they just... don't... get it.

*sigh*

I received the new LifeWay Sunday school curriculum catalog in the mail yesterday. (Um, I didn't request it... 'twas just sent to me.) Apparently they are subtitling this bad boy: "Sunday School: The Original Small-Group Experience."

The just... don't... get it. Do they?

Sunday school, in its design, is classroom based. "Sit still while I instill." Small groups die if there is just one person talking and delivering information the entire time. In fact, there is no room for communal growth and development if only one person is talking. Plus, I've seen several Sunday school classes over the years that topped 100 persons! Hardly a small group. (In fact, in seminary, I learned it was normal/to be expected/to be sought after to have the larger Sunday school environment.)

Now, don't get me wrong. There is a time and place for the classroom arena for Christian education, and Sunday School has definitely served it's purpose for Kingdom growth (um... up till the 60s). Just don't go calling something what it isn't. Its kind of like referring to a stone wheel as though it were the same thing as a new BMW high performance tire.

Was this slogan for marketing purposes? *cringe*

This is another one of those *dang* moments for me. Those of you who have been around my blog(s) for a while know that I'm a Southern Baptist (sbc) minister, but that I don't necessarily agree with all that the sbc does. Its things like this that cause me to be less and less "committed" to the national level of the sbc.

(Check out the emerging sbc blog for other like-minded younger sbc leaders.)

Comments

[mo]

"The Original Small Group Experience" huh?

not only does it seem like a BAD marketing ploy, but an incorrect one. "Small groups" in one form or another have been around a LOT longer than sunday school.

[adam]

i was kidding around w/ someone and said: "um, wasn't the ORIGINAL small group experience in palestine when Jesus hung-out w/ 12 guys...?"

[Gerry]

HUm, I thought Sunday School was originally a place where they helped those who could not read learn how to read by using the bible. Is Lifeway participating in revisionist history?

[adam]

G~ good perspective on the history of ss and the revisionist thing. i'm not sure they are intentionally "revising history," but the marketing logo, in a sense, is doing just that.

[Joe Thorn]

My understanding of SS's original goal was outreach. Though they continue to repackage it, I don't see it being a successful method of reaching those outside of the kingdom.

At Grace we have Home Groups that are going very well, but we can see having classes/electives before or after worship that would embrace the SS format to some degree, covering church history, sys theo, OT survey etc. But pretending it is something else is sad.

[Steve McCoy]

Thanks for finding this Adam. Joe's right on the history of SS as outreach. I think the home is inherently better.

[Marty Duren]

Didn't D. L. Moody use Sunday School in Chicago as a way to reach kids who were in orphanages? Seems it might be important for those kids who didn't have a home where they could learn about Christ.

Adam, thanks for posting this--I didn't read my Lifeway catalog. But now my stomach hurts...

[Thorny]

Who wants to go to school on Sunday anyways. I do believe at one time that this program was useful and to say that it's not completely useful is not correct. So, I dont' want anyone to think I'm saying that, but I do believe that with the emergence of small groups during the week and the fact that they are become so popular, I think we will see the decline of SS. SBC should rethink this move. Once again, I'm seeing a Program Driven emphasis. *Shaking head in disbelieve.

Thorny <><

[adam]

thorny, i guess that is another way of saying the same thing. however, let's not throw out the baby w/ the bath water. the classroom setting has it's place... the "older" model of ss IS outdated. what erks me about this catalog... it is calling something what it is now.

joe~ that's a nice way of "bridging" the classroom into a more comfortable setting.

marty~ thanks for the history!

[joe kennedy]

oops, so i commented on the wrong page- the discussion was here. it's back on the "emerging sbc leaders" thing. looks like i've been beaten to my words though. tight.

[adam]

no problem, joe. hey, i'm an nobts grad...

[joe kennedy]

lipsey rules, hamilton stinks! rock on dude! (nah really, so everybody who didn't live at NOBTS, disregard that statement. haha. God Bless Lipsey 212. PLEASE! ya'll have a good one. let me know if there's anybody you want me to say hello to.

oh yeah, and most of us in the lipsey brethren agree- the thought of school on sunday is miserable... why not just meet some other time and do it more informally. there's a time and a place for teaching- sunday mornings after people have been out late (not even necessarily doing bad things) on Saturday night- well... let's face it, nobody wants to pay attention on sunday morning. why not at least make it so people want and enjoy being there. (and yes, i'm a HUGE small group guy). peace.

[adam]

joe, actually, i was an extension center grad (n.ga). sorry... never had the lipsey experience!

surely there's room in your heart for ss! :^)

[joe kennedy]

aww ok, i can handle it... but ya just don't get that full new orleans experience unless you live in lipsey (built in 1956)... anyhoo, it's a wonder-mus experience. on a completely different note, whoever reads this- PLEASE pray for our community group through edgewater (edgewaterbc.org). a group of us are attempting to build relationships with UNO students and we're just needing some extra prayer. there's been a whole lot of Enemy-beat down junk going on and we could use some definite prayer from outside the community just as much as inside the community. thanks, for real.

joe

[Jeff Thomas]

Don't you think y'all are making a mountain out of a mole hill. I dion't necessarily agree with everything coming out of the holy land for Southern Baptists, but I saw it didn't think to much about it. I hate to see y'll really get worked up. :) Jeff

[adam]

jeff, perhaps we are. nonetheless, this seems to happen across the board in sbc life. its just another example of lack of relevancy to the culture... a "courting" of christendom models.

[Jeff]

Adam, You are probably right. I tend to swim a little slower than some of you. I just am not sure that SBC as really trying to make a statement that S.S. was THE original small groups. Now, I must confess I still believe in S.S. However, if I were the King of my church---I would change the name to Bible Study Fellowship, and also have small groups too! Help me also see how the things that come out of Lifeway are totally inrelvant. I know for the people I serve they seem to progressive at times. Tell me about how you think we can be more relevant. I know I am working to retool my communication skills to a more relevant style.

[adam]

jeff, i am not saying that ALL things coming out of lifeway are irrelevant. nor is everything "sbc" irrelevant (heck... i wouldn't be around sbc anymore if that were the case). i am simply talking about lifeway's latest marketing scheme. which, as in the comments mentioned above, seems to be a reflection of a bizarre disconnect.

essentially (to recap), it appears lifeway understands that small groups are a great thing in most of christendom today. now, it appears lifeway is re-interpreting the ss program as though it was always a small group-esque environment (why else would they be referring to ss as "THE original small group experience").

in reality, ss is not the same format as what most small groups look like today. (see the dialogue above regarding classroom oriented and life oriented.) in fact, one may be able to argue that the small group movement birthed out of a need for that sort of atmosphere since ss (and similar class-structures across denominations) just weren't getting it done. the main thing i'm questioning is: why are they defending the existence of ss by referring to it as something it is not?? is it because we're "comfortable" with the existance of ss and hate to see it get replaced with a "new" thing?

to answer your question... i think that some things lifeway is doing are relevant. the issue isn't relevance in general, it's the current marketing scheme for a program that is largely irrelevant and quickly becoming even more so. (do you work for lifeway? you said: "Tell me about how you think WE can be more relevant." [ephasis mine]... don't worry... I won't tell anyone if you do. :^) )

sorry for any confusion on the matter. and, thanks for asking for clarification!

[Jeff]

LOL---I don't work for Lifeway (I must confess I worked for the then Baptist Bookstore as a Shipping and Receiving clerk in 1993-94 but never in Nashville). They wouldn't have me, or I wouldn't last. I am not a fan of their S.S. material and 75% stuff they are doing. I need to go so I'll write more later.

[ZaneAnderson]

The women who met by the river for prayer mentioned in Acts 16 remind us of small group activity.

The early churches met in houses as opposed to buildings constructed for that purpose.

Also, for elders to be instructed to teach strongly suggests that people would gather for that purpose both large and small.

The interactive nature of the meetings set forth in 1 Cor 14 would seem to justify Sunday school-like meetings. Imo.

Blessings, ¸Zane in TN

[adam feldman]

zane~ thank you for commenting. i hope you did not misunderstand the purpose of this post. i was not arguing for/against either small groups or sunday school, nor the scriptural basis for either of them. i was commenting about a very specific institution's slogan that their version of sunday school was THE original small group experience.

as you pointed out, both of these environments (teaching and smaller groups) have been around for a long time. i would also suggest that the synagogue of the inter-testamental period had similar environments as well.