Would you like to increase your Sunday School attendance? Would you like for members to attend more regularly? Would you like members to talk about Sunday School with friends, relatives, associates, and neighbors? Would you like attenders to invite guests? All of these could be possible if you could figure out a way to make Sunday School more valuable. What can you do help attenders to increase its value in their sight?
I read a blog post by Joshua Pappas, a Church of Christ minister, that shared five ways to make Sunday School more valuable. The post is entitled Is the Bible School Worth Saving? Bible School is another name for Sunday School. Hear what Pappas has to say. In Part 1, I will share the first two of his five actions in all capitals followed by my commentary:
- PEOPLE WILL VALUE WHAT YOU VALUE. Sunday School must be more than habit. It should be more than just routine. It should be exciting and life-changing. Instead of “I don’t want to go,” it should be “I don’t want to miss.” Leaders must lead here. Our example is important. When we give our best, attenders will notice. When leaders talk about it and are involved in it, people notice (check out When Pastors Attend Sunday School/Small Groups, It Is Contagious!, Pastor as Revolutionary: Leading the Sunday School by Word and Example, and Steps for the Pastor’s Leadership of the Sunday School). Sunday School should be worth investing time in, budgeting money for, and communicating often about. If it is valuable to you, they are more likely to consider it to be valuable. Your example could impact both outreach and assimilation! Give Sunday School your personal attention as a leader and watch its value increase!
- PEOPLE WILL GO OUT OF THEIR WAY TO GET INVOLVED WITH SOMETHING THEY SEE AS A PRIVILEGE, OR FUN. The number one reason people don’t attend Sunday School is that no one invited them. The number two reason is that they went to Sunday School and it was boring. Ouch! Let’s make it a quality experience. Let’s make it fun–even for adults! Let’s do more than teach; let help them to learn. Even more important, let’s use the Bible. Let’s lead them to meet God in His Word (check out the five parts of this series: Leading Attenders to Meet God in Bible Study, Part 1). God in His Word has the power to change lives. Changed lives are a powerful advertisement! Train attenders to consider the benefits of Sunday School. Lead them to practice and share their Sunday School testimonies (check out Sunday School Testimony: Powerful Revolutionary Tool). This helps them to consider the privilege they have! Get members involved in the Bible study session and in class leadership. Pappas emphasizes teacher training, pictures in classrooms, hiring a staff member to lead Sunday School (check out ), and field trips. Make Sunday School a privilege and fun and watch its value increase!
In Part 2, I will share Pappas’ final three actions to make Sunday School more valuable. What could you do to add value to your Sunday School? What could you do personally? How could you lift up its value ? Not involved in a class? Get involved. Not teac hing, start a class. Already involved? Share your testimony about the privilege it is and the fun you are having. Your leadership makes a difference. People are missing the opportunity because they don’t think it is valuable. Help them to consider what they are missing. Invite them to a great experience. Be revolutionary!
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