My Car Won't Run! It Must Need New Paint!

Or I could address the real problem. My car may deserve to have its paint job touched up, but a new coat of paint is not going to help it run. Since my car has a specific purpose, which is providing transportation not decoration, I would be better off spending my time and money identifying and fixing the issues that keeps it from running.

"Our Sunday School is losing ground. We must need a new curriculum." Or you could address the real problem. Too many churches would rather focus on stuff that is visible, tangible, and seems easily remedied, than to do the hard work---train the volunteers, educate the parents, fund the mission. Contacting families who are finding other things to do on Sunday morning, building relationships with parents so that your spiritual encouragement does not fall on deaf ears, convincing church council members that Sunday School is worth allocating budgeted funds for. These are not easy tasks. They will require patient effort over a period of weeks, months, and years to accomplish.

But the mission of your Sunday School, to share the Gospel with the children and adults of your church and community, is truly worth the effort. And how much more beneficial it will be in the long run if you focus on finding and fixing the real issues behind low Sunday School attendance.

Unless, of course, your curriculum truly is the problem---the real reason (not the excuse) that families are not attending. If your curriculum fails to teach God's Word of both Law and Gospel, if it ignores the Sacraments God has provided for our spiritual nurture, if it seeks to entertain rather than instruct, perhaps it is time for a new coat of paint.

God bless you as you teach His children His Word!

To Us a Child Is Born!

Merry Christmas! Thanks for teaching God's children His Word!

 

(Hear a sample of this wonderful Christmas song by Jacob and Rachael Weber here.)

What's the Hurry for Christmas?

The world will be done with Christmas on December 26th, delaying only long enough to put Christmas on sale for half-price. But what's the rush? In early times, Christmas was celebrated not just on December 25th, but for twelve more days after ("On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me . . ."). In the Eastern Orthodox Church, Christmas is celebrated on January 6th, the date when the Church marks the visit of the Magi.

So don't get impatient with the Growing in Christ and Cross Explorations Sunday School materials from CPH, when you don't get to the Nativity lesson until the middle of January, and that Epiphany lesson is delayed almost into February! There is a lot to bless children with in the accounts that lead up to and follow Jesus' birthday. Tell your students to enjoy the Church's celebrations of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany as they come, and promise them that that Christmas lesson in Sunday School is coming!

For wonderful explanations about the importance of the several lessons before the Christmas one, I hope you listen to Pastor Tom Baker's exposition each week in the Seeds of Faith podcasts, produced by Issues, Etc. They provide 30 minutes of background on the biblical text, and they can be downloaded for listening on the go.

God bless you as you teach His children His Word!

Responding to Violence

Too many times in the past few weeks, we and the children we teach have witnessed sudden, violent attacks on ordinary people, people going about their daily lives with every expectation of peace and safety. It may cause us and the children we teach to be afraid for ourselves and for those we love.

It may be that conversations and questions about such events will be raised by the students you teach. You may wonder, how should I respond?

Your response, of course, will be your own, but I would encourage you to include these three things.

• Lead your students in prayer for the victims of violence, their families, and their attackers. Yes, I believe that prayer is a valid response to fear. It acknowledges that, though we may feel powerless and vulnerable, we have a God who is powerful, who loves us so much that He gave His own Son into the hands of violent men to save us. Pray that God will calm our fears, comfort those who are injured or grieving, that He will protect us from all evil, and that He will turn the hearts of those who would seek to hurt us to love---for us and for Him.
• Remind your students of God's love and power. The God who protected Abraham as he traveled, David as he defended Israel from enemies, and Daniel when he was threatened for his faith, is able also to protect us and will do so according to His will.
• Encourage your students to be strong in faith and bold in witness. Teach God's Word, the good news of salvation, each week to nourish and sustain your students.

God would not have us cower in fear. Instead He calls us to trust in Him.

 God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
God bless you as you teach His children His Word!

The Way, the Truth, and the Life

“Without the Way,

there is no going.

Without the Truth,

there is no knowing.

Without the Life,

there is no living.”

 

Thomas à Kempis

 

Jesus said . . ., “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 ESV

 

Thanks for teaching God's children His Word!

Teaching Values?

A local radio station plays a set of ad spots for a foundation that promotes "values" (compassion, friendship, overcoming, soul); in the ads we are encouraged to "pass it on." As I listen on my daily commute, I am moved to wonder how those who sponsor the ads and those who hear them imagine that we are able to pass on these values.

We know, of course, that it is possible to coerce actions that are in accord with God's Law, acts that demonstrate "values," though threats or external rewards. While such forced holiness is of some benefit to our neighbor, they are not good works since they are not the fruit of faith. Such works are flawed by resentment against the authority that requires them or selfish motives; they may lead to rebellion or self-righteousness.

Good works are those that God works in us as a joyful response to the Gospel. They are not generated by threat or reward, but by the proclamation of the Good News of God's love for us in Christ. They are truly fruit of the Spirit. They result from teaching God's children His Word.

Thanks for teaching God's children His Word!

It's Good to Be Lutheran!

There is a reason why your church identifies itself as Lutheran.

There is a reason you've decided to be a part of that congregation.

For many, though I suppose not for all, that reason is the distinctive flavor of the theology taught in a

Lutheran church: right distinction between Law and Gospel, emphasis on vocation, and adherence to a theology of the cross.

How can you be sure that those things are taught consistently in your Sunday School?

• Careful selection of teachers who know Lutheran doctrine and are "apt to teach" is a great start.
• Regular and frequent training for Sunday School teachers would be helpful.
• Choosing a solid Lutheran curriculum for use in all classes is an important first step.

I do not claim to be unbiased, far from it. But it strikes me as foolish, dangerous even, to place even the finest non-Lutheran (that is, un-Lutheran) material into the hands of teachers and students in your Sunday School. In the best case, assuming that your teachers are highly skilled, able to edit out the material contrary to the Lutheran faith and edit in the essence of Lutheran Christian teachings, and willing to take time to do so each week, the material that goes home with the student is not likely to support what your church professes. In worst case, you will be training both students and teachers in things that are contrary to the Lutheran Confessions.

Thanks for teaching God's children His Word!

Are You Ready for Christmas?

Those who use Concordia Publishing House Sunday School material will notice that in our first undated New Testament unit, we now have six lessons ramping up to the Nativity. Previous editions of these materials usually had only four. Taught in sequence starting from the first Sunday in December, the "Christmas" lesson will land in the middle of January. I can hear you already: "What were they thinking?!"

Here's the scoop! New Testament 1, God Sends His Son to Save Us, is the only unit of our material that teaches about this early portion of Jesus' life. Teaching the whole narrative involves these six distinct events, each of which we want our children to study and know. In other Decembers, other portions of Jesus' life and ministry will be studied. (Free Christmas lessons will be provided online for churches that decide to interrupt the chronological series of lessons to insert a Christmas lesson.)

How can congregations accommodate this unusually long series of pre-Christmas and Christmas lessons? Here are some options:

• Teach the lessons in order. When the church celebrates Christmas in worship, remind the students that in Sunday School we will get there eventually, but let them know there is important stuff to learn before they study the Nativity itself.
• Skip two or three lessons among those before Christmas. Return to them after studying the Christmas lesson, or not.
• Skip two or three lessons from the Old Testament 2 unit in November. Save them to be taught at the end of the spring quarter or at the end of the summer before beginning the Old Testament 3 unit.

Our undated Sunday School lessons give congregations lots of options and, over time, may save congregations money as they stretch each unit over a couple more weeks or reuse saved material.

God's blessings as you teach His children His Word!

Church Year Connections, Year C

The first of three annual volumes of Church Year Connections is now available. This product includes a full year of resources, in print and on CD, that allow a Sunday School teacher, director, or pastor, to connect the children they lead and teach to each Sunday of the Church Year through seasonal songs and hymns, object lessons, collects, and teaching points. In some Sunday Schools, this resource can replace the Directors Guide they currently purchase.

Though our CPH Sunday School materials no longer have specific Sundays on which they need to be taught, your church does not need to give up teaching students about the liturgical calendar and the Sundays of the Church Year.

God's blessings as you teach God's children His Word!

As the Twig Is Bent, So Grows the Tree

A question for the parents in your congregation: "Where do you want your children to be, spiritually speaking, when they are young adults?"

• Worshiping regularly in an orthodox church?
• Growing in God's Word?
• Having daily devoted time?
• Serving others regularly and joyfully?

The follow-up question is obvious: "What are you doing now to fulfill those dreams for your children?"

• Are you bringing them to worship every Sunday? (This is where they will learn to worship.)
• Are you attending Sunday School as a family? (The parents' example is paramount.)
• Do you lead them in devotions daily?
• Does your family serve together to benefit others in your church, neighborhood, and larger community?

Yes, there is a certain amount of Law here, for God's Word shows us how to live our lives in a way that keeps us free from sin and temptation and close to the Means of Grace, God's Word and Sacraments.

As the twig is bent, so grows the tree! Too many parents begin to show concern for their children in the teenage years, as the child begins to grow more independent (as children must) and the parents' influence wanes. Now is the time to build life-long habits of worship, study, and daily devotion.

God bless you as you teach His children His Word!

Faith: Our Work? or God's?

"Faith is a divine work which God demands of us; but at the same time He Himself must implant it in us, for we cannot believe by ourselves." Martin Luther (Luther's Works, American Edition, 1959, 1987 CPH).

So often, this is the point at which heresy creeps in to our teaching of saving faith, for we see believing as our work, what we do in response to God's Word. But, on account of sin, we are enemies of God, unwilling and unable to believe in Christ as our Savior. But, "the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith" (Small Catechism,
Third Article).

What a gift! The very thing that God demands of us, He gives us! Thanks be to God!

God bless you as you teach His children His Word!

That Pesky Lesson about Potiphar's Wife!

One of the toughest criticisms I get as a Sunday School editor hinges on the inclusion of "those awkward stories" in the sequence of lessons we create.

It is made more difficult because we have promised our customers a unified curriculum, that is, the same Scripture text is taught at all levels of our material, early childhood through adult.

The stories with violence net us a few messages from customers each year; the stories involving sex generate even more. Joseph's temptation to sexual sin with Potiphar's wife. David's sinful actions resulting from his lust for Bathsheba. Why don't we just skip these awkward lessons and spare the teacher awkward moments in class? There are several reasons.

• They are part of God's Word. They are often integral to the salvation narrative. They teach important lessons about God's plan for us and His love and forgiveness.
• Sensitivity to these lessons varies greatly from place to place and teacher to teacher. We leave it to the local teacher to make adaptations they need to be comfortable teaching the lesson.
• Those issues about which the Church fails to speak are seen as "fair game" by the world and Christians alike. If we fail in Sunday School to teach what God's Word says about sex outside of marriage, homosexual sexual activity, divorce, and other "tough issues," we leave our children to learn their values in these areas from the world.

Wait! Shouldn't those things be taught in the family by the child's parents? Absolutely. So also should all other lessons that are taught in Sunday School. Our role is to support and supplement the Christian education provided by the home.

So what should the Sunday School teacher do? Know your students and their parents. Communicate with the home whenever there may be concerns. Adapt every lesson to local conditions and sensitivities. But, please don't fail to . . .

Teach God's children His Word!

Count the Cost?

"The only things we spend time and money on are things that we believe are worth more than they cost." Those words were written by Seth Godin in his blog, who describes himself as "a writer, speaker and an agent of change"; you can read the whole post here.

Essentially, he says that when we claim things cost too much, we are really saying we don't believe they are worth what is being asked in payment.

In my opinion, Mr. Godin has put his finger on what is looming as a crisis for Christian education in the LCMS. Sunday School is no longer valued as it once was as an institution for teaching the Gospel. Perhaps there other models for Christian education that will flourish, that is, be seen as worth the cost in dollars, staff time, volunteer commitments, and parental investment. I'm not seeing it however.

Your challenge is clear. If you want to build up your Sunday School, you need to strengthen its reputation for value. You need to convince others---your pastor, parents, church leaders, budget-setters---that Sunday School is worth it!

God bless you as you work to make a priority of teaching God's children His Word.

We Don't Need Sunday School?

"Our children go to our Lutheran Day School."
"We go to church as a family every Sunday."
"We have mealtime devotions."
"We read and discuss Bible stories every night with our children before going to bed."
"We don't need to participate in Sunday School do we?"

My coworker Peter said it well, "Can we ever get too much of God's Word?"

Thanks for teaching God's children His Word in Sunday School!

Where Are the Champions?

Two recent comments about Sunday School stick in my mind as I return this this blog after a bit of time away. (Nothing wrong, just too much to do and too little to say.)

First, my friend and coworker Loren commented that a renewal of Sunday School in our church body had to come through training and invigorating pastors, especially new pastors, about the vital importance of Sunday School in the life and health of the local congregation.

Then, Darryl Wilson (The Sunday School Revolutionary) said it perfectly: pastors need to be champions for Sunday School.

If the pastor is not firmly behind Sunday School in his congregation

• good teachers will be hard to find.
• good material will be a expensive burden instead of a valuable investment.
• good families will find other ways to spend their time.

Yes, pastors have a lot of important responsibilities in their congregations---supporting Sunday School is one of them.

Are you a pastor? Know that God, through His Word and Sacraments as well your members prayers and assistance, is your source of strength. Be a Sunday School champion.

Are you a church leader? Encourage and empower your pastor to actively lead and support your Sunday School. Help him be a Sunday School champion.

Are you a Sunday School teacher or parent? Thank God in prayer for your pastor, and thank your pastor in person for his leadership in the congregation. Encourage him and offer your tangible assistance and support. Pray for your Sunday School champion.

God bless you as you teach His children His Word!

Choose Your Dates

The most visible change in Concordia's Sunday School materials starting this fall is the absence of assigned dates. In the long term, this is a boost to good stewardship, both for the customer and for the publisher.

With a little planning, there can be

• No unused lessons.
• Flexibility in scheduling.
• Fewer purchases of teacher materials.

You can:

• Teach the lessons in order. In the winter 2015 quarter, the Church will celebrate Christmas while SS is studying the events leading up to Christmas. If they start on the first week of September and teach every week, The Birth of Jesus will be taught on January 10th. The Sunday School can use the Church Year Worship Kit and Church Year Connections to connect to the church’s worship and simply say “We’ll study that event in a couple of weeks.”
• Skip a couple of lessons in the “before the Nativity”sequence. Most congregations probably skip a Sunday or two each year anyway.
• Start a couple of weeks early. School starts in many places in mid-August. If SS starts on August 23, the Christmas lesson would hit on 12/27.
• Save a couple of the Old Testament 2 lessons to be taught later.

Use a chart like the one below to inform teachers of the best dates to use the lessons. Watch this space for more about the changes you'll see in the fall.

God bless you as you teach His children His Word!

Sunday School Material Without Dates

What would your Sunday School material look like without dates?
When would you use it if nobody told you?
What would be the advantages to "date-less" curriculum?
What drawbacks would need to be overcome?
What additional resources would you need?

These are not rhetorical questions. Starting this fall the popular Sunday School material from Concordia Publishing House, Growing in Christ and Cross Explorations, will no longer have dates. I'll unpack some of the rationale and reality around that decision in future blog posts.

Change is not always comfortable however, so I'm devoting the next few weeks to talking through this exciting change in our material and what it will mean for Sunday School teachers and directors.

God bless you as you teach His children His Word!

Go with the Generic? Or the Real Thing!

Perhaps my biggest frustration as a curriculum editor is the apparent willingness of some Christian education leaders to go with substitute curricula, "off brand" materials published by non-Lutheran companies. Seth Godin got me thinking last week about why and when we are willing to go with substitutes, or not.

Mr. Godin's point is that we are generally ready to accept substitutes when we perceive little added value in "the real thing"; bottled water and generic canned vegetables, for example. We are perfectly willing to pay a little less, or a lot less, for the substitute. But for some things---such as first-run movies or "designer label" clothing---saving money is not the point. We are willing to pay for the real thing. We recognize the value and are willing to pay for it.

So, what about your Sunday School curriculum? In this case, I'd like to think that "the real thing" is a curriculum that clearly present the Gospel and teaches the Lutheran distinctives of Word and Sacrament, Christian vocation, and life under the cross.

There are lots of substitutes in the Sunday School curriculum world. Whether you are willing to choose them or not depends on whether you know what distinguishes them from, and how much you value, the real thing.

God bless you as you teach His children The Real Thing.

Summer Is Here!

Children universally look forward to summer! It is a time of warm days, increased free time, and, often, new adventures and discoveries. No doubt you have summer plans---short or long vacation trips, great activities, and family outings.

I hope that Sunday School is part of your summer plans. Summer will bring visitors to your church, as well as families that are using the summer months to move from one job or city to another and are seeking a new church home. Your summer Sunday School can show your congregation’s commitment to Christian education, even as it provides an opportunity for these new folks to get to know others in the church and community.

Concordia Publishing House’s new summer quarter will be a wonderful adventure: 3 in 1: Discovering Our Triune God. Using a summer camp environment (that will compliment this summer’s VBS theme, Camp Discovery), these thirteen lessons will review what we confess about God in the Apostles’ Creed. Along the way, students will dig into 3 Old Testament Bible accounts, 7 events from the Gospels, and 3 lessons from the Book of Acts. The material offers two levels of instruction---one for non-readers and early readers, and one for accomplished readers---and our popular “Search and Find” lesson leaflets, plus a Director CD packed with additional resources.

May God bless your summer as you help children discover their three-in-one God!

3 in 1: Discovering Our Triune God

1. God Made Us: God Creates the World           Genesis 1–2
2. God Made Angels: An Angel Rescues Peter  Acts 12:4–17
3. God Cares for Us: Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath           1 Kings 17:8–24
4. God Protects Us: God Rescues Israel            Exodus 12:1–28; 13:14
5. Jesus Is True Man: Jesus Is Born       Luke 2
6. Jesus Is True God: Jesus Rebukes the Storm           Luke 8:22–25
7. Jesus Is Our Savior: Jesus Suffers, Dies, and Rises  Matthew 27:27–54; 28:5–6
8. Jesus Is Our Lord: Jesus Ascends to Heaven            Acts 1:9–11
9. Jesus Will Return: The Parable of the Ten Virgins     Matthew 25:1–13
10. The Spirit Creates Faith: Jesus Teaches Nicodemus             John 3:1–16
11. The Spirit Renews Us: Mary Shows Her Love for Jesus        John 12:1–8
12. The Spirit Produces Good Works: A Widow’s Offering           Mark 12:41–44
13. The Spirit Makes the Church Grow: Philip and the Ethiopian             Acts 8:26–39

How Much Time Will It Take?

That might be the first question you had when asked to teach Sunday School. How much of the precious little personal and family time I have will the task of teaching require? For the average volunteer, until they know, the answer's "no."

Some publishers actually advertise that no preparation is required to teach their material. Concordia Publishing House material is complete, well organized, and easy to use, but I would never recommend walking into a classroom of active children without preparation. As I told a couple of groups of Sunday School teachers in South Dakota this weekend, solid preparation will prevent almost all of your discipline problems. A great start, carefully chosen activities, excellent questions, smooth transitions, and the ability to change direction when an activity tanks . . . these all require a level of preparation.

I usually plan on about a hour of preparation for a one-hour Sunday School class. It pays to start that preparation a week in advance by reading the "Preparing the Lesson" page so the gist of the lesson is in your mind through the week.

The amount of preparation time you require to feel comfortable in class will vary, but it is best not left until too late on Saturday, or worse yet early Sunday, or even worse, in the car on the way to church.

Thanks for taking time to prepare and teach God's children His Word!

Don't Forget to Say Thanks

Dear Sunday School Teacher,

You stepped up. You answered the call. You agreed to teach Sunday School.

You sacrifice personal time to study the Bible text and prepare a lesson each week.

You show concern for, and pray for, the students in your class.

You advocate, by what you do and what you say, for a strong Christian education program in the congregation.

Too often, you do all this without recognition or recompense.

It's a little thing, but let me be among those who say it . . .

Thanks!

Thanks for teaching God's children His Word!

"Lutheran Filters"?

I read occasionally, always when people recommend Christian education resources that are not Lutheran, that the user be sure to use his or her "Lutheran filter."

I could not agree more! But I suspect that I use my Lutheran filter quite differently than some might understand by that term.

A "Lutheran filter" is almost certainly not effective in the same way that a water filter that might be that is intended to trap particulates, microbes, and other harmful elements making water drinkable. ("Yes, that water was contaminated with cyanide, but it's okay now; I used my water filter"?) Lutheranism is not just the absence of heretical teaching. It is also the presence of specific life-giving doctrines (the Gospel, God's Word and Sacraments, the essential teaching of God's love, the concept of Christian vocation, and much more).

A "Lutheran filter" might be better seen as a visual tool that allows one to see clearly what is really taught in heterodox material so that it can be avoided completely. ("Ah, now I see the poison; I don't think I'll drink that water, filtered or not.")

If a resource was written to teach that a sovereign God demands perfect obedience and gives us His Bible to teach us how to become more like Jesus, what hope is there of correcting it? So what if it is a fun lesson? The kids you teach will really enjoy this activity?

Please, use your "Lutheran filter"!

God bless you as you teach His children His Word!

Why Have a Sunday School?

I really wanted to title this blog post "Get Rid of Your Sunday School, if . . . !" And as you see from the rest of this post, the "if" is really important and I certainly did not want the casual reader to take away the wrong message. Because, while I can imagine a congregation that would not need a Sunday School to assist in its mission, I have never "met" one.

But, if in your congregation . . .

• children are fully integrated into the worship service,
• families faithfully and frequently attend worship and receive the Lord's Supper,
• students attend a Lutheran Day School,
• parents have placed the Holy Scriptures into the hands of their children and provide daily family devoted time,
• children have a ready understanding of the salvation narrative, the basic accounts of the Bible, Luther's Small Catechism, and spend time each day in increasing that knowledge,
• parents regularly and comfortably discuss God's Word and its impact on their faith and daily life,

. . . then perhaps a Sunday School is not crucial.

On the other hand, what could it hurt?

God bless you for providing weekly opportunities for God's children to study His Word!

Can't Wait for Easter?

Perhaps you'll enjoy, and have an opportunity to share, this video from your friends at Concordia Publishing House.

God bless your Easter celebration and as you teach God's children His Word!

Devoted Time

Here's a message your families might benefit from hearing, about the blessing of "devoted time": family devotions.

CPH has prepared a short, encouraging video. You can access it HERE.

Feel free to share this link with others. You can also access the video by browsing to YouTube.com and searching for the video on the Concordia Publishing House channel. Search for "Concordia Publishing House family devotions."

God bless your families as they engage His children with His Word.

A Sunday School Crisis

It strikes me that we have a crisis. Sunday School ministry in The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod has decreased nearly every year for the past twenty, from nearly 650,000 students and teachers in 1993 to fewer than 350,000 in 2013. In 1993, 93 percent of our LCMS congregations conducted Sunday School; in 2013 only 83% did so. We are not trending well!

Such a crisis merits attention at every level of our synod: national, district, and, of course, congregational. I suspect that most of my readers tend to Sunday Schools at the congregational level, so let me suggest three facets of our Sunday School crisis that might deserve attention.

• We have a "Crisis of Mission": How do we connect Sunday School to the mission statement, the basic purpose, of the congregation? How can it become known as integral to that mission?
• We have a "Crisis of Action": How do we get the child or adult who does not attend to attend once? How do we get the first-time attender to return? How do we get the occasional attender to attend more frequently?
• We have a "Crisis of Focus": How can Sunday School be elevated in the eyes of the congregation's leaders and people? What voices in the congregation will be most readily heard when they speak in support of more family focus in Christian education?

The answers to these questions will be unique to your congregation, but your answers might also assist others. Feel free to share the questions and answers in your congregation. I also invite you to share your suggestions here.

God bless you as you teach His children His Word!

An Invitation for Questions

For me, writing this blog is a discipline. It is not always easy to find the time or that great topic for each week's post, but doing it each week keeps me thinking.

My goal is to be more helpful than provocative.

Let me then extend this invitation:

What question or topic would you find it helpful for me to address in a future post?

I'll do my best to accommodate your needs.

In the meantime, God bless you for teaching His children His Word!

Three Simple Things

I'm a pretty old-fashioned guy. I like calling Sunday School "Sunday School." I think it's not a bad idea for students to gather once a week for age-appropriate Bible study with their same-aged peers. I like Sunday School material with realistic biblical art, not cartoons. And I'm okay with lessons that are fairly traditional. I think every lesson should teach about Jesus with clear Law and Gospel.

But as I look at Sunday School lessons these days, I find myself looking for three simple things (in addition to great Lutheran theology).

• an activity that gets the students up out of their seats.
• an activity that gets the students talking to one another.
• an activity that lets the students express their faith in words or actions.

It's not rocket science. Activities like these will improve student attitudes and behavior. They will grow as God's children.

What do you look for in the lessons you teach?

God bless you as you teach His children His Word!

How Well Do You Know the Bible?

Pretty well, I thought. Then I dipped into the Lutheran Bible Companion. I still have a lot to learn.

This two-volume set will help me. It is packed with supplementary and contextual information about every book of the Bible. Check it out. You may catch it on sale.

God bless you as you teach His children His Word!

Is There Value in Sunday School?

Suppose your congregation was a perfect congregation.

• Your members attend church every Sunday.
• Your pastor preaches excellent sermons that reach old and young people equally well.
• Your congregation supports a day school in which all eligible children are enrolled.
• Your parents are comfortable in their roles as the primary influencers of their children's spiritual life and growth and engage in daily family devotions and faith conversations with their children.
• Young and old members alike are avid readers of the Bible and do so daily.

Would there be any point in having a Sunday School?

I would argue that even in that amazing congregation, Sunday School would be a valuable opportunity for all families. It would provide:

• age-appropriate interaction and instruction for each child
• comprehensive coverage of the entire scope of the salvation narrative
• a place to build relationships with Christian peers
• outreach opportunities for friends and others from the community
• another chance to hear the blessed Gospel

Of course, your congregation and my congregation fall woefully short of that perfect standard. Sunday School then helps fill the gaps. It is surely worth every moment, and every penny, we invest in it.

God bless you as you provide opportunities for His children to study His Word!

What Is Lent?

Lent begins February 18 with Ash Wednesday.

Once again, Concordia Publishing House is observing this new Church Year season by offering a high quality video you can use to introduce Lent to your class or your congregation.

Check out the video and some additional background on this penitential season on the CPH blog.

God bless you as you teach His children His Word.

Are You Ready for Spring?

Imagine a beautiful spring day! There are lots of them coming! Why will parents and children spend their time with you each Sunday in the weeks ahead in Sunday School? What will you provide that soccer, tee-ball, weekends at the lake, or sleeping in cannot provide? The opportunity to see Jesus, to hear more about forgiveness of sins and new life in His name!

The lessons you’ll teach from Concordia’s two Sunday School options---Growing in Christ and Cross Explorations---will reveal the power, authority, mercy, and love of our Savior. Your students will watch Him defend the sanctity of the temple, commend the generosity of a widow, die and rise again, be preached throughout the known world, and take His rightful place again on the throne of heaven. These are faith experiences that the world cannot provide. You have an exciting season ahead!

It is not always easy for families to see it that way, though. As you teach in the weeks ahead . . .

• persistently invite every eligible student to join you in Sunday School.
• diligently prepare each lesson to be an enjoyable and rewarding experience.
• warmly welcome each student each week by name and thank them for coming.
• earnestly pray that God will bless each student.  

Thanks for teaching God’s children His Word!

Reaching Every Child

Does your Sunday School class include any children who are not average? CPH has a new resource for you: Reaching Every Child.

A must-read for everyone involved in Sunday School ministry, Reaching Every Child offers practical help for teaching every child in your Sunday School classroom, regardless of ability, about the love of Jesus Christ.

• Learn what has changed and what has stayed the same in the world of special education.
• Understand the basics of teaching children with exceptional learning needs.
• Get practical tips for the diverse Sunday School classroom.
• Learn more about how to teach children with specific disabilities.
• Find resources that can help you in and out of the classroom.
• Rethink your approach to including every child.

How Big Is Your Sunday School?

Stop! Before you read on, classify your Sunday School based on enrollment (the number of children who attend at least once each year). Is it "Big"? "Small"? "Average"?

I'd bet you have underestimated your size, based on enrollment figures in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. In 2005 (I know, 10 years ago! I'm working to get better figures, but I don't think the situation for Sunday School has improved), here's what things looked like.

• 1 in 6 congregations reported no Sunday School at all!
• 2 in 6 reported fewer than 10 students enrolled.
• Half of the congregations reported fewer than 20 students enrolled.
• The average enrollment was 37 students.
• Only 1 in every 20 congregations reported 100 or more students.

I heard last week of a congregation where the Sunday School teacher (yes, the only one) faithfully prepared her lesson every week so that she would be ready if even one student arrived to hear God's Word! I am profoundly grateful for congregations who persist in providing Sunday School for children who show up on Sunday, even if it is just a few.

In the same breath, I give thanks to God for you.

God bless you as you teach His children His Word!

Do You Want a Better Sunday School?

There are no shortcuts. Whether you have a large congregation or a small one, having a good Sunday School is hard work. The payoff, of course, is worth it . . . bringing children to Jesus through His Word.

Sunday School is not about

• fun
• entertainment
• the latest material
• going easy on the church budget

Sunday School is about

• seeing Jesus
• teaching Law and Gospel
• building relationships
• partnering with parents

Here are five steps toward a better Sunday School:

1. Talk with your pastor. Invite him to encourage families to participate in Sunday from the pulpit, regularly.
2. Make a list of children who are not attending Sunday School.
3. Get to know those families yourself.
4. Find bridge families, people you know who know some who do not yet attend. Encourage them to support marginal families in their church connections.
5. Send sample Sunday School materials to families who are not attending Sunday School or who attend infrequently. Encourage them to use the materials at home and remind them that there is a place for them in Sunday School each week.

God bless you as you teach His children His word!

CPH: Just Another Option?

All too often, I encounter the notion among colleagues, customers, synodical college students and professors, and congregations that Concordia Publishing House is just another resource provider, one option among many. They don't seem to realize that there are several things that make CPH special!

• CPH is the publisher of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. We are the only publishing house incorporated by the synod, managed by a board of director elected by the synod, for the specific benefit of the synod's congregations and members.
• CPH is the only publisher that guarantees its products will be faithful to the Scriptures and Lutheran Confessions. Our materials teach what Lutherans need to know. They are rooted in the Means of Grace, God's Word and sacraments. They are certified by independent doctrinal review. They are recommended by our synod's president.
• CPH is the only publisher that contributes to the synod. For several years a portion of our net income has been given to the synod.
• CPH is nationally recognized for exceptional service and business practices. We are a Missouri Quality Award winner (2009) and Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Aware winner (2011). We have a state of the art distribution center and process most order in less than 24 hours. We have an award-winning customer service center.
• CPH is a full-service resource provider. Offering envelopes, Sunday bulletins, ecclesiastical arts and supplies, church management software, curricula, music, Bibles and Bible studies, commentaries and scholarly works, children's books, and more!

We are committed to becoming the place you look first for products and resources. Just another option? Far from it! What will it take to convince you?

God's blessings as you teach His children His Word in 2015!