The Church Resembles the Church Staff

By Bo Prosser with Michael McCullar and Charles Qualls

This statement bears out the critical stance of positive and effective Sunday school leadership. If the church of today is going to grow, leadership will play a vital role in growing the organization. The average church has about 100 to 150 in total attendance each week. One hundred people demand attention and leadership. Although many churches will be larger than 100 in attendance (and some smaller too), leadership is called to support and sustain the work and ministry of the church.

The staff has a huge responsibility to lead the church. We cannot do ministry by ourselves. We need one another to grow a successful ministry. The level at which the staff is motivated, dedicated, and forward thinking will determine the level at which the church will function as well. But the church staff or the pastor alone is not called to meet every need in the church. The staff ministers are called to make sure that all the needs are being met!

So how do church staffs operate at high levels of quality and dedication? What needs to happen for leadership to form into a quality functioning team? These are complex questions and so are the answers. The staff is to share ministry in both the sorrows and the joys of their congregation. The staff is to reach, teach, minister, and equip. The staff is to pull in the same direction, working toward the same goals. The staff is to be a team of leaders. And that’s where the leadership of the Sunday school comes into play. The Sunday school leadership is also called to be a team!

TEAM—Together Everyone Accomplishes More

Good teams function together as one unit. The leadership team members cover for one another, share in the joys, and support in the frustrations. The leadership team of the Sunday school is sometimes referred to as the Christian Education Council, the Sunday School Council, or the Education Committee. Regardless of what you call this group, their work will only be as effective as their ability to be a team of servant leaders.

The Sunday school leadership team is made up of everyone who has leadership responsibilities in the administration of the Sunday school. Usually, the staff minister (or staff ministers in charge of Sunday school leadership) direct the work of the leadership team. The minister works closely with the officers of the Sunday school; these may include the Sunday school director, the Sunday school outreach director, and the Sunday school training director. In addition, if the church uses directors to help with age group divisions, these should also be included. If there are other officers in the Sunday school, they should also be included in the leadership team.

If the church doesn’t have a large Sunday school organization, consider inviting the teachers to be a part of this team. In a larger church setting, limit the participants to those who have direct responsibility for the administration of the total Sunday school ministry. Not including enough leaders or including too many will both be counterproductive. Include and involve only those who are directly involved in helping lead the Sunday school.

However, the people serving on the council and the name of the group are mute points if the group does not form a strong team. Team ministry means that you share, communicate, unite, and dedicate yourselves toward the successful accomplishment of common goals. Teamwork is difficult work. The elements below must be present in some form if you are going to be a successful team.

• Loyalty. We will only be as successful in our individual ministries as the team is successful in its combined ministry! Loyalty to one another is crucial. Public conflict between staff members is crippling. Communication among team members builds loyalty. There will always be Sunday school teachers and leaders who want to gripe and complain. Some of these people will try to divide and conquer the leadership team.

We once had a teacher who would go to every one of the Sunday School Council members until she got a “yes” answer to her question. She knew how to manipulate us against each other. We soon learned that clear communication among all of us was a must. Soon, we became a tightly knit group aware of the ways of those who wanted their own way.

• Competence. Sunday morning is the main priority of the Sunday school leadership team. Make sure you prepare adequately each week to allow your team to be confident in the Sunday morning responsibilities. The competent Sunday school leadership team makes sure that rooms are ready, that teachers’ needs are met, and that everything is in place to support a quality Bible teaching ministry. While there may be some touchy situations in which you will be called on to lead, never let them see you sweat!

• Focus. The quality and competent Sunday school leadership team makes sure that they are focused on the right priorities. Too many leaders focus just on doing things the right way. They are only concerned with the procedures of how things are done. These leaders focus on tradition and policy. These leaders probably focus too much on approach. If not careful, these defenders of tradition will lose their focus and become obstacles for growth.

There are other leaders who focus all of their energy on doing the right things. These leaders appear visionary. They keep us focused on meeting the needs of our community and keep us dreaming great dreams. If left unchecked, however, these vision casters will get too far out in front of the rest of the team. They will lose their effectiveness because they will be looked upon as too wild and too weird.

Effective leadership balances vision and procedure. We must dream great dreams. We must pay attention to the details. Only a focused leadership team can make sure that we stay balanced in the leadership we provide our teachers.

• Leadership Development. Much of the leadership literature of today talks about the leader continuing to develop followers. The leader who can develop a strong group of followers will be in a position to get things done. Leaders who develop followers will be inspirational and motivational. Leaders who can develop followers will be able to challenge others and to bring about the changes that he/she desires. The leader who develops followers will always have a strong group of supporters willing to “make it happen.”

However, there is another approach that can be just as effective. Good leaders develop other “good leaders.” Leaders involved in developing good leaders are not just using personality and motivation. The development of other leaders is a must if the organization is going to grow. By multiplying one’s talents and leadership abilities, the organization will grow beyond the inspiration and motivation of just one leader.

The leader who develops other leaders also ensures a strong base of support. This leader is also motivational and inspirational. But this leader also makes sure that there will be leaders to “fill the gaps” when other leaders are needed.

We must make every effort through our own leadership to build a team of leaders that will guide our Sunday school. As we build team members, we build a group of flexible and energized people willing to put the needs of others before their own needs. Successful Sunday school leadership teams have an agreed upon mission. Successful Sunday school leadership teams have an unselfishness of work and ministry tasks. Successful Sunday school leadership teams have a high level of competence and unity.

We have good leaders right now, but we will need more! Leadership development will be a key in the coming years. Teachers will always be needed . . . but so are other leaders in the class and in the organization. The sign of an effective teacher is both how many people they keep in their class and how many people they send out of their class.

—From Building Blocks for Sunday School Growth by Bo Prosser with Michael McCullar and Charles Qualls