Commitment to Excellence
This is not a commercial but sometime ago a leading manufacturer developed as a theme the following: The quality goes in before the name goes on. I like that and if our Sunday Schools are going to do the job we must get the quality in before the name goes on.
Of necessity ours must be a commitment to excellence! In every area excellence must be our emphasis.
Our Sunday School Superintendents should be making needed improvements to develop some innovative ideas and changes if necessary.
Our teachers should develop some enthusiasm and deepening concern for the students.
Our curriculum should be Bible based and particularly Wesleyan Oriented. [Every Sunday School should use Wesleyan Publications.]
Our programming should be updated and competitive with a world throwing every imaginative thing in our direction.
Our students should be committed to excellence in attendance and involvement in every program.
Our records should be thorough and leave nothing to be desired. At a moments notice we should be able to get an up to date account of attendance and enrollment. That's a real part of our responsibility list.
Our out-reach should be far-reaching and effective. it should be more than shoddy, haphazard and infrequent.
Our entire program should be geared toward the most productive, effective Sunday School possible. Remember if we intend labeling it WESLEYAN the quality must go in before the name goes on.
Yours for bigger and better Sunday Schools,
Rev. W. Scott Lockard
©2006 Pastor Lockard's Living on the Bright Side Ministries.
Ways to grow a healthy
Sunday School!
- The Sunday School is the 'School' of the church! - Arthur Flake
- Sunday School provides a unique organization to reach people of all ages. - Bill Sullivan
- The Sunday School must become the place where people study God's Word and come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour . - Ken Hemphill
- The Sunday School is a great place to meet new friends, grow in the love of Christ, and become more deeply rooted in the faith! - Terry Toler
- If the Sunday School is to improve, it must change. If it is to grow, it must plan for growth. - Monte Nabors
- A Sunday School can never grow beyond it's ability to care for it's guests. - Stan Toler
- What can be done to strengthen Sunday School in the local church? "Make Sunday School the top priority." - Lyle E. Schaller
- The Sunday School must not change it's purpose, but it must go "back to the basics," for the old is again being new. - Elmer Towns
- In Sunday School, everything rises and falls on leadership. - Lee Roberson
- Sunday School promotion: "Plan it Big - Keep it simple!" - John Rawlings
- Sunday School classes must become the provider of pastoral care. - David A. Slamp
Yours for bigger and better Sunday Schools,
Rev. W. Scott Lockard
©2006 Pastor Lockard's Living on the Bright Side Ministries.
Whatever It Takes to
Grow Sunday School!
A Growing, productive Sunday School is my first concern. Whatever it takes to bring that about I am willing to do. The following are some things it will take to bring it about!
It will take totally dedicated personnel. We must constantly emphasize to our staff the absolute necessity of their being at their best for God. Nothing shoddy about their attitude or actions or presentation.
It will take meaningful methods of gaining the interest of those who come. If things are so drab and dry that it would put you to sleep, don't expect them to return. Let us do something different to arouse some interest!
It will take a concerned outreach. Superintendents insist on having your staff make contacts and lead the way. The phone, a card or a visit will go far to show you're really concerned. It may be inconvenient; you may be tired but like Jesus "we must needs go through Samaria." It will take frequent program changes. Change the format of your lesson; change the preliminary aspect of your service; change your closing session making it interesting enough to draw the people back.
Let's do it! Whatever it takes to produce a thriving Sunday School, let's do it!
Yours for bigger and better Sunday Schools,
Rev. W. Scott Lockard
© 2008 Pastor Lockard's Living on the Bright Side Ministries
Sound Principles for
Sunday School Growth
As I see it there are some practical principles for the growing of a Sunday School. Here they are:
Principle 1: Innovative Teaching. It is so easy to get in a rut in our presentation. Change your methods frequently.
Principle 2: Diversified Outreach. A call, a card, a visit or whatever contact you care to make. Teachers, let your students know you miss them in ther absence.
Principle 3: Spiritual Preparation. You can lead no one higher than you are yourself. "Study to show yourself approved unto God!"
Principle 4: Faithful Support. For a successful teacher, attendance in the house of God is vital. You cannnot expect your students to atted regularly if your attendence is sporadic! Be there in your place as faithfully as possible!
Principle 5: Exciting Programs. Every aspect of the Sunday School program should be enthusiastic and exciting. If we fail to make the program attractive, it is not surprising that people won't return. There is just too much to get their attention elsewhere!
Principle 6: A Sense of Loss. Do we really believe people without Christ are lost? Are on their way to hell? If so we will do whatever necessary to side track them. To show them the right way.
Let us incorporate these principles into our Sunday School service. It will help us to create an atmosphere of growth! God bless your every effort in building a growing Sunday School.
Yours for bigger and better Sunday Schools,
Rev. W. Scott Lockard
(C)2009 Pastor Lockard's Living on the Bright Side
Sunday School Teachers
1. They should be enthusiastic: After all if the teacher is not excited growth will not occur. When you go to the class do so with a lively step and a buoyant spirit!
2. They should never lack proper training in the word: Remember the teacher is there to instruct. To simply read from the quarterly is inadequate. Study to show thyself approved - Pray without ceasing!
3. They should have an interest in souls: Remember he that winneth souls is wise. To be so lack luster that people are turned off could mean their eternal destiny!
4. They should step out frequently to encourage absentees and potential enrollees: Remember needy souls are everywhere! You will find them in the gutter or the high echelons of society!
5. They should be organized: The proper introduction; A well illustrated middle and a eye catching ending. Your lesson should be such that pupils will look forward to returning!
In Jesus;
W. Scott Lockard
© 2009 Pastor Lockard's Living on the Bright Side Ministries
BIBLE CHARACTERS:
Enoch - Man of God
INTRODUCTION: He was the son of Jared (Gen.5:19) and the father of Methuselah (Gen.5:21). Arabs have a legend that Enoch invented writing and the Jews declare He left many books. In all of history only two men escaped death Enoch and Elijah.
I. He Walked With God (Gen.5:24)
a. They had an agreement (Amos 3:3)
II. He Believed God (Heb.11:5)
a. Unquestioning Faith
III. He Pleased God (Heb.11:5-6)
a. Continuance In Well Doing (Gal.6:9)
IV. He Witnessed For God (Jude 14)
a. Taking The Stand
V. He Was Translated By God (Gen.5:24)
a. That He Should Not See Death
"And Enoch walked with God: and He was not;
for God took him." Gen.5:24
(C) 2003 Pastor Lockard's Living on the Bright side Ministries
www.Brightside.2Freedom.com
BIBLE CHARACTERS:
Jonah
The Reluctant Missionary
I. Sent to a foreign field. {Jonah 1:2}
a. A needy people.
II. Sought to flee an unwelcome duty. {Jonah 1:3}
a. Rebellion Evident.
III. Overtaken in flight. {Jonah 1:14-17}
a. Swallowed by a whale.
IV. Finds God's presence. {Jonah 2 - Psalm 139:10}
a. No hiding from God.
V. Proceeds on Mission of warning. {Jonah 3:1}
a. Preaching with clarity & action.
VI. Disappointed by success of message. {Jonah 3:5}
a. Far reaching successes.
VII. Reveals his bigotry in lamenting. {Jonah 4:1-3}
a. Displeasure at response.
VIII. Taught a lesson of the breadth of His love. {Jonah 4:4}
(C)2003 Pastor Lockard's Living on the Bright side Ministries
BIBLE CHARACTERS:
Eli - Judge & High Priest
Introduction: There are few men in the Bible in whose character we cannot find some great and glaring flaw. There is usually a dead fly in the ointment, a rent in the garment or a spot on the whitest robe. Eli loved and delighted in God's service but was faulty in one point. He failed to exercise the proper authority of a parent over his children.
I. Tenderness with children (I Samuel 3:6)
A. Very patient
II. Spiritual perception (I Samuel 3:8)
A. Ability to sense God at work
III. Parental indulgence (I Samuel 3:13)
A. Restrained not his sons
IV. Submission (I Samuel 3:18)
A. Surrender to God's Judgement
V. Unfaithfulness in Stewardship (I Samuel 2:29)
A. Follow God's direction
VI. Spiritual Solicitude (I Samuel 4:13)
A. Anxious-Worried
VII. Sudden death (I Samuel 4:18)
A. Shock of Sons deaths
B. Loss of the Ark of the Covenant
C. Died of a broken neck and a broken heart
(C)2003 Pastor Lockard's Living on the Bright side Ministries
BIBLE CHARACTERS:
Ezra the priest
The man who honored scripture
I. He was a student (Ezra 7:10)
a. Studied the will of God as revealed in the Word.
II. He was an interpreter (Neh. 8:2-8)
a. Gave the wisdom of the Word.
III. He was a copyist (Ezra 7:10-11)
a. Preserved intact the very Word of God.
IV. He was an able administrator
a. conducted Jewish exiles back to Jerusalem.
"Life & Labors"
A. Man of deep humility & self denial (Ez. 7:10-15)
B. Man of great learning (Ez. 7:10-8:21-23)
C. Man of great trustworthiness (Ez. 7:13,26)
D. Man anxious to commend His cause to others (Ez. 8:2-20)
E. Man who knew how to pray (Ez. 8:21-10:1)
F. Man deeply grieved over the sins of the people (Ez. 9:5-10:6)
*Ezra died at the age of 120 years.
*The key words of the book are:
Restoration, reorganization, reformation.
©2003 Pastor Lockard's Living on the Bright side Ministries
BIBLE CHARACTERS:
John the Baptist
I. Self Denial (Matt. 3:4)
A. Gave up comforts & conveniences
II. Courage (Matt. 3:7)
A. Stood against sin
III. Obedience (Matt. 3:15)
A. Responded to the will of God
IV. Powerful Preacher(Mk. 1:5)
A. Unanimous response
V. Humility (Mk. 1:7)
A. Felt unworthy
VI. Holiness(Mk. 6:20)
A. Apparent in His demeanor
VII. Burning zeal (John5:35)
A. All consuming passion for souls
VIII. Faith in Christ (John 1:29)
A. Believed in the life and death of Jesus
IX. Fullness of the spirit (Luke 1:15-17)
A. Sanctified from mother's womb
X. Beheaded by Herod (Matt. 14:1,4,13)
John makes the transition from law to grace
"First Baptist minister to lose his head through dancing"
(C) 2003 Pastor Lockard's Living on the Bright side Ministries
BIBLE CHARACTERS:
Jehosaphat
Jehovah is Judge
1. A recorder during the reign of David and Solomon (2 Sam. 8:16)
2. One of Solomon's Purveyors (1 Kings 4:17)
The man with a good record
I. He was one of the best Kings of Judah (1 Kings 15:24)
II. He had a Godly father whose example he emulated (2 Chron. 14:2)
III. He developed a system of Religious instruction for the people (2 Chron. 17:7-9)
IV. He commanded the Judges to be just (2 Chron. 19:6-9)
V. He trusted God for victory in a crisis (2 Chron. 20)
VI. He manifested weakness in His Alliance with wicked kings (1 Kings 22:1-36)
Conclusion: He walked in the ways of His father David and because of His Godward bent, The Lord was with Jehosaphat.
(C)2003 Pastor Lockard's Living on the Bright side Ministries
BIBLE CHARACTERS:
Philip - The Evangelistic Deacon
Three specific Qualifications (Acts 6:3)
1. Transparently Honest
2. Spirit-filled
3. Wise
I. Broadminded (Acts 8:5)
a. Message extended to all
II. Spirit-led (Acts 8:26)
a. Where he leads
III. Preached the word (Acts 8:35)
a. Christ
IV. Had a Godly household (Acts 21:8-9)
a. Consistent Witness
D.L. Moody said, "It remains to be seen what God can do with the man who is fully yielded to Him."
(C) 2003 Pastor Lockard's Living on the Bright side Ministries
BIBLE CHARACTERS:
Gideon - The man God wants!
God is looking for a man who is completely dependable, totally reliable and thoroughly trustworthy.
Qualifications Judges 6-8
I. Man of humility (6:15)
II. Man of caution (6:17)
III. Man of spirituality (6:27)
IV. Man of obedience (6:27)
V. Man of fellowship (6:34,36)
VI. Man of Strategy (7:16-18)
VII. Man of loyalty (8:22-23)
(C)2003 Pastor Lockard's Living on the Bright side Ministries
