The Mission of Christian Education

It is the educator’s task to live out what they teach. Example is also a form of teaching.” — César Moisés

Thus, the Christian teacher does not limit their instruction to the classroom; rather, they use their daily life as a truthful and honest example of the practical application of their teaching. They must also dedicate themselves to learning about pedagogy and new methodologies, as well as the most appropriate tools and resources for their teaching work—without neglecting their effectiveness in the classroom.

The late Pastor Antônio Gilberto once warned: “We may strive greatly and teach little or nothing if we do not know how to teach.” Therefore, the Christian teacher teaches through their way of life, but also in the classroom with proper and appropriate pedagogy for their audience, using all available tools in their context to help learners absorb the content as subjects of education.

According to César Moisés: “Education only happens with intentionality. It may take place in diverse spaces, but never without objectives.” Any work without clear goals cannot be measured or improved—it becomes work for the sake of work and may even risk being destructive, meaningless, wasteful, and sustained only by tradition.

Thus, “the educator who truly wishes to influence their students must always use appropriate language, creating an environment where they can interact.”

To educate is to intentionally transmit culture in order to shape an ideal type of human being. Christian education is the act of transmitting the culture of the Kingdom of Heaven through teaching. Therefore, the essence of Christian education lies in modeling Christ in each learner.

Education is a science that must be thought through, studied, investigated, and practiced. César Moisés identifies four fields within the science of education:

1. Foundations – Meaning “Cause,” in the sense of reason for being.

2. Planning and Management – Planning and managing, avoiding spontaneity and improvisation, ensures the learner’s education, which is the primary goal of the educational process.

3. Epistemology – How does the human being learn? And how do they learn without compromising their subjectivity? (Theory of Knowledge)

4. Didactics – The art of teaching, which constitutes the decisive moment of the lesson for both educators and learners.

1. FOUNDATIONS

Matthew 28:19–20 — The purpose of the Great Commission is to make disciples of all nations who will observe Christ’s commandments. To do this, it is necessary to teach everything He commanded and taught.

Ephesians 4:11 — Shows how and by whom this work must be done. In 1 Corinthians 12:28, we see the chronological order of ministerial work.

Thus, as the Church is being built, it also builds; and as it is being formed, it also forms. This dynamic process, enabled by the proclaiming power of the Word and followed by Christian education, is the means the Holy Spirit uses to perpetuate the Church and its ministry (2 Timothy 2:2).

Sound teaching must be preserved by the Church, and the Church must remain steadfast in it (Acts 2:42). Preaching (Kerigma) and proclamation must always be followed by teaching and discipleship of new converts. This is the only “secret” to lasting and firm faith.

Teaching new converts takes time and requires knowledge—it cannot be rushed. One must begin with “milk,” as the writer of Hebrews taught, and then move on to solid food. As Jesus said to His disciples, not everything could be revealed at once, but when the Holy Spirit came, He would teach and guide them into all truth (Hebrews 5:11–14; John 16:12–14).

1 Corinthians 4:15 and Galatians 4:19 show the care we must take in spiritually nurturing children through the Word of God. The fullness of the Great Commission is this: to bear fruit—lasting fruit. This means that beyond sowing the good seed, we must also cultivate it.

As Claudionor de Andrade wrote in his Theology of Christian Education: “The Church’s teaching ministry is not only for educating the world—it also serves to educate the Church itself.”

To educate necessarily leads to behavioral change in the learner, because to learn is to change.

Defining Christian Education

“It is the pedagogical program that, based on the Holy Bible, aims at the spiritual and moral development of those who declare themselves Christians and those who respond to the call of the gospel of Christ.”

It is the magisterial science of the Christian Church, grounded in the Holy Bible, with the following objectives:

a) To instruct human beings in divine knowledge so that they may restore communion with the Creator and fully enjoy the benefits of the Plan of Salvation established by God in His beloved Son. b) To educate believers so they may attain the perfection outlined in the Holy Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16–17). c) To prepare the saints, equipping them to fully carry out the precepts of the Great Commission (2 Timothy 2:15).

Christian education is a central activity of the Church and is essential for our time.

César Moisés affirms: “We must understand that all education is biased, as it follows a philosophy or educational policy—there is no neutral or purposeless education.” Therefore, Christian education must be a priority for every parent and every believer.

According to Claudionor de Andrade, it is essential for the Christian educator to understand the theological foundations upon which ecclesiastical teaching rests. Without this knowledge, we cannot properly fulfill our task.

Within the local church, it is the role of the pastor and local ministers to regulate biblical studies to prevent heresies from entering the pulpit.

Above all, the Bible will always be the starting point and the ultimate textbook for the Christian educator. It is in Sunday School that biblical teaching is delivered according to each age group’s needs, forming a strong foundation for the Church.

Sunday Schools were the primary instruments for spreading Pentecostal biblical doctrines among believers. “What most influenced the theological formation of Pentecostal workers in Brazil was the creation of Bible Schools to promote theological teaching.”

Let us care for this treasure entrusted to us: Sunday School (EBD).

The Launch of Bible Lessons for Sunday School

Here are the words of Isael de Araújo on the history of Sunday School:

Two months after the founding of the Assemblies of God in Belém (Mission of Apostolic Faith), in August 1911, the first Sunday School class was held at the home of José Batista Carvalho, on São Jerônimo Avenue in Belém. There were four classes: men, women, boys, and girls. The teachers at that time included Samuel Nystrom, Lina Nystrom, Capitolina Soares, Antonio Mendes Garcia, Manoel Maria Rodrigues, Amélia Anglada, Plácido Aristóteles, José Plácido da Costa, and others (Historical and Chronological Album of Sunday School, Israel de Araújo, CPAD, 2000, p.8).

The first magazines for Sunday Schools in the Assemblies of God began as supplements to the newspaper Boa Semente. The supplement was called Estudos Dominicaes, written by missionary Samuel Nystrom, a Swedish pastor with vast biblical and secular knowledge. These supplements came in lesson outlines for a quarter.

Initially, the supplement was intended for church members considered by missionaries and pastors to be “called” to become the “new preachers/teachers”—that is, the new workers of the church and the Pentecostal movement in its early years in Brazil.

Probably in 1924, with the establishment of the Boa Semente printing press the previous year, the first magazines began to be published separately from the newspaper. This is inferred from an announcement in the December 1923 edition (p. 4) of Boa Semente (spelling of the time):

“The Sunday School Magazine we plan to publish to aid Sunday studies is underway. The price will be as reasonable as possible. All who wish to subscribe should send their requests to the editorial office of <<Boa Semente>>, P.O. Box 672, Pará

In 1930, during the first General Convention of the Assemblies of God held at the Assembly in Natal (RN), a decision was made to establish a single official newspaper for the denomination—Mensageiro da Paz (Messenger of Peace). That same year, the Bible Lessons magazine for Assemblies of God Sunday Schools was launched in Rio de Janeiro. Its first commentator and editor was missionary Samuel Nystrom.

In 1942, the first commentary written by a Brazilian member of the Assemblies of God was published—Adalberto Arrates from the Rio de Janeiro congregation. Although Arrates was not a pastor, he possessed deep biblical and theological knowledge and later became a professor at the Pentecostal Bible Institute (IBP) in Rio de Janeiro during the 1960s.

During its first two decades (1930s and 1940s), the magazine’s publication frequency varied. Initially released quarterly, it shifted to a semiannual schedule between 1935 and 1945. Possible reasons for this change included limited financial resources, slow and scarce maritime cargo transport across the country, high paper costs due to the war, and government restrictions under the Estado Novo regime on periodical publications. The magazine took a long time to reach distant regions of Brazil, so publishing it semiannually became a more viable and efficient option at that time. With improvements in transportation—and possibly the end of the Estado Novo—the magazine returned to a quarterly schedule.

The early editions had no illustrations on the cover, back cover, inside cover, or within the lesson texts.

Children’s content was first introduced in the second half of 1938, when a paragraph titled “Commentary for Children” appeared in the adult Bible Lessons magazine. However, this section lasted only until the final semester of 1939. It was written by two women from the São Cristóvão Assemblies of God (RJ): Nair Soares Barata and Cacilda Brito.

In 1943, Bible Lessons for Children were officially launched, written by the same editors from 1938. These lessons were designed for children aged 6 to 8. In 1973, the magazine Minha Revistinha (My Little Magazine) was created by Pastor José Pimentel de Carvalho, aimed at children aged 4 and 5.

Today, approximately 10 million Sunday School magazines are printed annually, covering all age groups.

Source: ARAÚJO, Isael de Araújo. Dictionary of the Pentecostal Movement. Rio de Janeiro, CPAD, 2007, 1st edition, p. 43.