Providing Space

This is day 26 of 31 Days of Missionary Sunday School.

Providing Sunday School space effects multiple parts of your church’s ministry. In Mark 2, Jesus was teaching in the house one day. The place was packed out and there was no more space, not even in the doorway. Four men carried a paralytic to be healed by Jesus, but there was no room for him. The men removed the roof and lowered the man on the mat down to Jesus. Healing took place and this man’s life would always be richer for the healing experience.

Providing adequate Sunday School space impacts your ministry in many ways. It allows for the starting of new Sunday School classes where new people may be reached. It allows for existing Sunday School classes to be able to include new people. It effects the number of people receiving Christ and being baptized in your church. It effects the number of people growing through life changing Bible study. It effects the number of people receiving ministry.

When space is provided and new adult classes are started it has a dramatic impact on financial giving to the church. When new adult classes are started there will typically be an average attendance increase of about 10 people per class somewhere in the organization. I recently studied a church where the average per capita giving was about $47.00 per Sunday per attender. If the church started five new adult Sunday School classes and the average attendance increased by 50 people per Sunday, can you imagine the financial impact? That would translate to an increased giving for ministry and missions to $2,350 per Sunday or$122,200 per year.

The office that relates to Sunday School in your state convention can be a valuable resource in helping you to evaluate the amount you need and use of your space. They can often help you project future attendance and giving as you increase the Sunday School organization. Please remember that you should assess your Sunday School space, because 80% full capacity can begin to inhibit your growth.
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Rick Ellison: Office of Leadership/Church Health at Alabama Baptist Convention State Board of Missions