Is it time to revive Sunday school?

Research from the Hartford Institute for Religious Research revealed that most churches suffered a blow to children’s Sunday school classes during the pandemic, and virtual options were a major failure.

The loss of religious programming during the pandemic adds to a persistent problem of inadequate theological and Biblical training for children in church. Given that 64 percent of people leave their faith in young adulthood, it’s appropriate to wonder if weak theological foundations and misguided teaching are part of the problem.

Though most churches say they value education programs for children, 50 percent report they have seen “major disruption” to them and are still trying to reconcile budgets, volunteers, and participants. But before they go back to pre-pandemic strategy, it’s worth asking if those things were working well in the first place.

If the goal of Sunday school is to instill children with the truth of the gospel and a deeper understanding of Christianity, why aren’t more of them holding onto it when they reach adulthood? The deconstruction movement is comprised of many former evangelicals who seem to hold little comprehension of basic Christian apologetics regarding the validity of the Bible, the Resurrection, and more.

One deconstruction Instagram account, run by two female “religion recovery” coaches, encourages “exvangelicals” to eliminate traditional beliefs about personal sin and laments a Christianity that bars critical thinking, curiosity, and self-care. There may be some harmful interpretations of Scripture that lead to misguidance, but a proper understanding of the Bible’s teachings would not. In Proverbs, we are told it is our “privilege” to search out the things of God. The proper kind of curiosity about God leads to intimacy with God—and it’s how we get to know Him better.

Another deconstruction account says that “Christianity glorifies self-hatred,” referencing the concept of original sin. Naturally, this refers to the fact that Christians believe we are sinners in need of a Savior. This is a common theme among deconstructionists, who often idolize self over God, relying on an autobiographical theology of personal faith, for and of themselves. Identifying as a sinner in need of a savior is not part of the Deconstructionist plan.

Are the Sunday school kids all right? Many of them are not. Arizona Christian University’s Cultural Research Study found that only 2 percent of young adults age 18-29 have a “Biblical worldview,” one that aligns with an orthodox view of the Bible as God’s infallible truth.

We can spot other culprits, like progressive agendas sneaking into even conservative resources such the Orange Curriculum, which directs youth leaders to “affirm” the “personal journey” of middle schoolers in the program. This is just one more example of creeping identity-ladened language. Orange boasts it is used by 49 percent of the fastest growing churches, but rapidly expanding churches are not necessarily the best test for sound teaching or the cultivation of true disciples. The problem, it seems, is at the root. We must tackle these foundation issues by teaching our children the Bible. This responsibility starts at home, with parents, but extends to the local church and Sunday school.

The Hartford study also revealed that mainline churches experienced the most disruption to Sunday school during COVID and were least likely to even have a children’s program before the pandemic. Given that progressive, mainline churches are the fastest to bleed members and collapse, this is unsurprising. It should be a warning sign to evangelicals seeking to raise up tiny disciples that going “woke” leads to kids who walk away from their faith.

While churches struggle to retain volunteers and rarely have enough staff, prioritizing sound religious education for children is one of the most vital tasks at hand. We must restore pre-pandemic programming and in doing so, re-evaluate curriculum to ensure things are Biblically and theologically sound in all areas. Getting this right from the start will have lasting, eternal impact for generations.

It’s really no different for adults. Gallup found that the most important thing to adults in a church service is the sermon content. For all the games, bands, coffee stations and free donuts churches offer, it’s substance and education that trumps it all, and Christians know this is true.

Let’s start thinking beyond the surface when it comes to teaching the Bible to all ages. Adults crave truth and kids can handle the gospel in all its detail. Both should be taught, in no uncertain terms, that we are dead in sin without Christ. If we tiptoe around gospel truth, families may as well be at home watching Daniel Tiger.