Impulsive Joy

Recently I was speaking to a leader who was having difficulty with a couple in his ministry who were…well, shall we say, a little set in their ways.  They had been Sunday School teachers for decades and were finding the shift to a Small Group strategy very difficult. They were used to owning it all.  The lesson, the activities…  In their minds, the way things were worked for so long, why wouldn’t they work now?

The pastor wanted to honor these volunteers.  They were committed to the mission but not entirely confident in the new methodology.

A friend once told me jokingly, “Ministry would be great if you didn’t have to work with people!”  All kidding aside, we have all been there at one point or another.  I’ve often maintained that if you don’t have a clear understanding for why you do what you do, then plenty of people will step up to the plate and insert their opinions about what should be done instead.

The truth is, making the change from Sunday School to Small Group / Large Group can be a difficult shift for many Sunday School teachers. Here are a few principles that may help you help your leaders make the smooth transition.

Assume Nothing

Your volunteers have no idea why you are making a change.  If you read and listen to the embedded podcast from my previous post, you’ll learn why it’s so important to strongly communicate the “why” behind your “what” to make an emotional connection to the part of the brain that controls decision making.  By activating the emotional side of the brain, chances are higher that your volunteers will decide to follow you in this new strategy for ministry.  Be aware that you have the “curse of knowledge”.  You know way more than they do about changes that need to be made in the context of our ministries.  Don’t assume that they understand all the details that you do.

Secondly, don’t assume that you know where they want to serve in this new reality.  If you are changing up the job description, that means there is a renegotiation of responsibilities.  How would you feel if you showed up to work Monday morning and your boss informs you that you are moving into a new role?  No questions asked.  No negotiation.  You would likely be upset, wouldn’t you?  Sit down with every volunteer and let them know their options.  You might be surprised that a few of your Sunday School teachers want to be your Storyteller — because they enjoy TEACHING.  Honor that by giving them the opportunity to move into that role if it’s appropriate.

Identify the Win

If a Sunday School leader decides to move into a Small Group Leader role.  Take the time to vision cast the win for the role.  Sue Miller said that when it comes right down to it, the primary thing that separates a Sunday School Leader from the Small Group Leader is their primary focus.  Because Sunday School Leaders typically lead classrooms of 20+ kids, they are forced to focus primarily on teaching information.  Small Group Leaders have smaller ratios, (8-10 kids for every 1 leader), which allows them to shift their primary focus from teaching information to building relationships.

Both types of leaders have the best intentions:  they want to serve their church, they want to see changed lives for kids, they want children to fall in love with Jesus.  The real difference is in the win.  What is the goal?  In a small group / large group model, we put our most powerful communicators up in front of everyone to creatively present the information (lesson) and empower our small group leaders to focus in on relationship and application.

Meet in the Middle

Some leaders have strong feelings about what is most important for them to do in the context of their time with kids.  When you meet one on one with your volunteers, ask them what they feel the most important things are.  If there are some non-negotiatbles, wouldn’t it be better to see if you can work that into their huddle time rather than fight them on a hill they are willing to die on?  For some traditional leaders, it’s a big deal to open up the Bible and read the passage with the kids.  Empower them to prioritize that activity as long as they are committed to trying one of the prepared application activities as well.  If you can meet them in the middle, they will be more willing to be on your side for bigger issues.

If you are leading ministry, you are in the development business.  People development.  Your primary focus should be on equipping the body to do the work of the ministry.  When you have a spirit of empowering the people that God has given you, it causes you to slow down, to make sure no one is left behind and that they are all serving in their passions and giftedness.  Every change gives you the opportunity to remind your leaders of what is most important — what is core — which will help them make the upgrades necessary to help a generation run passionately after the heart of God.

What about you?  How do you come alongside seemingly stubborn volunteers?