Thanks!

Thank you, Lord, for your saints Carl and Dorothy Felten.

They "adopted" two young brothers from down the street as their personal Sunday School mission project. They provided transportation, encouragement, supervision, and not a few Dairy Queen ice cream cones to ensure that these boys had the opportunity to learn about God's Word each week. A chance to hear the Gospel.

Yes, I was one of those boys. Dorothy served as my Sunday School teacher every year it seemed to me (though that's probably just a fanciful memory) through grade school. She apparently moved up each year with my class, perhaps because I was more hindrance than help in class.

I have no doubt that, without their effort, I would not be who I am today, God's child and willing servant.

Who are you reaching out to? Who might you invite, encourage, even transport to make Sunday School possible?

God bless you as you bring His children to hear His Word!

Building a Sunday School Expectation

Is there a Sunday School teacher or director, pastor, or director of Christian education who believes that their Sunday School attendance is good enough? A survey conducted earlier this year by Concordia Publishing House indicates that "low or sporadic attendance" is the number one challenge for Sunday School leaders. The number two challenge? Lack of family engagement.

So, how do you motivate families, parents and children, to avail themselves of the Sunday School opportunity you provide each week? Let me suggest three actions that will make a difference.

1. Your pastor's expressed expectation for Sunday School involvement. Encourage your pastor to talk about the value of Sunday School participation for all ages as often as possible. From the pulpit, during worship announcements, as he meets with families before a Baptism, when he reports to the voters assembly. I recall the words of a mission-minded pastor who preceded me in a congregation: "Stay close to the spout where the glory comes out." When the pastor says it is important for adults and children to be in Sunday School, they will listen. If he does not make this recommendation frequently and publicly, they may feel excused.
2. Frequent public information about your Sunday School. Certainly the accurate weekly schedule, information about locations of classrooms, and a general invitation should be printed in your church's publications. In addition, profiles of faithful teachers, stories about special classroom activities, and curriculum information can be shared. Involve Sunday School classes in the worship services through singing, dramatic interpretation of the Scripture readings, or puppet shows.
3. An effective nursery roll program. Starting with the birth of a child, many congregations begin a ministry of visits and mailings to share information about a child's physical and spiritual development. This information culminates with an invitation to enroll the child in their first Sunday School class as soon as possible after their third birthday.

The goal is to create an expectation that children and adults in your congregation will attend Sunday School. It becomes what the members of [Zion or St. Paul's or you name it] Lutheran Church do. Your congregation's leaders can be reminded of the example they set in this regard. Integrate into this expectation the reason for the behavior: hear more about our Savior Jesus and to grow closer to Him and stronger in the faith.

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

The Sunday School Director

Directing a Sunday School is not an easy task. The Sunday School Revolutionary, Darryl Wilson, has posted recently and not so recently on his blog about the duties of a Sunday School Revolutionary, and his list is impressive. I've selected one worthy post; check it out, and browse the others if you wish. (It is worth noting that Mr. Wilson is a Baptist and "Sunday School" in his world view is primarily for adults.)

It strikes me that the Sunday morning experience is comprised of three primary components over which the SS director has some control, or should have: the teacher, the curriculum, and the classroom. (The fourth component, of course, is the student.)

The Teacher
The director works to have the very best teachers possible, offers them training and support, and directs their efforts for the benefit of the student. The teacher is a volunteer, but he or she is not a free agent; in accepting the position of teacher, he or she is agreeing to some specific duties and obligations, such as preparing adequately, using the curriculum provided, and following such policies are in place to guide his or her work.

The Curriculum
The curriculum must teach the faith and doctrine of the church. This is the top priority and should  not be overlooked. There are many curriculum choices available; very few of them teach God's Word clearly and accurately. The director should be able to resist pressure to use any material that does not meet this standard.

The Classroom
The director should know the spaces in which Sunday School classes are taking place, understand their good and bad features, and work with other congregational leaders to constantly improve them. He or she should be alert for overcrowding and plan for future growth.

Each of these areas is worthy of expansion, perhaps in future posts.

What do you think are the key concerns for the Sunday School director?

How does your director (or is that you?) spend most of his or her time? Is that how it should be?

Thanks, directors, for all you do so that others can teach God's children His Word.