South Bend First Seventh-day Adventist Church

"The Sabbath school should be one of the greatest instrumentalities, and the most effectual, in bringing souls to Christ.”

—Testimonies on Sabbath-School Work, 20.

Sabbath Schools meet each Saturday morning in Adventist churches all over the world. It’s a time and place for church members to come together to study the Bible and grow in their understanding of God’s Word. Compared to the 11:00 AM service in the sanctuary that is primarily focused on worship, Sabbath Schools provide a venue for fellowship and deeper Bible study in a small group setting. Sabbath School is a really wonderful thing!

Unfortunately, studies have shown that there is a declining trend in Sabbath School attendance in North American Adventist churches. It doesn’t take a lot of fancy research to see that the number of people at Sabbath Schools in most churches is only a fraction of the total attendance at the worship service.

You might be wondering, “Why should I go to Sabbath school?” Sandra Blackmer lists several benefits of attending Sabbath School, such as:

• builds faith through Bible study and helps unify members worldwide.
• provides fellowship with like-minded believers in a small-group environment.
• provides a “safe place” to express views and ask questions without fear of ridicule.
• has a consistent world mission focus and helps finance missions.
• reminds us that mission is also found in our own backyard. Class members often find it easier to reach out as small groups to the community as well as to inactive members.
• helps members gain insights into the Bible from others’ viewpoints and knowledge.
• helps us become more disciplined in personal Bible study.
• provides opportunities to discuss practical applications of Scripture.
• connects people with the source of true authority—the Bible.

-"Why Attend Sabbath School?" Adventist Review, April 19, 2012

At South Bend First we believe that Sabbath School is crucial for the spiritual life and vitality our of church. We offer many Sabbath School options so that there will be something for everyone. Each Sabbath we have classes that study the Adult Sabbath School Quarterly. The topic for this quarter is the Gospel in the book of Galatians. We also have the Bible Basics I class which is studying the life of Christ, and Bible Basics II where they are currently learning about the role of the Bible in church history. You will also find classes for young adults, youth, juniors, primary, kindergarten, and cradle roll.

If you haven’t attended Sabbath School in a while, why not give it a try this week? Join us at 9:30 AM for one of our classes. Come prepared to receive a blessing!

"The Sabbath school is an important branch of the missionary work, not only because it gives to young and old a knowledge of God's word, but because it awakens in them a love for its sacred truths, and a desire to study them for themselves; above all, it teaches them to regulate their lives by its holy teachings."

—Testimonies on Sabbath-School Work, 109, 110.