The Sunday School Growth Evaluation Plan
Ken MarlerPartnership Specialist
LifeWay Christian [email protected]
Healthy Things Grow
Growing Things Change
Changing Things Challenge
Challenges Drive us to Trust God
Trusting God Leads to Obedience
Obedience Leads to Health
Healthy Things Grow
Enrollment• Growth Goal: Increased
enrollment over last year
Enrollment = Ministry
Enrollment• Increased Enrollment means:• Increased Sunday School attendance• Increased Worship attendance• Increased ministry• Increased baptisms• Increased offerings• Increased number of workers
EnrollmentOpen Enrollment
Anywhere
Anytime
If They Agree
EnrollmentHow?
1. Enrollment Cards
2. During Bible Study
3. During Worship Services
4. During Visitation
5. Special Church Events
EnrollmentThe Key Is Follow-Up
1. Deliver Bible Study Resources
2. Provide Information
3. Provide Transportation
4. Sit With New Members/Guests
5. Stand With New Members
EnrollmentGuiding Principles
1. Think People Not Percentages
2. Drop Persons From The Roll When They Die
3. Ministry! Ministry! Ministry!
UnitsGrowth Goal: One per 18 persons
enrolled in Bible Study
Without new units being developed regularly you are organized for maintenance
Units
Bible Study Classes reach their maximum effectiveness in 12-18 months
The Sunday School Growth Evaluation
Plan
The Sunday School Growth Evaluation
Plan
UnitsCAUTION:1. Class members become overly attached to the teacher.
2. Class members become overly attached to the room
3. Class members become overly attached to each other
4. A class stops growing
5. A class stops sending members out
UnitsGuiding Principles:
1. Space determines unit enrollment
2. New units determine growth
3. New unit considerations:• a class with a large enrollment• a class with broad age ranges• a target group not being reached• a lifestyle class• off campus classes
Ministry TouchesGrowth Goal:Everyone on the ministry list
should be contacted every week for ministry
• The roll is the ministry list
Ministry Touches
• Devise a strategy to contact everyone on the ministry list every week
AttendanceGrowth goal:
An attendance of 40%-60% of the enrollment should be achieved
Attendance
Attendance Follows Ministry
Space
Growth Principle:
One space for every on campus unit
SpaceFour types of space• Worship• Education• Parking• PreschoolWhen any of these is 80% full consider the space full
Space
Discover space
1. Available
2. Adjusted
3. Adjacent
4. Adapted
Space
Guiding Principle:
Space should never keep a church from reaching people
LeadersGrowth Goal:One Worker for every five persons on
the Sunday School ministry listLeaders: Those who are involved in the
work of teaching, reaching, or ministry
LeadersFour things every adult class need to do to help
members leave
1. Missionary Member board
2. FYI phone call to missionary member immediately after church
3. Missionary member receives a ministry contact during the week
4. Monthly party
LeadersGuiding Principles:
• Pray for workers to be called
• Learn the art of discovery
• Learn the art of encouragement and motivation
Leaders in Training
Growth Goal:
Every leader participates in leadership training every year
Leaders in TrainingDetermine a strategy to enable every
Leader to earn their leadership diploma in one year
• Individual • Church• Association• State • National
Leaders in TrainingGuiding Principles:
• Every leader in training: and it is never ending
• No leader says, “I already know that.”
Sunday School Leadership Meeting
Growth Goal:
75% of workers attending a weekly team meeting
Sunday School Leadership Meeting
Four areas of work to be done1. Focus on Mission2. Focus on Relationships3. Focus on Bible Study4. After the meeting
The 4 P’s of Leadership Meetings
1. PrayEvery Meeting For:
1. The lost2. The unchurched/backslidden3. The teacher4. The class leaders5. The church staff6. Intercessory Needs7. The Church’s Ministry
2. Promote Resources1. Available Training Resources (the
latest study course materials, books, articles, web sites, etc.)
2. Upcoming training events– Church Training events (Discipleship training or
special training sessions)– Associational Training events (check with the DOM
office for locations)– State Training events (check the website for
locations)– National training events (Ridgecrest, Glorieta)
3. Principles1. Remember the timeless growth
principles that will always work. Enrollment
Outreach/EvangelismProspectsBirthing New ClassesOrganization and structureInreach
4. Plan1. Set goals2. Determine strategies to meet
goals3. Plan for intentional growth (do
the necessary little things to make a difference)
Persons in DiscipleshipGrowth goal:
At least one half of the Sunday School attendance is enrolled in a Discipleship class.
Persons in DiscipleshipThese classes are closed and
are for building Great Commission Christians
• A director of Discipleship is needed in every adult class
Worship AttendanceGrowth Goal:
No more than 10-20% more in worship than in Sunday School.
Worship AttendanceRemember to get persons in
worship services on the ministry list who are not already on the Sunday School ministry list
OfferingsGrowth Goal:
Sunday School attendance multiplied by the per capita giving
OfferingsDivide weekly undesignated
offerings by the average Sunday School attendance.
This gives the per capita giving
OfferingsGuiding Principle:
We do not need more money!
We need more people!
Prospects
Growth Goal:
Prospects = Ministry List
• Anyone who does not attend Bible Study is your prospect.
Prospects
Valid Prospect:
Someone who is assigned a class with proper information
ProspectsHow?
1. I know a prospect cards
2. Opinion Polls/People Search
3. New Residence information
4. Special event registration
5. Broadman Prospect Services
ProspectsGuiding Principles:1. Equal to the number on the ministry
list2. A director of prospecting to keep
everyone aware of the need3. Anyone not attending Bible Study is a
prospect
OutreachGrowth Goal:
Every class involved in outreach every week
Outreach
• Train persons “How To”
• Give the motivation
• Provide the organization to assimilate new persons
The Sunday School Growth Evaluation Plan
Ken MarlerPartnership Specialist
LifeWay Christian Resources