9:00 Sunday Morning and You
by Pastor David
September is just right around the corner! Because of our church’s anniversary, as well as summer vacations ending and school beginning, we often restart ministries in September that we took a brief break from. Our Adult Bible Fellowship and Sunday school hour is one of those ministries that we resume in earnest. I’d like to encourage you to make the 9:00 hour a priority for your family in this new year, as well as let you know what’s coming up.
There’s no Bible verse mandating Sunday school or ABF. So why do we do it, and why should you consider planning to be here?
1. Because of our desire for God.
Psalm 42:1 As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. Our desperate longing to know God and to be with Him inevitably drives our desire to hear from him. It informs our approach to the Bible, so that we never go to a class for mere information sake, but rather to better know the God we love.
2. Because of our desire for God’s Word.
1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation. Our one main worship service is great, but there are so many other passages of the Bible to study and hear teaching from. ABF and Sunday school give us at least one more opportunity to hear God’s Word taught.
3. Because children can handle it, and need it.
I know Sundays can be long days. I know what it’s like to rush around getting kids ready. Ok, actually Cathy knows that better than I do, but the point is I know adding a Sunday school hour can feel impossible. But really, our kids can handle it. All week they handle school, for a lot longer than we have church services. Reality is that they need God’s Word at a deeper level than they do math facts. And realistically, they can handle it. Whether is the excellent teaching from Lynette or the Cades in the 3-5 year old Sunday school class, or Tommy in the 6 year old and older class, there is a lot of effort put into making our Sunday school profitable and enjoyable.
I hope ABF and Sunday school are already a part of your plans, and if not I hope you’ll consider it. I know it won’t work for every person or family. But if you chose not to come, just be sure you can say, “Nothing can glorify God more at 9:00 Sunday morning than what I’ve chosen to do.”
Our children’s ministry will continue its study on the life of Jesus in the book of Matthew, and then move on to the spread of the Good News about Him in Acts. Scott Bucher will begin next week in a study on the book of 1 Peter. The following is a word from him:
“This fall ABF will be studying the book of 1 Peter. The book was written to believers who were suffering persecution for their faith. It was written to encourage them in their suffering, to call them to holy living and to remind them of the hope of their salvation. Peter does this by focusing his attention on the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus suffered for us, he lived a perfect life for us and he provides an eternal salvation for us. The proper response is a life of hope, joy and holy living. I Peter 3:15 explains that the believer is to “sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reference.”
Studying 1 Peter will result in a greater love and appreciation for our Lord and a desire to live joyful, hopeful, victorious lives as the proper response to the great salvation God has provided for us.”