Model for Sunday School / Christian education programs

[Dan]

I was wondering if anyone could point me in the direction of some good models for Sunday School (or "Christian education" to use a possibly less trite term). I want to get away from the idea of Sunday School as an optional hour of informal discussion or teaching before the Sunday worship service. I'd prefer it to be something that could take new believers and instruct them in both Christian doctrine and practice such that within a set period of time (e.g., 3-5 years), they have a solid foundation for understanding and living the gospel. Practically, it would need to be a plan that a new believer could join at any time because it would be too difficult to start a new multi-year track each time a new person wished to join.

Do you know of any churches where such a model has been successfully implemented?

Thanks!

 

[Kiffin]

I'm wondering the same thing as well.

Maybe do a catechesis? 1 question and 1 answer per week?

Catechism Lessons

 

[Dan]

In my opinion, the catechisms would address more of the doctrinal side of education but would be somewhat wanting on the practice side. I'm a pastoral intern working on this and the senior pastor has said he wants to include something along the lines of the content from the Tim Lane/Paul Tripp book How People Change as a means of connecting doctrine to life. That all sounds good to me, but putting it all together remains difficult.

 

[fredtgreco]

Dan,

We have a five year plan of three adult classes each quarter, covering many topics:

• OT
• NT
• Theology
• Practical Christian Living

If you'd like, PM me and I'll send you a copy of our plan.