| Every one who is involved in Sunday school | | | | available? Are your classes providing the help and |
| leadership will tell you they want to see the | | | | answers to the big questions and problems your |
| numbers grow. We all know the value of Sunday | | | | members have? Making your overall programme |
| school and would like to see its outreach | | | | the best that it can be will help attract new |
| extended into our communities, reaching as many | | | | persons from outside your church and will also |
| people as possible. | | | | help the needs of your own church members. |
| But, many churches have a problem with | | | | Teacher evaluation and improvement. The |
| increasing its numbers of children and young | | | | number one complaint that people have about |
| people. Either they are not ready to grow, or | | | | Sunday school is poor teachers! There are far too |
| strange as it may sound they do not want to | | | | many people taking Sunday school that are not |
| grow. Just asking people will not guarantee that | | | | trained. Every Sunday school teacher should serve |
| those invited will still be attending in six months | | | | as a "helper" or part of a teaching team before |
| time. | | | | they are thrown into a solo teaching situation. |
| Long term attendance growth must be built on a | | | | Teachers should be provided with teaching |
| foundation of spiritual growth combined with an | | | | material, books and magazines that relate to |
| improvement in the overall Sunday school | | | | Christian education. Adequate resources should be |
| programme. Before embarking on an attendance | | | | made available for them. Teachers should have |
| building campaign there are a number of important | | | | prayer partners and know where to go with |
| things to be taken into consideration. | | | | problems or questions. Regular meetings should be |
| Willingness to grow. Are the members of your | | | | held for teachers to discuss problems and learn |
| Sunday school open to growth? We are all keen | | | | new ideas. Every Sunday school teacher needs to |
| to see friendships developing amongst the | | | | be encouraged in their own spiritual growth. As a |
| members of the church, but we have to be | | | | teacher's commitment to the Lord deepens, so |
| careful they do not exclude other newer | | | | will their commitment to their work as a Sunday |
| members attending church and Sunday school. A | | | | school teacher will also grow deeper. |
| good starting point is to remind the members of | | | | Positive public relations. When was the last time |
| your Sunday school to be welcoming to new | | | | you heard of any church members saying |
| persons as they enter church. Why not appoint | | | | something good about your Sunday school outside |
| special "greeters"? They can be responsible for | | | | of church? I am sure each member knows of the |
| meeting and greeting all new persons as they | | | | value of coming together to learn God's Word and |
| enter Sunday school and for taking them round | | | | God's will for their lives through the Sunday school. |
| the building introducing them to the teachers. | | | | But, how often do they tell people about Sunday |
| Spiritual evaluation and renewal. Jesus once told his | | | | school and what it means to them? So don't |
| followers that the most important commandment | | | | neglect to remind your members to do just that. |
| was to "Love the Lord your God with all your | | | | Training in witnessing. When you say the word |
| heart, with all your soul and with all your mind." | | | | "witnessing," it conjures up a picture in people's |
| The second most important commandment is like | | | | mind of going door-to door, telling strangers about |
| it: "Love your neighbour as you love yourself." | | | | Jesus and inviting them to church. Whilst there is |
| (Matthew 22:37-39) Putting Jesus first; making him | | | | nothing round with door-to-door visitation the fact |
| the number one priority of our lives should be the | | | | is less than 5% of all church members will ever |
| most important thing to every person who call | | | | be involved in such a programme. The better way |
| themselves Christian. Taking the time to renew | | | | of witnessing is to learn a warm, comfortable, |
| our commitment to God, His Word and His will for | | | | friendly style to talk to friends, neighbours and |
| our lives is paramount for each of us to do; as is | | | | family members. You could look at providing a |
| our commitment to the spiritual and physical | | | | workshop or class to learn this type of witnessing. |
| needs of our fellowman. It is not only important | | | | It is an important step along the road to Sunday |
| to see spiritual renewal within our Sunday school, | | | | school growth. |
| it is also important to help each member of your | | | | Planned program of growth. Sit down and take a |
| church understand that the Sunday school is an | | | | long probing look at your Sunday school, its level |
| important tool for evangelism, Christian education | | | | of commitment, your overall programme can this |
| and outreach to the members of your church and | | | | be improved? Having worked at improvements |
| the community. | | | | that will make your Sunday school better and |
| Program evaluation and renewal. Before any | | | | more attractive to new members, its now time |
| church is ready to invite other people to come to | | | | to think about growth. I would encourage you to |
| Sunday school, it is important to look at their | | | | look at programmes or make up your own that |
| current program. Look at ways to make the | | | | will guide you and your members in promoting |
| program more relevant to the needs of the | | | | Sunday school attendance and to encourage your |
| current members and new members who may | | | | members to invite others to be a part of your |
| come. Do you have classes for all age groups? | | | | Sunday school. |
| Are you making the most of the time you have | | | | |