way of God's message.