Sunday School History
The spirit of the Sunday School was kindled by Christ and was approved by Him to the disciples. Sunday School is a title of a modern service of the ancient and apostolic Church. It is a school for disciples and friends. It is a school with one teacher. It is a school with one textbook – the Bible. The Sunday School is a flame that will help dispel the darkness of spiritual ignorance. Beyond the limits of the Church, beyond the houses of believers, beyond the limits of Christian civilization, the multitudes to whom the alphabet of religion is an unknown thing and the phrases of faith familiar are neglected. Christian a strange thing. Therefore, the spirit of the Sunday School must always be active in order to fulfill its place with dignity in the Church today.
The Sunday School is the oldest auxiliary in the Church. The Bible records, “God set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, and after miracles, gifts of healing, helps, government, kinds of tongues…” (1 Corinthians 12: 28). It has been said that the Sunday school is the auxiliary that extends from the cradle to the grave. It covers all age groups.
The Sunday School was discussed at the first Assembly of the Church, held in Cherokee County, North Carolina, on January 26 and 27, 1906. The following statements can be found in the Minutes of the Assembly:
“We are very much in favor of this important service as a means to teach people to reverence the Word of God and the house designated for worship, and also, to raise the morale of a community. Therefore, the meaning of this assembly to recommend, advise and urge all local churches to have a Sunday School every Sunday throughout the year We advise workers to do all they can to propagate interest in Sunday School, and to seek out places where Sunday Schools are not there is and organize where it is possible to do so We believe that a Sunday School can sometimes be successfully organized and conducted where a church cannot be established all at once, opening and preparing the way for more permanent work in the future It is further recommended that Sunday will be held in Schools in the morning, when it is possible to hold them at that time.”
It is easy to deduce that since the beginning of this General Assembly the Church has tried, through teaching, to broaden the reach and influence of Christ in our communities.
Sunday School Ministries
The ministry of the Sunday School department is not limited to weekly classes on an organized school basis. As the Sunday school ministry of a local church grows, it is beneficial for the local church to consider expanding the boundaries of its ministry. These ministries are considered to be Sunday School Outreach Ministries. Below is a concise list of outreach ministries.
Extension
The Outreach Department allows the Sunday School to reach out into the community and teach the home bound and those unable to attend regular services. This department has reached many of them with the Word who have not had the privilege of attending for various reasons, including their health and many times their work schedules. Sunday School should not leave anyone out of its ministry.
Audio, video, CDs and broadcast of a regular Sunday School class can also be sent to people who may live a long way away for a regular Sunday School visit. Many are currently participating in this program. If you, a friend or a loved one are interested in receiving CD’s or DVD’s of a Sunday School class, please contact this department.
The Roll Cradle Department reaches out to families with newborn babies. In ministry to these families during this special time in their lives, many have been reached with the gospel message and have become regular Sunday School attendees. This is a wonderful opportunity for ministry to new families.
The goal of the Crib Roll is “All parents of the baby on the Crib Roll, and the parents of every baby in Sunday School.” A welcome letter signed by the superintendent of not only the Crib Roll, but by the Sunday School superintendent must be sent to each new family with a child enrolling in the school. A Sunday School gift basket would also be wise to give to the new family. All of the baby’s relatives who are not members of the Sunday School are also leads that can be won from the Sunday School.
No kid is too young to become a support member of the roll. From the moment of birth, he/she is eligible. Many children have been registered before having to leave the hospital. When they reach two years of age, they are eligible to become regular Sunday School attendees and enter what is commonly known as the nursery class.
Vacation Bible School provides the local Sunday school with an excellent opportunity to reach children within the community. Curriculum for VBS is available through the Ministry of Print Shop. These lesson packs include a Director’s Pack, Teen Student Book, Junior Student Book, Elementary Student Book, and Pre-School Student Book.
Children’s Church is a worship service designed with our children in mind. It allows them to participate in a worship service that is designed for their given age level. Relatable Bible truths are presented and therefore have the opportunity to have a time of meaningful worship.