how to have a summer jump instead of a summer slump dr. tim s. smith, state missionary sunday...

HOW TO HAVE A SUMMER JUMP HOW TO HAVE A SUMMER JUMP INSTEAD OF A SUMMER SLUMPINSTEAD OF A SUMMER SLUMP

Dr. Tim S. Smith, State MissionarySunday School/Open Group MinistriesGeorgia Baptist Convention

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The Barna Research Group found The Barna Research Group found that:that: • Only 19 percent of church members attend

Sunday school. That figure is relatively unchanged since 1991.

• 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?What’s really happening and WHY?1.1. There are more options for people and the There are more options for people and the

growth of leisure time has impacted growth of leisure time has impacted churches. churches.

2.2. Many churches have leaders that become Many churches have leaders that become more inconsistent in their attendance more inconsistent in their attendance during the summer. during the summer.

3.3. Even some ministers and pastors are taking Even some ministers and pastors are taking the summer off!the summer off!

4.4. Growing churches do not loose the Growing churches do not loose the momentum they have gained during the momentum they have gained during the year.year.

THE TRUTH IS THAT THE TRUTH IS THAT WE’VE GOT TO MAKE WE’VE GOT TO MAKE

OUR SUNDAY OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL WORTH SCHOOL WORTH

COMING TO!COMING TO!

You Must a SUMMER You Must a SUMMER Emphasis!Emphasis!

• AttendanceAttendance• ContactsContacts

• Outreach ParticipationOutreach Participation• New MembersNew Members

• Prospect DiscoveryProspect Discovery• Vacation Bible SchoolVacation Bible School

AttendanceAttendance

• Set a weekly attendance for each class.Set a weekly attendance for each class.• Calculate the classes’ average attendance Calculate the classes’ average attendance

since the first of the church year. since the first of the church year. • This would make a great weekly goal or you This would make a great weekly goal or you

may want to decrease the goal just below the may want to decrease the goal just below the year-to-date average attendance.year-to-date average attendance.

ContactsContacts• A contact is a ministry touch to a member or A contact is a ministry touch to a member or

prospect. prospect. • These can be made through a home visit, a These can be made through a home visit, a

phone call, an email or a random encounter. phone call, an email or a random encounter. • It could a conversation that lasts an hour or it It could a conversation that lasts an hour or it

could be just a few seconds. could be just a few seconds. • The goal is to express love and concern for the The goal is to express love and concern for the

person and to invite them to Sunday School. person and to invite them to Sunday School. • Set a weekly goal for each class. Set a weekly goal for each class.

Outreach Outreach ParticipationParticipation

• Don’t stop having weekly outreach during Don’t stop having weekly outreach during the summer! the summer!

• At outreach night ask the participants to sign At outreach night ask the participants to sign in and next to their name to write in their in and next to their name to write in their

Sunday School.Sunday School.• Have prospects for the classes to contact that Have prospects for the classes to contact that

would fit in their class.would fit in their class.

New MembersNew Members• Set a goal for each class to enroll a specific Set a goal for each class to enroll a specific number of new members during the summer.number of new members during the summer.

• Encourage the class to begin inviting but also Encourage the class to begin inviting but also to be aggressive in enrolling new members.to be aggressive in enrolling new members.• Ask guest to join the group on the first Ask guest to join the group on the first

Sunday that they attend.Sunday that they attend.• Reward both the new member and the Reward both the new member and the

member that invited them.member that invited them.

Prospect DiscoveryProspect Discovery• The key to success is preparation The key to success is preparation

and communication.and communication.• Inform the class several weeks Inform the class several weeks

before.before.• Encourage the class members to Encourage the class members to

be prepared.be prepared.

Vacation Bible SchoolVacation Bible School

• VBS is not intended to just be a VBS is not intended to just be a one week event for the children one week event for the children

of the church.of the church.• Emphasize promotion, Emphasize promotion,

involvement and follow-up.involvement and follow-up.

The Summer SlamThe 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.I.A.• CContact Every Member & Prospect

Each Week

• IIdentify New Prospects

• AAction Plan for Friend Day

Every Home 4 ChristEvery Home 4 Christ1. Every home will attend worship 1. Every home will attend worship

and life group 4 Sundays a month.and life group 4 Sundays a month.2. Every home will have a family 2. Every home will have a family

devotion at least 4 days a week.devotion at least 4 days a week.3. Every home will invite at least 4 3. Every home will invite at least 4

people per week.people per week.4. Every home will do something 4 4. Every home will do something 4

each other every week.each other every week.

Every Home 4 ChristEvery Home 4 Christ• To get a brick…To get a brick………did you attend LIFE Group and did you attend LIFE Group and

Worship this week?Worship this week?……did you have a family or personal did you have a family or personal

devotion this week?devotion this week?……did you invite someone to attend did you invite someone to attend

Noonday this week?Noonday this week?……did you do something for someone did you do something for someone

in your family this week?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.


• 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.


• 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.


• 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.


• 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.


– 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.


• 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.


• 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.

QuestionsQuestions&&

AnswersAnswers

Dr. Tim S. Smith, State Missionary

Sunday School/Open Group Ministries SpecialistSunday School/Open Group Ministries SpecialistGeorgia Baptist Missions & Ministry CenterGeorgia Baptist Missions & Ministry Center

6405 Sugarloaf Parkway6405 Sugarloaf ParkwayDuluth, GA 30097-4092Duluth, GA 30097-4092

770.936.5287770.936.52871.800.746.4422 ext.2871.800.746.4422 ext.287

FAX: 770.452.6580FAX: 770.452.6580E-mail: [email protected]: [email protected]: ssog.gabaptist.orgWebsite: ssog.gabaptist.org

HOW TO HAVE A SUMMER JUMP HOW TO HAVE A SUMMER JUMP INSTEAD OF A SUMMER SLUMPINSTEAD OF A SUMMER SLUMP

Dr. Tim S. Smith, State MissionarySunday School/Open Group MinistriesGeorgia Baptist Convention

how to have a summer jump instead of a summer slump dr. tim s. smith, state missionary sunday...

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