Part 1: How NOT To Teach Sunday School

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

Quarrels or Quorums?

We happily quote Hebrews 10:25 about continuing to meet together, but for what purpose do we meet? To just tell each other we all believe the exact same things every week? To absorb lessons and sermons just so we can all nod our heads in agreement? We meet together for the purpose of building each other up, for instruction, for many things. But fear of argument should never be an excuse for not meeting or to stifle opposition to the majority view.

Has anyone noticed a little contradiction here? We want neither boredom nor controversy. We want to study the Bible but not enough to upset anyone, yet we don't want it to get boring. We either split or snore. Why can't we find that elusive balance, where we are able to discuss controversial issues without acting like the heathen? The problem is that we equate passionate defense of a viewpoint with anger, or we equate peace with boredom. Neither is true, but people like everything in black and white.

If you look through the Bible you'll see plenty of emotion, plenty of disagreement, and plenty of controversy. You'll also see peace, safety, security, and hope. They all live happily together on those pages, and maybe if enough of us would spend more time there, we'd pick up a pointer or two. Paul and Mark parted ways over a sharp disagreement, so there may very well be times when we need to do that too. But just as this does not mean Paul and Mark were bitter enemies, so also we can differ on various issues without calling each other heretics or accusing each other of being divisive.

Controversy happens; we need to deal with it instead of running from it.