My dad owns a farm in northwest Louisiana. During the season when calves are being born, he will walk onto his porch at night with a rifle and a spotlight to keep coyotes away. He knows that many times the cow will seclude herself and birth the calf. Even though they choose seclusion, they need the group!
Like the farmer, you as a Sunday School leader have the privilege of praying and caring for group members and reaching new ones. Consistent prayer is a powerful tool! Yet, prayer remains the most undervalued treasure in the Christian life.
Wait, what!?
Prayer is NOT reserved for a special few but is to be practiced by all believers. The truth is that a believer learns this best in connection with a group of believers, like a Sunday School class. This vital relationship will provide at least three essentials for the believer:
- Protection from predators
- A foundation from which to flourish
- Relationships that foster revival
A sheep is the most commonly used metaphor to describe a Christian in the New Testament. In Luke 15 we learn three valuable principles when guiding sheep to spiritual maturity.
First, sheep need one another to survive. I learned decades ago on my dad’s farm that predators rarely go after the herd, they prey on the isolated farm animal. Sunday school leaders must guide their members to regularly seek how to minister to participants within their group, welcome the wanderers looking for a new flock, AND provide an open door for the isolated individuals who may have never been born into a flock.
Second, sheep need the flock in order to thrive. In John 10:10 Jesus tells us that He offers abundant life to all who follow Him. You see, the Christian life is not just about surviving. Jesus tells us that His goal is that we flourish from the foundation that He has provided in the local church. So what’s the deal with believers who lack peace and power? Either they are not accessing the power available to them or they have never genuinely been born into “the flock.”
Third, sheep need deep relationships that lead to revival. The natural tendency of most sheep is to wander and push boundaries. Many wake up one day separated from the flock and lacking the energy to find their way back. Leaders, we must consistently provide a place for wandering sheep to return. To be like Christ, we must be willing to leave the 99.
Friends, if we fail at anything, may it not be in our efforts to reach wandering sheep or those who have never been born into the flock! And a key ingredient for ministering within the flock and reaching those outside the flock can be found in a group of believers who fervently pray.
Written by Dr. Scott Sullivan, Discipleship Catalyst with the Georgia Baptist Mission Board