A Great Sunday SchoolOpeningYour Sunday School opening should fit your corps.• Your Sunday School opening could be a united opening, youth

only opening (with an adult version of fellowship over coffee anddonuts), once a month opening, or once a quarter opening.

• Your Sunday School opening should not be too long, only about15 minutes. Teachers need the time to teach what they haveprepared for their class.

• Your Sunday School opening, if properly planned, can be used topromote a feeling of belonging and excitement for SundaySchool.

• Your Sunday School opening is not meant to be a time filler.Make it worthwhile!

Here are a few tips:

Your audience, no matter what their age, is like a mirror…theyreflect what they see in you. You may need to do something towake them up! So get excited about what you want to accomplish!

Where you meet should look especially inviting to children and theirparents. If you want them to come, make them feel welcome andcomfortable!

Most likely, your opening is targeting kids who may have shortattention spans and tons of energy. Your Sunday School openingshould not be too long, only about 15 minutes.

Enthusiasm is contagious!

Keep it fast-movingif possible!

Meet in a bright,open area!

We want to teach kids to praise the Lord. Music is one of the mosteffective tools to accomplish that goal.

Singing can involve everyone. Use it before, during and after youropening! Have a children’s praise and worship team. It’s okay tojust sing along with a real CD. Let kids create motions for songssince that will help them to remember what they are singing. (Seelisting of music resources.)

Plan whole group participation.

Use small groups.

Don’t always use the same people.

This helps to keep interest and attention.

Mix up the order of what you do.

Get a little crazy!

Make kids laugh!

Keep interest by doing a variety of presentations from week toweek—object lessons, no practice dramas, all praise and worship,“children’s five,” breaking up into small groups for an “assign-ment,” games, Scripture memorization, etc.

Use good, upbeatmusic!

Involve people!

Use props and visuals!

Don’t be too predictable!

A Standard of Excellence in Your Sunday School “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever isright, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable---ifanything is excellent or praiseworthy---think about such things.Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen inme---put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”Philippians 4: 8-9 (NIV)

What does an excellent Sunday School look like?Here are some key practices common to excellent Sunday Schools:

• EXCELLENT classes make great first impressions.

• EXCELLENT classes offer a warm, inviting atmosphere.

• EXCELLENT classes provide quality instruction.

• EXCELLENT classes reach out to their visitors.

• EXCELLENT classes care for their members.

How do you build a Sunday School ministry characterized by excellence?

Effective and excellent Sunday School teaching and ministry startswhen leaders pray.

Every corps officer, leader, and teacher should be personally praying:

• for a teachable spirit and obedience to God’s will

• for the Sunday School class members

The entire church body should be praying on behalf of the SundaySchool.

Be in prayer

Know where you’ve been, where you are, and where you are going:

• Chart the Sunday School/Christian Education program atten-dances for the past five years and determine causes for increasesor decline.

• Involve your leaders, soldiers and Sunday School members inevaluating components of your current Sunday School/ChristianEducation program. (We have included some evaluation sheetsfor your convenience.)

• Consult with other corps with healthy Sunday Schools/ChristianEducation programs for guidance.

• Contact your DYS for assistance.

Don’t try to change everything at once! EXCELLENCE is best pur-sued in ONE area at a time.

Focus on ONE thing to improve in your Sunday School:

• having an energetic, well-planned opening

• building loving relationships within classes

• implementing consistent visitor and absentee follow-up

• improving the quality of biblical teaching

• getting all your soldiers to attend

• incorporating service projects into the teaching

• having a great puppet, drama, or music ministry within yourSunday School

• memorizing scripture in a measurable manner

• developing an awareness of The Salvation Army’s world missionswork

• involving each individual in some way

• adding a SONday’SCOOL® Christian Education program

Do your homework

Focus on one area at a time

Starting something new without adequate planning, preparation,and promotion is akin to setting up for failure.

• Be well prepared before starting anything new.

• Recruit and/or get your current leaders to share your vision andpassion for any new aspect or program change.

• Provide them with any training that they will need to help toensure the success of your new focus area.

• Start to “advertise” your new focus to build up interest andenthusiasm.

Having a Sunday School of EXCELLENCE takes time, but it is timewell invested. As we consider the significance of the GreatCommission, we MUST strive for EXCELLENCE!

www.lifeway.com and Elmer Towns, What Every Sunday School Teacher Should Know, (Ventura,CA: Regal Books, 2001).

Be ready

Hallelujah Choruseshttp://shop.salvationarmy.orgCentral Territory Resource Connection847-294-2012; fax: 847-294-2298

SONday’SCOOL® Songs800-334-4431CD and songbook

Uncle Charlie & Rachel SanchezUpward Bound Ministrieswww.unclecharlie.com580-357-3052CDs, worship kit series, DVD lyrics series

Ronnie CaldwellPeaceable Kingdom Ministrieswww.pkmi.org615-794-8772CDs, teaching videos

Mr. Bill Musicwww.mrbillsworld.com888-808-9595CDs, soundtracks, videos

Jill AndersonWorship for Kidswww.worshipforkids.com800-743-2634Worship kits with DVD lyrics

Integrity Musicwww.integritymusic.com800-533-6912CD series, DVD lyrics

Go Fishwww.gofishguys.com651-592-0622Fun CDs & DVDs that appeal to all ages

Kurt JohnsonMr. J. and the Kid Possible Bandwww.kidpossible.com425-747-1461CDs, tapes, songbook, videos

Dean-o & the Dynamoswww.biblebeatmusic.com866-656-2328Upbeat CDs, cassettes, videos/DVDs, sound-tracks, lyrics & sheet musicAlso: online music and videos, weekly Biblestudies, memory verses

G3 Kids Worship Musicwww.G3kids.com800-211-2221Worship kit series

Promiseland (Willow Creek)Every Move I Make and other CDsmotions and songs1-800-570-9812www.willowcreek.com

Variouswww.christianbooks.com800-christian (800-247-4784)Search:Worship Together + kidsiWorshipPsalty“Brentwood Kids”“Cedarmont Kids”“Praise Baby”“Shout Praises”CDs, videos/DVDs, soundtracks, sheet music,songbooks (most sung by kids)

Brentwood KidsOrder videos from www.familychristian.comSearch: “Brentwood Kids”

Worship Music Resourcesfor Sunday School

Evaluating Your Sunday SchoolOverview• Our ultimate goal in Sunday School is to bring people into a rela-

tionship with Jesus Christ and help them to grow in their walk.

• It is helpful to include all Sunday School staff in the evaluationprocess as this will help them to take ownership.

• It is also wise to approach an evaluation as a means of rallyingenthusiasm and goal-setting for the Sunday School.

Before any evaluation and planning, be sure to make spiritual prepa-rations: read the Bible and pray for God’s direction…you can’tstress this enough!

Ask yourself:

• What strengths can we celebrate?

• What areas need improvement?

• What are our priorities?

• What are some realistic goals?

• What action plans will we take to improve one area at a time?

• What follow-up will we do to make sure we are making progress?

These are some areas that should be evaluated:

• Facility assessment is relatively easy to undertake. From thecleanliness of a rug in the toddler room to the availability of aprojector in the adult classroom, regular facility evaluationsshould be made.

Facilities

• Focusing on things as if you are a visitor can be eye-opening!Before you begin this new Sunday School year, make sure youevaluate your facilities and take care of needed changes.

• See page 199 in the book How to Have a Great Sunday School,which was included in the emphasis material.

• Has there been an increase in your Sunday School attendanceover the last year?

• Do the officers and local officers set a good example by attendinga Sunday School class? If not, they may be sending a negativemessage that Sunday School is not important enough for every-one to be attending.

• What is your plan for following up with prospects and absenteesto increase attendance?

• Do you truly want to grow?

• One place to look is to those who attend your worship servicesbut not Sunday School. There are materials in this emphasis thatare meant to promote Sunday School attendance to this group.

To know if your Sunday School is accomplishing its goals means thatyou need to know exactly what your Sunday School should be doing.

• List the different parts of your Christian Education programs.

• Have students, teachers and corps leaders each do an evaluation.

• Use the information to improve the quality of your SundaySchool.

Here are some questions to encourage discussion in the followingkey areas:

BIBLE STUDY/DISCIPLESHIP

• Do all classes have and actually use the appropriate WordActionmaterial?

• Are students moving beyond simple learning of Bible informationto applying the Scriptural truths to lead transformed lives?

Attendance

Effectiveness

• Do we have a class for all age groups?

• Do we need to start an additional, special interest adult class?

• Are members encouraged to take part in discipleship programsother than Sunday School?

• Are members encouraged to memorize Scripture?

• Is prayer a set apart time in every class?

• Are members helped to identify their gifts and give back in somekind of ministry?

OUTREACH

• Does your corps have at least one major outreach event a year?

• Does your community have a need for an outreachSONday’SCOOL® program?

• Are your Sunday School members encouraged to invite theirfriends and family to attend Sunday School?

• Do you have an in-place plan for visitation and follow-up?

EVANGELISM

• Are all Sunday School teachers trained for evangelism?

• Are all Sunday School members taught how to share their faith?

• Are decision opportunities intentionally planned?

• Are people in place specifically praying for the unsaved in yourcorps and community?

• Do some of your outreach events have evangelism as their centralpurpose?

FELLOWSHIP AND SERVICE

• Are visitors and members alike greeted with genuine warmth andhospitality?

• Do your classes have an environment of grace, acceptance, sup-port, and encouragement?

• Do your classes spend time in intercessory prayer?

• Does your adult class have someone other than the teacher tohead up a “caring ministry” for class members and newcomers?

• Are visitors and members alike contacted by phone, mail, email,or a home visit when absent?

• Do your Sunday School classes provide opportunities to build rela-tionships through social activities beyond Sunday morning?

• Do your Sunday School classes provide specific ministry and serv-ice opportunities in and out of class?

• Is there an ongoing plan for recruiting and training new teachersand volunteers?

• Do all Sunday School teachers and volunteers comply with theSafe from Harm guidelines?

• Are teacher training sessions provided on a regular basis?

• Does your corps intentionally affirm and recognize the importantrole that Sunday School teachers and volunteers play?

• The most sensitive area of evaluation deals with assessing theperformance of teachers. No one likes to be criticized, and a veryfew people will voluntarily put themselves in a place where theymight be evaluated. However, you can have teachers do self-evaluations (a sample is provided) that may be helpful and lendto some less threatening discussions of the results.

Teacher training

Quarterly Sunday School Student Evaluation

We want our Sunday School to be the best it can be for you. We value your opinion.

Please help us by checking your personal opinion about the following:

1. Today my Sunday School teacher was:

(Check as many as apply)

❑ Prepared ❑ Interesting ❑ Enthusiastic

❑ On time ❑ Informative ❑ Challenging

Comments:

2. My favorite thing about Sunday School is:

3. If I could change one thing about Sunday School, I would:

Please check your age group:

❑ Adult ❑ Senior High ❑ Junior High ❑ Elementary School ❑ Preschool Parent

Please use the reverse side for any questions, comments, suggestions, or problems you’dlike to communicate to our corps’ leadership.

Thanks for your help! Please drop off at the office or in the offering plate.

Sunday School Teacher Self-Evaluation

Check the statements that apply to you.

❑ I read one book or at least two articles on teaching this year.

❑ I attended a teacher workshop this year.

❑ I was prepared to start class on time every Sunday.

❑ I tried at least one new idea in the past quarter.

❑ I spent at least two hours a week preparing my lesson.

❑ I solved discipline problems as they came up.

❑ I made contact with each student outside of class-by letter, phone, or a personal visitduring the last quarter and made immediate contact with visitors and to pupils absenttwo successive Sundays.

❑ I varied my teaching methods.

❑ I (or someone I arrange for) change the bulletin boards in my classroom on a regularbasis.

❑ I included at least one service project or fellowship activity in the last 6 months.

❑ I know something personal about each student – a hobby, a like, a dislike, a goal, aconcern.

❑ I pray regularly for my students, my lesson, our Sunday School and Corps.

❑ I plan decision opportunities into my lesson.

❑ My class seems responsive and interested.

❑ I had at least one good laugh per class session.

❑ I went away from most classes feeling good about it.

❑ I am pleased in my answers to these questions.

Now analyze each of the above answers and make some notes for improvement.

Be as specific as possible because nothing happens until we get specific.

The Sunday SchoolResource BookThis resource book is published and sent to your corps twice a year.

In it you will find:

• Sunday School openings

• Sunday School teachers’ meetings and devotionals

• Multiple resource ideas for any programming

Many of the ideas are printed with permission from Group andother well-known publishers. These are not ideas that are just takenfrom old issues. Everything is new.

If you have not used it for awhile, please take a look! This resourceis awesome!

Convenient

Practical

Current

For your SundaySchool teachers andleaders

The “Sunday School Stroll” Evaluation

One of the most meaningful methods of evaluation for a Sunday School leader is to take acasual, unrushed walk through the Sunday School on a Sunday morning. If you are “theSunday School staff” in terms of leading and teaching, have your corps officer or other localofficer take the stroll for you!

As you observe your ministry in action, try to gain an overall feeling for the atmosphere.

• Is it a positive atmosphere?

• Are there smiles on faces?

• Do learners seem interested?

• Do teachers appear to be enjoying their teaching experience?

If you can be observant without being too obvious, you will soon get a fairly good readingof the dynamics taking place.

If possible, carry out this simple practice frequently. Not only will this increase your visibilityin the Sunday School, but for comparative reasons you will be able to gauge how things aregoing from week to week.

After your “Sunday School Stroll,” report your findings:

______________________________________________________________________

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______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

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______________________________________________________________________Used with permission from Excellence in Principles of Sunday School Leadership, by Timothy M. Beadle, published by Youth and Candidates Dept., Toronto, Canada.

Report

Whatever Your SundaySchool Program, Do it with ExcellenceHere are a few “alternative” structures for Sunday School that canbe adapted to The Salvation Army’s approved WordAction curriculum.

Set up various stations within a classroom or building that the chil-dren rotate through. To keep it more structured, the teacher canassign the stations and then everyone moves clockwise at a givensignal. Before starting, the teacher needs to quickly explain thedirections for each center. The two main criteria for selecting activi-ties for learning centers are:

• that they meet students’ needs and abilities

• that the activities have a purpose within the teaching aim of thelesson.

Some centers may stay the same during a particular unit. You canhave a variety of centers: art, drama, communications, Bible story(the WordAction curriculum), writing, music, research, books, puz-zles, nature, etc. This is the perfect structure for Corps Cadets to geta start in leadership. This rotational approach can also be used forthe whole Sunday School with the children spending the entireweek at one center before rotating to the next center the followingweek.

When two or more teachers work together to develop, plan, andteach a lesson it is referred to as “team teaching.” There are differ-ent ways to use team teaching:

• Within a multi-age classroom, divided into two groups. While oneteacher does the WordAction Bible lesson, the other teacher canwork with a smaller group on, for example, Scripture memoriza-tion or a craft project.

Alternative ways todo Sunday School

Learning centers

Team teaching

• Teachers can take weekly turns teaching the Bible lesson andthen divide up for other activities.

• Teachers have more flexibility with this structure. One can do theplanning for a month, while the other just assists. Then, theyswitch for the next month. It is adaptable to the teachers andstudents. If you have a range of ages, mix your groups to allowthe older kids to help the younger ones.

• By using this method to recruit new teachers, you give them anopportunity to partner with a more experienced teacher.

Take your Sunday School on the road! Pack up a truck or van with aportable stage and go to places away from your usual site----neigh-borhoods, housing projects, laundromats, parks, etc. To read moreabout this go to www.claychurch.com/Sidewalk.html

The occasional united Sunday School is a great way to get everyoneinvolved and interacting. This can be done in many ways:

• The lesson can be presented to the large group and then withinthe same room, breakout groups can have a short age-appropri-ate assignment that they can do and then present to the wholegroup again.

• Or perhaps the lesson could be presented in a drama form, fol-lowed by the little ones coming up for a “children’s sermon” onthe same lesson. Then the whole group can be divided into smallgroups, with at least three generations represented, to discuss aquestion that even the youngsters can understand. The youngerchildren could then go off to do some praise and worship singingwhile the remaining group probes into a deeper discussion of thetopic.

• Another way to use a united Sunday School is for it to be only aspecial event for kids. Schedule them quarterly or around holidaysto allow the regular teachers a “day off” from teaching so thatthey can attend an adult class.

Sidewalk SundaySchool

IntergenerationalSunday School

• For ideas to get you thinking try to look at the book MakingScripture Memorable by Susan L. Ling, Standard Publishing orSunday School Specials by Group Books or the Great Worshipfor Kids series by Standard Publishing.

The midweek SONday’SCOOL approach can be a strategic entrypoint for unchurched families.

• Many children spend weekends with non-custodial parents mak-ing it difficult to participate consistently in Sunday School onSundays.

• While the children participate in SONday’SCOOL, the parentscould be ministered to through parenting, tutoring, men’s andwomen’s ministries, or skill-building classes which all allow forrelationship building.

• The aim is to reach these unchurched families with the Gospelmessage along with the additional hope of bridging them into thecorps and the traditional Sunday School on Sunday.

• Visit www.hopeshare.org for a brief overview.

• Ask your Divisional Youth Secretary for information.

SONday’SCOOL

Hallelujah Choruseshttp://shop.salvationarmy.orgCentral Territory Resource Connection847-294-2012; fax: 847-294-2298

SONday’SCOOL® Songs800-334-4431CD and songbook

Uncle Charlie & Rachel SanchezUpward Bound Ministrieswww.unclecharlie.com580-357-3052CDs, worship kit series, DVD lyrics series

Ronnie CaldwellPeaceable Kingdom Ministrieswww.pkmi.org615-794-8772CDs, teaching videos

Mr. Bill Musicwww.mrbillsworld.com888-808-9595CDs, soundtracks, videos

Jill AndersonWorship for Kidswww.worshipforkids.com800-743-2634Worship kits with DVD lyrics

Integrity Musicwww.integritymusic.com800-533-6912CD series, DVD lyrics

Go Fishwww.gofishguys.com651-592-0622Fun CDs & DVDs that appeal to all ages

Kurt JohnsonMr. J. and the Kid Possible Bandwww.kidpossible.com425-747-1461CDs, tapes, songbook, videos

Dean-o & the Dynamoswww.biblebeatmusic.com866-656-2328Upbeat CDs, cassettes, videos/DVDs, sound-tracks, lyrics & sheet musicAlso: online music and videos, weekly Biblestudies, memory verses

G3 Kids Worship Musicwww.G3kids.com800-211-2221Worship kit series

Promiseland (Willow Creek)Every Move I Make and other CDsmotions and songs1-800-570-9812www.willowcreek.com

Variouswww.christianbooks.com800-christian (800-247-4784)Search:Worship Together + kidsiWorshipPsalty“Brentwood Kids”“Cedarmont Kids”“Praise Baby”“Shout Praises”CDs, videos/DVDs, soundtracks, sheet music,songbooks (most sung by kids)

Brentwood KidsOrder videos from www.familychristian.comSearch: “Brentwood Kids”

Worship Music Resourcesfor Sunday School