|
 Free Sample chapter of Make Your Group Grow
If you would like to sample a chapter of my new book,
Make Your Group Grow, click here:
http://makeyourgroupgrow.group.com/
|
The Gift of Good Questions
When I was on church staff we enjoyed eleven consecutive years or
growth, growing from one service and one Sunday School to four
services and four Sunday Schools, including a Saturday night service
and Sunday School.
One key part of my approach was to write lesson helps for my
teachers each week that consisted of about 25 good questions that
were ready-to-use in class. These lessons did several things for me
as a Minister of Education:
- They turned lectures into conversations. I wanted my groups
talking to each other, not listening to an mini-sermon. These
lessons did that for me.
- They improved the quality of the class experience.
Conversations are more interesting than listening to lectures.
These lessons dramatically improved the quality of the in-class
experience.
- The ensured that the teaching had an application
orientation. Sense I was writing the lessons, I knew that they
would be talking about how lives could be changed, not just
discussing biblical history.
- They made it much easier to get teachers. It was
easier for me to get teachers because it was easier–much
easier–for the teacher to prepare. I can honestly say I didn’t
struggle to get adult teachers. (Someone else was in charge of
youth and children.) All they had to do was carefully read the
lessons I had written, making adaptations for their personality
and class, read Lifeway’s curriculum guides, and they were good
to go. They could spend their time in ministry rather than in
the books.
- They really came in handy when I needed a last-minute sub. I
remember one time seeing a guy grab a lesson from the church
office and read it as he was walking down the hall. There had
been a mix-up as to who was to teach that week. (I know this
never happens for you!) He continued to read while someone else
took prayer requests. By the time we said, “Amen” he was ready
to teach. He taught a half-way decent lesson–probably in the top
half–with only ten minutes of preparation. No telling how well
he would have done if he had a couple hours to work with. Can
your curriculum do that?
- They made finding new teachers and starting new
classes much easier. Growing a Sunday School is all about
starting new units. Starting new units is all about getting
workers. Because it was so much easy to prepare and present a
lesson, it made it much easier to find teachers. It made it much
easier to divide classes because we had teachers to work with.
They could see, “I can do that. I can lead a discussion if you
put 25 good questions in my hand. Let me take a crack at that.”
Other churches stated hearing about these lessons and, for a
time, I mailed some out each week. But, with the cost of stamps and
the hassle of stuffing envelops, it just made this plan too
cumbersome. When the Internet came along, I saw immediately a
delivery system for these lessons. I got on the Internet so that I
could deliver these lessons. Later, this blossomed into a conference
ministry.
Today, these same lessons are still available online. I write
three fresh new lessons every week. (I have probably written more
Sunday School lessons than anyone else alive!) These correspond with
all three of Lifeway’s outlines:
- Explore the Bible Series
- Bible Studies for Life
- Masterworks (by far and away my personal favorite).
You can provide these lessons for all your teachers for a whole
year for only $200. You will receive a password that you can
distribute to all your teachers that gives then access not only to
the current series, but to the whole Vault–currently 3,767 lessons.
Why not give your teachers the gift of Good Questions this
Christmas? They will be glad you did. More importantly, every one of
their students will be glad you did as you watch your lecture
classes turn into a buzz of conversation.
To subscribe, go to
www.joshhunt.com/vault.htm Individual plans are also
available.
|