History of Sunday School in America, An Essential Means of Outreach

As more churches are setting up Sunday School, it's important for ministers to know the how and why Sunday School was born in America.

Sunday School first started in Britain in the late 18th century to supply a time for children that worked long hours to teach them about school. Robert Raikes, an English Anglican evangelical, received this idea from God when he saw that children were working six days a week in harsh conditions. Through Sunday School, which actually began as a literary program, children were able to experience a day off of work through learning in an atmosphere holding tight to Biblical ethics. Soon after, America inherited this vision, but through a more evangelistic approach. By the late 1800s it became the main means of evangelism and outreach for the U.S. churches.

By the 1900s, attending Sunday School became a nation-wide common tradition. Although many parents did not attend church, they insisted that their children attend the program because of the class's values.

The children's programs soon became also a place where lay people can gain leadership skills. Even those who graduated from Sunday School were often set up as teachers of their younger companions.

However, though Sunday School is common U.S. tradition, attendance has been decreasing in the last 50 years. Studies show though that when a church's Sunday School program is growing healthily then the church congregation also increases.

OA hopes to guide missionaries in improving this precious children program. Sunday School shows to be an effective means of outreach. Churches should continue to come back to this tradition. It will become a greater bowl to evangelize many children and their families. Let's pray for Sunday School to be set up in all 50 states.