Date of Award

4-1964

Document Type

Thesis

Department

Seminary

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyze the pastor's relationship to the Sunday school in the Oregon Conference of the Free Methodist Church which involved the following factors: 1. The Free Methodist Church as an entire body of Christians. 2. The Oregon Conference of the Free Methodist Church functioning as one of several other conferences in a denomination. 3. Each local congregation as a church in a given area which is one of several churches in the Oregon Conference. 4. The pastor as supervisor of the church in all areas and departments. 5. The Sunday school as a department of the church.

The pastor is the key to the success or failure of the church program. The Sunday school is a definite department of the church work. Therefore the pastor assumes the responsibility for success or failure of the Sunday school as well as the church. The attitude of the pastor regarding the department of the Sunday school is important. If the Sunday school will become effective it must have sound leadership. Many officers and teachers govern the work of the Sunday school but the pastor is over all including officers and teachers. The Sunday school that fails to be effective does not have proper pastoral guidance and training. The emphasis of this study was the importance of the pastor realizing his responsibility and place as over all supervisor of the Sunday school.

The methods of study have developed from the available resource material. Before research for the study began, pertinent material had to be gathered from outside sources other than the library. After the material was gathered it was reviewed to discover any trend that may have been present in the history of the Sunday school movement, Methodism and Free Methodism regarding the pastor and the Sunday school. The primary source material for the trend in pastor and Sunday school relationship was discovered in the minutes of the Free Methodist conferences. The thesis title was sent to the Free Methodist Sunday School Secretary in quest of suggestions and possible questions. His response was of great assistance in the research and questionnaire. The questionnaire was sent to 33 pastors out of which 30 replied. The pastors were instructed to answer the questions without studying them. Two telephone conversations and one personal interview with the Oregon Conference Sunday School Secretary were also utilized. The Conference Sunday School Secretary provided considerable material which indicated the work being carried on in the conference. Besides material on the conference work, several questions for the questionnaire were received from the Oregon Conference Sunday School Secretary.

Download

Included in

Christianity Commons

Share

COinS