Sunday School

News

1. Adult Teachers Meeting -- this Sunday, January 18. Plan to attend one of the following 15 minute meetings:

8:10 a.m.

9:15 a.m.

11:15 a.m.

We will meet in the fellowship hall of the Education Building! See you there!

2. Attendance 1/11/09 -- We had 669 in Sunday School Sunday!! 354 at 8:30 and 315 at 9:45!

3. Sunday, January 25 -- Spiritual Growth Assessment Day. During Sunday School on this day, all adults will have the opportunity to take a spiritual growth assessment as part of an emphasis to promote spiritual growth in 2009.

January 18 Lesson Supplements

Bible Studies in Life Series

"Pray in Jesus' Name"

John 14:12-14; 15:14-16; 16:23-26

Why should you pray in Jesus' name?

(The following comes from Nelson's Personal Handbook on Prayer, Dr. James Wilhoit, General Editor. pp. 183-185.)

1. Jesus' name is the gateway to God -- You cannot approach God in your own name or your own ability. You can approach God only in the name of Jesus Christ. He is the entry point into the presence of God. If you are going to do serious business with God, then you must pray in the name above all names -- the name of Jesus. His name gives you access into the presence of God.


2. Jesus' name is your authority to tie your requests to the Father's will -- Anytime you take a request to God the Father in Jesus' name, you are tying it to the most authoritative name that ever there was. This should give us confidence in approaching God with our prayers. You need not be tentative in your praying. By praying in Jesus' name you are boldly submitting to the will of God about each request.

Explore the Bible Series

"Whose Life is Important?"

Exodus 20:13; 21:22-25; 22:21-24; Deuteronomy 24:29; Matthew 5:21-22; Luke 20:47

This week's lesson is on the sanctity of human life and will touch specifically on respecting women and their unborn children and providing for aliens, widows, and orphans. In preparation for Sunday's lesson, you may want to research statistics on abortions, foreigners, widows, and orphans to supplement your lesson. Also, pay attention to news stories that you may read or see on television as it relates to any of these people groups. One question to drive home to students might be, "How can I be an advocate for _______ (unborn children, foreigners, widows, and orphans)?"

On the topic of orphans: You may want to share that we have had several in our church family who have adopted children. You may want to invite some of these individuals into your classes Sunday to share about their experiences with adoption. Perhaps there are some in your class. We have one couple that will be leaving next week to travel to the Ukraine to adopt as many as two children. If you would like to know who some of these people are, send me an e-mail or a comment below and I can try to connect you to these individuals.

The bottom line: All of life is valuable because all of life is valuable to God. This lesson draws our attention toward the vulnerable in society. Who are the vulnerable in Lake Norman? What can each of us and what can we as a church do to help these people?

Comments?

Please post any comments you have. The comments can be suggestions you would make on how to teach the lesson this Sunday. You might have an illustration you have discovered. You may have a creative way/activity that you can share with all of us that will help make the classroom experience meaningful to the people who attend Sunday. Questions are also welcome. Let's learn from each other and spur one another on!!

God bless,
Landon