Shepherding the Sunday School

Abstract

Summary Mark Zarling’s essay encourages pastors to take an active, loving role in their congregation’s Sunday school ministry. He identifies declining enrollment and morale as symptoms of deeper issues—lack of vision, involvement, and spiritual oversight. Zarling outlines four key roles for the pastor: seeing clearly the spiritual purpose of Sunday school as a means of grace; being clearly seen as a role model for teachers and students; keeping constant watch over curriculum, doctrine, and the spiritual well-being of staff and students; and speaking lovingly through prayer and gospel proclamation. He emphasizes that Sunday school is not just a program but a vital opportunity to connect souls with Scripture. The pastor’s visible enthusiasm, humble leadership, and gospel-centered encouragement can inspire lifelong habits of faith and learning. Ultimately, Zarling calls pastors to shepherd the Sunday school with the heart of Christ, trusting the Spirit to bless the Word.

—Summary generated by Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4)