7 Ways Parents Can Partner With Sunday School Teachers

The Sunday before and after May 27th is always children's Sunday in my church, and I'm sure many other churches observe same as well. I remember sobbing when I was assigned to teach the children's class, thinking there was nothing to gain except stress, and assuming that having to leave adult class would cause me to have less knowledge of God's Word.

Today, I can boldly say that the best place it could be is in the children's department. With time, I've come to love what I do. I enjoyed teaching the young ones, telling them stories about the Bible, and reshaping their lives through the Word of God.

That does not mean that all I do comes easily to me. As sweet as these kids are, they can make you say things you do not intend to say. You shout and scold them, and at the end of the day, you're bone-tired because of them. They are a bundle of joy, excitement, and workload.

However, I've come to realize over time that to be able to achieve tremendous results with these young ones, their parents must be more than willing to assist them. Here is where the problem lies: some parents are so busy making ends meet that they do not even remember that they are also their children's Sunday school teachers.

It has never even been recorded in the records of some of the parents that they took their time to study the Bible and assist them in ways that would help their spiritual growth. The teacher may be spiritual, intelligent, and spirit-filled, but without the help of the parent, their spiritual growth might be slow, stunted, or inconsequential.

To achieve tangible results, one must do things differently. Below are seven ways parents can partner with the Sunday school team.

1. Pray Ahead

Before coming to Sunday school, ask your child to pray for their time in Sunday school. Taking time to pray ahead will help strengthen their faith in God as they see His answers to their prayers. Praying ahead can also help them assimilate well because they come with a mindset of learning new things and discovering new insights from the Bible.

·        Ask them to pray for their Sunday school teachers. Teach them to pray that God should give wisdom to their teacher as they impart His Word into the hearts of the children. It is possible to teach them what is not in the scriptures through imaginative storytelling in the process of getting their attention or keeping them focused. It's not a bad idea, but it's important to teach them Bible-based stories so as not to teach errors, heresies, or miss the point. This and many other reasons are why they need to pray for their teachers.

3. Be Punctual

Bring your child to class on time. Lateness to class makes the children unsettled until the end of the teaching period. When they come in early, it will enable them to settle in and listen more attentively to what the teacher is saying. If they must eat, prepare their food and bring it to church. Let them find a place to eat on the church premises. However, that should be after the Sunday school class. The purpose of coming to Sunday school classes is to learn; if they are unable to say or remember what they were taught, then the purpose of coming is unknown.

·        At home, review the Sunday school manual and memory verse with your child. Take time to discuss the lesson, encourage them to do the activities in the manual, and also apply at home what is taught in class. Help your child memorise their weekly verses through repetition, discussion, and application. Let them come prepared for their Sunday classes. They should know what they will be taught. This will help the Sunday class be interactive, engaging, and interesting. One of the examples that could be used is the reward method. Prepare a delicious meal, sit down as a study group, and watch them teach or read out what they have in their manual. The one who performed better should be rewarded with a large portion of food. By so doing, you do not just feed them with food; they are fed with the Word as well.

·        Draw out a year-long plan for your child: At the beginning of the year, they should be able to have a set goal for all that they need to do to enable them to grow spiritually. It could be daily Bible reading, personal prayer time, or understanding important stories from the Word. By doing this, you're, in a way, teaching them to be accountable to themselves.

·        Always appreciate your child's teacher and their ministry. Just like the way you reward your teacher in school, children's Sunday teachers should be appreciated as well. They are doing a great job; always give kind reviews about their performance. This will help boost their morale and help them perform better. We know that they are working for God, and the fact that you're not paying them for what they do is more than enough reason for you to appreciate them.

·        Always remember that your dealings with your children are in your records. If you train them in the way of the Lord, it will be recorded that you did, and if it's otherwise, it will be recorded as well. Many parents usually say that they are only watchward. That is true, but that doesn't mean you should neglect your role as a parent and expect God to handle it. You must play your role and let God play his role as well. Scold them when necessary; discipline them if required. "Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children. Those who love their children care enough to discipline them," Proverbs 13:13–24 NIV.

In conclusion, the best legacy you can give to your children is the Word of God. The Word of God is life. It does not just reshape; it helps serve as a guide and also sharpens their intellect. A well-known doctor was once a dullard; the very first book he could read was the Bible. He was able to read other books because he had spent time studying the Bible. I will leave you to guess who this person is.

Teach your children to give themselves to the Word. Do not just buy them a Bible; teach them to read the Bible. Let them have study time. After all, the scripture says, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. "Then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." Joshua 1:8 NKJV