Encouraging Participation

Our Sunday School materials at Concordia Publishing include an e-mail address for any and all questions our customers might have about their Sunday School. I received a request over the weekend for assistance in getting parents to bring/send their children to Sunday School.

I think I will break my response into two parts, (1) what message do you want to send and (2) how do you send the message?

What Message Do You Want to Send?

• Jesus loves children and wants them to come to Him (Matthew 9:14).
• Sunday School is a place where children and their parents meet Jesus every week through the clear proclamation of Law and Gospel, sin and grace. (It will boost the credibility of your message if this is really true about your Sunday School.)
• Children are forming now the habits and attitudes that will guide them throughout life; parents determine a child's attitude about Sunday School through their participation and investment in Sunday School. "As the twig is bent, so grows the tree."
• We never get too much of God's Word; the student who hears God's Word daily in the Lutheran day school or weekly in midweek or confirmation class can still benefit from hearing about God's love on Sunday in the worship service and Sunday School. There is always more to learn.

How Do You Send the Message?

• From the pulpit. The pastor's support and involvement is crucial.
• Personally. Face to face or at least voice to voice will be ten times more effective than bulk mail or bulletin announcements.
• Frequently. "We tried that once" doesn't cut it. "We did that last week" is still not a great excuse.
• Graciously. You may be able to get a family to Sunday School once or twice through guilt, but the Law is not your best weapon without healthy doses also of the Gospel.
• Through caring, well-equipped and well-prepared teachers.

Do parents seem to believe that their children won't learn anything new in Sunday School? Invite them to sit in as helpers or encourage them to serve as teachers.
Do parents believe that soccer or other sports are more important than Sunday School and church? Some Law may certainly be required; Luther's explanation of the Third Commandment is a good place to start.
Do parents complain that their children don't want to go to Sunday School? Encourage them to set a good example through their own attendance. Encourage your church to offer a broad range of Bible studies for adults as well as children.

How would you answer the question, "Why should I send my kids to Sunday School?"

How do you encourage attendance in your congregation?

Thanks for all you do to teach God's children His Word.