Summary
Sunday School in HD by Allan Taylor is a very important book which helps understand why the Sunday schools are necessary, what are the problems of the most current Sunday schools and what should be done to improve the situation. Allan Taylor does not only dwell upon the issues which are to be said in the church at Sunday schools, he tries to teach others the vision of the Sunday school as the opportunity to teach people not only evangelism, but also discipleship, community, fellowship, and ministry.
The book is the guide for those who sure not sure what the main priorities of the Sunday school are. Being an opportunity to give people knowledge they do not have, the book by Allan Taylor shows what the Sunday schools are for, what data should be taught there and who can attend those schools.
A Sunday school is the opportunity for people to be closer to God. The book dwells upon the role and the purpose of the Sunday schools stressing on the great contribution to teaching about God. Dwelling upon the role of the Sunday schools, Allan Taylor says that their popularity has reduces dramatically, however, this is not the reason to stop the activity. Modern world is too busy and many people do not have time for attending churches too often.
Sunday schools should become the express courses for those who want to know more about God and Christ, for those who want to listen to their teachings, but they are unable to spend much time in church. Sunday schools should become the directing facilities.
It is important to understand that Sunday schools cannot give all the knowledge people have while regularly attending churches. However, it is also important to know that Sunday schools help people understand what they are to do. The book also points to the leadership in Sunday schools and passion as the part of the God path.
Strengths
One of the strongest arguments in the book is the necessity of Sunday schools and their primary function. Reading the book, people should understand that even though they are too busy, even though they have no time for regular attendance of Sunday schools, they have an opportunity to be closer to God.
The book shows that the attendance of a church is important as church serves as the direction to God. Of course, inner faith in God is more important that simple church attendance, however, those who have faith usually want to be closer to God. Church is the only way to do it. Church is like a leader, all people believe in God, they can live without church, however, the leadership of this institution is important.
Leadership in the church is not like the workplace leadership, this is a spiritual leadership which is to be guided by the desire of others to reach the same level of worship. The idea of leadership in the church discussed in the book should be implemented in Sunday schools. The desire to increase the number of people in a church is a desire to deliver the word of God to the greatest number of people.
One of the main tasks of a leader is to keep our sacred trust. Allan Taylor points to four main aspects of keeping sacred trust, one of the main is devoted to the loss of the leader’s conviction which gives the right to be a leader in the Sunday school.
Weaknesses
Dwelling about the principles of human faith and their desire of trust, Allan Taylor dwells about courage as the feature which may be taught. Showing courage as the feature which is inherent to those all people and they should just understand whether they need I or nor. The weakest idea of the book is the relation to courage. Allan Taylor states that a person does no need courage if he/she does not have fears. It is impossible to imagine an absolutely fearless person.
I believe that the absence of fear is as bad as the absence of evil. If a person cannot understand what an evil is, he/she would never get to know what a good action means. The same is with courage. Having no fears, a person is not going to feel delight with the victories he/she makes inside. Inside straggle of a person is a good chance to become stronger. Having no fears and unnecessary of courage leads to the absence of the inner struggle and a person becomes weaker without understanding it.
Stating that courage is unnecessary, Allan Taylor still says the correct words, “People follow courage, not titles. Position gives you opportunities, but courage gives you influence” (Taylor 2009, 176). Therefore, the author contradicts him/herself.
On the one hand, he points at the necessity to be a good leader who is to possess all the necessary features and courage is one of such features as people are ready to follow only a powerful person. However on the other hand, Alan Taylor says that courage is unnecessary. Being one of the weakest issues in the book, this idea should be reconsidered and checked for better performance.
Implications
The book is a great contribution not only to those who want to guide a Sunday school successfully, this book is also obligatory for reading by people who want to be closer to God. One of the main contributions of this book is the quotes and passengers from the sacred books where the principles of life are considered. The book dwells upon the issues which are to be discussed. The book considered the features people are to possess to be closer to God.
This book teaches people how the decisions should be made, what people are to think and how they should follow their leaders. The book contains many ideas of people whose thinking is directed to the faith in God. The tales and other information in the book teach people how they should live, what they should believe into and how this faith is going to help them. The book is not a bible, however, this is a good support for those who have los their way and cannot attend a church.
The book directs people, encourages them for good actions and inspires for attending at least a Sunday school, the event which may change the whole life of those who come there for the first time. Dwelling about faith, courage, passion, good and evil, the book presents the main principles according to which a person should live. This is not Bible, but this book is a good start for those who want to become closer to good and learn how to reach reincarnation.
Reference List
Taylor, Allan. 2009. Sunday school in HD: Sharpening the focus on what makes your church healthy. New York: B&H Publishing Group.