개혁주의생명신학의 영적생명운동 실천을 위한 학원복음화의 한 영역으로서의 '주일학교 아동 선교교육'

Abstract

This paper emphasizes the necessity of next-generation mission education targeted at children in the Korean church for the purpose of sustainable mission work. It seeks to rediscover children as vital human resources for mission and discusses the significance of mission education for this demographic. Children’s mission education is not only a prerequisite for ensuring the long-term viability of the Korean church but also a critical factor in maintaining its vitality. The study discusses the importance of mission education for children from various perspectives, including child development stages, Sunday school, campus ministry, the implementation of a missional church, and Reformed Life theological principles. It proposes strategies for enhancing mission education for children through shifts in pastoral awareness, church support, parental cooperation, and the strengthening of collaborative frameworks. In the early days of Korean mission, foreign missionaries conducted significant ministries through Sunday schools to nurture non-Christian children into faithful Christians. Experiences during childhood have a profound impact on later stages, including adolescence and adulthood, shaping physical, mental, and spiritual development. The Bible also underscores the importance of education during childhood. Mission education for children helps them recognize their missional identity and commit to mission work. Education aimed at children enhances the potential for campus ministry and provides alternatives for engaging children and youth, who are often regarded as an unreached generation. The restoration of the Korean church's missional identity and its continuous growth depend on the realization of a missional church, with mission education beginning in Sunday schools serving as its foundation. The church must establish concrete plans for mission education for children and effectively utilize human and material resources. Pastors should recognize children as missional resources and share the importance of mission education with the congregation. Additionally, parents must consistently support their children's mission education and collaborate to ensure coherence between church education and family faith instruction. Cooperation with various church institutions and external mission organizations is essential. Through this collaboration, systematic and sustainable mission education programs for children should be developed, tailored to the developmental stages of children, enabling them to deeply understand and practice the significance of mission work.