CFCM is continually looking for ways to support and encourage the Sunday school teachers who attend seminars. Many of them deal single-handedly with classes that are too big. The wide age range makes it hard to provide effective Bible teaching. Many struggle because they have no resources and sometimes no Bible of their own. One common concern is the lack of interest and help from church leaders.
Many pastors do not think children’s ministry is important and they do not mind what goes on in Sunday school, so long as the children are kept quiet. Some would never lower themselves to address the children, so they have a low view of those who do. No wonder Sunday school teachers can feel their role is insignificant and get discouraged.
CFCM decided to address this problem by running a Pastors’ Conference on “Pastors investing in Children’s Ministry”. The 85 pastors who attended the pilot conference in Phalombe heard why reaching children with the Gospel is important, the challenges that Sunday school teachers face and also the important issue of safeguarding. They were made aware of the importance of Gospel teaching in Sunday schools and community Bible clubs in a society where increasingly strong influences are pulling children away from the Church.
Immediate feedback and responses to the pastors’ conference:
- Pastors recognized that they have been neglecting an important part of church ministry by not valuing children or their Sunday school teachers. Their focus has been solely on the adult church.
- Pastors acknowledged that some child violations happen because they do not take the children’s safety very seriously.
- Pastors established a welfare committee to meet the needs of Sunday school teachers.
- Pastors made a commitment to meet regularly with their Sunday school teachers to hear about their challenges and to help and encourage them.
- Pastors agreed that all Sunday school teachers should be trained by CFCM, and that the churches need to support this training financially.
CFCM praises God for this remarkable opportunity and is thankful for the evidence of changed hearts and minds. Our prayer is that these pastors will keep the commitments they made and that Sunday school teachers will be emboldened and empowered. CFCM plans to repeat this conference in other parts of the country over the next year.
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