Sunday School That Works, Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – The Foundation for a Sunday School That Works

Parr gives four principles of personal growth and four principles of leadership from the gospel of Luke that serve to give us a foundation for making Sunday school work.  The first four are principles to which any leader must commit in order to effectively lead a Sunday school class.  The first three are general principles to which every believer should be commited – to grow socially, intellectually, physically and spiritually, to be devoted to large group worship experiences and to be disciplined in spending time alone with God.  The fourth, while effective for all believers, is more specific for a Sunday school leader – to be dedicated to a small group. 

The principles lead me to a few questions to ask about our staff and our Sunday school leaders.  How are we to measure how balanced someone is in the social, intellectual, physical and social life?  Are we to make participation in worship a criterion for Sunday school leadership?  Who holds us and our Sunday school leaders accountable for the personal time alone with God?  How can the staff model dedication to a small group to our Sunday school leaders?

Parr then transitions to the four leadership principles.  The principles are small group specific – enlisting people to be a part of your group, engaging people in the group to grow spiritually, equipping members of the group to serve, and releasing leaders to serve outside of the group.  In the process, he makes some pertinent points.  First, he points out that ultimately a Sunday school leader should lead others to serve and grow.  He also points out that Sunday school leaders are responsible for more than just teaching a Bible study.  They are responsible for the spiritual growth of the class.  Sunday school is not showing up at a certain time, giving a lecture, praying and saying, “I’ll see you next week.”  Sunday school leaders will have to become actively involved in the lives of the class members.  Equipping and serving then becomes the way that leaders can gauge the spiritual growth of the class.  One of the questions he asks is ‘How often do classes purposely get outside the classroom to minister together?  How can this be emphasized and improved with (our) leaders?’  Both are good questions.  As Parr points out, ‘Nothing more than teaching will occur unless the members are equipped to serve and to exercise their spiritual gifts.’ (44)

Sunday School That Works, Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Does Sunday School Still Work?

In Chapter 1, Parr lays the ground work for everything that he is going to be talking about in the rest of the book.  Simply put, he says that if Sunday school is done right, it still works.  But doing it right takes effort from the Pastor, the Staff, and the Sunday school leadership.

Parr gives four reasons why some leaders say that Sunday school doesn’t work.  But he also gives some results that will be seen when it is working correctly: (1) The lost will be reached, (2) Lives will be changed and (3) Leaders will be sent.  Now isn’t this what we all want for our church? Of course it is.

If we are not seeing these results in our church (i.e. if Sunday school is no longer effective), perhaps the problem is not with Sunday school itself, but with the fact that we no longer are using it for its intended purpose. Parr states that the purpose of Sunday school is “to enable the church to strategically embrace the Great Commission” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Finally, some churches would say that the title “Sunday school” is obsolete and is not cool or hip enough to attract younger generations.  But in reality, regardless of what we call our program, if we are fulfilling the purpose and doing it the right way, people will come.

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Grace & Peace

Jamie