Sunday School

My Sunday School class has been behaving very well since I gave them homework. I think the combination of extra work, their parents finding out about their behavior, and the fear that the next lot of homework might be worse, has made them cautious! They listen nicely and still participate, but sometimes the remember to raise their hands now. And they stay on topic with only a few reminders.

There's one young man who could cause trouble, but we keep a teacher close to him. She helps him look up the passages in his Bible so he stays focused (otherwise it's a chance for him to be silly and "not be able to find it") and she makes sure his questions and comments are relevant when he raises his hand. She also helps him with the work sheets, mostly by encouraging him. He likes the attention and he stays more focused.

We had a visitor today. I don't know if they are staying or just visiting. This young man was a talker! I had to keep reminding him to listen, to stay on topic, and to give others a chance to answer as well. I think, from comments that he made, that his Sunday School classes have not been as structured as ours. He was also surprised that the kids bring their Bibles and use them. He seemed to enjoy himself and he isn't a bad kid; he's just not used to a situation where he has to listen rather than blurt out whatever is on his mind.

Today we learned about prayer. We talked about Matthew 6 and not praying like the Pharisees to be seen. Then we talked about how Pastor James prays in front of the whole church...just like the Pharisees! We decided that he isn't a hypocrite, though, because his prayers are sincere and he is praying on behalf of the church. He isn't just doing it to show off.

Next week we switch from the wisdom portion of our program to the worship portion. Primarily, that means that we'll be learning about Jesus and seeing why we should worship Him. We'll look at Jesus in the Old Testament, His coming, His message, and His death and resurrection. I'm looking forward to teaching it. By the time we finish, Sunday School will be over for the year. It's time to start thinking about next year.