SS attendance

[Gerr]

Yes, there is too much surface study of the lesson. Any suggestions as to how to encourage people to study more deeply?

[Woody]

Yes, there is too much surface study of the lesson. Any suggestions as to how to encourage people to study more deeply?

Gerry. I don't know if I know the answer. In my SS ... each person just has it within themselves .... that desire. But how to foster that in others?

Here is a thought:

Find two or three in your church who have a love and passion for Christ. Get them to be devoted to a conspiracy of passion to light a fire for the other members. What I mean is - have a group of two or three who are willing to study the lesson deeply and will share their excitement with the group. When you have two or three who are willing to say : "this is what excited ME about the lesson ..." then the others will want to explore it more and see what can excite THEM.

[cricket]

Concerning the SS lesson: Let the people speak. In my experience, one or two people will monopolize the conversation and the rest of the people can only get a word in edge-wise. Additionally, recognize the content of what people are saying--don't put a spin on it to suit the needs of the lesson--and recognize the individuals who have spoken thus. One of the many reasons I no longer attend church is that I was never "heard" in the SS lesson time; enough was enough and eventually I learned to stop speaking.

[Woody]

Cricket - what you have stated is extremely important. Cannot be emphasized enough. In my SS ... due to the character of the people present - we don't have that issue. But you are right - the vast majority of the time - it IS an issue. And the only solution is a highly skilled teacher - to be able to control that.

[joeb]

Yes. What the people need/want/crave, is substance.

This doesn't require getting rid of the quarterly. A good SS teacher doesn't stop where the quarterly ends. That's just the beginning of the study for a good teacher.

I've taught SS classes, and they were pretty good size for the size of the church: probably between 1/3-1/2 of the total attendance was in my classes and there were 4 classes in each case. I taught by asking questions and getting everyone in the class involved in asking questions and thinking, and we rarely, if ever, stopped where the SS quarterly stopped. We explored substance and people loved it. I've actually had classes that went through the entire church service time. Nobody wanted to stop what we were doing.

People are hungry for God's word. It just needs to be presented in a way that addresses their spiritual needs, and our number one need, as always, is Jesus.

[LynnDel]

I have heard of prayer groups where the leader limits the group to a certain size, with no additions to the group allowed. If anyone asks to join, they are told, "Our group is full, but you are welcome to start your own, and this is how it's done..." The word is that this approach is very successful. I wonder how a similar approach would work for some Sabbath School classes, including requiring a commitment to study. I'm thinking it wouldn't work (too much of a clique/club atmosphere that shuts people out), but one can dream about having a committed group.

[Gerr]

Concerning the SS lesson: Let the people speak. In my experience, one or two people will monopolize the conversation .....

We have someone right now who makes some very good comments but the problem is that one could summarize in a few sentences what takes him 3 minutes or more to express. How do you cut off such a one without offending them?

[cricket]

Beats me! Perhaps pulling him aside and asking him to allow others to speak up as well? Or maybe asking him to help you figure out a way to get others to speak up more; thus making him "privy" to the problem at hand and more aware of the issue?

[joeb]

Concerning the SS lesson: Let the people speak. In my experience, one or two people will monopolize the conversation and the rest of the people can only get a word in edge-wise.

This is easily taken care of.

Everyone who wants to speak has to raise their hand and be acknowledged before they can speak. Thus the teacher controls who speaks and when. As a teacher it's pretty easy to say that one or two people have had their say and it's someone else's turn to participate as the group is there so everyone gets a chance to speak up and make their voice heard.

When class members realize this is really what is wanted everyone starts to speak out. True, it takes a little while before people will really believe it, but it does work. My classes had at least 80% participation, and the newbies to church and SS felt comfortable enough to speak out.

[LifeHiscost]

I'm of the opinion that once it is recognized that the time we spend together on Sabbath is at God's invitation, how someone else speaks up or how much time they spend talking when seen done at God's invitation also, it is up to me to see that I make effort to adapt the best I can to those who were invited by the same Person Who invited me.

That, of course, does not mean every one else will go away happy but it does mean no one will be stifled on my account.

"A gentle answer deflects anger,

but harsh words make tempers flare.

The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing,

but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness.

The Lord is watching everywhere,

keeping his eye on both the evil and the good."

Proverbs 15:1-3 NLT

God cares!

[joeb]

I'm of the opinion that once it is recognized that the time we spend together on Sabbath is at God's invitation, how someone else speaks up or how much time they spend talking when seen done at God's invitation also, it is up to me to see that I make effort to adapt the best I can to those who were invited by the same Person Who invited me.

That, of course, does not mean every one else will go away happy but it does mean no one will be stifled on my account.

"A gentle answer deflects anger,

but harsh words make tempers flare.

The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing,

but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness.

The Lord is watching everywhere,

keeping his eye on both the evil and the good."

Proverbs 15:1-3 NLT

God cares!

There's a lot of ways to stifle people, and one way is to let an aggressive, dominating personality have their own way at the exclusion of everyone else.

I'm married to someone who will sit in the background and go away feeling walked on because the very outgoing personality walks all over her chance to speak. It's a hard task sometimes to get the wallflowers to speak out, but many times their input is some of the best there is.

[LifeHiscost]

Granted. But it was not the wall flowers that won the battles in Joshua's day. It was the one who recognized it was the Lord's battle and went on to perform the best they knew how, while letting God do what He knew how to do best.

God cares!

[joeb]

Granted. But it was not the wall flowers that won the battles in Joshua's day. It was the one who recognized it was the Lord's battle and went on to perform the best they knew how, while letting God do what He knew how to do best.

God cares!

I agree with your point too, but, and it seems there is always a but.

Not every person who walks into a SS class is under the Lord's control. It would be nice if it were so, but it isn't. And, it's very often those who would trample on the rights of others, and force their views on others, who are the most outspoken.

[Liz]

Here's my two cents. Don't get rid of the program before the lesson. I just recently left a church that started the lesson promptly at 9:30 and went to 10:30, no song service, no mission story, no nothing. The church I attend now, does have a 20-30 minute program and I love every minute of it.

Next, if you do decide to ditch the quarterly and study something else, by all means make enough copies so that the people can study it during the week and be able to bring thoughts and ideas to class. To me, there is nothing more boring than having a sermon before the sermon, because the teacher went off on his own and the class has no way to participate.

Just my experience. :)

[cricket]

Granted. But it was not the wall flowers that won the battles in Joshua's day. It was the one who recognized it was the Lord's battle and went on to perform the best they knew how, while letting God do what He knew how to do best.

God cares!

Who was that? Who was the one who won the Lord's battle?

[LynnDel]

Many churches no longer have a SS program, because members wanted to come just for the lesson.

I agree that a lecture-type Sabbath School class is just like another sermon, and unless well done, one sermon per morning is about all I can handle. Sabbath School lesson monologues are common, with or without the use of a quarterly. Teachers need to learn to ask questions and then pause forever, until someone starts responding! They also need to learn how to squelch the constant talker. One teacher I know does it well. He says, "We've already heard from you, Lester, so this next question is for someone else." Lester keeps quiet for awhile...

[Gregory Matthews]

I would need to be looking at a bulliten to give you accurate figures. I attend a church that probably has about 8 adult SS Classes. Each SS Class has the authority to structure the class as sthey desire. Some go by the Quarterly. Some are focused on specific adult groups.

I attend one that is different. The teacher changes every week or so. The teacher choses what to do. It may be the quarterly. It may be something entirely different. The class that I attend can have 25 or so people attending. It usually has a very lively discussion. Those who attend comprise a range in understanding of the Bible. It usually has at least one non-SDA participating. Sometines it has more. Those who attend come from different places on the socieo-ecconomic scale. It often has people from differing racial/ethnic backgrounds.

P{erhaps there is a learning point here?

[Jeannieb43]

Teachers need to learn to ask questions and then pause forever, until someone starts responding! They also need to learn how to squelch the constant talker. One teacher I know does it well. He says, "We've already heard from you, Lester, so this next question is for someone else." Lester keeps quiet for awhile...

Great idea!

[Woody]

Many churches no longer have a SS program, because members wanted to come just for the lesson.

I agree that a lecture-type Sabbath School class is just like another sermon, and unless well done, one sermon per morning is about all I can handle. Sabbath School lesson monologues are common, with or without the use of a quarterly. Teachers need to learn to ask questions and then pause forever, until someone starts responding! They also need to learn how to squelch the constant talker. One teacher I know does it well. He says, "We've already heard from you, Lester, so this next question is for someone else." Lester keeps quiet for awhile...

[thx4mercy]

Teachers need to learn to ask questions and then pause forever, until someone starts responding! They also need to learn how to squelch the constant talker. One teacher I know does it well. He says, "We've already heard from you, Lester, so this next question is for someone else." Lester keeps quiet for awhile...

I'm tempted to print this and give to my SS class teacher. This is a great idea. It's a rare one that has what it takes to "control" a class.

[Gerr]

So far I have not as yet considered ditching

the quarterly. We have 5 teachers in the rotation. I like that because it allows each teacher enough time to prepare. It also allows the class exposure to different methods and ideas. It is that part of the program before the lesson that I am most concerned about.

[LynnDel]

My personal preference is for a class that has the same teacher from week to week, with maybe a substitute now and then. That way the class develops a sense of expectation and continuity, and patterns of sharing and discussion that is not interrupted by constant change. The best classes I have attended have always been those who had the same teacher just about every week.

I have wondered if trading off monthly or even quarterly would be a good alternative, since the thought of teaching week to week might scare off many potential teachers.

LD

[LynnDel]

I should mention that I have stopped attending the SS at my church, because this year they changed to having a combined lesson study time in the sanctuary -- a great big class. They are pretty good at being as interactive as possible, but I don't find the depth of discussion I like, or the follow-up on comments that makes for fascinating Bible study. I think they are making a move back to making an option of some smaller classes, and if they do, I will start going early enough for SS again. Otherwise, I gain as much from watching SS class on TV and more from in-depth study on my own than I might from going to a very large class where everyone sits in pews and someone runs around with a microphone to people who make disconnected comments.

The only person I have seen who is really good at effectively running this kind of class is Bill Liversidge. He makes people think, and he doesn't accept just superficial answers to his questions.

[Gregory Matthews]

As I see it, the lesson from these various posts is: PEople differ in their needs. THe SS CLass should be adapted to the differing people. Have a variety. Let the individuals decide.

[cricket]

As I see it, the lesson from these various posts is: PEople differ in their needs. THe SS CLass should be adapted to the differing people. Have a variety. Let the individuals decide.