Sunday school service

The Christian servant is an integral part of the formula for building the church (see Matt. 28:18-20). Scripture teaches that members of the body are to be built up or equipped to do the work of the ministry (see Eph. 4:12), and it is this work to which the servant is called and gifted.

Objectives of the Sunday school service
Hundreds of answers could be given to state the objective of the service, but they can all be reduced to a few specific goals. Using the word "curriculum" as an acrostic, we arrive at the following aims of the teaching ministry (regardless of the age level): 

• C— consciousness of God
• U— unfeigned faith in Jesus Christ
• R— recognition of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit and the Lordship of Christ
• R— recognition of the Bible as God’s Holy Word
• I— instruction in the content of the Bible
• C— a Christian world and life view, setting before students a sound philosophy of life
• U— understanding of the Christian home, it’s ideas and responsibilities
• L— love of service and ministry for the Lord’s sake
• U— understanding of and participation in ministries of the local assembly
• M— maturity of personality and character through response and obedience to God work to which the servant is called and gifted.

It is the wish of all of us to see Sunday school grow and expand, but before we can see such growth, we need to define our goals and objectives.

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

It is necessary for us to meet the needs of the people of our churches and communities. Establishing goals for our Sunday schools is an important way for us to lay a foundation for growth, both in attendance and in spiritual commitment to our Lord.

Here are several important goals to consider:-

• Help persons of all ages learn God's Word and how to apply it to their lives. A primary goal of any Sunday school should be to help people learn what the Bible says. In addition, we should strive to help everyone learn how to apply the Bible to their own lives. Teaching them to ask "What is God saying to me" and how can I apply His Word and His will for me to my life. Understanding the scriptures and memorizing them can help with this.
• Provide opportunities for Christian fellowship. No man is an island, it's hard to be a Christian on your own. That's why it is important to be 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. 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 know each other in Sunday school can be extremely important for everyone.
• Provide opportunities for Christian service. Sunday schools and individual classes can provide many opportunities for members to serve their Lord and their fellowman within the church and the community.
• 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. For Sunday school to grow to remain vibrant, relevant and alive, it must have servants, leaders and members who are excited about learning more of Jesus Christ, His Word and His will for their lives. They must be excited about sharing the "Good News" that they have found for their lives 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.
• To be 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! He is the foundation for the total program, outreach and ministry of any church and Sunday school. The total church program should work together in harmony. For each ministry has its own purpose which is different, the worship team has one purpose, the Youth team has a purpose etc. However, even with the different methods and purposes of each part, they should all be working together for the One who is our primary focus, Jesus Christ!
• Evangelization. The main goal of any church and certainly its Sunday school should be to see that everyone comes to know the Lord Jesus as their personal Savior. The Sunday school should provide a unique opportunity for everyone to learn, in depth, what it means to become a Christian and follower of Christ. It is in the Sunday school setting that we have the opportunity to show and share our love for the Lord. We can give personal testimony of our own Christian walk to help lead others to Christ. Servants should be reminded of the eternal importance of salvation and urged to make opportunities for commitment to Christ a regular part of their class time.