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!