Marion | Sixty-five Sunday school directors and pastors from Illinois gathered at the southern end of the state in September for a National Sunday School Director Seminar at Second Baptist Church in Marion.
The training event, sponsored by LifeWay Christian Resources, aimed to equip church education leaders to better serve “students” in their Sunday school classes. IBSA’s Mark Emerson, who helped lead the seminar, said the group started by identifying the ultimate mission of Sunday school:
“The Sunday school is the foundational strategy for leading people to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and for building Great Commission Christians through open Bible study groups that invite people to discover truths of God’s Word and connect with others through fellowship and ministry.”
While that mission is a mouthful, Emerson admitted, the training in Marion also helped leaders break it down into smaller pieces. The second part of the conference dealt with the five basic tenets of Sunday school identified by expert Arthur Flake in the early 1900s:
- Know your possibilities
- Enlarge the organization
- Enlist and train workers
- Provide space, equipment
- Go after the people.
An effective small groups strategy is key to church health and growth, Emerson said. “If you look at the most recent ACP data for our state, you will notice that the ‘normal’ size church for Illinois is attracting 65 people to their Sunday school (or other small group ministry), and 72 to worship.” With most congregations either plateaued or declining, he said, churches need an intentional plan to reach and disciple people.
For more information about growing your church’s Sunday school or small groups ministry, go to IBSA.org/education or contact IBSA’s Church Resources Team at (217) 391-3124.