If we could read the autopsy report of a deceased class, I believe we would discover several reasons why the class took its last breath. Here are ten reasons classes decline and ultimately die.
They Forgot Their Mission
The autopsy would reveal the fact that the class had been operating in neglect of its purpose. The mission of our Adult Bible Fellowships at Lancaster Baptist Church is simple. It is to…
- Reach People
- Teach People
- Minister to People
If we are not operating our class according to our mission, we will soon be heading in the wrong direction.
They Did Not Have a Committed Teacher
Everything rises and falls on leadership. If the teacher is not sure they should be leading, the class is probably not moving forward and growing. The teacher must be convinced of God’s call on their life and committed to their class.
They Had No First-time Guests
This is simple, but the basic law of attrition would suggest that if no new people are joining the class, it is just a matter of time until the class ceases to exist.
They Had More Excitement about the Past than the Future
When a class is more excited about what they have done rather than what they are doing and what is on the horizon, it is headed in the wrong direction.
They Had No Soulwinning Fervor
When a class becomes more focused on being comfortable than reaching new people it has become ineffective. When we invest more energy toward forming clicks than reaching new people our focus is misplaced.
There Was Not an Emphasis on Prayer
We can do more than pray but we can do nothing until we pray! It is a sin to do God’s work in our power. We must pray and ask God to do what only He can do. We need to pray for our class members and make big of prayer in class.
There Was More of an Emphasis on Social Enjoyment than on Real Life Change Brought about by Biblical Teaching
The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” This is God’s plan for new believers. When a class is more concerned with everyone having fun than seeing lives changed by applying the Word of God, it is in trouble!
They Began to Operate Their Class with Less than Excellence
When a class ceases to do everything as a labor of love with excellence as to the Lord it is settling for less than God’s best. God blesses when we put Him first and do everything we do for Him to the very best of our ability.
There Ceased to Be Any Excitement
When someone has a choice of where to go for Sunday school and one class is alive and exciting; and the other class is dead and boring, where do you think they will go? God’s work should be done with passion! Everyone displays passion differently but everyone should at least possess it.
They Stopped Doing Anything New
When every activity is the same as last year and the bulletin has not changed in years and everyone knows what is going to happen next before it does, something new and fresh is desperately needed!