During July 1780 Robert Raikes held a Sunday School class in the home of Mrs. Meredith for rowdy children living in the slums. He hired teachers and organize lessons on reading, writing, morals, and the Bible. He was condemned by religious community members for holding classes on Sunday. They said it was a sacrilegious thing to do. Now he is considered the father of Sunday School and a statue of him stands in London England.
William Fox, a Baptist deacon, followed by starting the first Sunday School society September 7, 1785. In America it was another 20 years before William Elliott led a church to embrace the idea of Sunday School. Just before his death, Jesus was concerned that believers be well educated. He knew that ignorance was a weapon of the devil. As a church we must pay more attention to education within our own congregation. We must also educate the new converts so that they can become grounded in the Word.
We must enlist the help of the Holy Spirit to enlighten us about basic knowledge, spiritual truths, and doctrine. We must not take for granted the classes we conduct and the lessons we present. It is the teaching from which we draw strength, assurance, and courage. Unfortunately, the idea of Sunday School is dwindling in its significance rapidly. During much of my early ministry I found that Sunday School was the central evangelistic means to outreach and bring other people into the church as well as to lead them to Christ.
There has developed a new fad in which the church sponsors home Bible studies led by a church member. In some cases, they are allowed to select their own topic as well as their own literature. In most cases, if not all of them, I know of no supervision that is conducted over these group Bible studies in the home. It is my conviction that without properly vetting of the teacher and the lessons, and without proper monitoring, people could easily be led astray believing what the conversation of the group displays is truth. The meetings in homes could also degenerate into social clubs or even worse depending on the interaction of those who attend.
We are missing a great opportunity to strengthen the spiritual and intellectual condition of those who wish to serve Christ. There are means to draw people in. There are means to monitor what happens in their teachings. Church doctrine must not be deluded but must constantly be based on Scripture. Properly used, Sunday School can still be a great outreach. I have known of times when children first come to Sunday School and then their parents eventually come. I have known of times in which people were led to Christ because of the effective use of Sunday School in the church. Call me an old-fashioned preacher if you wish. I have had a ministry years passed that has shown great benefit in the old ways of a bus ministry, of home visitation, of organized outreach, and activities which are both fun and effective. We cannot allow this great ministry to wither on the vine!
Christian Writer 