Author Archive for Steve McNeil – Page 3

Connecting with People

By Steve McNeil · Comments (0)
Wednesday, August 24th, 2011

People make Sunday School special. Without people, well, you don’t have Sunday School. One of my favorite people is Yogi Berra. He is often quoted for the unique truths that he has stated over his life. Things like, “You’ve got to be very careful if you don’t know where you’re going, because you might not get there.” Or, “If you don’t know where you are going, you will wind up somewhere else.” If you don’t make it your intention to connect with people, it won’t happen.

Dale Carnegie wrote a great book back in the 20’s that has great truths about connecting with people. His book, “How To Win Friends and Influence People” has been read and applied by people for the past 80 years. The book covers four main areas;

1. Techniques in dealing with people;

2. How to make people like you;

3. How to win people to your way of thinking;

4. How to change people without giving offense or arousing resentment.”

This book has influenced me. 

Most of us seem to have a strategy for “Connecting with People” that just sort of happens. That strategy doesn’t work when we are seeking to accomplish the Great Commission! We need a plan; we need to be intentional about relationships.  Consider these pointers about connecting with people.

Ways to “connect with people!”

  1. Watch the door: when you are in your Sunday School class and in the worship center, watch the door for people you do not know. Go and let them know you are glad to see them and that you are happy they chose to be with you today.
  2. Watch for loners: you know, those people who just seem to avoid people. Guests usually do this. Make sure they are greeted! More importantly, really be interested in who they are, where they are from, their family, things they enjoy, if they are looking for a church family.
  3. Watch eye contact: not theirs, yours! Remind yourself not to give the new person the “up and down.” You know, where you check out what they are wearing, their hair style, brands of clothing, etc. etc. Look them in the eye and put on your best smile that says, “I’m glad to meet you and I would love to get to know you more.”
  4. Watch your schedule: be sure to intentionally leave time after church to invite a visitor to lunch. I have found this to be the ultimate test. People know you really care when you desire to spend time with them. Take another church member or family with you so that they can make a deeper connection.

Bottom line; make it an intentional priority to connect with people by investing yourself in their life.

_____________________

Dr. Steve McNeil is the Chuch Mobilization and Equipping Team Leader for the State Conventions of Baptists in Indiana.

Comments (0)
Categories : 31 Days of Transformational Class, Sunday School

Discovering New Leaders in VBS!

By Steve McNeil · Comments (0)
Friday, June 3rd, 2011

Every church is looking for more leaders. One of the best places in the church that I have seen to raise up great leaders is in Vacation Bible School. Each year people are recruited to serve in VBS at many different levels from administrative leadership, teachers, assistant teachers, helpers, recreation, security, registration, kitchen, transportation, media, music and fill-ins. Many of these are people are new to leadership in the church.

Some people are willing to help with VBS because it is a short commitment. They can help for a week when they may not feel like they have the time to take on an annual opportunity commitment to serve in the life of the church. It is exciting to watch as people accept this week long commitment and then fall in love with the kids, the study, the overall work of feeling like you are making a difference in someone’s life. That passion begins to fuel the desire to take on a longer commitment someplace in the life of the church. So…

  • VBS is a great place to find new workers who are not currently serving!
  • VBS is a great place to see if someone has the ability to teach a class or to lead people!
  • VBS is a great place to give someone more leadership responsibility to see if they are a capable, teachable leader!
  • VBS is a great place to help someone gain confidence in teaching or leading!

The bottom line, VBS is a great place to get people involved in the ministry of the church, to discover where a person’s passion is for service, and and to find out where they might be effective.

_____________________________________________

Steve McNeil serves as Church Health and Communications Team Leader for the State Convention of Baptists in Indiana.

Comments (0)
Categories : Leadership, Outreach/Evangelism, Vacation Bible School

Transformation Takes Place in Sunday School Classes Every Week!

By Steve McNeil · Comments (1)
Friday, March 4th, 2011

Here is a story about a family that was not involved in church at all. We can call them the “Smith”

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family. It began with one of the children who started coming to Sunday School. A church family in their neighborhood started bringing this little girl with them every week. After two months, the younger brother started coming too.

This went on for a about two years until one day the church had a “Friend Day” campaign and Sunday School high attendance day. The little girl made a commitment to invite her parents. The dad was an alcoholic and he had come into some difficult times. The family was dealing with expected dysfunctions. He was ready to try something different, even church! That Sunday was the beginning of transformation of individual lives and a family.

After about a year, one of the pastors sat down with the father and shared the Gospel with him and he accepted Christ as his Savior. Over about 5 years, the little girl who invited her family accepted Christ, both parents accepted Christ, and the family followed Jesus in baptism. The family was transformed by Christ and a church that loved the Smiths.

Sunday School was a big part of this transformation as the children began attending Sunday School. This developed trust with the family. Once the parents came to the church on Friend Day, the Sunday School visited them and made sure that they found a place in a class. The nurture, love, acceptance, ministry and teaching of different classes over the years drew the Smiths into the life of the church.

It didn’t stop there. Transformation continued as the mom and dad became leaders in the Sunday School classes they participated in. They had servant hearts that helped with all of those behind-the-scenes opportunities in their class. The Smiths were transformed from being lost and without Jesus, to being a family who loved Jesus and served Him faithfully. Does this describe some of you?

Pray. Care. Invite. Transform!

Comments (1)
Categories : Sunday School, Transformation

Has Anyone Been Saved Here Lately?

By Steve McNeil · Comments (1)
Wednesday, February 2nd, 2011

I remember someone telling me a story about a man visiting a church. He began to talk to an enthusiastic member who was telling him about their church, trying to impress the man, when he suddenly asked the member this disturbing and penetrating question, “Has anyone been saved here lately?”

What a great question! Every Sunday School class needs to ask this same question. What has our class done to help someone discover eternal life in Christ? “Has anyone been saved in your Sunday School class lately?”

One of the best tools that a class can use is a regular, planned social calendar for their class. Get your class leadership team and plan an event every month. Go to a baseball game, a picnic, a forever-favorite covered dish dinner at someone’s house, a progressive dinner, a game night, or a tail gate party. Have a men’s/ladies night out when

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the guys go ride go-karts and the ladies go and do, well, lady stuff (I need my wife for this one). Need more ideas, get a copy of the book, Fresh Ideas, by Diana Davis.

These fun times are great ways to open relationship doors with people who are not yet part of the class. People love a party! Your class needs to have a party to build the fellowship in the class and to open opportunities to invite a friend. Once you have invited them, be sure that you provide ways to help class members learn how to share their faith. The point of a class social isn’t just to get a person to come to your party, but it gives your class the chance to show how much they care.

So, plan the event, build relationships, and share your faith! Watch the Holy Spirit work. Then you will be able to say yes to the question, “Has anyone been saved here lately?”

Comments (1)
Categories : Outreach/Evangelism, Sunday School

Traits of Effective Teaching!

By Steve McNeil · Comments (3)
Saturday, January 8th, 2011

How can I know if I am being effective as a teacher? Look at the following markers and see if you can claim some of these. Effective teachers are seeking to develop their skills in the following areas. Effective teachers…

  1. Will know their class (Heb. 10:25): “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Effective teachers bring people back. People want to be in their class. Effective teachers use appropriate methods for their age group because they know and understand the age group they teach. Examples would be, Builders,Boomers, or Busters.
  2. Will desire God’s Word (1 Peter 2:2): “Like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.” Effective teachers help people develop a love for the Bible through the effective way they teach it and through the way that they live it. People will see a natural love and appreciation for God’s Word in the teachers life.
  3. Will have a changed life (2 Corinthians 5:17): “therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” Effective teachers have a way of helping people progress through spiritual struggles and issues to discover spiritual victories.
  4. Will have changed priorities (Galatians 2:20): “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” “Nuff said!” Jesus is first in everything.
    – use discussion, media, – use discussion, small group, self-improvement – use lecture and discussion”
  5. Will exhibit the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23): “The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Effective teachers practice living these traits and seek opportunities to develop them in those they teach.
  6. Will have a desire for evangelism (1 Corinthians 9:19): “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more.” Effective teachers look for opportunities to tell people about Jesus in their everyday life and seek ways to help those they teach learn how to share Jesus with others also.
  7. They will leave your class! (1 Peter 4:10): “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good
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    stewards of the manifold grace of God.” Effective teachers see their role as one who prepares and equips workers for the harvest. It is the task of the effective teacher to build the mission force, not to strengthen their own class role.

How do these traits impact lesson preparation and delivery? In a major way! Choose one of these traits to work on this month. Teach to make disciples!

_____________________________________________

Steve McNeil serves as Church Health and Communications Team Leader for the State Convention of Baptists in Indiana.

Comments (3)
Categories : 31 Days to a Better Teacher, Sunday School, Teaching
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