Top 100 Fastest Growing Sunday Schools

Mike Gibbs remembers the exact hour that his church began to grow.

It was a Sunday night. Gibbs, pastor of Alapaha Church, had preached that morning on prayer. That evening he opened the Bible and led the church to prayer.

“There was a brokenness that night and things changed. It wasn’t planned, it just happened.”

That was a little more than two years ago. This year the South Georgia church was named the fastest growing Sunday School in the small church category.

Since that night the 47-year-old church has grown from less than 100 members to an average worship attendance of about 150. But they’ve also grown spiritually.

“We have a prayer room now. And we’ve been through the Bible study, Experiencing God, three times since then. That’s made a difference, too,” Gibbs said.

Oak Hill Church

A growing Sunday School can often be a catalyst for a growing church, says Alan Folsom, a consultant with Bible Study Ministries of the Georgia Baptist Convention. Recently, a list of the top 100 Fastest Growing Sunday Schools in the state was released. Pastors commented how growth can be attributed to concentration on areas such as volunteerism, prayer and organization.

In just three years, the church has baptized more than 50 people.

“We have a large number of young people at our Vacation Bible School; we had two teachers in every classroom plus one man. God is doing great things in the life of the men of our church. Our average age is 42 in a community of less than 1,000 people. It’s amazing to see what God has done,” he said.

A growing Sunday School can often be a catalyst for a growing church, said Alan Folsom, GBC Bible Study Ministries consultant.

The top church in the medium-size category saw that happen as well.

“It’s been a precious work of the Lord. It’s not just Sunday School, but in every area of the church we’re experiencing spiritual growth and a real unity,” said Jody Hice, pastor of Bethlehem First Church.

“We try to do as much as we can to organize Sunday School. We have lots of volunteers who make Sunday School what it is.”

In the last six years the North Georgia church has grown from 50 in Sunday School to about 400 – a 700 percent increase. Worship attendance has grown from about 70 to 600.

And Hice can point to the cause. “It’s all God.”