The Church of God at Goodwater, AL
Sunday School
The Sunday School spirit was ignited by Christ and was passed by Him to the disciples. The Sunday School is a modern title for an ancient and apostolic service to the Church. It is a school for disciples and friends. It is a school with a Master. It is a school with a textbook - the Bible. The Sunday School is a flame which will help dispel the darkness of spiritual ignorance. Beyond the limits of the Church, beyond the homes of believers, beyond the bounds of Christian civilization are neglected multitudes to whom the very alphabet of religion is an unknown thing and familiar phrases of Christian faith a strange thing. Therefore, the spirit of the Sunday School must always remain active so as to fulfill its place with dignity within the Church today.
Superintendent: Eric Hendrix
Women's Class: Gaynell Robinson
Men's Class: Leon Pate
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Children's Class: Taylor Hendrix
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Purpose of Sunday School
The Sunday School is a department of the Church. As such, it carries on its activities as a part of the total church program, never apart from it. The Sunday School is one of the very vital teaching arms of the church. It is first and foremost a teaching agency. The organizational structure is such that it has for its aim the effective teaching of God's Word.Involved in this purpose of teaching are two areas of responsibility; namely, the responsibility is to teach to win and teach to develop. Teaching to win means teaching for conversions - to see individuals coming to Christ for the forgiveness of sins. It is here as the Word is taught that we witness souls studying and then applying the Word of God to their lives in such a way as to accept the claims of Christ on their life. Teaching to develop implies leading believers into a fuller and richer spiritual life through the ministry of teaching God's Word. The Sunday School, through teaching, is strategic in its potential for equipping men and women spiritually to carry the message of God's love into their daily experiences.Additionally, the Sunday School will help build Christian character and train people in Christian service. It will also help build the Church. As the Sunday School grows, church membership will increase.
And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. Luke 14:23
History of Sunday School
The Sunday School is the oldest auxiliary in the Church. The Bible records, "God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, and after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues..." (1 Corinthians 12:28). It has been said that the Sunday School is the auxiliary which reaches from the cradle to the grave. It encompasses all age groups.The Sunday School was discussed at the first Assembly of the Church, held in Cherokee County, North Carolina, on January 26th and 27th in 1906. The following statements can be found in the Minutes of that Assembly:"We highly favor this important service as a means to teach the people to reverence God's Word and the house appointed for worship, and also, to elevate the morals of a community. It is, therefore, the sense of this assembly to recommend, advise and urge every local church to have a Sunday School every Sunday during the whole year. We advise the workers to do all they can to propagate the Sunday School interest, and search for places where there are none and organize where it is possible to do so. We believe a Sunday School may sometimes be organized and run successfully where a church could not be established at once, thereby opening and paving the way for more permanent work in the future. It is further recommended that Sunday Schools be held in the forenoon when it is possible to hold them at that time."It can readily be seen that from this early General Assembly the Church has sought, through teaching, to extend the outreach and influence of Christ in our communities.