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Is Sunday School Biblical?

June 14 2004 at 1:47 AM		   (no login)
from IP address 68.12.155.163
I apologize in advance if this is not the place to post this question. This post is actually the result of days of searching the internet trying to find the answer. Right now, my family is trying to decide if Sunday School is Biblical and if that is the road we need to take.

I was raised Baptist while my husband was raised Church of Christ. He has always gone to a church that did NOT have Sunday School. Since we have children now, we feel a conviction to teach our children and to become closer to God ourselves. I see that Sunday School is fine but that is based on the way I was raised. I don't have scripture to back me up. He sees that Sunday School is wrong as it is never mentioned in the Bible, is a pretty new thing being less than 200 years old, and seperates the family. He sees that it is a parents job to teach the child, not the church.

He feels that Sunday School would be fine, like a Bible Study, if it were not a part of the worship service. He has agreed to pray on it as have I. Both of us are willing to go in the direction the Bible teaches. The church that we attend now does not have Sunday school and for various reasons is just not united. I have not felt at home there in a few years. I would like to switch churches so we are exploring the next step. Any ideas or scripture you all could find would be most appreciated.

 
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Re: Is Sunday School Biblical (Mindy, June 14 2004 at 1:47 AM)

June 15 2004, 4:23 AM 

Mindy,

For now I’m going to respond to your question briefly. Hopefully, I’ll be able to expound or elaborate on this issue later on.

It would be illogical to discuss “Sunday School” without connecting or relating it to the “worship service.” [Frankly, I prefer the expression “Bible study” or “Bible school” to “Sunday School.” I also prefer the expression “assembly or gathering of the saints” to “worship services.”] In addition, the assembly of the saints would be greatly misunderstood without associating it with the synagogue.

The word “synagogue” does not appear in the Old Testament except in Psalm 74:8; but it is very frequently referenced (at least 60 times) in the four gospels and in the book of Acts. This is proof that there is a bit of history involved in the development of the synagogue during the intertestament period, as well as during the establishment and the early life of the church. The term “synagogue” is derived from the Greek language and means “to gather” or “to gather together” or “to bring together.” The Hebrew equivalence is “assembly” or “convocation” or “calling together.”

Without discussing the historical aspect in detail for the time being, we should note that by the New Testament times, the synagogue was firmly established and of major importance or role in the “religiousness” of the Jewish people. It is noteworthy that the Jewish assembly was [God’s] Word-centered. The meeting was on a particular day, of course, the Sabbath (Saturday, the seventh day of the week). They prayed; they read from the scrolls—the law of Moses and the prophets; they heard a lesson of exhortation. NOTE this one: they did read, sing or chant from the Psalms—with NO mechanical instruments used or accompanying. An offering was taken each Sabbath mainly for the poor. And each synagogue had a ruler(s) or elders—men of age, experience and dedication.

The New Testament assembly is patterned after or similar to the synagogue gathering format, indeed, WORD-CENTERED. Simply put—the New Testament gathering is also a school of the Bible in itself. The book of Acts (a history of the early church) and the epistles have a lot to say about how the early Christians gathered. They met on a particular day, specifically on THE first day of THE week (Acts 20:7); prayed and read from the scriptures (Acts 2:42; Col. 4:16); sang the word of Christ to admonish and teach one another (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16); heard a lesson of exhortation (Acts 20); gave of their means in a freewill manner (I Cor. 16:2; II Cor. 8:12)—TO HELP THE POOR. They had a plurality of elders and deacons (Acts 14:23; Phil 1:1). As you can see, the nature or purpose of the gathering did not change except for the day of the assembly. And, understandably so, the observance of the Lord’s Supper was instituted as part and for the purpose of the gathering of the New Testament saints (Acts 20:7ff; I Cor. 11).

So, now, the big question—Is Sunday School biblical? Historical perspectives indicate that the “gathering” or “assembly” of New Testament Christians is WORD-CENTERED, in which studying and learning is already an integral part of “the school of the Bible”—the assembly itself—along with the commemoration of the Lord’s suffering and death, the collection (conveniently on the same day) for the poor and needy. In other words, this form of BIBLE STUDY is already an important part of the “ASSEMBLING OF OURSELVES TOGETHER” that we are not to forsake, EXHORTING [TEACHING] ONE ANOTHER (Heb. 10:25).

Now, what about the so-called “Sunday School” (say at 10:00 a.m.) that is SEPARATE AND APART from the “synagogue” or assembly to exhort and teach each other (say at 11:00 a.m.)? Well, this Sunday School, a misnomer, would be less questionable if intended as an “additional” Bible study period. Such a study period is biblical in the sense that we are commanded to study anyway (II Timothy 2:15), but not necessarily only on Sunday because it can occur anytime, any day of the week. In other words, a Monday or Thursday or another day or even everyday could be designated as a Bible study period. Remember in Acts 17:11 when “they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures DAILY”? Perhaps, the “Sunday School” should be called instead the “Daily Bible School”—it just happens that the Bible study period on a Sunday is undoubtedly convenient to those already assembled.

Donnie

 
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Mindy
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Re: Is Sunday School Biblical (Mindy, June 14 2004 at 1:47 AM)

June 15 2004, 8:01 PM 

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond. My husbands take on things has to do with women teaching, family being seperate where you put faith in others as to what your children are learning, and the fact that it is a study called by Elders which makes it a part of the worship.

I wholeheartedly agree with what you have to say. I love the Church of Christ and feel that I have learned more truth than ever before since attending church. What bothers me is that, at least the church we go to, seems to be ver legalistic ON SOME THINGS while throwing caution to the wind on others.

There is some splitting of hairs on this issue I believe. Women are allowed to teach a Bible study but not allowed to teach in a worship service. So we go through the eternal debate over what constitutes a worship service and such. I say that I want to feel alive in my walk while he says that your walk isn't about feelings. I say that God wants us to have joy. He sees joy as very different from happiness.

A bit of background to explain why his views are as such. He comes from a devout Church of Christ family who believe that Sunday School is wrong, celebrating Christmas is wrong, everything has to be done a certain way, etc. There have been endless debates with his family over them holding on to scripture that isn't even scripture. He went to a very small church where there was little emotion and a large sense of duty. Because of this, you don't go to church because of the feeling it gives you or anything like that. You go because you are not supposed to forsake the assembly.

I am in the process of trying to figure all of this out too so once again, I thank you for taking the time to research all of this and respond.

 
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H.Roberson
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Re: Is Sunday School Biblical?

June 17 2004, 10:57 PM 

Mindy,

Sunday school is not Biblical, but it isn't anti-scriptural either. Being unBiblical simply means it isn't mentioned in the Bible. As such, many of our brethren believe that a congregation can't support such a thing (buy curriculum, pay for classrooms, divide the assembly, etc.).

This belief, to my mind, is rather unreasoned, despite that there are many good students of scripture that would disagree with me. The non-Sunday School wing of Churches of Christ are a rather small group and do not represent the 'mainstream' (as though that means anything).

Sunday school is, in reality simply an opportunity to study the Word, which is mandated by Scripture. The argument against it pays more attention to what a congregation may or may not be able to do rather than recognizing that Christians are expected to study Scripture either singly or in groups.

However, you and your husband need to discuss this between yourselves and this response is not intended to cause any division in your family. You all pray about it, and then decide what to do.

H.Roberson

 
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Mindy
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68.12.155.163

Re: Is Sunday School Biblical?

June 19 2004, 12:52 AM 

Your post was not only informative, it was kind and considerate. For that, we both thank you!!

I think when it all comes down to it, this is an issue where we have to pray to follow where we are led. Sometimes that is the hardest part.

Thanks again and God Bless you and yours

 
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