Although the saying might be a bit cliché, being “all on the same page” is critical in most areas where teamwork is involved. Financial analysts need to be on the same page AND the same column, or their numbers won’t add up. A teacher has to ensure that every student is reading the same content, or the follow-up discussion won’t make sense. A football team has to make sure that every player understands the playbook, or a game could be lost by a few wrong steps.
Why is it that we segment the greatest team to which we all belong? Why do we worship at church, attend a small group or class, or teach a lesson, but make no effort to be “on the same page”? If it’s important in other areas of life, it should be important here. Churches are, in essence, the teams that God has placed in communities across the world.
I fully understand the cultural importance of kids meeting with kids, teens meeting with teens, adult, singles, etc. (And I know that there are some who propose that families should stay together and worship together all of the time…that’s another blog post, perhaps in the future.) I’m not talking about environments. I’m talking about content in our studies or curriculum.
What would it look like if families and members of churches were actually studying the same content? That’s alignment. We would not only be in the same book, God’s Word, we would actually be on the same page! Groups in the church would actually be tackling the same issues, reading the same or related passages, and considering the theological implications of the words on that page!
What if parents didn’t have to ask “What did you learn in church today?” because they already know the answer? Imagine the impact on your family when you begin discussing the day’s passage where you all already know the context. God conversations become deeper. Families become closer, especially if you have these discussions in the home instead of just in the car after church. Curriculum alignment really is, everyone being “on the same page” in every sense of those words. Consider this option for your church, and you’ll see an immediate impact in how your team plays.
