Author Archive for Daniel Edmonds – Page 4

The Two-Year Principle

By Daniel Edmonds · Comments (0)
Wednesday, August 29th, 2012

This is post 29 of 31 Days of Missionary Sunday School.

A frequently asked question of many Sunday School leaders is, “When is a Sunday School class too large?” Typically the question is asked by someone who is aware of the rule of thumb regarding a cap on enrollment. Through the years, this rule suggested starting a new class before the class enrollment reached twenty-five, but situations and circumstances have caused many to rethink or disregard this limit on enrollment.

There have always been other factors to consider as well.  One rule that is hard to break is the capacity rule. Simply put, the capacity of the classroom determines the size of the group. It is hard to consistently exceed eighty percent of the room’s capacity in attendance.

Capability of class leaders is another factor to consider when deciding if a new group should be started. It is always good to maintain a healthy leader to learner ratio to maximize the competency of all leaders. When the ratio is unhealthy, leaders are stretched beyond their ability to minister effectively. However, even with a healthy ratio, some teachers do not like larger classes because it strains at their availability. Some teachers want personal involvement with each class member, and this interaction can become difficult when the membership grows ‘too’ large.

The contribution rule is one that I personally consider when evaluating a group. Is this group contributing to the overall mission of the Sunday School? Is it maximizing its potential for being on mission, developing disciples, starting new groups, and sending out leaders? When a group begins to fail at reaching its potential, then the group may be losing focus on the mission. A group can become inward focused and stagnant when it ceases to make a significant contribution to the mission of the Sunday School.

These four factors are helpful ‘rules of thumb’ for keeping groups on-mission in Sunday School. There is another factor that captures the essence of each of these four factors: the two-year principle. The two year principle tends to be the   ‘rule’ with virtually no exception.

In two years, a class tends to reach its maximum enrollment and attendance capacity, form tight-knit relationships, decrease in opportunities for someone to assume a leadership role, and become unwilling to send people out in leadership or to start a new group. At two years, groups are still open to newcomers but will do well to add one person for every person that leaves.

Though the group is open for new members, many guests will find it difficult to get connected. In two years, friendships grow deeper among existing members, and ‘outsiders’ are not be able to penetrate the inner circle of relationships. It is healthy for members to develop meaningful relationships in a small group, so each group must consistently start new groups to allow others to get connected in fellowship.

In two years, class leadership is well established, and few leadership opportunities remain for newcomers. The best way to create new opportunities for leadership and service is to start a new group. New groups demand more leaders and create new opportunities for serving the Lord. New groups tend to focus on new people and will assist their members in finding friends, becoming disciples, and serving.
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Daniel Edmonds, State Missionary, Director of the Office of Sunday School & Discipleship, Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions

 

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Categories : 31 Days of Missionary Sunday School, Bible Study, Enlistment, Leadership, Learning, Ministry, Mission, New Groups, Small Groups, Sunday School, Teaching

Add Supporting Leaders as you Grow

By Daniel Edmonds · Comments (0)
Saturday, January 21st, 2012

In starting a new adult group, one could begin with as few as one or two leaders. Numerous classes have been started through the years with a willing teacher and a list of prospects. On the other end of the spectrum, some start classes with a much larger number of leaders and members. Wherever you are on the spectrum, do not miss the opportunity to add supporting leaders as you grow.

Arthur Flake in his book, The True Functions of the Sunday School, speaks of the Sunday School as the employment agency of the church: “With proper executive leadership any Sunday school in any church can be so organized that a place of useful, joyous service may be made for every member of the church (42).” Flake even responds to those who say we should not rush people into a place of service; “It is false reasoning to say that they cannot serve until they have grown in Christian experience. Jesus used the twelve when they were yet immature (32-33).” Giving people an opportunity to discover and grow into the good work for which they have been created is not being “pushy” (Ephesians 2:10).

I co-authored a book with Dr. Lawrence Phipps, Growing Sunday School TEAMS, in which we demonstrated how to help people discover their place in the Body of Christ through “building Bible study groups in the church.” The invitation is for everyone to discover their place on one of the TEAMS. A modern picture of the Body of Christ is a team of people with a variety of gifts, talents, and abilities coming together to accomplish a mission. The five major positions are Teaching, Evangelism, Administration, Ministry, and Service. A variety of roles are available in each position to enable every member an opportunity to grow and serve. Each position should provide “entry-level tasks” so that new members can serve. I have posed the question to leaders, “If a non-believer began to attend your class, would there be an opportunity for that person to serve?” Watching people come to know Christ because they served in a mission project alongside believers who shared their faith is a true joy.

As you add supporting leaders, you are allowing people to take a “baby-step” toward a life-time of service in the Kingdom. These supporting leaders will have the opportunity to grow into the key leaders of the near future.

Arthur Flake said, “As it was in New Testament times, so it is today. In all our churches we have capable people of varied gifts and talents who, if enlisted and trained, will be able to do valiant service for Christ. Let us see how all these may be utilized in a practical way through service in our Sunday schools (34).”
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Daniel Edmonds, State Missionary, Office of Sunday School & Discipleship, Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions.

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Categories : 5 Weeks of Flake, Flake's Formula, Leadership, Ministry, Organization, Sunday School

Leaders: The Key for a New Group

By Daniel Edmonds · Comments (0)
Tuesday, January 17th, 2012

Your ability to “Enlarge the Organization,” is contingent on your capacity to expand the leadership base. Jerri Herring and Larry Garner in their book, Five Handles for Getting a Grip on Your Sunday School, state “Leadership is the crucial element. The number of leaders must advance ahead of growing membership and organization.” Leaders are the key for healthy, new groups.

A commitment to start new groups is a commitment to discover and disciple new leaders. In fact, the firm commitment to add new groups (a goal with a deadline) becomes the catalyst to developing new leaders. Too many churches start new groups when they can “find new leadership.” As a result, they do not start many new groups. Healthy churches build an ongoing strategy, à la Arthur Flake, to “enlist and train leaders” because they understand “enlarging the organization” as a biblical, kingdom imperative.

Not only is the quantity of leaders important, but so is the quality of the leader. I remember being in a conference where the leader challenged us to multiply all of our leaders. Sadly, most churches have ‘leaders’ that they don’t want or need to multiply. For example, I have been asked, “What do you do with a teacher who want attend training, tithe, attend worship, and so forth?” My response was, “if those are responsibilities/characteristics of a teacher and you have someone who will not fulfill/exemplify them, then that person is not a teacher.”

Since leaders are the key for new groups, a standard must be kept by all leaders to ensure the continual development of high-quality, new leaders. Herring and Garner in their book site one of the great Sunday School leaders of recent days, Harry Piland, as he revealed “10 Essentials for Excellence” from the Apostle Paul on leadership: The excellent leader:

  1. Makes himself/herself available to God (2 Timothy 2:15a).
  2. Is one who is excellent in example (1 Timothy 4:12).
  3. Focuses upon reaching others for Christ (2 Timothy 2:2).
  4. Majors upon quality in teaching (2 Timothy 2:15b).
  5. Will minister with a loving, caring heart (2 Timothy 2:24-26).
  6. Prays sincerely and fervently with a believing heart (1 Timothy 2:1, 8).
  7. Faithfully does the fundamentals with a flair (2 Timothy 4:1-5).
  8. Has a clear vision of God’s will and purpose (2 Timothy 1:6-12).
  9. Is willing to change – always has a degree of flexibility (2 Timothy 1:13; 3:14-17).
  10. Never gives up – perseveres no matter what (2 Timothy 4:7).

For more information on emerging class leaders visit: https://www.sundayschoolleader.com/characteristics-of-an-emerging-class/

To order Five Handles for Getting a Grip on Your Sunday School by Herring and Garner visit http://cmdpub.com
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Daniel Edmonds is a State Missionary for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions.

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Categories : 5 Weeks of Flake, Leadership, Sunday School, Training

Characteristics of an Emerging Class

By Daniel Edmonds · Comments (1)
Monday, August 29th, 2011

A common remark heard in Sunday School meetings is, “I know we should start new classes, but where do we get the leaders?” Historically, there is a tendency to designate leaders rather that to develop or disciple leaders. Nominating committees bestow leadership positions on individuals because of their visibility (attendance frequency) and inability (to say
“no”). Biblically, leaders should be discipled, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Mt. 4:19)

As a part of the disciple-making process, every leader should be seeking to discover and develop future leaders. Discover emerging leaders by their:

  1. Passion – an individual who clearly displays a love for Christ, His Church, and for serving.
  2. Participation – inside the class, this individual engages in discussion, asks questions, and displays a love for understanding and living the Word.
  3. Potential – outside the class, in an interview or conversation, the individual reveals leadership potential. Develop a habit of spending time with class members to discover the potential everyone has through their spiritual giftedness. Utilize one of the great varieties of tools that are available to assist in this process.

After the discovery process, all leaders need to be developed or discipled as follows:

  1. Scripturally – As stated earlier, Jesus’ example was to call people to “follow,” and He began both to “do and teach.” (Acts 1:1) Develop an apprentice or mentoring relationship with emerging leadership. Call them alongside before sending them out to serve.
  2. Spiritually – Every leader needs to develop and be held accountable for some basic, daily spiritual disciplines (derived from Acts 2):
    A) Studying the Word, B) Spending time in prayer, C) Sharing with anyone as they have need, D) Stewardship of
    their resources – time, talent, and treasure, and E) Serving withsincerity of heart [1]
  3. Skillfully – take emerging leaders with you to a wide variety of training events that will hone their skill. Training may be done through the local Church, Association, State Convention, or SBC entity. All leaders are to be lifelong learners!

[1] Phipps, Lawrence H. and Daniel E. Edmonds, Growing Sunday School TEAMS, (Montgomery, For Life Ministries, 2001), 19.

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Daniel E. Edmonds is State Missionary, Director of the Office of Sunday School & Discipleship, Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions.

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Categories : 31 Days of Transformational Class, Sunday School

Expect People to Say “Yes” to Enrollment

By Daniel Edmonds · Comments (0)
Monday, August 23rd, 2010

I had the opportunity to train a pastor and his church on how to properly enroll people in Sunday School. A few months later, the pastor and I attended a conference together on Sunday School health. The conference leader was sharing different ways to discover prospects. The pastor raised his hand and said, “We never have prospects!” The leader asked him if he had tried a variety of the techniques. The pastor replied, “We have tried them all, but as soon as we discover a prospect we ask them to enroll and they always agree; therefore, they are no longer prospects.” I am certain that I do not get a “yes” every time, but I do expect it.

Why do I expect people to agree to enrollment? Because I do not ask them to commit to the group, but I ask them if they are willing to have a group commit to serve them. Several years ago, I came to the realization that enrollment does not represent an individual’s commitment to the class, but the commitment of the class to the individual. Enrollment is not about a person attending the

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class, but it is about the class attending to the needs of the individual. Enrollment becomes the way a class extends its’ ministry and mission field by identifying people to whom it can demonstrate the love of Christ.

In general, when I meet someone I ask them if they have a group of people to pray for and support them. I tell them that I have a group that consistently will do that for me and that it brings me joy and comfort in my daily life. I ask them for the privilege of providing them with a group of people who will pray for them, share with them, and care for them if they have a need. I assure them that they have no obligation to the group, but that the group will be obligated to them. Then I ask, “Would you like to have a group of people praying for you, sharing with you, and caring for you and your family if you have a need?” I am not surprised when they say “yes!”

Sunday School has a mission of sharing the love of Christ with everyone. We express a willingness to be on mission when we offer people an opportunity to be enrolled. When they say, “yes,” provide the ministry that has been promised and you will discover that when we live as Christ, He draws people to Himself. Expect people to say, “Yes!” to enrollment, and then complete the mission.

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Categories : Great Expectations, Growing your Group, Sunday School
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