From The Wall Street Journal …
The decline in Sunday schools appears to be gradual but steady. A study
by the Barna Group indicated that in 2004 churches were 6% less likely
to provide Sunday school for children ages 2 to 5 as in 1997. For
middle-school kids, the decline was to 86% providing Sunday school in
2004 from 93% in 1997. Similarly, there was a six-percentage-point drop
in Sunday schools offered for high school kids — to 80% from 86%. All
in all, about 20,000 fewer churches were maintaining Sunday-school
classes. And the future does not look bright: Only 15% of ministers
regarded Sunday school as a leading concern. The younger the pastor,
the study showed, the less emphasis he placed on Sunday school.
What is going on at your church? Is Sunday School fading?