By Rodney L. Pry

Have you ever stopped to think about why your church has a Sunday school?

Most of us would like to see our Sunday school grow, but before we can expect to see such growth, we need to take the time to think about our purpose and the goals for our Sunday school.

During the past 20 years, the overall Sunday school attendance has declined by about 9 million (from 41 million to 32 million) in North America (according to the Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches). This decline means that today roughly one in three persons attends church, but only about one in nine attends Sunday school.

In spite of this decline in Sunday school, many surveys tell us of the need and hunger for spiritual guidance that most people feel today.

The Princeton Religion Center recently asked teenagers what they would like to study and discuss. The top three responses all had significant religious implications. 64% said, "Is there really a God?" 56% said, "What is the meaning of my life?" And, 55% asked, "Is there really a heaven or hell?"

Another recent survey found that nearly half (46%) of all adults had at least one problem or question for which they had no answers or solutions.

The Bible has the answer to any problem or question that any of us might have about living our lives in the way that God wants. But, finding those answers can be difficult, especially for the person who doesn’t know the Bible that well or how to apply it to their lives. That’s exactly where the Sunday school should come in.

Establishing goals for our Sunday schools that help them meet the needs of the people of our churches and communities is a necessary part of building a foundation for growth, both in attendance and in spiritual commitment to our Lord. Here are several important goals to consider…

1. Help persons of all ages learn God’s Word and how to apply it to their lives. One of the primary goals of any Sunday school should be to help people learn about the Bible and what it says. In addition, we should strive to help everyone learn how to apply the Bible to their daily life. What is God saying to each person and how can they apply His Word and His will to their lives? Memorization of the scriptures can be a part of this; however, understanding of the scriptures is much more important.

2. Evangelization. The primary goal of every church and every member of that church should be to see that everyone is led to Christ as Lord and Savior. The Sunday school provides a unique opportunity for everyone to learn, in depth, what it means to be a Christian and how to become a follower of Christ. In Sunday school, we have an opportunity to share our love for the Lord and personal experiences from our Christian walk to help lead others to Christ. Teachers should be reminded of the eternal importance of salvation and urged to make opportunities for commitment and recommitment to Christ a regular part of their class time.

3. Provide opportunities for Christian fellowship. It’s hard to be a Christian on your own. That’s why it’s important to be a part of a church, the "family of God." Knowing that others have faced similar problems and that they have found the answers in the Bible and in Jesus Christ, is an important part of Sunday school. But, learning to really get to know the other persons of your church can sometimes be a problem. That’s where fellowship events and activities for individual classes are so important. The fact is that most Christians say they don’t have Christian friends that they can talk to and confide in. Getting to really know the people of your Sunday school can be extremely important for each of your members.

4. Provide opportunities for Christian service. A survey conducted a few years ago said that over half of all persons who were first involved in service to their church became involved in the Sunday school. Although this statistic may not be the same for all churches today, it certainly indicates the potential importance of the Sunday school to the overall program of the church. Sunday schools and individual classes can provide many opportunities for members to serve their Lord and their fellowman within the church and the community.

5. Provide opportunities for spiritual growth. It’s a rule of nature – if something stops growing, it will soon die. The same rule applies to our churches and Sunday schools – if they stop growing spiritually, they are in danger of dying! A Sunday school that has seen the spiritual faith of its members grow stagnant will not grow, either in spirit or in attendance. For any Sunday school to remain vibrant, relevant and alive, it must have teachers, leaders and members who are excited about learning more about Jesus Christ, His Word and His will for their lives. They must be excited about "the Good News" that they have found for their lives and excited about sharing that same "Good News" with others. Sunday schools that work to promote the spiritual growth of their members will surely find the added bonus of an increase in attendance, too.

6. To be a part of the overall growth, outreach and mission of the total church. What should be our top priority? The church? The Sunday school? No, Jesus Christ should come first! The total program, outreach and ministry of any church and Sunday school should be established for Him. The total church program should work together in harmony. The worship service has one purpose, the Youth Group has another purpose, the Sunday school a different purpose, etc. However, even with the different methods and purposes of each part, they all should be working together for the One who is our primary focus, Jesus Christ!

Examine the purposes and goals that you have established for your Sunday school. Make sure your teachers, leaders and members are fully aware of those purposes and goals. And then make sure that your program is structured to establish those purposes and to pursue your goals. A clearer vision of whom we are and where we want to go can help every Sunday school establish a firm basis for growth, to the Glory of God!

(This article appeared in the "Spring, 1994" issue of "The Herald.")