By Rodney L. Pry

Some time ago a man told me that he had been asked to teach Sunday school and he seemed to think it was rather funny. He turned them down. Why? Because he had just accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior less than three months before and, other than the past three months, he had never attended church or Sunday school or read the Bible in his life. As he noted, "How could they expect me to teach something at which I’m only a first grade student myself?"

It’s rather sad that in some churches, if you’re breathing, they think you are a prime candidate to be a Sunday school teacher.

In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul says that some are appointed "to be apostles, others to be prophets, others to be evangelists, others to be pastors and teachers" (Ephesians 4:11). Paul doesn’t say that everyone is to be a teacher. For us to believe that everyone should be a teacher is not only unrealistic, it is down right unbiblical.

Quite honestly, there are persons in every church who do not have the training or ability to be a Sunday school teacher and should not be asked to teach.

Faced with this reality, there are two things that we can do: 1) help the person get the training and skill to be a teacher or 2) help them find another area for service within the church and Sunday school.

Far too many persons are asked to serve as Sunday school teachers without any preparation, help or training. In many churches a person might be asked to be a teacher without even knowing his or her commitment to Christ or their ability or training. If the person is willing to teach, they’re handed a teachers’ quarterly and pointed toward the classroom.

The first responsibility we should have to our students is to be sure that all teachers and prospective teachers are, indeed, Christians and have fully committed their lives to Jesus Christ. Second, we need to be sure that they set an example, not only in the words that they say on Sunday but also in the day-to-day actions they exhibit through the week.

We must be sure that each prospective teacher has the necessary Bible training and knowledge needed to teach God’s word. Providing teacher training opportunities and resources to help our teachers and prospective teachers should be a primary concern for every Sunday school.

Providing continuing, on-going help and support is something else that we must provide for all teachers. From regular teachers meetings to prayer partners, it is imperative that we support all of our teachers in every way possible.

Finally, a new teacher should never be thrown into a situation where they are all alone in the classroom. Work your new teachers into your program through the Vacation Bible School, as a teacher’s helper or in a team teaching situation.

But, if a person doesn’t work as a Sunday school teacher, are they going to have an opportunity to work within your church or Sunday school?

I once heard a preacher say that any honorable occupation or talent could be used for the Lord through the church. If this is true, there should be lots of opportunities for service for everyone within the Sunday school.

From persons to make phone calls, send cards and letters and help with crafts to drivers, musicians and nursery helpers, there should be lots of opportunities for everyone to work within your Sunday school.

Through Sunday school organized local mission projects, persons with skills such as carpentry, masonry and other can work to serve their neighbors within your community while working for the Lord.

But, before you can use these talents, you need to discover what they are. One idea is to conduct a "talent survey." Make a list of every possible job within the Sunday school, along with a list of all the different talents and abilities that you can think of that might be usable within the Sunday school. By distributing such a survey sheet within your church, you may find new sources of help and new abilities that you didn’t even know that you had.

(This article appeared in the "Summer, 1993" issue of "The Herald.")