Establishing an Outreach Organization in Sunday School

Written by J. David Apple

Church leaders have many views of “organization.” Some people see organization as a chart with all the positions that need to be filled.  Some people see organization as a list of people who do the work. Consider that organization is: Putting people in the best place(s) of service to be used by God to achieve the work of the Great Commission and the Great Commandment.

There are some ground rules when it comes to developing an effective Sunday School organization.

Identify that to which God is leading available persons to say “yes."
God calls people to do the work of the Kingdom. If you want to strengthen outreach (evangelism and ministry) to unchurched persons, you will need to stay focused on the assignment God gives through the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20).

Identify the persons in your Sunday School who are available to say “yes” to God.
God is working in the midst of His people. Prayerfully identify the persons God calls to mind who are available to Him. Some people are available to take outreach-related responsibilities (such as but not limited to):

• discovering prospects,
• making visits or other nurturing contacts with specific unchurched persons,
• being a prayer warrior for one or more unsaved persons and/or persons building relationships with specific unsaved persons,
• updating information about unchurched persons in class or church records so ministry follow up can take place,
• planning event(s) where unchurched persons are invited,
• serving as a “greeter” for the class, etc.

Understand that everyone has a job.
God calls some persons to be responsible for specific ministries in a class or department. He calls other persons to coordinate the ministry of two or more groups, classes, departments or divisions. Some jobs can be identified on (an organization) chart, such as Bible Study Leader, Outreach Leader, Department Director, and so forth. Some jobs are best identified within the structure of the class and based on the gifts and abilities of the members.

Develop your workers to apprentice their work.
There is a wonderful relational model in the concept of being an “apprentice.”  Your outreach organization will be strengthened as each leader (Bible study leader, Outreach leader, and so forth) enlists someone who God has His hand on to watch and learn how to do the work. 

Planning is vital.
As you organize for Sunday School work, you must identify ongoing opportunities for workers to plan together. Your Sunday School curriculum Leader Guide offers suggestions for weekly leadership meetings - for each age-group resource.

There are basic ratios to determining appropriate structure.
Remember the (new) definition of “organization”? It involves placing PEOPLE… The effective Sunday School organization will reflect a proper understanding of ratios of people. Consider the following ratios:

• Attendance will average 40-60 percent of enrollment – If you want to increase average attendance, one factor will be to increase enrollment. You will need to enlist people who will help discover, visit, enroll and follow up on persons who are not engaged in any open Bible study group.
• Provide one leader for every 5 members – One person is responsible for as many as five persons, no matter how large or small the Sunday School might be. But if your Sunday School maintains this ratio, it will always be in a positive stance for effective teaching, reaching, ministry, and fellowship.
• Provide one Bible study group for every 10-15 attenders – Every age group has very specific and appropriate enrollment and attendance ceilings.  This reflects proven ratios that maximize participation by members in Bible study, ministry, outreach and fellowship.  If average attendance exceeds this ratio, then start a new group.

Build appropriate accountability.
Ultimately, every person is accountable to the Lord!  In your organization, every leader is answerable to one other person.  For example, every Bible study leader is accountable to the Sunday School Director (or in a larger organization, to a Department Director). Understand the practicality of accountability when a prospective member is assigned for visitation or follow up. Unless accountability is identified, it will be difficult to determine who should be responsible that  the assignment is completed.

Stay focused on the methods of Jesus in working with and through people.
Jesus is our example for everything that is done in and through the Sunday School. He modeled leadership style as well as teaching methods.  He also modeled how to love people as God loves them; He showed what God’s grace looks like. Every Sunday School leader is to be an apprentice and student of Jesus.   

The FAITH Sunday School Evangelism Strategy is designed to help put a spotlight on evangelism and on the Sunday School. God is using this significant strategy to help churches focus on and see results in evangelism, ministry and discipleship through the Sunday School.

J. David Apple is a Sunday School Ministry Leadership Specialist at LifeWay Christian Resources, Nashville, Tennessee.

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