One of the first questions I was asked in August when assuming the ministry of General Christian Education Director was, "Do you have any ideas for a more interesting Sunday School?" This was a sincere question that most of us in the past have either heard or even asked ourselves. While we all know the Christian merits and spiritual benefits of attending Sunday School, no one likes an uninteresting, boring Sunday School class. The good news is that every CHC Sunday School class can be an exciting, life changing, meaningful, and yes, interesting experience each week. There is no single, simple answer to the question. The word interesting means different things to different people of different age groups from different churches. Yet an interesting Sunday School is one that captures and maintains the attention of people with its life-changing lessons. It connects Biblical truth in a meaningful way to the lives of people. The solution to an interesting Sunday School lies in the combined efforts of the Sunday School Teacher, Sunday School Superintendent, and Sunday School Class Members.
The Sunday School teacher is the number one key to an effective, interesting Sunday School. It is the teacher who sets the pace and creates the learning climate of his/her class each week. The teacher who makes Sunday School interesting is one who continuously, diligently, and seriously prepares. Intense Bible study, prayer, and lesson development must occur throughout the week. "Looking over the teacher’s book the night before" does not work. The teacher who makes Sunday School interesting is one who sets goals. His/her number one goal is to present Biblical truth in a way that connects the truth to real life applications. Real teaching and learning have occurred when lives in the class begin to change. The teacher who makes Sunday School interesting and effective is one who varies and changes methods periodically. Boredom sets in when the teacher practices the "same old, same old." While the truth of God’s Word never changes, our methods of presentation and teaching must change and vary to meet present needs. The teacher who makes Sunday School interesting is one who uses methods that appeal to all senses of the class members---hearing, sight, movement, touch, and even taste and smell. Multi-sensory lessons of this type have been proven to be the best means for ALL AGES of people to learn. Lecture by itself is not enough for total learning to occur and has been proven to be the LEAST EFFECTIVE OF ALL TEACHING METHODS. Lecture (direct instruction) along with hands-on activities, service projects, visuals (charts, maps, pictures, posters, and objects), models, videos, recordings, music, group discussion, and group projects/presentations definitely would make a Sunday School class interesting and LIFE CHANGING for all ages! No! One single lesson cannot contain all of these elements. Yet, each lesson can contain a few elements of the above and vary weekly. The teacher who makes Sunday School interesting is one who uses all available resources to prepare and present lessons. Most Sunday School teacher guides do contain great ideas, age-appropriate methods, multi-sensory teaching approaches, and other resources to assist the serious minded teacher. Bible commentaries and Bible dictionaries/encyclopedias/handbooks as well as books of illustrations are excellent resources. Great materials may be downloaded from the Internet that will help a teacher add interest to a class of any age. Finally the teacher who makes Sunday School interesting is one who is sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit and the needs of his/her class. He or she is an intercessor for each person in his/her class (2 Cor.10:4).
The Sunday School Superintendent has a major role in making the local CHC Sunday School interesting. The Superintendent who makes Sunday School interesting is one who guides, encourages, motivates, equips, and trains the Sunday School teachers of the church. Monthly teacher meetings are a must for an interesting Sunday School. Teachers and staff are encouraged to attend seminars and workshops. The Superintendent who makes Sunday School interesting is one who is also sensitive to the Holy Spirit and to the needs/interests of the Sunday School as a whole. He/she prays daily for the Sunday School and its staff. He/she may also be bold enough to design and administer a Sunday School Interest Survey (SSIS). The SSIS anonymously asks individuals (youth to adults) to give age group, sex, hobbies, and outside interests. Such questions as "What do you like about our Sunday School? —What do you dislike about our Sunday School? —What three things would you like to change about our Sunday School? may be asked. The SSIS also asks what subjects or themes Sunday School class members would like to study for one quarter as electives. The SSIS could ask individuals to check two or three possible electives from a provided list. Electives for one quarter are a dynamic way to create and maintain an interesting Sunday School. Other questions may be asked on the SSIS as well. The Superintendent takes the results of the SSIS and institutes changes or improvements. The Sunday School Superintendent who makes Sunday School interesting is one who challenges the Sunday School with goals of achievement and attendance. The Sunday School Superintendent who makes Sunday School interesting is one who uses special themes/promotions for individual Sundays, months, or even quarters. He is courageous enough to attempt change and wise enough to "chunk it" if it does not work.
The individuals in a Sunday School class also can serve to make a Sunday School interesting. Class members who make their class interesting study the theme for the upcoming lesson throughout the previous week. This one simple act alone can serve to tremendously change one’s perspective of Sunday School from that of "boring" to that of "exciting." Class members who make their class interesting are willing to participate in group discussions, activities, or class projects in the community. Class members who have interesting classes pray daily for their teacher and other class members. Class members who have interesting classes constantly invite new people to Sunday School because new people make Sunday School interesting.
Yes, the CHC Sunday School can be BORING, OR IT CAN BE INTERESTING. IT CAN EVEN BE EXCITING! It really is left up to us all. The Sunday School is not dead. It is a means whereby the Congregational Holiness Church attempts to fulfil that Great Commission of Jesus when He instructed the church to go into all the world to teach, win, disciple, and send (Matthew 28:19,20). SUNDAY SCHOOL: NOW MORE THAN EVER.
---Rev. Danny K. Jones, General Christian Education Director
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