Jesus gives a clear goal for teaching Sunday School

In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus gives us a clear and concise goal of teaching Sunday School: >Therefore go and make disciples…teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. He did not tell us to teach people what to obey or even how to obey; rather, Jesus said, make disciples…teaching them to obey. As a result, he made life-altering transformation (not simply information or education) the primary goal for teaching Sunday School.

Unfortunatly, many teachers do not understand Jesus' goal of teaching and instead focus on information and explanation, teaching listeners WHAT the Bible says. When this is their goal for teaching Sunday School, their lesson sound something like this:

In our lesson today, Paul was telling the Corinthians to do this and that in order to bring unity in the church. The reason Paul had to say this was because the Corinthians were involved in a first century practice where …

and the teacher would supply the relevant background information. The teacher continues, In this next verse, Paul said this because of that and the Greek word he used here was … and again, some more information. By the time their done teaching the Sunday School lesson, listeners may have a lot of information and explanation, but often lack transformation.

If the goal of Sunday School is discipleship, then focus on transformation

Of course, we all know people change because God is at work in them. We realize the truths we share are not our own, but God's. Nevertheless, God chooses to work through us as we teach His Word. This is why we strive to become effective communicators and include teaching principles and methods that bring about transformation.

All teachers agree we must clearly teach biblical truths and principles, but the most effective teachers know how to help listeners integrate this information in their lives. For them, teaching Sunday school includes: interpretation, contemplation, explanation, application, and finally, transformation. Matthew 28:20 calls us to be Transformational Teachers, not simply Informational Teachers. It is a calling to transform the heart, not simply inform the mind.

Individuals visit Bible studies because they are invited, but they join when the Sunday school's goal is changing lives.

Matt.28:20

Transformation is the goal of teaching Sunday School

Interpretation > Contemplation > Explanation > Application >>> Transformation

The Goal of Teaching Sunday School and the Teaching To Transform Not Inform Series

Teaching To Transform Not Inform is a teacher training series designed to equip teachers to teach the head and the heart. It places at your fingertips a simple, practical, step-by-step process for developing and teaching Sunday School lessons that change hearts and transform lives. It will help you develop lessons that have transformation as their main objective. You will discover the teaching elements you need to include in every Sunday School lesson that has transformation as its main objective. Finally, each book or seminar in the series builds upon previous ones giving you a linear path for developing more and more advanced skills for teaching Sunday School. For resources on teaching Sunday school, visit our store to order a copy today.