Scripture doesn’t command the church to have a Sunday School program for their children, believe it or not. Yet, given cultural considerations and some wisdom in applying the totality of Scripture GCF believes it is a good idea to have a Sunday School program for our children. Here are five reasons why that will help you understand how we think about this ministry.
To Support Parents in making Disciples
Jesus makes it clear that his church is devoted to making disciples. Scripture also makes it clear that parents are the ones who are primarily responsible for discipling their children (Psalm 78:1-8). Thus, any good Sunday School program allows a pastor to effectively shepherd his flock by outlining a spiritual pathway forward for the children and youth to pursue. This is to be viewed by parents as one part of their child’s discipleship. Parents should also view the program as an opportunity to be guided into the types of things they should prioritize in their child’s discipleship. This is why curriculum should be selected by pastors, not children’s directors. No offense to children’s directors. A pastor is called to select curriculum that addresses the spiritual formation that Scripture calls for. Parents who participate in a Sunday School program are allowing their pastor to do his job, to shepherd children and provide structure that helps parents fulfill their role in their children’s lives.
Children are a Potentially Unreached People Group.
I can get myself into hot water with this one but here it goes. Children come out of the womb knowing very little. Think about it, they must be taught everything, this includes chewing food. Come on, if children across the board don’t ...
even know how to properly chew food then how can they be expected to know what the book of Leviticus is about? Lots of adult Christians don’t even know this! At any rate, to the extent that children truly don’t know and truly don’t understand the gospel, they at least begin as an unreached people group.
The Next Generation Reveals what a Church Values.
This point dawned on me in studying Psalm 103:15-17. It says this:
As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children.
This is a strange passage. In the midst of David’s celebration we hear the record scratching as he utters verse 15. Man is like grass, he flourishes like a flower...it is gone and its place knows it no more. Wow. Thanks for pointing that out, David. I want to go accomplish something great now that I know that soon I will be gone and forgotten forever!
How can David rejoice in this? Here is how. He rejoices because he has come to realize that the glory of God’s steadfast love a far more satisfying and securing reality of his existence! David is free from himself, having to prove his worth or make a name for himself. Instead, David has come to bask in the wonder of finding his identity in something that is so much greater than he can fathom: God’s steadfast love from everlasting to everlasting. David has come to the edge of the grand canyon and completely lost himself in the magnitude of God’s glory. And losing yourself Jesus says is the way to find yourself in God’s eternal picture. God’s people find their identity not in what they do or what they didn’t do, not in their failures or successes, not in their achievements or accolades but they find their identity in the God that they worship.
This gives perspective on our children. Our lives are momentary and their lives are momentary. Yet, the church has children and for that we are thankful. We are thankful for these kids in this church. We are thankful because they can outlive us and they can know God’s steadfast love. One of the most sacred stewardships of the church is our kids because they will be the means of God making known his steadfast love from generation to generation, from everlasting to everlasting. Thus, the next generation reveals what we value. The extent to which we live for the steadfast love of the Lord will be measured by the extent to which we prioritize passing on the knowledge of God to our children.
Other People Tell your Children about Jesus
This is an easier point to make and understand. A Sunday school ministry allows other people to hear about Jesus from other people. For whatever reason this increases the validity of the message when it is also carried by others. Jesus is perceived to be more than a tribal deity. It is easier to see that Jesus is the Lord of heaven and earth when he is worshipped by outsiders as well.
When there is Unity their is Power
Many parents want their children in Sunday school classes for the wrong reasons. They elevate peer relationships too highly and learning from Godly people who are older than them too lowly. Many Christian parents are too content to merely have their kids have peers their own age at church. In fact, many parents will leave churches in order to give their children the opportunities of making friends within the church. I can completely understand this pull and my point isn’t to say that Christian friendship should not be prioritized. What I am saying is that merely having friends at church may not be a high enough standard. Having friends who are pursuing Christ together should be the standard. A good Sunday school program is one where students are learning together and memorizing together. Imagine a cluster of families where their children are all learning their own set of Scriptures. This is obviously not the most tragic thing you have ever heard of. But it could be more effective. Now imagine a cluster of families who are all learning the same Scriptures connected to a theme. Isn’t their more power and momentum in this? Doesn’t this give kids a greater chance to connect together in their pursuit of Christ? A good Sunday school program will provide students something to pursue together that goes beyond the Sunday morning classroom.
There are probably more reasons but these are five that we think highly of at GCF. We look forward to a blessed year together learning about our great God together.
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