Twice in the past week, I was reminded of the challenges that churches create for themselves by scheduling worship and Christian education simultaneously.
I gave this advice to a DCE (who, as it turned out, did not need it): "Do not schedule worship and education simultaneously. Even when the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak. Families will be tempted to cut back to one hour. Adults miss Bible class, children miss worship, everybody loses. I know that facilities cost money and when attendance grows that middle hour looks attractive for worship as well as education. My advice is don’t do it."
And I heard our senior pastor at the congregation where I am a member, during the sermon at the 9:30 a.m. worship service (and all others), the admonition that parents should not choose to worship at a time that precludes their own attendance at Bible class or deprives their children of the opportunity to be in both worship and Sunday School. (I'm sure he did not miss the irony that he was preaching in a service that take place during the congregation's Sunday School hour.)
Wise congregational leadership will address the issues raised by a crowded sanctuary in ways that will not have a negative impact on Christian education for adults and worship attendance for children. How else will children learn to worship than by doing so with their parents? What kind of example for valuing the study of God's Word is given by parents who do not study God's Word along side of, at the same time as, their children?
There will be a definite cost to keeping the hours of worship and Christian education separate. In spiritual terms, however, I believe it will be less than the cost of placing worship and Sunday School in competing time slots.
God bless you as you enable God's children, children and adults, to study God's Word.
I gave this advice to a DCE (who, as it turned out, did not need it): "Do not schedule worship and education simultaneously. Even when the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak. Families will be tempted to cut back to one hour. Adults miss Bible class, children miss worship, everybody loses. I know that facilities cost money and when attendance grows that middle hour looks attractive for worship as well as education. My advice is don’t do it."
And I heard our senior pastor at the congregation where I am a member, during the sermon at the 9:30 a.m. worship service (and all others), the admonition that parents should not choose to worship at a time that precludes their own attendance at Bible class or deprives their children of the opportunity to be in both worship and Sunday School. (I'm sure he did not miss the irony that he was preaching in a service that take place during the congregation's Sunday School hour.)
Wise congregational leadership will address the issues raised by a crowded sanctuary in ways that will not have a negative impact on Christian education for adults and worship attendance for children. How else will children learn to worship than by doing so with their parents? What kind of example for valuing the study of God's Word is given by parents who do not study God's Word along side of, at the same time as, their children?
There will be a definite cost to keeping the hours of worship and Christian education separate. In spiritual terms, however, I believe it will be less than the cost of placing worship and Sunday School in competing time slots.
God bless you as you enable God's children, children and adults, to study God's Word.
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