Archive for Space – Page 2

Understanding the Basics of Square Footage for Sunday School Classroom

By Dr. Tim S. Smith · Comments (0)
Wednesday, September 14th, 2016

squarefootageWHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? How much water can you put in a gallon bucket?  It’s not a trick question!  How much water can you put in a gallon bucket even if you stand over it for eight hours with the garden hose going full blast?  It makes no difference because the answer is the same; a gallon bucket can only hold a gallon of water.

 

The same is true of the Sunday School classrooms at your church.  No matter how hard you work that space is only designed to handle a specific number of people but it does vary from age group to age group.  There will be some that disagree on the following recommendations for each age group but it will not differ enough to make a major impact.

 

WHAT DO I DO? In the preschool classrooms the recommendation is 35 square feet per person.  In the children’s classrooms the recommendation is 25 square feet per person.  In the youth and adult classrooms, the recommendation is 18 square feet per person.  To determine the maximum capacity for your classroom you need to know the square footage of the room.  Measure the lengthen of one wall and then multiple that by the lengthen of a connecting wall.

 

For example, we have a preschool classroom 350 square feet.  We divide the recommended square footage per person; 35, into 350 and it gives us our MSSA (maximum Sunday School attendance) of 10.  To get an even better grasp on the potential of our classroom we need to discover what that space can average in attendance.  The general rule is 80% so our example classroom should be able to average 8 each week in Sunday School.

 

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Dr. Smith serves as a state missionary with the Georgia Baptist Mission Board and is the Groups and Faith Development Specialist.  Visit their websites at gabaptist.org/groups/ or gabaptistgroups.org for more information and other resources to aid your Sunday School or Small Group ministry.  You can also connect with Dr. Smith at facebook.com/GABaptistGroups, twitter.com/GABaptistGroups or pinterest.com/GABaptistGroups.  Dr. Smith’s email address is tsmith@gabaptist.org.

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Categories : 100 Small Changes, Space, Space and Facilities, Sunday School

Space for Our Groups to Operate

By Darryl Wilson · Comments (0)
Tuesday, August 11th, 2015

TinyClassroomDo you love or hate the space in which your group meets? The best space is nearly invisible. It fits. There are no distractions like noise, glare, smell, etc. The temperature is just right. The encounter with God in His Word is fresh, fun, and life-changing with never a thought about the room.

But space is also a function of group size. A small group in a large space can feel depressed. A large group in a small space can feel excited while at the same time feeling crowded, dangerous, and uncomfortable.

Going a bit farther, space and group size impacts social dynamics within the teaching and learning environment. Let me share about the three most relevant group sizes from Joseph Myers’ The Search to Belong: Rethinking Intimacy, Community, and Small Groups. Think about them this way:

  • INTIMATE. You tend to know a lot about these people. How you teach one or two persons is a lot different. You share more honestly. This might include subgroups during group time or even prayer partners. Teaching and learning is more conversational.
  • PERSONAL. These groups might include a dozen. You tend to know names and stories. As group size increases past six, watch the teaching-learning expectation shift toward the teacher talking more. Home groups and smaller classes, especially in smaller churches, often have groups this size.
  • SOCIAL. You know many names and some stories. There is not time for everyone to talk. Lecture is common. Involvement demands subgrouping, which is facilitated best in open space. These are often larger classes, often in larger churches.

Make the most of your space and group size. In order to make disciples (as Jesus commanded in the Great Commission), don’t allow your room size (space) to dictate your methods. Personal and social size groups can change up teaching-learning dynamics simply by breaking the group into subgroups for part of group time. Spend time with individuals away from group time. Your investment in these ways can change you, them, and the group.

Also, expect your group to grow maturationally and numerically. But with growth comes change in group dynamics. Lead the way with care and sensitivity. Make the most of your space!

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Darryl Wilson serves as Sunday School & Discipleship Consultant for the Kentucky Baptist Convention. He served as Minister of Education in five churches in Kentucky and South Carolina and is the author of The Sunday School Revolutionary!, a blog about life-changing Sunday School and small groups.

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Categories : 31 Day Countdown, Space, Teaching
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The Principle of Three

By Belinda Jolley · Comments (0)
Tuesday, August 28th, 2012

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.

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Categories : 31 Days of Missionary Sunday School, Bible Study, Enlistment, Evangelism, Leadership, Learning, Ministry, Mission, New Groups, Prayer, Small Groups, Space, Space and Facilities, Sunday School, Teaching, Training

Providing Space

By Rick Ellison · Comments (1)
Sunday, August 26th, 2012

This is day 26 of 31 Days of Missionary Sunday School.

Providing Sunday School space effects multiple parts of your church’s ministry. In Mark 2, Jesus was teaching in the house one day. The place was packed out and there was no more space, not even in the doorway. Four men carried a paralytic to be healed by Jesus, but there was no room for him. The men removed the roof and lowered the man on the mat down to Jesus. Healing took place and this man’s life would always be richer for the healing experience.

Providing adequate Sunday School space impacts your ministry in many ways. It allows for the starting of new Sunday School classes where new people may be reached. It allows for existing Sunday School classes to be able to include new people. It effects the number of people receiving Christ and being baptized in your church. It effects the number of people growing through life changing Bible study. It effects the number of people receiving ministry.

When space is provided and new adult classes are started it has a dramatic impact on financial giving to the church. When new adult classes are started there will typically be an average attendance increase of about 10 people per class somewhere in the organization. I recently studied a church where the average per capita giving was about $47.00 per Sunday per attender. If the church started five new adult Sunday School classes and the average attendance increased by 50 people per Sunday, can you imagine the financial impact? That would translate to an increased giving for ministry and missions to $2,350 per Sunday or$122,200 per year.

The office that relates to Sunday School in your state convention can be a valuable resource in helping you to evaluate the amount you need and use of your space. They can often help you project future attendance and giving as you increase the Sunday School organization. Please remember that you should assess your Sunday School space, because 80% full capacity can begin to inhibit your growth.
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Rick Ellison: Office of Leadership/Church Health at Alabama Baptist Convention State Board of Missions

 

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Categories : 31 Days of Missionary Sunday School, Bible Study, Ministry, New Groups, Small Groups, Space, Sunday School, Teaching

What About the Babies?

By Mark Donnell · Comments (1)
Saturday, August 18th, 2012

This is day 18 of 31 Days of Missionary Sunday School.

I’m about to be a grandfather!  Our daughter is just a few weeks away from giving us our first grandchild.  Needless to say, my wife is busy dragging me around to every store that has anything to do with babies.  I have noticed a couple of things while looking at cute little baby socks and rattles.  First, baby stuff is expensive!  And second, there are a lot of pregnant women and babies with mommy’s and daddy’s out there!  This got me to thinking.  Wouldn’t it be great if all of those babies were coming to church with their mommy’s and daddy’s?  What are we doing to reach those parents and babies?

In my role as a state Sunday School Director, I visit many churches that have a strong preschool ministry.  However, I also have seen many bed baby rooms that are being used for storage.  Many of these churches don’t even have any bed baby teachers enlisted.  Their excuse is, “We don’t have any babies in our church right now, so we don’t need to prepare the room or enlist any teachers.”  What a shame!  Every community probably has a few expectant parents and babies that aren’t enrolled in Bible study.  If we aren’t prepared and actively seeking them how will we ever reach them?

Years ago we had a great program called the Cradle Roll Department.  It ministered to parents and families with young preschoolers.  A few years ago the name was changed to “First Contact”.  It is designed to provide an ongoing emphasis for outreach and ministry through the Preschool Sunday School.  It does this by helping your church discover, locate, and minister to expectant parents and families with babies up to 12 months of age, like those young parents I see in the baby stores.  It provides support through prayer, encouragement, and ministry on a regular basis.  If parents agree, a child may be enrolled in Sunday School.

If your church does not already have a First Contact ministry, you may want to consider starting one.  The first step will be for your church to enlist someone to coordinate the First Contact ministry.  Then you will want to enlist a core group of people who will visit prospects.  Visitors may be:

  • Adults with a love for young families
  • Couples from Young Adult Sunday School classes
  • Preschool Sunday School teachers

You will want to develop plans for locating prospects such as:

  • Birth announcements from newspapers
  • VBS prospects who have siblings 12 months or younger
  • Names given by church members
  • Expectant parents class offered by your church
  • Families who visit during a holiday church event

You will want to develop a plan for ministering to and cultivating relationships with prospects such as Bible studies for new parents; Young Adult Sunday School fellowships; Parent/Baby Dedication services that include church members and prospects.  Many churches provide a copy of BabyLife magazine to new parents.  This is a monthly magazine from LifeWay Christian Resources.  The next step is to develop a budget, train your visitors to make contacts and start the ministry!

David Francis states in “Missionary Sunday School”: “The missionary Sunday School is satisfied only when everyone within its reach has access to a Bible study group appropriate for his/her age, stage of life, and ability to learn (click here to go back to David’s blog post).   Until that happens, there is always more work to do.” This includes expectant parents and parents with babies 12 months and younger.  The question is, “Do we have expectant mothers and parents with babies in our community?”  “Are we doing our best to reach out to these families?”

I’m grateful that my kids and my future grandchild will be enrolled in a loving Southern Baptist Church where they will be loved and cared for.  But my heart breaks every time my wife takes me to another baby department and I see so many babies and expectant mothers that may or may not be enrolled in a Bible study ministry.  I encourage you to seek God’s will about what He would have your church to do.

For more detailed ideas and help in starting a First Contact ministry in your church, contact your Associational Office or State Convention Sunday School Department.
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Mark Donnell serves as the Sunday School/Discipleship Specialist for the Missouri Baptist Convention

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Categories : 31 Days of Missionary Sunday School, Bible Study, Group Life, Growing your Group, Leadership, Learning, Ministry, Mission, New Groups, Organization, Outreach/Evangelism, Small Groups, Space, Sunday School, Teaching, Training
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