December brings its own set of discipleship challenges: Schedules are disrupted. Travel, school events, and church activities make attendance uneven. Emotions run high. Some are energized by the season, others are lonely or grieving. Spiritual openness grows. People who rarely think about God may suddenly find themselves . . .

The adult Sunday School class (or the re-branded "small group"—when it functions well—is a powerful tool for discipleship. It’s the place where doctrine becomes dialogue, and where believers can ask tough questions, share honest struggles, and study Scripture together in community.