Knowing Our Father

For many people who’ve grown up in Christian environments, Sunday School teachers have played a vital role in growing their faith. They helped introduce them and guide them as they took their first steps in exploring the relationship together with our Father in heaven. Many of us have fond memories of these compassionate people, whether they were a young teenager or a retired, wise elder who helped establish the foundations of our faith.

Discovering the Needs

In Lebanon there are hundreds of passionate leaders in the churches’ Sunday School ministries that faithfully serve the children in their churches. However, according to a recent survey that BCYM conducted, most churches stated that they have a great need to equip their Sunday School Teachers to help them reach the next generation with the message of God’s redeeming love in a life-changing way. Many desired the curriculums and practical tools that will allow them to be effective channels of God’s grace.

“In light of these findings, we felt called to provide the local churches with high quality trainings on relevant topics that will enable them to really touch the heart of the children and have an impact on their lives.” BCYM’s ministry leader Gladys shares with us when we talked about the training track of their ministry. “Our first training was held in the beginning of May and was about how Sunday Schools leaders can help children to experience a true relationship with God through prayer, which was one of the topics that the church leaders had requested.”

Starting Out

BCYM invited two trainers from Jordan to lead the one-day conference which 38 Sunday School leaders from 15 different churches from all over Lebanon attended. After an inspiring and informative day each church was offered the Prayer Covenant Sunday School curriculum free of charge for each leader and their pupils.

“It was an excellent training,” one of the attendees told us, “the topic was really interesting, and the speakers developed the ideas in ways that were easy to understand. When we got to apply the teaching in small groups during the second part of the training I felt that this can help us a lot.”

The Next Step

BCYM is planning to continue to equip the leaders of the local churches by regularly arranging trainings on relevant topics as well as introducing a new, one-year training course which will allow them to come alongside young leaders throughout the year and by mentoring them, help form godly leaders whilst imparting practical tools and knowledge which they will be encouraged to put into practice in on-field situations.

The goal of this project is to see a new generation of leaders emerge from within the Lebanese churches which are equipped to reach out to the children and youth in their communities with the message of God’s love in word and deed. Reflecting upon their faith and their own spiritual journey whilst they develop their skills and understanding of ways to interact with the culture around them.

Please pray for the Sunday School leaders in the Lebanese churches, that they will feel inspired and empowered to serve the children in their classes and that they will be able to reflect our Father’s love and truth to the children in their communities.