SUNDAY SCHOOL WORKERS’ MEETINGS

SUNDAY SCHOOL WORKERS'

MEETINGS

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* Why Should We Have Workers' Meetings?

How Should we Conduct Worker's Meetings?

* Who Should Attend The Workers' Meetings?

* What Should be Covered In The Workers' Meetings?

* When Should Workers' Meetings Be Held?

* What Are The Expected Results of Workers'
Meetings?



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Prepared by Stafford Binder

Spring, 1992



South Sheridan Baptist Church
Pastor Les Heinze

A growing and vibrant Sunday School program needs a lot of planning and preparation to make the program work. Regular Sunday School, or adult Bible Study workers' meetings, are a must in building a strong Sunday School program. Church leaders across the country agree with this. For example, Bob Flegal of the Northwest Baptist Convention says, "The weekly workers' meeting is the best tool that the Pastor and the Sunday School Director have to lead the Sunday School to increase enrollment and attendance, to improve the Bible teaching, to enlarge the evangelistic results, and to support the total program of the church. Without a weekly workers' meeting, the Sunday School soon suffers from lack of communi- cation, misplaced priorities, little evangelism, poor teaching, and low worker morale. The weekly workers' meeting can help produce the results that leaders desire."
The meetings not only strengthen the program, but encourage workers and help to build a team spirit in the total Sunday School.
In the following section we will discuss why we should have Sunday School workers' meetings and how to conduct them. We will suggest who should attend, what should be presented and when to hold meetings.


I. WHY SHOULD WE HAVE WORKERS' MEETINGS?

1. We all see the need to increase the number of people we reach and the number of souls saved, and the need to improve the quality of our teaching.
As we do these things we are supporting the church and the work of the Lord.

2. As we meet together we will build a team spirit and commitment to achieving these goals.

3. It will aid us to tie the Sunday School together with a unified program within the departments and across the various age groups.

4. Planning for teaching, promotions, and other various programs can be communicated, coordinated, and committed to on the part of each teacher and department or class worker.

5. As we learn from each other how to teach the lessons, we will become better teachers and better able to minister the Word of God to our classes.

6. We will be able to improve our outreach and ministry to individuals.

II. HOW SHOULD WE CONDUCT WORKERS' MEETINGS?

Effective meetings are required to keep the workers interested and inspire their regular attendance. If the workers do not receive benefit from the meetings, they will not attend faithfully. Everyone who leads a meeting must invest the necessary time in preparing for effective meetings.

1. First, plan the meeting. Decide what the meeting is intended to achieve; then write an agenda and specify the order of the topics to cover and the amount of time each topic should take.

* Place the most important topics at the front of the agenda so you make sure you cover them adequately.
* Insure that the sequence of the topics is logical and progresses from one to the other without having to revisit topics.
* Then ask yourself, "What would happen if I did not have this meeting?" * Pass out the agenda to the participants ahead of time so they have time to prepare.

2. Second, prepare the participants to participate.

* Make sure they know what you intend to discuss and the objective to be achieved for each topic.
* If they are to prepare a presentation or information, let them know ahead of time.
* Make sure you will have all of the right people present to resolve the issues.
* Purpose to bring each topic to closure in the meeting, and not defer it to another meeting.

3. Third, control the meeting. Have the group set basic rules for conducting the meeting, such as:

* only one person speaks at a time,
* respect each other's opinions,
* deal with only one topic at a time, etc.,
* present the topic and the information, recommendation, or action,
* open the topic for discussion and bring the topic to a conclusion.

4. Fourth, conclude the meeting.

* Summarize the topics that were covered.
* State the decisions that were made, or what was accomplished.
* Provide the participants with a written copy of the meeting notes.


III. WHO SHOULD ATTEND THE WORKERS' MEETINGS?

The success or failure of the meetings and their acceptance by the workers depends on the pastor and his support of the meetings. The pastor must believe in and want the meetings, and be willing to rearrange the church schedule to find the best time for the workers' meetings. It should be given priority over other things if it is truly believed that the Sunday School is the primary ministry for outreach. The desire for the well-being of the workers' and their ministry must be communicated to the workers and the department heads by the pastor.

1. The division directors, or division superintendents of the preschool, the primary, junior and teen departments must attend. Also the class officers, and teachers must be present in the meetings. Every worker must be asked to attend and told he or she is expected to be present in the meetings. Each division director should keep a roster of who attends the meeting.

2. Department directors of the four adult divisions should keep a roster of who attends each meeting of those who work in the department. The teachers, outreach leaders, care captains, secretaries and other workers, if there are such, must attend each meeting. This will aid in getting information from the meeting to the absentees, and in follow-up on workers who consistently miss the meetings.

IV. WHAT SHOULD BE COVERED IN THE WORKERS' MEETINGS?

* Statistical review of progress
* Teacher or member interview to indicate improved learning or teaching
* Resource center features
* Plans for future events
* Goals of the church and Sunday School
* Introduction of new workers
* Recognition of outstanding division, departments, and classes
* Testimonies of workers, members, or a recent convert
* Topics for instruction and inspiration
* Teacher training subjects


V. WHEN SHOULD WORKERS' MEETINGS BE HELD?

7. Small rooms should be available for department meetings to follow the general meeting.

VI. WHAT ARE THE EXPECTED RESULTS OF WORKERS' MEETINGS?

The results of this effort are what make it worthwhile. As we put time and energy into these meetings, we should be able to see measurable results. It will be very helpful if the Sunday School's department and division directors will poll the workers for feedback on the effectiveness of the meetings. If the workers' needs are not being met and they are not being challenged or receiving a benefit, then the meetings need to be restructured and improved. The workers should also be asked for their ideas on the structure of the meeting and topics to be covered. Ask them what they want and what they would like to get out of the meetings. The following ideas should be examined for substantive information and benefit to the workers.

Revival In The Home Ministries #.