Why non-believers smell us out as hypocrites...

"Educators often refer to a concept called the hidden curriculum.  This concept suggests that in a classroom, there is a formal curriculum that includes things like math problems, writing assignments, or science experiments.  But there's also the hidden curriculum, which involves issues like who wants to sit next to whom, and who does the teacher look at, and who does the teacher tend to call on?

The hidden curriculum teaches students who matters and who does not,
who's bright and who's left out.

If there is an inconsistency between the hidden curriculum and the formal curriculum,
research shows that students always believe the hidden curriculum."

John Ortberg, "Speaking from my Holy of Holies," Leadership (Spring 2007), 40.

Education is not the only place that struggles with a hidden curriculum.  Though it was more than a decade ago, I remember clearly a horrifying example of hidden curriculum in the church.

I was to speak at the denominational meeting different from my own about our changing culture.  My task was to share how difficult it is to reach non-churched people with the gospel, but also to offer some ideas on how to bridge the gap.

I was sitting up front and as I was being introduced, the leader of meeting shared that they had invited some youth age members of their churches to join us to hear what I had to say.  These kids looked like kids everywhere: somewhat ragged, wearing shorts, tee shirts and one boy had on a hat.  They looked strangely out of place in a "grown up meeting."

Then, before I could even take the floor, a scowling older woman got up from the middle of the room.  She walked behind the kids with stiff, staccato steps.  Then she quite rudely, without a word, knocked the hat off that kid's head.

I remember being so taken aback, that I did not know what to say.  Was that hat really that important?  Should I say something?

As I write today, I wonder if that kid- now in his twenties- even graces the doorstep of any church.  I wonder if that day was a turning point where he decided that he would rather do anything else than be embarrassed by a so-called adult.

What is the application?  There are many.  What I would like to focus our thought upon is a simple statement.  

Much of what passes for "ministry" is marked by a hidden curriculum/agenda.

We might say we want to reach out to new people, but our hidden curriculum says we are a closed system that really does not want new people or ideas.  We might say we love families, but our hidden agenda says that we really love a certain type of family (intact, white, smart, having it all together, who knows what else?).  We might claim we wish our church or ministry to grow, but our hidden curriculum screams, "We only want you if you agree with us!"

New people who come into our ministry will pick up upon and believe the hidden curriculum more than the "official" statement of belief and intent.

What is the hidden curriculum/thought that dominates your life?  Your ministry?  Your church?  As I stated, we often cannot see it.  How can we discover what is hidden?

Ask the Holy Spirit to help you have eyes to see.  Humbly confess that you have blind spots that you need the Spirit to reveal.  Then ask for outside eyes to see what is really happening.  Pray.  Trust what the Spirit reveals.  Repent.  Ask for grace to change the hidden curriculum.  

Psalm 139: 23-24 is a great place to start the journey of identifying our hidden curriculum.  Why not join me in praying,

Search me, of God, and know my heart!

Try me and know my thoughts!

See if here be any grievous way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting.