JEFFERSON CITY—The “Show-Me Sunday” Statewide Sunday School High Attendance Day campaign has built momentum over the last three years.
Each year has seen more Missouri churches using the theme to build excitement and attendance in their Sunday School. This year’s theme was taken from Luke 5:4, 10 – “Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch. Don’t be afraid, from now on you will be catching people!”
The suggested date was Sunday, Oct. 31. However, churches are encouraged to use the campaign whenever they want throughout the year.
This year four churches joined up for a Sunday School challenge in October. First Baptist, Wright City, participated through Pastor Chad Hodges and challenged three other churches – Prospect Baptist, New Hope Baptist, and St. Clair Southern Baptist, all of Franklin County Baptist Association.
Striving to be better than last year, the churches reported their Sunday School attendance for the same Sunday in 2009. The winner of the challenge was determined each week by giving 1 point for each person over last year’s attendance. For example, First Wright City reported 50 in attendance in 2009. This year they reported 6, so they were +17.
First Wright City promoted the challenge by having a breakfast Oct. 3 and Youth Sunday Oct. 24. Earlier they did a “Sunday School Done Right!” study by Allan Taylor, minister of education, First Baptist Church, Woodstock, Ga., as well as inviting Mark Donnell, Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) Sunday School specialist, in to evaluate their Sunday School.
First Wright City finished +92 for a 43 percent increase in Bible Study attendance. Prospect Baptist finished +60 for a 29 percent increase, New Hope Baptist finished +15 for a 6 percent increase, and St. Clair Southern Baptist finished +93 for a 30 percent increase.
The campaign ended with a joint time of fellowship and worship with all four churches held at the Franklin Association office in Union.
“This was a very exciting time for each of our churches,” Hodges said. “We hit a high attendance of 90 for the month, which is the first time in more than 15 years our church has had an attendance that high in Sunday School.”
Each year in July the Church Health Team sends out a packet to each Missouri Baptist church with materials to help promote and conduct the campaign. These materials are still available and can be downloaded for free at www.mobaptist.org/sunday_school. Call the office at 800-736-6227, ext. 461, to have a free packet mailed.
Look for Sunday School Leadership Training events in your area in 2011 during the winter and spring months. Our theme for 2011 is “Show-Me Transformation: Sunday School Changing Lives!” To schedule an event contact Donnell at mdonnell@mobaptist.org or at 800-736-6227, ext. 413.
BY STAFF