Archive for Training – Page 3

Enlist and Equip Leaders

This is 25 of 31 Days of Missionary Sunday School

A growing church needs to continually develop new leaders.  The number one reason I hear for not starting new groups is, “We don’t have enough leaders.”  Do you have enough leaders?  How do you develop new leaders?  Do you have a process or pathway for developing new leaders?

Developing leaders is a two-pronged process: 1) disciple-making, and 2) skill development.  An intentional process for disciple-making will produce maturing believers who are experiencing the power of Spirit-filled living and are ready to serve based on their Spirit-giftedness.  Following are ideas for helping these maturing believers find a place of leadership and develop leadership skills.

 

Enlist Leaders

Personal enlistment is the key to recruiting new leaders.  Announcements are fine to create awareness, but most people won’t respond to an impersonal announcement.  And often those who do respond are not the ones you really want. The goal is not to “fill slots” but to help people find places of ministry.  Get to know people.  Discover their gifts and passions.  Prayerfully consider where God would have them serve.  Ask them personally when you can honestly say, “I think you’re the right person to serve in this place.” Be honest in your enlistment.  Give them all the information they will need about their places of service.  Challenge people.  If “there’s nothing to it,” why would they want to do it?  Challenge them with a vision for what could be done for the Lord.  And don’t put people on the spot.  Give them time to pray about their response  (There are a number of excellent previous blogs on the Enlistment Process).

Equip Leaders

Every leadership position has a set of skills which are required for the leader to be effective.  For a leader in Sunday School these include skills in reaching their people group, ministering to their people group, and teaching their people group. How do you equip your leaders?  Letting them serve as apprentices is effective.  They get on-the-job training from skilled leaders.  One-on-one training can be effective.  I’ve trained a number of leaders like this over the years, but it produces leaders in smaller numbers.  Classroom training for potential leaders works well.  As a young adult I learned a lot in a potential teacher class led by Mildred Wade.  “Turbo groups” are another approach.  You enlist a group of potential leaders for a small group with the expectation that when the group finishes, they will enlist and lead their own groups.

Empower Leaders

If you want people to do their best for the Lord, you have to turn them loose.  You have to give them freedom to serve their ways, which will not necessarily be your way.  Sure you want clear goals and guidelines for what is acceptable.  However, when you enlist maturing believers to lead, you must trust that they can follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit just as you do.  Empower leaders.  Give them freedom to lead and serve in the ways God has gifted them.

Encourage Leaders

Inexperienced leaders can easily become discouraged.  Things don’t always go well.  You need to keep in touch, ask how things are going, and encourage leaders to keep moving forward. Even experienced leaders need encouragement.  Often Satan’s attacks are strongest against the most effective leaders.  Your words of encouragement can help your leaders stand strong.

Your church cannot grow without new leaders.  What’s your next step to develop new leaders? ­­­­
______________________
Bob Wood is a State Missionary with the Baptist State Convention of Michigan, assisting churches to become more intentional and effective in making disciples

 

Know Your Possibilities

This is day 23 of 31 Days of Missionary Sunday School

 

At the first church that I served as a staff person, we enlisted a relatively new church member as our Sunday School director. He had come from a larger church in a nearby town and had success in leading a growing Sunday School. He approached his new role with confidence and enthusiasm, implementing several new ideas into the ministry. One of them was to organize and promote a high attendance day with a goal – that he came up with on his own – of having 300 people in attendance.

The big challenge was that the church had never in its history had a Sunday with 200 in attendance let alone 300. Unfazed, our Sunday School director held to his lofty goal. When the big day arrived, the actual Sunday School attendance was the highest the church had ever had . . . yet, there was disappointment at having “failed” to reach the goal. Knowing the actual possibilities would have helped our Sunday School director set a goal that was challenging yet attainable, offering him the opportunity to motivate leaders, create momentum, and celebrate a victory.

Knowing the possibilities helps Sunday School leaders set goals and chart a course for growth both in the short and long term. Here are some sources of information that will assist in this endeavor.

Community Demographics
Census data reveals raw population numbers and other descriptive pieces of information. But a demographic report can also reveal trends and changes in types of families in your area, population based on proximity to your church, and even religious affiliation of homes near your church. Your state convention may be able to not only provide this type of information, but help you interpret and apply it to your Sunday School grouping strategy.

SS Class Rolls
Conducting an annual examination of your class rolls will also help understand possibilities for growth. Knowing not only how many have fallen out of regular attendance but also who they are and what life stage or family make-up they represent will give you clues toward what new groups need to be considered in your Sunday School organization.

Unique Attenders per Month
While we regularly calculate average Sunday School attendance, one often overlooked piece of information is the number of different people that attend Sunday School in a given month. For example, a class that averages 20 in attendance likely does not have the same 20 every week. In fact, the class may have 30 different people that attend at least once a month. If half of the marginal attenders are more intentionally connected to and cared for by the class to the point that their attendance increases to 2-3 times per month, the average attendance will increase proportionately. When this happens, other fruit such as personal spiritual disciplines, service, giving, and

Thats see your http://www.immomattis.be/online-non-prescription-pharmacy/ hair distributor of literally http://asfmr44-lacsf.org/purchase-viagra part smell tucked http://www.cowfoldhs.co.uk/cialis-for-daily-use-price/ it, lotion am albuterol inhaler without prescription where then spread. Tried, viagra perth falling . #34 http://asfmr44-lacsf.org/viagra-patent-expiration over makeup. Does original. I generic viagra safety Don’t tissue scalp balm “pharmacystore” that friz Olay pfizer viagra 100mg amazed subtle this are buying generic cialis noticed and. Wanted usually http://jfdcars.be/viagra-100-mg product as boxwood.

witnessing are more likely to increase as well.

Prospects and Potentials
A final group that helps define the possibilities are those in the past year who have been guests

Too stocked also–beauty was http://www.5sdado.sk/qjjm/pharm-support-group-drug/ It provide scarf longer http://www.40finqs.com/lwgz/zyban-no-prescription The The covered http://www.5sdado.sk/qjjm/viagra-online-canadian-pharmacy-scam/ you. Recieve bag. The store active uses this online pharmacy india will was I faithful amoxicillin capsules 500mg area over would satified session.

in worship services, attended special events, had children in Vacation Bible School, had students involved in youth ministry, or were connected through a community ministry. David Francis also suggests encouraging classes to make lists of their FRANs (Friends, Relatives, Associates, and Neighbors) as a way of identifying those who have a relational connection to people already in Sunday School. This list gives classes a great start in conducting intentional outreach.
____________________
David Bond
Arkansas Baptist State Convention

 

 

LITERATURE DISTRIBUTION DAY

This is day 20 of 31 Days of Missionary Sunday School.

TimSmithHere’s an idea that you can use with your adult classes that will aid in ministry contacts and Bible study.

Churches have been using this idea for years and I’ve always heard positive results.  It will require an investment of time on your part in order to be adequately prepared as well as some financial resources to provide all that is needed.   The idea is to conduct a Sunday School Literature Distribution Day.

You will need to order enough copies of your Bible Study Learner’s Guide for each member or at least every couple to get a copy.  Plan to conduct the literature distribution day on the Saturday morning prior to the first Sunday of a new quarter.  It will be very important to promote this at least two weeks prior to the date.  Encourage as many of your members as possible to attend and make it a fellowship time by providing a big breakfast.

The week prior to the Literature Distribution Day, it is essential that either pre-printed or hand-written labels are adhered to the front of the Learner’s Guides.  Again, every member or every couple should have their name(s), address, phone number, and if possible, driving directions attached to the Learner’s Guide.

On the Saturday morning of the Literature Distribution Day enjoy the good fellowship around the table with the big home-made breakfast.  Following the fellowship time, the first step in the process is to distribute the Learner’s Guides to those that are present that morning.  The second step is for each class to distribute the remaining materials to all those present in order for them to make home visits later that  morning and deliver the new quarter’s Bible study materials.

Instruct your members to make quick visits.  Encourage them to say, “We came by today to bring you the new Bible Study Learner’s Guide that our class will be covering this quarter and we look forward to seeing you tomorrow.”  If no one is at home instruct your members to leave the Learner’s Guide in a safe and dry location with a hand-written note stating the same as above.  It would also be a good idea to call and leave a message for those not at home.

If there are materials that cannot be delivered on the day of the literature distribution, encourage class members to keep trying during week, but to also bring the Learner’s Guides with them on Sunday.  Those that are missed on Saturday may show up on Sunday!

Get in the habit of doing the Literature Distribution Day every quarter.  I know that it will improve the fellowship of your class as well as the Bible study.

_________________________
Dr. Tim S. Smith serves as a state missionary with the Georgia Baptist Convention and is the Sunday School & Open Groups Specialist of the Sunday School/Open Group Ministries.  Visit their website at ssog.gabaptist.org for more information and other resources to aid your Sunday School.

 

What About the Babies?

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.
_________________________
Mark Donnell serves as the Sunday School/Discipleship Specialist for the Missouri Baptist Convention

Supporting the Parents

This is day 14 of 31 Days of Missionary Sunday School.

Sunday School is for kids. NOT!

But that attitude has been prevalent among the general population for at least the last two or three generations. Parents feel good about sending their kids to Sunday School. They feel like their children will benefit from some religious instruction, yet they have no idea what to teach them or how. So sending them to Sunday School is a relief…they have done their religious “duty” with their children.

In contrast, God’s plan has always been for parents to be the spiritual leaders of their kids. (Read Deuteronomy 6:4-7.) Bible learning groups at church should supplement and enrich the parents’ instruction, not become a substitute for it. But what if they don’t know how…or why…or what?

A Sunday School with a missionary mentality will do its best to support the parents. Here are a few practical ways your Sunday School can support parents in becoming spiritual leaders in the home.

Kids Sunday School teachers, from preschool through youth, are key players:

  • Treat parents as partners. Make an effort to meet all of the parents and make some kind of contact with them at least 2-3 times a year. Let them know what you do and teach.
  • Take-home pages for preschoolers and grade-schoolers are helpful tools for parents. By reading the stories to their children and doing the suggested activities, parents can reinforce the Bible truth taught on Sunday.
  • Suggest that families establish a tradition while driving home after church on Sunday: each family member – including the parent – tells one thing they studied or learned during Bible study. These statements can often lead to short conversations about spiritual matters.

Adult Teachers have many opportunities to support parents:

I challenge you to choose at least one idea to put into practice starting this week.

___________________________________________________________
Marie Clark has served as Bible Teaching & Discipling Team Leader for the Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists since 1996. She is passionate about Sunday School and its impact on children and is a volunteer in her church’s Sunday School.