Archive for care – Page 2

5 Primary Tasks of the Member Care Leader

By Jonathan Jordan · Comments (0)
Sunday, October 23rd, 2016

getwellWHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? A Sunday School class is a multifunctional group of people, and one of those functions is caring for members.  Group members need someone to lead them to care, meet needs, and provide support during difficult times.  My hope is that your class has a Member Care Leader or someone leading those functions.

WHAT DO I DO? It is important for the Member Care Leader to organize the group to meet practical needs when they arise. Lead the group to…

  • Contact regularly members to discover prayer needs and communicate those needs to the group.
  • Prepare meals during a time of illness, crisis, or  celebration–such as a birth of a child.
  • Send birthday cards to the group members.  A card can be encouragement
  • Send handwritten notes when someone is going through as challenging times (ex. separation/divorce, financial crisis, family crisis, loss of job, etc.). Email and text are great, but a handwritten note is more personal
  • Send flowers, sympathy cards, or get well cards–as appropriate–on the occasion of the death of a family member (ex. Grandparents, Spouse, Parents, siblings, child,  aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, nieces) or for a surgery or hospital stay.

By leading them to care for each other, group members will learn how to extend the ministry of care as well.

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Jonathan Jordan has been a State Missionary with the Georgia Baptist Mission Board since January 2010 and joined Groups and Faith Development in March 2013. Jonathan’s responsibilities small groups support, college and single adult ministry, web and social media, video training and event coordination.

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Categories : 100 Small Changes, Sunday School
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Anytime, Anywhere

By Darryl Wilson · Comments (0)
Wednesday, October 19th, 2016

carecardWHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? When we enroll people in Sunday School and provide consistent care for them through the class, about half of them will attend during group time (40% in larger churches and 60% in smaller churches). To increase class attendance, we need to increase our enrollment AND our care. And everyone needs to be part of the effort!

Without an emphasis on enrolling new people, classes will not grow and fewer people will be reached. Your leadership and example matter.

WHAT DO I DO? Enroll people anytime, anywhere. How? Consider these ideas:

  • Training. Teach your class about the value and benefits of enrollment. Help them to consider doing so on regular life paths throughout the week.
  • Terms. Change your conversation from enrolling people to adding people to your class care list.
  • Prayer. Spend time praying together about reaching new class members.
  • Goal. Together set a goal for the number of new class members you want to add this year.
  • Plans. Make plans for how to invite, reach, and care for new members.
  • Challenge. Print simple class care list invitations. Regularly give them to your class to share with friends, relatives, associates, and neighbors.
  • Fellowships. Invite people to fellowships, projects, and meals. Ask if you can add them to your class care list.
  • Evaluate. Take time often to talk about progress on your goal and plans.
  • Communicate. Remind frequently.

There are tons more ideas for enrolling anytime, anywhere. Press Comments and share your ideas.

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Categories : 100 Small Changes, Enrollment, Outreach/Evangelism
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3 Ways to Deploy Group Members in Ministry

By Daniel Edmonds · Comments (0)
Saturday, October 1st, 2016

care4otherWHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? The writer of Hebrews (10:24-25) reminds us that we gather to “spur one another on towards love” and to “encourage one another.” Jesus says that His disciples are recognized by their love of one another (John 13:35). If your group does not minister effectively to one another and show love one to another, then it will quickly fall apart.

WHAT DO I DO?

  1. Inside the Group. Each group should set up smaller groups within the group for prayer and ministry. The smaller the sub group (3-5) the better. These groups can be informal, put together on the spot, or formal, an ongoing group. They should meet for approximately 10 minutes to share prayer needs and pray. The smaller group will make this a more intimate time and curtail needless travelogue in prayer requests. If you form groups on the spot, you will be able to better include and get to know guests. As the teacher/leader you may want the guests in your group.
  2. Through the Group. Each Group should have a Care or Ministry Leader(s) who presents the ministry opportunities discovered through prayer groups and contacts. This should not be a lengthy recital of prayer needs, but a presentation of ministry opportunities and making assignments. It should include assigning individuals to contact a group member who is absent and organizing the group to take appropriate ministry actions for group members who are hurting (sick, unemployed, hospitalized, etc.).
  3. Beyond the Group. Encourage group members to become aware of ministry opportunities to unreached people in their relational networks. Organize members, as appropriate, to perform acts of kindness to spread Christ’s love beyond the group. Share stories of ministry that takes place and makes positive impact.

Many groups already have a system of Care Ministry and Prayer Ministry. This is commendable! However, many groups spend more time in prayer requests rather than in prayer and in discussing ministry needs rather than assigning ministry action. If this is the case for you, it may be time to recalibrate your groups and refocus them on ‘why’ they should minister to the group.

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Categories : 100 Small Changes, Ministry, Mission, Outreach/Evangelism, Prayer
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Ministering to Prospects

By Mike Taylor · Comments (0)
Sunday, September 25th, 2016

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? When we think of reaching out to prospects for our groups, we might first consider inviting them to our group meeting.  We have been conditioned in many ways to value the number of prospects in attendance on a given day when our group meets.  This becomes our measure of success.  It is a worthy idea, but the way we approach success with prospects needs to be evaluated differently.conversation2

WHAT DO I DO? Here are some suggestions on how to best reach prospects through ministry.

•    Value the person over the group.  Our goal is reaching and discipling people.  When we do that well, our attendance will reflect that.  Our interest should be on the individual and their needs not the needs the group might have.
•    Discover the needs of prospects. These are discovered when people are engaged in meaningful conversations.  Create environments where these conversations take place.
•    Glean information from these conversations and put ministry into action to meet those needs.
•    Pray for the needs of those we are reaching.  Ask them how we can best pray for their needs.
•    Work together as a group to meet the needs of prospects.  Strategize on how this is best done by connecting with those who can best help with a certain need.

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Categories : 100 Small Changes, Evangelism, Outreach/Evangelism
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Enroll + Care = 50% in Attendance

By Darryl Wilson · Comments (0)
Tuesday, September 20th, 2016

50percentWHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? Too many classes are on an ensmallment campaign–continuing to get smaller. One of the reasons is enrollment decline inevitably leads attendance to follow. For our classes to grow, enrollment must increase. But adding names to the roll by itself is not enough. Care must accompany enrollment. In fact, adding someone to our enrollment is because we and they desire care.

WHAT DO I DO? If we enroll people, and provide care for them, about 50% will attend. How do I know that? That is what is happening in our classes already! In smaller churches, that might be 60-70%. In larger churches, that might be 40%.

Ask the unenrolled if you can add them to the class care list? What is a care list? It is the list of people for whom your class prays, ministers in time of need, and invites to fellowships and projects.

This is much more than adding them to a prospect list. Enroll them. Follow God’s leadership to pray and care for them. Invite them to meals, fellowships, and projects with your members. Enroll them. Call them weekly to share prayer requests, check on prayer needs, and pray with them. Respond to stress and needs discovered in their lives as if they were faithful attenders. Enroll them.

Enroll. Care. Then invite. When classes practice these in this order, about 50% attendance will result. Focus the prayer and care of the class on them. Then invite them your group this week!

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Categories : 100 Small Changes, Enrollment, Outreach/Evangelism
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