“People go where they know they are prepared for and cared for.” This statement continues to be a guide and motivator for every aspect of my ministry.
As a teacher (regardless of the age group we teach), one task is to communicate to those who come each week that we are prepared for them. When we guide the class session with confidence, when we are open to class discussions, and when we are able to give leadership to the class session, we communicate our preparation. When we have support materials ready, when handouts are prepared, when the chairs are arranged, we communicate our preparation. When we know exactly what the goals of our class session are, we communicate our preparation. As we communicate good preparation, we also communicate that we care.
As a teacher, we are also to care for our class! We are in the people business. The needs of the institution must never come before the needs of the people. As we prepare for them, we communicate that we care. As we contact them when they’re absent and challenge them when they’re present, we communicate that we care. As we cry with them when they hurt and celebrate with them in important times, we communicate that we care. People go where they know they have been prepared for and are cared for.
“Prepared for and cared for” doesn’t happen automatically. We have to be intentional in our preparation and our caring. Being intentional means that we schedule and protect times for preparing each day. Being intentional means that we schedule and honor time each week for calling class members and prospects simply to check in and say hello.
Effective teachers prepare so they can help others learn. Effective teachers prepare so they can help others grow spiritually. Effective teachers prepare in order to be enthusiastic, warm, and sensitive as they lead the class session each week. The attitude the teacher brings to the class session each week greatly affects the learning climate and the growth potential of the class. “Prepared for and cared for” helps keep the teacher focused on being intentional in the teaching role.
As we teach intentionally, there are several outcomes that we can anticipate:
• Growth in Belief. As God’s Word challenges us, we grow deeper in our spirituality. Consistently encountering biblical truth leads us to closeness with God and with one another. As we grow in our beliefs, we are better prepared to be servants in the kingdom of God. Intentional teaching helps us lead others to deeper spiritual maturity.
• Growth in Community. As God’s Word challenges us, we grow deeper in our intimacy with one another. There is no way to sit in a Sunday school class week after week and not grow friendships. Growing friendships in our class helps us then reach out to others, both inside the church and outside the church. Intentional teaching fosters relationships that add meaning to the body life of the church family.
• Growth in Servanthood. As God’s Word challenges us, we grow deeper in our service to one another. We are not to teach to entertain; we are called to equip. As we teach with purpose and intentionality, we challenge those in our classes to grow in their own service. We are all called to be servants of Christ. As we grow in our servanthood, we enrich the church.
• Growth in Attendance. If we are growing in belief, community, and servanthood, the message of our “great” class is going to spread. Most people want to be around good things that are happening. Your class members will tell others in the church about the class. Your class members will tell others not in the church about the class. You will begin reaching out more and reaching in more. Intentional preparation leads to effective teaching. Effective teaching leads to growth!
This post originally appeared in Building Blocks for Sunday School Growth.
