The Vicious Circle

A couple of years back I was talking to a young couple about joining the church. As we chatted, I asked if they would be interested in coming to Sunday School class earlier in the morning before worship. A look of fear overtook the couple. “Pastor” he said, “I hate to admit it, but I don’t think we would fit into a Sunday school class.” “Why not?” I asked. He looked at her and she looked at him with the same fearful look that they had both given me moments before. He said, “Well, we both went when we were children, but we really don’t know much about the Bible and someone might ask us something if we showed up. Don’t you have to know something about the Bible to join a Sunday school class?”
Friends, this is a vicious circle of logic. If you know little or nothing about the Bible, then it stands to reason that you would learn such information at Sunday school. But if you are afraid to go to Sunday school because you are fearful about being exposed as biblically illiterate, then you will never go and therefore will remain biblically illiterate. You may be thinking, “It’s better to be biblically illiterate at home in secret than to look foolish in public.”
In every church where I have served there are a variety of classes. Some classes study themes of the Bible, Christian doctrine, or some theological hot topic(s). There is great discussion about these issues and often people pull out scripture to make their argument. But these are not the classes that I want to invite new Christians, first-time participants, or those who have fallen away from Sunday school for long periods to attend. I want them to experience a basic, Bible based class. We have one at our church and I hope there is one at yours. This is the kind of class where it is okay to ask, “How many Mary’s are in Jesus’ life?” or “was Noah’s wife named Joan (of Arc)?” It is glorious to see people really get excited about studying the Word of God. We live in a world where many do not attend church, much less Sunday school. Everyone needs a place to start, to study, to ask questions, and to grow.
After all, we declare ourselves to be “Christians”, “disciples”, “believers.” If you want to have your taxes done this year, you won’t be soliciting the expertise of a fine auto mechanic nor will you go to a hospital and ask the janitor to perform heart surgery. In other words, we want plumbers’ who know learned how to plumb, doctors’ who graduated from medical school, and lawyers’ who passed the bar. To call yourself something means that you know your stuff. If we say we desire to follow Christ, it is a good idea to find out what Christ said, what he did, and what He asked us to do. God loves you and desires a lasting relationship with you. Until next time, may God bless you!