Testimonies

Testimonies, Tips and Tidbits Administrative Challenges It's Only for Sissies

by Robin Ulbredtch
06/12/17
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It’s Only for Sissies

One day, while walking down the hallway near the Children’s Ministry Room on my way to Sunday school, I noticed a couple of junior high boys standing by a door way, talking. The conversation was intense, not in an angry way, but it was obvious one boy was passionately trying to convince another to do something. As I got closer to the young men, I overheard part of the conversation. One young man was trying to convince the other to go to class.

“Why should I go?” the first boy asked, “There are only women involved. I never see men come. It’s only for sissies!”

When I heard the young man say this, my heart sank. This fellow’s mother was a dear friend of mine. I knew the young man’s father was Jewish and would not come to our Christian church with his family. I wanted to intervene in the situation but I knew the young man wouldn’t listen to me because I was also a woman.

What made me even sadder was the fact that this young man was right about part of his statement. At this time, there were no men involved in Sunday School or Children’s Church. I told some of the men in our church about overhearing this conversation but I don’t know whether or not any of them spoke to the young man. But I applauded the second young man for his passionate attempt to convince his friend to go and participate in class.

Consequently, I would like to encourage church leaders and other men to get involved in helping with a Sunday school class or the teen, youth and Children’s ministry programs in your local church. Even if you don’t have children, perhaps you can be an example and mentor for a young man whose father doesn’t attend church or who comes from a single-mother’s household.

Perhaps by being there—in class—you can convince young men that Sunday School and Children’s Church aren’t only for sissies.