Of course they are! God has given a precious gift to parents with the birth of a child and He commands that His children be taught His Word. It is the Church's privilege to assist parents in this process in whatever way we can.
That said, let's be slow to jump on the "Sunday School is dead" bandwagon. Generally speaking, Sunday School is as strong in any congregation as that congregation chooses to make it. But let's face it! Sunday School, and Christian education in general, is hard work! To be sure, a new program (workshop rotation, site rotation, large-group presentation/small-group discussion) will often create improvement in Sunday School numbers. I would suggest that this is not because traditional Sunday School is "dead,"past its prime, but because every new thing requires increased effort, and increased effort pays off.
Don't give up on your Sunday School. Not every congregation can pull together the resources needed for the latest and greatest. But every congregation can invest a little more effort in a program that has proven itself over time to help parents teach the Word to their children.
Focus on essence! Trust God's promise to provide His Spirit wherever God's Word is taught. Teach God's children His Word.
How is Sunday School doing in your corner of the kingdom? What are you doing to equip parents in their task as Christian educators?
