Those Amazing Adults!

Adulthood is a wonderful time of life. However, we sometimes tend to forget how many stages of adulthood one goes through in the average lifetime. If there is one problem more prevalent that any other in the adult department of the Sunday school, it is the improper grouping of adults.

Although young adults can learn much from their elders, and it is not unheard of for young single adults to form a close friendship with a married couple, it is not the best policy to place such diverse groups together for a Sunday school class – with one exception. Classes that are topical in nature will draw together those of many ages who have a special interest in a particular topic and often the membership of these classes will change as new topics are studied.

Adults’ life experiences are very different, posing an almost impossible task for the teacher who must apply the lesson to the lives of their students and will provide little opportunity for exchange of like experiences among the members of the class.

One must also keep in mind that age level classes are not necessarily the answer. Adults go through various stages of life at widely varying ages. A couple who were married at a young age, had their family right away, and is left with an empty nest at age 45, may feel more at home with the over 55 gang than in a class of their own age, if the other members of the class are struggling with the problems of high school or college age kids. By the same token, a couple over 40 who have children who are still in elementary school will probably feel more comfortable in the class where others are at the same stage of life, even though they may be younger.

Look over the adults in your Sunday school. How many stages of life do they represent? Try grouping them together as closely as possible in classes that will share similar life experiences and interests. Then enjoy those amazing adults.

(This article appeared in the "Spring, 1995" issue of "The Herald.")