OVERVIEW OFADULT Sunday

SchoolSeptember 5, 2003

Bill AlphinBible Study and Discipleship Coordinator

Virginia Baptist Mission Board

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What questions do you

have?

How Has the Adult

Sunday School Made a

Difference in Your Life?

“By the time they reach adulthood, people have

acquired a way of seeing the world, a way of interpreting their

experiences, and a set of values…They often must

integrate new experiences with prior learning…prior

learning must be examined and some

adjustments made.”P. Cranton

“Life experiences impact our

perceptions about life

and how we learn.”

World View(Leon McKenzie)

• Knowledge• Ideas• Feelings• Values (Preferred vs. actual)• Assumptions • Beliefs• Lived experience--How things

are

Types of World Views (McKenzie)

• Provisional vs. Fixed• Inclusive vs. Narrow• Active vs. Passive• Critical vs. Uncritical• Disdaining vs. Accepting

“Faith is an interpretation of the way persons have experienced life. This interpretation, drawn

from all of the influences on our lives, is the essence of our

beliefs, action, and emotions. Faith, rather than being

something we believe that can be compiled, taught, and tested,

is more a way of knowing the unknowable…Faith is an expression of trust in the

unknown.”Bruce Powers

Importance of World View

• Addressing current issues

• Life in a changing world

• The “world” is smaller• My world vs. “The” world

• Called to the Kingdom of God world view

How do we develop a Christian

world view?

Indicators of Mature Faith

Search Institute Study, 1987-90

• Trusts and believes• Experiences the fruits of faith• Integrates faith and life• Seeks spiritual growth• Experiences and nurtures faith

in community• Hold life-affirming values• Advocates social change• Acts and serves

How did Jesus

engage the disciples in learning?

Developing a mature faith as

disciples of Jesus

includes:

• Study• Prayer

• Nurture• Service• Testing

• Reflection• Appropriation

The focus of activity should be on what the learner will do/experience

Teacher Guidelines•Life experience savvy.

•Bible Expert?•Conduit vs. facilitator

•Begin to plan early.•Customize the lesson.

Think of great Christian leaders in

your life. What made them “great”?

The Bible is Our Source for Understanding Great Leadership.

ExamineLuke 9John 13

Romans 12Ephesians 4

What qualities do you find?

BIBLICALPURPOSE:

Our true north!

BIBLICALPURPOSE:

Our true north!

TIME-LINE:God’s Work in our Past

TIME-LINE:God’s Work in our Past

VISION: What God wants to

accomplish

VISION: What God wants to

accomplish

MISSION FOCUS:People God’s

called us to reach for Christ

MISSION FOCUS:People God’s

called us to reach for Christ

VALUES:The convictionsthat guide our

Behavior

VALUES:The convictionsthat guide our

Behavior

OURCALLING

OURCALLING

ACTION PLAN:Real world

plansto actually live

it!

ACTION PLAN:Real world

plansto actually live

it!STRATEGICINITIATIVES:

What we need to do first!

STRATEGICINITIATIVES:

What we need to do first!

MINISTRYMODEL:

The ways our ministrieswork together

MINISTRYMODEL:

The ways our ministrieswork together

Why Do Leaders Fail to Possess the Qualities Listed

in The Bible?• Lack of

Information/Understanding• Immaturity of Faith• Not Ministering Using Their

Spiritual Gift• Lack of Spiritual Growth and

Formation• Lack of Vision• Discouragement

For adults to “stick” with the

church, they must find a place

where friendships have developed.

EvangelismAnd Assimilation(Fellowship) Bible

Study

CareMinistry

The Adult Bible Fellowship…

“A church that relies only on participation in Sunday morning worship and adult

Sunday School class will not go very far in

developing mature disciples of Jesus

Christ.”Bill Alphin

Open vs. Closed Groups Issues

• Issue of faith maturity level• Issue of accountability and

expectations• Issue of trust and community• Issue of nurture• Issue of time• Issue of content

Requirements to Grow Disciples

• Intimacy• Loving Accountability• Develop Christian Habits/Disciplines

• Happens best in small groups!

“I will improve my

ministry by…