Training for Sunday School expansion

Brenda Howard has been a member of First Baptist Blackshear for 46 years. During that time she has taught Sunday School to just about every age group – children, teenagers, and adults. She’s always been a good and reliable teacher, the kind that a minister of education really likes to have.

But even with her experience, Howard agreed to attend a 13-month Sunday School mentoring group.

It’s changed her way of thinking about Sunday School.?“One thing I’ve done is to make the Sunday School list not an enrollment record, but a ministry list. It’s not a complicated thing, but it’s so helpful,” she said.

Howard is part of a mentoring group in Piedmont-Okefenokee Association. Led by Steve Parr, GBC vice-president for Sunday School and Evangelism, the monthly meetings include training in Sunday School expansion principles.

“I don’t teach style, I teach principles.

Whatever style you use – traditional Sunday School, small groups – you have to do a good job of training leaders. Basic principles are part of every style. For instance, you have to create new groups. Any church that has the same number of units, has the same number of attendees,” he said.

Sherri Brown

Mary Benfield, 9, looks over her lesson during Sunday School at First Baptist, Blackshear.

The mentoring process usually includes six to 12 churches whose leaders and Sunday School meet 10 times during the 13 months. “With a group of churches, there is accountability built into the training,” Parr added.

That’s part of what Greg Benfield likes about the process.

Benfield, minister of education at First Baptist Blackshear, suggested the church join the associational training.

“We needed some leadership training and this isn’t just a one-time shot, but a process with a lot of accountability. Also, it’s not just something I hear, but all the teachers also hear it,” Benfield said.

The pastor also hears it. Pastors and Sunday School directors are required to attend the training along with the teachers, Parr said.

Bill Young, pastor of the Blackshear church, has “enjoyed every minute of it. It’s a reminder of the immutable laws of Sunday School. Steve is an incredible teacher. He’s funny, interesting, dynamic.”

It’s also clear to everyone.

“All the teachers understand why we do what we do. That helps a lot. Several teachers are already implementing what we’ve learned. Others understand it, but some are hesitant to apply it,” Benfield admitted.

Looking at the Sunday School enrollment lists as ministry lists has had a positive effect on every teacher that has implemented it, Benfield said.

Sherri Brown

A group of teenagers competes in an egg-wrapping contest. Each group had only a few odd supplies to make an egg break-proof. The competition was held during a large group Sunday School class.

“It’s working well. One teacher was out on a Sunday and two people were in her class. She contacted everyone on the list during the next week and eight of her 12 members were there the next Sunday.”

Benfield has also begun to add new classes. When he posted signs on the classroom doors that indicated age groups, he got the response he expected.

“A lot of people asked, ‘You’re not about to move me, are you?’ I told them I’m not moving anybody, but I am creating new options for people to choose,” he said.

The training helps churches like First Baptist get on track for growth. “It’s for churches that are not growing, but that want to grow, or it’s for churches that have just started growing,” Parr said.

And results are obvious.

“As a group of churches, whenever we do this, we see growth beyond average – even with churches that are in areas where there isn’t any growth,” Parr said.

Sherri Brown

Janet Taylor, left, talks with minister of education Greg Benfield. Taylor teaches Sunday School to women at First Baptist, Blackshear.

It also changes the way people see Sunday School.

“It’s about the purpose of Sunday School,” Benfield said. “It’s not just Bible teaching, but it’s also about moving the non-involved person to becoming an active, serving person in the church.”

Sunday School and open group training is funded through your gifts to the Cooperative Program and supplemented by your gifts to the state missions offering.

“Without the state missions gifts, the budget would be reduced, resulting in fewer training opportunities that we could provide to Georgia Baptist churches,” said Steve Parr.

Your gifts to the state missions offering can be sent to:
Dr. J. Robert White, Executive Director, GBC
6405 Sugarloaf Parkway
Duluth, GA 30097