The debate about the value of Sunday School in the local church in the 21st century continues to be discussed in pastor's meetings, leadership conferences, and churches of all sizes. The question being bantered around is "Should we continue having Sunday School or should we scrap that strategy for a small groups strategy?" Why not have both?
First, we need to understand the definitions of Sunday School and small groups. The definition of Sunday School is:
"Sunday School is the foundational strategy in a local church for leading people to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and for building on-mission Christians through open Bible study groups that engage people in evangelism, discipleship, ministry, fellowship, and worship."
(Ten Best Practices To Make Your Sunday School Work, Ken Hemphill and Bill Taylor, LifeWay Press, 2001, Page 13).
Small groups are defined as:
" . . .An intentional gathering of three to twelve people who commit themselves to work together to become better disciples of Jesus Christ."
(The Big Book On Small Groups, Jeffery Arnold, Intervarsity Press, 1992, Page 9)
Now that we have defined Sunday School and small groups, we need to understand the structural differences between Sunday School and small groups. The following chart shows the major differences:
Small Groups |
Sunday School |
|
| Accountability | High | Moderate |
| Length of Class | Short-term | Long-term |
| Content | Deeper Biblical Content | Foundational Biblical Content |
| Class Length | Closed Group | Open Group |
| Goals | Building Disciples | Fulfilling Five Functions (Evangelism, Discipleship, Fellowship, Ministry, Worship) |
For a detailed discussion of these principles, see Transformational Class, David Francis, LifeWay Press, 2010.
The local church needs both Sunday School classes and small groups for discipleship classes. If you analyze the definitions and the characteristics described in the chart, the need for both strategies in the local church will come into a clearer focus. I will focus on Sunday School for the remainder of this article and will discuss discipleship small groups in a later article.
As noted in the chart above, the five functions of the local church are envisioned to be fulfilled in the Sunday School. Take a moment and assess your classes based on the above chart.
What material are your classes teaching? Many classes today are using discipleship material,
a Christian book, or in-depth Bible study. The use of these materials often exclude a guest
from being able to "plug-in" as they build on previous lessons. Miss a few of those lessons
and you can't catch up.
Are your classes "open" or "closed"? Most classes today are closed, making it hard for guests to
"break in" to the class and make a connection. They have a "country club" mentality with a focus
on fellowship - with each other!
Are your Sunday School classes fulfilling the five functions? Every class should be involved in
the church outreach program. The class members should be reaching out in their neighborhoods and
community to invite the unchurched to join them in Sunday School and worship. The Bible study
the class engages in is a foundation for discipleship. The class should be providing ongoing
fellowship opportunities outside the class time. Ministry to members and prospects can best be
provided by Sunday School classes.Another question you need to ask is "Do we (the local church) want to grow?" I'm sure you want to see the church you shepherd grow. The implications of that growth are that you are fulfilling The Great Commission by reaching the unchurched in your community and building on-mission Christians to further the Kingdom.
Once you have made your decision (assuming you have selected Sunday School as a viable strategy), the hard work begins. The new question now is "How do we make our Sunday School ministry work?"
There are many excellent resources available. I want to share one that I believe will give you a good road-map to effect the changes you need to implement to bring your Sunday School into the 21st Century. That resources is "Ten Best Practices To Make Your Sunday School Work" (cited earlier). Although this resource is ten years old, it is foundational and it's principles are timeless.
The introduction for this resources states:
"Simply stated, best practices are essential actions for doing the work. They become ways of making the theoretical and philosophical practical. The best practices described in this book are rooted in the knowledge of how people and churches work, but foremost they come from observing effective work in a broad base of churches over an extended time. Best Practice is a strong phrase. It suggests that while there may be several ways of doing something, one way has proven to be better and more effective. The challenges of the new century will require the best. No longer can we be satisfied to crowd into the corridors of complacency or meander in the meadows of mediocrity. Instead, we must step forward with bold solutions."
Ten Best Practices To Make Your Sunday School Work,
Ken Hemphill and Bill Taylor, Lifeway Press, 2001, Page 9.
The scope of this article does not allow me to go into detail about the ten practices, but hopefully the following overview will whet your appetite to dig further.
1. Commit to the Strategy: We will commit to Sunday School as the foundational
strategy in a local church for doing the work of the Great Commission. The strategy is stated
in the definition of Sunday School above.
2. Organize With Purpose: We will organize our Sunday School ministry to accomplish
the objectives of leading people to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and building on-mission Christians.
Organizing by age-groups is the most practical method available to the local church, regardless
of size.
3. Build Kingdom Leaders: We will build kingdom leaders who are committed to Sunday
School strategy as an expression of faithfulness to Christ, His Church, and the mission mandate He
has given. Equipping current and future leaders is a must!
4. Develop Soul Winners: We will lead leaders and members to become soul-winners and
witnesses for Christ in all life settings, including the home. Equipping the leaders and members
will empower them to fufill the next step.
5. Win the Lost: We will engage in evangelistic actions that result in winning the lost
to Christ, as well as in other actions that target the unchurched and reclaim the spiritually indifferent.
This will insure that your congregation will be ready to take advantage of the opportunities God
places before them to share the Gospel with the lost.
6. Assimilate People: We will assimilate individuals and families into the life of the
church and facilitate their growth as disciples of Christ. This is the connection process that
insures guests feel welcome when they visit your Sunday School classes.
7. Partner With Families: We will partner with parents and families to build the home
as the center of biblical guidance. Building strong families contributes to building a strong
community of faith that fulfills the Great Commission.
8. Teach To Transform: We will engage individuals and families in the biblical model
of instruction that leads to spiritual transformation. Spiritual growth is a natural outcome of
transformational teaching.
9. Mobilize for Ministry: We will take deliberate actions to mobilize people to meet
with compassion the needs of individuals and families. Ministering to the needs of members and the
community is easier to accomplish through an organized Sunday School.
10. Multiply Leaders and Units: We will develop and implement an intentional process
for continually multiplying leaders and units. New leaders that are properly equipped will insure
the ability to create new classes and grow your congregation.
Ten Best Practices To Make Your Sunday School Work,
Ken Hemphill and Bill Taylor, Lifeway Press, 2001, Page 17-22.
[Note: The italics above are my additional thoughts and are not part of the cited reference.]
Overwhelming, isn't it? Looking at the Ten Practices, it becomes painlessly obvious that there is a lot of work to be done. The good news is that you already have the basic structure to move your Sunday School into the 21st Century.
The first step is to decide if you want to fulfill The Great Commission through your Sunday School. If you do, I strongly recommend the Ten Best Practices resource as a starting point. I have listed other resources that you might want to read. May God guide your decision and may He empower you to accomplish all He leads you to do.
I want to close with the following:
"If you give up on Sunday School, you have given up on one of the greatest tools to positively influence lives, to positively influence your church and to positively influence your nation. Sunday School carries out the command of Jesus, 'Teaching them to observe all things I have commanded' (Matt. 28:20). Never give up!"
What Every Pastor Should Know About Sunday School,
Elmer L. Towns and Stan Toler, Regal Books, 2002, Page 121.
How To Sunday School Manual,
Wayne Poling, LifeWay Press, 2009.
What Every Pastor Should Know About Sunday School,
Elmer L. Towns and Stan Toler, Regal Books, 2002.
Ten Best Practices To Make Your Sunday School Work,
Ken Hemphill and Bill Taylor, LifeWay Press, 2001.
Building A Great Church Through The Sunday School: A Pastor's Guide,
James E. Fitch, Compiler, Convention Press, 1992.
5 Step Formula For Sunday School Growth,
David Francis, LifeWay Press, 2005.
The 3D Sunday School: A Three Dimensional Strategy To Help
Members And Leaders Fulfill The Great Commission, David Francis, 2006.
I-6 Invite: A Six-Lane Strategy Toward An Inviting Sunday School,
LifeWay Press, 2007.
Discover Triad: Three Facets Of A Dynamic Sunday School Class,
David Francis, LifeWay Press, 2008.
Connect: The Power Of One Sunday School Class,
David Francis, LifeWay Press, 2008.
Great Expectations: Planting Seeds For Sunday School Growth,
David Francis, Lifeway Press, 2009.
Transformational Class: Transformational Church Goes To Sunday School,
David Francis, LifeWay Press, 2010.
Author: Bruce A. Morrison, D.Min.
Senior Coach/Consultant
Church Growth Consultants
Churchgrowthconsultants.com