Thank you leaders for making our monthly leader meetings a priority. It is always so good to pray together, to plan, and to take a moment to encourage each other in our ministry.

As you remember Wednesday night we were challenged by a word I delivered from Doug Baker at the Baptist General Convention 2009. He had shared that as Christian educators we must have a firm foundation in teaching the Word of God. Its power transforms people with its knowledge, moving people to changed lives.

This is not just a good idea, nor his idea, as he revealed; it is God’s way as discovered in 2 Peter 1:3-10. We teach the living Word of God every week, to really help people. This is no simple good wish, nor neat saying, nor good opinion, it is the inspired Word that changes hearts.

So, prepare with all your heart to focus on God’s Word this week. Not simply the “lesson.” Let the Word marinate in class. Dive in to it. Let the group think on it for a while and discuss it.

And, don’t be too serious, share your story, lift one another up in light of the Truth you learn.

I love you all and I am praying for you!

Hey Leaders,

As a recap, or if you had to be away for the leader meeting, here is a synopsis of this year’s great training day. Thank you Hance for being our special guest!

The day’s theme was about the two most important ingredients of Sunday School. While your class may differ from others in size, age, style, married, single, etc, two ingredients must be present for it to be a healthy Sunday School class:

Focus on God’s Word
Relationships

Hance challenged us to consider the importance of the Bible and its study as being central to our ministry in Sunday School. Why?

One of the main take-aways: if you are not teaching the Word of God, the sheep will become restless because they are not being fed. If you commit to teaching the Word, hearts will be full! The Bible must be taught because it is:
1. Authority-the Bible is the authority, not what you and I think. What matters is what the Bible says. Make it the heartbeat, the centerpiece of what you say.
2. Reliability-the Bible is Truth. It can be trusted.
3. Productivity-the Bible will produce results. Like seed scattered abroad, it will produce fruit when it takes root in the hearer’s life. Nothing else, ever, will have the result that the Living Word, by the power of the Holy Spirit, will have on someone.

By the way teachers, Hance models these and the importance of Scripture to us every time he speaks. He models preparation, he models following Scripture, he models authentic delivery, he models sharing the Word so that it forces you to make a decision (will you do what the Bible says?). So, if you are wondering about what making the Bible central looks like, think of Hance.

I challenged you to consider the importance of relationships in your Sunday School class. As we gather around the life changing power of the Word of God, I want authentic relationships in my own life. What are some elements of friendships to keep in mind in Sunday School, think of FRIEND:

F-Focus. Make the warm of relationships something you actually think about in your class. This is not something that can be put on autopilot and assumed it is all okay.
R-Receptive. Is your class actually receptive, warm, to newcomers. Do you have a greeter?
I-Inclusive. But beyond a greeter and greeting, do you actually then connect with new folks, or are they left to fend for themselves? Is there a “connector” in your class?
E-Encouragement. One of the main, and easy, ways to impact relationships in Sunday School, is to make sure you spend time simply encouraging each other. Don’t let the power and the importance of this slip by. Speak words of encouragement to all.
N-Needs. Encourage because there are real needs. Folks in your class will have needs from calm things to things of real crisis. Are you prepared to strategically handle crisis in your department (health, financial, relational, family). In Sunday School we bear one another’s burdens.
D-Disciple. Remember that the real difference in Sunday School is that it is really different. You and I are here to help people discover life change in Jesus Christ through His Word. That means we encourage, but we also admonish. We actually say “no” to people when they are going the wrong way. Discipline, gently. Remember too that you should have folks in their journey from lost to mature. Be mindful of where people are in their walk with the Lord. You help them move ahead.

I thank the Lord for such a good time together at the Rally. Special word of thanks to Debbie Adams our church chef for the fajitas, and to Darlene Stine for her continued faithful work in the Sunday School ministry at QSBC.

Be reading your book, Unexpected Adventure!

Round Up is almost here!
Ray