If the gospel was a virus, would your class be infecting anyone in your community? This month we are looking at different ways a class or small group can be more effective as a witness of Jesus Christ in their neighborhood.
For the past century the Sunday School was considered the evangelistic arm of the church (See Arthur Flake, JN Barnette, and Harry Piland). But can Sunday School still be the evangelistic arm of the church in the 21st century? I believe it can be if the people in our classes and groups truly understand the powerful opportunity a small group of believers have to impact lostness in their neighborhood by putting the Gospel on display.
The greatest evangelistic resources our churches have are not found in programs, events, or tracts. Our churches’ greatest evangelistic resource is when a small group of believers has enough faith to put the power of the Gospel on display and include their unreached neighbors and friends in their community of Bible study, prayer, ministry, and mission.
I want to invite you on a journey during the month of September to rediscover some powerful and very practical ways that an individual Sunday School class or small group can impact a life for eternity with the Gospel. The posts this month will include some simple things, like just inviting a guest out for a meal. Some posts will lead you to challenge your group to pray for their unreached friends and family, or how to be a witness when you don’t really feel like it.
I have read a few books on what makes ideas spread–what makes them viral. Most books emphasize methods. It seems to me the key issue is the quality of the idea itself. In this context, it is the quality of the Sunday School experience itself that is the main determiner on whether it will be contagious.
Josh Hunt
Good Questions Have Groups Talking
http://www.joshhunt.com
Josh, my personal belief and experience has been that many people attending Sunday School “underbelieve” the power of the Gospel to bring transformation to a lost world. Many of us need to realize two things: that prayer, Bible study, and ministry in a class or group are spiritual experiences; and two, this experience is what many lost people are looking for!
I must agree with Bob’s assessment. Many “under believe” in the power of the Gospel to transform lives. As well It’s my experience that many believe that power of the Gospel can only be used by the pastor. The thought I have here is one seeing believers doubt Gospel power so much that don’t believe that the Lord can use them to even speak the message of the Gospel. The realization that needs to occur is that as a believer, the power of Gospel has transformed the believers own life! That truth, the fact that the Gospel changed just one life is enough to believe in it’s power to transform other lives. Knowing this should encourage believers to put the power of the blood of Christ on display!
Looking forward to some application of this for Small groups in Sept!
Jason Williams
Pastor
Marsden Baptist Church