I am at Ridgecrest Conference Center in North Carolina for Sunday School Week. My wife and I arrived in time to check into our room and for me to head to a faculty meeting. I have the privilege of leading three afternoon conferences on blogging, starting new classes, and new Sunday School directors. After the faculty meeting, I met Yvonne on Rocking Chair Ridge and we headed to dinner. We had just a few minutes to head back to the room before heading to worship.
From the moment we drove on Ridgecrest’s property, we encountered many long-time friends. Some are my peers (and spouses) who are state Sunday School directors. Others are friends from LifeWay. Two (PK Spratt and Don Blackmore) are Ministers of Education who were called out of Kentucky to serve great churches in other states. Several are friends from Kentucky churches (Parkland in Louisville, Edgewood in Hopkinsville, and Eastwood in Bowling Green).
How did we become friends? The simple answer is time. We spent time together. We worked together. We attended conferences together. We led conferences together. We worked on projects. We talked. We laughed. We prayed. We cried. We ate meals together. Again, we spent time together. The more time we spend, the more we get to know each other. Some of these relationships are fresh. Others have taken ten, fifteen, and more years to form.
The same is true for your Sunday School team (whether in a class or total Sunday School). They will benefit from intentional investment of time together. Schedule serious time and fun time. Pray together. Evaluate, plan, and work together. Conquer problems together. Talk. Laugh. Eat. Serve. Together.
Sitting at dinner and in worship tonight, I saw church groups sitting together. The trip to Ridgecrest offers multiple times for them to spend time together: the trip to Ridgecrest, meals and free time during the weekend, and the trip back home. Great conversations will be shared. Concerns will surface. Learning will be talked about. Ideas for classes, Sunday Schools, and churches will swirl. Affirmation will be experienced. Stretching will take place. Trust will grow.
But you don’t have to go to Ridgecrest for this to happen. Plan a short trip together. Gather in a home. Schedule a meeting. Have dessert. Go to a restaurant. Talk, dream, plan, pray, play, work. Together. The work is important. God deserves our best. Be revolutionary!
Leave a Reply