By Dr. Danny W. Penny

Do you realize that most of us have been doing Sunday School the same way for the past 50 years and more? Yet, the needs of the world have changed dramatically. The message is the same, but we need a fresh way of sending out the Gospel to people everywhere. The Invitational Sunday School does three major things in obeying the Great Commission.

First – The Invitational Sunday School puts leadership for teaching and reaching back into  the classroom. The church and Sunday School offices help with the overall program of Christian Education Ministry, but opportunities for reaching others for Christ belongs to the leadership and members of the class.

Second – The Invitational Sunday School calls for the greatest number of people to participate in fellowship and service to others. Involvement, input, and ownership of the class belong to the class.

Third – The Invitational Sunday School lifts the class beyond the walls of the church school and into the marketplace of those we are trying to reach.

According to multiple national studies, most churches believe they are friendly and inviting to the unchurched in their communities. Yet, more than 80% of all churches in America are either declining or at a standstill in reaching others for Christ. The fields are indeed ripe for harvest today. Estimates project 160 million unchurched people in America. Sixty million of them, according to Rainer Group Church Consulting, are ready right now to hear the Gospel and respond to Christ.

So why haven’t they? They are waiting for an invitation. The invitation many unchurched are waiting to hear goes beyond the usual greetings that pass for friendliness. The unchurched are listening for an invitation that welcomes them into the lives of believers and builds relationships based on purpose and fellowship.

Focus on People

      When you look at church, what do you see? A building? Equipment? Sanctuary and classrooms? The Bible tells us that God sees PEOPLE. Herschel Ford used to say that God’s favorite word was COME. Read the Gospels and you’ll find the word “come” 332 times. If we want people to believe God loves and accepts them, we must love and accept them. Invite people into your life and into your Sunday School classroom.

Focus on Purposes

      Purpose must be – Persistent, Intentional, and Comprehensive (PIC).  What does your Sunday School class want to accomplish? Like the farmer, have you set a goal for the harvest? It takes at least seven contacts to convince someone you really are interested in them – persistence. The famous and often humorous Yogi Berra was once quoted, “If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up someplace else” – intentionality. Answer five simple questions – the five w’s: who, what, when, where, and why, and you will always be comprehensive.

Focus on Prayer

      “God does nothing but by prayer, and everything with it” – John Wesley. In a day when even medical science is now studying the power of prayer in health and healing, how can believers ignore its power in the work of Sunday School? Begin with prayer, work with prayer and end with prayer. It’s just that simple.

Focus on Practices

      The Invitational Sunday School invites people to three things: Bible Study, Fellowship and Service. Every believer needs consistent Bible Study to grow in the Lord. The Psalmist declared, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105 KJV). Fellowship gives people opportunity to belong. The desire to connect with others is a basic human need and Sunday School can meet that need by calling people together both in and outside the classroom. Service allows people to grow in their faith and to deepen relationships with one another. The wisdom of the early church was “…I can’t see your faith if you don’t have good deeds, but I will show you my faith through my good deeds” (James 2:18 NLT). Bible Study and Fellowship within the class and Service to others outside the class are the keys to Invitational Practice.

Focus on Places

      When you invite someone to Sunday School, remember you are inviting them to a group of people more than to a place. However, make sure the place is itself inviting. Keep a few extra chairs out in convenient to reach places for latecomers. You can decorate the room attractively, keep it well-lighted and clean, place living plants around the room, give literature to guests and members alike, and help people sit in a comfortable place where they can see and hear the teacher easily.

Focus on Performance

      Ask the questions, “How are we doing?” “Are we reaching new people for Christ?” “Are we keeping the people we already have?” “Are we reaching the goals of our class?” Performance keeps the focus on the future.