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The average size Sunday School in America is 10 people. On average, children's groups have a few less, while adult groups will have a few more. In large churches, this number will expand slightly, owing mostly to a few huge classes. But still, the average is about 10. Imagine that this group of 10 doubled every two years or less. Suppose they doubled every eighteen months. What would happen in ten years? (I owe this insight to Andy Stanley who is betting the farm on doubling groups.) Keeping a constant state of growth, here is what it looks like over ten years:
In graph form, it looks like this:
How do we get a group to double every two years or less? Perhaps a little review is in order. There are five steps to a group doubling every two years or less:
Why doesn't this happen all the time? Why doesn't it happen routinely? It isn't rocket science. Why don't we see this happening regularly? In a word. . . Life! Life gets in the way of doubling. Soccer. School. Work. Choir practice. Meetings. Kids. Life. Life gets in the way. How do we keep life from getting in the way of impacting 1000 people in the next 10 years? Priorities. If I were your pastor I would say this to you: Giving Friday nights to Jesus must become your second church priority. Sunday School and worship on Sunday morning is first. This is second. Stay home from church Sunday and Wednesday nights. Skip the committee meetings. Cancel visitation. This must move up--way up--in the priority structure. You may disagree with me on this "Skip Sunday night and Wednesday night" philosophy. I can respect that. But, I will assure you of this. If inviting every member and every prospect to every fellowship every month is your fourth or fifth church priority (to say nothing of other LIFE priorities) it won't get done. You simply don't have time. It must come as a high priority or it won't be done at all. You can impact 1000 people in the next 10 years through groups that are doubling every two years or less. But, it must become a high priority to do so.
| References from recent conferences:“We had Josh Hunt for a “Double Your Class” Seminar, and our church leaders were blessed and challenged! Josh has the rare ability to present information in such a way as to make “the talented willing and the willing talented!” Since implementing some of Josh’s principles, our church has more than doubled. We thank God for the vision Josh has to see the local church grow and flourish.” Rev. Andy Harris Josh’s message is at the center of what God is doing in Bible Study ministry whether home group or Sunday School. We had him for an evening all age appreciation banquet and then a Adult leader training day. He did an unbelievable job. I only wish I had locked all my teachers in after the appreciation banquet so that as many as possible could hear, operate from, and even sign a commitment together to practice his method of making Bible Studies truly evangelistic. HE REALLY DOES MAKE EVANGELISM SOMETHING A CLASS AND LEADER CAN CALENDAR AND PUT ON THEIR TO DO LIST TOGETHER!!! Clif Jones For details on scheduling a conference, click here | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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