Previously, I mentioned a Sunday School Practices survey that I invited readers to complete through January 31. To see some early survey observations, check out this post: Very Preliminary Results from the Sunday School Practices Survey. In this series, we are taking an early look from another survey angle. I shared the first four of fourteen survey areas in Part 1 and five more in Part 2. In Part 3, I will share the final five areas. In Part 3, I will share responses by church size about class fellowships, chairs, inviting guests to join, starting on time, and attenders accepting Christ. I will combine church sizes results for simpler data presentation. Consider these early survey results:
QUESTION: Class fellowships are planned in my Sunday School . . .
| Twice a Month | Monthly | Every Other Mo. | Quarterly | Occasionally | Yearly | Never | |
| 0-100 |
0.0%
|
10.0%
|
10.0%
|
30.0%
|
10.0%
|
0.0%
|
40%
|
| 101-200 |
8.7%
|
17.4%
|
13.0%
|
0.0%
|
43.5%
|
4.3%
|
13.0%
|
| 201-500 |
7.1%
|
21.4%
|
14.3%
|
14.3%
|
35.7%
|
7.1%
|
0.0%
|
| 501+ |
0.0%
|
38.5
|
15.4%
|
46.2%
|
0.0%
|
0.0%
|
0.0%
|
CLASS FELLOWSHIP THOUGHTS: If you combine twice a month, monthly, and every other month, it is interesting that the totals increase as attendance increases. Is that a factor of size, class sizes, class leaders, or staff leadership? Or is it the expectation of members as Sunday School increases in size?
QUESTION: Most classes in my Sunday School have chairs arranged . . .
| Rows | Circle | Semi-Circle | Tables | Other | |
| 0-100 | 20.0% |
10.0%
|
0.0%
|
70.0%
|
0.0%
|
| 101-200 |
8.7%
|
17,4%
|
13.0%
|
52.2%
|
8.7%
|
| 201-500 |
21.4%
|
35.7%
|
7.1%
|
35.7%
|
0.0%
|
| 501+ |
23.1%
|
23.1%
|
38.5%
|
7.7%
|
7.7%
|
ENOUGH CHAIRS THOUGHTS: Notice the decline in table use as size of Sunday School increases. A table can only hold so many people and may be a social as well as space limiting factor in smaller churches. For more thoughts on using tables, check out Why It’s Best Not to Use Tables in Sunday School Classes.
QUESTION: When a guest attends my Sunday School, they are invited to join . . .
| On FirstVisit | On Second Visit | On Third Visit | After Many Visits | Only if the Guest Expresses Interest | Never | |
| 0-100 |
50.0%
|
10.0%
|
10.0%
|
0.0%
|
10.0%
|
20.0%
|
| 101-200 |
30.4%
|
8.7%
|
17.4%
|
8.7%
|
34.8%
|
0.0%
|
| 201-500 |
35.7%
|
0.0%
|
21.4%
|
7.1%
|
28.6%
|
7.1%
|
| 501+ |
61.5%
|
7.7%
|
7.7%
|
0.0%
|
15.4%
|
0.0%
|
INVITING GUESTS TO JOIN THOUGHTS: I am pleasantly surprised to see so many responses affirming asking guests to join on the first visit. We all like to be invited, even if we choose to decline the invitation. I believe we need to express our interest in the guest by inviting them to join rather than waiting until the guest expresses interest (as many indicated). The middle size Sunday Schools may need to enlist more class leaders to get this job done.
QUESTION: Most classes in my Sunday School tend to start the first class activity (announcements, prayer, fellowship, teaching, etc.) . . .
| Early | On Time | Late | |
| 0-100 |
0.0%
|
70.0%
|
30.0%
|
| 101-200 |
0.0%
|
21.7%
|
78.3% |
| 201-500 |
7.1%
|
50.0%
|
42.9%
|
| 501+ |
0.0%
|
38.5%
|
61.5%
|
STARTING ON TIME THOUGHTS: With such varying responses, I am un sure what these results may mean. The results reported earlier (in Very Preliminary Results from the Sunday School Practices Survey) by whether Sunday School was growing, plateaued, or declining had interesting possibilities.
QUESTION: People who attend Sunday School are accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord . . .
| Regularly | Occasionally | Rarely | Never | |
| 0-100 |
20.0%
|
40.0%
|
10.0%
|
30.0%
|
| 101-200 |
17.4%
|
39.1%
|
34.8%
|
8.7%
|
| 201-500 |
28.6%
|
42.9%
|
28.6%
|
0.0%
|
| 501+ |
23.1%
|
38.5%
|
30.8%
|
7.7%
|
ATTENDERS ACCEPTING CHRIST THOUGHTS: The regularly and occasionally results are slightly higher for Sunday Schools with 201-500 in attendance. As I have stated earlier, this survey is based upon perception of some areas rather than cold hard data. This would be an interesting area to compare in annually submitted church statistics. If these perceptions bear out, it would appear Sunday Schools 201-500 may recognize more decisions from attenders.
Look through the statistics above, and go back and review Part 1and Part 2. 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. Pray. Evaluate your progress. Give God your best effort. Be revolutionary!
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