By David Apple
How can you tell if your Sunday School class is successful? It’s often hard to assess since each Sunday School class varies in number, time of the year, and duration. Most often we focus on numbers. And while numbers are important, other factors are at play as well.
Here are ten ways to tell if your Sunday School class is successful.
1. Help people grow in their love for Jesus and His Word.
Sunday School isn’t just a time to learn facts or listen to someone talk. That knowledge that you receive should be transferred from head to heart to hands.
2. Help people identify, invite, and connect with other adults to create an ongoing Bible study experience.
Even if people aren’t able to consistently come to your Sunday School class, they should still feel connected to the group and desiring to pour into those relationships.
3. Help believers find a way to serve Christ.
When we get people on the giving end of serving, that’s a win. The heartbeat of your Sunday School class should be equipping your people to go out and serve.
4. Send your people out.
It hurts to see people in your Sunday School class leave, but if they’re doing so to put into practice what they have learned and to multiply the church, then that’s a win!
5. Help the church discover new workers.
You, as a Sunday School leader, can identify people that God is working in their lives and encourage them to pursue positions in the church that would allow them to serve best.
6. Help support missionaries.
Missions doesn’t have to be overseas. It could be that the person who used to be in your Sunday School class is now serving in the children’s ministry a few doors down. Your role is to equip your Sunday School class to be able to do that. Sunday School is a missionary training center.
7. Help the class build relationships with new people.
Believers are called to go out and spread God’s Word. You can’t do that by staying within the confines of your Sunday School class. But you can do that by stepping out of your comfort zone and reaching people who need it.
8. Pray for and support the ministries of your church.
Support and celebrate other ministries of your church, whether you are personally involved in them or not.
9. Focus on your purpose.
Realize the mission to which you’ve been called and apply all that you are learning in Sunday School to that mission.
10. Help adults grow and multiply as disciples.
This could be viewed as the theme that is woven throughout all of the prior nine tips. The most basic objectives as a Sunday School leader is to grow and multiply as disciples.
When evaluating the success of a Sunday School class, don’t just focus on numbers, rather, on the impact on multiplying the kingdom of God.
Adapted from Training Pathway: Adult Sunday School on Ministry Grid. Get access to this and training in 30+ ministry areas for your entire church for $399/year until 8/31/19. Details here.
