Revolutionary Sunday School Jump Ball Questions

With the current weather conditions, I am full of Sunday School questions today. Some of the questions are what Josh Hunt describes as jump ball questions. Consider the following ten:

1. Is revolutionary Sunday School (done right) hard or easy? Why?
2. Does Sunday School require commitment or surrender? Why?
3. Which is more important: lesson preparation or presentation? Why?
4. Which is more important: reaching people or keeping them connected? Why?
5. Which is more important: teaching for knowledge about God’s Word or for life-change? Why?
6. Is it more important for Sunday School to start on time or finish on time? Why?
7. What is the most important age group in Sunday School: preschool, children, youth, or adult? Why?
8. Which is more important: enlisting new teachers and class workers or training current leaders? Why?
9. Which is more important: vision for Sunday School growth or plans for Sunday School growth? Why?
10. Which is more important: member involvement in the lesson or in class activities (fellowships and projects)? Why?

Let me suggest a class leader or Sunday School worker meeting idea. Why not ask these questions? Make it an active event. Have everyone stand. Then have them move to the left for the first answer or the left for the second one in each question. Then ask for a couple of explanations of why they chose as they did from each side. If everyone chooses one side, talk about the positives about the other side. By the way, don’t allow anyone to cop out by not making a choice, no matter how hard it is for them.

Feel free to reduce the number of questions or substitute questions as your time and meeting focus permit. What might happen as your leaders discuss these questions out loud in front of each other?

Want to deepen the discussion even farther? How about sending the list of questions to your leaders in advance of your meeting. Ask them to circle their choices and write a brief explanation of why they answered as they did.

Since both choices have validity, these questions should bring out good conversation and perhaps some stretching. Your leaders will likely be closer to making some needed adjustments after the exercise than they were before. One of the reasons is that by openly discussing the issues they tend to “own” the information and willingness to change. In other words, it becomes their idea rather than yours.

Gather your leaders. Share your vision. Get them involved. Lead the charge. Make disciples. Be revolutionary!