Our son, Jim, visited with us last weekend and conducted a workshop for the church on communicating spiritual values to children. Actually, we called it "Parenting/Grandparenting for Dummies." Jim works in children's ministry and contributes occasional articles to the AAF newsletter.

In this issue Jim and his Dad are on the same page regarding children's education. We're both strong believers in maintaining a quality children's ministry in the local church, but that does not take the place of the home. We invite your consideration of our thoughts.

Norman and Ann

A few years ago, Mitch Glaser, a Messianic Jew, wrote about a conversation with his daughter following her Easter morning Sunday School class. Apparently the class discussion involved Easter eggs and the Easter bunny. Mitch lamented, "I did not bring Miriam (his daughter) to church to learn about the religious customs of Scandinavia! I wanted her to learn about the resurrection of the Savior."

I'm not an opponent of Easter eggs and the Easter bunny, but their importance has to be peripheral. The story of the resurrection is foundational to the Christian faith. It is so foundational that it needs to be declared, talked about and emphasized throughout the year, not just one day on the church calendar. Parents play an important role in perpetuating the resurrection story.

The family provided the Hebrew people with their primary educational environment. In Deuteronomy 6:6-7, Moses wrote, "These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." The Passover continues to be a passionate part of Hebrew religion because the story has been maintained in family circles.

The story of the resurrection needs strong emphasis in Christian family circles. The story is foundational to the Christian faith. "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures . . .." (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

I grew up around the construction business and the very first lesson you learn is the importance of a solid foundation. One of the most famous construction oddities in the world is the leaning tower of Pisa. The structure is a ten-story building, 179 feet high that leans almost 20 feet off of plumb. The architect who designed the structure laid a 10-foot foundation to support a 179-foot building.

When you don't have the right kind of foundation, you can put all kinds of intricately designed materials in the superstructure and you still won't have much, because the foundation won't support it. The same thing is true with faith. The foundation of our faith is not Easter eggs and bunnies, but the resurrection of Jesus is an important part of our foundation.

You may not be able to control the curriculum of your church's Sunday School program. Even when you do, you won't have a lot to say about the teacher's lesson preparation. On the other hand, you have an enormous impact on your family. It may seem to you that your children don't pay much attention to what you believe and say. The fact remains, however, that when you set a credible example of Christian living for your children, they take notice and they do listen to what you say, even if they seem uninterested.

How can we best insure the continuation of belief in the resurrection? Take a cue from the Old Testament. Talk about it when you sit at home, when you are on the road, when you lie down and when you get up. If you're living with integrity and if you really believe the resurrection to be foundational, they'll get the message.

Ministers are often long on pointing out the sins of others and short on recognizing their own. (I know. I'm one of them). With refreshing candor, Joel Solliday deals with the problem of intellectual honesty within the framework of his own struggles. You'll appreciate his approach to the problem. You can read it