I love teaching confirmation classes

I LOVE teaching Confirmation Class! That might be a surprising statement to some. The idea of spending prolonged time with middle school students is not what others might consider their idea of fun. But, when you see an important truth introduced to someone who hasn’t previously considered this idea, that is a special moment. When you can see the “aha moment” of recognition in the eyes of a teenager, and hear in the answers of that young person that they are beginning to grasp the importance of a previously unknown concept with eternal blessings, it is special to be part of such a moment.

When I retired in August of 2019 I did not expect to be teaching young people on a regular basis any longer. But, after COVID turned the world upside down, I was asked to return part time and help St. John Intentional Interim Pastor, Craig Schultz as he extended his ministry at the congregation. One of the ways I have helped the last two years is teaching Saturday Confirmation.

Last Saturday, January 15, using a text book entitled “Martin Luther and the Catechism”, we studied about Martin Luther at the Diet of Wurms, and learned about Luther’s legacy. One of our two memory verses was, “8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.” Among other topics we discussed the grace of God, His undeserved love, and we learned the gift of our Lord’s truth that we are saved from sin, from death, and from hell by God’s GRACE through FAITH in Jesus, not by our good works. The class discussed what to trust in this world of competing ideas, and we learned to trust God and His Word as found in Scripture ahead of trusting human teaching. We discussed how all believers in Jesus are “saints”, people who are forgiven and made holy through the blood of Jesus. As we considered why Martin Luther wrote The Small Catechism, we learned how it is our Lord’s plan that parents are responsible for teaching Christian faith to their children. In addition, our lessons looked at the results of the Reformation in worship and in society. And, we learned that Martin Luther was a human, and sinful too – needing a savior, and how Luther’s teachings have been twisted by some.

Such truth from our Creator and Savior is life changing, giving eternal life in heaven, and giving grace, hope, and truth for life in this world. I shared with the parents of these students that it is a blessing to be able teach these important, eternity giving truths to children who are open and willing to learn! What a privilege to be part of such important moments in the lives of these children of God.

Our world is seriously troubled in ways which we can see more and more every day. What are YOU doing as a child of God to bring God’s love into this sinful mess and make our world a better place to live? As for me, among other things, I LOVE teaching Confirmation Class!