What Makes Sunday School Material Lutheran?

I am frequently astonished at the willingness among Lutheran congregations to employ un-Lutheran material in their Sunday Schools and Christian education programs. What's up with that? It raises for me all sorts of questions.

Are they saying that the material we use doesn't make a difference?

Do they not understand the central place that the Sacraments have in the life of every Christian?

What do they expect volunteer teachers to do with un-Lutheran content?

Is the material really edited sufficiently to become Lutheran? Can it be?

What happens when un-Lutheran student material is taken home? Isn't a picture worth a thousand words? Are we in fact promoting heresy?

What is the long-term impact of using un-Lutheran material on the faith and life of teachers and students?

So, how do you know if material is Lutheran? Let's start with three basics.

Lutheran material teaches about sin and salvation, Law and Gospel, and God's forgiveness.
I occasionally hear complaints about the including so much discussion of sin and evil in our CPH Sunday School material. Without an understanding of sin however, and a realization that the world is tainted by it, the students have no real need or desire for God's forgiveness and the salvation He offers through His Son, Jesus.

Lutheran material teaches that God alone is able to work salvation and forgiveness.
God is the active ingredient in our faith relationship with Him. He is the potter; we, the clay. He is the giver; we are beggars who have nothing and bring nothing. He is life; we are dead in sin and unable to act in any way to merit His grace and mercy.

The Bible is the Word of God, contains no error or contradiction, and is the means by which God makes Himself known to us and shares His gifts with us.
Lutheran material will teach more than just Bible facts. It will teaches the meaning and message of the Scriptures.

(Last year I wrote about a simple tool for judging material; it is call "The Temple Test.")

The material you use as you teach God's children His Word will make a difference in their lives now and in eternity. I pray that God will guide those who make the crucial decisions about material. God bless you as you teach His children His Word.