Training of VBC Sunday School TeamPart Two
04 Feb 2011 04:04 pm
One person who really stands out as helping to grow the Chestnut Hill's Sunday School is Mr. Rex Angel. Rex was the director of the Youth Division of Sunday School. He has been faithfully performing these duties for 12 years before I arrived on the scene. I took the time to observe the operation of the Youth Sunday School for a couple of months. During this time I witnessed faithful volunteers who worked hard but whose methods were woefully outdated. Sunday would begin with a large group session where Mr. Angel would give a story illustration to attempt to create in the teens an interest the the days Bible lesson. The problem is the teens referred to these as adult stories. They were good but just did not connect with the lives of teenagers. It was with fear and some trepidation that I approached this distinguished, goodhearted Virginia gentleman who had been working for so long with my suggestions that we change how Youth Sunday School was being carried out. I expected a good tongue lashing for my lack of appreciation for his ministry of 12 years. What I received was the humble and gracious response, "Nick you are the Youth Pastor, I will do whatever you think is needed to improve our Sunday School. Did you catch his statement? "Whatever it takes." I have never received such a response in all the years of my ministry since. The whatever it takes led to weekly workers' meetings that met not before but after prayer meeting each Wednesday night. The entire Youth Sunday School team would attend. As a result the Youth Sunday School attendance doubled. The teens were so enthusiastic that some parents complained that before they could finish dressing on Sunday morinings, their teens would be sitting in the car blowing the car horn. This led to weekly meeings of the Adult Division as well. The result was an excitement about Sunday School that led to unprecedented growth for a sleepy Lynchburg Baptist Church. This is the challenge Dr. Martin, Mr. Michael Brown , and myself are lifting up to each of our Sunday School teachers, "Whatever it takes." Will you accept the challenge? It will require sacrifice in your schedule but it will result in great success as together we offer Christ more than good or excellence but our best. Do you want to grow a great Sunday School class or are you satisfied with the status quo. If you want to truly be effective then answer the call "WHATEVER IT TAKES!"
By : nick | Category: Commentary | Comments [0]
Training of VBC Sunday School Team
04 Feb 2011 03:37 pm
Welcome to the Educational Blog for the Village Baptist Sunday School team. This blog exists for the purpose of assisting in the training of our Sunday School teachers and leadership team members. A little about myself, Pastor Nick, Minister of Education and Children at Village, and my journey. I accepted Christ as a teenager at Massey Hill Baptist Church on Southern Avenue here in my hometown of Fayetteville. I accepted Christ under the ministry of the Reverend Curtis Nester. God also began to prepare my heart to accept His calling during Pastor Nester's ministry. The pastor would bring in missionaries to share during Sunday School and worship. I felt an urging to share the good news of Christ and interpreted this to be a calling to be a missionary. Unfortunately, something happened that led to Pastor Nester's leaving Massey Hill before I could share this with him. He was followed by the Reverend Carroll J. Calvert under whom's ministry in 1975 I surrendered to the call of full time ministry here at home rather than in a foreigh land. The Holy Spirit impressed on me early on the hurting that is around us. We have not yet reached our nation with the good news yet so my calling was to be working here in the United States. I commend those who feel called beyond our borders as God in his omniscience calls His children to work locations according to His plans.
My ministry officially began back in 1980 at the Fair Bluff Baptist Church in Fair Bluff, North Carolina. The pastor I was privileged to work with there was the Reverend Ray Lundy. I serve under his pastorate as the Minister of Education and Children. This ministry was during my college years at Campbell University. Following my graduation from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary I served as Mission Pastor for the church which today is First Baptist of Linden, NC. The Lord then sent me in 1985 to Immanuel Baptist of Fayetteville under the ministry of the Reverend John Cuthill. I served there as the Minister of Education and Youth. In 1987 I was called to serve in the commonwealth of Virginia as the Minister of Education and Youth at the Chestnut Hill Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia. The pastor I was privileged to serve with was the Dr. Bruce O. Martin. He became my mentor as well. Under Dr. Martin's ministry I began for the first time to study church growth. Chestnut Hill was a tough place to serve in many ways as many of the people were clanish and distrustful of outsiders. Both the pastor and I were from the strange land of North Carolina so the battle for accetance was to be fought constantly. However the more enlightened ones who were gracious and accepting. It is with these that we were able to work with and apply what we were learning. The Lord blessed and the Church grew in an area where most Baptist Churches were in serious decline. I am thankful those willing spirits who worked with us. (Carl Hale, Calvin Falwell, E.A. Thomas and his wife Lois, Susan Barley and her dad George as well as many others. They had a love for Christ that led them to follow two young ministers and do whatever it took to grow a Church.
By : nick | Category: Commentary | Comments [0]
The Heart of Sunday School
31 Mar 2010 10:41 am
Once there was a man who received word from his cardiologist that he had a 99% blockage in one of the arteries which fed blood to his heart. The doctor then shared with him the good news the situation was correctable. All the man needed to do was to work with his health care providers as a team player. If he would take their lead and do as they instructed then he should be able to return to his normal activities. The man received the good news and did as his doctor instructed, had surgery, changed his lifestyle habits which led to the blockage and now lives with a new lease on life.
Once there was another man who received the news that he too had a blockage of 99% in one of his arteries. His doctor also shared with him the good news that his situation was correctable. All he needed to do was to work with his health care providers as a team player. If he would take their lead and do as they instructed then he should be able to return to his normal activities. The man refused to listen. He refused the surgery and made no lifestyle changes. The good news had fallen on deaf ears. The man died within six months of his diagnosis. Which of these men would you consider a wise man? The choice is obvious as the one who listened to the advice of his doctor lived.
The heart of our Sunday School is the good news of the gospel of Christ. The heart thrives on that good news when it is shared by every Sunday School class. The result of this sharing leads to healthy growth and vitality. Unfortunately in some of our classes the good news is stifled because we are not organized to receive new persons with whom to share the good news of the gospel. In these classes there exists a blockage in the artery which leads to the heart of our Sunday School. Perhaps fellowship has replaced the sharing of the good news with the lost and now fellowship is a blockage to our health and well being. Perhaps in some we are more directed toward fulfilling a few missions projects each year that take precedence over inviting the lost to be a part of our class so that we may share the gospel with them. Or maybe it is that we are just content with attending our class and worship with no real concern for the lost. I do not know what the blockage may be but I know it exists in any class where the teacher is expected to do it all from teaching to reaching. Recently all of our teachers were given the leadership material necessary to organize their classes to effectively fulfill all functions from teaching to fellowshipping to sharing the good news with the lost. Many have already organized but others have met with resistance from a seeming lack of interest on the part of their class members to take a team player position. The result will be a blockage which will hinder us from effectively sharing the good news of the gospel. One teacher said recently, "Nick my class is not interested and it fatigues me." Please relieve some of the burden from your teacher today by taking a position on your class leadership team.
By : nick | Category: Commentary | Comments [0]
Village Baptist "A" Team
23 Feb 2010 06:26 pm
It is my goal and my dream "that Jesus may come to be first place in everything," just as it says in Colossians 1:18. First in our hearts; first in our thoughts; first in our desires; first in our families; first in our careers; first in our friendships; and certainly first in our church. I call our Sunday School Leadership the "A" team because we are to be out front leading others to put Christ first in their lives. Many will come to know Christ as their personal Savior and will make Him Lord of their lives because of your commitment to putting Christ first in all things. Afterall it was Jesus who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists and some to be pastors and teachers. In Sunday School we need those gifts. We need those who have the special ability of winning people to Christ. We need those who can help others trust Jesus as their Savior. We need those who have the gift of caring for God's people as a shepherd cares for his sheep. We need those who can lead and teach the ways of God. We need those with the gift of intercession who can lead us to take all things to our God in prayer. We need those who have the gift of hospitality and can lead us to develop stronger bonds with one another through fellowship. We need those who can keep us on track through clerical and administrative skills. "Why is it that God has given us these special abilities to do certain things best? It's so that God's people will be equipped to do better work for Him, building up the church, the body of Christ, to a position of strength and maturity," according to Ephesians 4:11-12. Let's put Christ first in everything as the Village Baptist A Team
By : nick | Category: Commentary | Comments [0]
SUCCESSFUL SUNDAY SCHOOL REQUIRES A PLAN MAN
23 Feb 2010 02:12 pm
Some years ago my wife taught me a valuable lesson about plant life. Luscious green blooming plants do not just happen by chance. Theresa and I had been married four years when I began to notice that each year we would purchase hanging baskets and each year they would dry out and die. One day we purchased a beautiful plant that literally burst forth cascading down the sides of the basket. I will not call the name of the plant as I can only remember its nickname which might offend some in a particular people group. We were assured that this plant was very easy to care for and should live for years with minimal care. The plant died. 
In frustration, I called The Plantry over near Arabia. The gentleman was very nice and was shocked that anyone could kill this particular plant. He even said, "those plants are impossible to kill." Well not so in my house. We talked further and he explained that this particular plant was one which thrived on feast or famine treatment. It required very little water so one was to water it only when the soil around it had been allowed to begin to dry. Then the plant needed water. Do this and the plant would thrive. Eureka! Succesful plant life requires a plan man! 
Different plants need different treatments in regard to food, water, soil, and light. Attend to these needs with a well researched and thought out plan and the benefits to growth will come.
This lesson from everyday life would well be heeded by those of us who are the leadership of Village Baptist Sunday School. Sunday School is a living organization in which successful and beneficial growth will come if we carefully nurture it. Sunday School is built on relationships. The relationships of our members with one another and our relationship with Jesus Christ. All that we do must take this into account. Our goal should be to strengthen those relationships. Consider what Wayne Jones said in his book, Overcoming Barriers To Sunday School Growth.
"Organization is placing the right people and things in proper relationship with one another to acheive growth. Organization is not what we do to people but what we do with people. People are the reason for organization. Organization merely helps put people and things in the kind of relationship where both are mutually benefited by the other."The larger purpose of Sunday School which is to lead people into a right relationship with Jesus Christ through acceptance of His salvation and then leading them to grow as disciples of Christ. Our organiztion is intended to help break this purpose down into more manageable portions so together we can acheive our overall purpose. This plan utilizes all of our gifts and skills. The organization will only lead to growth if we nurture and attend to it just as diligently as we care for a plant. Let's work the plan man.
By : nick | Category: Commentary | Comments [0]
