Lessons with Mr. Al
When Pastor Jamie shared a C.S. Lewis quote in a recent message, Al McClain, a volunteer teacher in Discovery Kids, realized it described his young adult life. Lewis said: “We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
“In 1972, I had just gotten out of the Navy and was making terrible choices,” recalled Al. “I cried out to God to save me from the consequences of my folly. And I promised Him that if He delivered me, I would serve Him every Sunday however He wanted to use me.”
That was 44 years ago, and Al has been preparing Bible lessons for kids ever since. The last 30 of those years have been in Children’s Ministry here at Scottsdale Bible. To many generations of SBC kids, he’s known as “Mr. Al.”
Observe him teaching his Sunday class for just a minute, and it’s clear he’s passionate about helping kids learn the Bible. “If I can teach biblical values to these young kids, it will form their attitudes at a younger age and affect their actions,” he stresses. “The curriculum our team has developed teaches kids the entire Bible in three years and shows how everything—even Jonah in the belly of the whale—points back to Christ. When they pick that up, these kids can get to the beach a lot quicker than I did.”
Al also sings in the choir. A couple years ago, when he was performing in Winter Wonder, a 25-year-old woman recognized him on stage while livestreaming the performance from New York. She called her mom and said, “Tell Mr. Al that I still remember the $5 I could win in his Sunday School class if I read my Bible during the week!”
Mr. Al loves to weave in fun with the kids’ Bible learning. Years ago, he told his class of 4th graders if they accomplished a two-month Bible-reading contest, they could throw eggs at him. “I prepared with a raincoat and a motorcycle helmet with a face shield. When I got home that night, I had 30 red pelts on my body!”
As a Baby Boomer, Al sees a real difference in the way the next generation is being brought up. “There’s no margin in their lives. They’re pushed either by parents or their peer group, and they don’t get to be kids. And every moment of their day is filled with entertainment.” Al encourages others from his generation to spend time with young kids—not just for the benefit of the kids, but for their own, too. “My generation takes in so much and gives out so little, but we need to be sharing what God has taught us. You don’t have to worry or wonder where He’s going to use you—just be available.”
“Over the many years of preparing lessons and studying the Bible, I’ve replaced my folly with an awesome fear and respect for God.” Serving in Children’s Ministry has given him a sense of fulfillment. “When I cried out to God, He gave me this ministry, and it’s replaced the not-so-good things in my life.” He jokes that it also keeps him on the straight and narrow. “Now that so many people know me from all these years in Children’s Ministry, I can’t swear or be a bad guy anymore!”
Though he may be the teacher, the kids are teaching Mr. Al, too. “They teach me—it kind of chokes me up—to accept them unconditionally and to love them equally. I had issues with not treating people equally as the Lord does. These kids have helped me, groomed me, to love them all the way He does.”
