But We Have Adult Sunday School!

I'm frequently asked what should be done to launch small groups in churches where there is an existing adult Sunday school program.  Is it an issue?  Yes.  Does it complicate the project?  Only slightly.  Is there a solution?  Yes.

Here is my prescription:

1. You'll need to gather some important information.  Three questions.  (1) What is your average adult worship service attendance?  What was your Easter adult worship service attendance?  What is your average attendance in your adult Sunday School?  Why these three questions?  They should give you an idea about the percentage of your adults that are NOT connected to an adult Sunday School class.
2. Survey your adult Sunday school department or class leadership to find out a very specific detail.  Here is the question: Who was the last person who became a regular attendee in your class who didn't come straight from another Sunday school class somewhere else?  Why ask this question?  Adults who are not currently giving you 2 1/2 to 3 hours on Sunday are very unlikely to begin.  I've been asking this question for the last 4 years and have yet to discover a single person who began attending a Sunday school class once they were already an adult.  At the same time, across the country there is increasing evidence that a neighbor is much more likely to walk across the street to come to a group meeting in your home than to walk into an unknown lobby in an auditorium.
3. Recognize that in order to engage the unconnected members and attendees in your congregation you will need to try a new thing.  Two important quotes illustrate this point:

"Your ministry is perfectly designed to give you the results you are currently getting."  Andy Stanley  (If you're only engaging 50% of your adults right now...more of the same will not get the unconnected into the game.)

"The significant problems we face won't be solved by the same level of thinking we were at when we created them."  Albert Einstein  (Moving to a new place will require doing new things.)

Is this a pain-free prescription?  No.  However, if you believe that life-on-life is where life-change happens...reluctance to help the unconnected for fear of upsetting the status quo is irresponsible.