Blueprintfor

growth Mike Tompkins

Director of MissionsComanche-Cotton Baptist Association

Lawton, Oklahoma

growyoursundayschool.com Sunday School Enlargement Campaigns; Promotes Prospect Discovery Results In Increased Enrollments Leads to Increased Attendance Produces Increased Financial Support Leads To Effective Ministry And Evangelism Raises The Level Of Concern, Enthusiasm And Fellowship For

Sundays Directs The Entire Sunday School To Think In Terms Of Growth Establishes Goals For Enrollment, Contacts, Attendance And

Training Builds Confidence, Encouragement And Morale Creates Something To Celebrate Organizes The Church To Work Together Effectively Enlists Every Member Of The Sunday School Team To Work

Together Unifies Sunday School Team For Maximum Results Motivates Every Department Director And Teacher To Prepare

And Perform

Bob Mayfield, Sunday School Specialist for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, leads Oklahoma churches to adopt the

five following priorities for every church.

FIVE THINGS TO DO TO HAVE A GREAT SUJNDAY SCHOOL

1. BE THE CHAMPION OF THE SUNDAY SCHOOL2. SOMEBODY HAS TO BE A CATYLIST TO START NEW GROUPS3. DEVELOP A CULTURE OF LEADERSHIP4. GET CONTROL OF THE LITERATURE AND HOW IT IS TAUGHT

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5. CREATE ALIGHNMENT, Sunday School is our PRIMARY strategy.

Contents

INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................Page 3

GOAL #1 KNOW YOUR POSSIBITIES or "Target the Market"......................Page 5

GOAL #2 ENLARGE THE ORGANIZATION or "The Bigger, The Better........Page 7

GOAL #3 ENLIST AND TRAIN THE WORKERS or "Welcome to Basic Training"

Page 16

GOAL #4 PROVIDE THE SPACE or "Lookin for Every Nook and Cranny". .Page 17

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GOAL #5 GO AFTER THE PEOPLE or "Off the Couch and Out of the House" Page

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EPILOGUE................................................................................................Page 22

INTRODUCTION

In my forty-four years of experience, I've found that every Pastor wants his

church to grow! But How! Now, that’s the question. Who has the answer? Who

can tell me what to do so my church can grow? I really, really, really want to

know. Well…..thanks for asking friend, cause I have some great news for you.

Granted, church growth and health are multifaceted, but there is one key

component that no one can pull off but you. A strong, healthy, growing Sunday

School is where it's at, and you, my friend, are the only person in the church

who can lead your Sunday School to grow. But, first ya gotta get a grip on some

vital info.

Meet Arthur Flake! He's my hero. He's the hero of every Southern Baptist who

values the work of Sunday School. Or as my friend Bob Mayfield, Sunday School

Specialist for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma says, “Arthur Flake is

my Homeboy!” Let me tell ya the story. Born in Texas in 1862, Arthur Flake

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became a successful clothing merchant in Mississippi. Joining the Sunday School

Board in 1909, he became head of the Sunday School Department in 1920. He

outlined five laws of Sunday School growth and challenged the convention to

build churches by building the Sunday School. I can't help but believe that these

five principles or laws come directly from the world of business. Sanitized,

Sanctified and Baptized into Southern Baptist life, these business principles that

would work anywhere, anytime, to establish any business and keep it strong.

These fantastic principles, which could be applied to Sears, Penny's or Home

Depot and probably have been, have been applied to the business and bringing

people under the influence of the Word of God through Southern Baptist

Sunday Schools. Thank God for Arthur Flake! The original Flakes Formula is as

follows.

Flake's Fivefold Formula KNOW THE POSSIBILITIES ENLARGE THE ORGANIZATION ENLIST AND TRAIN THE WORKERS PROVIDE THE SPACE GO AFTER THE PEOPLE

Some things never change, they just get better. My grandpa used a combine,

but it had a six foot header and was pulled by an old tractor with steel spike

wheels. Combines still run in the fields of America, and while the basic principles

are the same, the technology is vastly improved. Massive computer controlled

headers, air-conditioned cabs, big powerful diesel engines, stereos and on board

computers are not uncommon. Flakes Formula has not changed, but it sure has

gotten better. Like the combine, the basic principles are the same, but God has

given us some incredible improvements. God has granted us the gift of

unbelievable technology to make the work of Flakes Formula a pure delight.

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Thom S. Rainer in The Book of Church Growth states "Flake's fivefold method

of growth continues to be effective." (p 292)

Andy Anderson's The Growth Spiral presents an application to what is called

"The Five Abstracts" with mathematical formula.

This e-book, BLUEPRINT FOR GROWTH, represents a creative answer to the

natural question, BUT HOW? I understand the principles, but how do I go about

applying them? I'm happy to share my personal interpretation of Flakes Formula

along with some suggestions as to how they could be accomplished. Hope you

enjoy reading and find the information helpful in growing your Sunday School

The first principle of Flakes Formula is to discover the people God sent you to find.

The city where I currently live is experiencing a fantastic boon in business. We have

new retail shops, restaurants and Dollar Stores. Man do we have Dollar stores. You

see, I live in a city adjacent to a military installation.

While we have lots of people, they don't necessarily have lots of disposable income.

Neiman Marcus would fail here while Dollar Stores flourish. Someone knew the

market. Someone did their homework. It's important that you do your homework.

It is absolutely necessary to discover who is out there, who needs to be saved, who

needs a church home and who needs ministry, etc. I will make these suggestions as

an illustration of how to find people. You cannot reach who you do not know, so the

first principle is, "KNOW THE POSSIBILITES", or "Target the Market."

PLAN A COMMUNITY PE OPLE SEARCH

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Arthur Flake said,Goal # 1, "KNOW THE POSSIBILITIES"

“Target The Market”

1. Request from your denominational leadership a 3 to 5 mile demographics

study around your church.

a. Where are the prospects?

b. Who are the prospects?

c. What is the median age and number of children?

d. How can the prospects be reached for salvation and church membership?

e. What kind of music do they listen to?

f. What kind of T.V. programs do they enjoy?

g. What kinds of newspapers and magazines do they subscribe to?

h. What kinds of cars do they drive and homes do they live in?

i. Are they in the work force, if so where?

j. Are they retired, if so from what?

k. What skills do they possess?

2. Draw a grid which takes in all the area that you believe your church should be

reaching.

3. Designate each grid with a letter of the alphabet such as A,B,C,D,E, etc.Within

each grid, identify all houses, occupied or empty, with a number such as

1,2,3,4.5.6. etc.

4. Schedule a Saturday to survey each house, going in pairs, one to take the lead,

asking questions and the other to write down the information.

5. Gather as much accurate information as possible.

1) Names

2) Mailing Addresses

3) Birthdates of everyone living in the home,

4) Phone number or numbers, including cell phones, if possible.

5) Email address or addresses, if possible

6) Church membership or church preference, If they are, or have been a

member of another church. Be certain to get that information. If they 6

have been a member of another Baptist church, you may encourage them

join you on Sunday as your personal guest. If they seem open and ready,

invite them to become a member of your church.

7) During the contact, provide attractive printed information about your

church, to include the name, service times and schedule of activities and

ministries as well as a positive word about the Pastor and Staff.

8) Explain that there is a Bible Study organization for each age of every

person in the home.

9) Ask if you have their permission to enroll them in a Bible Study group or

Sunday School.

GO…..PLAN A CHURCH INREACH SEARCH

1. Carefully examine the existing Sunday School and Church Membership rolls

for prospects within families who have not yet enrolled in Sunday School

or have not yet made a decision to trust Christ as Savior.

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A B C D E F

G H I J K L

M N O P Q R

S T U V W X

While serving in the military, my wife and I found a wonderful church home. When

we arrived at church on the first Sunday morning, we were separated. She was

taken to a class of 55-60 year old ladies. I was taken to a class of 55-60 year old

men. I can remember feeling so out of place. Can you imagine how a 22 year old

feels in a Sunday School Class with a bunch of over-the-hill 55 years olds. Why,

everybody knows, a 55 year old has one foot in the grave and another on a banana

peel. I found the Pastor and asked why there wasn't a Young Married Class. He

agreed that there should be one, but it would be up to me to help get one started.

PERFECT!!!! Apparently the Pastor didn't fully understand the potential of an Army

Specialist 5th Class, Huey Crewchief with a duty station in Base Hanger, strategically

located between four neighboring hangers. Everyone came through Base Hanger

almost every day. What a fantastic opportunity. I would hurry around and take care

of my duties, grab a pad and pen and begin enrolling everyone I could get to in

Sunday School. I enrolled every rank and race of soldier and airman who walked

through that wonderful, big old hanger. At first, it was challenging. What would

people think? How would they respond? Man was I surprised! It was easy! Here

were my brothers, my buddies, a long way from home, many homesick and hungry

for a family. I would invite them to become a member of my family, the church

family was I worshiped each Sunday. It wasn’t long until the guys I enrolled, were

enrolling others! Amway didn’t have anything on old Mike. In time, I became the

teacher in a class of military men of every rank. We even had a number of F-4C

Fighter Jet pilots. What started with my wife and me, by the end of a year and a

half, turned into over 120 men, women and children enrolled in the Sunday School

of our church, with an average of sixty-four people in attendance throughout the

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Arthur Flake said,Goal #2, "ENLARGE THE ORGANIZATION"

“The Bigger, The Better”

remainder of our time there. The most important part of the story is that we

Enlarged the Organization. What started with no Young Married Department, grew

to be two Young Married Departments and 5 new teaching units.

Ok, nuff of that. A growing Sunday School is constantly creating new classes and

departments. After a class has been together for more than two years, they tend to

look increasingly inward and to care for their members only. In fact, studies have

shown that after a class has been together for 18 months, they generally plateau

and new people find it hard to become a part of the class. New classes provide

opportunities for new entry points for new people. Studies have shown that a new

class will reach 23 new people in the first 12 months.

The following are additional reasons we need new units:

Based on signs of a healthy church, new units help us reach people and witness

to more lost adults.

Creating new units is the process of enlarging the Bible teaching-reaching

ministry to assure that each person’s needs are met effectively and to make sure

everyone has a place.

New units provide opportunities for more adults to discover and use their gifts

and talents in Christian service.

New units also help bridge gaps in the present organizational structure.

When classes go beyond a reasonable number of persons enrolled, workers are

stretched too thin in ministering to class members.

When a class becomes too large for ministry to be done effectively the result is

that people tend to drop out or become inactive.

GO!.....DISCOVER WHERE PEOPLE FEEL LED TO LEAD

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1. Design a document entitled, “EVERYBODY IS SOMEBODY IN HIS BODY”, listing

every position in the Sunday School organization. The way you do this is

design paper with every possible leadership role listed on it with a _____ out

beside them. Hand these papers out to your people and give them a week to

fill in where they would like to be considered for leadership. You may be

surprised that people right under your nose are gifted and interested in

leadership positions you never dreamed of. You don't need to feel compelled

to ask everyone to serve where they would like. Rather, using discernment,

find a place of service for everyone you possibly can. Spread the joy of service

around and when you do you will also spread the responsibility of ownership

around. Trust me, the happiest Christian there out there, is one who is working

where he or she wants to work. Help them to that place, don't hinder them.

Bless them in their efforts and your Sunday School will benefit from their

giftedness and their work.

2. Explain that the church cannot grow without leadership. You will need elect

and train the following leaders;

a. Sunday School Director

b. Sunday School Outreach Director

c. Department Directors

d. Department Outreach Directors

e. Class Teachers

f. Class Outreach Leaders

g. Care Group Leaders

GO…..DECIDE WHAT NEW TEACHING UNITS ARE NEEDED

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When a class becomes too large for ministry to be done effectively, the motivation

to discover, enroll, and reach new members declines because leaders cannot

adequately meet the needs of members they already have.

GO…..DECIDE ON HOW NEW TEACHING UNITS ARE TO BE STARTED

Through the years I’ve learned many different ways to start new teaching units. At

this point a decision needs to be made as to which method of starting new Teaching

Units should be employed. Let me share a few.

1. The paper class : a list of prospects is given to a teacher who is told to build a

class.

2. Regrading / Reorganizing : An age profile chart is done, listing each person’s

name, birth date, and attendance records. Classes and departments are

reorganized and new units added according to age.

3. The divided class : the roll of a class is simply divided into two equal units –

some of all types of members in each unit.

4. The dropout class : this class is formed by giving a teacher a list of Sunday

School inactives.

5. The seed class : select people are enlisted to begin a new class. This class

probably has the greatest potential for growth and success. The best way of

creating a new class is the seed class. “Seeding” a class with a good teacher

and some core members gives the greatest probability for success. Look at

the following scenarios to see why this is so.

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Scenario One – The Paper Class

If you create a paper class, the teacher seeks to enlist people who are prospects for

the class. Some of these, possibly all of them, have not visited the church. If they

are invited, some of them will attend. Commitment levels are slight to non-existent.

Growth in this type of class is extremely slow. The leader/teacher must be

tenacious and not easily discouraged. Some who come initially might be

uncomfortable with a few persons in attendance. A high dropout rate is to be

expected. The class can be built, but time and tenacity are required.

Scenario Two – The Regrading/Reorganization

Many churches find, after years of adults refusing to promote into the proper age

graded Sunday School classes, that very few are actually in the correct class.

Regrading is a process of organizing adults into the proper age group. Then, all new

classes are formed according to the age groups listed. For a while the adults will

stay in the new classes, but eventually may wander back into another class.

Additionally, this may not create any new units at all. This will only work when the

majority of key Sunday School leaders agree to this method of “starting over.”

Scenario Three – The Divided Class

If a class is split – each class receiving equal representations of each member type –

an extremely disruptive situation develops. Friends are separated. Some members,

who attend only occasionally because of relationships with other class members or

the teacher, find themselves assigned to separate classes. Some of the quarter-

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timers and spasmodics return to find a new teacher in a new room. These

disruptions can be enough to cause some of these persons to drop out.

Scenario Four – The Dropout Class

If the new class is composed of dropouts, the group will grow with great difficulty –

if at all. Some dropouts can be brought back into the life of the church. Some will

bring negative attitudes that can infect the spirit of the class making growth

difficult. Patience, determination, and a caring spirit must characterize the teacher

assigned to this type of new class.

Scenario Five – The Seed Class

This scenario has the greatest probability for success. A teacher is enlisted and then

selected persons from a class’s core group (or possibly from several classes) are

enlisted to create the core group of a new class. These persons should be

committed to Christ, to Bible study, and to reaching others for Bible study, Christ,

and church membership. Because these members are enlisted for the task, they

understand their purpose as growth agents. Their consistent attendance creates a

receptive group to welcome prospective members.

Please note: When enlisting members for the new class, be careful to leave a strong

core group in the original class. The original class needs strength to maintain itself.

It should not be sacrificed to a new group. Usually, several months are required for

the older class to restore itself to the point it was prior to the beginning of the new

class.

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Steps to Starting New Units

1. Select a target group. Decide on who you are trying to reach and what kind

of class you want to start.

2. Set a date to begin. Know the annual attendance patterns and select the

optimum time to begin new classes. You do not want to start a new class

when the attendance in Sunday School is generally down.

3. Build your leadership team. A good leadership team consists of a teacher,

outreach leader, care leader. Don’t forget to train this leadership team.

4. Find a place for them to meet. If you are low on space, be creative.

Sanctuaries and fellowship halls can hold multiple classes. Rooms such as the

kitchen, church office and others can be used for Sunday School classes.

5. Obtain needed curriculum. Make sure you have pupil books so you will have

enough as the class grows.

6. Discover and assign prospects. You must give the new class a pool of

prospects to begin contacting.

7. Build relationships with prospects. Remember, the number one reason

people come to Sunday School is fellowship. Help them build a fellowship

atmosphere both in and out the classroom.

8. Celebrate the new beginning. Have a commissioning service. Identify the new

class members as missionaries and don’t forget to recognize the original class

for sending out these missionaries. This will help in creating a climate for new

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classes and will be a model for the other classes of what we consider to be a

successful class.

Other factors to consider when creating new units.

Move with the movers – don’t wait to win over those who are reluctant. Those

with the vision must be the ones to fulfill the vision. If left to others without the

vision, confusion at best, failure at worst, will result. This means one of two

things. First, the ones with the vision must do the work of creating the new class

or department and second, the ones with the vision must help others catch the

vision. Even then, a great deal of encouragement, coaching, and guidance is

necessary.

Communication is critical. Use every means available to inform those involved

in creating the new class – both the class or classes from which the new class is

created and those involved in creating it.

In the initial stages, however, involve only those persons necessary in creating

a new class. Wait until the change is certain in the planning or in reality to inform

the larger body of a department or the church as a whole. Fewer disturbances

will result if you wait until the action is settled in the minds of those involved in

the change.

Find the teacher, then form the class. Each teacher will attract a certain

following initially.

Channel prospects to the new classes. Without histories, new classes are a

better environment for new persons.

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Assign inactive members from other classes to the new class. The formation of

the new class might provide just the opportunity needed to re-activate these

members.

Create as many favorable circumstances for success as possible.

Pay close attention to the new classes – care for them as you would a new

child. Offer encouragement to the teacher and class leaders.

Tell the story to others. Stories shape opinions and attitudes quicker than

anything else. Facts and figures won’t do the job for most people. Putting a face

with those facts and figures make people believe and care.

Close the back door. It’s not enough to reach new people, if they just file

through. Keep those you reach.

So I told you I was in the Army, stationed at MacDill AFT. I was a Crewchief on a

couple of Huey Helicopters and a fixed wing aircraft while serving in the STRIKE

COMMAND. " Now, I’m in the Army because I’m busy running from God. You see,

Go had called me into ministry. I didn’t even know any preachers I liked. Sure didn’t

want to be one.

I’ve now been in ministry full-time forty-four years. So now you’ll understand God’s

sense of humor when you hear that one Sunday afternoon, while sitting on the

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Arthur Flake said,Goal #3, "ENLIST AND TRAIN THE WORKERS"

“Welcome to Basic Training”

porch swing looking out over Tampa Bay, watching the Palmetto Bushes and Palm

trees sway in the warm Florida breeze, a middle aged man joined me on the porch

swing. He greeted me warmly as I thought to myself, go away, I want to talk to you

or anyone else. He continued talking. Then the most interesting thing happened. He

began talking to me about Sunday School work. Right out of the blue, mind you.

Like it was the love of his life and he wanted it to be my passion as well. What a

coach. It was then and there that I first heard the illustration of the pyramid. He

described a dynamic relationship between the pyramid base of church efficiency

and the mass of congregational size. A church cannot grow beyond its own ability to

care for a determined number of people. Therefore, for a church to grow, it must

first expand its base of operation." My Sunday School training on that porch that

day as God knew who what He had called me to do and to love. Each day I look for

more information about Sunday School. I truly believe the work of a great Sunday

School can produce everything we long for in the local church. Through Sunday

School we have a platform for evangelism, occasions of prayer, Bible teaching,

fellowship and ministry. What in the world are we waiting for. Let’s get to growing…

Great Sunday Schools.

1. Train the workers. An effective training program is vital to the success of a local

Sunday School ministry. Bob Mayfield, Sunday School Specialist for the

Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma is a genius! Bob has taken full

advantage of technology by engaging Minister of Education across the

state to develop training modules. You may want to investigate

those modules for your personal and in-church training purpose.

You can find those modules on the bgco.org webb site under resources

and Sunday School.

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Arthur Flake said,Goal #4, "PROVIDE SPACE"

“Lookin for Every Nook and Cranny”

At Sunday School conferences, the facilities workshops are very popular and with

good reason. Flake said, "A large Sunday School cannot be built and maintained in

small, cramped quarters; and sane, sensible arrangements should be made for the

expansion of the Sunday School. The building fixes the pattern for the Sunday

School, sometimes for years to come." As a rule of thumb, a church or Sunday

School will retain an average attendance equal to 80 percent maximum capacity of

its facilities. You cannot grow beyond your facilities, but there are innovative ways

to grow before you build.

DO A SPACE WALK

Do a “Space Walk”, looking for every usable space in which a Sunday School Class

may meet.

PREPARE NEW SPACE FOR USE

I’d never considered the room outside the baptistry of use for anything other than

baptismal candidates dressing for the big moment. But we were out of space!

What’s a feller to do? Get innovative! Look for any useable space. And this space

was usable, but not as it was. The walls needed paint and the floor needed carpet

and clutter needed removed. Planning started in my head and heart. I cast my

vision before the Sunday School Director. Together we went to the Chairman of

Deacons who called in the Chairman of the Building and Grounds and Finance

Committee. And Waalaa, I think that’s the word! Or in the words of Gomer, 18

“Surprise, Surprise, Surprise” New classrooms. Old dressing rooms…, but new class

rooms. More importantly, more room to grow.

USE INOVATIVE APPROACHES TO OVERCOME LIMITATIONS

When the cost of building additional facilities is prohibitive, Sunday Schools have

addressed this vital issue with innovative approaches.

1. Scheduling multiple services and Sunday Schools has permitted some

congregations to maintain their growing status while planning additional

facilities as the membership and financial base of the church expand.

2. Branch Sunday Schools have become an option for churches, especially in

multi-ethnic communities.

3. Extension classes in facilities away from the church property have

provided the church with the opportunity to reach specific segments of the

community.

4. For example, some singles classes meet in hotel conference rooms or

restaurants and then commute to church for worship. Churches even shuttle

classes to and from the off-campus class facilities. One church has the use of a

nearby school building on Sunday in exchange for the school’s using the

church parking lot during the week for its teacher/staff parking.

5. Long-range planning for adding space is necessary for most churches. This

allows for the purchasing of additional property or the location of

sufficient acreage before beginning the building program of the church.

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6. The use of a temporary building is now standard procedure in many churches.

This provides low-cost facilities that often have good resale potential.

7. Movable partitions easily convert large multipurpose rooms to class-rooms.

Visitation does make the difference. I learned early in ministry that, if we don’t go

out, they won’t come in. Years ago our Minister of Education insisted that we all go

visiting on a certain evening and that we take the visitation assignment given us. At

the time I was only 22 years old. I wanted to be compliant, so I did as told. But, my

visitation efforts did not stop there. I went visiting on Tuesday night, Prayer

Meeting on Wednesday night and on Thursday night I organized a group of young

married believers to go visiting with the intent to find other young married couples.

Holy Mackerel, did it work!!!! The young married couples came pouring in. We

started with one class, re-organized into two classes. Re-organized again into four

classes and in the remainder of time I was in that church we had re-organized into

five Young Married classes. Amazing!!! I'm here to tell you man, if you don't go out,

they won't come in. But, if you do go out, you'd plan for growth, and lots of it. I'm

talking about visitation here. Let's spend a minute or two on that subject. Visitation

is related to the teaching ministry. It contributes to teaching in many ways:

1. Visitation helps the teacher understand the student. It reveals the student’s

home environment, religious background, and personal needs.

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Arthur Flake said,Goal #5, "GO AFTER THE PEOPLE"

“Off the Couch and Out of the House"

2. Visitation helps the student understand the teacher. It encourages the student

to develop confidence in the teacher as a caring friend. It provides

opportunities for shared experiences outside the classroom setting.

3. Visitation develops the church -home relationship. The church and the home

are God-ordained institutions to influence children’s lives with the power of

the Word. As a teacher visits in his students’ homes, he or she contributes to

the strengthening of this relationship.

4. Visitation helps lesson planning. Visitation lets the teacher know the students

interests and needs. This gives the teacher a unique perspective that can

guide him in the selection of teaching methodology that will more effectively

minister to the students.

5. Visitation is effective follow-up. It expresses personal interest in the regular

students. It conveys concern for the absentee students and urges them to

come back. Following up visitors/newcomers can make them feel

welcome to the class.

Hey, Hey Hey....just a minute! I want to take a minute to tell you why visitation

means so much to me. It was while my wife and I were out of church that we

received a visit from two fine business men one evening. They came by our

apartment, knocked on the door. I answered the door and invited them in as

politely as I knew how. Those two men, one an insurance man and the other, I don't

know, sat down and just loved Margaret and me. I could sense their genuine

affection for two kids, far away from home and far away from the Father. They

invited us to their church. We attended, joined and became deeply rooted in the

work of the Lord through Sunday School. It's been forty-five years since that knock

came at the door.

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Forty-five years have gone by since those two fine men visited and encouraged us

to do the right thing. They’re both with the Lord by now, I would imagine, but, their

memory will always live in my heart and when I get to heaven, I hope to find them

there and thank them for caring enough to come after me. Now, what about you?

Don't you think you ought to get busy going after someone?

By the way, I became a visitor, much like my friends in the story. What success!!!

One evening, along with a friend I went to the home of a Young Couple to visit. He

opened the door. HHHHEEELLLOOO, he stuttered. I soon learned that my new

friend had a stuttering problem. He was from Alabama and was stationed at MacDill

Air Force Base. He was a Crewchief on an F-4C Fighter Jet. In answer to the

suggestion that he come with us to our church, he said, "We're of another faith." I

just answered, "Great"! Come with us anyway. Long story short...they did come

with us, fell in love with our Pastor and all the other guys and gals who made up our

Young Married Class. God called him to ministry. I left the Army to go Pastor my

first Church. He was transferred to Alaska. Years later, I mean many years later, one

Christmas Season, I received a post card in the mail. It read, "If you are the Mike

Tompkins who lived in Tampa, Florida and graduated from Baptist Bible Institute, I

need to get in touch with you. It was signed with his name address and phone

number. I called. It was my old friend. Guess what God did in his life! God had called

him to preach and by this time he had served his Southern Baptist Church in

Alabama for seventeen years. He said, "Mike, I didn't know what to do when God

called me to preach. I knew you went to a certain school. If it was good enough for

you, it is good enough for me. I graduated from that school and have been at the

work ever since." Oh, by the way, God took his stuttering away! What a God! What

a Work! What a joy to be a part of Sunday School!!!

Epilogue

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Arthur Flake is my Hero! Sunday School is my Passion! I trust this e-book will

encourage you and equip you honor these time tested and proven principles to;

growyoursundayschool !

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