The Seventh Day Adventist Church is an organized denomination that runs almost the same program worldwide. There are two major sections on Saturday; the Sabbath School and Divine Service.
Sabbath School is one of the most important parts of Sabbath because it gives Adventist members the opportunity for fellowship, mission understanding, outreach and one of the greatest parts, Bible study and discussion.
There is no Sabbath School without a Sabbath School Quarterly Lessons.
Here is the latest Sabbath School Quarterly Lessons
Sabbath School Biggest Threat
One of the biggest threat faced in Sabbath School is members not showing up on time. What percentage of your church members arrive at Sabbath School early, 100 percent? 80 percent? 50 percent? 20 percent? 10 percent? Recently I started visiting churches around the nation, I noticed that Sabbath School starts on time, but the percentage of Sabbath School members present at the beginning of the Service was less than 50 percent. What do you think is the problem? The church? Sabbath School officials or the members?
Here are some ways to draw people early to Sabbath School.
Let’s carefully consider the following suggestion:
1. Prayer
The first and the most efficient way to make members to come early to Sabbath School is prayer. The Sabbath School superintendent and his officials must see the need to organize prayers for themselves and Sabbath School members.
Prayer points includes:
Spiritual growth for all members- coming early to church is an indication that the spiritual health of your members is good.
Also pray for membership attendance and also for new convert to come into the church through Sabbath School. Other prayer points can be included.
2. Planning
Going through the creation story, you will realize that God is very organized. From creation of light down to creation of man and the rest on the seventh day. The master planner desires that we lay careful plans for every aspect of His work. This plans includes drawing people to Sabbath School on time.
As a Sabbath School superintendent, you need to plan on how to make your members be in church early. In doing this, you need to know your base and ask yourself the following questions: How many members do you have? How many arrive early last year? Last month? What is your specific goal for this year? How are you going to achieve it this year? Remember, you get what you work for.
3. Get a Good Plan
One of the best ways to get Sabbath School members to come early to church is for them to see that you have good plans for them.
Here are some suggestions:
Call one another tactics- The Sabbath School superintendent should encourage Sabbath School members to call at least one person on Friday evening. Sabbath School staff, teachers should try and call one person and invite him/her to come early to Sabbath School. These calls are just to show concern and love for one another.[AdSense-A]
Good Example Tactics- It will be a bad example if members of the Sabbath School crews arrives late to church. They should arrive early and welcome the members.
Get a Yearly Calendar- Nothing is as nice as when the Sabbath School members sees a plan for the year or for the month. Especially when the programs are nice and they are in our church bulletin.
Sweeter Beginning- Organize special musical presentation or special features early in your program, right after opening prayer. Make sure the members are aware of this programs, announce it the week before.
I Wish Tactics- Make them wish that they had come earlier. Recap the morning activities at the end of the Sabbath School program.
Appreciation Tactics- Always appreciate those that arrive early, if possible give them gift
And finally, always make them to look forward to next week Sabbath School.
4.Evaluation
There is every need for the Sabbath School council to periodically evaluate its program. They need to know if their tactics are working or not, if the Sabbath School is meeting the need of the Sabbath School members, if they are meeting the objective of the Sabbath School. Regular Evaluation will help the Sabbath School crew to discover ways to improve the Sabbath School programs. By God’s grace, with these few step coming late to Sabbath School will drastically reduce.