LET’S PUT "SCHOO
i p INTO SUNDAY SCHOOL
by C. A. Sawtell W h e n is a school not a school? When it is a Sunday school.” Why is this statement so often true? Because all too often pastors and parishoners have no concept of the importance of the Sunday school. Jesus said, “ I will build my church” ( Matthew 16:18), and the Sunday school is a vital part of the church. From the Sunday school the church receives seventy-five per cent of its members, eighty-five per cent of its ministers, and ninety-five per cent of its missionaries. Yet, despite these staggering figures, people continue to think of the Sunday school as something apart from the church; both pastor and people talk in terms of “ the Sunday school and church,” as though the two were quite different. It is not uncommon to hear a pastor say something like this: “ God has called me to look after the church; I leave the Sunday school to the laymen.” On what grounds can he say that the Sunday school is not a part of the church? Often people say, “ I go to church, but I do not attend Sunday school.” On what grounds can they say that a service at eleven o’clock in the morning is “ church,” but that one at nine-thirty is not church? The 9:30 a.m. meet ing is the church ‘it is the church studying; the 11:00 a.m. meeting is the church — it is the church worship ing; the 7:30 p.m. meeting is the church it is the church evangelizing; the Monday night program is the church — it is the church visiting; the Wednesday night service is the church — it is the church praying, the church training, etc. All of these activities and organiza tions are part of the church. Eighty-five percent of the success of the church de pends upon the Sunday school. But if we are going to have a successful Sunday school, we must put “ school” into Sunday school. To do this we must have consecrated trained teachers; efficient organization and administra tion; a Christ - centered, Bible - centered, pupil - centered curriculum; satisfactory measurements of pupil accom plishments; adequate housing and equipment; sufficient financing; effective evangelism; and a sustained effort to reach our constituency. 1. Consecrated Trained Teachers. Eighty-five to ninety per cent of the success of any school depends upon the teachers. We send our children to public schools where they spend five hours a day, five days a week under the direction of trained teachers. How can we afford to send our children to church for one or two hours a week and have them suffer because they are under the direction of ill-trained, ill-prepared teachers? Many people seem to think that a person has to have qualified training to do about everything except teach Sunday school. But teach ing Sunday school is a profession, and, like any profes sion, to be successful it demands professional training, professional attitudes, and professional sacrifices. It is high time that the board of Christian education in each church started to put “ school” into Sunday school by requiring consecrated, trained teachers with an acceptable
D irector o f Biola E ven ing Schools teacher training certificate or diploma. If such a training program is not now a part of the church schedule •— or if such a teacher training program is not available in the community where the church is located—such should be inaugurated. Training programs are available to every teacher in one way or another, and we are without excuse if we do not take advantage of them1. Let’s look at the figures again. The Sunday school provides the church with 75% of its members, 85% of its ministers, and 95% of its missionaries. The Sunday school is 85% of the success of the church. But 85% of the success of the Sun day school is the teachers, and 85% of the success of the teachers is training. So let’s begin to put “ school” into Sunday school by requiring consecrated trained teachers. 2. Efficient Organization and Administration. Failure to departmentalize and failure to define the responsibili ties of the workers are two of the most frequent causes for the failure of the Sunday school. As the public school gives careful attention to these matters, so must the Sun day school. 3. A Christ-Centered, Bible-Centered, Pupil-Centered Curriculum. In our public schools the courses are graded progressively, according to the age, ability, and needs of the child. It is equally important that from the first grade through high school the Sunday school curriculum should be Christ - centered, Bible - centered, and pupil - centered. Over this period of twelve years the Sunday school pupil should cover the entire Bible, with the study portions adapted to his changing spiritual and psychological needs. 4. Satisfactory Measurements of Pupil Accomplish ments. When we send our youngsters to public school, we expect them to have study assignments, home-work, examinations, and periodic report cards showing their rating on deportment (citizenship and effort) and leani ng. Let us expect the same of our Sunday school pupils. The Six Point Record System, or some adaptation of it, should be required in the Sunday school.2 This will put “ school” into Sunday school. 5. Adequate Housing and Equipment. Teachers cannot teach when classrooms are over-crowded. Across the na tion the public school administrators know that this is true, and as a result of inadequate housing many schools have to operate on split sessions. Can the Sunday school hope to succeed where the public school cannot? Can we expect to have “ school” in Sunday school when we have over-crowded classrooms and inadequate equipment? 6. Sufficient Financing. “Money does not mean every thing, but everything means money.” How is your Sunday school financed? By “ collections” taken up in the classes? Our public schools would be a farce if they relied upon free-will offerings from the pupils as their chief means of support. How should the Sunday school be financed? Since it is part of the church, it should be included in the church budget like every other department. Then let the Sunday school members contribute toward the total
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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