Back to School Again

Members of First Assembly of God in Shelbyville, Tennessee, are viewing world religions through the eyes of middle school students in a new midweek series led by Pastor Glenn Forsee.

Teaching from a sixth- and seventh-grade textbook, Tenets of World History, Forsee is plugged into public education big-time. He has served as an elected member of the Bedford County Board of Education for 10 years after his original appointment to fill an unexpired term. He also gained valuable experience substitute teaching for 16 years before joining the school board.

Forsee caught the idea for the world religion series during a school board meeting last fall as members discussed issues arising from covering different religions in a world history class. While most people in the South have a frame of reference to church and Christianity, Forsee believes they have a hard time understanding faiths like Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism.

Shelbyville, located 50 miles southeast of Nashville, reflects Tennessee’s down-home Bible Belt reputation. The state’s majority Christian population was 81 percent in 2015, according to Pew Research Center.

Describing his role as a pastor-teacher, Forsee links the series to buttressing long-held Biblical truths.

“There needs to be information taught so church people and the community fully understand the big picture of what are the basic tenets of our Christian faith are and how they relate to other religions,” he says. “And are believers really sure of their own faith and how to defend it?”

Forsee opened the series in January as part of the regular Wednesday evening service. Church members prepare a free light dinner such as chili, spaghetti, or tacos and a baked potato bar before the class. Attendance at the midweek service has doubled because of the series, attracting participants from other local churches and even a school board member.

Moreover, Forsee informed the school district about his plans and reports no negative feedback from educators or the community. First Assembly has a reputation for helping needy families and children by supplying food and clothing.

Carol Caton, a longtime member of First Assembly, says the series has given her more compassion for non-Christians in the Middle East.

“They don’t know the love and salvation God has shown through Jesus,” she says. “Because we have Christ and the Holy Spirit in our hearts we love them also and long to see their salvation.”

On another level, Forsee is not overly concerned about what children are learning about other religions in public schools. His real concern is the lack of churches teaching congregants enough about their faith.

“The Bible says that we are not to be ignorant,” he says. “A lack of knowledge is ignorance.”

For example, Forsee teaches while Islam is a monotheistic religion, there is no concept of a loving God engaged with humans. Judgment is based on works alone. Love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness are alien concepts. Faith needs to be anchored in solid biblical doctrine and Christ as the only path to God.

“The more you have the real, the easier it is to recognize the counterfeit,” he says.

Peter K. Johnson

Peter K. Johnson is a freelance writer living in Saranac Lake, New York. More than 500 of his articles and short stories have appeared in Christian and mainstream magazines and newspapers, including the Pentecostal Evangel,Charisma, the Saturday Evening Post, Guideposts, and Decision. He also serves as a consultant and contributing editor to a scientific journal.