Developing Sabbath School Action Units

Sabbath School Problems The decline of Sabbath School attendance in many places. It was discovered that nearly 20% of those who have been Adventist from four-to-ten years never study their Sabbath School lessons. The comparison between church books and Sabbath school attendance shows a large number of missing members. The majority of teachers have never had any training.

How Many are Missing Sabbath School

Why Don’t People Come to Sabbath School

Basic Reasons for Leaving the Church Lack of warm fellowship and support by fellow members. Church services do not meet their felt needs in coping with complexities of daily life.

Counsels on Sabbath School Work , p. 257. “Our Sabbath schools are what the Lord would have them to be, for there is altogether too much dependence placed upon form and machinery,while the life-giving power of God is not manifested for the conversion of souls, for whom Christ died. The order of things must be changed if our Sabbath schools meet the purpose for which they exist.”

Counsels on Sabbath School Work ,p. 66. “How sad it is to think of the great amount of mechanical work that is done in the Sabbath school, while there is little evidence that there is moral transformation in the souls of those who teach and who are taught.”

Testimonies, 5:256 “There is much to be done in the Sabbath School work also, in bringing the people to realize their obligation and to act their part. God calls them to work for Him, and the ministers should guide them their effort.”

Sabbath School Objectives Spiritual Nurture Fellowship Community Outreach World Missions

Sabbath School Action Unit

Advantages of Sabbath School Action Units Basic Divine Imperatives for a Finished Work. The Potential: The Small Group Sabbath School Classes Can Provide Adherence to the Above Imperatives.

Basic Divine Imperatives for a Finished Work The church must realize its obligation to carry the gospel of present truth to every creature (CS 111). The work will never be finished until the membership unites in the work (GW 352) Every church should be a training school for Christian workers (MH 149).

Basic Divine Imperatives for a Finished Work The greatest help that can be given our people is to teach them to work for God, and to depend on him, not on ministers (7T19). The Sabbath School should be one of the greatest instrumentalities and the most effectual in bringing souls to Christ (CSSW 10). “One who cannot err” has advised the formation of small groups “as a basis of Christian effort” (7T21,22).

The Formation of a Small Group “The formation of small companies as a basis of Christian effort is a plan that has been presented before me by One who can not err. If there is a large number in the church, let the members be formed into small companies, to work not only for the church members but for unbelievers also” Evangelism, p. 115.

Sabbath School Action Unit Potential Provide an excellent “training school.” Turn spectators into participants. Prepare members for effective outreach. Enable members to win and retain backsliders. Assist members to reach their own goals. Contribute to a finished work through focused, coordinated effort. Provide assistance to most church project and activities.

Sabbath School Action Unit Plan Classes of six to eight Outreach Leaders - Care Coordinator Outreach Plan Class Time - One Hour Time for Missing Class Members Time for Outreach Lesson discussion Application Monthly Corporate Sharing Monthly Home Fellowship/Evaluation Weekly, then Monthly Leader Consultation

Class size of 6-8 Outreach Leader Outreach Plan Time (25 minutes) Class Needs Class size of 6-8 Outreach Leader Outreach Plan Time (25 minutes)

Class Operation Discussion Group Leaders (5 minutes) Cares for missing class members. Care Coordinator (20 minutes) a. Calls for experiences related to class plan. b. Trains from experience shared. c. Assigns visits. d. Promotes the class plan. e. Conducts prayer session.

Discussion Group Leader - a choir director, not a soloist (35 minutes) a. Review the high points of the lesson. b. Ask 3 or 4 questions. c. Secure full participation. d. Applies lesson to life this week.

Who, Where, How, When?

Who? Decide on the number of classes needed by dividing current Sabbath School adult attendance by seven. Review briefly the Care Coordinator and Discussion Group Leader qualifications needed. Have the group select the best possible.

Where? This is not a problem, by using the ordinary pews. The ideal is folding chairs in circles.

How? Prepare a list for each class with the Discussion and Care Coordinator and four to six blank under their names. Superintendent, Secretary, Personal Ministries Leader, and Pastor assign members into balanced “family” group. Forming classes in specific territories is excellent.

When? Superintendent, Personal Ministries Leader and Pastor should over a one to three week period, explain the plan and its benefits to the adult Sabbath School. Provision can be made for a regular class for any who are totally opposed to this approach.

Task of Discussion Group Leaders Study broadly Select focus Prepare a brief introduction Write 3 to 4 application discussion questions Give an overview of the major points Encourage participation and assist in making definite personal application Summarize--express appreciation for participation Pray for help to meet application objective for the week

Good Questions: The Meaning: What does this text means to you? Learning from Experience: Share an experience where this text was fulfilled or was significant in your life. Application to Life: Think of what will possibly happen to you this week? How can you apply this text to your life this week? How can you use this text in reaching out and sharing with someone this week?

The CARE COORDINATOR should be: a tactful, enthusiastic, persevering, and loving concerned active member with a burden for souls, developing a band of well trained soul winners.

Class Planning Session (Care Coordinator’s Preparation) Claim the Holy Spirit’s infilling and wisdom Discover outreach plans of the church Know the Personal Ministry leader’s objectives Determine what activities have worked best in the past to increase quality membership Dream big List appropriate quality activities Make a potential plan

Class Planning Session (Care Coordinator’s Preparation) Claim the Holy Spirit’s infilling and wisdom

Class Planning Session (Care Coordinator’s Preparation) Discover outreach plans of the church

Class Planning Session (Care Coordinator’s Preparation) Know the Personal Ministries leader’s objectives

Class Planning Session (Care Coordinator’s Preparation) Determine what activities have worked best in the past to increase quality membership

Class Planning Session (Care Coordinator’s Preparation) Dream big

Class Planning Session (Care Coordinator’s Preparation) List appropriate quality activities

Class Planning Session (Care Coordinator’s Preparation) Make a potential plan

Class Planning Session Pray earnestly Elect a secretary to assist and record plans Share thrilling experiences of other action unit classes Challenge each member with a vision to dream big Pray two by to two for cleansing Explain the church focus and plan and the Personal Ministry leader’s objectives Ask what has worked best in the past toward the finishing of God’s work Call for and value as important each member’s opinions and comments Write down all suggestions Select together a few workable ideas or plans Do strategic plans

Seven Key Elements of Success Class planning session Care for missing class members Care-coordinator time: to share experience and to train, to pray, promote and assign visits Application of lesson Leader consultation/evaluation Corporate Sharing Home Fellowship/Evaluation