A church in our area recently dealt with a situation that made me think harder about the way many congregations approach adult Sunday school.

This church of about 150 people gathers for a worship service first, then breaks into age-specific classes afterward. A few months ago, a group of young mothers in the church found themselves loitering together in the church lobby. They wound up spending the entire Sunday school hour sharing updates on life and providing encouragement, without children around to interrupt.

The following week, the women found themselves in the lobby for the impromptu meeting. And then again the next week. And the next. Some momentum began to build.

But in a church of about 150 people, it didn't take long for others to notice. And this is where I found myself challenged by the ways church leaders typically approach adult Christian education.

In a tactful, yet direct way, the church told the women that the weekly gathering couldn't continue in its current form. It seemed ...