Sunday School Central

For Everything There Is A Season

2009-02-08T20:42:00.002-05:00

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven" - Ecclesiastes 3:1

Indeed, the words of Solomon ring true, and the time has come for me to become a pastor. I am very thankful for the past two years and the wonderful privilege that I have had to serve as your Sunday School Director. I praise God for what He has accomplished during this time, and I have no doubt that He will continue to bless the Sunday School of Highland Park First Baptist Church.

As I follow God's call to serve as the pastor of Morningside Baptist Church, I want you to know how much I love each and everyone of you, and we will truly miss you. May you continue to serve to see souls saved, lives changed, and God glorified!

Sunday School Leader Meeting

2009-02-06T15:49:00.002-05:00

There will be a brief Sunday School Leader Meeting this Sunday, February 8th at 8:30AM in the Fellowship Hall. I hope and pray to see you there!

Sunday School Leadership Christmas Party

2008-11-14T15:01:00.006-05:00

As my Mom used to sing to me when I was younger, "Christmas time's a comin!" That means that everybody puts on about 20 pounds, right? Well, that may be the case, but it is truly a time that we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It also means that it's time for our annual Sunday School Leadership Christmas Party! So, mark your calendars for Tuesday, December 9th at 6:30PM in the Fellowship Hall. As we have expanded our monthly leadership meetings to include teachers from the Children and Youth Divisions, we extend this invitation to them as well! The party will be a potluck, so keep an eye on your mailboxes with more details to follow.

I wonder how many desserts we'll have this year???

Sunday School Fall Blitz Is In The Books

2008-09-27T21:41:00.003-05:00

Thanks again to everyone who attended the Sunday School Fall Blitz on Saturday! It was a very productive day, and I pray that God will truly use each one of you for His glory during this Sunday School year! May God continue to bless you as you serve to see souls saved, lives changed, and God glorified!

Sunday School Fall Blitz - This Saturday!

2008-09-25T08:44:00.002-05:00

On Saturday morning, September 27, all of our teachers and leaders will come together for a time of prayer, training, and planning for the Sunday School year. Please be in prayer for this important event in the life of our Sunday School ministry!

Class Listings for New Sunday School Year

2008-09-10T14:08:00.005-05:00

Now that the 2008-2009 Sunday School Year has officially arrived, here is a list of all of our current classes at Highland Park First Baptist Church:

Children's Division:

Newborns & 1 year-olds (Room 108): taught by Amie Barnes, Henrietta Booth, and Lisa Holloway
2-year-olds & 3-year-olds (Room 101): taught by Julie Perry & Kristin Shultz
4-year-olds & 5-year-olds (Room 103): taught by Rhonda Uncleback & Sarah Norberto
1st & 2nd Grade (Room 102): taught by Brandi Lowe & John Booth
3rd & 4th Grade (Room 100): taught by Mabel Crowder & Aaron Wooden
5th Grade (Room 104): taught by Michael Taylor & Emilye Bryan

Student/Youth Division:

Middle School-Grades 6-8 (Room 208): taught by Mike Gatewood & Jennifer Perry
High School-Grades 9-12 (Room 207): taught by Janet Gresham & April Hawkins

Co-ed Adult Division:

PEPPER-18+ (Room 211): taught by Jonathan Bennett
SALT-20+ (Room 203): taught by Zach Scantland & Gary Shultz
New Beginnings-30+ (Room 206): taught by Todd Howard & Dwayne Heaton
New Horizons-40+ (Room 202): taught by Ken Kotouc
Followers & Friends-45+ (Room 107): taught by Willie Tyler
Young at Heart-50+ (Room 213): taught by Tom Howard & Gene Andrews
Caring Hearts-60+ (Room 209): taught by Fran Romero

Adult Women's Division:

Surrendered Hearts-All Ages (Room 204): taught by Cheryl Read & Barbara Wooden

Adult Men's Division:

Men's Class-All Ages (Room 210): taught by Adam House & Jon Perry

Specialty Adult Division:

Willing Workers on Wheels-Homebound SS Ministry: led by Janet Childress
Media-For Worship Service Technicians: led by Nuno Norberto

Other Sunday School Officers:

Sunday School Secretary: Juanita Wilson
Sunday School Welcome Center Coordinator: Ellen Fulmer & April Hawkins
Sunday School Outreach Coordinator: Ryan Horrell
Children's Division Director: Scott Walker
Student/Youth Division Director: Matt McQueen
Adult Division Director: Jason Lowe

Please pray for all of these leaders for the upcoming year of Sunday School ministry!

First SALT, Now PEPPER

2008-09-04T14:29:00.004-05:00

First, there was SALT, and now there's PEPPER! Over the past 18 months, the SALT class (stands for Sharing And Learning Together), which is a Co-Ed Young Adults class, has nearly tripled in size. Because of the amazing growth of SALT, we are growing a new class, and on Sunday, September 7th, PEPPER will be born!

PEPPER stands for People Enjoying, Pursuing, and Proclaiming the Everlasting Redeemer. Long name, so we'll just call it PEPPER! PEPPER will be taught by Jonathan Bennett who formerly taught the College & Career class. Here's the other pertinent info:

PEPPER
Teacher: Jonathan Bennett
Ages: Co-ed Young Adults, 18+
Location: Room 211

Please pray for both the SALT and PEPPER classes (as well as all of our classes) as we begin this new year of Sunday School ministry at Highland Park First Baptist Church!

Missions at the Park

2008-08-29T12:30:00.004-05:00

As many of you know, over the past few months, our Adult Sunday School classes have begun to be more intentional in fulfilling the Great Commission through adopting North American missionaries. Our Sunday School Outreach Coordinator, Ryan Horrell, has started a blog titled "MissionsAtThePark" to keep our church updated on everything related to missions. I encourage you to check it out by clicking here.

Sunday School Commitment Ceremony

2008-08-28T14:24:00.002-05:00

On Sunday, September 7, 2008, we begin the new Sunday School year at Highland Park First Baptist Church. We are going to start the year off right by having another Sunday School Commitment Ceremony during the morning worship service. All those who will be serving in some capacity (teacher, outreach, welcome center, etc.) are encouraged to be in the service as we start the year with a time of prayer and dedication. You won't want to miss it!

New Sunday School Year is Coming

2008-08-01T12:32:00.002-05:00

Yep, that's right. The new Sunday School year is just about a month away. Please be in prayer as all age divisions organize and gear up for the upcoming year!

He is Risen!

2008-03-24T11:00:00.003-05:00

He is risen indeed! As we reflect upon the empty tomb, let's reflect upon some of the final words of our Lord after He came out of the tomb:

Matthew 28:18-20: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Mark 16:15: "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation."

Luke 24:46: "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem."

John 20:21: "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you."

Acts 1:8: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

May we always strive to fulfill the command of the Great Commission given by our Lord in our Sunday School by serving to see souls saved, lives changed, and ultimately, God glorified! (And we do praise Him for the overwhelming 230 people we had in Sunday School on Easter Sunday! May He always get the glory!)

Sunday School Cancelled on 3/9/2008

2008-03-08T22:05:00.002-05:00

Due to the foot of snow that fell this weekend, there will be no Sunday School classes on Sunday morning, 3/9/2008 at Highland Park First Baptist Church, as well as no evening services or activities. There will be a morning worship service at 10:50AM however. Stay safe and God bless!

Josh Hunt's Sunday School Teacher Survey

2008-03-03T17:26:00.003-05:00

Josh Hunt is conducting a teacher survey, and he already has some very interesting preliminary results. However, he is still calling for more teachers to participate. If you haven't already, would you take a few minutes and participate in this short, 11-question survey? Click here to take the survey; I'm sure that he would really appreciate your input!

God Glorified Indeed!

2008-02-26T11:16:00.003-05:00

Wow! I continue to be amazed at what God is doing through our Sunday School and through our church. We finished the month of February with the highest average Sunday School attendance during a month in the past 10 years! We finished the month with an average of almost 201 people in Sunday School! May God get the glory as people are growing closer to the Lord and closer to other brothers and sisters in Christ in the small groups of Sunday School.

May we all pray that He continues to use us to see souls saved, lives changed, and God glorified through our Sunday School!

New KBC Discipleship Blog

2008-02-22T16:04:00.000-05:00

Check out the new Discipleship and Assimilation blog, 28nineteen, published by the Kentucky Baptist Convention. May this be another wonderful resource in our quest to see lives changed for the glory of God through our Sunday School!

Reasons to Glorify God!

2008-02-11T15:32:00.001-05:00

On Sunday, February 3, we set a new Sunday School attendance record with 208 in Sunday School! We followed that up with 203 on Sunday, February 10, which was the first time that we have ever had over 200 in attendance on consecutive Sundays.

Also, we have seen 3 adults come forward and publically profess their faith in Christ and make plans for baptism during these past two Sundays.

God is blessing our church with seeing souls saved, lives changed, and God glorified! What a joy to see fruit for our labor! May He continue to work in us and through us for His glory!

John 8:31 Challenge

2007-12-14T14:46:00.000-05:00

John 8:31: So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples."

As I mentioned on the Three in the Morning blog recently and also discussed in the December Adult Leader meeting, the recent KBC Discipleship Study revealed some alarming statistics regarding the beliefs of Kentucky Southern Baptists. Although I don't have the exact statistics to back up this claim, I suspect that many of those who do not serve in any capacity in the church, those who believe in a works salvation, and those who believe that Jesus is not the only way to Heaven are most likely the same people that the study revealed do not read their Bible very often.

Therefore, we are issuing the John 8:31 challenge through our Sunday School. The challenge is simply this: let's show that we are truly disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ by abiding in His Word daily. Therefore, beginning on January 1, 2008, my prayer is that many of our Sunday School members will take up the challenge to read through the entire Bible in a year by reading through a small portion each day (which will only take about 15 minutes each day). Please pray that our Sunday School members will take up this challenge, and that this will be a way that lives are changed through our Sunday School, by being transformed by the renewing of their minds as they encounter the entire Word of God.

Click here for the One-Year Bible Reading Plan that our Sunday School classes will use.

May God bless you as you take up the John 8:31 Challenge in 2008!

Photos from the Adult Sunday School Leadership Christmas Party

2007-12-11T15:36:00.000-05:00

Thanks to all who came to the Adult SS Leadership Christmas Party!!! What fun we had and I have discovered one thing about our church: not only our our members sweet, but so are the desserts! Enjoy!

Brandi and Missy know how to throw a party!

Just a small token of appreciation.

Enjoying sweet Christian fellowship.

Look out! Ken's about to break out his best Macarena dance moves!

Was this the beginning of the passing of the baton for the C&C class? Hmmm.....

Matt must be up to something, he's got that sneaky grin going on...

Is this the cool kids table???

Amelia, Sadie, and Emina must be close by...nobody would look at me (except for Tom!)

Nuno and Sarah are dreaming either of a white Christmas or another plate of desserts!

Breaking the 200 Barrier

2007-10-03T09:36:00.000-05:00

On Sunday, September 23, we hit a record attendance of 200 in Sunday School, which also coincided with the start of 2 new adult classes! Praise God for His faithfulness and for all of the teachers for their diligence and prayer.

May God get the glory!

Growth Terms

2007-09-14T09:44:00.000-05:00

As we continue through the 99 Quick Tips & Quips, we now encounter the terms that will communicate more effectively the growth of new classes. By God's grace, we've been using these terms around our church lately because we have been growing new classes. As normal, the tips are in italics, along with my commentary.

21. We are going to "create" a new class.
22. We are going to "start" a new class.
23. We are going to "birth" a new class.

All of these terms portray the beginning of a new class, not the end of another class. Sure, some may say this is a play on words, but we must always be mindful to show that we are advancing the kingdom of God through starting new classes.

24. Communicate in a positive way. Jesus raised up the Disciples and sent them out. This was not a negative strategy. It was positive! Likewise, growing and starting new classes is positive. We are piercing the darkness with the marvelous light of the gospel! Souls will be saved. Lives will be changed. And God will get the glory!!!

New Sunday School Year

2007-09-08T21:34:00.000-05:00

The new Sunday School Year is upon us, which means many new challenges as well as many new opportunities. I want to take this time to thank everyone for their service in Sunday School during the past year. I'm so thankful for all that you have done to move our Sunday School forward. You are much appreciated!

Also, I want to thank those who will be serving in any capacity in Sunday School during this upcoming year. We have a wonderful opportunity to see souls saved, lives changed, and God glorified as we seek to fulfill the Great Commission! We have some new folks serving, new classes starting, but the same Lord and Savior over all! May He grant us wisdom, stamina, and resources to bring Him glory through our Sunday School.

Thanks again for your service, and let's get rolling with the new Sunday School year!

Growth Terminology - Terms to be Avoided

2007-08-17T15:09:00.000-05:00

Today, we continue our journey through the 99 Quick Tips and Quips on Creating New Sunday School Classes published by the Georgia Baptist Convention. Let's examine some of the terms to be avoided as we seek to begin new classes.

14. We are going to "split" the class.
15. We are going to "divide up" the class.
16. We are going to "break up" the class.

All three of these phrases (split, divide up, break up) convey a negative separation. For example, imagine using these terms in the institution of marriage. If a husband and wife choose to "split", "divide up" their belongings, or simply "break up," all these phrases carry a negative connotation. Something was wrong with the marriage, which results in a separation. Along with that come feelings of hurt, despair, stress, depression, and anger. Progress has ended in a marriage, and instead a regress has developed.

Similarly, if we use terms such as these when talking about creating new class, folks will naturally interpret it in a negative fashion. Thoughts and comments like the following most certainly will arise: "We had a good thing going, but then they had to go and break up the class" or "The class had to split because it was too big for the room. Now what are we going to do? I'll miss my friends!" Would you consider a new class to be a good thing if you heard comments like this?

17. Properly creating new classes does not involve splitting, dividing, or breaking up classes. The key word with this point is "properly." If we are creating new classes for the proper reasons of seeing more souls saved, lives changed, and God glorified, it will not involve these negative actions. It instead will be a positive step to accomplish our purpose as a Sunday School.

18. The way you communicate the creation of the new class can impact the potential success or failure. That's why we must always be positive when creating new classes. It's exciting! It helps us to fulfill our purposes of seeing souls saved, lives changed, and God glorified! Similarly, if we communicate a negative attitude or a hesitancy to creating new classes, it shows. God is all-powerful and can overcome our doubts and negative attitudes, but He usually blesses those who are enthusiastic and joyful in fulfilling the purposes that He has given us to accomplish. As my former pastor used to say, "Your attitude determines your altitude!"

19. It's never good to use the word "split" in a Baptist church! No explanation needed, right?

20. Creating a new class does not require dividing an existing class in half. While it is sometimes necessary to create a new class to address space limitations of an existing class, this still does not require an existing class to divide in half. Ideally, a new class is created to address a need within the church. Perhaps it's an age group or life stage that the church hasn't been able to effectively reach. Maybe the class is designed around a particular interest. Whatever the case may be, a new class should be created with the stated intent that those who are interested are welcome to attend the new class. It should never be a requirement, but should be viewed as another opportunity to see more souls saved and lives changed. If that happens, then God is to get the glory!

Next time, we will look at the positive side of Sunday School growth terminology: terms that should be used. Until then, have a blessed day!

Sunday School Family Day

2007-08-09T11:52:00.001-05:00

Here's some pics from our recent Sunday School Adult Leaders Family Day! Thanks to all of those who were able to attend! And for those who weren't able to make it, you missed a good time!

Miss Amelia wants in on the horseshoes game too!

Everyone takes a break from the hot August heat!

Although she's from Pikeville, Alison seems to fit well in between Missy and Fran.

Little Miss Sadie was a real trooper in the heat!

Wyatt Scantland: Future Texas Horseshoe Hall-of-Famer!

Pastor Jeff says, "John, if I get this ringer, you have to do the break-dancing at the next Lack of Talent Night!"

John replies, "I've got nothing to worry about!"

Amelia and Wyatt: Future couple??? You make the call!
Where's Nuno (a.k.a. "The Greatest Texas Horsehoe Player Ever!!!") for this toss?

Zach was being punished and couldn't have his picture taken!

Why Do Sunday School Leaders Need to Know How to Start New Classes?

2007-07-26T15:22:00.000-05:00

This is the continuation of our series through the 99 Quick Tips and Quips on Creating New Sunday School Classes published by the Georgia Baptist Convention. Today we examine the question, "Why do Sunday School Leaders need to know how to start new classes?"

8. Because a healthy class should reproduce itself so that the church can have more healthy classes. It seems logical to say that a healthy class will breed more healthy classes because the folks who begin the new class have been a part of a healthy class. They have experienced it. They have seen how it works. Therefore, they can continue this healthy growth. The more healthy classes you have, the healthier the church will become.

9. Because every teacher should eventually be called upon or challenged to start a new class. If one of the goals of our Lord and Savior is to build His church, it makes sense that He will distribute this task to each of His servants. That means that every teacher has a part to play in building the church. If that's the case, why would we not make this a goal for every class? This reflects faithfulness to the Great Commission.

10. Because the most important person involved in the creation of a new class is the teacher. The teacher is seen as the primary leader in a Sunday School class. They set the tone with their attitude and passion. If you constantly stress the purpose of the class to your members (souls saved, lives changed, and God glorified) and actively work to fulfill those purposes, it becomes contagious. Similarly, if you do not make this a priority for your class, the members will follow suit and we will not experience numerical or much spiritual growth. God uses you as the primary catalyst for growth in your class.

11. Because success or failure hinges on good communication. This builds on the last point. If you constantly communicate a vision for growth, chances are you'll experience growth. If you constantly communicate (whether explicitly or implicitly) a message of doubt or lack of purpose, chances are that you won't experience growth. Also, I have found in my experience (albeit limited) that our class members will go along with us if we effectively communicate why we need to grow a new class instead of just telling them that they have to grow a new class. Communication is key.

12. Because research shows that the growth life-span of a class is generally two years. Although there are always exceptions to research findings such as this, this principle generally applies. Besides, this makes sense. When a class first starts, lots of new people join the class. There's a lot of excitement. People are telling their friends about this exciting new class. However, as the class grows more and more, small cliques begin to emerge. People get comfortable with their friends, and it becomes harder and harder for visitors to assimilate/infiltrate the established group. Finally, visitors visit one time and then look elsewhere because of the close-knit nature of the group. We get comfortable with our friends, and we start navel-gazing instead of reaching out to the lost and the unchurched. And the class growth plateaus.

13. Because a church that maintains the same number of classes over a span of three years or more cannot experience sustained growth. See point #12, and do the math. If the growth life-span of a class is generally two years, and the same number of classes doesn't change over a span of three years, it only makes sense that the church cannot experience sustained growth.

I praise God that we are growing new classes, because we expect God to bless us as we serve diligently to see souls saved, lives changed, and God glorified! Continue to pray that God will renew that desire and passion in you each and every day!

Creating a Climate to Reach the Unchurched

2007-07-25T10:18:00.000-05:00

(Photo courtesy of Baptist Press)

D. Alan Folsom, of the Georgia Baptist Convention Recently published an article titled, "Creating a Climate for Reaching The Unchurched Community." There are many practical suggestions for making our Sunday School more focused on the unchurched, instead of just "swapping sheep" from other classes and churches. Below are his main points along with my comments.

1. PRAY FOR THE UNCHURCHED. We must intentionally pray by name those in our community who are not involved in a church. Most of our prayers are focused on the needs within our church, but we must INTENTIONALLY pray for those outside of our church in need of salvation on a daily basis.

2. COMMIT TO DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE UNCHURCHED. We must know lost people. We must know people who are not in church if we are going to reach them. If we spend all of our time at church, we have no time to get to know people outside of the church. So, commit to develop relationships with unchurched people. Have them over for dinner. Play board games. Watch a movie. Do something with them in order to develop those relationships.

3. BECOME A HOSPITAL FOR THE SPIRITUALLY WOUNDED. Every heart has a hurt. We must seek to minister to those who are hurting. While Southern Baptists have been busy standing for truth (as we should!), I fear however that we have inadvertently neglected the vital ministry of serving others and ministering to others who are hurting.

4. RECOGNIZE THAT MINISTRY CAN BE MESSY. Ministry is not easy. Especially ministering to those who are unchurched. They don't know the lingo. They don't know how "Christians" are supposed to act. They don't know how to behave around other Christians. It is a process, and we must be patient with those unchurched people who begin to come into church. It can be a little messy, but if their soul is saved, their life is changed, and God gets the glory, then it's all worth it!

5. TEACH FOR SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION. Teach them the Word. Teach them how Christ has changed your life. And then live a life that gives evidence of your testimony. Lives will be changed!

6. TELL THE UNCHURCHED HOW JESUS MAKES A DIFFERENCE. Above all else, we must point them to Jesus. We must show them that Jesus is VERY relevant to our lives today. Jesus makes all of the difference in the world. Life won't come up all rosy after you become a Christian, but your eternal salvation is secure, and that makes all the difference in the world! Point them to Jesus. Point them to the cross. Then, trust in the Holy Spirit to open their eyes.

Then, we have another soul saved. Another life is changed. And God gets all the glory!

SURPRISE!!!

2007-07-22T15:04:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, July 21st, Zach Scantland (S.A.L.T. Sunday School Teacher) orchestrated a surprise 30th birthday party for his wife Missy. Fun was had by all. Here's some pictures to prove it!

The Cake!!!

The Scantland Family

The ladies were in on the joke by taking Missy to a movie while Zach could decorate the house. Now that the pressure was over, they got to sit back and relax.

Highland Park's newest family: Nuno & Sarah Noberto

Since Joe dominated everyone in basketball again, he gets his picture on the site, even though he is wearing that dreadful Cardinals shirt!

The McAllister family is all smiles!

Ryan says, "Please don't bother me while I'm playing Texas Horseshoes! Too much pressure!"

What Happens When a Church Creates a New Class?

2007-07-20T08:28:00.000-05:00

Now, it's time to begin digging through the 99 Quick Tips and Quips on Creating New Sunday School Classes provided in a booklet by the Georgia Baptist Convention, along with my comments. So, here's some answers to the question, "What happens when a church creates a new class?"

1. Spiritual growth is produced. This is key. We're not creating new classes just for the sake of having fewer people in each class. We're not creating new classes just to shake things up. We're not creating new classes just to add numbers to the church. But, we are creating new classes to produce and enhance the spiritual growth of both our leaders and class members.

2. Additional opportunities for service and blessing are provided. New classes means new opportunities. We'll need more teachers, outreach leaders, prayer leaders, fellowship leaders, care group leaders, and all of the rest. This gives those folks a chance who have been itching for the opportunity to serve. It gives those who have been reluctant to serve a chance to test-drive a new opportunity and see how they like it. It ultimately helps us to fulfill the second part of our purpose, which is to see lives changed.

3. A sense of excitement and opportunity is created. When a new class is created, it always carries with it a sense of excitement. There's something new. It means that we're growing. It means that we're making progress in the Great Commission. It means that we're being faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ!

4. The organizational base is enlarged. This simply means that growth can take place naturally without sacrificing the quality of the ministry. For example, suppose that we don't grow a new class. However, the current class does experience growth, doubling from 15 in attendance to 30. The leaders of that class now have doubled the number of people that they must minister to, which cuts in half the amount of time and quality that they could spend with each member. Now, suppose that the class created a new class instead. We still have the 30 people, but in 2 classes of 15. Each of these groups of 15 can be ministered to much more effectively, because we've doubled the amount of leadership, not the amount of class members assigned to each leader.

5. Additional options are provided for guests and members. This is pretty self-explanatory, but let me just say that variety can be a good thing. Perhaps, for whatever reason, our guests and other members do not "fit" well in any of our current classes. A new class gives them a new option with which they may fit and thrive.

6. Opportunities for inactive members to start fresh are provided. Sometimes, we just need to start over. We have approximately 340 people enrolled in Sunday School, but average around 165 on any given Sunday. That's less than half of our enrollment. New classes can generate interest for inactive members, and may be a great opportunity for them to become engaged in Sunday School once again.

7. People are reached that existing classes have been unable to reach. Believe it or not, your class can only do so much. Your class can only reach out to so many people. Keeping in mind, that our Sunday School classes are designed to be evangelistic in nature, we must always be evaluating how we can be more effective in seeing souls saved. Sometimes a new class is needed for a particular age group, life experiences, etc.

So, 7 down, 92 to go. I pray that as we continue through these 99 Quick Tips and Quips, God will give us all a desire and a passion to fulfill the Great Commission by growing new classes. Remember, we serve to see souls saved, lives changed, and God glorified!

Are We Up To The Challenge?

2007-07-19T21:53:00.000-05:00

I have been in contact with Highland Park's former Sunday School Director, Vince Stiffler, this week and he directed me to a wonderful resource published by the Georgia Baptist Convention, which gives suggestions on how and why to start new classes. Click here for the resource.

So, I thought I would begin a new series of posts which break down the 99 Quick Tips & Quips for Starting New Sunday School Classes. First of all, the Georgia Baptist Convention challenged their Sunday Schools to begin a specified number of new classes based on their average Sunday School attendance. By using their criteria, we would be considered an Intermediate Church (average 100-199 Sunday School Attendance). The challenge then is to begin two new classes within the next 12 months, and I believe that is a realistic challenge. Since we just began the new Boomers class a few weeks ago, we're already halfway there! Be in prayer as we seek God's guidance to starting another new class within the next 12 months. It's obvious that God has already provided the man to lead that class (Ken), but we need to seek God's guidance to work out some of the details for another class.

Well, it's late, and I'm a bit sleepy, so stay tuned as we dive into the importance of growing new classes in order to see souls saved, lives changed, and God glorified!

Reflections From Feeding the Multitude

2007-07-05T17:04:00.001-05:00

Well, the event is passed, and those of us who attended the "Feeding the Multitude" Annual Sunday School Planning Event can attest to the fact that it was a long day, but it was a good day. After learning who can tell a tall tale and that there really were 30 books of the Bible in that puzzle, we got down to business. Here are some photos of the event:

The group settles in.

These brothers are wondering, "How long is this meeting going to last again?"

Here's proof that the meeting wasn't without a few laughs along the way.

Zach is thinking, "Boy, I sure could go for some Chick-Fil-A right now!"

Adam dreams of his life as a rock star while Matt suffers a brainfreeze!

Changing Lives Through Fellowship

2007-07-03T16:11:00.000-05:00

Below are pictures of a recent Sunday School fellowship of the S.A.L.T. Young Adults class. It's hard work having fun!!!

The official guardians of the kitchen: M&M (Melanie & Missy)

"Hey Cup, in your personal opinion, what do you understand it takes for a person to get to heaven?"

"Hey Mom, I'm pretty as a picture!"

The powerful low-post presence of Joe Bland = domination.

Greta: "These guys really think they can play basketball???"

Sarah: "Yeah, how sad..."

Zach, Official GrillMaster

Feeding the Multitude is Upon Us

2007-06-29T10:06:00.000-05:00

We are just one day away from our Annual Sunday School Planning Event named "Feeding the Multitude" (based on Matthew 15:32-39). Please continue to pray that God will give us a vision and specific goals and action steps to fulfill the Great Commission during this meeting.

God bless you as you serve to see souls saved, lives changed, and God glorified!

The Sunday School Revolutionary

2007-06-19T10:51:00.000-05:00

I've spent quite a bit of time lately surfing the internet for good Sunday School equipping resources for teachers. The best that I have found happens to come from our very own Kentucky Baptist Convention. It is a blog named The Sunday School Revolutionary. It looks as if it's been in existence since April 2006. There are many helpful teaching suggestions, ideas for outreach, and many other insights as well. This is a wonderful resource to use in our mission to see souls saved, lives changed, and God glorified through our Sunday School. Please visit the site often!

Message from SBC Annual Meeting

2007-06-17T21:41:00.000-05:00

Click here for a link of a sermon that was preached on Wednesday, June 13, at the 2007 Southern Baptist Convention in San Antonio. You will then have to click on the "View 2007 Annual Meeting" link. The preacher is Robb Zinn, from Immanuel Baptist Church in Highland, CA. I had the privilege of meeting this passionate man when he came to preach a revival at my former church in Pikeville, KY. The same passion that you'll see in this sermon was evident when he preached in Pikeville. His sermon is a powerful challenge to all Southern Baptists, including us at Highland Park. I pray that you listen and prayerfully think about how we can fulfill the Great Commission through our Sunday School. Again, I just want you to be thinking about these things as we prepare for our Annual Planning Meeting on the June 30.

Improving Your Teaching

2007-06-11T07:06:00.000-05:00

The KBC Sunday School Revolutionary blog recently published a helpful article titled Improve Yourself, Improve Your Teaching. It's worth a read. Take the author's challenge and make it your goal to take on one of these areas of improvement this quarter.

God Bless You as you continue to serve Him!

Using the Bible in Discipleship and Worship

2007-05-31T15:12:00.000-05:00

Here is an article that encourages leaders to challenge our class members to be doers of the Word and not hearers only. It begins with a simple first step: bring your Bible to church. There are a number of practical suggestions listed which are applicable to both worship services and Sunday School classes.

Click here for the article.

Welcome to Sunday School Central!

2007-05-31T13:41:00.001-05:00

Welcome to Sunday School Central! This site is designed as a resource center to:

(1) specifically assist the Sunday School Leaders of Highland Park First Baptist Church, and
(2) assist Sunday School Leaders of other churches.

Much of the content on this site will be specifically geared toward the Sunday School ministry of HPFBC, but it should generally be applicable to all churches. May this site assist all Sunday School leaders as they seek to see souls saved, lives changed, and God glorified!