1. Developing Sunday School Leaders
Dr. Tim S. Smith
Sunday School/Small Groups Specialist
State Missionary
Georgia Baptist Convention
Developing Sunday School Leaders

2. The “NOT-SO” Top 10 Excuses People Give for Not Teaching a Sunday School Class
#10 “I don’t enjoy spending time with people.” #9 “That’s not my spiritual gift.” #8 “I am too busy!” #7 “I would have to be there every week.” #6 “I’m afraid of speaking in public.” #5 “I have no one to watch my kids while I’m teaching.” #4 “Some people are weird and I wouldn’t know what to do.” #3 “I don’t know what to teach or how to teach.” #2 “I didn’t know we needed more volunteers.” #1 “I don’t know how to sign up.”

3. Why your church needs new Sunday School teachers and leaders….
Attrition
Starting new classes/groups

4. Jesus’ Leadership Strategy
He preached to the multitudes.
He sent out the seventy-two. (Luke 10:1-24)
He mentored the twelve. (Mark 3:14–19)
He befriended the three. (Matthew 17:1-3)
He loved the one. (John 13:23)

5. Jesus’ Training Process
I do, you watch.
I do, you help.
You do, I help.
You do, I watch.
You do, someone else watches.

6. Skills needed to be a successful Sunday School leader/teacher…
Spiritual growth = personal Bible study plan
1. Observation – what do I see?
2. Interpretation – what does a passage mean?
3. Application – how do I get the Word of God into my life in a practical way?

7. Skills needed to be a successful Sunday School leader/teacher…
How to teach the Bible
(teaching for spiritual transformation and life change, not just to cover content or treating the Bible like a history or literature book)
1. preparation
2. presentation

8. Skills needed to be a successful Sunday School leader/teacher…
Caring for members
1. personal prayer time for members
2. expressions of care and concern
3. constantly communicating through text messages, s, phone calls, cards, etc.
4. spending time with them individually and as a group

9. Skills needed to be a successful Sunday School leader/teacher…
Reaching new members
1. develop a prospect file for you and your class/group
2. help your members write their testimony
3. train them to use a marked new testament
4. help to memorize a gospel presentation

10. My BEST 5 Ideas for starting new classes/groups
teacher/leader trains an apprentice
class/group starts a new class/group
class starts a new group
life stage or life skill class/group
an affinity group

11. Top 10 reasons church leaders have heard for people not serving…
too busy - 42%
bad past experience - 11%
too many family pressures - 11%
don't want to be tied down - 9%
don't know what there is to do - 7%
feel unqualified - 7%
need fellowship myself - 4%
never asked - 4%
already served my time - 4%
fear of failure - 1%

12. What is your plan for developing new leaders?

13. My BEST 5 Strategies for NEW Sunday School Leaders
ask your people and involve your leaders
establish team-based ministries
enlist mentoring teachers
use on-line resources
develop a leadership course

14. ADMINISTRATIVE
Developing a Purpose/Mission Statement for Your Sunday School
Determining the Leadership Structure for Your Sunday School
Developing General Sunday School Leader Expectations and Specialized Ministry Descriptions 
Discovering Potential Sunday School Leaders 
Deploying the Promotion for the Sunday School Leadership Development Course  

15. TEACHING Session #1 “The Basics of Sunday School Ministry”
Session #2 “Sunday School Organization and Worker and Leader Responsibilities”  
Session #3 “Reaching People and Developing Witnessing Skills”
Session #4 “The Sunday School Leader’s Spiritual Life”
Session #5 “Leading the Bible Study in a …
Preschool, Children’s, Youth and Adult Sunday School Class
Session #6 “Observing in a Class”

16. Dr. Tim S. Smith, State Missionary
Sunday School/Small Groups Specialist Georgia Baptist Convention 6405 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth, GA or ext. 287 sssg.gabaptist.org gabaptistsundayschool.org facebook.com/GABaptistSundaySchool twitter.com/GBCSundaySchool pinterest.com/gbcsssg