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Do you still have Sunday School?Is it accomplishing all you hope?I think sometimes our semantics in CE turn people off. For example the phrases Sunday school or Bible study often evokes a negative reaction in those who have an aversion to academics or a bad personal history in regard to school or study.Growing up in Sunday School, I've seen it done correctly and incorrectly. I've seen adult teachers read verbatim from the commentary and dare to call it teaching. I've also seen teachers who have obviously spent a great deal of time in prayer and preparation.But in many cases, we seem to see Sunday school and Christian Education dying a slow death.Is it because people in general only want to spend a minimum amount of time at the church? They want to get in and get out having done their religious duty? The they want to get to IHOP for pancakes.I look forward to your experiences and opinions

That no one wants to discuss it?

I think there are a myriad of reasons why we see a decline in our CE programs. Our church still has a strong Sunday School ministry but it hasn't been the case in some other churches where I pastored.You mentioned some reasons in your initial post. I think time is at a premium more than ever now. You and I grew up in a time when Sunday School was placed as a priority by parents and family members. Attending church services in general were important. We dropped the ball somewhere. Some churches have tried to change the verbiage in hopes of shedding the stigma. Sunday Schools are now called Life Groups etc. One thing I try to do consistently in the worship service is mention the importance of Sunday School. Explain the benefits of attending on a weekly basis. Of course all of this is contingent upon having excellent teachers who actually are providing a valuable ministry. Most people are not going to sit and listen to a man/woman read verbatim from a quarterly and then go sit and listen to a sermon in the worship service.

The cog I attend has a predominantly older congregation. I’d say at least 75% are retirement age or older. There are usually 20 or so out of a morning worship norm of 75-100, depending on the time of the year(snowbird season).One of the teachers reads word for word from the teachers book, while another teacher almost preaches the lesson.The few teens that occasionally come have no class specific to their age group. The occasional small child is taken to a room where the pastors wife or another elderly lady will have them do a craft or something.Yes...it is sad “Hell will be filled with people that didn’t cuss, didn’t drink, and may even have been baptized. Why? Because none of those things makes someone a Christian.”