Training :: Sunday School Leaders

Apr

Training Sunday School Leaders is More than an Event

By Mark Miller · Comments (0)

In virtually any work responsibility, some level of training is necessary, both at the time a person begins employment and CONTINUING training (education) to maintain peak knowledge, skills, and professional certifications.

Jesus modeled the value and practice of training in His earthly ministry. He invited people to follow Him, and those who did were disciples (students or learners). He taught them by word, example, and experience. Then He sent them out to use what they had been taught. When they returned, He talked with them about their experiences and continued their training. When His earthly ministry was completed, He commissioned them to continue that mission and gave them His Spirit to enable them to accomplish that work.

In order for the Sunday School to be healthy and lead the church to reach, teach, win, and develop people, leaders must be equipped to accomplish their ministry with excellence.

How can this training be done? Let’s answer that question in three dimensions—training by the leader individually, training by or within the church, and training beyond the church.

By the leader individually

Read a book, article (print or web), or magazine
View a DVD
Listen to a CD, including a book on CD
Complete a workbook

Note: when using either a DVD or CD item, have a printed listening guide to enable your leader to take notes and better retain the content

Two excellent web sites are www.equippingu.org (TBC) and www.lifeway.com/sundayschool.

By or within the Church

Training session(s) at the church—led by persons in the church or outside persons
Book discussion club—read a chapter each week, then meet for no longer than one hour each week to discuss key points and make practical application of the content
Observation—have a prospective leader observe a good leader in action. This works best if, for example, a teacher gives some orientation before the observation, provides a list of things to look for, and then has a time of debriefing of the experience.
Apprentice—this is a longer term relationship in which the person being trained works alongside an experienced leader over a period of several weeks or months. This usually involves times of planning together and steadily increasing amounts of leadership by the apprentice.

Beyond the Church

Training offered by the local association or through the state convention and Lifeway Christian Resources enable the church to provide excellent inspiration and practical ministry knowledge and skills to new and veteran leaders.

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By Wayne Etheridge

Sunday School Consultant and member of Oak Valley Baptist Church, Franklin, Tennessee.

Categories : Enlistment, Sunday School, Training

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Nov

How is Riding a Segway like Moving your Sunday School Forward?

By Tom Belew · Comments (1)

Recently I had the opportunity to use a Segway over a period of several days. Just to refresh your memory, a Segway is a two-wheeled, self-balancing electric personal transporter invented by Dean Kamen. It got its name from the word “segue” meaning “a smooth transition.” Leaders know leadership will require change, and a good leader wants the change to be “a smooth transition.”

As I rode the Segway, I begin to notice the similarities between ride a Segway and leading a Sunday School. I hope you find these parallels helpful as you leader Sunday School:

Put on your helmet – we want to be prepared for success. The Bible encourages us to put on the “full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil.” Eph 6:11 (HCSB)
Secure experienced help – we want to ride the Segway through smooth transitions. The best way to keep a Sunday School moving forward and running smoothly is to build a team of experienced workers.
Training or coaching is helpful at first – we want to acquire the insight and skill to have a great ride. By attending training or securing a coach you will keep yourself attentive to the needs of your Sunday School and learn to be a better leader.
Have your destination in mind – on a Segway we can get in trouble quickly if you do not know where you are going. What is the destination of your Sunday School? How will you know if you’re getting closer? Will you know when you get there?
Balance is critical – I learned quickly that I could fall off a Segway. Sunday School has a lot of balance issues as well. We find ourselves struggling to balance having enough workers, starting new units, ministering to those we already have and motivating members to witness to others.
Success requires focus – riding a Segway is not a mindless, fun experience. You have to steer the path without falling as you go along an ever-changing landscape. A Sunday School is an ever-changing landscape. Quickly you can lose a teacher or a class can outgrow their space. A clear focus will make the ride smooth.
Trying something new is risky – I was hesitant to try the Segway at first. In fact, it is my nature to be hesitant about something new. In trying the Segway, I had a enjoyable experience I would have missed without taking a risk. Are you missing the great experiences God has in store for you because you are hesitant to take a risk?

Are you ready for the ride of your life? Lead your Sunday School!

Categories : Great Expectations, Leadership, Mission, Sunday School, Training

Comments (1)

Nov

Leaders Multiplying Leaders to Serve

By Sean Keith · Comments (1)

And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 2 Tim 2:2 (HCSB)

One of the most difficult roles for an adult Sunday School teacher is to equip men and women to serve as God has gifted them. In many cases, members must leave their class in order to serve somewhere else. All of the leaders in preschool, children, students and adults come from Adult Sunday School classes. Adult Sunday School teachers/leaders need to be multipliers.

The key responsibility of every believer and every church is to make disciples. Too often success for a Sunday School class or small group is measured by attendance. The Sunday School teacher/leader that fulfills the Great Commission mandate is measured not in how many you get to stay but in how many you send out.

The real question is how do I do that? How do I disciple adults to be missionaries in our own church and community? The simple answer is that it has to be an intentional plan and action by you. Oddly enough if you have little or no expectation of people in your Sunday School class; they will live up to that standard. They will simply find a spot to squat and soak.

But if your intention is to make and send out “witnesses…who will be able to teach others also”; then your class members will have a standard to work towards and a goal to achieve. Not everyone is ready to serve at the same time nor in the same way. The key is to work individually to accomplish what is best for each one.

At a church I belonged to in Tennessee, the adult class we joined was taught by Bill. On a Sunday in August he told the class: “If you have sat in my class for 2 years or more, you need to know I have taught you all I know and it’s time for you find a place to serve in our church”. He knew that his job was not to keep people well fed (spiritually) and happy in his class. His job was to prepare each of them to serve.

Not everyone is ready to serve. Our job as leaders is to continually encourage people to discover their role in the “body of Christ”. Maybe it’s time to challenge your people to stand up and step out in order to serve. Start today to plan and act intentionally to challenge and prepare your class to serve. Some will stay and help. Hopefully, many will “GO” and serve somewhere else.

Sean Keith is the Sunday School/Discipleship Strategist for the Louisiana Baptist Convention. www.lbc.org/churchgrowth

Categories : Growing your Group, Leadership, Sunday School, Training

Comments (1)

Nov

I’m New, Help!

By Richard Nations · Comments (1)

So you’ve been enlisted to be a Sunday school teacher and this is your first time to serve in this role. You probably have some questions. These may have been answered by the person enlisting you or maybe you didn’t think to ask them as this role was being discussed with you. Here are a few questions you will want to ask and maybe you can think of some others:

Who are the members of the class? Do we have their contact information? Do we know anything about them, for instance, their birthdays, their family members, etc? Can the church office help me find this information out if it’s not on our Sunday school roll book?
Do we have a prospect file? Are there people who would possibly come to the class if we invited them? Do we know their contact information or anything about them? Are there some family members of our existing members who would be prospects? Do we know their spiritual condition?
What Sunday school materials are available for our class? No doubt there is a leader guide and some learner books. Is there also a resource kit (tied to the curriculum)? Maps? Charts? Any videos available? Do we have a budget if we need supplies, etc.?
What training is available to me or expected of me? Does the association, the state convention or the church have any training events planned or is there something available via the Internet that can help me become a better teacher and Sunday school leader? Do we have Sunday school teacher/worker meetings in our church?
Who are the people in our class that are potential leaders to help with this ministry? Do we have a substitute teacher or better yet an apprentice teacher (being trained to become a teacher someday also)? Do we have someone “keeping track of people” (a class secretary)? Do we have people who are focusing on outreach, prayer, care groups or social activities?

There are a lot of questions that could be asked. This will get you started thinking in this direction.

What other questions would you have or would you pose as good questions for a Sunday school teacher to be asking? Post a reply to this blog and let’s talk about it?

Blog post by Richard Nations, Church Health Team Leader for the Baptist Convention of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa.

Categories : Ministry, Sunday School, Teaching, Training

Comments (1)

Aug

Expect Class Leaders to Train

By Darryl Wilson · Comments (6)

Consider this scenario. You are giving one of the most important jobs in the world to an individual. The job has the potential to impact individuals, families, communities, the nation, and even the world. History could be changed through carrying out the job effectively. How much should you expect of the person filling the position? How high should the expectation for training be set?

The potential for every Sunday School leader is this very scenario. (Think about teaching Billy Graham as a teen.) But there is an even greater factor: teaching can impact the eternal destination of those without Christ. Our Lord deserves our best effort. This can be achieved through a growing relationship with Him, prayerful preparation, and effective training.

Expect class leaders to train. When a class leader stops learning, he or she stops growing. Bank tellers, school teachers, and salespeople are required to receive training regularly. Sunday School is no less important. There is so much to learn about the assigned age group, teaching, learning, the Bible, biblical history, reaching, records, evangelism, fellowship, caring, ministry, serving, relationships, communication, group dynamics, and more.

Expect class leaders to train. When leaders are enlisted, share the expectation for training. Make training attendance part of the job description and/or worker covenant. These two first steps are essential.

Expect new class leaders to train. Require new leaders to complete training prior to serving. This can be delivered through one-on-one meeting, video, internet, reading assignment, or other. Cover the basics and develop the relationship. Help new leaders know where to get resources and help.

Expect experienced class leaders to train. But what if no training expectations were communicated? Gather class leaders to work on a worker covenant that includes training as one of the areas of conversation. Their expectations may exceed yours!

Expect class leaders to train. Class teachers serve as coaches for all class leaders. The job of the coach is to get to know leaders, ask questions, check on progress, listen, and offer help. With the right questions, doors for training conversation will occur naturally.

Expect class leaders to train. Move toward requiring every leader to complete training annually. Provide training delivery variety to address different learning styles and schedules. Make it interesting and relevant. Keep it brief. Hold leaders accountable to complete the requirement.

Expect class leaders to train. Watch them blossom. Watch as individuals, families, classes, the church, the community, the nation, and even the world are impacted!

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Darryl Wilson has served as Director of the Sunday School Department for the Kentucky Baptist Convention since 1997. He served as Minister of Education in churches in South Carolina and Kentucky. He is the author of The Sunday School Revolutionary!, a blog about life-changing Sunday School and small groups.

Categories : Great Expectations, Leadership, Sunday School, Training

Comments (6)

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