The Impact of Sunday School on Church Growth
CHAPTER ONE
Aims/Objectives of the Study
The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of Sunday school campaigns to the growth of the church. To achieve this primary aim the following sub objectives will be carefully consideration.
- To examine how to use Sunday school campaigns in motivating and strengthening backsliding church members
- To determine the rate of church growth attained during Sunday school campaigns
- To ascertain the growth between the Sunday school attendance and the members of the church.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Origin of Sunday Schools
A concise Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Terms defines Sunday school as: “A school, mainly for children and young people, held on Sundays for instruction in the Bible and the teaching of the Church.”5 Sunday school programme was founded by Robert Raikes in 1780 in Gloucester in Britain. Raikes who was a publisher of Gloucester Journal started Sunday schools to meet a definite social need. He intended to provide education to children who had no access to it. Due to the Industrial Revolution which had occurred in Britain, most men, women and children were employed to work in industries. Due to busy schedules there was little time for parents to give their children either educational skills or moral instructions. After working in factories for six days, on Sundays the children roamed the streets to pass time. As they idled in the streets, they got involved in evil activities such as petty stealing, street fights, smoking and sexual promiscuity. Both the society and Church did not give these children an opportunity to be positively socialised to lead moral upright lives. Due to his philanthropic concern Robert Raikes saw it fit to make a contribution to the lives of children who were socially neglected. It is important to note that during this time formal education in England was the preserve of the rich. Children from poor families had no opportunity to acquire educational skills. On such working children, Benson writes: Working long hours as apprentices during the week and being deprived of any intellectual or moral interest, when Sunday came they ran riot upon the streets. In the Sunday schools started by Robert Raikes there was reading, spelling, worship, study of the Bible and catechism. After the first Sunday schools attracted many children Robert Raikes through the use of his Gloucester journal publicised them. It was the publicity that made the schools acquire the name Sunday schools because they were held on Sundays. This humble beginning marked the origin of an institution which was to transform the realm of Christian education for many years to come. The first Sunday schools were aimed at specific groups of children, the working illiterate ones. Later when formal education became accessible to children of all backgrounds the focus of Sunday schools shifted to providing Christian religious instructions.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we described the research procedure for this study. A research methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the study beneficiaries.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended questions), or both strategies (i.e., mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and psychological research.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of eighty (80) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which only seventy-seven (77) were returned and validated. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to some questionnaire. For this study a total of 77 was validated for the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain the impact of Sunday school on church growth. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the impact of Sunday school on church growth
Summary
This study was on the impact of Sunday school on church growth. Three objectives were raised which included: To examine how to use Sunday school campaigns in motivating and strengthening backsliding church members, to determine the rate of church growth attained during Sunday school campaigns and to ascertain the growth between the Sunday school attendance and the members of the church. A total of 77 responses were received and validated from the enrolled participants where all respondents were drawn from deeper life bible church in Rivers state. Hypothesis was tested using Chi-Square statistical tool (SPSS).
Conclusion
It is imperative that other institutions in modern society be strengthened to compliment the family in this noble responsibility. Sunday schools which were founded in Britain after the industrial revolution have been accepted and adopted in many Church denominations in Africa and need to be adequately equipped to supplement the Church and family in religious socialization. Sunday schools are conducted for young people from as early as three years and provide weekly lessons which champion Christian virtues
Recommendation
Christians should endavour to attend Sunday school services, it really help in christian life at home and in public
References
- Eckel, (Ed), Concise Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Terms, (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1964), 56 6
- Loetscher, Sunday Schools In Twentieth Century Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, (Michigan: Baker Book House, 1955),56 7
- H. Benson, A Popular History of Christian Education, (Chicago: Moody Press, 1943), 121 8
- H. Benson, A popular History of Christian Education, 112 9
- Peter Mutuku Mumo , A study of Christian Sunday School Programme, 85 10 Peter Mutuku Mumo, A study of Christian Sunday School Programme,86 11
- Peter Mutuku Mumo, A study of Christian Sunday School Programme, 86 12
- Peter Mutuku Mumo, A study of Christian Sunday School Programme, 179 13
- Peter M. Mumo, Sunday Schools as the Foundation of Christian Nurture and their Relevance for Theological Education, 796 14
- Peter Mutuku Mumo, A study of Christian Sunday School Programme, 179 15
- Peter Mutuku Mumo, A study of Christian Sunday School Programme,88 16 Africa Gospel Light, Improve Your Sunday School, (Ngong: Kijabe, Press, 1987), 4 17
- Peter M. Mumo, Sunday Schools as the Foundation of Christian Nurture and their Relevance for Theological Education, 797 18
- Peter Mutuku Mumo, A study of Christian Sunday School Programme,163 19
- Peter Mutuku Mumo, A study of Christian Sunday School Programme,52 20
- Peter Mutuku Mumo, A study of Christian Sunday School Programme, 152 21
- Peter Mutuku Mumo, A study of Christian Sunday School Programme, 161 22 H, Lotz, Studies in Religious Education, (Nashville:1931), 259 23
- Paulo, Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, (Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1981), 50.
