Co-constructing Understanding: The Power of Relational Learning in Growing Faith and Identity
I vaguely remember being in the choir room at the church where I grew up in northern NJ. The folding chairs were on risers where the choir members sat and rehearsed on Sunday mornings, including my parents. I remember peering cautiously beneath the risers, wondering if I could hide underneath them.
I must have been about three or four years old.
That’s how many years I’ve been going to church at least 48 Sundays – or more – every year of my life.
When I was old enough to go to school, my parents sent me (and later, my younger sisters) to a private Christian school through fourth grade. That’s where I learned all the books of the Old Testament by heart, and the stories of the key figures like Daniel, David, Noah, Jesus, Moses, and my namesake, Deborah.
I also remember sneaking the big children’s Bible into my bedroom at night and reading the stories by the sliver of the hall light that shined into my room… until my parents would catch me and send me to sleep.
So I have always known a lot ABOUT the Bible. The stories. The people. The facts.
But I didn’t know how to read the Bible for understanding. For new perspectives. For transformation.
It wasn’t until I reached my 50s that someone showed me how to read the Bible… and explained about God’s love.
Sure, I’d read a few books before then that explained God’s love. But without a relationship with a human being who was willing to demonstrate that love in person, it was all just words.
That’s the key: transformation is based on relationships. Joyful relationships.
In Overcoming Barriers to Student Understanding, contributing author David Perkins explains about someone who is a social learner: “Constructivists often emphasise that knowledge and understanding are highly social. We do not construct them individually; we co-construct them in dialogue with others.”
I have found this to be true. Learning that is transformational – that changes your heart and mind – is often co-constructed through relational interactions. In my case, when one person made an intentional investment in building a relationship with me based on studying scripture together, praying with and for each other, engaging in mission/ministry together, and sharing regular table fellowship between us and with our families, my heart and mind were completely transformed. Those transformations led to transformed relationships with God and others, and that led to a very different trajectory in my life (even just eight years ago I never would have guessed I’d be attending Portland Seminary!).
Perkins continues, “Considerable research shows that active engagement in learning typically leads to better retention, understanding, and active use of knowledge. A social dimension to learning, what is sometimes called collaborative or co-operative learning often, although not always, fosters learning. Sometimes, engaging students in discovery or rediscovery processes energises them and yields deeper understanding.”
Perkins explains that social interaction and active engagement are factors that contribute to the retention of “threshold concepts.” A threshold concepts framework is a theoretical framework that, once understood, transforms a learner’s knowledge and understanding of a subject. These concepts are like a gateway or portal to deeper understanding. Once exposed to a threshold concept, the learner can never “un-see” it. The learner may also need to wrestle with this new knowledge as a “troublesome concept” until it “fits” them. In that case, it’s like taking off the old clothes and putting on a new set of clothes.
What was this threshold concept with which I still sometimes wrestle? It can be found in Ephesians 4:
20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (NIV)
The woman who discipled me taught me through words, actions, and the study of God’s word togher that I had a new identity: beloved child of God.
That shift in identity is dependent on social learning to co-construct and co-create the new concept. That’s why discipleship is so powerful. It’s learning and doing life with another human being to co-learn and co-create a vague facsimile of the love that God has for us.
I like the way Tom Camacho describes it. He begins by quoting Genesis 1:27-28:
27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’ (Genesis 1:27–28, NKJV)
Then Camacho explains the three “key components of our identity revealed in these verses:
We are created in God’s image (verse 27). We reflect him and who he is. We are made with intentional design to reflect our Creator God. We are created to thrive (verse 28). God wants us to be fruitful and multiply. His great desire for each of us is to come alive and live fruitfully. This is a critical truth. Thriving is not just for some people; it is for every person created in his image. We are created with a purpose (verse 28). Our purpose is to multiply and fill the earth with God’s life and goodness. We are born to reveal him on the earth. We carry his image, we reflect him and we are his treasured possession. As we live in dynamic, loving relationship with God, the world will come to know him. Our identity in Christ gives us the confidence and freedom to discover what God has created us to do. To thrive, we must begin with who we are, then move towards what we are to do. Being always precedes doing. The discovery of our identity is the key that unlocks the door to our future.”
If that’s not a threshold concept – that our identity as belonging to Christ helps us become who God created us to be – I don’t know what is! And that’s the power of this new identity.
But it does require continuous nurturing through active engagement (doing ministry or mission work) and co-creating (doing it together).
In Joy Starts Here; The Transformation Zone, the authors state, “life-changing, maturity-enhancing, joy-spreading changes in character and community happen when three conditions are present at the same time:
- The weak and strong are together and interacting
- Tender responses to weakness are the rule
- The interactive presence of God (Immanuel) maintains shalom”
Joy is the feeling you get when someone is clearly delighted to see you and be with you. It is through this joyful togetherness – co-creating a new identity – that we can most effectively disciple others so they, too, can recognize that they are beloved children of God.
Who co-created or co-creates this threshold concept in your life?
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1 David Perkins, “Constructivism and troublesome knowledge,” in J. Meyer and R. Land, Overcoming Barriers to Student Understanding: Threshold Concepts and Troublesome Knowledge (1st ed.; Routledge, 2006), 34, https://doi-org.georgefox.idm.oclc.org/10.4324/9780203966273.
2 Perkins, Overcoming Barriers to Student Understanding: Threshold Concepts and Troublesome Knowledge, 35.
3 Tom Camacho. Mining for Gold: Developing Kingdom Leaders through Coaching (pp. 110-111). IVP. Kindle Edition.
4 E. James Wilder, Edward M. Khouri, Chris M. Coursey, Shelia D. Sutton. Joy Starts Here; The Transformation Zone (p. 65). Life Model Works. 2021.
About the Author
Debbie Owen
Deborah C. Owen is an experienced spiritual director, Neuro-based Enneagram executive and life coach, disciple maker, professional writer, senior librarian, and long-time church Music Director and lay leader. She has earned the award of National Board Certification for teaching excellence, and a podcasting award, and is pursuing a Doctor of Leadership degree through Portland Seminary at George Fox University. She lives in the backwoods of Maine with her husband and flat-coated retriever. She spends as much time as she can with their 3 grown children, daughter-in-law, and 2 small grandchildren. Find her online at InsideOutMinistries.info.16 responses to “Co-constructing Understanding: The Power of Relational Learning in Growing Faith and Identity”
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Debbie, thanks for your blog and thoughts about the relational component of understanding threshold concepts. I work with a model for change management called Appreciative Inquiry. One of the underlying principles is the Constructionist Principle (Words create worlds. We co-create our reality in conversations with one another). The principle is fairly similar to what Perkins is talking about in the book. Thanks for bringing this to my attention it gives me something to think about.
Thanks for sharing that Graham. Interesting: Contructionist vs. Constructivist. I’ll need to look up any differences and similarities.
Debbie,
Thanks for sharing about your experience with discipleship, and how the Lord used it to reveal himself to you. There is power in community to understand our identity in Christ as beloved children of God. My missional community has played this role for me – often confronting lies that I may be believing or reminding me of truths that I need to hear.
Isn’t that such a gift Christy?
Thanks Debbie. Great connection on how community plays a role in walking with people through threshold concepts, as well as spiritual identity formation.
I appreciate the way you integrated scripture into this post as well! Thank you!
Hi Debbie, I enjoyed reading your journey from a childhood rich in biblical knowledge to the transformative understanding of God’s love. The emphasis on the social dimension of learning, as discussed by David Perkins, resonates with your experience of relational discipleship. The concept of threshold moments, particularly the shift in identity to being a beloved child of God, is profound, and probably the greatest moment for every child of God.
Considering your leadership role, how might you facilitate a culture where individuals actively participate in the relational processes that contribute to the understanding of threshold concepts, particularly those related to identity and purpose in Christ?
Well, that’s the key question, isn’t it Glyn? 🙂
My current leadership role is Music Director at my church. My husband and I have been there for a little over a year. In that time I try to send a weekly Music Memo to the choir where I often (about 50% of the time) include something I’ve read or discovered in my quiet time or in conversation with someone, having to do with spiritual formation and growth. I’m trying to demonstrate to a mostly-captive audience how to “belong” to Christ. My hope is that some of that begins to rub off on the members of the choir.
I’ve also led two book studies with totally different groups of people and I am planning to offer a study of Mark in small groups after Easter.
So… it’s little by little. Being careful not to step on toes, or too far outside my lane. Being invitational. And mostly, by visibly and regularly caring about the people with whom I come in contact.
Debbie,
I loved your emphasis on relational transformation. I am so thankful for many Godly friends that have spoken into my life and helped me learn Spiritual threshold concepts. Dave is a friend that comes to mind who helped me reconsider some of the doctrines of my upbringing pertaining to prayer and the Holy Spirit. His questioning allowed me to step through a threshold that completely transformed my prayer life and walk with God.
What may God be inviting you to do with this perspective as you engage and connect with others?
Thanks Kari. I just answered this question in my response to Glyn, but in short: stay open to where Spirit is inviting me to invite others into a deeper relationship.
Debbie, this is a great post. When watching a supplementary YouTube video on Threshold Concepts and Troublesome Knowledge, Ray Land mentioned that troublesome knowledge can be seen with a sense of wonderment. I can’t help but feel from your story a sense of wonderment in the liminal space.
Your emphasis on social interaction and active engagement with others was very encouraging. I agree with you. We are transformed by our relationship with God and others. Someone who has walked alongside me and pushed me to be a godlier woman is my friend and colleague, Kari Kinard. I arrived in North Africa thinking I had everything figured out. Not so! Kari has been there to walk me through the unknown, the awkward and scary. She exhorts me and calls me out when something is out of balance. I don’t think I would have made it in Africa without her perseverance and faith in me.
What a beautiful testament to friendship Elysse! I recommend you check out the book “Holy Friendships” by Vitoria Atkinson White. It may shed some light on that, and other friendships, for you. 🙂
Thank you, Debbie. I will check this book out.
Debbie, Thanks for sharing about your journey from reading Bible stories and learning about the Bible to being in relationship with a person who brought the real value, a relationship with Christ. One question I had as I read your post was if you knew you were in a liminal space or was it that you didn’t know what you didn’t know?
Great question Diane. I knew there had to be something “more” to life than just doing all the activities. I was seeking holy purpose and I sincerely doubt that can come without some sort of companionship or community. I didn’t know what I was missing until I had it!
Hi Debbie, Thank you for sharing your story to highlight collaborative learning and co-creating as a means of discipleship. When you reflect back on your friendship during that season of life do you see ways in which you may have helped your friend discover something entirely new? I wonder if the insights of a person in discovery of her identity brought some other aspect of following Jesus to light and so shifted your friend’s perspective.
Julie, I love that question. I can’t speak for her, but for myself, as I have disciples others, I know that God speaks to me over and over again. When we dive deep into scripture (less is more!) and explore the three questions – What does it say? What does it mean in its context? What might God be saying to me or inviting me to? – I find Holy Spirit present in God’s word. It’s different every time.
If I get a chance, I will ask my friend if walking with someone as they discover their identity in Christ ever brings some new discovery for her as well. Thank you.