The Sunday School Revolutionary is about giving our best to God, about doing Sunday School right. But sometimes it helps to look at opposites. Jesus did so many times in his teaching. Consider John 10:12-13 and many other passages.
In that vein, it may bring a fresh perspective to look at Sunday School from the other side. What does Sunday School look like that is not revolutionary? What does Sunday School do (or not do) that intentionally or unintentionally plans for failure? Consider the following possibilities:
- going through the motions with no awareness of God or His leadership,
- spending no time praying for Sunday School, leaders, members, or prospects,
- focusing completely inward,
- failing to plan,
- failing to train,
- not starting new classes at church and away from church,
- enlisting warm bodies rather than God-called teachers and leaders,
- poor or no Bible study preparation,
- not leading attenders to meet God in Bible study,
- not involving members in lessons or class activities and responsibilities,
- not contacting or caring for each other,
- not organizing for growth,
- not setting or working toward any goals,
- failing to invite, care for, and enroll new people,
- failing to plan relationship-building fellowship and project activities,
- not inviting worship attenders,
- failing to lead the Sunday School to grow,
- not training and expecting members to share their Sunday School testimonies,
- not keeping good records (or any records of attendance or contact information), and
- not following up on absentees, guests, and prospects.
Give yourself five (5) points for every one of the above on which your Sunday School practices the opposite. Give yourself fewer points (or no points) for ones that describe your Sunday School. Add together the total of points for all twenty items.
If you scored 75 or more total points, your Sunday School is planning for growth. Continue to strive for excellence. Focus on the areas where improvement is needed. If you scored, 50 or more points, your Sunday School leaders need leadership and more awareness of ways they are planning for failure. Begin to share and address the list one small dose at a time. Raise expectations! If you scored below 50 points, you are planning for failure. Begin now to pray about where to start to turn this around. Follow God’s leadership. Let’s give God our best. Be revolutionary!
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