by Ron Moore on October 28, 2010
Some would say that a Sunday School High Attendance Day is a waste of time and energy. The Sunday School experiences one day of high attendance but the next Sunday the numbers are back down to the previous levels, so some would ask, “Do Sunday School Attendance Days really do any good?” I think High Attendance Days are beneficial for three reasons:
1. It motivates Sunday School class teachers and members to make contacts that they might not otherwise make.
2. Many people are contacted and feel accepted and wanted because someone cared enough to contact them and invite them to church.
3. There are many who come to church because it is High Attendance Day that might not come otherwise. Our hope is that at least some of these people will return the next week and begin to get involved in Sunday School.
High Attendance Days may seem old fashioned but they still work. Please leave your thoughts and comments on High Attendance Days. What do you do to help make Sunday School High Attendance Days a success?
by Ron Moore on October 21, 2010
Nearly every Sunday School teacher has faced that dreaded silence when you ask a question of the group and everyone sits there and gives you that deer in the headlight look. Nobody wants to say anything.
Here are two more ideas you might try to get your group to open up and talk. Give people a printed response sheet and ask them to complete the sheet with their thoughts and answers. Then ask people to share their responses to the questions with the class. This can also be done in small groups.
One other way that is less effective but usually works is to ask a question of an individual that you know does not mind sharing and is not intimidated by giving his thoughts. This puts that person on the spot, so do not ask a guest or someone who is not comfortable talking in front of the class. This method could scare some people off because they are afraid that next week you will call on them to answer a question.
Leave a comment and share some methods you have used to get your group to open up and talk.
by Ron Moore on October 14, 2010
Nearly every Sunday School teacher has faced that dreaded silence when you ask a question of the group and everyone sits there and stares at you like you just ask them to jump off the Golden Gate bridge. Nobody wants to say anything.
How does one solve this problem? Last week we talked about forming small groups and asking those small groups to discuss and then share with the larger group. Here are some additional practical ways to get people to open up and talk in class.
Another way to get people to open up and talk is to call people who are in the class in advance and give them a question to think about. The person can then do some preparation in advance and come to class prepared to give his thoughts and answer to the question.
Another effective method is to ask a question and ask people in the class to move to an “Agree” or “Disagree” sign that you have posted on the wall. The question must be phrased in such a way that you will get varied response. Once people have moved to the sign that reflects his or her opinion then ask the groups to defend their position and create a mini-debate between the two groups.
Watch the Flight 4031 blog site to get additional ideas on how to improve your Sunday School class.
by Ron Moore on October 1, 2010
Nearly every Sunday School teacher has faced that dreaded silence when you ask a question of the group and everyone sits there and stares at you like you just ask them to jump off the Golden Gate bridge. Nobody wants to say anything.
The most common reason a teacher will get that type of response is that people don’t want to look stupid in front of the group. If the person speaks up and answers incorrectly he looks stupid. If he speaks up and answers correctly then he looks like he is trying to show off and be a know-it-all. So the safest thing to do is to keep his mouth shut and don’t say anything.
Another common problem a teacher faces is that person who does think he is Albert Einstein and that he does know everything. He will dominate the conversation and answer every question, never allowing the others in the class to say a word.
How does one solve these problems? Over the next few weeks I will use this blog site to share some practical ways to overcome these problems and get people to open up and talk in class.
One practical way is to ask those in the class to get in groups of two, three, or four people and then give them a question to discuss or a project to complete. Remember to keep the groups small. You can give the same question to every group or you can assign different questions to different groups. The smaller group is less threatening and allows everyone the chance to give some input. Then call for a report from each group. The person who is reporting from each group is reporting for the group and does not feel the pressure to “give the right answer”.
Watch the Flight 4031 blog site to get additional ideas on how to improve your Sunday School class.
by Ron Moore on August 19, 2010
When taking a test we sometimes use the terminology “I aced that test”, meaning that we did well on the test. There are some things we can do to “ACE” Sunday School. Using the letters in “ACE” as an acrostic it can help us remember what to do.
A = Absentee Contacts – Every week contact those who were absent on Sunday and invite them to be present next week. Ask the absentees if they have any prayer requests that you could pray with them about. Even though the person may never come, they will know you care enough about them to take your time each week to call, email, or visit them. Assign these contacts to others in your class so the task is not too large.
C = Crisis Contacts – Nearly every week there are people in your Sunday School class who are going through a crisis. Just this week I have heard of these crisis situations in our church: a man had a mini-stroke, another man’s father is near death, and a woman who is so depressed that she is suicidal. When someone is going through a crisis they need a shoulder to cry on and someone to pray with them. Be there for those people, pray with them, send notes, and provide meals and other support as needed.
E = Encouragement Contacts – We all need encouragement from time to time. A person has lost a job, he has a rebellious teenager, or he is dealing with some difficult situations at work. The list is endless and it is always helpful to let these people know that you are thinking about them and praying for them. Even those who do not have a specific problem would appreciate an encouraging note. Send them a card, email, give them a call, or even go by and visit. They will appreciate your thoughtfulness and concern.
Remember to “ACE It” every week!
by Ron Moore on July 29, 2010
People are back from summer vacations. School is getting ready to begin. Many churches promote preschool, children, and youth to new classes during this time. It is a natural time for people to get back involved in church. Teachers should contact (visit, card, email, or telephone call) every person on his or her Sunday School roll to invite them to church for Promotion Sunday. Children are naturally interested in “moving on up” and seeing who his or her teacher will be. Most parents are also curious where their children will be in Sunday School. It may be helpful to have some special refreshments that morning. Our church will be providing a free breakfast for everyone. Teachers should be there early so they can greet everyone as they come. Name tags can be very helpful in getting to know one another. This is a great time to take advantage of school beginning. Share your comments on what you have you done in your Sunday School class to take advantage of this special time of the year.
by Ron Moore on July 22, 2010
When I go to a restaurant I observe how inviting the atmosphere is. Does the restaurant look nice, neat, clean, and in order? The next thing I notice is how friendly the staff is and if I get quick and efficient service. The final thing I am looking for in a good restaurant is good food at a good price and plenty of it.
Let’s apply the same principles to our Sunday School classes. Does your Sunday School class look nice, neat, clean, and in order? I have observed too many classes where the chairs are in disarray, there is trash on the floor, there is old literature from several months ago on top of the piano, and if there are any posters or visuals on the wall they are old and needing to be replaced with new visuals that relate to the current lesson. Does your Sunday School class environment say, “We are glad you are here” or “We were expecting you”? Second, do you have someone who is designated to be your reaching leader? This person is responsible for making sure all guests feel welcome and included in the group. The reaching leader will also get the information needed to follow-up with guests. Finally, are you providing good quality Bible study? Have you spent time preparing so you can adequately present the Biblical truths from the Scriptures?
On a scale of 1-10 with 1 being low and 10 being good, evaluate and rate your Sunday School class on how “inviting” your class is. What do you need to work on for your class to be more inviting? Leave your comments on what you have done to make your class more inviting?
by Ron Moore on July 7, 2010
My mother is involved in a weekly women’s Bible study group. The group is comprised of several small groups that are led by some of the ladies. Each week they gather for a Bible study lesson from one of two main leaders and then the group breaks into smaller groups for discussion. The group meets on Wednesday mornings. Every Tuesday without fail I know my mother will get a call from her small group leader. This weekly contact helps my mother know she is important and that they are looking forward to her being present for Bible study. I think these weekly contacts are one of the reasons this group of ladies usually has approximately 90% of the ladies present each week.
Imagine if a Sunday School teacher contacted his or her Sunday School class members every Saturday to encourage them to be present on Sunday. I am sure the percentage of those present would increase. The task of contacting every member may be overwhelming for some teachers, especially if they have a large number of people on their Sunday School rolls. That is the reason Sunday School classes are encouraged to have Care Group Leaders. Each Care Group Leader is assigned 6-8 people from the Sunday School roll. They are responsible for contacting and caring for this small group of people each week. In addition to making a weekly contacts by phone, email, or text, a Care Group Leader will send birthday cards, minister to these people in a time of need (death of a loved one, loss of job, sickness, etc.), and send notes of encouragement as needed. These weekly contacts are a small way a Sunday School class can extend the love of Jesus Christ and minister to people.
What do you think? Do weekly contacts really work or do people see them as a form of harassment? Share your thoughts about weekly contacts and the use of Care Group Leaders. What have you done to keep in touch with people in a Bible study group?
by Ron Moore on June 24, 2010
Many churches have Sunday School High Attendance Days. Sunday School class members are encouraged to make a special effort to make phone calls, send emails, and make visits to those in their classes who have not been regular in attendance. Just like politicians who try to “get out the vote” on election day, some churches have contests to encourage people to get the people out for High Attendance Day.
Some say a High Attendance Day is just a gimmick and that those who come because of a gimmick have to be kept there with more gimmicks. Attendance numbers rise and fall just like flood waters. Numbers are impacted by weather, school calendar, and special events like Easter and a High Attendance Day. Often a High Attendance Day will produce a spike in attendance numbers but they return to the previous level the very next week.
Others say that a High Attendance Day is an effective method to encourage Sunday School class members to make contacts that they might not make otherwise. People are contacted and some people come for High Attendance Day that would not have come if they had not been contacted and invited to the special emphasis. The hope is that at least some of these people who come for High Attendance Day will have a good experience and will return the next week.
What do you think? Leave a comment!
by Ron Moore on June 3, 2010
My mother, who lives with my wife and me, is a member of a weekly Bible study group at the church for women. Every week, she can count on getting a phone call from her Bible study group leader. Every Tuesday before the Bible study on Wednesday my mother gets a call reminding her of the Bible study. She also gets an encouraging word to attend. This Bible study group has almost 100% in attendance every week.
Most Sunday School classes run approximately 50% of the class enrollment in attendance. I wonder what would happen if every Saturday, every Sunday School teacher called everyone on his or her Sunday School class roll to remind them of Sunday School and give each person and encouraging word. I imagine that the percentage of those in attendance each week would increase significantly.
The question is, “Why don’t we call everyone each week?” We may not have the time. We may not want to annoy the person. The class enrollment may be so large that it would take hours to call everyone each week. It may be that we have just become comfortable with those who are in attendance. Whatever the case may be, we all need to do a better job of contacting those on our Sunday School rolls. With modern day technology we can keep in touch through email, facebook, text message, and the phone. Every teacher should make it a point to contact everyone on his or her Sunday School roll at least once a month, and more often if possible.
What do you think? Do phone calls really help? What have you done to keep in touch with your Sunday School class members?
