What do you expect from Sunday School? When you expect nothing, you are seldom disappointed. On the other hand, huge expectations can result in disappointment OR in great surprise!
For most of us, progress is not as much in huge change as it in is small, steady progress. I agree with the focus of my friend, David Francis, of LifeWay in his new book, One Hundred: Charting a Course Past 100 in Sunday School:
The purpose of this book is to provoke conversations about the100 little things that can be done better.
What are some of the areas for those 100 little things which can be done better? What would be on your list? What are some of the small things that would make your Sunday School or class better?
Consider this 100 challenge:
- Gather a leadership group to make a list of 100 little things which can be done better. (Just making the list together will raise expectations and ownership.) Break all big items into smaller pieces.
- Place the items in your list in some categories like David’s invite, discover, and connect. Add to those categories some like training leaders, starting classes, and administration.
- Assign some that are natural to organizational leaders (such as praying for lost people assigned to the class outreach leader).
- Determine the one category on which to focus your attention first.
- Work on one or two small things which could be done better.
- Gather your leadership team to evaluate your progress, adjust what you are doing, and focus on where you will focus next.
- Repeat the process quarterly.
In my experience, you will quickly begin to see progress. Attitudes will be more positive. Expectations will be higher. Ownership of the work will be greater. And positive results will produce greater satisfaction.
When can you gather your leadership team to start the process? How about tomorrow?
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