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Rating: 
Summary: Comprehensive and Insightful.
Review: The Church as Learning Community is a good resource for teachers and learners inside and outside of faith communities. However, it is especially aimed toward pastors, youth group coordinators, faith leaders and others in communities who want to enhance their teaching/learning and to discover what kind of teacher/learner they are. This book is very comprehensive and would work best as a resource and for reference rather than for a sit through reading; there are just too many diverse ideas, charts, phases and stories to take in at any one reading.
Theologically, Everist express her position best, "The content of teaching in the Christian learning community is the cross of Christ." (p. 29) She finds her hope not in an idea but from a real life promise, "Do we believe we please God by right believing or do we bring our brokenness and alienation to a God of grace who frees us through forgiveness for new relationships, service and mission? (p. 92)
There were some aspects of Everist's book which were especially helpful or insightful. Three such examples are the following: her use of the Apostles Creed for giving a direction for faith teaching/learning (p. 91-101), how people reflect on life differently in various phases of live (chapter 4) and her many reflection questions inserted right after ideas have been discussed.
Rating:
Summary: A comprehensive look
Review: Cook Everist states that this book has built on the thesis that the entire parish neighborhood is the learning community. We do not have the ability to stay inside the church walls when it comes to being who we are called to be. She goes on to say that some may find
Rating:
Summary: a comprehensive tool for christian education
Review: Norma Cook Everist has managed to include an array of helpful knowledge concerning faith education in one resoure. The chapters address a range of topics from learning amongst a community to connecting the community with public world at large.
It's a marvelous telling of the need for leaders of the church and lay leaders alike to look beyond their walls of worship. God has given us all a mission in this world and Everist makes sure we open our hearts to it. The church faces incredible challenges today from within and without; use the book to help set you on a path to bring the two worlds together.
Rating: 
Summary: It is a Comprehensive Guide to Christian Education
Review: This book is an amazing book; as the subtitle states...it truly is a "comprehensive guide to Christian Education." The Church as Learning Community is a perfect resource for Christian Educators in the church, for pastors/priests, for lay leaders, and people who will at some point be in one of those positions, "especially those in college, divinity school or seminary." The main reason to me of why this is a great resource is that it takes the things that are the most significant to Religious Education in the church and presents the information in a way in which lay people can understand...while not "dumbing it down" for "professionals" or students. Two other great assets is that this book possesses in the chapters 1)questions for personal reflection and 2)strategies for the particular topic that was just discussed. As someone who has recently graduated from college with a Christian Education degree and is currently at Seminary...I whole-heartily recommend this book. Some of the topics that I believe are important that The Church as Learning Community include are (in no specific order): developmental stages, choosing resources, working with "differently" abled, how to create a "safe" environment, the eight facets of learning, relevant case studies, outreach, how to "equip" leaders, how to plan, how to be the church in today's pluralistic world and how to show that religious education is something that can be done in "everyday" life.
Rating:
Summary: It is a Comprehensive Guide to Christian Education
Review: This book is an amazing book; as the subtitle states...it truly is a "comprehensive guide to Christian Education." The Church as Learning Community is a perfect resource for Christian Educators in the church, for pastors/priests, for lay leaders, and people who will at some point be in one of those positions, "especially those in college, divinity school or seminary." The main reason to me of why this is a great resource is that it takes the things that are the most significant to Religious Education in the church and presents the information in a way in which lay people can understand...while not "dumbing it down" for "professionals" or students. Two other great assets is that this book possesses in the chapters 1)questions for personal reflection and 2)strategies for the particular topic that was just discussed. As someone who has recently graduated from college with a Christian Education degree and is currently at Seminary...I whole-heartily recommend this book. Some of the topics that I believe are important that The Church as Learning Community include are (in no specific order): developmental stages, choosing resources, working with "differently" abled, how to create a "safe" environment, the eight facets of learning, relevant case studies, outreach, how to "equip" leaders, how to plan, how to be the church in today's pluralistic world and how to show that religious education is something that can be done in "everyday" life.
Rating:
Summary: It's Not Just About Sunday School!
Review: Where on earth was this book when I was in my first year of parish youth ministry??? If you are a teacher, volunteer or paid staff worker within Christian Education...get this book.
It is a resource that guides and empowers both professional and lay leaders alike. As a parish educator, I want this book close at hand on my resource shelf. It is a great place to begin understanding Christian Education beyond Sunday School. As the title implies, it enables one to see the whole church as ripe for learning, at every stage in life.
Whether you are new to a position or have years of experience, this book will become your new best friend.
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