I have been asked to create our church's Sunday School program. It will not be typical Sunday School and in fact the first order of business will be to come up with the title on the meeting. I was thinking about "Christian Studies", "Christan Family Study Group", etc. Any ideas?

Also, I need to come up with a bunch of lessons/topics to teach during this hour. I have already considered a few: going through our church's doctrinal statement, Doctrines of Grace, What is the Gospel, Systematic Theological Studies, etc.

The meeting will consist of any and all who show up (i.e. no segregation based on age), but must be led by a church member.

Any advice/help would be much appreciated!

__________________
Denton Elliott
Husband of one wife, father of three
Deacon - Christ Community Church
Monroe, GA
Student: Whitefield Theological Seminary M.Div program

At my congregation we offer a well developed Sunday School hour including, starting this fall, two classes for adults. One continues to walk through the Bible in substantive detail the other working through a module format where each class is 4-5 weeks.

Our proposed modules include:
Biblical manhood and womanhood
How to read the Bible
Apologetics
Sanctification (How people change)
Biblical Counseling
Worship
Evangelism
Our new member's class (which we offer twice a year. 30 people went through it a few months ago and the demand is up again)
The deaconate and eldership (officer training that all men are encouraged to come to and study)

__________________
Pittsburgh, PA
New Covenant PCA, a church replant that you could read about here.
Co-Director of Children's Ministry
Bible Teacher - Trinity Christian School
M. Div Candidate at the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary
Blogger, Relentless Grace

Brother, any info/resources you can pass my way would be much appreciated!

As for the title, something like "Family Bible School" to emphasize both Bible and family.

If your program includes instructions of potential members or induction of new members, something like a "church life class" is helpful. In it you can clearly teach the Gospel, explain it and engage new members. Then, give an overview of the disciplines of the Christian life and close with a few distinctives of your denomination.

So, over 10 weeks at least,

the gospel
the gospel
Bible reading
prayer
personal and family worship
baptism
Lord's Supper
vows
tithing
Priority of Lord's Day worship (keeping the sabbath)
church discipline
church government overview
spiritual gifts inventory
local church history and distinctives

__________________
Scott
PCA
North Carolina


"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised)"
Hebrews 10:23

I had considered this, but the issue is some people get upset when you do topical studies and call it a "Bible School" when the Bible isn't the only text. That's why I am leaning more towards "Christian Studies."

Thanks!

They come in the form of books. God has blessed our congregation with many gifted teachers and elders whose lives are characterized by service in more than one area. So these classes or modules will be taught by different men with a little over lap.

Apologetics: I teach this at a local Christian school and can list a lot of resources. However the need for this class arose out of a membership class where a young lady asked for it. I recommend Keller's the Reason for God, Ravi Zacharias, and many others. We look at defending the Bible, the person and work of Christ, and why Christianity instead of another religion. Purposefully broad because of the breadth of the audience.

taught by myself

Officer Training - need to ask my pastor for that. My thoughts are as follows: the Church by Clowney, On the Jericho Road by Keller, Unfashionable by Tchividjian and accompanying sermons on the qualifications of elders.

taught by our pastor

Biblical counseling - CCEF stuff. Love Tripp. Instruments in the Redeemers Hands

taught by our pastor, a faculty member from a local seminary, or myself

Sanctification - Because He loves me by Fitzpatrick, Repentance by Jack Miller, How people change by Tripp and Lane, Living the Cross Centered Life by Mahaney, and Calvin's Institutes.

taught by a ruling elder and/or myself

Evangelism: Tell the Truth by Metzger, The gospel and personal evangelism by Dever

taught by a ruling elder

Worship: Worship by the Book, With reverence and awe, Worship in Spirit and in Truth, Immanuel in our place, etc.

taught by our pastor

How to read the Bible: According to Plan by Graeme Goldsworthy, How to read the Bible for all its worth (fee and Stuart), The God of Promise by Horton, and the Christ of the Covenants by Robertson; AND the Word made Fresh by Ralph Davis

taught by myself

Manhood and womanhood: Anything by Piper, Mahaney, Wilson, and Driscoll on this. You will have to deal with the wonderful topic of women's ministry in the church (I do love this subject). Perhaps Barr's new work can aid in this.

This class is taught by a panel of elders and at times their wives.

Two classes I forgot were:
PRAYER - taught by a ruling elder who is on the board of See Jesus. Utilizing the book by Paul Miller, a praying life, this would be a highlight.
family: practical issues like family worship and others will be explored. Panel taught.

** There are a lot of audio resources out there. I love the internet and listen to a lot of stuff.

An annual "documents of our faith" class is helpful (overview of doctrinal standards, including book of church order and even local practice)

-----Added 7/2/2009 at 11:54:32 EST-----

Maybe Family Sunday School?

-----Added 7/2/2009 at 12:12:20 EST-----

Not sure how large your church is. If you are large enough to have several "tracks" you might have:

potential/new members
standards instruction
spiritual disciplines instruction
topical studies
Scripture book studies
children's classes
women's classes (see below)

(since we got 7, it must be biblical..)

This may be more than you are asking for, and I'm not sure how you are organized, but you may want to require two teachers of every class- at least one being an elder or pastor. That doesn't mean the elder or teacher even has to routinely teach the class, but only church members should teach. I would recommend you settle an absolute rule that men only should teach mixed groups and men's groups. Men may also teach women's or children's classes.

My biblical understanding (you may not agree, and that's okay, only make sure the policy is clear and settled) is women may teach women's groups or young children. Practically, I would require an elder always assigned as a co-teacher of these classes. I would clearly define children, so that is clear, maybe something like intended audience under 12 years of age.

What about "The Christian Walk"?

Another topic idea would be walking according to scripture, how to deal with temptation, repentance, etc.

__________________
Brian E
Attending Falls OPC
Menomonee Falls, WI

Theological Foundations

How about studies through the confessions. WCF, LBC, 3 forms of unity...etc

__________________
Michael P Doyle
Waukesha WI
Member of http://www.cornerstone-pca.com/
Attending http://www.lampseminary.org/

Mr. Elliott,

I'd be happy to pass along my Ecclesiastical History notes. They cover a philosophy of history, Old Testament History, Apocrypha, NT History, and eventually, patristics, middle ages, reformation, etc. I've been teaching for about 3 years in a mixed (adult down to infant) Sunday School.

Cheers,

__________________
Adam B., Wine Country, California, PCA

"I fear not to hold with Junius, de Politia Mosis cap. 6, that he who was punishable by death under that Judicial law, is punishable by death still; and he who was not punished by death then, is not to be punished by death now."