The Sunday School Growth Evaluation Plan

Ken Marler

Church Partner

LifeWay Christian Resources Ken.Marler@lifeway.com

Enrollment

• Growth Goal: Increased

enrollment over last year

Enrollment = Ministry

The Value Of Being on the Ministry

List

• Life Changing Bible Study

• Weekly Ministry Opportunities

• Opportunity to use Spiritual Giftedness

• Fellowship Opportunities

• You Get a Free Comentary 4 Times a Year.

We have had a great response from our Adult

Sunday School Teachers since you were here. One

example: Our Senior Adult class took everything you

said to heart. They requested enough learner books

so they could distribute one to every member and

every prospect on their ministry list. Once the books

came in, they went door to door handing them out

and inviting everyone to Sunday School. Yesterday,

the first Sunday of our new church year, their

attendance doubled! Their room was packed! It is so

exciting for them to see that Sunday School works

when you work Sunday School!

Susan Prescott, Minister of Education, First Baptist Church St. Bethlehem,

Clarksville, TN

Ministry List • Increased Ministry List means: • Increased Sunday School attendance

• Increased Worship attendance

• Increased ministry

• Increased baptisms

• Increased offerings

• Increased number of workers

Ministry List Anywhere

Anytime

If They Agree

Ministry List How?

1. Ministry List Cards

2. During Bible Study

3. During Worship Services

4. During Visitation

5. Special Church Events

Ministry List The Key Is Follow-Up

1. Deliver Bible Study Resources

2. Provide Information

3. Provide Transportation

4. Sit With New Members/Guests

Ministry List Guiding Principles

1. Think People Not Percentages

2. Drop Persons From The

Ministry List When They Die

3. Ministry! Ministry! Ministry!

Units

• Growth Goal: One per 12-18

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

Units CAUTION:

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

Units Guiding 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

Open Groups

Expect New

People Every

Week

Ministry Touches

Growth 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

Attendance

Growth 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

Space Four types of space

• Worship

• Education

• Parking

• Preschool

When 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

Leaders Growth Goal:

• One Worker for every five persons on the Sunday School ministry list

• Leaders: Those who are involved in the work of teaching, reaching, or ministry

Leaders Four 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

Leaders Team,

I have a Sunday School class that meets on Sunday mornings at TPC who has a heart

to serve people like you – the people who serve kids weekly. If you were able to

go to a “grown-up” class instead of serving you would fall into this age group /

life stage to be in this class.

They asked me to make contact with you and ask if they could pray for you and email

you a weekly update on what is happening in grown up world at TPC. They

would like to consider you their “missionary members” – because you are out on

the mission field on Sunday morning serving others.

If you have any problem with this, feel free to let me know and I am happy to ask

them to take you off their list.

• What a privilege, honor, blessing...to think/know people are praying for us. That's

powerful.

• Great idea. Sure appreciate their kindness. Thanks Amy.

• Great idea... Thank you.

Leaders Guiding 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 Training Determine a strategy to enable every

Leader to earn their leadership

diploma in one year • Individual

• Church

• Association

• State

• National

Leaders in Training Guiding 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

• The 4 P’s of Leadership Meetings

1. Pray Every Meeting For:

1. The lost 2. The unchurched/backslidden 3. The teacher 4. The class leaders 5. The church staff 6. Intercessory Needs 7. The Church’s Ministry

2. Promote Resources 1. 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. Principles 1. Remember the timeless growth principles that will always work.

Enrollment Outreach/Evangelism Prospects Birthing New Classes Organization and structure Inreach

4. Plan 1. Set goals 2. Determine strategies to meet goals 3. Plan for intentional growth (do the necessary little things to make a difference)

Persons in Discipleship

Growth goal:

At least one half of the

Sunday School attendance

is enrolled in a Discipleship

class.

Persons in Discipleship

• These classes are closed

and are for building Great

Commission Christians

• A director of Discipleship

is needed in every adult

class

Worship Attendance

Growth Goal:

No more than 10-20% more

in worship than in Sunday

School.

Worship Attendance

Remember to get persons in

worship services on the

ministry list who are not

already on the Sunday

School ministry list

Offerings

Growth Goal:

Sunday School attendance

multiplied by the per capita

giving

Offerings

Divide weekly undesignated

offerings by the average

Sunday School attendance.

This gives the per capita

giving

Offerings

Guiding 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

Prospects

How?

1. I know a prospect cards

2. Opinion Polls/People Search

3. New Residence information

4. Special event registration

5. Broadman Prospect Services

Prospects

Guiding Principles:

1. Equal to the number on the ministry list

2. A director of prospecting to keep everyone aware of the need

3. Anyone not attending Bible Study is a prospect

Outreach

Growth 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 Marler

Church Partner

LifeWay Christian Resources Ken.Marler@lifeway.com