In the last three years, a new Sabbath School curriculum called GraceLink has been developed for children ages birth through eighth grade. Compared to the old lessons, “I think it is a vastly superior program,” said Del Dunavant, director of Sabbath School Ministries for the Northern California Conference.

GraceLink was created based on extensive research in child development and the learning abilities of different age groups. The new lessons are more colorful than the old ones were and are designed to be more attractive to kids. “My friend came to Sabbath school with me and said that Sabbath school is a lot better than Sunday school at her church,” said a junior Sabbath school attendee.

Not only are the lessons more fun, it is also easier for kids to remember the concepts presented. This is because each lesson is centered on one Bible story and repeated throughout the program to reinforce the concept. In addition, each lesson is designed in such a way that different parts of each day’s lesson meet the needs of different learning styles.

Imaginative learners who ask, “Why should I learn this?” have that question answered in an activity designed to pique the interest of the group. The Bible story part of the lesson encourages analytical learners to look for other scriptures that relate to the lesson. Common-sense learners are given practical ways to apply the principles to their lives. Dynamic learners see how to share what they are learning with others.

Before GraceLink became available, lessons were 20-25 years old and had not been updated to reflect changes in our culture. Sabbath school leaders across the country expressed a desire for new teaching material, and a proposal for new curriculum was accepted by the GC World Curriculum Committee in 1996. A group of specialists representing every world division and supervised by Dr. Patricia Habada were called on to write the new lessons and program activities, the first of which was released in 2000, with three more levels added during the next two years.

Churches all over the conference are adopting the new curriculum into their Sabbath school classes. “Nearly two-thirds of the churches in the Northern California Conference have begun using GraceLink,” said Dunavant.

Many people are pleased that their children are more excited to go to church and attribute that attitude to the new lessons. “I love it. I like the fact that the Bible story is not just used for the lesson but the entire program,” said Gerri Davis, a beginner division leader at Pleasant Hill Church. “The children leave Sabbath school knowing they matter to God, and that He loves them unconditionally.”