Job Description: Sunday School Class Member Care Leader

Another critical member of the Sunday School class leadership team is the member care leader. Many of our classes are losing members faster than we are replacing them. Quality contact, care, fellowship, and ministry are needed. The member care leader cannot it (and should not do it) alone! As stated previously, a job description is essential for encouragement and effectiveness. I offer this suggested job description for you to customize. What are critical duties of a class member care leader? Consider the following:

LEAD THE CLASS TO…

• Recognize the need for care. This is more than communication, education, or training. This is also motivation and understanding why care is needed. In addition, it will be your goal unless you lead them to discuss member care and “own” the responsibility.
• Keep good records. Keep contact records up to date. Ask members to verify address, phone, and email regularly. Record attendance weekly–even of latecomers. Notice attendance change patterns. Record results of contact and care efforts.
• Pray. Pray together, in pairs, and separately. Pray in class and between classes. Pray for physical, spiritual, and life needs and concerns. Share nonconfidential requests so others may pray.
• Make weekly contacts. Assign members to make contact with members, absentees, and dropouts. Communicate your care. Share about class plans and lessons. Ask for prayer requests. Pray together. Call for and record reports.
• Organize to meet needs. Gather a team to develop a strategy. This includes a communication plan and how you will respond to needs/crises.
• Plan/conduct fellowships and projects. Plan one of each every quarter. Invite and give special attention to invite absentees and dropouts (without embarrassing them). Plan for lots of conversation and interaction.
• Encourage connection. Notice when a class member has fewer than 5 friends in class. Ask faithful members to invest additional time and attention with those individuals (in class and life).
• Hesitate to drop anyone. Drop people from your member care list ONLY if they die, move out of ministry reach, or join another class (your church or another).

This valuable member of the class leadership team helps the class to care for the sheep entrusted to the class. The member care leader is a cheerleader for care and ministry with members and absentees. But this work cannot be done well alone.