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Seventh-day Adventism |
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Sabbath School is a function of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Seventh Day Baptist and some other sabbatarian denominations.
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Sabbath School usually begins around 9:30am or 10:00am on Saturday mornings before the worship service starts. The Sabbath school service for adults typically has two portions. The first portion begins with a song service, followed by a mission emphasis and a short talk. The second, and larger portion, is the lesson study. Although this is one common format, not all Sabbath School services employ it. Different churches choose to conduct Sabbath School in a wide variety of ways. Whatever format is used, and regardless of whether the worship style is very traditional or slightly more contemporary, most Adventist churches teach on the same topic or reading in a given week, as each quarter of the year has a different theme that reflects Bible, doctrinal, or church lifestyle teachings. Thus the lesson booklet is called "quarterly."
Sabbath School may be conducted in one large class, which would probably meet in the sanctuary, or the congregation may separate into smaller groups for discussion in the sanctuary, or meet in various rooms throughout the church building. Children and/or young adults often meet in separate Sabbath School rooms. International churches may offer classes in a variety of languages as well and there are easy English versions for English learners, larger print for the mildly visually impaired, and braille for the blind. Larger churches often have a sign language class and worship service or provide a translator. When Sabbath School draws to a close, the small groups join back together and the worship service begins, usually at 11:00am.
One does not have to be a baptized member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church to participate in Sabbath School or in the worship service. Many attend it without joining the church. For those interested in getting baptized, there is usually a class conducted by the minister or a Bible worker. Hence, Sabbath School membership is often greater than that of the church itself.
On the last Sabbath of the quarter, or the 13th Sabbath, a special collection is taken for a missionary project in one of the administrative world regions, such as the building of dormitories or chapels in denominational colleges or a hospital or charity facility. During the "13th Sabbath Program," youngsters may present a music or acting special based on the subject learned that quarter or explain the traditions and dress in the attire of the countries or world regions which offerings collected will benefit. Communion Service preceded by footwashing may happen on or right after the 13th Sabbath.
An estimated 67% of Adventists (including 63% of youth aged 18 and under) "attend Sabbath school nearly every week", according to a 2002 worldwide survey of local church leaders.[1]
Sabbath school teachers are usually lay people who are selected for their role in the church by a designated coordinator, board, or a committee. Normally, the selection is based on a perception of character and ability to teach the Bible rather than formal training in education. Some Sabbath school teachers, however, do have a background in education as a result of their occupations. Some churches offer courses to assist in the teaching process to educate others, or hold teachers classes to go over the lesson for that Sabbath while other churches allow volunteers to teach without training; a profession of faith and a desire to teach is all that is required in such cases.
Adult church members are provided with the Adult Bible Study Guide (formerly known as Sabbath School Quarterly) issued four times a year. It is also known as the "Quarterly"[2] and the "Lesson". It is published by Pacific Press Publishing Association. Sabbath School quarterlies are Bible study guides that cover a specific topic or book of the Bible every quarter. The quarterly is designed to be read during the week, so that during Sabbath School, the class members are ready to discuss questions and topics raised in that lesson in small groups. The Adult Sabbath School always has a heavy focus on the Bible. All Seventh-day Adventists around the world use the same Sabbath school quarterly, translated into the necessary languages (with few exceptions such as Germany, where members cover the same topic with different material). The current editor of the Adult Sabbath School lessons is Clifford Goldstein.
At the same time as the adult study, children attend classes aimed at their age group. Typical age group divisions are Beginner (infants), Kindergarten (K), Primary (Grades 1-3), Junior (Grades 4-6), Earliteen (Grades 7-8), and Youth (High School and University). Each age division has its own specific quarterly, which is titled by the class name up to Primary. Juniors and Earliteens often share the same quarterly entitled PowerPoints. Some Earliteen groups use a new separate publication entitled Real Time Faith. Youth use either Cornerstone Connections or Collegiate Quarterly (CQ). In some churches, the children receive a weekly magazine at the close of Sabbath school, which they can read quietly during the sermon. Kindergarten receives Our Little Friend, Primary receives Primary Treasure, Juniors and Earliteens receive Guide, and the Youth receive Insight. The most popular magazine tends to be Guide.