The 5 P's Of Sunday School

FBMB

March 6, 2005

Sunday School Training

Make Up Session

The 5 P’s of Sunday School

Intro.: Welcome to the Sunday School training make up session. Welcome teachers and other SS leadership. Welcome to those who are not-yet in SS leadership roles. Your time here today is important and I’m going to respect that by starting and finishing at 4:55.

I want several things to be accomplished in our time together. I want this to be a time where I can encourage you, inspire you and challenge you. We have a great organization here already and hopefully I can share with you some fresh ideas that may help us all improve our greatness.

I want to share with you The 5 P’s of Sunday School. Some of this may appear to be forward but when I’m done you will know the inside of my heart. The words may seem new but I promise the concepts and principles associated with the words are as old as Sunday School itself.

I. PEOPLE

A. I intentionally want to remind you that we are in the people business.

1. If it were not for people we would be out of business.

2. “We are here for those who are yet to come.” Erwin McManus.

3. If your motivation for serving the Lord is anything but for Him and the people I challenge you to evaluate what your doing.

4. SS is the single greatest organism that automatically helps us meet people where they are.

5. By using an age-graded class structure we are able to meet individual needs and not just general surface needs.

6. This is why I will always be an advocate for age-graded SS classes.

7. I’m presently working on a 7-year deviation standard with each of our classes.

8. Why? Because people naturally connect with others of the same life cycles.

9. Illus.: 30 37 44 = 14 year span; 30 33 37 = 7 year span

10. Is it wrong to have people who are older or younger in classes? No, but it’s not as effective.

11. Can we have both? It’s possible but it takes a lot of organization and planning to effectively minister to all the members and quests in the class.

12. Takes a special teacher.

13. But don’t lose my point: we are in the people business.

B. Being in the people business reminds me to be an advocate for SS fellowships.

1. Children’s teachers don’t turn me off.

2. “We know things about people but we don’t really know people.”

3. From the electric garage door to the Internet we are quickly loosing personal contact with people.

4. I’m not anti either, I use both of these things.

5. It’s becoming easier for you and I to drive into our homes and enter our community and world through the Internet and never have to say anything to anybody.

6. If there’s one place left in this world where social contacts can be maintained it ought to be the church.

7. I encourage you to plan quarterly fellowships.

8. You are welcome to use the church facilities, you may want to use a park, go to >>>>>>> just don’t take them to Harrah’s.

9. You will be amazed at how strong and fast your class will grow – in both quantity and quality.

C. Contacts

1. Our goal is to get as many people as possible to make as many contacts as possible at as many times and places as possible.

2. I will be relentless in my pursuit of challenging you to make weekly contacts.

3. Why? Because weekly contacts always run in direct proportion to the weekly attendance.

4. Your contacts should at least equal your number of class enrollment every week. (½ members ½ prospects).

5. Letter, phone call, email, visit.

6. March 20 – “Friend Day” High Attendance 1029

DISCUSS CLASS GOALS.

II. PRIORITY

A. There are twin priorities that should be exercised in the SS.

1. 1) “Preach” the Word: 2 Timothy 4:2

2. Preach = to proclaim or to publish divine truth.

3. TEACHERS: Is it your responsibility to proclaim God’s truth through the written lesson every week? Sure it is.

4. From the birth class to the death class.

5. How many of you always get through your entire lesson?

6. Why is this priority important? We spend almost $25,000 a year for SS literature. [700 avg] $35.00/person; <.70/week.

7. Point: When I buy something I’m going to use it.

8. I expect you to use the material that the church buys.

9. It’s important because people’s lives are at stake.

10. People’s lives are in the balance between heaven and hell.

11. For some Christians (CHILDREN) this is the only Bible they get in the whole week.