Should You Ever Say “I Don’t Know” In Sunday School Class?

Part of being a Sunday school teacher is getting a heckler. We’ve all had them. Like the student who comes equipped with bedeviling questions such as, “If God is all-powerful, can he create a rock so heavy that he himself can’t lift it?”

Sunday school teachers do themselves enormous favors to not think of it as their job to quickly answer difficult questions—those meant to heckle such as the above, or
even those asked with sincerity. Certain questions you may be well versed in, while others may stump you completely. If you have an answer to a difficult question, give it readily. If not, don’t worry about it.

It is perfectly all right to say “I don’t know.” You can follow the statement up with, “Let me look that up for you this week, and I’ll get back to you.” If the question is worthy enough and grade level appropriate, you can ask if the class would like to investigate it together.

Some of the best teachers out there are really just the best facilitators. They don’t lecture much and they don’t have all the answers. But they admire their students natural curiosity and are willing to learn along with them. Some would say they are enthusiastic students themselves.

Guilt is unnecessary with “I don’t know”

The most important thing is to not feel guilty about not knowing. Kids will read your guilty energy in a heartbeat, and there is no reason to feel guilty. Your students need to understand that it’s perfectly all right to not know everything about God. They need to accept their own questions and occasional doubts as normal and not something to be ashamed of. One of the best ways to bring that acceptance is to let them see your comfortable application of faith while having questions or even doubts.

“I don’t know,” provides a great opportunity to share that no one knows everything, and we don’t wait to proceed with our faith until all our questions are answered. One teacher recently said, “There are plenty of things I don’t know. But I know enough to feel very confident that Jesus is real.”

Sincerity is even more key to easing children’s minds than Biblical acumen. That’s because at some point, any teacher’s knowledge will fall short. Humility is more key than the pride of “knowing,” as humility brings us closer to God, and God is the one with the answers.

However, there are those “chosen few” who will bring up a question for the purpose of stumping a teacher.

Back to basics: It’s not about you

First, understand that a child looking to create confusion is no reflection on you. It has little or nothing to do with you. Often children like this have been taunted at home by caustic doubters who are older and keener in wit than they are. Agitators in Sunday school are frequently under stress, and the questions they raise are a reflection of that stress—not of you and your biblical knowledge base.

These children will take “I don’t know” as a triumph. It’s best in this case to ignore any gloating and merely continue on. It’s a time when “turn the other cheek” comes seriously into play. In a class with the maturity level to contain an agitator, the other children will read his energy and see him as such. Your inability to answer will not bother them, but any guilt or nervousness over the situation will.

What do you think? Agree? Disagree? I’d love to hear your feedback! Just leave a comment in the box below and share your thoughts with our community. And if you would like to receive more free Sunday School teaching tips, lessons plans, activities and games, please join my newsletter by entering your name and email address in the box below, then clicking the “Free Instant Access” button. Thanks!