BACK TO (SUNDAY) SCHOOL!

It is that wonderful time of year that moms look forward to and children dread—the time the kids depart their house and head to the schoolhouse. Summer is shorter and vacations have vacated. The stores advertise, “Back to School Sales”! Now, you have to watch for the stopped school buses—don’t you dare pass!

This is also a wonderful time to plan for “Back to Sunday School”! Whether you call it by that traditional name, or identify it as Bible Study, Life Groups, whatever; whether you meet on Sunday, Wednesday nights, or whenever; whether you congregate on the church campus, in a home, a school building, or wherever—as the old Nike commercial exhorts, “JUST DO IT!”

The large gathering of the church family for worship is essential for the life of the church. Yet, I do not believe we can be healthy without small groups. The fellowship is more connected, the ministry more concentrated, and the study more focused. Times of prayer will be more personal and the opportunity for more discussion is presented.

For years, I led the Sunday School organization to have a planning and training time at the end of summer, to set goals for the next year, publicly set workers aside as I preached to the congregation as a whole about the need for connecting with a class, and we started new classes where needed. We saw Sunday School become more effective in edifying the saints and evangelizing the sinners.

If I can help you plan such an event—please let me know. Most of our churches do not have a Minister of Education. Yet, the churches of our Association do—it’s me! Don’t hesitate to call. I love teaching small groups and equipping leaders.

Yours for a Healthy Sunday School,

Dennis Thurman, Mission Strategist