Systematic Leadership Training. A young woman volunteered to assist the Red Cross in a day long blood drive.  She was required to attend two weeks of intensive training to prepare for that one day event.  Those leaders in our church who are enlisted as volunteers to deal with things of the “blood of Jesus” are usually given little or no training; just get in there and do the job.

For leaders to become vibrant leaders they must be trained to do their ministry with excellence.  Research shows that 98% of the fastest growing churches provide systematic plan for Sunday School Leaders.  What does “systematic plan” mean?  It means that training is planned and when leaders are enlisted they are told in advance about the training including the dates and their expectations to attend.  Here is a strategy I used as a Sunday School Director:

The Sunday School Leader Training Plan Check-List:

• Evangelistic Training:  F.A.I.T.H.; Share Jesus Without Fear; G.R.O.W.; C.A.R.E.
• Set up a S.S. Leader Training Library in hallway for check out
• Books by David Frances, LifeWay Christian Resources (Available free download at www.lifeway.com/sundayschool or for $1.00-$1.50 each from LifeWay Church Resources One LifeWay Plaza Nashville, TN. 37234):

1.  
   1. The Five-Step Formula for Sunday School Growth, LifeWa
   2. The 3-D Sunday School, LifeWay
   3. INVITE I-6
   4. The Discovery Triad
   5. The Connecting Sunday School
   6. Great Expectations
   7. The Transformational Class

• Other helpful Resources: 

1.  
   1. High Expectations, Thom S. Rainer, B&H Publishing
   2. Revitalizing the Sunday Morning Dinosaur, Ken Hemphill, B&H Publishing
   3. Ten Best Practices of Sunday School, Bill Taylor, LifeWay
   4. The Six Core Values of Sunday School, Allan Taylor, Riverstone Group Publishing
   5. Sunday School Done Right, Allan Taylor, LifeWay

• Plan at least one major learning experience per year
• 1. State/Associational Sunday School Training Events
  2. Ridgecrest LifeWay Conference Center – Sunday School Weekends
• Plan regular “Quick Training Segments” in S.S. Leaders Meetings. “Ten Minutes’ Tops for Teachers” Ideas:

1. How to Make a Focal Wall
2. How to Hook Learners Attention
3. How to Jump Start Learning
4. How To Keep Learners Involved
5. How to Apply the Biblical Truth

When leaders are correctly discovered, connected, enlisted, and equipped for their ministry, they are more likely to love what they do because it fits them.  Now, the final step is to empower them.  Get out of their way and let them serve.

______________________________

Phil Stone is the State Sunday School Director for the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.

Set High Standards. There’s a principle that is always constant, we usually get what we expect.  Sunday School leaders are often enlisted with the understanding that it won’t take too much time and work to do this; anybody could do it.

People are busy and they will and can take on a limited amount of responsibility.  Therefore, they want to do something that is worthwhile; not something that just anybody could do.  Who wants to be enlisted to a job that’s not all that difficult or important?  Research shows that 78% of fastest growing churches have high standards for their leaders and have written standards that leaders agree and adhere to. 

I was Sunday School Director of a rather large church in a growing town.  When I enlisted my Sunday School Ministry Team I “Opened a Can of P’s” to present my expectations for the team.  I began with Passion for Ministry.  If the leader didn’t have a sense of passionate calling from God to do the job, then I didn’t want him on the team.

The next requirement was to affirm the Purpose of the Sunday School – To assist the church in accomplishing its mission.  If the leader could not affirm the church mission statement, then I knew they would not fit the team.  I didn’t always require them to, but they should be willing to sign this statement. 

The remaining six statements were not requirements but challenges.  I didn’t ask for Perfection, but I did ask if they would be willing to Persue Progress in each of the six Personal challenges.

The S.S. Ministry Team Commitment and Challenges

• Passion for the Ministry
• Purpose Centered Commitment: “I am committed to the mission of the church:  Signed:  ________________________________________________”
• Personal Challenges: “I will consider the following challenges and will work to Persue Progress in each of them:
  • Pray for God’s leadership
  • Plan with the S.S. Team (annual planning and monthly coordination)
  • Prepare adequately for the ministry
  • Prompt – be on time for the ministry (15 minutes before the first person arrives)
  • Participate in outreach and evangelism
  • Participate in training and equipping for the ministry

Every leader enlisted with these high standards knew what was expected of him/her, and I usually got what I expected.

______________________________

Phil Stone is the State Sunday School Director for the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.

The unsuspecting church leader was walking from his Sunday School class to the sanctuary for worship when out of nowhere, a hand grabbed the nap of his neck and directed him to a semi-abandoned classroom where he was unceremoniously enlisted to teach 5^th and 6^th grade boys next year in Sunday School.  He had said ok before he knew what had happened.

All he knew was that there were some kids who needed a teacher and the nominating committee had thought that he’d do a good job.  He wanted to help out, but wasn’t sure this was the place.  He thinks, maybe, God in His wisdom had directed the committee to my name.  Who knows, it just might be God’s will.  ‘Guess I’ll find out sooner or later.  Anyway, I start next week.  Wonder what book I’ll be using to teach from?  I’ll just pick a Bible passage.  ‘Can’t be too hard; surely I’m smarter than a fifth grader!

This enlistment story is all too real and pervasive in Baptist life.  It takes seriously neither the Sunday School ministry nor the giftedness of the leader.  Vibrant leaders are not enlisted this way.  What would make it better?

An enlistment process that takes seriously the ministry and giftedness of the leaders enlisted. This is the enlistment process I used as Sunday School Director of my church: 

Enlistment Process For Sunday School Ministry Team and Leaders

1. Pray for God’s leadership.
2. Make an appointment to meet face to face with the potential leader.
3. Interview person and seek his commitment to the Mission of the Church
4. Emphasize how the S.S. ministry purpose supports the mission and values of the church.
5. Discuss his Passions and Gifts and affirm that his/her gifts are needed for S.S. ministry
6. Present the ministry position and share details of the job description
7. Share resources and curriculum to be used in this ministry position
8. Tell about training opportunities with specific dates.
9. Share the time investment and work required for the ministry with specific dates for annual planning and monthly/regular coordination.
10. Share the high standards for team members.
11. Allow time for prayerful consideration
12. Set time to check back with member.
13. Make second contact and seek commitment.

I discovered that people respect a ministry position when they are enlisted with respect.

______________________________

Phil Stone is the State Sunday School Director for the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.

There is a principle that is not refutable; we enlist our problems or potential.  The way a person is connected to his/her ministry position often determines the effectiveness of the ministry.  Think about it. How were YOU enlisted?  If you’re like many wonderful, committed members you were approached in the hallway of the church. Or maybe you were called on the phone and presented with a “hole that needs plugging” and identified as the person that needs to fill it whether you fit the “hole” or not.

Often these wonderful members love their church and her people and want to help, and they say yes.  They don’t intentionally want to do a poor job, but they do because their gifts fail to fit the ministry.  The Nominating Committee may be notorious for “plugging holes.”

A transition to a Ministry Connection Team can change the focus from the “hole that needs plugging” to the person with passions, gifts, and life experiences who needs to be connected to a ministry that fits him/her.  A Ministry Connection Team starts with the person not the position.  It works to discover the gifts of the church members and then connect them to a ministry that they will love.  The Ministry Connection Team enlists the Sunday School Ministry Team Leader who then uses the same principles to connect gifted people to ministry positions on the Sunday School Ministry Team.

Principles of Discovering and Connecting People to the S.S. Ministry

1. Pastor:  Communicate the mission of the church and ways the S.S. will accomplish this ministry 
2. The Ministry Connection Team uses a Passion and Spiritual Gift Survey to discover the passions and gifts of the congregation.
3. The Ministry Connection Team discovers, interviews, and enlists a church member whose gifts fit the ministry position of the Sunday School Team Leader.
4. The Sunday School Team Leader works with the Ministry Connection Team to discover, interview, and enlist those with gifts that fit the S.S. Ministry Team.
5. The Sunday School Team Leader sets high Standards 
6. The Sunday School Team invites leaders to become specialists
7. Each S.S. leader will be enlisted with the same process.
8. Each leader’s name is pre-screened and confirmed by the church Ministry Connection Team before they are enlisted.
9. All leaders enlisted are affirmed by the congregation.

______________________________

Phil Stone is the State Sunday School Director for the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.