Sunday School Director Job Description, Part 1

I have written around this topic many times over the years. Here are some of the many posts which are related:

• What Does a Revolutionary Sunday School Director Do on Sunday Morning?
• Where Can a New Sunday School Director Turn for Help?
• Help for the New Sunday School Director
• Sunday School Director: Moving from Fire Hydrant to Water Fountain
• The Many Hats of the Sunday School Director
• What Is the Job of the Sunday School Director, Part 1 and What Is the Job of the Sunday School Director, Part 2
• How Do I Develop a Sunday School Budget?
• Top Priorities of a New Sunday School Director
• How to Sunday School Manual by Wayne Poling

In this two-part series, I will begin by looking at the relationships and broad scope of the work of the Sunday School director.

RELATIONSHIPS. The Sunday School director works with nearly everyone in the church directly or indirectly. Here are a few of the main ones on the list.

• The pastor. The pastor and director are a team. Working together, they are able to lead the Sunday School toward increasing effectiveness. They keep the vision for Sunday School before teachers and leaders. They lead in evaluating, goal-setting and pursuit, and in trouble-shooting. In a larger church, the director may also relate to the minister of education.
• Teachers. Teachers are naturally a key part of the team the pastor and director lead. This includes teachers of all ages, from preschool through adults. The director prays for, encourages, plans with, challenges, trains, and leads teachers. The director listens and helps. Teachers would include apprentices as well.
• General leaders. This includes the pastor and the Sunday School secretary, outreach leader, perhaps an associate director, and others. The director works to avoid duplicating efforts. The secretary may focus on records and curriculum ordering and distribution. The outreach leader may keep outreach records updated and lead classes to make weekly contact assignments and participate in outreach activities. An associate director is needed when there is more than one session of Sunday School and the number of classes have increased making weekly contact with teachers difficult. Age group directors (one each for preschool, children, youth, and adult) may also be included as general leaders and part of the planning team.
• Class leaders. This will include class secretaries, substitute teachers, outreach leaders, care group leaders, prayer leaders, fellowship leaders, service leaders, and any other positions which enable the classes to carry out their work. The director works with teachers to ensure needed leaders are enlisted, trained, and mobilized into service.
• Planning team. The size and make up of the Sunday School planning team depends on the size of the church. In a large church, the team may be made up of the pastor, director, minister of education, and age group division directors. In most churches, the team will include all teachers and perhaps all class leaders. The purpose of the planning team is annual goal-setting and strategy for growth which is checked on and adjusted as needed during monthly meetings.
• Finance team. The director works with this group to develop and present and administer a Sunday School budget which may include Vacation Bible School and/or outreach.
• Facilities team. The director works with this group to ensure that appropriate rooms and equipment are provided for current and new classes. The director helps the facilities team anticipate needs.
• Discipleship director. The Sunday School director may also work with the Discipleship director to ensure that workers (and members) are trained. This may include offering teacher/worker job training. It may include biblical studies, outreach and evangelism training, and more.
• Nominating team. The director works closely with the nominating team to ensure enlistment of God-called people in current and new places of service. Depending on church practice, teachers may enlist class leaders without the involvement of the nominating team.
• Greeter team. The director works with this team to ensure a positive first impression for Sunday School members and guests. Guests are registered and led to appropriate classes.

What other relationships did I miss? I will focus more on duties in Part 2. Enlarge your relationships and lead your Sunday School to be effective. If you are busy and have no time to read additional posts, check out What Does a Revolutionary Sunday School Director Do on Sunday Morning? for specific duties for the director for Sunday. Make disciples. Be revolutionary!