The History of the Sunday School

“Sunday School: Your Tool For Church Growth andDevelopment”

Submitted by:

Domingo P. Montezor Jr.

Submitted to:

Professor Jun Alindogan

Asian Theological Seminary

54 Scout Madrinan St. South Triangle Quezon, City

Date:

May 29,2009

Table of Contents

Introduction……………………………………………………. ……………3

The History of the Sunday School….……………………..............................4

The Importance of the Sunday school in the Church………….…………5

Sunday School Still the Viable Ministry ThisDay……………………….7

Sunday School Your Tool for Church Growth andDevelopment……….11

Bibliographies…………………………………………………………….. 14

Introduction

This paper shall discuss a helpful tool guide for churchusing Sunday school as tool.

In this paper includes the history of the Sunday school in orderto know who started it and why

this Sunday school become successful .The importance of theSunday school so people who will

read this will realize that not only preaching should giveemphasis in the church activities. I also

include list of advantages of a cell groups over the Sundayschool. Because some churches are

already change their Sunday School into a cell for the reasonthat it is now the trend in the

church and the Sunday is already called Ken Hemphill as Sundayschool morning dinosaur 1or an

1 Ken Hemphill, Revitalizing The Sunday Morning Dinosaur A Sunday School Growth for 21 st Century,( Broadman & Holman Publishers Nashville, Tennessee, 17

old style method and no longer effective in helping the church togrow.2

But as long as your purpose of Sunday school is great commissionmeaning need to

share the not just to maintain the present members of the church.And also as long Sunday school

has a good structure that compatible for growth meaning usingtool that is suited for evangelism,

discipleships and teaching. It is available to every person forthem to grow. It was use as

producers of leaders. It is personal and produces maximuminvolvement of the members and has

a continuing activities for growth. Will ensure your church willgrow. I also included the growth

and development of the church that using the Sunday school asallay to the church growth will be

a great help because if in the worship service we discuss thestatus of the people that they are

sinners that they will suffer to hell when they do not acceptJesus as their personal Savior and

Lord , in the Sunday school they will challenge and decide whatto do in order to be saved and

How they will live a godly lives after receiving the mercy ofGod.

2 Ibid,18

The History of the Sunday School

Sunday school begins in England

It was Robert Raikes, a British publisher was one initiatedthe Sunday school with the

poor children that his aim that time was to teach the childrenhow to read and write and with

Bible integration. And during the time his only requirementbefore he can join the children is to

have a good grooming such as having a clean hand and faces andwith their well comb.3

The same objectives to the American like William Elliot that hewanted to teach children and

their strategy was feeding them. Thus become established for along period of time in Boston

New York and Philadelphia.

As other organization Sunday school was not popular in1800,s until an American had

produce materials to help the Sunday school more interesting andthis was send to many

churches until it become popular.

Then in 1832 they held their first National Convention thatresulted to establish

Associations called ASSU with 2,867 school members. And then theSunday school continues to

3 The Church at Study: Sunday School Ministry for the 1990s (Evangelical Training Association 110 Bridge street Box 327 Wheaton, Illinois 60189),6

be well known worldwide.

Furthermore even though Sunday school movement subside in itspopularity, the movement still

remains and they become more organized in 1945 as National SundaySchool Association and

until now there are still active members of the association.

The ASSU or American Sunday School Union made a standardcurriculum during their

convention to have uniform lesson materials on the content,classroom techniques and memory

passages for seven years period4

John Wesley

John Wesley, the famous Methodist evangelist, was one of thefirst to embrace the Sunday

School movement.5 In fact he always recognized the goodness ofthe Sunday School in some of

the occasion he’s been through. And this was his statement:

“I verily think these Sunday schools are the noblestInstitution which have been seen in Europe for some centuries,

and will increase more and more.”6

4 Ibid ,7

5 Bill L. Taylor, 21 Truths, Traditions,& Trends Propelling the Sunday School into the 21 st Century ,(Convention Press Nashville,Tennessee,296 Ibid,29

First Sunday School in America

It was William Eliot who introduced the Sunday school in1785. During that time he is

teaching two session one for the white Americans and second isfor the black Americans student.

And after sixteen years it transferred to the Burton-Oak GroveMethodist Church, Brandfords

Neck Virginia.”7 “The second Sunday School was created after oneyear in 1786, through

Francis Asbury, in the home of Thomas Crenshaw of HanoverCountry, Virginia. Its purpose

was to provide Bible Instruction for the slaves on theplantation.”8

Sunday School Pioneers

Stephen Paxson was a Sunday school missionary, he was a crippledman, and he was not able

to get good education, he just learned by himself. But God reallyused him as a missionary of

the Sunday school. And because he love the work so much, he wasable to organized 1,314 new

Sunday school with 83 thousand students while he did encouragethe present Sunday school

ministry of 1,747. He also organized 47 new Sunday School duringthe 40 days intensive

7 Ibid,308 Ibid,30

trainings. Indeed God will do something if we allow him to use usfor his ministry. Like Stephen

he was crippled but was used by God and made history.

The Importance of the Sunday school in the Church

Sunday school is very essential in the church as James D.Smart says

“The church must teach, just as it must preach or it will not be the church”9

Indeed a church will not be a church if preaching is your onlyministry or activity. It should have teaching ministry. For says

in his Word that

“ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you..”10

Notice the words go, make, baptizing and teaching are the action words that requires us to teach.

You cannot go and make disciples without teaching them first the basic step to evangelize,

prayer and discipleship. Of course also with baptism you need to teach them the what, how and

why are you going to baptize.

Even in the Old Testament teaching is very important with them inGenesis 14:14 reveal that

Abraham had 318 trained men, born in his household “Trained” or instructed” conveys the idea

9 James D. Smart, The Teaching Ministry of the Church An Examination of the Basics Principles of Christian Education (Philadelphia The Westminster Press) 1110 Matthew 28:19,Holy Bible,( International Bible Society),866

of a school or a period of instruction. Even Jehoshapat he priestand Levites just to teach the

Word of God in the city of Judah. 11

Preaching and teaching in the Old Testament times was God commandto them to responsible in

teaching in order to remain in the mind of the young children thelove of God. As what written

in the two tablet stone, He also command us to teach to obey His command and able to

memorize the Word of God.

In the New Testament

Jesus was called Rabbi because he always teaching where everhe may go. Throughout

Galilee and Synagogue. His friends, foes and followers called himteacher. Even Paul as

educated people he was able to teach in Synagogue also, to his members. He was able to

encourage his church members and admonish pastors and teachers.12

Sunday school is very important because of several reasons. First, Because preaching is

11 Bill L Taylor, 21 Truths, Tradition, & Trends Propelling the Sunday school into the 21st Century,(Convention Press Nashville, Tennessee,24

12 Bill L Taylor, 21 Truths, Tradition, & Trends Propelling the Sunday school into the 21st Century,(Convention Press Nashville, Tennessee,26

just 30-45 minutes listening, no interaction with the audience therefore very little amount

of bible truth are left to the audience. Because according to studies that a person learns

10% of what he or she hears, 50% of what he or she sees, and70% o what he or she talks

so if we have a Sunday school that member who attends to both activities of the church

will get 80% of learning because that member will be able tointeract in the Sunday

school.

Next, reason is preaching is not complete without teaching in the church because they

different function and they help each other as a ministry. Preaching caters to the lives of

the members because it talks about their being separated to God because of their

disobedience. Whereas in teaching it addresses the things todo of those who repented

from their sins and will able to encourage them to live a godly lives.

Sunday School Still the Viable Ministry This Day

According to Ken Hemphill the Sunday school is the finestintegrated church growth tool out in

the market today”13 despite of some issues that Sunday school isalready phases out tool for church

growth because some reported that there’s no more growth in theSunday school that is why they

are looking for another tool to help the church to grow. Thereare cell groups, growth group, and

care group that adopt by many churches. Let us look theadvantages of the two ministries the

Sunday School and the Cell group.

Advantages of a cell group according to Ken Hemphill

Cell group as many churches today are adopting because of someadvantages that it will give

benefit to them. First cell groups do not need a classroom, itcan be done anywhere, in the house

or outside the house or room. Secondly, it will give so much timein prayer and fellowship.

Thirdly, cell group will bring your people at ease because it wasin your house, the same or it’s

homogenous that can easily relate with each other. Fourthly, cellgroup are fast and easy way to

invite people because it’s informal you add refreshment in theprogram if you want. Last, the

13 Ken Hemphill, Revitalizing The Sunday Morning Dinosaur A Sunday School Growth for 21 st Century,( Broadman & Holman Publishers Nashville, Tennessee, 1

fifth. Cell group can touch people because it’s a sharing ofexperiences inside the group.14

Sunday School Advantages

Many of the advantages of the Sunday school strategy can bepresented as criticisms of the cell-

group structure. First, Sunday school is easier to organize andmanage than cells. Since Sunday

school is organize therefore it is easy to manage the recording.Secondly, Sunday school tends to

become less personality centered than cell groups. Sunday schoolare being monitored that

cannot cause to split of groups. Thirdly, Sunday schoolorganization makes it easier to safe guard

doctrinal integrity than the cell group organization. That theSunday school has the capacity to

guard the doctrine of the church because they have curriculum ondoctrine that will share to them

during class meaning Sunday school is focus on the knowledge andfaith foundation of a

Christian while in all group it’s more on a relationship less indeeper teaching of the Bible. Fourth

advantages of a Sunday school reinforces the value of the worshipservice by making attendance 14 Ken Hemphill, Revitalizing The Sunday Morning Dinosaur A Sunday School Growth for 21 st Century,( Broadman & Holman Publishers Nashville,Tennessee, 87-88

more convenient that Sunday school helps the worship service toget more attendance in the

worship service. Fifth advantage is Sunday school integratestotal family education that it’s

structure is design for the family and be able to meditate anddiscuss to their houses the Word of

God they have learned from the Sunday school. Six advantage of aSunday school is it can be

design to incorporate all the functions of the effective cellgroup that any activities of the church

can be integrated in the Sunday school. And last the seventhadvantage of the Sunday school

involves a higher proportion of the church’s people than cellgroups in a North America setting. 15

That Sunday school has a lot of membership and almost all ofthem will attend the worship

service. But with so much advantages mentioned in the cell groupsand Sunday school which

adopt by many churches today it’s still only few are successfultrying different

strategies. It is because of not doing the right thing. As whatKen told in his book that

“the church are started to die because of the wrong use of the Sunday school ministry those

15 Ken Hemphill, Revitalizing The Sunday Morning Dinosaur A Sunday School Growth for 21 st Century,( Broadman & Holman Publishers Nashville,Tennessee,88-91

church takes Sunday School as a maintenance and not as a fulfillment of the great commission”16

Meaning it is not the tool that matters whether Sunday school orcell groups that makes the

church grow, but in using properly the tool or using the Sundayschool of its purpose. But Ken

was more believe to the Sunday school as a tool for growth, infact he list down nine reasons

why Sunday school is the most used tool in our church today.

One, Sunday school provides a centralized and simplifiedstrategy. That Sunday school is the

only organized ministry of the church that can do equipping anddevelop Christians to go and

teach also.

Two, Sunday school is familiar that most people who going to thechurch were experience

attending Sunday school.

Three, Sunday school is solid foundation for innovation meaningthey can create new things in

order to captive the audience without compromising the quality ofthe content of the lesson.

16 Ken Hemphill, Revitalizing The Sunday Morning Dinosaur A Sunday School Growth for 21 st Century,( Broadman & Holman Publishers Nashville,Tennessee, 4

Four, Sunday school incorporates the six principles of churchgrowth in one organization.

Meaning the Sunday school can integrate principles that will helpthe church grow.

Five, Sunday school is the natural companion to an excitingworship service that the Sunday

school is the place where first timers or visitors in the churchwill get along to their same group

in order to feel at ease and belong to the family of Christians.

Six, Sunday school gets people involved in the service that whena believer involves himself in

the ministry his spiritual growth will continue. And Sundayschool is an avenue where believer

can lean and equipped every Christian and confidently can handlea ministry in the future.

Seven, Sunday school provides the small group experience everyChristian needs. That Sunday

school ministry is the venue where they can also share theirfeelings and be able to give advice or

counsel to the hurts or those who are emotionally depress.

Eight, Sunday school is not tied to a single personality meaningChristians who build their

foundation in the Sunday school where he or she learn so much howto survived in the trials will

stand still in the midst of the problems.

Nine, Sunday school had proven a track record17 that Sundayschool had been passed to a

many testing before it becomes organized. So it is very muchcredible when it come to sharing

the gospel or equipping leaders. And it is proven more fruitsthan any other strategies of

evangelism.

Sunday School Your Tool for Church Growth and Development

Growth and development define: “Growth defines a increases in actual size o quantitative while Developments

defines as increase in complexity of body structures and functions over a period of timeor by qualitative.”18

Meaning from zero to six years old the child is growing in heightweight shoe size

and others while it’s also develops by discovering their skillsand able to do simple to

complex. Just like a child who a body structures that increasesas the day’s o years pass by.

Christian also are growing spiritually as what Peter says in hisbook in the Bible that

“Like a newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.”19

17 Ken Hemphill, Revitalizing The Sunday Morning Dinosaur A Sunday School Growth for 21 st Century,( Broadman & Holman Publishers Nashville,Tennessee, 30

18 Elizabeth Anne King Santos,Principles of Growth and Development,ECE Seminar(ATS),119 1 Peter 2:2, Holy Bible,(International Bible Society)1050

Meaning Christian needs nourishment in order to grow and develop their skills or be equipped.

So, they need a tool that will enhance their spiritual needs and at the same time teach how to use

their God given talent and be used by God. And the answer to thatproblem is a structured

Sunday school. Here are the seven reasons why structured Sunday school is our best tool for

Church growth. Let’s take a look first the definition of structure. “Structure defines by Webster

New Collegiate Dictionary as “Something made up of independent parts in a definite pattern

organization.”20

Meaning Sunday school will be a stable ministry that will serve as ally in facilitating the growth

of the church. So it’s need to strengthen it and should support the implementation of it or else

growth of the church will not come to realization. Here are the seven reasons why Sunday school

must be structured. First, the Structure of the Sunday school iscompatible for growth. For we all

know that Sunday school that Sunday school is the first public school in England that organized

for the poor children. And become popular through Robert Raike’s effort. Second, Sunday school

20 John T. Sisemore, Church Growth Through the Sunday School ( Broadman Press,Nashville Tennessee) 84

structure is suited to any kind of people that every members of the church has his or her own

group to go to and learn the teaching and doctrine of the Bible. Third reason is structured Sunday

school facilitates growth because if curriculum is part of the structure definitely they have

activities will be done to the visitors maybe they will welcome them first then there will be

acquaintances and soon they will share gospel. Then they are going to visit them and start a

Bible study in their houses and soon they will be added to the church. Fourthly, an organized

Sunday school will also turn the members to grow into a leader. As long as the Sunday school is

organized this will create a good leader because they the capacity to equip the people in the

Sunday school especially when they see that person is potential to be leader someday. Fifth

reason of a structured Sunday school is personal in their approach because they will visit their

members personally not only they will also pray for them on theirphysical and spiritual needs.

Six reason of an organized Sunday school is it produces ultimate participation in the activity of

growth. Because an organize group has also an organize member andeach member have the

commitment that they will support the ministry no matter what happens they are one hundred

percent present in all activities they plan even if they work. Seventh reason of a structured

Sunday school is it is sustainable and vey establish tool for growth because they have already the

leadership, the curriculum, well planned activities and most of all that it is proven that Sunday

school is vey effective tool in evangelism, equipping and enlisting leaders.21

21 John T. Sisemore, Church Growth Through the Sunday School ( Broadman Press,Nashville Tennessee)85-95

Bibliographies

1.Hemphill, Ken,Revitalizing The Sunday Morning Dinosaur A SundaySchool Growth for 21st Century,(Broadman & Holman Publishers Nashville,Tennessee

2. Holy Bible,(International Bible Society)

3. Santos, Elizabeth Anne King ,Principles of Growth and Development,ECE Seminar (ATS)

4. Sisemore,John T. Church Growth Through the Sunday School( Broadman Press, Nashville Tennessee

5.Smart, James D. , The Teaching Ministry of the Church AnExamination of the Basics Principles of Christian Education(Philadelphia The Westminster Press

6.Taylor,Bill L. ,21 Truths, Tradition, & Trends Propelling theSunday school into the 21st Century,(Convention Press Nashville,Tennessee

7. The Church at Study: Sunday School Ministry for the 1990s (Evangelical Training Association 110 Bridge street Box 327 Wheaton, Illinois 60189)

The History of the Sunday School

Documents

Transcript of The History of the Sunday School