Care is a critical action for Sunday School classes of every age, from preschool through adults. And care is the job of all group members, not only for teachers. In my years of experience in churches and serving as a consultant to church leaders, I can say with conviction that classes need at least a ratio of one caregiver for every five enrolled members. A shortage of caregivers tends to result in less care, and members tend to attend less frequently or drop out.
Who Is the Focus of Class Caregiving?
Every member has the job of caring for group members and friends. Members are those who are on our class list of people for whom we pray, invite to events, and provide care in time of need. Often but not always, the people on our member care list also attend class Bible study.
In our caregiving efforts, “friends” are people with whom members are in relationship who are not members of the class. These have sometimes been described as FRANs: friends, relatives, associates, and neighbors. These are people for whom we also choose to pray, invite, and care in the name of Jesus, the church, and the class.
Who Are Caregivers?
In the previous section, I mentioned that every member has the job of caring for members and friends. But in this post when I refer to caregivers, I am talking about members who help the teacher lead the class to do the work of caregiving. These include an apprentice teacher, member care leader, friend care leader, greeters, and secretary. For a list of job descriptions, see Important Sunday School Leader Job Descriptions or check out Appendix 3A in my book, Caring | Aneko Press https://anekopress.com/product/caring/. These leaders enlist class members weekly to pray and care for members and friends, plan events, and more.
To oversimplify, the teacher is the lead caregiver, unless the teacher has enlisted one of the other class leaders to serve in that capacity. If the class is smaller, the list of duties for caregivers in the previous paragraph would be shared by fewer people. That might mean that the teacher is also the friend care leader. Maybe the member care leader is also the apprentice teacher. And the secretary may also be the greeter.
Care Really Matters
When attenders are enlisted weekly to contact friends and absent members, relationships are strengthened. Prayer and care are extended. Needs are discovered and met. Fellowships, projects, and meals are planned. People don’t drop out without being cared for or noticed. Dr. Thom Rainer, former president of Lifeway, conducted research that showed only 16% of new church members were still connected to the church five years later if they were not in Sunday School. But 83% of those who got involved in a class were still there five years later.
It is difficult to disciple absentees and dropouts. As a result of care, members attend Bible study sessions and class events more frequently. They are less likely to drop out. Consistent attendance leads to greater growth as disciples. Serving as class caregivers is also a step of growth for disciples, for the class, and for the church.
What Is Your Next Caregiving Step?
I want to encourage you to pray for workers to join you. Jesus in Matthew 9:37-38 (CSB) said: “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.” Pray and begin to look to see in whom God is at work. Then ask him/her, “Will you help me?” Start with small tasks and see how they respond. When you are convinced that he/she is the one God sent, ask him/her to help you and the class.
Our class members and friends need care and Jesus. The Holy Spirit is already at work. Pray and join God in His work of calling people into the harvest of caregiving. The work and rewards are too valuable to miss. Make disciples. Call caregivers. Be revolutionary!
Photo by Thomas de Fretes on Unsplash
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