A Healthy Sunday School Is a Balancing Act Phil Miller Associate Director, Great Commission Team Baptist General Convention of Texas phil.miller@texasbaptists.org

Crossing Niagara Falls Jean-François Gravelet (Blondin’) stunned the world on June 30th, 1859. The famous Blondin made his first crossing of Niagara Falls on June 30th, 1859, watched, it was calculated, by 100,000 people. It is now August and he is introducing variations into his act: wearing a blindfold, pushing a wheelbarrow, on stilts, sitting down midway then cooking and eating an omelette. Here his manager Harry Colcord is carried piggy-back.

Sunday School Provides Great Commission Balance Discipling through the Sunday School involves more than a decision about what curriculum or resources your classes choose to use. Purpose

Open Groups vs. Closed Groups Curriculum Atmosphere Empty chair Expects new people on any given week Closed Groups Closed groups are not bad. They’re just closed! Whereas open groups employ a curriculum plan ensuring that each individual lesson or session provides a complete and satisfying study of a Bible passage, closed groups typically use a curriculum plan that is sequential: each lesson or session builds on the previous ones.

Great Commission Balance Evangelism Discipleship Assimilation

Great Commission Balance Discipleship Declines Overbalanced Evangelism Assimilation

Great Commission Balance Evangelism Declines Overbalanced Discipleship Assimilation

Great Commission Balance Evangelism Sunday School Discipleship Assimilation

Great Commission Balance Biblical Community Biblical Content Sunday School Discipleship Groups Small Groups The strength of the Sunday School movement is found in the balance between biblical community and biblical content.

The Relationship between Bible Study and Curriculum

Key Components Curriculum is designed to help a teacher lead a group of people through a study of a portion of scripture, making appropriate application to their life experiences. Personal Bible Study involves God speaking to an individual through a portion of scripture applying the passage(s) to their specific life needs. Group Bible Study involves God speaking through His word to a group of individuals, in part, on one or more shared life experiences that the group has in common.

The Relationship of Teacher and Group If a teacher is the only voice involved in the presentation of a Bible study, the group experience becomes personal Bible study shared with a group. If a group chooses to listen to one person’s Bible study experience, it ceases to be a group Bible study. It has taken on the same basic qualities as a pastor’s sermon. If a teacher chooses only to present what a curriculum writer has prepared without involving their own input or that of the group members, it becomes one person’s Bible study shared with a group. If a group chooses not to be involved in a group Bible study experience, allowing the teacher to be the only voice, the likelihood of personal application of the scripture to their life experiences is greatly diminished.

GROUP BIBLE STUDY GOALS: Curriculum: Understood as one, or more, person’s study/preparation of a Bible study passage. Group Members: Encouraged to participate in group Bible study by sharing their personal insights on a passage of scripture. Teacher: Preparation through use of available curriculum, combined with personal Bible study, recognizing the unique spiritual needs of the group.

Group Bible Study Experience: The teacher serves as Bible study guide bringing together curriculum material, personal Bible study and group member involvement under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. The ideal outcome would result in the application of God’s Word impacting the lives of group members for the greatest good – Life Transformation.

As Sunday School Leaders We Teach the Future “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” 2 Timothy 2:2

At first reading … Paul Many Witnesses Timothy Reliable Men Others

A Biblical Teaching Process

A Biblical Mentoring Process

A Biblical Discipling Process Teacher Leader Leader Learner Learner Learner

How do you develop the leaders of tomorrow? You teach! It’s not about you, it’s about them. Study your students. Create a safe environment. Exude passion as well as purpose. Show them where they need to learn Keep it simple Practice vulnerability without sacrificing credibility. Teach from the heart. Adapted from John Maxwell "Leadership Wired" Newsletter