Big vs. Small Classes – Which is better?

When I began ministry 34 years ago it was recommend that an adult Sunday School class not exceed more than 25 people enrolled. With most classes running 40%-50% of enrollment that meant there were 10-12 people in attendance each Sunday. The smaller class encourages people to participate in discussion and it makes it possible for all the class members to know one another. Today, it is recommended that an Adult class not exceed 25 in attendance. That means a class will have approximately 50-60 people enrolled. It is hard for a teacher to even know all 50-60 people much less minister to them. A larger class may provide a more exciting environment but it does not lend itself to discussion or people really being able to know one another. Fearing that they may give a wrong answer, most people do not want to verbalize their opinions in front of a large group of people. Lecture is often the teaching method that is used with large Sunday School classes. It is difficult for a teacher to adequately know the needs of each individual in his or her class if the group is very large. The larger the class becomes the greater the need to have care group leaders who can adequately minister to smaller groups of people within the class. When a class begins to consistently run 25 in attendance it should begin to think about starting a new class. If a teacher has had an assistant teacher then often the assistant teacher can be the teacher for the new class. It also helps to have 6-8 people who regularly attend to help the new class get started. Leave a comment and tell us some of the benefits you have experienced of a large or small Sunday School class? In your opinion, what size should a class become before starting a new class?