No More Sunday School!
At church on Sunday, my super-awesome-amazing pastor, Scott, announced that we are no longer going to have Sunday School.
We are now going to have Life Groups. At Asbury we called them Communities. But I like Life Groups a lot better. They are groups. And they hopefully will lead people to have a better life. So Life Groups is an appropriate name for them.
Now before you say that its still Sunday School, but with a different name, here is the rest of the story. Life Groups will not only meet on Sunday mornings at 9:30, and not just at the church. They will meet at different places, on different days and at different times. I'm not sure about all the details, but I think it is a great idea.
This is a bold move, because Southern Baptists tend to be married to tradition. Tradition says that Sunday School is called Sunday School because that's what Jesus called it. I mean, wasn't Jesus the first Sunday School teacher? Okay, I might have that wrong. But Sunday School is one of many "golden calves" you will find in churches. Doing away with the Sunday School, or even changing the name, would be, to some, on the same level as taking the cross down off the wall, or doing away with the name "Baptist."
But there is a bigger issue that this decision reveals. You see, church leaders like Sunday School to be held at 9:30 on Sunday mornings because many of them are control freaks.
They like for the learning process to take place in the same building as they are in, because if that process takes place outside the four walls of the church, leaders lose control. They say that it might encourage people to stray from proper doctrine, and because they are the leadership, they alone know what is best for people.
We won't even begin to talk about the other reasons why church leaders like Sunday School to be held at 9:30 on Sunday mornings. It keeps people there for the sermon, boosting the numbers (pride). It increases the Sunday offering (greed). What impresses me the most about the decision our leadership team has arrived at is that it takes a lot of courage to let go of the control, the pride, the greed, etc., in order to do the right thing for the people in our church.
There was a time when Sunday School was the front door to the church.
In other words, when new people visit a church, they first get involved through the Sunday School, then eventually get involved in the church. Those days are long gone. Unfortunately, many churches operate like they didn't get the memo.
We live in a time when successful churches, like successful businesses, are about choices. If I have a choice to attend Sunday School, sorry Scott--Life Groups, on a Thursday night at someone's home, freeing me up to slow down a little on Sunday mornings, I'm going to love it. Lisa and I were just talking about that this past Sunday (because we skipped Sunday School). We slept a few minutes later. We sat and talked over coffee and a bowl of cereal. We talked about our upcoming week, made our shopping list, and checked prices on some movie tickets. After an hour or so of that, we got ready, and made it to church early enough to chat with some of the folks around us that we normally don't have time to visit with. What's more, we felt like we had a more meaningful worship experience.
I'm really happy to be part of a church that does not let tradition be the guide, or denominational rules, but Scripture (what's really there and what's really not) and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
What do you think about the traditions that seem to hold us hostage? What would happen at your church if they stopped doing Sunday School only inside the four walls of the church?
I'm not against SS if it works. I'm for whatever helps people grow in their faith. I'm in a Life Group and it is much different than the old SS classes I used to be in. We eat a meal together every time we meet. This eliminates having to get together for "socials."
We also aren't bound by time. Our LG is much more open than any other SS class I've been in.
Just my experience. Not bashing SS, I just like LG's better.
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We are in a life group, but it meets Sunday evenings. I still go to class, mainly so that my children get to attend class, but prefer life groups if I had to choose.
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I'm excited about the Life Groups concept, and look forward to the opportunities to serve and learn as a result.
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I am moving my church in this direction. I think it makes a lot of sense and has the potential to both have a bigger impact in the lives of our people and to simplify things for people and the church. Most churches are over-programed and over-meetinged, so people burn out and drop out. Done right, LG's can make a big difference in this area.
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It is really great to hear a person say that they are committing to a certain action based on the fact that it is what is best for the people involved. Some people would argue that it is not traditional, or not Baptist, or not biblical, but they would be wrong. What you're doing, Jake, is leading your folks to be all things to all men, so that by all means you might win some. Good for you!
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Ironically Phil Keaggy's "Sunday School" started playing as I clicked here to read your response. Weird.
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Give me stone silence said the blind man, give me more folly said the fool, give me more darkness said the blind man, I didn't believe...LIFE GROUPS.
It just doesn't have the same ring to it, does it Jake :>
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