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!