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Rev. Anthony Evans, President, National Black Church Initiative

Rev. Dr. Shetay Ashford-Hanserd

Rev. Sheldon Williams

The children need to be equipped with the principled teachings of Christianity to ensure holistic preparedness within sacred and secular endeavors.

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, November 22, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ — National Black Church Initiative (NBCI) Moves to Rebuild, Revitalize and Reimagine Sunday School Traditions by Bringing 6 Million Children Back to Christ (Church)

The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI), a coalition of 150,000 African American and Latino churches that constitute 27.7 million churchgoers, is launching a bold initiative, Reimagined Sunday School, as the conduit for bringing children back to principled living. Traditionally, Sunday School has served as the identified platform for providing religious and ethical teachings to young children and adults alike about Christianity. Through the experiences found in parables and the lives of people, those attending Sunday School would be prepared for living with principles of Christianity.

More specifically, in Matthew 19:13-14, “Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, ‘Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.’” With the charge found in this commandment, NBCI assumes a literal response through Reimagined Sunday School as an intentional, innovative, and integrated approach toward teaching, learning, and leading to foster principled living for children. Rev. Anthony Evans, President of the NBCI responds as he smiles with joy “This will be one of the most important movements in Christian history, which has the power to transform the Church into the power center in a world that has chosen the wrong direction. Christ wants the Church to play a central role-The key words here are ‘Sunday School’.”

The recent upticks in children-led carjackings, teacher shootings, and other illegal and unethical behaviors are creating chaos within families and/or their loved ones. Some of these children are members of NBCI congregations and some of them are not. Yet, what we know from religious scholars, every successful society is inclusive of established religious systems and practices. NBCI utilizes moral and biblical authority found within the ethics and teachings of Jesus to promote the importance of such religious teachings in the lives of children. Moreover, given an earlier report released by the Pew Center, while diminishing, religion remains important. “Three-quarters of U.S. adults say religion is at least “somewhat” important in their lives, with more than half (53%) saying it is “very” important. Approximately one-in-five say religion is “not too” (11%) or “not at all” important in their lives (11%).” Thus, the fact that adults consider religion as important, being able to engage collaboratively presents a unique opportunity to involve both adults and children in this endeavor.

Thus, Reimagined Sunday School is fundamentally situated within the belief of Sunday School as being the first official school of every child. Given the role of Jesus Christ as dedicated to God the Father, such positioning sets a divine standard that every child brought into this world needs to be dedicated to the Lord. The dedication serves as a sign of thanksgiving to God and the privileges therein to take care of, educate, and empower children with the ethics and teachings of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ. Such positioning also serves to reinforce the existence and concept of early child development, primary school, and founding of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) as situated within the origins of the Sunday School structure as put forth by the Black Church. Reimagined Sunday School serves as a direct platform to restore moral order and uphold the church’s moral charge as found in Provers 22:6, “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old, they will not turn from it.” It is highly impossible to believe anyone will object to the Black Church working to restore the imperative of moral order.

More specifically, through Reimagined Sunday School, the Black Church will utilize this extraordinary moment to provide biblical, ethical, and social guidance. The Church will once again work hand-in-hand with the parents and provide parents with the necessary skill set to be the first teacher in their child’s life. The Church will intentionally address issues and root causes of child development, physical and sexual abuse of the child, and behavior modifications. In other words, Reimagined Sunday School plans to offer diverse teaching and learning opportunities that are engaging and exciting and filled with opportunities for helping children to build communication skills and interpersonal behavior as well as to support both children and their parents through counseling, training, listening, and other social endeavors.

Reimagined Sunday School will integrate the latest scientific research in the child development area as part of the redefined structure of Sunday School. Such an approach will be inclusive of collaborative endeavors with religious experts as well as college and universities to provide “Train the Trainer” seminars for Sunday School teachers to understand the latest and most effective best practices in child development, particularly with an added emphasis on both Black and Latino children. Reimagined Sunday School will seek to partner with the local school system to enhance academic enrichment and learning assistance for those children who face learning challenges. Additionally, NBCI is partnering with ACCEYSS to incorporate the use of STEM-related activities to plant the seed of a new generation of scientific thinkers and workers. Dr. Shetay Ashford-Hanserd, Founder of the Association of Collaborative Communities Ensuring Equity for STEM+C Success (ACCEYSS) shares “I am convinced that the Reimagined Sunday School movement has the potential to exponentially increase the number of historically marginalized youth who have access to science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and computing education in underserved and under-resourced communities.”

In effect, through the principled teachings of Christianity, Reimagined Sunday School encourages the integrated, innovative, and intentional use of the latest and most effective technology and strategies serves to prepare children overall with spiritual, ethical, biblical, and academic forms of individual empowerment.

ABOUT NBCI

The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI) is a coalition of 150,000 African American and Latino churches working to eradicate racial disparities in healthcare, technology, education, housing, and the environment. The mission of NBCI is to provide critical wellness information to all its members, congregants, churches, and the public. NBCI utilizing faith and sound health science and partners with major organizations and officials reduce racial disparities in the variety of areas cited above. NBCI’s programs are governed by credible statistical analysis, science-based strategies and techniques, and methods that work and offer faith-based, out-of-the-box, and cutting-edge solutions to stubborn economic and social issues.

Works Cited

Pew Research Center. 2015. U.S. Public Becoming Less Religious

Contact:

Reverend Anthony Evans

(202) 744-0184

Anthony Evans
National Black Church Initiative
+1 202-744-0184
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