Previously, I mentioned a Sunday School Practices survey that I invited readers to complete through January 31. The survey focused on what is happening in your Sunday School. To see some of my very early observations from the survey, check out this post: Very Preliminary Results from the Sunday School Practices Survey. Some findings have been surprising. In this series, I want to take an early look from another angle at the survey. (Realize that some results may change with more responses.) In this series, I will share fourteen areas of the survey by church size. I shared the first four areas in Part 1. I will share five more in Part 2 and five in Part 3.
In Part 2, I will share responses by church size about high attendance day, goals, space, parking, and class projects. I will combine the results by church sizes for simpler presentation of the data. For instance, the survey separates Sunday School attendance into groups 0-50 and 51-100, but I will combine the results for those two groups as well as some others. Consider the following early survey results:
QUESTION: My Sunday School has challenged classes to invite more people through a high attendance Sunday emphasis . . .
| In Last Yr | 2 Yrs Ago | 3-5 Yrs Ago | Can’t Remember | |
| 0-100 |
60.0%
|
10.0%
|
0.0%
|
30.0%
|
| 101-200 |
47.8%
|
21.7%
|
8.7%
|
21.7%
|
| 201-500 |
28.6%
|
21.4%
|
21.4%
|
28.6%
|
| 501+ |
46.1%
|
30.8%
|
0.0%
|
23.1%
|
HIGH ATTENDANCE DAY THOUGHTS: These statistics don’t vary much by Sunday School attendance except for those 201-500. This will be interesting to view again from the perspective of growing, plateaued, and declining attendance like the early sample I gave in Very Preliminary Results from the Sunday School Practices Survey. Is it possible that churches with Sunday School attendance 201-500 have so many activities going on that they don’t have the calendar time or staff/volunteer leadership to put together a high attendance day?
QUESTION: In my Sunday School, classes are challenged to set and pursue enrollment, attendance, and contact goals . . .
| Never | Hardly Ever | Sometimes | Often | Every Yr | |
| 0-100 |
10.0%
|
20.0%
|
40.0%
|
20.0%
|
10.0%
|
| 101-200 |
21.7%
|
34.8%
|
1 7.4%
|
13.0%
|
13.0%
|
| 201-500 |
14.3%
|
35.7%
|
28.6%
|
14.3%
|
7.1%
|
| 501+ |
0.0%
|
23.1%
|
30.8%
|
30.8%
|
15.4%
|
GOALS THOUGHTS: It is interesting to note that the smallest (0-100) and largest (500+) Sunday Schools are the most likely to challenge classes with goals–at least among those who completed the survey. What is it about Sunday Schools 101-500 that mean they will be less likely to challenge their classes to set and pursue goals? Could paid and volunteer staffing be stretched and make accountability for goals difficult?
QUESTION: When I think about Sunday School classroom (CR) space . . .
| Several Unused CRs | 1 or 2 Unused CRs | No Unused CRs | |
| 0-100 |
30.0%
|
30.0%
|
40.0%
|
| 101-200 |
30.4%
|
30.4%
|
39.1%
|
| 201-500 |
35.7%
|
21.4%
|
42.9%
|
| 501+ |
15.4%
|
38.5%
|
46.1%
|
AVAILABLE CLASSROOMS THOUGHTS: Statistics are fairly uniform throughout the various Sunday School sizes with a slight increase among the largest for a shortage of available classrooms. Does that mean that the largest Sunday Schools will have more difficulty starting new classes and maintaining growth?
QUESTION: Most Sundays, the church parking lot and available street parking during Sunday School is . . .
| Full | Mostly Full | Half Full | Almost Empty | |
| 0-100 |
0.0%
|
30.0%
|
40.0%
|
30.0%
|
| 101-200 |
8.7%
|
43.5%
|
47.8%
|
0.0%
|
| 201-500 |
28.6%
|
50.0%
|
21.4%
|
0.0%
|
| 501+ |
23.1%
|
61.5%
|
15.4%
|
0.0%
|
PARKING THOUGHTS: The shift in this table is fairly dramatic. Sunday Schools 0-200 tend to have more available parking than Sunday Schools 201+. Is it possible that a number of the persons responding to the survey from Sunday Schools 0-200 are in churches that have declined over the years resulting in more parking than current attendance requires? Could parking shortages be an early indicator for the Sunday Schools 201+ that it may be difficult to continue to grow unless additional parking is addressed?
QUESTION: Classes in my S unday School lead attenders to get involved in ministry/service/outreach projects . . .
| Monthly | Quarterly | Twice a Yr | Yearly | Never | |
| 0-100 |
40.0%
|
20.0%
|
10.0%
|
10.0%
|
20.0%
|
| 101-200 |
34.8%
|
13.0%
|
13.0%
|
21.7%
|
17.4%
|
| 201-500 |
21.4%
|
35.7%
|
21.4%
|
14.3%
|
7.1%
|
| 501+ |
23.1%
|
46.2%
|
7.7%
|
15.4%
|
0.0%
|
CLASS PROJECTS THOUGHTS: Is the slight spike in class ministry/service/outreach projects (about 10%) which are done monthly or quarterly among Sunday Schools 501+ due to the sheer volume of people and class leaders? Why are Sunday Schools 101-200 a bit lower (about 10%)? Honestly, the frequency of projects among all churches is a pleasant surprise.
Look through the statistics above, and go back and review Part 1. What are some questions or ideas that come to mind? Would your Sunday School experience agree with or differ from these statistics for churches of similar size? If they are different, how are they different and why do you think that is the case? Press the Comments button below to share your thoughts. In Part 3, we will look at five more areas from the survey: class fellowships, chairs, inviting guests to join, starting on time, and attenders accepting Christ. Pray. Evaluate your progress. Give God your best effort. Be revolutionary!
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