Is There Any Value In “Classic” Sunday School?

Recently, as I drove my beautiful, identical, 6-year-old twin girls to school, they sang to me. This is not unusual, they seem to sing every morning in the car. Jake (my 7-year-old son), on the other hand, sings more in the shower. But I get serenaded nearly every morning from the backseat as I shuttle my little princesses (princessi?) off to their second home behind a desk.

But this time they sang a song I had not heard in awhile. It goes something like this: “He’s got the whole world, in his hands. He’s got the whole world, in his hands….” If you’ve ever attended children’s church or Sunday school, you know the rest. And, at a time when the world seems so hell bent, it was comforting to hear my little girls sing these words. And what’s really crazy, is they actually BELIEVE these words.

And as I found comfort from our scary world in a childhood song learned in Sunday school, I thought about all the other things I learned in Sunday school. Jonah and the fish, David and Goliath, Father Abraham (He had many sons, and I am one of them. Oh, and so are you. Wanna praise the Lord?), Jesus loves me, the B-I-B-L-E, the parting of the Red Sea. I think about all these songs and stories I learned and I have to wonder…

Why in the world would we ever stop teaching these things?

At some point, some of us felt that these things were too “kiddy” for this quickly maturing generation. So we beefed up our kids classes and gatherings, turned up the music and the bass, and played songs that sounded more “modern.” We took out the flannel boards and stick figures, and we introduced flashing lights, loud music, dancing, and movie clips. My kids love that stuff, too, but surprisingly, apparently they love the stuff I loved as a child just as much.

Who knew?

Last week, they were singing Father Abraham. They forced me to join in. There I was, driving down the road, flailing all my limbs as if independently attached, and nodding my head. Unfortunately, I could not turn around and sit down. But Abby and Alli loved it.

So, I ask, “Why would we ever stop teaching these time-proven classics?” My kids love them, and in the process, they are actually learning biblical truths. Why do we need to leave what works just because it doesn’t feel modern enough? Sure, some things need changing, but, if it ain’t broke, by all means, PLEASE don’t fix it. I hear that from my wife… All. The. Time.

While there is undoubtedly a place for modern aspects of church that I fully believe in, let’s not throw away the time-proven, time-tested classics. I think we’ve learned to mix the classic hymns with the modern choruses in our worship, let’s learn to do the same for our children. I have a feeling they’ll love it.

Like this? Keep reading…
 
What Is Discipleship?
What’s My Line? The loss of personal convictions
5 Reasons I Haven’t Left the Church

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