Sunday school teachers and Christian educators from the Diocese of Karnataka North in the united Church of South India have received training to develop child-friendly churches. They gathered at the CSI Synod Centre in Chennai for three days of training, sponsored by Evangelical Mission in Solidarity, a German-based mission agency. The training was organised as part of a challenge “to reach out to children with a commitment to establish God’s reign in this present world.”

The training covered a range of areas, including teaching methods, given by the Principal of CSO College of Commerce, Dr Kamala Dhawale; reading and interpreting the Bible from children’s perspectives , given by the Assistant Professor of Theology at the United Theological College in Bangalore, Dr Rohan Gideon; and “contemporary challenges” such as the “culture of materialism” and the “culture of hatred”, given by Solomon Paul, the Director of CSI’s Youth Concerns department

It also covered the importance of understanding children’s emotional and psychological needs, and basic principles of counselling and how to apply them appropriately in Sunday school education.

The provincial General Secretary, Dr D R Sadananda, finished the three-days with a session “highlighting the tremendous scope of instilling Christian values in children for the growth of the church in the Indian scenario,” the CSI said.