As a new school year begins, I thought I’d post some stuff I wrote for the leaders of my old Sunday School class, on the off-chance it was relevant for someone reading the blog.
There are infinite amounts of advice that could be given, but I think these are the most important, and hold true whatever format or style your teaching takes.
✝️ Preach the gospel
Children easily learn to parrot 'Jesus died to save us from our sins'. But they often really believe it's about being good, going to church, or having a Christian family.
Tell them it's not - tell them often.
Don't assume they are believers (Saying ‘IF you love/follow/believe in Jesus…’ is a good way to do that simply.)
Use different words or ways of explaining the gospel, that fit with the story e.g. Yes, Jesus died to take the punishment for our sins - but also, Jesus died to make us God's friends, so we can be in his family, to set us free, to beat the devil, to give us new life etc. etc. etc…
📖 Teach the truth
They're young - you need to simplify things. But make sure everything you say is true. (Not watered down, but distilled, as I heard someone say once).
Make sure you're teaching what the Bible actually says, not what tradition has added!
Trite 'Sunday School answers' are often unhelpful. Be honest about the bits you find hard to understand.
If it comes up, be honest about things that Christians genuinely disagree about. This could be 'in some churches they believe X but we believe Y.'
Or, for things that we ourselves have differing opinions on (e.g. creation, predestination, eschatology, Hallowe’en), simply 'Some Christians believe X and some believe Y - but we all believe Z, which is the most important (maybe add ‘ask your parents what they think’.)
Be honest about the sins and failures of Bible heroes. Be honest about your own sins and failures (both at a PG level of course 😁)
🥰 Look out for outsiders
Every child needs to feel they belong.
Pay particular attention to those who don't fit in in some way - those who attend irregularly, are particularly shy, are always in trouble, struggle academically, hate doing crafts, are from a different race or culture, are less well off, have a disability, are neurodivergent, come from a non-christian family, have a difficult family situation… or just that child you really don't like for whatever reason 😬
If they don't know that we welcome them, they won't understand that Jesus welcomes them.
🙏 Pray
The one I'm least good at!
The best planned lesson in the world is no good without prayer. Pray for yourself as you prepare, pray for yourself as you teach, pray that the children will understand, pray that the Holy Spirit will speak to them.
Pray for their families, pray for their schools, pray that they will not believe the lies the world tells them, pray that they will believe, pray that they will keep on going.
