What Does a Win Look Like in Sunday School?

Last year, my son and I attended the state boys’ basketball tournament. On Friday night of the tournament, when we were walking in, we were given Dodge Ram Rock’em Sock’em Robot contest forms. You enter the codes online to see if you won. After returning from the trip, I found them on Sunday afternoon. Despite knowing that I would never win, I entered the codes. And believe it or not, I won a free trip for two to Las Vegas to see the de la Hoya-Mayweather boxing match in May. In the Dodge Ram Rock’em Sock’em Robot contest, I found out what a win looked like.

In our Sunday School work, what does a win look like? How will we know if we have been successful? What are we trying to accomplish and if we do, how will we know we have done so? Spend some time thinking through that question in your context before you read further.

I found an Adult Small Group Leader job description while searching the web recently. I want to encourage you to check it out in its entirity. The job description has sections with these titles:

• What Does a “Win” Look Like in an Adult Small Group?,
• Small Group Leader Keys to Winning,
• Time Commitment,
• Coaching Questions, and
• Progress Towards “Winning.”

The job description included three areas defining the “win.” Here is what is listed in that section:

Reproducing Leaders and Group:

• Apprentice is being developed and taking increasing levels of leadership.
• Group is launching new leaders and groups every 18-24 months.
• Leader has a relationship with a coach and participates in 1-1’s and huddles.

Connecting the Unconnected:

• Leader and group members are inviting new people into the group.
• People in the group feel welcome, wanted, and safe.

Developing 3C Christ Followers:

• Group conversations indicate life change occurring among group members.
• Group members interact, care, and pray for one another inside and outside of group time.
• Group shows signs of growth in compassion and giving.
• Group members are taking next steps as 3C Christ Followers (i.e. baptisms, contribute..)

You know, those three categories look a lot like a “win” in Sunday School. What would you add to the three? If you could only accomplish those three, you would contribute a lot to the Kingdom, to the church, and to individual lives! Challenge your class or your Sunday School as a whole to describe what a win looks like. Consider sharing these three areas. Don’t list the specifics given above, but ask your leaders to help you decide how you would accomplish the three broad areas of winning. Watch their minds race. Watch their hearts pound. Watch their trust in the Lord grow as they work with Him to accomplish something bigger than they are! Be revolutionary!