In a series beginning with Steps Toward Sunday School Change, Part 1, I shared eight steps toward change: prayer, attention, evaluation, motivation, commitment, ownership, action, and repeat. I pointed out that leadership is the medium in which those steps are carried out. Without leadership, those steps will stall in being carried out.
In this series, I have applied each of those eight steps to the context of the Sunday School class pursuing a specific change: leading the class to shift focus to prospects and people not in the class. Most class change will be led by the teacher, but class change will benefit from involvement of others in the class besides the teacher. In other words, greater ownership for the change will help create motivation and momentum for the change.
I almost skipped this post because it seemed so obvious. Then I began thinking through that thought. I realized that this step (repeat) is absolutely essential to ensure that the Sunday School class change that was pursued lasts. Many drop change efforts after they have begun. Without reinforcement and continued work, few changes will have lasting results.
What can be done to help the class repeat efforts for Sunday School class change, in this case focusing on prospects and people not in the class? Like in previous posts of this series, let me list a few of the many possibilities:
- as a class, stop to give God praise and thanks for the change progress;
- update progress and celebrate with the class;
- debrief the progress with other leaders and/or the whole class;
- share testimonies of ministry touches with and responses by prospects and those not in the class;
- share testimonies of new people enrolled now in the class;
- adjust focus and reaching efforts as needed;
- don’t stop raising the value of efforts that have begun in this direction;
- assign ongoing responsibility for the change to a class member/leader;
- and many, many more.
What actions would you add to this list? How have you successfully led your class to repeat or reinforce a change (help it to be ongoing)? How would your class repeat a focus on prospects and people not in the class? Press Comments below and share your ideas. Without the first steps, you may not be ready to take action or repeat the change our Lord desires for your class. How can you lead them?
What change does God desire for your class? Pray for the change. Give it attention. Stop to evaluate. Motivate attenders to focus on the change. Lead them to commit and own the change. Do it. Repeat! Listen to God before, during, and after the change. Follow His leadership. Help others to see the need for change and invite them to join as you gain their attention and their involvement in evaluation and action. Be revolutionary!
Here are the first six posts of this series: First Step Toward Sunday School Class Change: Prayer, Second Step Toward Sunday School Class Change: Attention, Third Step Toward Sunday School Class Change: Evaluation, Fourth Step Toward Sunday School Class Change: Motivation, Fifth Step Toward Sunday School Class Change: Commitment, Sixth Step Toward Sunday School Class Change: Ownership, and Seventh Step Toward Sunday School Class Change: Action.
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