Part 1: How NOT To Teach Sunday School

Why we need not a revival or reformation, but a revolution

Don't even go there

We don't discuss controversial things in Sunday School because, for one thing, it might drive people away. But what kind of people would be driven away by the very reason they're supposed to be there in the first place? Only those who have been told that being a Christian means never having to defend your beliefs. But that's the kind of people we draw in when we tell them a false gospel, such as saying if they get saved they will never have any more problems, or that we're only there for prayer support. Not to say prayer has no place in Sunday School, just that it's not the main course. That sounds almost heretical to some, but find me the place in the Bible that says nothing else should happen in our meetings, especially strong teaching.

Then we proof-text our way out of controversy (which --gasp-- might result in growth) by quoting 2 Timothy 2:24, as if the command not to quarrel means never disagreeing with each other on controversial matters. But the astute defender of the status quo will retort with, "What controversial matters? Everything in the Bible is crystal clear, so there's nothing to discuss". Would the average Sunday School student, or even teacher, know how to answer that? There's a good chunk of meat about that in the 14th chapter of Romans, but we never study that because it's so deep and theological and doctrinal. We only know the verses that are in the "Romans Road" evangelistic tract. But some people do not know the difference between Biblical truth and personal convictions, and some churches are made up of people like that. If they've been declaring for generations that dancing is evil, for example, that makes it Biblical in their eyes. All because they do not know how to read the Bible for what God is saying to them, instead of them telling God what He said.

The Bible is not a buffet. You can't just let the church pick out the items on the menu board you're allowed to sample. God intends for us to spend our lives not only sampling it all but sinking our teeth into it. When, pray tell, does this happen in Sunday School? We spend years there without ever filling ourselves. We talk about the food, we look at the food, we sing about the food, but when do we eat?? Not touching controversial subjects is like not partaking of anything at a rich banquet because we might spill something on our pretty clothes or get cavities or calories. You go to a restaurant to eat, and you should go to Sunday School to get spiritual meat.