Awakening The Sabbath Morning Dinosaur

1
Awakening The Sabbath Morning Dinosaur

• Sabbath School Presentation
• by
• Pastor Buford Griffith, Jr.
• Southwestern Union Conference
• Burleson, Texas

2
Drifting From Bible Landmarks

• Many know so little about their Bibles that they
  are unsettled in the faith. They remove the old
  landmarks, and fallacies and winds of doctrine
  blow them hither and thitherand those who were
  once in the faith drift away from the Bible
  landmarks, and divorce themselves from God, while
  still claiming to be His children.
• RH, December 29, 1896

3
Is Sabbath School a Dinosaur in a Technological
World?

• Can the Sabbath School still function as a church
  growth tool in the 21st century? If so, why are
  so few Sabbath Schools growing?
• Has Sabbath School become a relic of the past, a
  dinosaur, as it were?

4
Sabbath School is the heartbeat of your church!!

• If the Sabbath School throbs with the spirit of
  prayerful Bible study, harmony, and practical
  activity, the church will possess the same
  elements.
• The influence growing out of Sabbath School work
  should improve and enlarge the church
• Counsels on Sabbath School Work, p. 9

5
Interesting Facts To Ponder

• The population in the U. S. is rapidly outpacing
  the evangelistic results of the church in North
  America.
• We might conclude that the Sabbath School as a
  growth tool has reflected the lack of
  evangelistic growth in the church at large.
• Why has a tool that once worked so well become
  seemingly unplugged?

6
The Sabbath School Must be Ministry-Driven!!

• Four aspects needed to have a vibrant, growing
  Sabbath School
• Fellowship (inreach/outreach)
• Community Outreach (outreach)
• Bible Study (inreach/outreach)
• Mission (outreach)

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Exploring the Problem Areas

• Problem 1 Loss of evangelistic focus.
• The Sabbath School should be one of the greatest
  instrumentalities, and the most effectual, in
  bringing souls to Christ. CSS 10

• Problem 2 Loss of emphasis and commitment.
• The Sabbath School work is important, and all
  who are interested in the truth should endeavor
  to make it prosperous. CSS 9

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Exploring the Problems -2-

• Problem 3 Loss of vision for the total work of
  the Sabbath School.
• Study of the Word
• Fellowship
• Outreach
• Mission emphasis

• Problem 4 Lack of a clear purpose statement.
• Matt. 2818-20, our statement of purpose.
• When the SS loses its emphasis on fulfilling the
  Great Commission, all programs start to flounder.

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Exploring the Problems -3-

• Problem 5 Fear of innovation.
• A new set of dynamics has changed the playing
  field for the church today.
• We must cling to the principles of SS work but be
  willing to change our methods.

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Revitalizing the Sabbath School

• Keep the Great Commission strategy balanced.
• More than just a Sabbath morning gathering for
  study.
• The real work begins outside the Sabbath School
  arena.

• Keep good records.
• Know who is present or absent.
• Each class appoint a Care Coordinator to direct
  the fellowship and nurture of class members.

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Revitalizing the Sabbath School --2-

• Schedule regular class fellowship gatherings.
• Planned
• Spontaneous

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Revitalizing the Sabbath School --3-

• Pay attention to the physical surroundings.
• A challenge for most of our churches but every
  effort should be made to create a classroom
  environment.

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Revitalizing the Sabbath School --4-

• Make sure guests are welcomed.
• Look at your Sabbath School class through the
  eyes of a newcomer.
• Overwhelm visitors with kindness and attention.

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Revitalizing the Sabbath School --5-

• Commit yourselves daily to the study of the Word
  of God and the Sabbath School lesson.
• Memorize the memory verse.
• Practice the principles you study.

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Revitalizing the Sabbath School --6-

• Keep the Sabbath School classes small enough to
  minister.

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Sabbath School, not a relic of the past

• The object of the Sabbath School should not be
  lost sight of in mechanical arrangementswe
  should ever be guarded against forms and
  ceremonies which will eclipse the real object for
  which we are laboringthe Sabbath School should
  be a rest, a refreshment, and a blessing.
  CSS151

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Why Sabbath School Is the Growth Tool of the
Future, Which is Now!

• Reason 1 Sabbath School provides a centralized
  and simplified strategy
• As the church grows, the need to centralize and
  simplify will become more critical.
• Teaching, outreach and assimilation can be
  performed via the Sabbath School.
• You cant do everything in Sabbath School, but
  you can organize to do much of your growth work
  through the Sabbath School.
• Reason 2 Sabbath School is familiar
• In a rapidly changing culture it is comforting to
  know that some things are stable.
• It is easier to get people involved both as
  participants and workers in an organization with
  which they are somewhat familiar.
• Reason 3 Sabbath School is a solid foundation
  for innovation
• Innovation is always built on the foundation of
  fundamental principles.
• Sabbath School serves as the foundation of the
  church.
• A strong Sabbath School is not a deterrent to
  innovation, it is the foundation for innovation.

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Why Sabbath School Is the Growth Tool of the
Future, Which is Now!

• Reason 4 Sabbath School provides the
  small-group experience every Christian needs.
• Everyone who comes to your church asks two
  questions
• Am I wanted?
• Am I needed?
• Involvement in a small group says, You are
  wanted you belong.
• Opportunities for service made available through
  the small-group structure of the Sabbath School
  says, You are needed.
• Christians were never intended to live in
  isolation.
• Reason 5 Sabbath School is a natural companion
  to an exciting worship service.

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Why Sabbath School Is the Growth Tool of the
Future, Which is Now!

• Reason 6 Sabbath School gets people involved
  in service.
• People who become involved in the churchs
  ministry will progress more quickly in their
  spiritual walk and will have a deeper commitment
  to the work of the Church.
• Reason 7 Sabbath School has a proven track
  record.
• Year in and year out, the Sabbath School
  structure, properly used, has given solid
  results.
• If we were to do away with Sabbath School, we
  would have to build something very much like it
  to replace it. Why not build innovative
  strategies on the proven historic principles of
  Sabbath School growth?

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Awakening The Sabbath Morning DinosaurPart II

• Building the Sabbath School Team

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Building the Sabbath School Team

• Pastor Buford Griffith, Jr.
• Sabbath School Director
• Southwestern Union Conference
• Burleson, Texas

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Basic Team Building Principles

• 1. The upper and lower division Sabbath School
  must see themselves as a team and not totally
  independent of each other.
• Team working together as a unit divided only
  by age grouping.
• Note This implies that the upper and lower
  division of the Sabbath School is not an us vs.
  them attitudinal position.

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Team Building Principles -2-

• 2. Share a common purpose.
• Commonly called purpose or mission statement.
• Broad based, not measurable but gives a general
  direction.

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Team Building Principles-3-

• Objectives
• Being specific about what it will take to achieve
  the purpose of the Sabbath School.
• It is the process of moving from general to
  specific concepts.

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Team Building Principles -4-

• Goals every goal needs a plan to make it
  work.
• Calls for even more specific thinking.
• Each objective may have multiple goals.

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Team Building Principles-5-

• Implementation
• Answers the question of how?
• Write statements that can be evaluated by simple
  yes or no responses.

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Tools for Effective Planning

• Time
• People
• Communication
• Resources (literature, location, teaching aides,
  etc.)

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Necessity of a Sabbath School Council

• Sabbath School think tank.
• MUST meet on a regular basis for planning and
  implementation of ideas.
• Recommends strategies and solicits support of
  entire church.
• Should make a report to the Church Board monthly.

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Sabbath School Council Makeup

• Adult and Lower Division SS Supts.
• Pastor and/or Elder
• Church Ministries Dir.
• SS Secretary
• SS Teachers (upper and lower division)

• SHOULD MEET MONTHLY
• Getting the council together is a challenge
  within itself. Helpful hints
• Sabbath Potluck or Sunday Brunch
• productive agenda
• timely meetings no longer than 2 hours

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Sabbath School Action UnitsHow To Begin

• Assign every member on the church membership roll
  to a Sabbath School class.
• Establish more classes with the purpose of
  keeping each class small.
• Or, utilize the present structure and add members
  to it.

• Assign a Care Coordinator to each class.
• Each class set goals for evangelism.
• Each class set goals for Mission giving and
  Investment involvement.
• Report progress regularly.

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Role of the Care Coordinator

• Reminds class of their plans and goals.
• Calls for witnessing experiences related to class
  plan.
• Leads in outreach promotion.
• Coordinates class fellowship.

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We Missed You At Sabbath School cards
envelopes

• Pacific Press Publishing
• 1-208-465-2500
• Ask for Mr. Ryder
• The cards are available in Espanol
• No charge order as many as you need.

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Sabbath School Resources

• 1. Adventist Mission DVDs
• Website www.adventistmission.org
• Sent to every church in NAD free of charge paid
  by the NAD.
• Not yet in Spanish but will be available by 3rd
  or 4th quarter of 2008.
• Drawback to DVD is that it is not as strong in
  its promotion of Sabbath School offerings i.e.
  citing the projects to be sponsored.
• Alternative mission DVD is Project Sunlight.
  A quarterly Mission DVD out of Collegedale, TN.
  This is a subscription DVD.
• 2. Other Helpful websites
• www.guidemagazine.org
• www.gracelink.org
• www.whiteestate.org/vez

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L.E.A.D.Leadership Education Advent Discipleship

• A quarterly Sabbath School resource magazine.
• Can be included as a part of the standing order
  for Sabbath School materials through Review and
  Herald Publishing.
• Cost 34.95 per year.
• Important feature Legacy of the SDA Church

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Awakening The Sabbath Morning DinosaurPart III

• The Necessity of the Pastors Sabbath School
  Class

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The Pastors Sabbath School Class the New
Believers Class on Doctrine

• A must for a growing church.
• Roots and grounds new members.
• Serves as a shield of protection for new members
  from spurious doctrines.
• New members should be retained in the pastors
  class for a minimum of one (1) year.

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Pastors Sabbath School Class A Necessity

• New converts must be protected
• From strange doctrines.
• From other church members who can give a
  distorted point of view of the gospel with their
  individual extremism and impatience with the
  growth of the new babes in the truth.
• Spirit of Prophecy quote Satan is no idler he
  watches his chances, and takes advantage of every
  opportunity to win souls to his side. He
  constantly sows his tares in every heart that is
  not barricaded with the truth.
• Home Missionary, 1890-02

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Which Lessons Study Guides Are To Be Utilized?

• The study material will vary from the other
  classes within your churchs SS.
• Utilize prepared Bible studies such as
• Discover Bible School lessons from the Voice of
  Prophecy.
• Amazing Facts

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Creating Your Own Lesson Series(Pastors Class)

• Advantages
• Flexibility
• Encourages deeper study on the part of both
  members and pastor.
• Pastor is able to move at a pace that assures
  complete understanding of the pillar doctrines
  of the SDA Church.
• Engenders stronger bonds of brotherhood among the
  members of the class via study and fellowship.

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Creating Your Own Lesson Series-2-

• Encourages members to invite and bring family
  members and friends to class. Thus, the pastors
  class becomes evangelistic without being called a
  baptismal class, which can be intimidating to a
  non-member.
• Enables pastor to intercept spurious doctrines
  before they become a problem for the new member,
  as well as helping new members release their hold
  on teachings adopted from affiliation with their
  former faith.

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Creating Your Own Lesson Series-3-

• Challenges the pastors own creativeness in
  lesson preparation.
• Encourages attendance at the mid-week prayer
  service. Series started in the pastors SS can
  be continued at prayer meeting thus, benefiting
  the entire church.
• The pastor is leading and encouraging by precept
  and example and the whole SS becomes revived.

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Use of the Regular Sabbath School Quarterlies

• Used at the discretion of the pastor as to
  relevance for class at the time of distribution.
• Even when not used as the primary lesson source,
  every member is issued a quarterly and encouraged
  to study daily to promote regular Bible study and
  be in harmony with the rest of the church.

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Sample Course Outline Adventism and the
Sanctuary

• The Earthly Sanctuary Part I
• The Earthly Sanctuary Part II
• The Sanctuary Services Daily/Day of Atonement
• The 2300 Day Prophecy of Dan. 814
• The Antitypical Day of Atonement/The Judgment
  Message
• The Sanctuary as it pertains to the 3 Angels
  Messages of Revelation 14.

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Sample Course OutlineAdventism and the Sanctuary

• The Sanctuary and the Sabbath
• Early Adventism and the Sanctuary Part I The
  Second Coming of Christ
• Early Adventism and the Sanctuary Part II
  Sabbath Discovery
• Early Adventism and the Sanctuary Part III
  The Sanctuary and the Sabbath
• Early Adventism and the Sanctuary Part IV
  Righteousness by Faith Revisiting 1888

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Sample Course OutlineAdventism and the Sanctuary

• Early Adventism and the Sanctuary Part V The
  1,000 period of Rev. 20
• Early Adventism and the Sanctuary Part VI The
  Seven Last Plagues
• Adventism Today and the Sanctuary Why am I a
  Seventh-day Adventist?

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Expanding the Sabbath School Emphasis on
Biblical Doctrine

• Establish a Sabbath afternoon class to study
  Bible doctrine
• Once or twice per month.
• Open to all members of the church.
• Allows for more time to be spent studying and
  understanding bible doctrine.
• Survey members of class to ascertain the order of
  doctrines to be studied.

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Awakening The Sabbath Morning DinosaurPart IV

• Teaching Strategies for the Adult Sabbath School
  Class

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Teaching Strategies for the Adult Sabbath School
Class

• Questions
• 1. What do you want your class to leave with at
  the end of the study?
• 2. How are you going to achieve this goal?
• 3. What methods will you use to achieve class
  participation?
• 4. How will you connect the study with every day
  life issues?

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Instructional ObjectiveTask Analysis

• Identify the learning/objective
• Memory Verse
• Key Thought
• Teachers Aims
• Teach to the objective
• Lesson Outline
• Summary/Commentary

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Active Participation

• Definition the consistent mental involvement of
  each person while the content is being presented.
• Four Elements
• Overt behavior (physical behavior)
• It is observable.
• a. Writing
• b. Speaking
• c. Performing

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Active Participation - 2

• 2. Covert behavior NOT observable - it is
• mental
• Imagine
• Think About
• 3. All members should be involved or engaged
  simultaneously/consistently.
• 4. There needs to be a good mixture of
• covert and overt. Never be a lecturer!

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Strategies for Increasing Active Participation

• Always begin with prayer!
• How to set up questions
• open ended
• then ask why?
• ask the question, then wait
• proceed with discussion
• Handle wrong answers create a risk-free
  environment.
• Wait time this gives people time to gather
  their thoughts.

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Strategies for IncreasingActive Participation - 2

• Avoid a pattern.
• Periodically check for understanding.
• Move around in order to reach everyone never
  involve just one area of the class.
• Remember that people learn in different ways so
  do something differently each week.

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Steps in Lesson Preparation

• Prayer
• ASK and it shall be given to you SEEK, and you
  shall find KNOCK and the door will be opened to
  you. (Matthew 77)

TR 2-21
55
Have a Teachable Attitude

• In searching the Scriptures, you are not to
  endeavor to interpret their utterances so as to
  agree with your preconceived ideas. (CSW, p. 25)

TR 2-22
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Study the Bible texts for the weeks lesson

• Say the Bible text over and over from different
  translations. Read the verses within the context
  so as to get the full intention of the writer.
  Let God speak to you. As truth is revealed, and
  the meaning comes to your mind, write down key
  points.

TR 2-23
57
Study Other Resources on the Same Subject

• Use a Concordance
• Look at a Bible Atlas
• Study Bible Commentaries
• Read the Spirit of Prophecy
• Use different Bible translations

TR 2-24
58
Plan Your Lessons to Cover

• The goal of the lesson
• Three or four key points to be covered
• Application to life experience

TR 2-25
59
Have a Checklist

• 1. A comprehensive knowledge of the lessons
  (much more than would be used)
• 2. Planned introduction
• 3. A planned track of discourse
• Find pivotal points
• Sequence of thought

TR 2-26
60
Have a Checklist

• 4. A planned spiritual application made
  personal
• 5. Selected points for illustration and
  suitable illustrations
• 6. Carefully prepared questions
• 7. Carefully prepared timing
• 8. An appeal

TR 2-26a
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Points to Note When Preparing a Lesson

• Think for Yourself
• Teachers should not be satisfied to take the
  product of the researchers of other minds, but
  they should investigate truth for themselves.
  (CSW, p. 32)

TR 2-27
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Closure

• Connect the study with every day life issues.
  Each lesson is equipped with a section entitled
  Apply! Helping your class members to answer
  the question What can I do with what I have
  learned from this lesson?
• Summarize the content of the lesson.
• Use the Witnessing section of the lesson.
• Always end the lesson with prayer.

63

• Ellen White recognized that teachers need to
  continue their skill training

The true teacher is not content with dull
thoughts, and indolent mind, or a loose memory.
He constantly seeks higher attainments and better
methods. His/her life is one of continual
growth. Counsels on Sabbath School Work, p. 103.
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Keep the Great Commission Strategy Balanced

• The Sabbath School class is more than a teaching
  unit it is a tool for outreach, assimilation
  (fellowship), mission, and teaching.
• The teacher or facilitator of the class is the
  key to the effective functioning of the class
  objectives. He/she should lead the class through
  prayer, coordination, and inspiration.

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Keep the Great Commission Strategy Balanced

• There should be regular evaluation to ensure that
  the work of the Sabbath School class is balanced.
  The teacher or facilitator must ask critical
  evaluative questions.
• Are members bringing unsaved friends?
• Has anyone been led to Christ through the
  ministry of the class?
• Are members being contacted regularly?
• Are care needs being missed?
• Are members attending regularly?
• Are members frequently lost from the class? Why?
• Does the teaching address the spiritual needs of
  the class?
• Do members prepare for the study of the lesson?
• Do they participate in class discussion?

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Enlisting Teachers

• Pray to the Lord of the harvest.
• Form a teacher recruitment committee.
• Personally enlist workers.
• Call for commitment.
• Exalt the work of the Sabbath School.
• Start with those gifted to teach.
• Ask teachers to enlist and train teachers.

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Awakening The Sabbath Morning DinosaurPart V

• Rediscovering Investment and Outside Projects
  for Sabbath School Classes

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Mission Projects for the Sabbath School Class

• Adopt a senior member of the church.
• Do their yard work.
• Clean their home.
• Do their grocery shopping.
• Enjoy a leisurely visit.
• Hospital visitation to class members
  non-Adventist family members and friends.

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Mission Projects -2-

• Visit the homeless shelters spend a few hours
  with a homeless family.
• Visit the nursing homes where members of the
  church may be residents.

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Sabbath School Investment Developing a
Partnership With God

• Extension of mission offerings.
• Increases Gods storehouse to fund existing
  mission endeavors and new expansion projects.
• Teaches practical application of trusting God.

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Awakening the Sabbath Morning Dinosaur

• Part VI
• The Ministry of Assimilation

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Sabbath School is a Soul Winning Ministry

• Entire consecration of soul must be maintained
  as much by the teachers and superintendents of
  our Sabbath Schools as by the ministers in our
  pulpits, for all alike are engaged in the work of
  bringing souls to Christ. Each in his place is
  to work, as did Christ, in the spirit of love,
  for the erring and impenitent. This is what
  Christ would see in the Sabbath School work
• Counsels on Sabbath School Work, p. 157

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The Ministry of Assimilation

• The closest thing to Heaven, while living this
  side of the Kingdom of God, should be the
  fellowship of Christians living in community.
• Believers should be bearing burdens, sharing
  joys, and richly enjoying the good things of God
  with the hope that someday, maybe soon, joy will
  no longer be mixed with pain and suffering. But
  for now, a grief shared is half a grief a joy
  shared is a greater joy.
• The Church in Ruins, p.45
• William Crabb and Jeff Jernigan

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Not All That We Claim to Be

• The Church rarely offers the sort of biblical
  community it advertises and alone has the
  potential to provide.
• The book of Acts serves as the model for
  Christian community, all of which serves as the
  basis for the goals of an effective Sabbath
  School
• Teaching (Study of the Word of God)
• Christian fellowship (Fellowship)
• Worship (Community Outreach)
• Prayer (Mission Emphasis)

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Whos Responsible for Ministry?

• Without exception, rapid evangelistic advance and
  continuous church growth are the result of the
  work of the laity.
• Who are the laity? The term laos, the Greek root
  of our word laity, occurs in the Bible in its
  singular form only. In the scriptures, laos is
  one single, indivisible unit.

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Whos Responsible for Ministry?-2-

• In the Bible, believers are never called
  laymen. The word laikos, where our term
  layman is derived, does not occur in Scripture
  at all it is of a non-Biblical origin.
• The Bible uses only the term laos. It only knows
  of the laity as one single, indivisible unit, and
  individuals are referred to as members of that
  one body. (I Corinthians 124-13 Romans 123-5)

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Whos Responsible for Ministry?-3-

• In the Bible, the term laity is never used in
  contrast to other groups or individuals in the
  church, such as pastors, leaders, etc.
• The entire church is the laity!
• Where Scripture speaks of special functions in
  the church, such as those of apostle or prophet
  or evangelist or pastor or teacher, these
  functions are defined in terms of the nature and
  calling of the laity.
• The major role of the pastor or administrator is
  to assist the laity in carrying out its calling
  and commission in the world. His role is really
  that of a facilitator or enabler, helping the
  members to develop and use their gifts for the
  task of ministry.

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Whos Responsible for Ministry?-4-

• Laos means a special people Gods own
  people, a people of His choosing. The laos are
  Gods chosen people, but that election is for a
  particular purpose.
• The Church is Gods appointed agency for the
  salvation of men. It was organized for service,
  and its mission is to carry the Gospel to the
  worldThe church is the repository of the riches
  of the grace of Christ and through the church
  will eventually be made manifestthe final and
  full display of the love of God. (Acts of the
  Apostles, page 9).

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Whos Responsible for Ministry?-5-

• The call to join Gods people and to become a
  member of the laos, is in fact a call to the
  ministry.
• Who is responsible for ministry? We all are!
• Ministry, in the Scriptures, is not an exalted
  office of a few, but the calling of the whole
  people of God. It is not status within the
  church, but the function of every believer who
  has accepted the work of Christ.

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Co-Laborers With Christ

• The Saviours commission to the disciples
  included all the believers. It includes all the
  believers in Christ to the end of time.All to
  whom the heavenly inspiration has come are put in
  trust with the Gospel. All who receive the life
  of Christ are ordained to work for the salvation
  of their fellow men. For this work the church
  was established, and all who take upon themselves
  its sacred vows are thereby pledged to be
  co-workers of Christ. (The Desire of Ages,
  p.822)

81
Acts 18

• The church is a community of power.
• All of the members of the community are to share
  in this divine resource.

82
Sabbath School Must Be Ministry-Driven

• Must not be program-driven.
• Fails to take into account changing circumstances
  and the needs of the people.
• Ministry addresses the needs of people and
  adjusts for those needs in the context of
  changing circumstances.

83
4 Key Components to Assimilation

1 Keep people involved in small groups
and build relationships. 2 Meet their
needs. 3 Avoid making them mad and/or help
them resolve their anger. 4 Overcome the
perception that no one cares.
84
Membership Circle Every member is within this
circle
Fellowship Circle Members who feel a sense of
belonging and who feel fully accepted into the
fellowship of that called-out community.
85
The Motto of Sabbath School

• To Win
• To Hold
• To Train

TR 1-5
86
Assimilation Design

• Utilize the Sabbath School
• Churches with effective programs of assimilation
  utilize the standard age-graded Sabbath School.
• A. Creates both homogeneity (similar in nature)
  and receptivity.
• B. Keeps the small groups from becoming stagnant
  and thus calcifying. (Every study on small group
  dynamics indicates that the longer a particular
  group stays together, the harder it is for a
  newcomer to penetrate that group. The regular
  promotion of all Sabbath School classes will
  counteract the tendency toward fossilization).

87
Assimilation Design

• Use the Power of Personal Invitation
• Statistically, between 79 and 86 of the people
  who join a local church do so because of the
  invitation of a friend or family member.
• Therefore, if someone invites a new member to
  join their Sabbath School class, the chances of
  involvement are greatly increased.
• The invitation must be personal, genuine, and
  immediate.

88
Conclusion

• Your Sabbath School can prove to be the unifying
  growth tool you need. You must keep the focus
  and purpose of the Sabbath School in mind as you
  develop and implement your program.
• Dont be afraid to draw outside the lines.
• Remember, it is God who works through us to grow
  His Church.
• Be a faithful leader as you advance Gods kingdom
  through the Sabbath School.