Here is a sample commitment letter from LifeWay Christian Resources that can be helpful during the enlistment of a Sunday School teacher
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Author Archive for Belinda Jolley
This is day 28 of 31 Days of Missionary Sunday School
Some people can easily identify patterns or trends in everyday life. David Francis identified some patterns involving three things. The following paragraph describes David Francis’ principle of three found in Missionary Sunday School:
“As a general rule, you need three leaders to start a new class. Three words often used to describe the purposes of Sunday School are teach, minister, and reach. One could also describe the purpose in terms of discover, connect, and invite. There
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is a subtle difference between these sets of descriptors. Teach, minister, and reach are usually directed by the SS organization or its leaders. Discover, connect, and invite are three things every class member can do. A group where members—not just leaders–embrace these three dimensions is more likely to be a missionary Sunday School class. The basic idea is that each class has at least three members/leaders that accept primary responsibility for one of the three dimensions, even as they share responsibility for them all.” David Francis, Missionary Sunday School (page 46)
In order for these to be principles, we should expect to see these three things repeated in effective Sunday Schools—Missionary Sunday Schools, that is. I would add a few other principles of three. Steve and I enjoy starting new classes. We have discovered that a core leadership team can only survive three generations (3 class starts) before becoming a deeply rooted class itself. The core leaders need to form at least two leadership teams which accelerates the starting of more new classes.
If someone misses three consecutive weeks of Sunday School, they are much more apt to never reconnect. That’s why missionary Sunday School classes want to and expect to contact every person every week.
Sunday School directors need to ask every Sunday School teacher three things.
- How is your ministry with (age group) going?
- Do you have everything you need?
- How can I pray more specifically for you?
Strong relationships are built from these three simple questions. Most teachers will go on to tell you something about why their ministry is going (or not going) well. It gives you a chance to hear stories you may otherwise miss. You also might be surprised to find that most teachers do not ask for money. Most of their needs involve the use of shared space, better communication, etc. All teachers know you care if you find out how to pray for them and know you do so.
You can probably add other principles of three yourself. Consider using one principle of three at each leadership meeting.
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Belinda Jolley serves as the Director of the Adult Ministry Office of the South Carolina Baptist Convention. Belinda and her husband, Steve, enjoy starting new classes at First Baptist Church in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
This is day 9 of 31 Days of Missionary Sunday School.
Imagine a Roman soldier trying to defend his weapon, his sword, to the enemy who is attacking. The soldier could go into great detail describing the craftsmanship, the type of iron, the strength, the effectiveness of the sword in the past, how sharp it is, etc. We quickly recognize how ridiculous that is, because the Roman soldier would never defend the sword; he would use it. Avery Willis shared this illustration and adds, “The truth of the Word proves itself as authoritative when we use it.” (Truth That Sticks: How to Communicate Velcro Truth in a Teflon World by Avery T. Willis, Jr. and Mark Snowden (NavPress, 2010) p. 106.
What a great reminder that the textbook of Sunday School is the Bible—God’s Word that needs to be shared in the context of relationships. Unfortunately some well-intended Bible teachers may fall into the trap of feeling the need to defend God’s Word. There are a few other traps related to the Bible as the textbook of Sunday School. Do you recognize any of these other examples?
Making Bible study an end unto itself – This mindset results in little or no expectation for life change to come as a result of studying God’s Word. I heard a pastor refer to this as “spiritual obesity”—feeding and feeding on God’s Word but never living it out in life. This teacher might frequently say things like, I didn’t have time to finish the lesson.” In this case, teaching is like something on a checklist one can check as completed each week. I’ve done my job.
Teaching out of personal opinion or personal preference – These teachers are quick to use popular books, magazines, news articles, movies, and personal or public opinion (movies, books, news, famous people) as the main focus of their teaching. They may not recognize how it contradicts Bible truth. This leads to confusion and/or false teaching.
Avoiding touchy subjects because of fear of hurting someone’s feelings – These teachers fail to recognize the power of
the Holy Spirit to convict people of sin as they are exposed to the truth found in God’s Word. God often puts us in a certain place at a certain time because He knows what can happen if we allow Him to speak to us through His Word. Teachers may also hear class discussions that are not based on scripture. I tend to respond to those discussions by affirming many adults talk about that today, or yes we read and hear a lot about that today. However, I usually lift up my Bible and add, “But let’s look again at the passages to see what the Bible says.” If people ask me “Are you saying that ….?” I respond thanking them for asking if that is my opinion or not. I then can clarify this is what the Bible says—what God says—not what I say.
View curriculum or commentaries as the textbook – These leaders may not open their Bibles or reference the Bible as the textbook during the session. They are so focused on curriculum that they forget why they use curriculum. Curriculum provides commentary and other resources to help the teacher and the other learners understand and live out the Bible, but the Bible is always the textbook of Sunday School. These classes often have frequent discussions about not liking curriculum, etc. These classes may also contain learners who only look at a learner guide—never digging deeper into the Bible for further study.
Examine your own Sunday School class. What can you personally do to insure the Bible remains the textbook of Sunday School? What better reminder about our responsibility in teaching God’s Word than the encouragement found in 2 Timothy:
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 HCSB
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Belinda Jolley serves as the Director of the Adult Ministry Office of the South Carolina Baptist Convention. Belinda and her husband, Steve, enjoy starting new classes at First Baptist Church in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
The next generation has become a common phrase in the world today. Recently I heard consumer reports about several next generation products. You don’t have to be a “Trekkie” to know there is a Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation. For the purpose of this blog, the next generation refers to the next generation of Sunday School 
leaders—regardless of age and regardless of how they serve through the Sunday School ministry. How can we equip the next generation of Sunday School leaders?
Recently I am constantly thinking about how we need to address what I call a leadership continuum. Imagine a line running from left to right and numbered 1-10 with the left side representing the lower levels of commit on the part of the leader. The far right would represent a higher level of commitment.
The continuum represents the various ways we grow leaders. None of these levels are bad, but there is a danger in focusing all of our efforts in only one area of the continuum. For example, I do not have to have as high level of commitment to attend a leadership meeting or training at my church as I do in a coaching or mentoring relationship. I also suspect the greater level of commitment required, we may likely find a greater impact.
I am finding most churches tend to do more things on the lower end of the continuum. If we are going to equip the next generation of leaders we need to insure we provide options across the leadership continuum. Recently regular subscribers to this blog read Darryl Wilson’s article, “Enlist and Train Leaders for Sunday School Growth.” Review the options: provide training, coach to success, and apprentice to stay ahead. These are great examples of the continuum.
Plot your course by first evaluating where you are in terms of the leadership continuum. Draw your own line and number it 1-10. Underneath the appropriate area, list the options you now provide for equipping Sunday School leaders. Include everything—from giving someone a book to read, praying with and for potential leaders to the more intensive options such as coaching or mentoring.
Observe where most of your options lie on the continuum. Gather 3-4 other key leaders and pray about how you can challenge leaders across the continuum by providing other options. Be sure to include “next step” options to help move leaders along the continuum. By the time leaders are involved in the higher levels of commitment, they will be growing and reproducing other leaders themselves.
Finally, model what you expect from your leaders. Great leaders want to be challenged. What will you do to equip the next generation of leaders?
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Belinda Jolley serves as the Director of the Adult Ministry Office of the South Carolina Baptist Convention. Belinda and her husband, Steve, enjoy starting new classes at First Baptist Church in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
My grandson has always been amazed by heavy farm machinery. Garrett has had many toy tractors and knows the names of all the farm machinery. As a first grader he now wants to ride with his dad or grandfather on the big tractors. However, he also understands these large machines can be dangerous, as well as helpful.
A bulldozer, for example, may be used to clear out an area on which to build a home—or maybe a barn. The same machine can be used to tear down something—maybe a building that is no longer safe to dwell in or that has been severely damaged by fire or storms. The same piece of powerful machinery can either build up or tear down.
I’m convinced Sunday School leaders hold the same influence—either positively or negatively. One Sunday School leader can have tremendous impact or influence. Whether you are talking about the entire organization or one Sunday School class or group, the truth applies to both.
Imagine Sunday School teachers who are so fearful that “they will split my class” that they deliberately undermine any efforts to start new classes. Their tactics may be open and bold or they may be subtle. The subtle may be more dangerous because people may not see what is happening. You know what I
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mean. “I just can’t imagine not having any of you in my class any more. I just love our sweet fellowship. “
On the other hand, imagine Sunday School teachers that know starting new classes are effective in the church’s mission to make and grow disciples. These teachers are constantly planting seeds that promote starting new classes. They constantly make note of peoples’ gifts or abilities and may encourage them in ways such as, “I’ve noticed how well you relate to our preschoolers when we have class fellowships. Have you ever prayed about how God might use you in a ministry with preschoolers?” These teachers will love everyone, but they keep forging toward the mission. These teachers will tell stories of changed lives and remind classes they would not have met or heard these stories without the folks who once came into their class as newcomers. These teachers celebrate growing and sending out leaders. They probably have photos on the wall of the “class missionaries” who are serving in other age groups on Sunday morning—people for whom they pray often.
The choice is yours. Will you lead in a way that builds up people and, most importantly, builds up the church? Will you keep your eyes on the mission and help others do the same? Or will you choose to lead in ways that tear down people and/or tear down God’s church? Again, the choice is yours. I pray you lead out of a heart that yearns for people to know Christ as their personal Lord and Savior and then come to grow in their lifelong journey of becoming more like Christ.
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Belinda Jolley serves as the Director of the Adult Ministry Office of the South Carolina Baptist Convention. Belinda and her husband, Steve, enjoy starting new classes at First Baptist Church in Rock Hill, South Carolina.