The Original Small Group

[Richard OFfill]

Do you remember when the Sabbath School attendance card used to ask how many missionary contacts had been made as well as how much literature had been distributed. In those days having the answer that question was an incentive to do more personal missionary work that we are doing now.

I wish we  would resurrect the Sabbath School in all of its aspects of years gone by.

[lily-of-the-field]

Those SS days were better, for sure.  Just the word "missionary" brings back fond memories.  I remember some people complaining about being asked re missionary contacts, for a show of hands who had studied the lesson, who knew their memory verse etc, and so it was done away with.  The objections included that it made some felt guilty, that it is a self-righteous thing to boast about the number of missionary contacts etc, and some were tempted to lie to save face!

[Larry Lyons]

Those SS days were better, for sure.  Just the word "missionary" brings back fond memories.  I remember some people complaining about being asked re missionary contacts, for a show of hands who had studied the lesson, who knew their memory verse etc, and so it was done away with.  The objections included that it made some felt guilty, that it is a self-righteous thing to boast about the number of missionary contacts etc, and some were tempted to lie to save face!

Lily, If I'm not mistaken, the information that was gathered and the reports were sent up the line to the Conference and Union Conference levels who put them all together and and used the information as a way to assess the health of the church. I think that it was finally realized that the information was giving them a false reading for the reasons you pointed out.

But even so, Sabbath School was better back then. I don't know if it was only in the churches I attended but it seemed that often there was  higher attendance at Sabbath School than at the worship service.

[Cat Island Woman]

I see this as a reminder for us to do missionary work. So often, we come and we talk and we discuss the theology of the lesson but what are we putting into practice?

My former church(in the city) still practice taking this information. My new church in "the country" does not. They do not because they are not actively engaged into personal evangelism. Recently some of the younger folks started going out but the older members are not interested. No wonder they do not want to supply the information for this report.

 

[Larry Lyons]

I see this as a reminder for us to do missionary work. So often, we come and we talk and we discuss the theology of the lesson but what are we putting into practice?

My former church(in the city) still practice taking this information. My new church in "the country" does not. They do not because they are not actively engaged into personal evangelism. Recently some of the younger folks started going out but the older members are not interested. No wonder they do not want to supply the information for this report.

 

Cat Island Woman, welcome to the forum. It sounds like the church you attend now is like the one I attend, but the difference is that we don't have any young people. There is  a little bit of talk about doing missionary work, but most of the talk consists of listing the reasons that it won't work. There will always be obstacles, and if we are willing to go and do, God will take care of the obstacles.

[Deborah Risinger]

Hello, Cat Island Woman....Welcome

Deborah

[Share]

Do you remember when the Sabbath School attendance card used to ask how many missionary contacts had been made as well as how much literature had been distributed. In those days having the answer that question was an incentive to do more personal missionary work that we are doing now.

I wish we  would resurrect the Sabbath School in all of its aspects of years gone by.

Amen!! Incentive has been taken to a low now days and with it we drop. The changes through the years have not been good ones as I see it, they have only taken us a step at a time closer to being like other churches in that we do not preach things or request things that would have a chance to "move" the heart to do better. Sad days we live in.

[Ed Sutton]

As a new SDA in 1970 Sabbath School was exciting.  Much more personal study encouraged and not such a tightly packaged Sabbath School Lesson, it was built more like a Bible Study than now and encouraged weekly study and participation.

I wish current Sabbath School could be such a study group as to lend it's self toward inviting non SDA's to come, visit, study, get involved, engraft, join, invite others, repeat the process.

[Share]

Quote: Do you remember when the Sabbath School attendance card used to ask how many missionary contacts had been made as well as how much literature had been distributed. In those days having the answer that question was an incentive to do more personal missionary work that we are doing now.

I wish we  would resurrect the Sabbath School in all of its aspects of years gone by.

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I sure remember those days. We have lost so much through the years...much of it in S.S. It seems like people look at more as a place to meet one another instead of a place we meet with God. If we are meeting with God all week we will understand what is so special about meeting with others to Praise God. I'd love to see the way it used to be when the high standards were taught and the Churches were full.

[sdazeal]

As a new SDA in 1970 Sabbath School was exciting.  Much more personal study encouraged and not such a tightly packaged Sabbath School Lesson, it was built more like a Bible Study than now and encouraged weekly study and participation.

I wish current Sabbath School could be such a study group as to lend it's self toward inviting non SDA's to come, visit, study, get involved, engraft, join, invite others, repeat the process.

Ed, It is clear to me that the Sabbath School quarterlies are edited ( by Clifford Goldstein) to hit all the talking points, both explicitly and implicitly, and are meant to indoctrinate as much as to enlighten. They are more intended to teach you what to think rather than how to study. There is a reason they use the "fill in the blanks" format used in our evangelistic literature.
In spite of this effort to indoctrinate people into the popular teachings of modern Adventism, there are many who still think and study for themselves.
That said, I have been blessed by much of what is taught in the quarterlies. I just ignore the silly talking points that are made to seem relevant to the topic. On those rare occasions when I am trusted ( as the last resort) to teach the class, I only use the Quarterly as a jumping off point and try to let the class take things from there and more or less "moderate", trying to keep things on topic.

[Share]

I have a good friend that does the same. He is 88 now and he and I both feel the way you do. We both teach the lessons also. I am the Sabbath School Superintendent so....so far we can teach. I ask my own questions and add things from Ellen White and the Bible. There have been some lessons that I have been very unhappy with. It is like they ask questions that lead people in the wrong way of thinking and then just leave them hanging there. The lesson did nothing to answer the question but just produced doubt. At least that is what a few of them seemed to be like to me. I enjoyed Mark Finley's lessons not long ago.  Doug Bachelor’s tells us this....Don't believe it because I say it, Study it for yourself so you know it is true.

[Raven]

That said, I have been blessed by much of what is taught in the quarterlies. I just ignore the silly talking points that are made to seem relevant to the topic. On those rare occasions when I am trusted ( as the last resort) to teach the class, I only use the Quarterly as a jumping off point and try to let the class take things from there and more or less "moderate", trying to keep things on topic.

Quarterlies (I still call them that, in spite of the name change) could be half the size if the eliminated the nonsense (most of which seems to be in the teacher's section).  I lead the discussion about once a month, and I use the Quarterly mostly as base from which to launch the discussion. 

I've been to churches where the discussion leader is like a robot; reading word for word from the Quarterly and asking each question.  That puts people to sleep.  Let's face it, some of the questions are too obvious.  And for others, one is not sure what kind of answer they're looking for.  I figure it's the teacher's job to bring in something that isn't in the Quarterly.  And I don't mind getting off topic occasionally, if it's relevant to our spiritual welfare.

[Raven]

There have been some lessons that I have been very unhappy with. It is like they ask questions that lead people in the wrong way of thinking and then just leave them hanging there. The lesson did nothing to answer the question but just produced doubt. At least that is what a few of them seemed to be like to me. I enjoyed Mark Finley's lessons not long ago.  Doug Bachelor’s tells us this....Don't believe it because I say it, Study it for yourself so you know it is true.

Yes, some Quarterlies have not been so good.  But what that does is spur the teacher to dig into Scripture and the SOP to find relevant material, thus rescuing the lesson from the dustbin of error or mediocrity.

In my humble opinion, none of the recent Quarterlies have been anywhere near as bad as the one authored by Ron and Karen Flowers on Song of Solomon.  This was back in the 90's, I think.  They tried to make the book be all about "Family Life."  I had to start from scratch nearly every week.  I notice that no one has attempted to build an entire Quarterly around Song of Solomon since then.  Maybe they've learned their lesson. 

[Larry Lyons]

Raven, not to change the subject, but there is an interesting passage in Song of Solomon that I have used when discussing the verses in Revelation 3 concerning the Laodicean Church.

Read Song of Solomon 5: 1-5 in connection with Revelation 3:20

[Raven]

I've heard that application made before, and it fits.  I think verse 6 should be included, as well.