Why Sunday School

So then why do we need Sunday school? Let’s start with a story I heard at Stephen Ministry training.  You may have heard this story before even so it is worth repeating.

A young man and his Grandfather were sitting in front of the fire place discussing church and religion in general.  The young man was saying that he could be a Christian and not go to church.  The Grandfather said yes he could, but is it a wise thing to do.  The old man said “Look at the heart of the fire, see how some of the embers glow white with heat, that fade in and out from white hot, to red, then to a dull brown.  The young man said yes.  The old man said that the white hot embers were receiving heat and energy from the other embers.  The old man took the steel tongs off the fireplace hanger and removed one of the white hot embers from the fire and set it to the side.  The two men sat and watched as the glowing ember went from white hot, to red, to brown, and to gray then the light in the ember completely faded to become a dark piece of lifeless coal.  The young man looked at the glowing white hot embers in the fireplace and the said to his Grandfather,…I understand.

As Lutherans we place a great emphasis on Word and Sacrament and well we should.  During the sermon we hear the proclamation of the Word, and that is also good.  But we need to study the Word of God more closely and in a setting where we can ask questions and get feedback. I guess we could raise our hand and ask the Pastor a question during the Sermon, but for me that would be more attention than I could stand. Therefore I would suggest that Sunday school is the better alternative. The writer of Hebrews admonishes the Christians for not becoming more mature in their faith.

Heb 5:12  For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic elements of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food;

The writer is saying “You ought to be teachers - You ought to be able to instruct others. He does not mean to say, that all of us ought all to become public teachers, or preachers of the gospel, but that we ought to be able to explain to others the truths of God and traditions of our Church. As parents we should to be able to explain our beliefs to our children, neighbors, friends, to anyone inquiring about their spiritual life.”  This type of education comes from Sunday school and I am speaking of primarily adult Sunday school.  In my frame of reference, I feel that adult Sunday school it just as important, if not more important that Sunday school for the children.  As the pressures and temptations of everyday life attack us, it is the Word of God that gives us the strength and courage to stay hot and glowing with the passion of Christ to face those challenges. Sunday school allows us to share our faith, our love, our encouragement, and our strength with one another.

I would encourage everyone to take a renewed look at the purpose and need for Sunday school, young and old alike.  As adults we need to set an example for our children and all the young people at All Saints that learning what the Word of God teaches is of vital importance in all our lives.

Charles Underwood, Intern