Leading Your Sunday School to Partner with Families

Written by Christina Crawley

While parents are to be the primary teachers and disciplers of their children, the Sunday School still has a responsibility to partner with families in the same endeavor by providing age-graded Bible Study opportunities for the whole family. Just as Jesus’ ministry was characterized by teaching, the early church was a teaching church. Today’s Sunday School must continue its work to lead, equip, and engage families in building homes that provide biblical guidance for all members of the home.

So who will partner with these adult parents? Leaders in Adult Sunday School can help fill that need. The key to effective partnering between Sunday School and the home is determined by how well adult leaders can support adult members and lead by example. The following is a list of actions that Adult Sunday School leaders can take to strengthen the partnership between Sunday School ministry and families.

Affirm your commitment to being a partner. Lead Adult Sunday School leaders to acknowledge the powerful influence of the family and to commit to developing the kind of partnership with families that will result in family members accepting Christ.

Collect information about the families. This may be as simple as a collection of notes or as detailed as a computerized database. Include such information as names of family members, birth dates, anniversaries, interests, accomplishments, and so forth. The purpose for collecting such information is that it will help a church gain insight into families and open the door for ministry to them.

Meet and get acquainted with family members. This can be done by going to dinner together, attending family events, and participating in various church functions where families are involved. You can increase the effectiveness of your ministry to adults when they know you are aware of the children who are in their household. Sometimes the behavior, attitudes, or feelings of an adult can be traced to a situation in the home that involves the children.

Pray for families. Model the importance of prayer for families as you intercede on their behalf by asking them how you can pray for them. Pray about specific needs that you may be aware of and ask them to identify ways that you can pray for their families. As you keep these concerns in prayer, remind them that you are praying for them and periodically ask how God has answered. As you pray for them, encourage them to pray for their families as well.

Encourage adults to have a regular family Bible study time. This will greatly enrich an adult’s life as well as the life of his or her family. Be sure that you first model what a family Bible time is, how it is done, and what resources are available to them to make this possible. In other words, guide them through the process. Leaders who model family Bible experiences establish greater credibility when leading others to do the same.

Sunday School in HD

Sunday School can partner with families by:

Providing age-graded, need-specific Bible study, ministry, worship, and fellowship opportunities for the whole family so that they can come to know and accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and be better equipped for ministry and service.

Providing Christian role models. As a parent comes to receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord they will need discipleship from Sunday School leaders who can be role models that exhibit the powerful effects of God’s word in the life of a family. As parents learn and apply God’s word to their individual lives, they need to help lead their children to Christ, grow them in Christ, and equip them for service to Christ and His Church.

Providing principles for building Christian families. Understanding God’s design and function for the family is vital. Relationship between God and believers - John 1:12-13; Romans 8:14-17; Hebrews 12:5-11. Relationship between husbands and wives - Malachi 2:15; Ephesians 5; 1 Peter 3. Relationship between parents and children - Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Proverbs 1:8; Ephesians 6:1-4.

Providing tools that help equip parents to fulfill their role as the spiritual teachers of their children. Provide training for parents on Bible study techniques. Provide materials that encourage family Bible study. Encourage family retreat events. Provide mission opportunities for the whole family.

Helping families reach other families for Christ. This can be accomplished by first, providing training on cultivating relationships with other families. Create events that involve reaching out to prospect families. Include family visitation as part of ongoing visitation ministry of the church. Have church families host home Bible studies for the lost in their homes. Encourage and provide opportunities for family mission trips.

As parents come into a growing, personal relationship with Jesus Christ as individuals, they can then help build kingdom focused, Christ centered homes that will not only be blessed by God but will also be a blessing to un-churched families, friends, and neighbors who are searching for a solid foundation in life that does not change or shift in the midst of life’s circumstances.