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Sunday School Changes Everything: Your Church's Best Opportunity to Reach the Next Generation for Christ
Entering Into the Promise will give readers a strategic view of the books of Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and 1-2 Samuel and will show how the Lord faithfully brought His people into the Promised Land and into all His promises for them. Readers will discover how God shows faithfulness to each follower of Christ who trusts and obeys Him that He will bring us into the promises He has for our lives. The What the Bible Is All About Study Guides for small group and individual study give readers the big picture of God’s plan of the ages laid out from Genesis to Revelation and show how Jesus is revealed on every page of Scripture.
Through 12 sessions of study, they offer trustworthy, proven biblical content, including background commentary, lesson aims for groups, leader’s guide and tips, and much more.
Through 12 sessions of study, they offer trustworthy, proven biblical content, including background commentary, lesson aims for groups, leader’s guide and tips, and much more.
269 pages, Hardcover
First published July 9, 2012
4 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 16, 2016
The general chapters seemed pretty obvious to me after a lifetime in Sunday school, but the specific age-related chapters are gold. I'm asking all my teachers to read the chapters related to their age group. Applicable to churches of various sizes. Weakest area would be adult Sunday school. There are definitely better things out there on adult education.
November 7, 2013
A practical book. One I will consider integrating as a textbook for my course on Children’s ministry in the future. I would recommend it to anyone who loves children’s ministry and wants to grow their program. It has a lot of valuable information in one place and leads you to process, plan, and set goals for your program.
I love that the book’s foundation builds on the concept that the teacher knows (and loves) the students that you will teach in order to be most effective! The book paints a picture of how to sow a seed (your student) by knowing exactly what the seed needs. Over 150 pages of the book are spent sharing characteristics of students by age, by learning style, by suitable environment, by what spiritual concepts and age appropriate methods to communicate them. This warms my teacher heart! And I agree this is essential and have worked to gather this information for my teachers. I love that it is central to this book. I also love that it takes learners from birth to adulthood and their unique characteristics and needs across many years! Teachers need to know not just about the age group they teach, but also where they have been and where they are going.
Aside from knowing who you are teaching, the book gives the reader, a biblically based how to plan. This book will help you to: evaluate and consider your current program, to set goals, and gives supportive steps to creating a plan that is even better than the one you currently are following. The lens for evaluation and solid programing stems from the needs of a local church in Acts 2:42: worship, fellowship, prayer and teaching. I couldn't agree more, and found the tips and strategies on these topics very helpful, and often overlooked.
As a children’s ministry leader and as one who trains future leaders, these are all key concepts to explore and to have a plan for each. Much of the book could be read independent of the whole book. (Which is nice for the busy person seeking to grow!) The book also gives you a list of 10 standards to use as a lens to select curriculum. The list is quite thorough and leaves application to the reader, and several of the criteria are expanded on content covered in the earlier in the book.
My only wonder, as I read through the curriculum lenses, is why the standard is worded: meet Jesus. But perhaps I'm too sensitive? (Instead maybe: see who God is AND then meet Jesus.) I believe that we need to see who God is in His character, and His plan for redemption through His Son. Again I wonder if it should also emphasize more directly that we can teach our youngest children about who God is in a concrete way, even before they can fully grasp why Jesus is Savior, needed to die, and how Jesus is God. But maybe I am just seeking different vocabulary? The book says: “Place the Lord Jesus as a stake in the midst of young life, and see how His presence will lift the child. The child’s personality will become an integrated one around this great Savior and lifter of men.” I am wondering if this truth needs expansion. Should we also teaching our children about who God is because it will also help children see God’s plan through the Lord Jesus as a man, and yet God, who saves us. From reading the book, Ms. Mears definition of Meet Jesus is on salvation through Jesus Christ, who was a man yet God. I don’t disagree that meeting Jesus isn’t a big goal of Sunday school, and perhaps this knowing Who God is concept is another method to accomplish that goal? But I wonder if it also shouldn’t be emphasized?
I was given this book to review by Gospel Light to provide my honest review. I was not required to provide a positive review, all opinions are my own. I would recommend this book to others and will use it again!
I love that the book’s foundation builds on the concept that the teacher knows (and loves) the students that you will teach in order to be most effective! The book paints a picture of how to sow a seed (your student) by knowing exactly what the seed needs. Over 150 pages of the book are spent sharing characteristics of students by age, by learning style, by suitable environment, by what spiritual concepts and age appropriate methods to communicate them. This warms my teacher heart! And I agree this is essential and have worked to gather this information for my teachers. I love that it is central to this book. I also love that it takes learners from birth to adulthood and their unique characteristics and needs across many years! Teachers need to know not just about the age group they teach, but also where they have been and where they are going.
Aside from knowing who you are teaching, the book gives the reader, a biblically based how to plan. This book will help you to: evaluate and consider your current program, to set goals, and gives supportive steps to creating a plan that is even better than the one you currently are following. The lens for evaluation and solid programing stems from the needs of a local church in Acts 2:42: worship, fellowship, prayer and teaching. I couldn't agree more, and found the tips and strategies on these topics very helpful, and often overlooked.
As a children’s ministry leader and as one who trains future leaders, these are all key concepts to explore and to have a plan for each. Much of the book could be read independent of the whole book. (Which is nice for the busy person seeking to grow!) The book also gives you a list of 10 standards to use as a lens to select curriculum. The list is quite thorough and leaves application to the reader, and several of the criteria are expanded on content covered in the earlier in the book.
My only wonder, as I read through the curriculum lenses, is why the standard is worded: meet Jesus. But perhaps I'm too sensitive? (Instead maybe: see who God is AND then meet Jesus.) I believe that we need to see who God is in His character, and His plan for redemption through His Son. Again I wonder if it should also emphasize more directly that we can teach our youngest children about who God is in a concrete way, even before they can fully grasp why Jesus is Savior, needed to die, and how Jesus is God. But maybe I am just seeking different vocabulary? The book says: “Place the Lord Jesus as a stake in the midst of young life, and see how His presence will lift the child. The child’s personality will become an integrated one around this great Savior and lifter of men.” I am wondering if this truth needs expansion. Should we also teaching our children about who God is because it will also help children see God’s plan through the Lord Jesus as a man, and yet God, who saves us. From reading the book, Ms. Mears definition of Meet Jesus is on salvation through Jesus Christ, who was a man yet God. I don’t disagree that meeting Jesus isn’t a big goal of Sunday school, and perhaps this knowing Who God is concept is another method to accomplish that goal? But I wonder if it also shouldn’t be emphasized?
I was given this book to review by Gospel Light to provide my honest review. I was not required to provide a positive review, all opinions are my own. I would recommend this book to others and will use it again!
March 25, 2013
This would be an excellent book for those entering the education ministry of a church. Pastor's that want to know and understand their Sunday school would also greatly benefit. Teachers of a specific age group should read selected classes as a start of their ministry. It is not a quick read, but it should be a thought provoking read. Take it a chapter at a time, evaluate what you see, and then complete the mission Christ has for you. The author credit goes to Ms. Meyers, who passed away in 1963, but everything has been updated and its 2012 copyright fits.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews