Sunday School Practices Survey Results by Growth, Part 5

In Part 1, I began sharing results from an online survey which had over 200 respondents but only 71 completed the entire survey. The results shared in this series are from complete surveys. In Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4, I have shared results of these practices: training, visitation, Sunday School greeters, good records, contacts, new classes, name tags, high attendance day, setting goals, and praying for Sunday School, pulpit invitations, special event registration, available classrooms, space in classrooms, parking, class projects, class fellowships, and chair arrangement.

In Part 5, I will share the final four practices: class invitations to join, class start time, salvation responses, and class care organization. In the survey, respondents were asked to identify whether their Sunday School attendance was more than last year (growing), the same as last year (plateaued), or less than last year (declining).

WHEN A GUEST ATTENDS MY SUNDAY SCHOOL, THEY ARE INVITED TO JOIN . . .

INSIGHTS: Add together the bottom three “invitation to join” frequency responses (first, second, and third visit), and here are the totals: growing (72%), plateaued (73%), and declining (50%). Declining Sunday Schools more frequently leave it up to guests to request to join Sunday School classes. For ideas about inviting guests to join Sunday School, check out these blog posts: When Pastors Attend Sunday School/Small Groups, It Is Contagious!, Sunday School Open House, Moving Worshippers into Sunday School/Small Groups, Using Sunday School Enrollment to Grow, Part 1, Using Sunday School Enrollment to Grow, Part 2, Five Sunday School Challenges, Has Your Sunday School Enrollment Increased Lately?, What to Say to a Sunday School Guest, and First Impressions: Start Sunday School on Time!, Benefits of Starting Sunday School on Time, and When Does Sunday School Begin?.

MOST CLASSES IN MY SUNDAY SCHOOL TEND TO START THE FIRST CLASS ACTIVITY (ANNOUNCEMENTS, PRAYER, FELLOWSHIP, TEACHING, ETC.) . . .

INSIGHTS:  More declining Sunday Schools (65%) start late than growing Sunday Schools (52%). In order to get the most out of the Bible study “hour,” it is important that teachers lead the class to get started as close to time as possible. Don’t wait for everyone to get there. For ideas about starting Sunday School on time, check out these blog posts: First Impressions: Start Sunday School on Time!, Benefits of Starting Sunday School on Time, and When Does Sunday School Begin?.

PEOPLE WHO ATTEND SUNDAY SCHOOL ARE ACCEPTING JESUS AS SAVIOR AND LORD . . .

INSIGHTS:  Add together the bottom two “salvation” frequency responses (regularly and occasionally), and you can see a slight drop off: g rowing (64%), plateaued (57.6%), and declining (50%). Teach to change lives. Invite attenders to Jesus. For ideas about leading people to Jesus through Sunday School, check out these blog posts: Personal Invitations Are Needed and Still Work!, Ways Sunday School Can Help Increase Baptisms, Sunday School on Resurrection Sunday, Who Will You Invite to Sunday School?, The Impact of One Hour of Sunday School, Change a Life: Give the Gift of Sunday School, Reaching Lost/Unchurched Sheep Through the Sunday School, Do You Really Want Sunday School to Grow?, Has Your Sunday School Enrollment Increased Lately?, and How Far Should Sunday School Go to Make Disciples of All Nations?.

CLASSES IN MY SUNDAY SCHOOL ARE ORGANIZED AND READY TO MEET THE LIFE NEEDS OF CLASS ATTENDERS . . .

INSIGHTS: Statistics do not vary significantly for growing, plateaued, or declining Sunday Schools. All Sunday Schools should be organized to respond to the needs of members, absentees, and prospects. For ideas about organizing Sunday School classes to meet needs through, check out these blog posts: Connecting 110% of Your Congregation in Life-Changing Sunday School Classes, Part 2, Increasing Sunday School Class Attendance, Part 1, Increasing Sunday School Class Attendance, Part 2, Balancing First Impression and Connection in Sunday School, Change a Life: Give the Gift of Sunday School, Sunday School Contacts Result in Increased Attendance, 5 Goals for Sunday School Growth This Year, and Sunday School Class FISH Team Training.

Where is your Sunday School? Do you have more, the same, or less in attendance this year? Evaluate your Sunday School. Which of the above practices could use some attention? What could you do to strengthen that practice? What’s the first step? Who should be responsible? Check out the previous eighteen practices in Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4. Invite guests to join. Lead them to Jesus. Meet needs. Be revolutionary!