Sunday School Theme
Sunday School Theme – Collective Worship
Sunday school is collective worship that is made more effective through the use of a Sunday school theme.
A theme is a word or phrase that links a variety of ideas and or approaches over a period of time.
Choosing a theme can be a major decision. Marketing companies are all too familiar with this principle.
That’s why they spend so much time and money picking the names of products and designing commercials with the same themes.
A theme can reinforce information and make a subject matter more relevant. Without a theme, speeches and activities can lose direction or be so diverse that people have a hard time following.
A Sunday school-theme triggers interest and makes teaching easier when lessons are taught over several weeks or months. It does this by being a tool for reminding people about what was discussed in earlier classes.
Sunday School Theme – Collective Memory
A collective memory is when a group of people can remember an event in a similar manner. With themes, collective memory is evoked making it simpler to move onto the next discussion. For a theme to have value it should have several goals.
- Should allow for forward-thinking
- Should allow for continuity
- Must encourage imagination
- Should create new ideas
- Should provide for transition
- Should define limits
- Makes lesson planning and teaching simpler not more complicated
Sunday or bible school themes should be ones that encourage thoughtful discussion, but not limit it. It’s actually a fine line. Stifling ideas and questions can result in students misunderstanding information or being afraid to ask questions.
A school theme should provide the contextual outline and serve as a springboard for classes. A theme can also last as long as the teacher or church desires. It may be for a few weeks or a year. Themes can change and adapt to the lessons to be taught.
A good theme will have certain features to make it as effective as possible.
- Promotes deep thinking of the subject matter
- Can be used in a variety of ways
- Encourages reflection and questions
- It is easily remembered
- It is appropriate to its purpose
- It can be expanded on as lessons develop
Themes can also connect your “Sunday” lessons with life in general and become a life skills tool. A good theme is understandable and supports the church’s philosophy.
This sounds like a lot is expected of a theme, but that is precisely the point. Theme use helps the teachings of religious values and concepts be simplified yet strengthened at the same time.
Sunday School Theme – Collective Lesson
A Sunday school-theme can take many different approaches. A theme can focus on religious application to daily life with a seasonal flavor.
Or a theme can focus on religious concepts only such as faith and charity, proverbs or Bible metaphors. It’s also a great way to address multiculturalism.
Often a Sunday school will choose a single Bible verse and center the theme accordingly. Using the theme in each class helps establish plans for future lessons.
Your “Sunday’s themes” can be an extremely effective tool for helping teach religious concepts and related religious material in creative ways.
Make Your School Spirit Soar!
That way it’s simple to find!