5 Key Competence E's of an Effective Sunday School

Leader
Written by David Francis

Ten Best Practices To Make Your Sunday School Work Resource Book
Sunday School leaders have different specialties. Some primarily reach, some primarily
teach, some primarily minister, some primarily administer. But all effective Sunday
School leaders must develop some organizational competencies. I believe there are
five key ones - Competence Es, if you will: Enlisting, equipping, encouraging,
evaluating, and envisioning.
Enlisting
This is the endless task of a Sunday School leader, whether you are the pastor enlisting
a Sunday School director, a Sunday School director enlisting department directors or
teachers, a teacher enlisting class leaders, an outreach leader enlisting people to take
visitation assignments, or a group leader enlisting members to take food to a bereaved
classmate. And it can be a joyous task! An effective leader doesnt view this as an
imposition, but as an invitation to serve God and neighbor. So the effective leader
communicates (a) this job is important, (b) God has put your name on my heart, and (c)
asks the person to pray about it. If the person agrees, he responds, Thats great. Ill
get back with you. Whatever God tells you to do will be OK with me!
Equipping
Once a person is enlisted, he or she must be trained to do the job. Libby Bridger, who
gives staff leadership to the Sunday School ministry at Hebron Baptist Church in
Dacula, Georgia, uses a point system, and gives awards annually to workers who
accumulate 20 (Bronze), 25 (Silver) or 30 (Gold) points. They can earn points for
attending training seminars, participating in special outreach events, reading books, or
listening to or watching tapes, CDs or DVDs. Of course, the starting point for equipping
is a job description. Some samples are available at lifeway.com/sundayschool.
Encouraging
All of us appreciate a pat on the back, a kind word, an appreciative nod, a sincere
smile, an understanding wink. Vickie and I teach a preschool class. Our division director
occasionally comes by with a piece of candy attached to a brief note that says thank
you. Its just a little thing, and we dont even eat the candy, but it makes you feel a little
special. When I was serving as a Minister of Education, I made a weekly habit of
making the rounds of the Sunday School classes, especially the preschool rooms, just
to stick my head in the door to smile or nod or give a thumbs up. Sometimes when
youre serving in a room of two-year olds in potty training, but who cant talk yet to tell
you they need to go, you just need someone to affirm that they know youre there, and
that youre appreciated!
Evaluating
John Kramp, vice president of the Church Resources Division at LifeWay, often
reminds those of us who work for him that job number one for an effective leader is to
accurately define current reality. Hows it going? Whats going well? What could be
going better? What are our plans for accomplishing our strategic objectives? What
tactics will we use to achieve our goals? What changes do we need to make? How do
we measure success? (In the March article, I will address some of the measurements -

or metrics - you can use to evaluate the health of your Sunday School.)
Envisioning
Evaluation is about assessing what is - current reality. Envisioning is about what could
be! Stand outside your church building, in the educational building hallway, or at the
door of your empty classroom. Ask God to give you a vision for what it could look,
sound, and smell like if you got serious about doing excellent Sunday School work. Ask
Him to give you a goal. Then start communicating what pastor Gene Mims calls a
compelling image of an achievable future. In the April issue, Ill introduce - or remind
you - of three key numbers that will help you achieve that goal. In the meantime, enlist,
equip, encourage, evaluate, and envision. Then start over again! Thats the joyful work
of the effective Sunday School leader.
David Francis is director of Sunday School at LifeWay Christian Resources, Nashville,
Tennessee.