| Common opinion is that Sunday school is in decline. | | | | love be shared? Will people be interested in |
| Increasingly we read of declining attendance, | | | | coming to Sunday school to spend time with |
| churches eliminating Sunday school, closing them | | | | these maintenance concerns? |
| through the summer holiday period. Walk into any | | | | What we need to do is get "mission minded" as |
| Christian bookstore and you will find many books | | | | history clearly shows this is what is most |
| showing statistics on the decline of Sunday school | | | | successful. When we reach out to a needy world |
| and the lack of biblical knowledge amongst the | | | | of hurting people telling them the message of |
| population. Books on how to revitalize your | | | | Jesus Christ. When we tell them of his death and |
| Sunday school are big sellers. The most popular | | | | resurrection we embody a first century Christian |
| workshops at our conventions are those that tell | | | | spirit, centring our attention on God and His action |
| us how to see growth and renewal in this area of | | | | in the world. Keeping our eyes firmly on God's |
| church life. | | | | presence and ministry is our first priority and |
| Obviously we do have problems in Christian | | | | everything else will fall into place. |
| education. Many people are concerned and want | | | | People today are increasingly making it clear that |
| to do something about it. But the danger is we | | | | they desire more spirituality in their lives. They are |
| have developed a "maintenance mind-set" in our | | | | seeking to know the meaning of life. They are |
| approach. Our time is consumed with "ought" and | | | | seeking support in times of trouble, personally and |
| "should." We "should" fix up our property and | | | | in times of national crisis. Support generally as |
| more people will come. We "ought" to get a new | | | | they journey though life. What are we going to |
| curriculum that is more effective and appealing. | | | | do to help them? Are we going to continually get |
| We "should" get more socially involved in the | | | | distracted putting our emphasis on the "should" |
| community, inviting them to church. We "ought" to | | | | and "ought" of our maintenance minded approach |
| advertise through different media then they will | | | | to Sunday school? Which does nothing to share |
| come. | | | | God's message of love and at worst serves only |
| I am sure you can think of many other things we | | | | to rearrange the chairs for a continually declining |
| "should" and "ought" to do. The problem is all | | | | group. |
| these things keep us busy in the planning and | | | | Our maintenance approaches have been showing |
| discussion meetings, but, does this busy work | | | | little fruit. Perhaps it is time to return to a sense |
| have any impact on God's people? Will it change | | | | of mission and renewed emphasis on sharing |
| lives? Will troubled souls be comforted? Will God's | | | | God's love in today's world. |