More thoughts from DA:
"But He knew also that the father had, in his own mind, made conditions concerning his belief in Jesus. Unless his petition should be granted, he would not receive Him as the Messiah. While the officer waited in an agony of suspense, Jesus said, 'Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.' "

I wonder how many times we have prevented God from doing miracles to help us by attaching conditions to them like this. "God please heal my child, and please do so in order to make my non-believing spouse believe ..." that sort of thing. Essentially acting out ourselves, "by proxy," the part of the one unwilling to believe unless they see signs and wonders. I know I've done it before ...

Quote:

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What is the geographical relationship between Nazareth and Galillee? Is not Jesus from Nazareth? Why is he called "the man of Galillee"?

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Nazareth is a city (town) in Galillee wich is a province north of Smaria. Jesus preached in the biginning of His ministry in Galillee. Of course, you know that Jesus spent His youth in Narareth after He returned from Egypt as a child.

Are there any superintendents reading this post?
February helps suggest a sabbath school theme song with a cheer and pom poms. (give me an S, give me an A, give me a B).

Does anyone intend on using this song, with clapping, bells? pompoms?

The intention is getting people out of their seats and putting a smile on their faces.

I think that in using the Program Helps you pick and choose the suggestions that are suitable to your Sabbath School. In some Sabbath Schools pom poms, etc. may be suitable while in my home Sabbath School they are not. If I was the superintendent that week I probably would not use them. However, that does not make them wrong to use. I think my Sabbath School just would not be interested.

Nico--I agree with you there. I haven't been to adult SS in a long time, but the helps for the lower divisions have that kind of program "advice". Which is why our church's children's divisions don't use the GC curriculum--they are trivial and really talk down to the kids. They are afraid to challenge the children to actually think. I am Primary leader and used to be Kindergarten assistant (and have two children in the K division) and have to conclude that the persons writing the "official" program haven't ever challenged their students to think about the Bible.

(sorry this is off topic, but I just had to add my $0.02 worth)
M

Michelle,
Not off topic...

We want opinions to help get better sabbath schools

OK JimBob, here is an opinion. Albeit, admittedly, a shallow one on a non-essential topic ...

I opened my quarterly and saw a disturbing image of a woman with her eyes bugged out and her hair flying out from her head as if she'd stuck her finger in a light socket. The caption read, "Wake up your Sabbath School!"

Now, I'm all in favor of the caption's sentiment -- a dreary, soporific SS is a real drag to a lively soul like me who wants to get all into the Word and DISCUSS things and LEARN things. BUT I found the image disturbing. For me that is saying a lot so I don't say this lightly. It was truly disturbing and I did NOT like it. Not one bit. I'm a bit perplexed at my own reaction, to be perfectly honest. The best way I can describe how I feel is to simply say I just don't feel like a picture like that belongs in the quarterly. A better one would have been of people participating in lively discussion with truly INTERESTED and PONDERING expressions, or of the SS all DOING something productive together as a group. I just didn't like "whack lady" as an illustration to accompany the notion of "waking up your sabbath school." I don't think God's definition of being awake means bug-eyed with Medusa hair -- but that's all words after-the-fact, i.e., my own attempt to explain to myself a reaction IN myself which I don't completely understand.

All I know is I want that picture struck. Now. Yesterday. I don't want it in my quarterly. So color me numb/weird/prude/zealot/whatever. I found it offensive and I have no idea why and thus NO ability to explain it or justify it. I just didn't like it.