Sunday School on Purpose: Expect the Class to Lead People to Christ
In the last Messenger I introduced you to a new book written by David Francis, Director of Sunday School at LifeWay. The title of this book is called, “Great Expectations.” This book stimulated the following article.
When you think about the word “Expectation” there is always this non-voiced thought that follows, “action comes next!” I remember growing up as a child hearing these words, “I expect you to do your homework,” “I expect you to finish your plate before you can go and play with your friends.” The list goes on and on but you get the picture. I mean we have always been surrounded by expectations, whether by parents, friends, teachers, classmates, employers, spouses, etc… at times we exceed those expectations and other times we fall short, but at least we gave it “the old college try!”
As a Christian there are expectations as well. In God’s playbook, the Bible, there are expectations. For example: there are expectations set before us in the Ten Commandments. It is also expected that some sort of action or response would follow these commands. The Bible is full of expectations but the greatest expectation comes from Matthew 28:19-20, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember I am with you always to the end of the age.” We have heard this verse in every way imaginable. We have heard sermons about it, books have been written about it, seminars & conferences have been conducted for it and yet the understanding of action or response is not there. I think we know the expectation but ignore to respond to the level I believe Christ would have us too respond.
What would we have if a Sunday school class began praying over names of lost people on a regular basis? What if that same class provided opportunities to engage those same lost people so that they would hear the gospel message? What if this class was expected to lead people to Christ? Is that asking too much? Was Christ asking too much when He set forth the command? I don’t think so! I believe we have everything we need to win this world to Christ. Listen to this historical truth: from the time Christ started His earthly ministry and called His disciples, to the time you get to Acts 19 where it says, “all of Asia heard the Word of the Lord” - the time-line is only 25 years! Most of our churches and Sunday school classes are older than 25 years and yet our communities go by the wayside because there is no expectation of us leading people to Christ.
When we get a burden (not for the lost) but for Christ to come and transform us into what He wants us to be, then winning the lost will be a result of that surrender. When our normal conversation is about Jesus more than it is about anything else, the lost will be a result of our time spent with Christ.
I believe it is time we start holding each other accountable about sharing our faith. I believe each one of our Sunday school classes need to start expecting to hear stories about how we got to share our faith with someone during the course of the week and maybe how they came to know Christ as Savior. I wonder what our classes, churches, and communities would look like if we became intentional about our faith and actually expected our classes to lead people to Christ. It may take 25 years to turn your community upside down but it can start today! Remember Jesus said, “I am with you ALWAYS!”
