Enlist Adult Class Leaders with Purpose

Written by John McClendon

Every Adult Sunday School class has leaders. God has not sent anyone to an adult Sunday School class by accident. We have to guide adults to understand they are there for a purpose that is bigger than them. Class members who need to become leaders should be effectively enlisted, trained, mentored with the purpose of an open group strategy in mind. But how? Consider the following:

Step One - Before You Enlist Leaders. Pray, seeking God’s vision for the class. The vision of the class will determine the leaders needed. Begin by developing basic leaders for the class and then develop additional leaders as the group grows spiritually and numerically. Challenge the group to discover why God has strategically placed them in the class. Provide a response card for members to indicate the areas of service they believe God desires them to pursue.

Step Two - Enlist Leaders. Prayerfully select and enlist leaders based on the class members’ response cards. Personally enlist every leader and explain each job. Spend time enlisting leaders, allowing potential leaders time to pray about the positions being considered.

Step Three - Train Leaders. Provide immediate training for all class leaders. Review all aspects of the classes’ work and help leaders set goals. Meet regularly with leaders to communicate evangelism opportunities, update prospect and membership rolls, evaluate the work of the class, and train leaders. Encourage members to participate in church, associational, state, and national training events.

Step Four - Eat with the Troops. Spend time with leaders developing personal relationships. Get to know them, praying, eating, guiding, correcting, laughing, celebrating, and empowering them.

Step Five - Let Them Soar as Eagles. Ultimately, the goal of developing class leaders is to send them out to serve elsewhere. Once leaders leave to serve elsewhere, make sure the class maintains an ongoing relationship with them.

The adult class organization will always be changing as it expands and as leaders move out to other areas of ministry. If all class leaders remain in the same position for more than two years, the class may become stagnant, turning inward. Maintenance is not the goal - multiplication is!

John McClendon is Lead Adult Ministry Specialist in LifeWay Church Resources, a division of LifeWay Christian Resources, Nashville, Tennessee.

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