The Official Writing Challenge
BACK TO
CHALLENGE
MAIN
INSTRUCTIONS
how it works
submission rules
guidelines for
choosing a level
ENTRIES
submit your entry
read current entries
read past entries
challenge winners
Our Daily Devotional HERE
Place it on your site or
receive it daily by email.


TRUST JESUS TODAY

  • Share
  • how it works
  • Submit
Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Sunday School (10/25/07)
Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so or Jesus loves the little children, or this little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine. Anyone that went to Sunday school as a child has those wonderful songs ingrained in their memories.

I never went to Sunday school except for a few anxiety ridden days when my parents tried to pawn me off at vacation bible school. My only memory of that church was having hell literally scared out of me by the hell fire and brimstone preacher who pointing down at me and yelled “if you don’t run to this alter right now and confess your sins and ask Jesus to save you, you are going to die and go straight to hell and burn forever.”

Did I run? You better believe it; I ran right out of that building and never went back. I always believed there was a God and I had no doubts about this Jesus person, but it took nineteen years for Him to get a hold of my heart and even longer to get a hold of my life.

Believe it or not I became an ordained Methodist minister at age twenty eight and over the years have taught Sunday school to children from first grade up to age eighty. I use the word children because it has been my experiences that no matter what the age most people attending Sunday school are still spiritual babies?

For the last ten months I have been teaching a large group of couples about the same age as myself. I began the class teaching on the words Jesus said recorded in the book of Mark. We are on chapter five. It seems Jesus had a great deal to say in such a few number of words.

Most Sunday school classes are taught by good people with even better intentions that were shanghaied into the position because no one else wanted to do it and they were made to fell guilty if they didn’t. This intern leads to halfhearted attempts to convey deep spiritual truths that they themselves do not understand nor have the desire to really try. This is one reason why the body of Christ in America is not whole and of one mind and one accord as described in the book of Acts.

The very words Sunday school implies a place to learn and grow toward spiritual maturity. The sad facts are that with out the offerings of a good cup of hot coffee and a variety of donuts many Christians would not bother to show up.

Sunday school is and should be a place for Christians to gather after having studied and attempting to live the word of God all week long to share and discuss what we have learned. Instead the teachers are usually the only one that has prepared (hopefully) and the class shows up to glean something from them. These spiritual ill equipped people then attend the church service not knowing the word of God or who they really are in Jesus or the promises that are made to them by God; then sit through what they feel was a boring hour thinking only of where they will have lunch.

Monday morning rolls around and it’s back to a vicious cruel world that only beats them down for six more days so they can return to Sunday school defeated and no better off than the secular world that holds them. They discuss their previous divorces, their now failing marriages, their anti depression medications, their disobedient wayward children and how unhappy they are with their jobs.

If you are a Sunday school teacher and don’t really want to be there, thanks for trying but, please quit. If you are called by God to teach a class and have been given the gift of teaching please read, study, pray and ask God for wisdom to lead those He has put in your presence. Your job and mine is to grow the best, most informed and spiritually armed Christians we can.

Remember those songs we read at the beginning? They are more than just words; they are the beginnings of spiritual life. A life that God sent His only son so that we would have; not only life but a victorious life in Him while we are still here on this ball of mud called earth.

This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine!
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE

JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
This article has been read 946 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Janice Cartwright
11/01/07
A bit of a dismal view of what Sunday school has descended to in many churches. But I have to agree with your honest appraisal. This I know: when a truly gifted teacher who is filled with the essence of Christ-like love comes forward to the SS pulpit the spiritual hunger in his/her class is manifest. Starving people become dull-witted and sluggish. Well-nourished people sharpen one another.
Jan Ackerson
11/03/07
I think you could write a whole story built around your second paragraph!
Beckie Stewart
11/04/07
Sadly a view all too true....and certainly I do not desire to be true of my teaching and my SS class. I think the use of the songs in the beginning and end were good but the first sentence should have been at least two instead of one, but just my opinion.
Brenda Buikema
11/07/07
You speak of God's anger with the "system". I felt Him speaking in your piece. You need dedicated people in the ministry and if your hearts not in it then neither are your pupils. Good writing!