Kansas Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists (KNCSB)

Sunday School: a bridge, not a fort

Wayne Poling, Sunday School specialist with LifeWay, brought enthusiasm and a wealth of knowledge to the National Sunday School Directors Seminar in Omaha.

Sunday School should be a bridge that connects lost people to Christ.

A breakout seminar during the National Sunday School Director Seminar focused on “Connecting Your Sunday School with the Unchurched.” The event was held recently at Eastern Nebraska Baptist Association in Omaha.

Dean Abernathy urged the Sunday School directors to look at ways they can help their churches reach out through Sunday School. He is a Sunday School specialist at LifeWay Christian Resources.

Abernathy based his remarks on the book, “The Unchurched Next Door” by Thom Rainer, president of LifeWay.

A Profile of the Unchurched:

• The unchurched are not anti-church.
 
• Most unchurched persons believe in heaven and hell.
 
• Moments during or immediately after a crisis provide key opportunities to share Christ. “These crisis times are when a person is more receptive to hearing the truth,” Abernathy said. Churches need to minister during crises in order to earn the right to share the gospel.
 
• They are nervous but willing to discuss matters of faith.
 
• Most have a fairly high view of the Bible.
 
• Most would rather talk to a layperson than a minister about religious matters.
 
• Easter is still a key time to invite the unchurched to attend church.
 
• Many wonder why Christian neighbors/co-workers do not invite them to church.
 
• Most of the unchurched have a spiritual view of life.

10 Surprises about the Unchurched:

• Most prefer to attend on Sunday morning if they attend.
 
• Females are likely to be the most antagonistic or the most receptive to the gospel.
 
• Most of the unchurched feel guilty about not attending church.
 
• 82 percent are at least somewhat likely to attend church if invited.
 
• Very few have had someone share with them how to become a Christian—Christians are not particularly influential in their lives.
 
• Most have a positive view of pastors, ministers and the church.
 
• Some types of “cold calls” are effective; many are not.
 
• The unchurched would like to develop a real and sincere relationship with a Christian.
 
• Their attitudes may not be correlated to where they live, their ethnic or racial background or their gender.
 
• Many are far more concerned about the spiritual well being of their children than of themselves.