Having worked for over twenty years with churches all over Kentucky (and beyond), I have observed and learned many things. One is obvious and simple:
You cannot grow without reaching out.
Every church is in a constant state of loss. People die, move, and get sick or need to provide care for loved ones. Schedules change. Sometimes people are absent, and the absence becomes a habit when no care is provided. Conflict happens.
Decline
Without question, attendance patterns have changed. Average attendance frequency has declined. In some cases this is due to work demands. In other cases, disposable income has increased making trips and vacations more frequent. For some, commitment to church (and other institutions) is not as strong.
With the constant state of loss and attendance frequency decline, average Sunday School attendance in many churches is in free fall. Decline should be a red flag for every Sunday School that outreach must be seriously pursued. Every class and age group must participate. The future of the classes, the Sunday School, and the church depends on it. You see many…
Sunday Schools are facing death by lack of outreach.
The annual average loss varies from church to church, but it is often in excess of 10%. So let’s get a picture of what happens in a few years if that 10% loss is not addressed. Let me illustrate with a Sunday School which is now averaging 100 in Sunday School:
Let’s assume the Sunday School began with 10 classes averaging 10 people each. What if they prayed, made a list of prospects, and began inviting and caring for those prospects? What if all 10 of the classes set a goal to enroll 4 people each annually. By the way, about half of those we enroll will attend. As attendance increases, new classes will be started to maintain an average of 10 people per class. What would that look like?
Enroll, Care, and Add Classes
Which of these futures for Sunday School do you like best? What will you do to make outreach a priority for your Sunday School and classes? Don’t wait! Start now. Work with every class and age group. People are waiting to be invited, cared for, enrolled, and loved to Jesus. Make disciples. Be revolutionary!
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