Apr 15, 2009
Sunday School… Change the System, not the Method
Let's All Go to Sunday School!
A few weeks ago, I had a call from a lady who used to be the Minister of Education of a large denominational church in the South. She, along with my denominational tribe were planning an event to train leaders in Sunday School in our state as part of a big event that will be happening over the next couple of years. She wanted me to attend and to bring my Sunday School director. She also told me they were going to also begin working out the opportunity to partner us (and other churches in our tribe) with Ministers of Education from churches in the South so we could have insight into how to effectively run our education ministry. I told her that we didn’t have Sunday School, so she said they would treat our small groups like Sunday School. I also told her that because of our size I would be the only one attending, assuming that I went. She really wanted me to bring someone. She also pushed for a commitment, though they did not have the date, place or time determined yet.
Today I received a call from that same lady letting me know that the event would be next week at a certain church in our state. She wanted me to bring my Sunday School leadership. I told her again that we don’t have Sunday School and that I would be the only one from my church attending. She again pushed for me to bring someone that could be trained as Sunday School director. I made no promises.
So I was driving home and thinking about this call and it really frustrated me. There are a few reasons for that frustration:
1. I just finished doctoral work on changing behavior. I know this: information does not lead to transformation. Sitting in a Sunday School class will not bring about spiritual formation. All it does is dispense information that few will really take home with them regardless of the ability of the teacher. In other words…Sunday School really is not effective for spiritual formation. Trust me, I’ve been in Sunday School for 35 years in all kinds of contexts…I know it well.
2. Why would I listen to a Minister of Education from the South who has no idea how to do ministry in my context? If they want to facilitate discussion with my leadership, that’s one thing. But to help me do ministry in an area where they have no clue about people in this area is a bit silly.
3. We don’t have Sunday School. We do spiritual formation as part of leadership development in a holistic way. We mentor, not hold Bible classes.
4. Studies show that our denominational way of doing things is not effective. Why are would I want to perpetuate a system that doesn’t work? To quote the (in)famous Ed Stetzer, “What is the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing the same way and expecting different results.”
What we really need to consider is changing the system not the method. Spiritual formation is a journey towards wholeness. It requires emotional healing, a new way of thinking, a community of faith, and identity transformation. It is done in sharing life experiences. It is most effective around a dinner table, at the golf course, fishing, on vacation, or around a campfire, not in a Sunday School class. Our denomination needs to change the system, not the method. In fact, we need change a lot of systems.
But what do I know? I’m just a guy who pastors a church in the Mid-Atlantic that has trained, mentored and released over 100 missionaries that our church has sent out to do ministry all over our country in the past five years in the marketplace.
So the question I have is this…Do I go to this meeting next week? And if I do, how do I tell this lady nicely that I appreciate her but I am not into perpetuating a program I do not believe works? Any thoughts? Of course, it could be that I’m just being too harsh. Feel free to comment on that as well.
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If you want to talk to her, do, but not at the conference. It’s neither the time nor place. I do think she needs to hear it, but she won’t be listening then.
And you shouldn’t go. The only reason you have for going is some sense of politeness or to tell her how you think. I’ve spoken to the latter and as to the former, you are more polite simply to go on about your business without comment.
But I understand your frustration. I experience it greatly when dealing with our state convention – though every once in a while they do something that surprises me… Last week they sent me a booklet called Missional Pivot Points that actually is pretty good. I’m considering buying some for church members.
Of course, they are tying it to a “One Day” effort to get all BGCO church members out knocking on doors and dispensing canned evangelism simultaneously.
Oh, well.
It’s just too hard and too soon for many tribe leaders to understand the shift in thinking that missional thinking requires. They embrace the traditional and consistency of their programming as theology. Give them time. They may never get it. But truly, many of them do love people and want people to come to know the Lord. But they can only conceive of doing that in a very confined set of circumstances.
I live in Dallas and absolutely struggle to find churches here that are of the mission mind set. Things are steeped in tradition. So much so that the tradition of it can’t be recognized.
Most of these ministers do love people, but they truly can’t see a way to minister outside of their current paradigm.
David, I agree that mentoring is one of the best ways to impact discipleship. But mentoring can/should also be done through the Sunday School. Sunday School classes can have dramatic impact by intentionally investing in new Christians, choosing accountability partners, and realizing that Sunday School and discipleship require more than one hour per week. One of the biggest problems is that Sunday School has been neglected: expectations are low or don’t exist and no one is leading the change/charge.
Darryl,
Thanks for coming by. You guys, KY Baptist, are our partners as part of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware. I’m in Delaware.
Your comment exposes the problem. It’s the organization of Sunday School rather than the organism of Sunday School. The SS organization is a controlled entity. The organism that could be SS is a living, breathing movement.
Baptists are much too concerned about the organization and not nearly concerned about the organism. Part of that is that we have bought into an hellenistic, teacher-led, educational understanding of biblical education and spiritual formation. The Bible is more focused around an Old Testament, community-based, journey of life, and hebraic understanding of spiritual formation.
We have bought into modernity and enlightenment. Ironically, it is postmodernity that leads us back to a more hebraic, community of faith journey.
I would love to have you come to Delaware this summer and spend some time with us.