When you stand in front of a Sunday school class, you may look at the little ones who are interested in what you have to say about spiritual matters and sometimes wonder how to engage them in meaningful discussions about faith. Sunday school is most beneficial to kids when it helps them think for themselves and want to learn more about the church, Bible, and faith that they have. Here are five open-ended questions that can help you lead your Sunday school students in excellent discussions.

Question #1: What do you think this Bible verse is trying to tell you?

This question can help children think critically about certain verses of the Bible. That can help them get a lot more out of reading the Bible, even when they are not in church. If children struggle to answer this question, you can help prompt them with your own ideas on what it is stating.

Question #2: When was the last time you had to make a difficult moral decision?

This is a tough question, but the answers may inspire you to talk about many different lessons from the Bible that you may not have otherwise been inspired to discuss. This can also lead to unintended humor as children talk about moral dilemmas that may seem quite carefree to adults, but that were quite seriously considered among kids.

Question #3: What are your favorite lessons from the Bible?

Many children in Sunday school may have been going to church their whole lives. They may have plenty of lessons in mind. Some may talk about parables and psalms, while others may bring up something that isn't in the Bible. Guide this discussion back to lessons in the Bible that you think would be beneficial for your students.  

Question #4: How would you describe Jesus to someone who has never heard of the Bible?

Some children may be fascinated with this question. Help guide the conversation to the character of Jesus, not a debate about what his physical appearance may have been. Talk about the things that you like to state about Jesus when first talking about your faith.

Question #5: What do you wish everyone else knew about this church?

This can be a fun question that goes in lots of directions. Kids in Sunday school may feel very strongly about their church, and some may have grown up going to the church every Sunday. You can join in and share what you love about the church, too.

Finally, keep in mind that asking your Sunday school students open-ended questions can sometimes bring up some challenging topics. Children can be very open about some very private things. If kids start to get too personal or reveal too much, gently guide the discussion in another direction without making little ones feel embarrassed for sharing the information with the class. When you use open-ended questions in your Sunday school classroom, you may notice that it empowers kids and teaches them about both spirituality and open communication with others. For more information and ideas, contact a church like New Gethsemane Baptist Church.