I am strongly of the opinion that the most satisfactory teaching is done by the parents. If Mom and Dad are excited about what is taking place in their lives spiritually, the multitude of activities that most institutions purvey could practically be eliminated because the contagious spirit of the parent will be picked up by members of the family.
The adult who continues to attend a church simply because the youth programs are adequate, even though he himself, or she herself, is bored and dissatisfied, negates the programs’ good influence by his or her inward hostility. Our goal is to help the adult find enjoyment in his or her faith and then to accent the spiritual home training of his or her children. Sunday school is supplementary to this basic good.
It would be easy to document the validity of this presupposition, not only from statements made over the years by Christian educators, but also from my personal experiences in church youth programs.
One example was a basic test on Bible content—I referred to this in an earlier blog post—that I administered to high schoolers in a previous place of employment. Most of these young people had attended Sunday school all their lives. The incentive for achievement was enrollment in an elective class to which capable teachers had been invited to lead discussions on topics of great interest. In order to attend what was called “The Senior Seminar,” a score of 50 percent was needed. The questions were third and fourth grade level. Of the eighty or so who took the test, only a few made the required grade. The rest, in essence, flunked!
Further investigation revealed that the ones who passed were children from homes where consistent biblical training had been maintained through their formative years. Obviously, for the others, all those multiplied hours in Sunday school were not doing what they were supposed to. This experience was the beginning of my change in emphasis.
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Sunday’s coming. Do you have your sermon ready? Is it relevant? Will it effectively motivate your congregation to walk more in step with the Master? What about that Sermon Series you’ve been thinking about?
Or, if you’re someone who plans well ahead, have you asked yourself what you will preach for your Easter Sermon, your Advent Sermon, your Christmas Sermon?
David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help. We offer a wide variety of Sermon Starters and Full Sermons that will give you Sermon Ideas to help you prepare for regular Saturday or Sunday sermons, Mid-week Bible Sermons, and Sermons for special occasions.
We also offer assistance as you create Topical Sermons, c and sermons for special times of the year. We have resources available to help you with Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermons, Easter Sunday Sermons, Patriotic Sermons, and more.
For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.
You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Just click here.
