Sunday schools play an important role in the mission of the church. This ministry is vital for the sustainability and growth of the Body of Christ. Children are the next generation of leaders and missionaries that would carry on the mission of the church forward and this is where Sunday school becomes the hub for vocations and true lovers of Christ.
Parents are given the opportunity to have their children be catechized and reinforced in their Christian beliefs. As a domestic church, children become believers from the way that the faith is lived out at the home but at times that is not enough to instill in them the message of the Gospel in a way that it is inspiring to learn more. Children can also be teachers to their families as they are encouraged to share what they have learned and practice it at home.
For instance, a little girl after her Sunday School class came home and questioned her dad on why her mom and he were not married… and dad replied… ” your mom didn’t want to”, the mom felt convicted by the question and wanted to give her child a good example. Moved by this incident two weeks later they were wedding planning! God can do anything He wants with the faith of our children.
Help Plant Seeds
Sunday school volunteers are often professional educators that know how to teach different curriculums for different age groups. Children not only have fun at Sunday school but are taught to love and live the Gospel of Jesus Christ in their own realities. Seeds are being planted so that God can continue the work in their hearts for the particular role they will play as part of The Body of Christ. Some will become missionaries, others will become leaders of ministries etc. Their God-given talents and gifts are discovered in Sunday School. Scripture says:
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
1 Peter 4:10
Community Building
Community is really important in the life of a devout Christian. Sunday school provides an opportunity to bring families together to support each other in the honorable task of raising the children of God. Children will start associating with like-minded individuals that love and serve Jesus Christ. These are healthy, strong, intentional relationships that will inspire them as they go through life.
Sunday School students serve in their communities as well. Volunteer work is also available for students. They vary from serving at soup kitchens, visiting the elderly, Christmas caroling, church choir, or engaging in projects around the church building.
A little background
The English Anglican evangelical Robert Raikes (1725-1811) was the key promoter of the Sunday school movement. It soon spread to America as well. Denominations and non-denominational organizations caught the vision and energetically began to create Sunday schools. Within decades, the movement had become extremely popular. By the mid-19th century, Sunday school attendance was a nearly universal aspect of childhood. ( Source Christianity Today)
These are some of the reasons why parents are encouraged to send their children to Sunday School and continue the task that God has given them to raise children that love God above all. The formation received in Sunday school will permeate their daily lives as they gradually grow in a deeper understanding of what God expects and desires for them.