New Groups :: Sunday School Leaders

Jan

Enlarge the Organization

By Bob Mayfield · Comments (0)

Quick! What is one thing that virtually any church, any where, of any size, large budget or small, can do that will reach new people with the Gospel and make more disciples?

The third principle in Flake’s Formula is “Enlarge the Organization”. Okay, you’ve been waiting for this, right? It is absolutely imperative for church’s to start new groups. There it is… it’s out there! Start a new group.

Of the five principles of Flake’s Formula, this principle may be the least applied of them all. Let’s face it: most of our classes and small groups are focused on themselves and branching out to start a new group is not in our DNA. One of the best things that a group can do to enlarge the Kingdom is something that many groups are firmly against!

I was visiting recently with an education minister of a large and fast-growing church and asked him about their growth. He response was that although they were experiencing a lot of growth, the groups that had been together the longest were not growing. Virtually all of their new growth was coming from new groups the church had started in the past year.

Know the Rule of 10
The “Rule of 10″ simply means that for every new group your church starts, attendance will grow by 10 people. So if you want your church to grow in attendance by 50 people this year… that’s five new groups.

Churches are becoming more creative and experimenting with new ways to start new groups. This week you will learn a couple of new ways that churches are starting new groups. Steve Gladen of Saddleback Church has a very aggressive and creative plan to starting new groups that you may need to consider. His post will be up Wednesday the 18th.

How is your church doing? Are you making new disciples? The proven strategy for reaching new people and making new disciples is starting new groups. Join us for a great time together this week.

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Bob Mayfield is the Sunday School/Small Groups specialist at the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma. He also serves First Baptist Church of Moore as Interim Education Minister. Bob blogs at www.bobmayfield.com

Categories : 5 Weeks of Flake, Growing your Group, New Groups

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Jan

The Impact of One Leader

By Belinda Jolley · Comments (0)

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 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.

Categories : 5 Weeks of Flake, Flake's Formula, Growing your Group, Leadership, New Groups, Sunday School

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Aug

Starting New Adult Sunday School Classes

By Tim Smith · Comments (0)

Every year I do a study of the fastest growing Sunday Schools in Georgia. Actually it’s a study of all the Sunday Schools in Georgia, but only the fastest growing churches are recognized. This year I made the effort to speak with all the pastors and/or ministers of education from all the leading churches. When I presented the question, “What is the one thing you did to encourage growth in Sunday School”, they all gave the same response. “Start new classes!”

Understand that they were not talking about starting new classes because the existing classes were full. They intentional started new classes as a growth strategy. They were proactive instead of reactive.

Ask yourself, “Why should my church or my class be concerned about starting new classes?”

New classes often produce spiritual growth.
New classes provide additional opportunities for service and blessing.
New classes often produce numerical growth.
New classes create a sense of excitement and accomplishment.
New classes enlarge the organizational base and provide choices.
New classes can help in meeting the felt needs of individuals.
New classes are more “user friendly” to prospects and new members.
New classes provide an opportunity for chronic absentees to make a fresh start.

Now, I would like to share with you the best process, I’ve discovered, for starting new adult Sunday School classes, but I want you to know that this process is not for every Sunday School teacher. It takes a very special person that has been called of God. It requires a teacher that is secure in their abilities as a teacher and a leader. This process requires a leader that has ability to stick to the goal and encourage others to do the same. I wish every teacher could do this but the truth is most Sunday School teachers are more interested in growing their kingdom than in growing God’s Kingdom.

Here is a Step by Step Process for Starting New Adult Sunday School Classes.

1. The teacher should enlist an apprentice. This is not a substitute teacher but rather a teacher/leader in training. The apprentice should be the teacher of his or her own class in six to eighteen months.

2. The apprentice should teach once per month. The apprentice is to teach when the teacher is present.

The method I follow is …

a. The first week the teacher prepares the Bible study with the apprentice, the teacher teaches the class and then the teacher and the apprentice get together to evaluate the lesson.

b. The second week the apprentice prepares the Bible study with the aid of the teacher, the apprentice teaches the class and then the teacher and the apprentice get together to evaluate the lesson.

c. The third week the apprentice prepares the Bible study alone, the apprentice teaches the class with the teacher in attendance and then the teacher and the apprentice get together to evaluate the lesson.

3. The teacher and the apprentice should do outreach and ministry together. The teacher is not just teaching the apprentice how to teach, yet the teacher is modeling what it means to be a good teacher/leader. Taking the apprentice on visits to prospects, taking the apprentice on visits to members. The class should begin to see the pair as co-teachers.

4. The teacher should announce the birth of a new class six weeks before. The teacher and the apprentice stand before the class and announce the birth of the new class. They also state that the purpose of the new class is to reach new people. Those going to the new class will be considered “missionaries”. Everyone going to the new class will have a job to do. They will be an outreach leader, care group leader, prayer leader, fellowship leader, etc. The teacher and apprentice also say that they are praying about who will go as “missionaries” and in the coming days they will enlist the missionaries.

5. Four to eight members or couples accept a call as “missionaries” to the new class depending on the size of the parent class and if it is a gender graded class.

On the morning of the new class starting, everyone gathers in the parent classroom to celebrate the birth of the new class and commission the missionaries. I’ve had some parent classes actually have a “baby shower” for the new class. One parent class gave their new class and two coffee pots and a $500 gift certificate to Krispy Kreme. You can’t have Sunday School without those two!

6. Veteran teacher takes missionaries to new class. That’s right the veteran teacher takes the “missionaries” to the new class. Remember I said this process was not for everyone.

7. Apprentice teacher becomes leader of established class.

By using this method two new classes are created instead of just one. Once they’ve done it once they will do it again.

It would be great if one class in every church agreed to start a new class every two years and the classes that they birth would do the same. In ten years we would triple in attendance and baptisms. Give it try if you are an able leader!

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Dr. Tim S. Smith serves as the Specialist of the Sunday School and Open Group Ministries of the Georgia Baptist Convention. Visit their website at ssog.gabaptist.org for more information and other resources to aid your Sunday School.

Categories : 31 Days of Transformational Class, New Groups, Sunday School

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Aug

The Power of One Class

By Kiely Young · Comments (0)

Can one Sunday School Class really make a difference?

Indeed it can. The latest Sunday School research tells us that Sunday School done right can still have tremendous impact. And new classes grow faster and reach more people than those classes which have been in existence for more than two years.

Consider beginning a new class with a Teacher, Evangelism Leader, Administrative Leader, Ministry Leader, and Service Leader. Those five individuals, who have been enlisted according to their passion for the work and equipped for their task, will each invite a friend who is not presently attending a Bible Study. This new enthusiasm will get more contagious and those ten will invite a friend. Within 18 to 24 months than class will grow to an average attendance of 20 to 25. Ten of those who have been reached will not have had a personal relationship with Christ and five of those will come to know Christ as their Savior and the class will have the privilege of assisting them in their spiritual growth to mature disciples.

You might be asking, “Does this really work and will it work for me in my church?” It will when you bathe the process in prayer, enlist the people God wants to serve and equip them for service. Yes, they will need continuous nurture and encouragement, but that is part of our responsibility.

Every Adult and Youth class can be a part of helping to start a new class from the existing class. What an exciting opportunity. You will get to reach new people and see them become a part of God’s wonderful family.

Categories : 31 Days of Transformational Class, New Groups, Sunday School

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Jan

Creating a Safe Place for Life Changing Bible Study

By Belinda Jolley · Comments (1)

There are many great ways to involve learners in Bible study, but unless they feel they are in a “safe” place, your efforts are likely in vain. Add to the following suggestions for creating a safe place for learners.

Verbalize this is a safe place. Ask the class to commit to confidentiality when appropriate.
Ask for volunteers or pre-enlisted persons to read or pray aloud. If you pre-enlist someone, introduce them as someone you asked in advance to read.
Ask good questions—open ended questions with no right or wrong answer are the best. Verbally remind people you are not looking for a right or wrong answer. Save these questions for application discussions as opposed to biblical content discussions.
If asking a question with one correct answer, point them to the answer. (Look in verse 12 to find what Paul said about….)
As you make Bible application, consider beginning questions with “What do you think adults today think about…” This will allow people to share what they think within the framework of a bigger, less personal audience. They will still think about what they think as individuals, but they share it as a general thought.
Recognize the more personal the discussion, the fewer people need to be involved. (Share in a small cluster, with the person beside you, etc.)
Constantly point to the Bible as authority rather than personal opinion or popular practices. (Many people say this today. Let’s see what the Bible has to say about this matter.)
Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit working in people’s lives during the session. Avoid pressuring or asking people to share what is happening. Verbalize they do not need to share but offer to pray for the person. As God leads, you may have others surround this person to pray for him or her.
Consider the use of a debate to air popular opinions and practices that may not align with scripture. Getting those out on the table helps the group honestly wrestle with God’s Word.
Recognize people will not be transparent if you are not. Avoid sharing personal experiences every week, but you do need to share how you wrestle with living the Christian life.
Understand some discussions may need to take place at another time and place or with other people. (Many men wrestle with that same issue…one or two of our men will continue that discussion with you later…Let’s talk after class.)
Avoid “taking sides” in a discussion—always redirect to what scripture says. (It is obvious this is an important topic. Let’s see what the Bible says about this.)
Affirm and thank people for sharing something very personal, difficult, or painful.
Provide learning activities that allow for reflection, especially in private matters. (Suggest learning write in their learner guides, write on an index card, etc.
Allow for some discussions to take place within same sex groups, with persons other than one’s spouse or other family members, etc. as appropriate.
Experience the Bible truths for yourself as a teacher. You will be more open to the Holy Spirit’s showing you what to focus on, which key verses to dig into, which verses to overview, etc.
Recognize many struggles will not be resolved during the Bible study session—they will begin there. Affirm people who at least recognize something in their life that is not in line with God’s Word. Affirm that as a valid starting point. Remind the group all believers struggle with living the Christian life. Claim Phil 2:13 as a promise that God can change our desires to match His if we want Him to do so.
Be prepared to tactfully address comments that may appear judgmental or insensitive—even if spoken in jest. (I know what’s going to happen when your wife gets you home, etc.) Routinely remind the class this is a safe place. If “class clowns” continue to try to make something funny out of serious matters, talk with them privately.
Avoid using prayer requests as a time to share “spiritual gossip”. Lovingly confront those who do so in private.