What is Sunday School?
A Functional Definition of Sunday School
Sunday School is an essential disciple-making strategy of the Church. As such, Sunday School has proven its effectiveness by teaching biblical principles and godly living to people at every age and stage of life.
In order for Sunday School to remain effective in the 21st century, the Church must both reaffirm and retain the essential elements of this disciple-making strategy while also developing flexibility to address the diverse discipling challenges of our fast-paced, pluralistic culture.
Any Christian Education initiative in the local church that includes all of the following features/characteristics will be considered functionally comparable to Sunday School:
- The primary purpose is obedient response to the Great Commission: Making disciples who will fulfill the threefold mission of the church —evangelism, worship, and discipleship.
- The primary strategy is the intentional, systematic, development of leaders who can carry on the work of the ministry in the local church.
- The primary curriculum is the Bible supported by appropriate teaching resources.
- The primary process is regular (preferably weekly), systematic teaching of Bible content and doctrine.
- The primary dynamic is the building of relationships that involve mutual commitment and accountability.
- The primary structure includes a full range of groups, developed with sensitivity to culture, needs, interests, and/or life stages.
- The primary oversight is the responsibility of the pastoral staff and church lay leaders in the local church.
