By facet of
Christian education, we mean the aspects
or faces of Christian
education. The most known of these are
as follows:
THE
SUNDAY SCHOOL;
A. The meaning of Sunday School; "The Sunday School according
to Gbenga Ajayi in his book "The
challenge of Sunday School" "is the class sessions on Sunday morning, it could also
be called "Sunday morning Bible school of the church".
An
anonymous author has described the Sunday School as "the Church at work - reaching, teaching, winning the lost and training them for
Christian service" The Sunday
school briefly stated is the basic grassroot educational ministry of the church
where the Bible is categorically and exegetically brought before the whole let of the church
in a Quasi academic .setting.
ITS ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT
Deuteronomy 31:12,13, Mt 28:19,20, Acts 2:42 are scriptural impetus that gave
rise to the formal historic development
of the Sunday school. It
started in England in July 1780 when Robert Raikes, a
British publisher caught the vision of engaging the children in the study of
the Bible. Raikes saw the Gloucester children wondering about in the streets on Sundays and felt the need
of keeping them off the street by bringing them together to teach them how to
read, write and study the Gospel. His Sunday school was conducted in the
kitchen of one Mrs. Meredith.
From this humble beginning, the Sunday school spread to America and other nations. John Wesley responded ordered that every
Methodist society should have it. Soon
the Sunday School became the brain-child of the church,. It started in Nigeria
with the caning of churches like methodize Assemblies of God, Apostolic faith
church, etc. It has also developed to have different
class for people of all ages.
THE RELEVANCE OF SUNDAY SCHOOL
The main
essence or relevance of the Sunday school could be outlined as follows:
(a) A formidable base for studying the word
of
(b) A
conducive atmosphere for developing active, vibrant and attractive Christian
life.
(c) A forum for role development and achieving
loyalty to the church.
(d) A good Forum for doctrinal exegesis
(e) Provision
of quasi academic environment for free interaction of the class without a
feeling of suppression or subjection.
(f) Because
of the good and free environment, talents, gifts and growths are developed and
utilized.
(g) A good forum for
conversion of souls