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****************************************************** webminister@webminister.com September 2000 - #2
IN THIS ISSUE:
****************************************************** The five principles are 1)Find the People, 2) Equip Leadership and Teachers, 3) Provide the Space, 4) Enlarge the Organization – Number of Classes or Units, and 5) A Program of Visitation Should Be Maintained. Flake states "The visitation of prospects and absentees is absolutely essential to the growth of any Sunday school. This is the last step in reaching the people and in constantly building up the membership and attendance of a Sunday school." (p 46). The discussion of the five principles in this newsletter started in July 2000 - #2 issue http://webminister.com/mailing/home.htm . Flake again reviews the five principles before stating that the minister, the class teacher, the class outreach person(s), and the Sunday school superintendent are responsible for weekly visitation of all absentees and those on the Sunday school enrollment not in attendance. (While Sunday school enrollment books and attendance records went out of vogue in the 1960's - 70', growing churches follow up on both visitors (guests) and those absent either with a postcard or a telephone call. After 3 absences in succession a personal visit should be made. At least find out why they stopped attending and record the results. The main reason is still hurt feeling by something someone said.) Flake urges a monthly visitation day where members of the church meet for finger food (quick and easy to clean up), before going to visiting guest, absent members, and people recommended by members. (Some churches belong to the "Welcome Wagon" and Chamber of Commerce which provide churches with list of names of new people moving into the community. While people are making career moves, making new friends and new church commitments is a lot easier.) The callers should return to the church at a set time and discuss the calls -- those interested, problems encountered, the number of calls made, and plans for the next monthly calling. This post-calling meeting needs to be short and to the point. Flake states that "the absentee list of any Sunday school can be reduced 50 to 75 per cent if the absentees are promptly visited and sufficiently urged to return to the school." Flake concludes this section by stating: "This is the way to build a Sunday school and there is not doubt about it. Hundreds of schools have been built this way. In fact, most of the large schools are pursuing just this method. By diligently following these suggestions a Sunday school will not only reach the Standard requirement and become seventy-five (75) per cent as large as the church membership, but will also become as large as the church. . ."
****************************************************** Flake suggests having a "Monthly Visitation Day" where the church members get involved for Saturday or Sunday afternoons. The results of the visitation program can be announced at a worship service and at teachers' meetings. How many calls and the results – those coming to church, those not interested, or even the door slammed in the church members' faces. Many get discouraged by negative results, but in Luke 14:21 -- "Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind." When that was done they were commanded to "Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, THAT MY HOUSE MAY BE FILLED (emphasis mine)" (v. 23)
****************************************************** Across America, statistics show many people belong to churches and consider themselves active members and attend church without actually becoming a New Testament christian. Wagner suggests some characteristics for warming up a church spiritually which include God exalted worship, God's empowering presents, an outward evangelistic focus, servant-leadership development, a commitment to loving/caring relationship, learning and growing in community, personal discipline, stewardship and generosity, wise administration and accountability, and networking within the community. Do church members know what is required of them? A distinction exists between "soul-winning" churches and "life-situation" (inward focused) churches. John in Rev 3:14 - 16 presents the church of the Laodiceans, which was "lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold."
****************************************************** 66.9% of Americans use the Internet; 54.6% use e-mail; 76% of e-mail users check for messages at least once a day; and 51.7% purchase online. The educational levels of American users are: 86.3% have college degrees; 70.2% have some college; 53.1% have only a high school diploma; and 31.2% have less than a high school education. The top five Internet activities for web users are: 81.7% surf or browse the Web; 81.6% use e-mail; 57.2% look for hobby information; 56.6% read news; and 54.3% look for entertainment information (which covers a multitude of sinful web sites). Parents respnses to children's use of the Internet concluded: 11.2% think children spend too much time online; 78.7% think children spend an appropriate amount of time online; and 10% think children spend too little time online. Parents also think: 26% say grades improved; 70.5% think grades stayed the same; and 3.3% say grades declined.
****************************************************** "A Little Books for Small Churches That Want to Grow" can be bought from Barnes and Noble for $7.99 (paperback) plus shipping and handling.
****************************************************** In His Service, The Webminister |