Dwayne Lee :: Sunday School Leaders

Sep

Strike up the Band

By Dwayne Lee · Comments (0)

Luke 15:10 says, that “There is joy (Rejoicing) in the presence of the angels over one sinner that repents.” I have to believe that Heaven gets fired up when a sinner comes to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. There is probably a “fan fair” going on in the midst of the angels because of someone finding Christ.

So if heaven can get excited about seeing someone coming to Christ how about you and your class? Do you get excited? When is the last time your class was responsible for seeing someone come to Christ? When is the last time your class was able to celebrate someone coming to Christ? The simple question is: “Are outreach and evangelism a part of your class strategy?”

I believe one of the reasons Sunday school classes miss the opportunity of outreach is because of one word, Evangelism. The truth is most people within our churches and sitting in our Sunday schools are afraid of the “E” word. Surely we do not have people who think that evangelism is the sole responsibility of the pastor or deacons? I would think that our regular church
attendees have heard Matthew 28 enough to know that it is the Great Commission of everyone to go and tell!

So what are some things we can do to help our classes get out of our circles and into the lives of our community?

Pray. Start calling out the names of lost people to God. The class should have a list of lost people you are praying for.
Intentional. Plan, promote, and pull the trigger on getting out in the community. Get involved so they know who you are.
Consistent. Being in the community or scheduling an outreach project is not a one time thing or a once a year activity. It should be a consistent lifestyle of the class.
Evangelistic Gatherings. Plan on the number of evangelistic gathers your class wants to do and place them on the calendar immediately. Invite, invite and invite and then do it well!
Prospects. Have your class make a list of unchurched prospects. Begin praying over this list and begin including them in your projects.

May this help your class get started in reaching the lost in your community. May you celebrate just like heaven does the next time someone comes to Christ because it has been a result of your class being faithful to the call of reaching the lost!

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Dwayne Lee serves as Associate Group Leader for the Bible Teaching/Leadership Team of the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio.

Categories : Outreach/Evangelism, Sunday School

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Aug

Telling your story…Even a Caveman could do it!

By Dwayne Lee · Comments (0)

Everybody has a story! Your children have a story when they do not clean up their room. Your teenager has a story on why they came home late last night. Your employer has a story when your check is going to be late. Your doctor has a story when you have to sit in his office longer than you would like too. Even the guy that gets pulled over by the police office has a story! Everybody has a story, even your Sunday school class!

David Francis, author of the book, Transformational Church Goes to Sunday School states, “No one’s story is complete until it has intersected with God’s story.” Those that are in your Sunday School class whose lives have been changed because of an encounter with Christ have a great story to tell. Why, because it is real! Real life situations have faces and names sharing how
they have seen the Lord work in their life.

Allow your class the opportunity to tell their story. It is a great way to impact learning and build relational intentionality. For the most part people do not have a safe place to practice telling their story. Let your classroom be the practice facility to get their feet wet. Give them time on Sunday!

This is a great way to build your members’ faith and confidence in sharing their story among people they trust, their small community. It will make each person and your class a real-live environment instead of standard fifty-minute routine you go through every week.

If you have difficulty getting started, point to the greatest story teller ever, Jesus! Show how Jesus used stories to make His point, illustrate a message, or convey a truth. Then ask the right questions, and you will be surprised what happens in your class.

Telling your story, it’s so easy…well, you know what I mean!

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Dwayne Lee serves as Associate Group Leader for the Bible Teaching/Leadership Team of the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio.

Categories : 31 Days of Transformational Class, Sunday School

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Jul

Seven Simple Steps toward a Class Outreach Strategy

By Dwayne Lee · Comments (0)

Outreach through a Sunday School class, hum? What a thought! The problem many times is the fact that it is not a thought. It’s not thought of at all. Yet maybe this can spark an interest or cause you to implement something that would revolutionize your class.

First let’s ask some questions:

Do you have an Outreach Director in your class? (He or she may not carry that title but it is someone who is intentional about planning ministry projects in the community.)
How many outreach projects do you want to do in a year? (Remember projects may be large events for a whole community. It may be for one street or you may be ministering to one family.)
Is the class on board? (What can you do to lead them to “own” the events and responsibility?)
Is your Minister of Education, Sunday School Director, and Pastor aware of what you are doing? (May lead to affirmation of the efforts to the class or even the church.)
Do you have the necessary resources to pull this off? (If not, with whom do you need to speak and what do you need to do to be ready?)

OK, now that we have asked a few of the basic questions now lets map out a strategy.

Prayerfully consider what your class can do (Remember as the teacher the class will be looking to you for direction and leadership although you may not be leading the project)
Assemble a small ministry project task force to handle all of the details.
Talk about it every week in class regardless of whether you are in a project or not.
Do not over extend your class or burn them out. (You know your class better than anyone, don’t over do it)
Pray, Pray, Pray!!! (Always bathe everything you do in prayer)
Plan the work and work the Plan!
Celebrate what God has done!

Allow these thoughts to help you and your class as you plan outreach projects for your class. If you are not sure where to start, ask your pastor for help!

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Dwayne Lee is the Associate Team Leader of the Bible Teaching / Leadership Resource Group of the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio.

Categories : Outreach/Evangelism, Sunday School

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Jun

VBS as the Sunday School Prospect Pool

By Dwayne Lee · Comments (0)

Usually one of the largest events that a church will do once a year is Vacation Bible School. It is also one of the largest events that attract prospects for your Sunday school classes.

It is interesting to hear churches talk about their planning and promotion of Vacation Bible School, but not a whole lot is said about their follow-up! By the time VBS is over so are the workers. They think their job is done but I beg to differ. It is only the beginning! Children from all over the community has been in your church for the week (and liked it!). Why wouldn’t we want them to come back and be a part of what we do all year long?

Here are some simple ideas I would suggest for taking the next step:

As Vacation Bible School Director make sure your VBS enrollment is as accurate and complete as possible.
Schedule a time with the Sunday School director to go over the list of prospects.
If your Vacation Bible School teachers are not your Sunday School Teachers, then bring them together to discuss the children that were in the class during VBS.
Have the VBS and Sunday School directors and teachers write separate letters to the children thanking them for be a part of Vacation Bible School.
When the VBS teachers make their follow-up visits (personallyto deliver the child’s last project from VBS week), make sure that the appropriate Sunday School teacher accompanies the VBS teacher during the visit.
Include the Sunday School teacher in the conversation. Make sure that the parents and child hear the excitement of what takes place every week in Sunday school. Offer an example or two of what the class has recently done.
Ask the whole family for a commitment. (What’s the worst they can say?) Go ahead and enroll them before you leave. Make sure all of your contact information is correct.
If transportation plans need to be made, make sure that it is arranged within 24 hours.
Thank the family for their time and leave on a HIGH note!

I hope that will help you see the importance of how VBS and SS work together!

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Dwayne Lee serves as Associate Group Leader for the Bible Teaching/Leadership Team of the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio.

Categories : Outreach/Evangelism, Sunday School, Vacation Bible School

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May

Organize Well with No Regrets!

By Dwayne Lee · Comments (0)

It has been said that your Sunday School is the largest organized group the church has. It’s not the choir or the youth group. It’s not the seniors or the WMU. It’s Sunday School!

If that is the case, then ask yourself the question, “Is it an organized group or structured chaos?” What do I mean by that? Well it’s simple. Many churches have Sunday School because we’ve always had Sunday School, but with not with a purpose. Instead, it can be an organized group that functions like a well-oiled machine with every part hitting on all cylinders. Here are eight questions to check to see if your Sunday school program is organized well or not:

Do your teachers, apprentices, and greeters show up early on Sunday morning (to pray, prepare the classroom, and greet)?
Do your teachers, apprentices, and outreach leaders prepare the classroom for guests (expectancy)?
Is each room free from clutter and organized? Are there things in the room that could be removed or thrown away?
Do teachers stand at the door welcoming people as they arrive (or are class greeters enlisted to do so)?
Are teachers getting feedback from those who are in the class from participatory teaching methods as well as from class members and/or care group leaders?
Do teachers take time each week to check on their class members and guests (or are care group leaders enlisted to do so)?
Do teachers and workers participate in monthly/quarterly/semiannual planning meetings and training sessions? Have each of them enlisted an apprentice who attends with them?
Are your classes fully staffed for growth?

How is your Sunday School doing? Did the questions help you identify some areas of organization that need some attention?

When it comes to organization, it is your responsibility! You may be the minister of education, Sunday school director, pastor, teacher, or whatever title your church has given you. Regardless of title you have the responsibility of assessing, analyzing, and implementing whatever it takes to make your Sunday School the very best organized group it can be.

Because at the end of the day you do not want to look back and say I should have done a better job!

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Dwayne Lee serves as Associate Group Leader for the Bible Teaching/Leadership Team of the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio.

Categories : Organization, Space, Sunday School

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