A life-changing education

Sharon Ellard, the Assemblies of God’s Sunday School promotions coordinator, recently spoke with Associate Editor Kirk Noonan about the spiritual education every parent should provide his or her child.

PE: What are some ways parents can reinforce their children’s spiritual education?

ELLARD: God wants children to know Him in a way that brings change. Parents can help their children understand by learning God’s Word themselves and then applying it to their own lives. As parents live to please God, they provide a “living education” for their children. Parents can also watch for opportunities to connect everyday choices with spiritual living. After a child helped a friend learn to turn cartwheels, for example, a parent might say, “I liked the way you encouraged Jason today. Did you know that the Bible tells us to encourage one another?”

PE: Finish this sentence. Spiritual education, at home and in Sunday School, is crucial because …

ELLARD: A spiritual education should change how children live every day. Romans 12 calls this being “transformed.” How can children be transformed if they don’t learn how God wants them to live? The challenge is to get information out of the child’s head and into his or her life. Parents can ask Sunday School teachers what their children are learning each quarter. Then parents and children can connect the lessons from church with the everyday life of the family.

PE: How can parents teach their children to evangelize their peers whether they homeschool or attend a private or public school?

ELLARD: They might start by teaching their children what it means to be a good friend. If a child learns to be a good friend he or she will influence his or her peers. Parents can also help children learn from Jesus. When Jesus was talking with fishermen, He invited them to become fishers of men. Parents can teach children how to build conversational bridges from activities children enjoy to talking about their friend Jesus. Parents can also encourage children to invite friends to Sunday School parties. If the Sunday School has no parties, parents can throw a party for the Sunday School class and encourage everyone to bring friends. Many parents invest time and effort helping their children learn at school and in sports. Parents can also invest in helping children become confident and excited about telling friends about Jesus.

PE: If you had it your way, children would demonstrate their faith in tangible ways outside the church — tell me about that.

ELLARD: This generation of children is called millennials. They see problems in the world and want to help solve them. Since children understand they can’t do much alone, they like to join others who are feeding the hungry or even passing out cold water at a sporting event. One of the best places to offer such opportunities is in a Sunday School class that participates in community outreaches.

PE: So you’re saying kids would rather be helping others than playing video games?

ELLARD: Many kids sit around playing video games because they haven’t been given any other viable options. There is extensive research that shows millennials are compassionate. If given the opportunity and adult support, millennials will work hard to help others.

PE: Why is Sunday School as important today as it was 20 years ago?

ELLARD: In recent years, many diverse religions and beliefs have come to America. Christian families need to learn how to tell others why Jesus is important in their lives. They need to be ready to explain why Jesus is the one way to God. Some of the best ways to be ready are through studying God’s Word, praying and worshipping together, and making friends in the small-group strategy called Sunday School.

E-mail your comments to pe@ag.org.