The image below is of the +ONE Calculator, an Excel worksheet that Sunday School and Bible study group leaders are finding helpful. I have used this Worksheet in five locations around Kentucky. The groups who gathered were from 4-11 churches, and most churches had two or more leaders. Planning and training together is much more fun and productive.
+ONE Calculator
Some of you are great with math. Others prefer to have the help of a program like Excel to help with your calculations. In either case, if you would like to receive this file, email sundayschool@kybaptist.org to request it.
Before starting my conferences, I ask pastors/directors to provide the numbers for the first five categories: groups, workers, enrollment, current attendance, and objective (how many you would like to have in attendance one year from now). Then I use the calculator to provide them with answers for categories 6-12 (two statistics and 5 goals). If you don’t have access to Excel, email me the numbers for the first five categories so I can run the calculations for you and send you a PDF.
+ONE Conferences
During these +ONE (pronounced, “add one’) conferences, I spend the first hour going over the worksheet and calculations in order for our definitions to agree. During that hour, I help those gather to understand that these numbers represent people for whom we are to provide care and discipling. I share a copy of my book, Caring, with those who attend.
The final hour of +ONE, the church groups begin planning around four major questions:
- increasing member faithfulness/attendance,
- reaching out, inviting, and enrolling new people,
- increasing caregivers to assist the teacher and group, and
- adding new groups.
Think about this. What if your church members were more faithful in attending? And what if every group added one new person every quarter this year? What if every group added another caregiver? And what if every church added one or more new groups this year?
That final hour is the most fun. The groups gain vision. They see the potential for their churches. They recognize the importance of small steps and everybody working together. Everyone’s ideas matter and it leads each group to ownership of the plans. As we near the end, I ask each group to set a date to continue the planning. Then I ask group leaders to fill out a commitment card only if (1) they are willing to work on some part of what we talked about that day and (2) they want me to call in a couple of months to provide encouragement. Nearly every group leader has completed the commitment card.
Could +ONE Help?
Does this sound like something that would help your church? Use the email address above to ask if there are any locations for +ONE near you. If there are none scheduled near you, would you be willing to host one? And I am always willing to help you by phone, Zoom, or in person.
There is much work to do. There are many people to reach. If +ONE could help, let me know. Let’s reach and make disciples. Be revolutionary!
Leave a Reply