The Sunday School Growth Evaluation Plan

Ken MarlerPartnership Specialist

LifeWay Christian ResourcesKen.Marler@lifeway.com

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