Sunday School Leaders

Jan

Go After the People

By Bob Mayfield · Comments (0)

In the previous weeks here at Sunday School Leader, we have focused on the first four principles of Flake’s Formula:

Know your possibilities;
Enlist and equip new leaders;
Enlarge the organization;
Provide space.

The final ingredient of the formula developed by Arthur Flake comes straight out of the Great Commission… “Go”. Go after the people.

Many Sunday School classes and small groups are filled with wonderful people. In your group, you probably have stay at home moms, businessmen and businesswomen, clerks, managers, and more. But one person that is missing in the typical Sunday School class… a lost person who does not know Christ as Savior.

Almost any research you study will reveal the same basic truth: lost people generally are not flocking to our churches. In order to reach them, somebody is going to have to go get them.

Unfortunately, the “somebody” in most of our churches that is going into the community to reach and bring the lost to Christ is actually “nobody”. Far too many of our people think that “somebody” means somebody else. From their behavior, somebody means anybody but them.

As we wrap up our final week of Five Weeks of Flake, we are going to turn our focus to the people who are outside the church walls and are not attending our group. Sunday School used to be called the “evangelistic arm of the church” for a reason – it was! It is time for Sunday School to earn that label again!

You may look around your church as a group leader and realize that very few, if any of your church’s small groups are intentionally focused on bringing the lost to Christ. If I may offer a small suggestion… Do not worry about the other groups. Focus on your group! What can you do, as the leader or teacher of your Sunday School class, to lead your people to be an evangelistic group that brings eternal life to your lost friends and neighbors?

Now… go reach them!

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Bob Mayfield is the Sunday School/Small Groups specialist for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma. He also has his own blog at www.bobmayfield.com

Categories : 5 Weeks of Flake

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Jan

Basic Home Group Space Principles

By David Bond · Comments (0)

My family has relocated several times over the past fifteen years. While numerous tasks accompany this experience, one of the most important is finding a new home. Factors such as location, cost, proximity to school, work, and church, neighborhood, must all be considered. Deciding on the best home is the result of careful evaluation, establishing priorities, and wise management of resources.

What about finding a home for your small group family? For many churches, accelerated growth and limited space may require new groups to meet away from the church building. When churches seek to find off-campus locations for groups, many factors must also be considered.

The Purpose of the Group

For this post, assume the home group is an extension of the Sunday School and is designed to function as an open group. Assist the group members in identifying their target people group whether it is families in the neighborhood or already identified acquaintances from the social circles of group members. Some groups may not choose to meet in a home at all but rather a more neutral location such as a coffee shop in order to engage those who are completely unreached. Home groups should be able to clearly identify their people group.

The Environment of the Home

The host home should be warm and welcoming. While every host wants to be ready for guests, the message should be that real people still live in the house. No one wants to have a small group meeting in a museum. Furnishings, décor, and overall atmosphere should invite group participants to feel at home and in the company of others to whom they can relate. Space should be sufficient for a seating arrangement that allows group members to view each other’s faces. Other considerations such as ease of locating, access, and parking should also be kept in mind.

Participants in the Group

Who will attend the group meeting? Ten single people will arrive in a different number of vehicles than five married couples. If children will be present at the meeting, teenagers will require different space than preschoolers. If the group has children of all ages, the variety of space needs increases again. Access for disabled group members may also need to be considered.

Proximity to the Church

In some cases, groups may meet in a home while their children participate in a program at church. This solution may work, but travel time between the host home and church must be factored into the overall time allotted. Also, consider the strategy you will use to eventually connect small group members to worship and service in and through your church.

Elements of the Meeting

If a meal is a part of the meeting, preparation and serving space should be considered. If the Bible study content is video driven, quality picture and sound is a must. Should the group desire to break off into smaller groups for prayer/accountability, this also may need to be thought through.

Be thorough when selecting a home for your small group family.

Categories : 5 Weeks of Flake, Growing your Group, Mission, New Groups, Small Groups, Space and Facilities, Sunday School

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Jan

Basic Classroom Space Principles

By Tom Belew · Comments (0)

The kind and quality of space for a class or department has a significant impact on overall success of the class. At a minimum space should be clean, attractive and large enough for the current attendance plus a few guests. Age-appropriate furniture and equipment should be in the room depending on the classes or departments using the space. The following chart provides some basic guidelines for the amount of space needed per person by groups:

Access to space is another important concern. Parents with preschoolers and older adult need the space to be convenient to parking, with ground level access.

Adult and student rooms are best painted in soft, neutral colors with a color accent wall or trim. Carpet is the preferred floor covering. The room needs a focal wall with a whiteboard or chalkboard, as well as, chairs for participants and table(s) if there is adequate space. The focal wall needs open space for posters. There should be a cabinet or open shelf for basic supplies. It is a good idea to have a few extra Bibles in the room.

Preschool and children’s rooms are best painted in soft, neutral colors with a color accent wall or trim. The furniture should be age-appropriate. There should be a focal wall or bulletin board for displays with the exception of younger preschoolers. Preschool rooms are set up by activity areas with the exception of babies and 1’s. Preschool rooms need a water source and restroom in the room or nearby. The preferred floor covering is carpet with the exception of vinyl floors for babies-1’s.

Caring for preschoolers includes providing a clean environment where the child can explore, create, learn and play. That means toys, teaching materials, equipment, walls and floors need to be clean and ready for the child. It is important to be aware of cleaning procedures and hygiene practices to ensure a safe and clean environment for the child. For recommended hygiene practices visit http://www.lifeway.com/Article/childhood-ministry-basics.

In conclusion, I want to share some common shortfalls I find when consulting with churches. Entrances and doors are not clearly marked. Today, it is highly important to have a visible registration/check-in process for preschoolers. Preschool rooms often have too many and inappropriate toys (they can produce a safety hazard or might be unrelated to teaching). It is common to find outdated displays and posters on walls and bulletin boards. I find furniture with sharp edges or broken tables and chairs still in use. Often, I find rooms filled with lots of equipment and other items unrelated to its use(s). Learn to think like a guest; look around your room to see if anything would catch a guest’s attention. When we are expecting guests at home we clean house. Why don’t we do that at church? Maybe we are not expecting guests?
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Tom Belew has served as Small Groups and Childhood Specialist for the California Southern Baptist Convention since 2002. He previously served as Minister of Education in churches in Arizona and California.

Categories : 5 Weeks of Flake, Organization, Space, Space and Facilities, Sunday School

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Jan

Space for the Kids

By Richard Nations · Comments (1)

The most important areas in a church building are the Sunday School rooms for the preschoolers and children. Some might want to argue that point, but it’s important that the kids ministry area be top quality.

This is the area of the church that should be well-equipped and should “shine” [...] Continue Reading…

Categories : 5 Weeks of Flake, Flake's Formula, Organization, Space and Facilities

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Jan

Provide Space and Equipment for Sunday School Growth

By Darryl Wilson · Comments (0)

This month, we have been sharing five areas of Sunday School growth that have become known as Flake’s Formula: (1) know the possibilities, (2) enlarge the organization, (3) provide space and equipment, (4) enlist the leaders, and (5) go after the people. In today’s post, we will examine how important it [...] Continue Reading…

Categories : Flake's Formula, Space, Space and Facilities, Sunday School

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