Creating a
Disciple-Making Culture
in the Sunday School
In Your Group…
Use the paper and markers provided…
Define:
Transformation…
How would you define:
Transformation…
Webster…
• an act, process, or instance of transforming or
being transformed
• to change in character or condition
• To Convert
What Scripture passages come to
mind regarding Transformation?
• Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature: old things are passed away; behold,
all things are become new. 2 Cor. 5:17
• And be not conformed to this world: but be
ye transformed by the renewing of your
mind…. Romans 12:2
Transformational
Co - Mission
Matthew 28:19-20 - RSV
Go therefore and make disciples of all
nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I have
commanded you;
and lo, I am with you always,
to the close of the age.
Define: Disciple…
A disciple is…
• A Learner
• A Student
• A Follower
How did Jesus Make Disciple?
• “Come Follow Me”
• Rabbi – “Come learn with me”
• Disciples
• – yes
• Believers
• – probably not
•
•
•
Philip – Show us the Father…
Left Him - Walked no more with Him. John 6:66
Judas – a disciple that never believed
Jesus’ Disciple-Making Process
1. Learner Disciples – Go, make disciples…
– “Come learn with us!”
2. Believer Disciples – Baptizing Them…
– Learners become believers
3. Fully Devoted, Reproducing disciples –
Teaching them to observe…
– The role of mature believers is to disciple new
believers.
A Disciple Is…
• Not perfect
A disciple is a learner
•who
Rough
around
the
becomes a believer
edges
and then a fully devoted,
• Unfinished
reproducing follower
• A workofinJesus.
Progress
• Not Bible Scholar!
• Not Spiritual Giant!
What is Culture?
Webster defines Culture as:
• the customary beliefs, social forms, and
behaviors of a group;
• the characteristic features of everyday
existence;
• the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and
practices that characterizes an organization.
What is a Disciple-Making Culture?
Making Disciples is the focus of the group
members’…
• Beliefs, Attitudes, Values, and Goals of
Everyday Existence
• Lifestyle Behaviors and Practices
Rarely is a disciple made before
a relationship has been built!
Transformation is Radical Change
…and more
Change…
is fixing the past.
Transformation…
is creating a new path
for the future
…in which lives are transformed
• Only God can transform a life – That’s the job
of the Holy Spirit!
• Our job is to create an open environment in
which the Holy Spirit can do His work of
transformation.
Metamorphosis
Cocoon – Caterpillar to Butterfly
Sunday School is that…
• Open and inviting community where potential disciples
are welcome and expected.
• Safe Place where the Holy Spirit does His work of
transformation
• Where learner disciples can ask the hard questions
• Where learner disciples are mentored by stories and
testimonies of believer disciples
Sunday School
is a ministry of Transformational
Small Communities.
The Sunday School is a biblically based
ministry of open, transformational small
communities to assist the church in creating
a disciple-making culture through which lives
are transformed by the power of God.
Behaviors that Create a DiscipleMaking Culture
• We can talk about the philosophy of making
disciples but that will never make one.
• We can dialogue about the importance of
culture but that will never transform a life.
• Talking, philosophying, and dialoging do not
make disciples.
• Behaviors Make Disciples!
Behaviors that Create a DiscipleMaking Culture
To create a disciple-making culture in our Sunday
Schools, we will need to follow the example of Jesus.
He didn’t just talk, he acted…
• He invited and added (enrolled) learner disciples
into his small group.
• He stayed connected to them.
• He ministered to them
• He involved them in ministry.
Behaviors that Create a DiscipleMaking Culture
• Eventually, these learner disciples became
believer disciples who then became fully
devoted, reproducing disciples…
who turned the world
upside down.
Mission Oriented
Sunday School Director
• Use the markers to write on the balloons what the
Sunday School Director need to be and do to be
mission oriented.
Create a Sunday school
Ministry Team
Preschool
Leader
Special
Ministry
Leader
Without a team,
Children
Student
the
Sunday
Leader
Leader
School Director’s
hands are tied.
Pastor
Adult Leader
S.S. Director-Team
Leader, Outreach and
Ministry Coordinators
The Functions of the Sunday
School Ministry Team
1. Spring Annual Planning: to accomplish the
mission of the church
2. Monthly Coordination:
a. Evaluate
b. Coordinate
c. Plan Ahead
Are We making disciples?
Team Behaviors
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Know Your Disciple-Making Potential
Enlarge The Organization for Making Disciples
Enlist and Train Disciple-Making Leaders
Provide Space and Equipment for Making Disciples
Go! Make Disciples
KEEP Going!
Arthur Flake
Know Your
Disciple-Making
Potential
Jesus Discovered Potential Disciples
• In the Work Place
As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of
Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called
Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting
a net into the lake, for they were
fishermen. “Come, follow me,”Jesus said, “and I
will send you out to fish for people.” At once
they left their nets and followed him.
Matthew 4:19-20
Jesus Discovered Potential Disciples
• In the Home
As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man
named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s
booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew
got up and followed him. While Jesus was
having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax
collectors and sinners came and ate with him
and his disciples. Matthew 9:9-10
Jesus Discovered Potential Disciples
• By Involving Members of His Small
Group
Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have
found the one Moses wrote about—Jesus of
Nazareth, the son of Joseph. Come and see,” said
Philip. John 1:45-51
Jesus Discovered Potential Disciples
• By Organizing Teams
When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he
gave them power and authority to drive out all
demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them
out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal
the sick. Luke 9:1
Jesus Discovered Potential Disciples
• By Organizing Teams
After this the Lord appointed seventytwo others and sent them two by two ahead of
him to every town and place where he was
about to go. He told them, “The harvest is
plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord
of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers
into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out
like lambs among wolves. Luke 10:1-3
Behavior One:
Discover Potential Disciples
• Jesus discovered potential disciples where
they were.
– Work Place
– Community
– Homes
• He sent out teams to discover the disciplemaking potential.
Behavior One:
Discover Potential Disciples
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Demographics Study - www.link2lead.org
Potential Disciple Cards
Community Census
Telephone Surveys
Church Membership
Worship Guests
VBS and Special Events
FRANs
Goal for
Creating a Disciple-Making Culture
The Sunday School
Conducts Two (2) Potential
Disciple Discovery Actions
Each Year.
Potential Disciple Card
1. Who do you know that has never told you personally about their
relationship with Jesus Christ?
Complete a
Potential Disciple
Card for
someone you
know.
NAME: _______________________________
ADDRESS: ____________________________
Adult – Young Adult – Youth
PHONE #: ____________________________
Child – Preschool (Circle one)
Is this person a member of any church? _______
2. Who do you know that does not attend church?
NAME: _______________________________
ADDRESS: ____________________________
Adult – Young Adult – Youth -
PHONE #: ____________________________
Child – Preschool (Circle one)
Your Name: ______________Phone # ____________ Email: ______________
Please write any Additional comments on back.
Behavior Two:
A. Invite, and Enroll Disciples
• Jesus invited potential disciples to Come learn
with me.
• Jesus invited potential disciples to become a
member of His small group.
• He “Enrolled” them.
• 85% are at least moderately willing come if
they are invited.
Behavior Two:
Invite, and Enroll Disciples
Enrollment is the # 1 key to making disciples.
Enrollment is a Ministry List of disciples to whom
the class commits.
– Open Enrollment: Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime as
long as they agree.
– Enroll all resident members.
– Automatically enroll all new members as they join.
– Conduct a worship survey quarterly (or at least
annually) to connect people to small groups.
Behavior Two:
B. Maintain Strong Average
Attendance of Disciples in Bible Study
• Disciples attending worship only - 15% still
active disciples 5 years later.
• Disciples attending worship and Sunday School
- 87% still active disciples 5 years later
Goal for
Creating a Disciple-Making Culture
The Sunday School
average attendance
equals 40% – 60 % of
Total Enrollment
Goal for
Creating a Disciple-Making Culture
The Sunday School
Disciple Enrollment
Is at Least
10% Greater than
Resident Church Membership.
Goal for
Creating a Disciple-Making Culture
Half of the Disciples
Attending Regularly also
Attend a Closed, DiscipleMaturing Group.
1:2
Enlarge
Organization for
Making Disciples
The Early Church Enlarges
In those days when the number of disciples was
increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them
complained against the Hebraic Jews because their
widows were being overlooked in the daily
distribution of food. So the Twelve gathered all the
disciples together and said, “It would not be right for
us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order
to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters, choose seven
men from among you who are known to be full of the
Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility
over to them and will give our attention to
prayer and the ministry of the word. Acts 6:1-4
Jesus Commisions Disciples
to Reach People Groups
He said to them, But you will receive power
when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will
be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea
and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 1:8
• One group of 12 couldn’t reach all the
potential new disciples
• Multiple people groups needed to be reached
The Number of Disciples Grew
• So the word of God spread. The number of
disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a
large number of priests became obedient to the
faith. Acts 6:7
Behavior Three:
Create Disciple-Making Small Groups
• Start new disciple-making small groups.
• With each new small group, expect an increase
of 10 new disciples.
Behavior Three:
Create Disciple-Making Small Groups
Who is your ‘People Group’?
Age Grading
Life-Stage
Young Adult
Parents
Empty Nesters
Retirees
Affinity Groups
Inter-generational Groups
Goal for
Creating a Disciple-Making Culture
Sunday School has
1 Small Group per
18 disciples enrolled.
1:18
Age
Group
Adult
Max
Average Groups
Enrollment Attendance Needed
25/ Group
12-15
Principle of
Youth
12 /Group
6-8
Reproduction:
ChildrenWhen
6 / Group
4 /group
Group
a small
reaches
maximum
Younger 8 / Group 6 / Group
enrollment and average
Preschool
Olderattendance,
10 / Group reproduce.
8 / Group
Preschool
Enlist and Train
Disciple-Making
Leaders
Jesus Enlists Leaders
• Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him
those he wanted, and they came to him. He
appointed twelve that they might be with him and
that he might send them out to preach and to have
authority to drive out demons. These are the
twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the
name Peter), James son of Zebedee and his brother
John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which
means “sons of thunder”), Andrew, Philip,
Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of
Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas
Iscariot, who betrayed him. Mark 3:13-19
Jesus Trains Leaders
• …and he sent them out to proclaim the
kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He told
them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff,
no bag, no bread, no money, no extra
shirt. Whatever house you enter, stay there
until you leave that town. If people do not
welcome you, leave their town and shake the
dust off your feet as a testimony against
them.” So they set out and went from village
to village, proclaiming the good news and
healing people everywhere. Luke 9:2-6
Behavior Four:
A. Enlist Disciple-Making Leaders
1. Pray for Disciple-Making Leaders
2. Do Gift Assessment
3. Match Leader to Ministry Based on Gifts and
Passion
4. Use Proper Enlistment Procedure
5. Focus on Leaders Role in the Mission of the
Church to Make Disciples
Small Group Ministry Teams
Outreach
Leaders
Teachers
Adult/Student
Care Group
Leaders
1 / 4-5
Class Care Groups
Regular
Member
Care
Group
Leader
Regular
Member
Chronic
Absentee
Irregular
Member
Discipling Ministry Touches
• Care Group Leaders Contact Every Member
Every Week.
– Prayer Needs
– Ministry Needs
– Stimulation for Sunday’s Bible Study
– Request Attendance
• Minister to Members Needs
• Evangelistic Visits
Goal for
Creating a Disciple-Making Culture
Discipleship ministry
touches equal the
enrollment weekly
1:1
Age
Group
Leader/ Leaders
Disciple Needed
ratio
AdultPrinciple
1/25 of
Reproduction:
Youth
1/12
When leader/disciple
Children
ratio
reaches1/6maximum,
enlist or reproduce.
Younger
1/2-3
Preschool
Older
Preschool
1/4-5
Behavior Four:
B. Train Leaders to Make Disciples
•
•
•
•
•
You enlist your potential or your problems.
You get what you train for.
In-Service Training – The Apprentice
Annual Training
Regular Leadership Planning Meetings
– 10 Minutes Tops for Teachers
– Outreach and Care Group Leader Training
Goal for
Creating a Disciple-Making Culture
Sunday School has
1 Leader per 5
disciples enrolled.
1:5
Leaders include General Leaders
plus Department Leaders and
Class Ministry Team:
Teachers, Outreach Leaders,
Care Group Leaders.
Goal for
Creating a Disciple-Making Culture
Every Sunday
School Participates
in One (1) Training
Each Year. - 1:1
Goal for
Creating a Disciple-Making Culture
75% of Leaders
Participate in
Regular Planning
Meetings.
Provide DiscipleMaking Space
The Early Church Made Room
for Making More Disciples
• They followed a daily discipline of worship in
the Temple followed by meals at home, every
meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as
they praised God. People in general liked
what they saw. Every day their number grew
as God added those who were saved.
Acts 2:46-47
The Early Church Made Room
for Making More Disciples
• Question: How do you think the “People…
liked what they saw”?
An organic, vibrant community that pulled people
into a culture of friendship..
The early church was a robust, relational church
that created space for more groups to connect the
new converts to one another.
It Was A Party Church!!!
Behavior Five:
Create Space for Disciples
• There is no such thing as building a (“Disciple-Making”)
Sunday School great in numbers (of Disciples) in small,
cramped quarters. Flake
• When a Sunday School reaches 80% capacity, it stops
making disciples.
• Go for the Ideals but use effectively what you have.
• Options: - Multiple Sunday Schools
- Home Group
- One on One or Triads
• Sunday School on Campus is not for everyone
Age
Group
Adult
Sq. Ft. per
person
Older Preschool
35sq.ft.
Spaces
Needed
18 sq.ft. per
Principle
of
person
Reproduction:
18 sq.ft. per
Youth
person group
When a small
25 sq.ft.
per
Childrenreaches
80%
of
person
35 sq.space
ft.
Youngermaximum
person
Preschool
capacity,perreproduce.
per person
Goal for
Creating a Disciple-Making Culture
Provide One Space
for Each Small
Group. - 1:1
Go!
Make Disciples.
How Did Jesus Do It?
…Jesus went throughout Galilee, Teaching in
their synagogues, preaching the good news of
the Kingdom, and healing every disease and
sickness among the people. Matthew 4:23
• Jesus ministry focused on three Kingdom Actions:
1. Teaching
2. Evangelism
3. Ministry
What Were the Results?
Word got around the entire Roman province of
Syria. People brought anybody with an
ailment, When
whetherthe
mental,
emotional,
Kingdom
of or
physical.
Jesus
healed
them, people
one and all.
God
is our
theme
More and more people came, the momentum
will
come.
gathering. Besides those from Galilee, crowds
came from the ‘Ten Towns’ across the lake,
others from Jerusalem and Judea, still others
from across the Jordan.
Behavior Six:
Develop a Potential Disciples List
for Each Small Group
Sunday School Outreach Process for Making Disciples:
1. Each Small Group has an Outreach Leader
2. Outreach Leader Coordinates Potential Disciples’ List
3. Members Complete a Potential Disciples Card
4. Members Give card to the Outreach Leader
5. Outreach Leader places name on the Potential Disciples List.
6. Outreach Leader assigns name to a Care Group Leader
7. Care Group Cultivates Potential Disciple
Behavior Six:
Develop a Potential Disciples List
for Each Small Group
Outreach Ideas:
• Build Meaningful Relationships with Potential Disciples – BEST!
• Ice Cream Evangelism – Josh Hunt
• Invite Every Prospect to Every Party Every Month – Josh Hunt
• Invitation: Come Learn With Us!
• MTV – Outreach – Allan Taylor, Woodstock, FBC
– Mail or Email
– Telephone Call
– Visit
• Regular Visitation – Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly
Evangelistic Prayer List
• Prayer Requests and Announcements
– Members: Pray for people and issues on the
hearts of members.
– Ministries: Pray for ministries of the church
(announcements)
– Missional: Pray for Potential Disciples, the lost
and unchurched, by name. Keep a list of these in
sight and mark when one becomes a believer
disciple.
Potential Disciple Card
1. Who do you know that has never told you personally about their
relationship with Jesus Christ?
NAME: _______________________________
ADDRESS: ____________________________
Adult – Young Adult – Youth
PHONE #: ____________________________
Child – Preschool (Circle one)
Is this person a member of any church? _______
2. Who do you know that does not attend church?
NAME: _______________________________
ADDRESS: ____________________________
Adult – Young Adult – Youth -
PHONE #: ____________________________
Child – Preschool (Circle one)
Your Name: ______________Phone # ____________ Email: ______________
Please write any Additional comments on back.
Potential Disciples File
Goal for
Creating a Disciple-Making Culture
Potential Disciples
List Equals Number
of Disciples Enrolled.
1:1
Goal for
Creating a Disciple-Making Culture
Each Small Group
Has an Outreach
Leader.
1:1
Goal for
Creating a Disciple-Making Culture
Regular Outreach
Visitation: Weekly,
Monthly, Quarterly.
Goal for
Creating a Disciple-Making Culture
Each Small Group
Keeps an Evangelistic
Prayer List.
1:1
Remember,
What happens on
Sunday Morning Is a
Direct Reflection of
What Has Been Going
On During the Week!
Behavior Seven:
Missional Projects
• Short-Term Missions Projects
• Community Based
• Influence Community to Reflect the Kingdom
of God
• Focus on Lost and Unchurched
Goal for
Creating a Disciple-Making Culture
Each Small Group
participates in a
Quarterly Missional
Project. 1:1/qtr.
Behavior Results
• Worship – At least 10% more in worship than
in Sunday School
• Baptisms – 1 Baptist for every 15 Disciples
enrolled in Sunday School
• Offerings – Per Capita Giving Increases
Sunday School Is Not for Everyone!
• Behaviors Guaranteed to Work? No!
• Some will NEVER respond to an organized
approach.
• Some will NEVER come inside your building.
• Jesus Fit the Method to the Person. – Not a
bad idea!
Disciple-Making Behaviors
I.
Know Your Disciple Making Potential
1) Discover Potential Disciples
2) A. Invite and Enroll Potential Disciples
B. Average Attendance
II. Enlarge the Organization for Making Disciples
3) Create Disciple-Making Groups
III. Enlist and Train Disciple-Making Leaders
4) A. Enlist Disciple-Making Leaders
B. Train Leaders to Make Disciples
Disciple-Making Behaviors
IV. Provide Space for Disciples
5) Space for Disciples
V. Go! Make Disciples
6) Potential Disciples on File
7) Missional Projects
Goals for
Creating a Disciple-Making Culture
1. Two (2) Potential Disciple Discovery Actions Per Year- 1:1
2. A. Disciple Enrollment > 10% of Resident Church Membership
-B. Average Attendance = 40% - 50% of Total Enrollment
3. One Small Group per Eighteen Disciples Enrolled - 1:18
4. A. One Leader per Five Disciples Enrolled – 1:5
B. Leaders Participate in One Training per Year – 1:1
5. One Space for Each Small Group – 1:1
6. Potential Disciples List = Number of Disciples Enrolled – 1:1
7. Each Group Participates in a Quarterly Missional Project – 1:1
Goals for
Creating a Disciple-Making Culture
8. Every Disciple Receives a Ministry Touch Each Week – 1:1
9. Each Group Keeps an Evangelistic Prayer List – 1:1
10. Regular Outreach Visitation – Wk, Mo. Qtr.
11. 75% of Leaders Participate in Regular Planning Meetings
12. 50% of Disciples Participate in Disciple-Maturing Groups
Sunday School Is Not for Everyone!
• Behaviors Guaranteed to Work? No!
• Some will NEVER respond to an organized
approach.
• Some will NEVER come inside your building.
• Jesus Fit the Method to the Person. – Not a
bad idea!
God,
We want to accomplish
the mission to which
You have called
Your Church.
Let us quit talking
about it,
and Just Do It!
Help us to Go!
Make Disciples
that lives may be
transformed by
Your Power.
In our Sunday School
small group,
Amen
Creating a
Disciple-Making Culture
in the Sunday School