HOW TO HAVE A SUMMER JUMP INSTEAD OF A SUMMER SLUMP Dr. Tim S. Smith, State Missionary Sunday School/Open Group Ministries Georgia Baptist Convention

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The Barna Research Group found that: Only 19 percent of church members attend Sunday school. That figure is relatively unchanged since Thirty-three percent of born again Christians and 60 percent of evangelicals attend Sunday school in a typical week. Married individuals are more likely than single adults to attend a Sunday school class in a typical week. Sunday school remains a draw primarily in the South, where nearly three out of 10 adults attend weekly. Contrary to popular opinion, there is virtually no drop off in Sunday school attendance during the summer.

What’s really happening and WHY? 1.There are more options for people and the growth of leisure time has impacted churches. 2.Many churches have leaders that become more inconsistent in their attendance during the summer. 3.Even some ministers and pastors are taking the summer off! 4.Growing churches do not loose the momentum they have gained during the year.

THE TRUTH IS THAT WE’VE GOT TO MAKE OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL WORTH COMING TO!

You Must a SUMMER Emphasis! Attendance Attendance Contacts Contacts Outreach Participation Outreach Participation New Members New Members Prospect Discovery Prospect Discovery Vacation Bible School Vacation Bible School

Attendance Set a weekly attendance for each class. Set a weekly attendance for each class. Calculate the classes’ average attendance since the first of the church year. Calculate the classes’ average attendance since the first of the church year. This would make a great weekly goal or you may want to decrease the goal just below the year-to-date average attendance. This would make a great weekly goal or you may want to decrease the goal just below the year-to-date average attendance.

Contacts A contact is a ministry touch to a member or prospect. A contact is a ministry touch to a member or prospect. These can be made through a home visit, a phone call, an or a random encounter. These can be made through a home visit, a phone call, an or a random encounter. It could a conversation that lasts an hour or it could be just a few seconds. It could a conversation that lasts an hour or it could be just a few seconds. The goal is to express love and concern for the person and to invite them to Sunday School. The goal is to express love and concern for the person and to invite them to Sunday School. Set a weekly goal for each class. Set a weekly goal for each class.

Outreach Participation Don’t stop having weekly outreach during the summer! Don’t stop having weekly outreach during the summer! At outreach night ask the participants to sign in and next to their name to write in their Sunday School. At outreach night ask the participants to sign in and next to their name to write in their Sunday School. Have prospects for the classes to contact that would fit in their class. Have prospects for the classes to contact that would fit in their class.

New Members Set a goal for each class to enroll a specific number of new members during the summer. Set a goal for each class to enroll a specific number of new members during the summer. Encourage the class to begin inviting but also to be aggressive in enrolling new members. Encourage the class to begin inviting but also to be aggressive in enrolling new members. Ask guest to join the group on the first Sunday that they attend. Ask guest to join the group on the first Sunday that they attend. Reward both the new member and the member that invited them. Reward both the new member and the member that invited them.

Prospect Discovery The key to success is preparation and communication. The key to success is preparation and communication. Inform the class several weeks before. Inform the class several weeks before. Encourage the class members to be prepared. Encourage the class members to be prepared.

Vacation Bible School VBS is not intended to just be a one week event for the children of the church. VBS is not intended to just be a one week event for the children of the church. Emphasize promotion, involvement and follow-up. Emphasize promotion, involvement and follow-up.

The Summer Slam Every class is a team; Braves, Cards, etc. Every week the team can score runs. – Enroll a new member = 3 runs – A guest in Sunday School = 2 runs – A home visit to a prospect =1 run – Contacts through cards =1 run per 4 cards – Contact through phone calls = 1 run per 2 phone calls – Discover a new prospect = 1 run – Attendance at VBS = 1 run per day – Class fellowship = 3 runs

C.I.A. C C ontact Every Member & Prospect Each Week I I dentify New Prospects A A ction Plan for Friend Day

Every Home 4 Christ 1. Every home will attend worship and life group 4 Sundays a month. 2. Every home will have a family devotion at least 4 days a week. 3. Every home will invite at least 4 people per week. 4. Every home will do something 4 each other every week.

Every Home 4 Christ To get a brick… To get a brick… …did you attend LIFE Group and Worship this week? …did you have a family or personal devotion this week? …did you invite someone to attend Noonday this week? …did you do something for someone in your family this week?

Sunday School Survivor’s of the Summer “Don’t Let Your Class Get Voted Off!” Round #1 – Every tribe (class) that exceeded their YTD average attendance today survives for the next week. – Every tribe that reported a representative at outreach last week survives for the next week. – Every class that reported a guest present today survives for the next week.

Sunday School Survivor’s of the Summer “Don’t Let Your Class Get Voted Off!” Round #2 – Every class that turns in the names of two new prospects today survives for the next week. – Every class whose teacher has read Ken Hemphill’s “Bonsai Theory of Church Growth” survives for the next week. – Every class that reported contacts that were equal to their enrollment this week survives for the next week.

Sunday School Survivor’s of the Summer “Don’t Let Your Class Get Voted Off!” Round #3 – Every class that has had a fellowship since Memorial Day; other than Sunday mornings, survives for the next week. – Every class that has enrolled a new member since Memorial Day by survives for the next week. – Every class that reported contacts totaling double their enrollment this last week survives for the next week.

Sunday School Survivor’s of the Summer “Don’t Let Your Class Get Voted Off!” Round #4 – Every class that had their highest attendance since Memorial Day today survives for the next week. – Every class that exceeded their YTD average attendance today survives for the next week. – Every class that reported contacts totaling double their enrollment this last week survives for the next week.

Sunday School Survivor’s of the Summer “Don’t Let Your Class Get Voted Off!” Tribal Council Sunday – For each week that your class survives you earn points based on the round that you are in; Round 1 = 1 point, Round 2 = 2 points, etc. – In order for your class to enter Tribal Council Sunday you must have at least 24 points. Total possible points is 30.

Sunday School Survivor’s of the Summer “Don’t Let Your Class Get Voted Off!” – The classes in the Tribal Council Sunday that can check most of these in succession are the final survivor(s).  We met or exceeded our YTD average attendance today.  Our contacts this week are equal to or greater than our enrollment.  We had two or more guests today.  We enrolled at least three more people since Memorial Day.  Our class has a prospect file.  Our prospect file has as many prospects as we have members.  There was someone in our class today who has been baptized since Memorial Day.

Sunday School Survivor’s of the Summer “Don’t Let Your Class Get Voted Off!” Final Tiebreaker: Our summer average attendance (June 3 – August 26) has increased _____ % over our YTD average attendance (September – May). (Highest percentage increase is the final survivor). Note: If there is a week prior to the final Sunday of each round when all classes are eliminated, those that survived up until that week are allowed to continue.

Sunday School Survivor’s of the Summer “Don’t Let Your Class Get Voted Off!” Immunity: Any class that has an attendance equal to or greater than their YTD (September – May) highest attendance will receive an “immunity token” which can be turned in to avoid being voted off. When used you earn the points from whatever round you are in. A class can earn a maximum of two of these during the summer. Their immunity cannot be used on Tribal Council Sunday.

SUNDAY SCHOOL NO FEAR FACTOR Each class is to complete a challenge each week. – Our class identified a prospect for every member present today. – Someone in our class shared the gospel with a lost person this past week. – Our class set a target date for starting new class from our class within the next 6 months.

SUNDAY SCHOOL NO FEAR FACTOR – Half of our members made an in-home visit to a prospect or inactive member this week. – Our class had a fellowship within the last three weeks with one or more prospects present. The Gospel was shared at the Fellowship. – Every member of our class made a contact this week. – Three-Fourths of our members present today have read through the New Testament since week One.

Questions & Answers

Dr. Tim S. Smith, State Missionary Sunday School/Open Group Ministries Specialist Georgia Baptist Missions & Ministry Center 6405 Sugarloaf Parkway Duluth, GA ext.287 FAX: Website: ssog.gabaptist.org

HOW TO HAVE A SUMMER JUMP INSTEAD OF A SUMMER SLUMP Dr. Tim S. Smith, State Missionary Sunday School/Open Group Ministries Georgia Baptist Convention