Author Archive for Marie Clark – Page 2

Supporting the Parents

By Marie Clark · Comments (0)
Tuesday, August 14th, 2012

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.

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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.

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

Stephen Paxson: Sunday School Missionary

By Marie Clark · Comments (0)
Sunday, August 5th, 2012

This is the second post for 31 Days of Missionary Sunday School. Chick here to view the previous article.

Today I pulled out my Nook and reread the short biography* (only 80 pages) on the life work of Stephen Paxson, Sunday school missionary.  It’s a fascinating—and amazing—story of God’s work through one individual (see the last paragraph). Stephen Paxson truly modeled principles, which he had to figure out on his own, of a missionary Sunday School.

He was born in 1808 into poverty, was lame, had a stutter, and was uneducated. On his first day of school, he was so excited he could not even state his name or age because of his stutter. The children laughed, and the stern teacher sent him home with a note to not come back until he learned to talk. He never had a chance to go to school again. Yet, he had a bright inquiring mind that drove him to ALWAYS BE LEARNING.  By looking at shop signs and asking questions, he taught himself the alphabet and how to read haltingly.

He married and began a family. He was very sociable, and he also yearned to have books, but the thought of God was not in his heart. He was fond of worldly pleasures, and especially of dancing despite being lame.

In 1830, Stephen’s oldest child Mary was sent by her mother to a Sunday school begun by the American Sunday School Union. Mary persuaded her father to attend one Sunday in response to a challenge to BRING A FRIEND. Though Stephen had never attended a Sunday school before, the superintendent asked him to substitute in a class of teenage boys! With the boys’ help, he made it through that first class. He attended for four years without missing a Sunday, was converted, and united with the church where his wife attended. HIS LIFE WAS TRANSFORMED THROUGH BIBLE TEACHING! Life took on new meaning as he began to study with diligence and success.

Because of his newfound PASSION, he soon determined to help other destitute people have the same experience. On weekends he began to visit various school-houses within reach to start or revive a school. His influence extended for miles around so that he was called on for assistance in Sunday school work all over nearby counties to TRAIN THE VOLUNTEER LEADERS.

In 1848, God provided for Stephen’s desire to give more than one day a week to planting Sunday Schools. The American Sunday School Union employed him as a Sunday School missionary in the Mississippi Valley. When he came to a neighborhood where there was no Sunday school, he made PERSONAL CONTACTS by visiting each family to INVITE them to an organizational meeting, INSTRUCT them in the best methods of conducting a school, and to PROVIDE CURRICULUM through the Sunday school libraries purchased by the community.

Stephen took advantage of any opportunity to TALK ABOUT SUNDAY SCHOOL. While passing through a town one Fourth of July, he was invited to give a patriotic speech. He explained that was not what he did, but he would give them a Sunday school speech. After a rousing speech, he asked the enthusiastic crowd for one person from each small settlement where there was no Sunday school to give him their name and the name of their school house. Then he PUT HIS PLAN INTO ACTION! Armed with the list of 30 names, in a few short weeks he had a flourishing school in each of them.

On return visits to the Sunday schools to ENCOURAGE AND ASSIST LEADERS, Stephen Paxson often found the fledgling Sunday schools had LED TO NEW CHURCHES. Despite his many personal sacrifices of being away from family for long periods, low pay, facing opposition, or difficult travel conditions, he knew his mission was resulting in TRANSFORMED LIVES. Over and over in later years, he encountered pastors and successful business men who said, “I was one of the boys you enlisted to come to that new Sunday school and it changed my life. Thank you, Mr. Paxson.”

Over a forty year period, Stephen Paxson crisscrossed the Mississippi Valley in a horse and buggy. He started 1314 Sunday schools containing 83,405 pupils and teachers, besides encouraging and aiding 1767 other Sunday schools with 131,260 pupils and teachers.

*Read the whole story and be inspired: A Fruitful Life: a Narrative of the Adventures and Missionary Labors of Stephen Paxson, by B. Paxson Drury.
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Marie Clark has served as Bible Teaching & Discipling Team Leader for the Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists since 1996.

 

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Categories : 31 Days of Missionary Sunday School, Learning, Ministry, Mission, New Groups, Sunday School, Teaching, Training

Do More Than “Check Off the Squares”

By Marie Clark · Comments (0)
Tuesday, June 5th, 2012

Has this ever happened to you? After teaching a Bible study session, you mentally review the session:

  • Read all of the Scripture passage
  • Covered all the outline points
  • Used all of the planned teaching activities

So why do you feel like it didn’t make a difference with your members – that you were only “checking off the squares”?

I am an avid list-maker, but I have learned when teaching that it’s important to do more than check off the squares. God’s Word has the power to make a difference in people’s lives. And God has called me, as a teacher, to help others discover the truths of the Bible. I want to see lives transformed.

The following statement (author unknown) has helped me focus on what I want to happen during Bible study:  We aren’t just teaching the Bible; we are teaching people the Bible.

  • We aren’t just teaching the Bible—This first part focuses on biblical content, context, historical settings and customs. It’s easy for the session to become a history or literature lesson when Bible knowledge is the primary teaching aim
  • We are teaching people the Bible—This part of the statement is a reminder to consider the group members’ situations and needs. 1) Build relationships in order to know and minister to members. 2) Use content, context, and historical setting to provide a foundation for understanding what the Scripture is saying. 3) Also use teaching methods that help learners discover biblical truths for themselves personally. An encounter with God through His Word impacts how learners think and live. It makes a difference. Their lives are transformed!

One Idea for Transformational Teaching—How can a teacher go beyond teaching information to helping people experience transformation?  One key element is using stories. Teaching the grand story of the Bible is exciting, seeing how God’s story intersected with the peoples of ancient times. In addition, help members see how their personal stories fit into God’s story. Finally, provide opportunities for members to share their stories with each other for encouragement and inspiration. (Read more about using stories in the free download of The Discover Triad: Three Facets of a Dynamic Sunday School Class.)


Explore Transformational Teaching In-Depth—Obviously there are other elements in teaching for transformation. Watch for other blogs on this site. If you are within driving distance of Kansas City on August 25 or Atlanta (Dacula) on September 22, plan to attend the one-day TRANSFORM! Through Bible Teaching event. Go to www.lifeway.com/transform for registration and information. You won’t be sorry.

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Marie Clark is Team Leader for the Bible Teaching & Discipling Team, Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists. In addition to her passion for helping people teach people the Bible, she also enjoys her grandchildren and working in the yard.

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Categories : Leadership, Ministry, Organization, Small Groups, Sunday School, Teaching, Training, Transformation

Grow Your Sunday School During Easter

By Marie Clark · Comments (0)
Monday, February 6th, 2012

Consider buying a pack of Easter cards (they usually come with 6 or 8 cards) that celebrate Christ’s resurrection and distribute to class members three weeks before Easter.

Encourage class members to send an Easter card to one or more friends or family member and include their own Easter story. The personal Easter story should be no more than a half-page (about 200 typed words). Members simply need to sign the card and insert their half-page Easter story. Here is an example, originally written for my grandchildren, that has been adapted by
adding an invitation to Sunday School.

Marie’s Easter Story

Growing up in Fort Worth, Texas, our church held Sunday night worship outside on the parking lot during the summer. We sat on long wooden benches outside, because the church was not air-conditioned. I grew up going to church and knew many Bible stories, including Jesus’ death on the cross to provide forgiveness for the sins of people. But that night, as
a 9-year-old, I suddenly understood that meant me.

I didn’t understand why I began to cry, but my wise mother knew—I had suddenly realized I was sinful. She helped me pray to tell Jesus that I was sorry for my sin and wanted to accept His offer of forgiveness.

That night in 1951, I became a Christian. That means Jesus became my personal Savior, and I allowed Him to take charge of my life.

For 60 years now, Jesus has given me strength, a sense of peace, encouragement, and direction in both good times and
not-so-good.  Though I’m not perfect, I know He loves me and stands ready to forgive me.

That’s my personal “Easter story”… Awesome!

P.S. Sunday School has been important in my becoming a Christian and learning to follow Him. I’d love to introduce you to
my Sunday School at Nall Avenue Baptist Church.

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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 enjoys serving as a volunteer in her church’s Sunday School.

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Categories : Growing your Group, Outreach/Evangelism, Sunday School

Outreach: Just Do It!

By Marie Clark · Comments (0)
Sunday, January 29th, 2012

When it comes to outreach, the advertising slogan, “Just Do It” comes to my mind. Consider these principles and ideas for outreach.  Identifying potential class members and securing contact information is essential. But unless you actually do some kind of outreach, all you have is a list of names.

  • Plan for Outreach – Outreach will never happen consistently unless you lead your group to plan for it. Planning should include who, when and the specific outreach activity.
  • Variety is the Spice of Outreach – The who, when and what of outreach should rotate regularly to keep outreach fresh. Contacts made  in person are most effective, but also learn to make good use of phone calls, e-mails, texting, mail, or even Facebook and Twitter. (See some suggestions below.)
  • Involve as Many Members as Possible – Harry Piland, a former Director of Sunday School for the Baptist Sunday School Board, stressed this approach by explaining, “Divide the work of a Sunday School class into do-able hunks, then
    give each person one hunk.” There is no better area to apply this principle that in outreach.

Invite them to Bible Study – This is the simplest and most direct form of outreach. The ideas below can help you develop a relationship with potential members and make ongoing contacts that are “non–nagging.”

  • Vacation Bible School Follow-up – Always make a follow-up contact with boys and girls and their parents that are prospects who attended VBS. Idea: during VBS planning schedule a VBS outreach evening or Saturday morning the week after VBS. Go in teams of 2-3 to make a quick doorstep visit and leave a memento of VBS (a VBS Music for Kids CD or deliver a picture made during the week). Be sure to include information about your church and Sunday School.
  • Be Part of a Church-wide Community Event – Block party, Easter Egg Hunt, Parents Night Out, etc.
  • Time Change Reminder – Make quick phone calls, to both prospects and members, to remind them to change their clocks in the spring and fall. Leave a voice mail if no one answers, identifying yourself and your church.
  • Happy Birthday Wishes – If you have a birthdate, send a “Happy Birthday” card, text, or phone call.
  • Party Invitation – Invite the prospective member to your class social. Offer to pick them up or meet them at the event so you can go in together and introduce them to others.
  • Work Invitation – That’s right! Invite them to join your class in a work project, such as serving meals at a shelter or raking the yard of an elderly person.  Many of today’s adults and teens are attracted to helping a worthy cause. While working, they also get to know others in the group and feel more comfortable with them.

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Marie Clark has served as team leader for the Bible Teaching & Discipling Team of the Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists since 1996.

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Categories : Flake's Formula, Outreach/Evangelism
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