The Sunday School Guy Podcast

Zoom fatigue is real, and it's a real challenge for people leading and attending online Bible study groups. In this episode I share seven ways for you and your group members to win the war against Zoom fatigue.

In this episode I share the 10 common factors found in fast-growing Sunday School churches. These 10 factors have been around for a while, but sadly we may not pay them the attention we should. The 10 factors were found in the fastest growing churches in Georgia, as documented by leaders at the Georgia Baptist Convention, and published in the book Keys Strategies for Healthy Sunday Schools.

Don't have the memory of an elephant? No problem! In this episode I share 5 ways you can more easily remember the names of people you meet. Let's end those awkward moments and panic attacks that happen when we run into someone we've previously met, but now we can't remember their name. All you have to do is: Use the 3X rule Associate the name Rhyme it Write it down Use facial recognition  

In this episode I talk through some reasons why we shouldn't have the funeral for Sunday School just yet. Sunday School isn't going away any time soon, and it is poised to make a comeback in post-COVID 19 America. After the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1917-1919, churches experienced rapid growth in Bible study groups and in worship services. Could we be on the verge of this again in 2020?

Churches are on the verge of reopening their doors to worshipers. Now is the time to make financial investments that will benefit the church as she regathers for worship, Bible study, and ministry. In this episode, I share 5 investments that could make a significant difference for many churches in the area of (1) technology (2) cleaning and sanitizing (3) training (4) disposable masks (5) benevolence ministry.

In this episode we'll consider 5 ways to boost discussion in Bible study groups. If your group sits in rows, this episode will be especially helpful in creating a new "conversational community" when you gather for Bible study. You're in control of your room and your group, and with a few minor changes, you can watch - or rather listen - to the conversations take off! Check out my blog post at kenbraddy.com (May 13 post) about boosting discussion in your online group!

In this episode, I share six reasons why bigger isn't better when it comes to Bible study groups. If you want to make disciples, downsize for discipleship! That's the way Jesus made disciples - He spent his days with his group of 12 disciples and an inner group of three. Smaller groups are better because: 1. Smaller groups can meet anywhere. 2. Smaller groups increase "conversational community." 3. Smaller groups help people connect. 4. Smaller groups are easier to teach. 5. Smaller groups keep people from falling through the cracks. 6. Small groups are places where discipleship takes place.   Book mentioned: 3 Roles for Guiding Groups 

Every Bible study group is going to have dropouts - people who go AWOL (Absent Without Leave). If you're a group dropout, it can be very difficult to get reconnected. Teachers and group members often don't know what to do in order to reclaim former, active group members. In this episode I share 10 ways to reengage group dropouts.   

Every group leader battles burnout at some time or another. Is this your story right now? Do you know anyone fighting ministry fatigue? In this episode I share 5 ways to deal with burnout.  1. Take a sabbatical 2. Talk to God 3. Seek godly counsel 4. Talk with others 5. Realize you are not a failure

In this episode I talk about three important words that savvy group leaders say all the time. These three little words are game changers for Bible study leaders in several different ways. If you aren't using them, it's time to start!

In this episode I reveal 10 ways to call attention to your church's Sunday School ministry. Most guests begin a journey of exploration at your church in the worship service, but we both know they need to make their way into a small group Bible study experience. How will you intentionally lift up your church's Bible teaching options to them? 1. Pray for a class and its teacher every week. 2. Interview an individual or a family on stage. 3. Have an annual commissioning service. 4. Preach a sermon series on groups and the importance of belonging to a Bible study class. 5. Feature one group and its teacher every week in your worship bulletin. 6. Create a special "Sunday School registration card." 7. Promote upcoming Bible study series used by your groups to generate interest. 8. Preach a sermon series that aligns with your adult group's curriculum series. 9. Encourage guests to stay and visit a Bible study group after the worship service. 10. Nudge people to attend a group instead of the worship service, especially those people who give the church only one hour on Sunday.

In this episode I'm joined by four experts in Christian education and church ministry: Tod Tanner, Michael Atkinson, Bret Tolbert, and Shannon Eads. These men are some of LifeWay's "Church Partners," men who know the church, are in church offices daily to speak with pastors and other leaders, and men who see trends coming before the rest of us do. They share their knowledge of what's happening now because of COVID-19, and how that is impacting the church and its Bible teaching ministries.  

In this episode I'm joined by four education leaders from around the country who discuss the effects of COVID-19 on the present and future state of Sunday School and discipleship ministries. These practitioners are discipleship leaders in their churches, and recognized for their experience and expertise in leading group ministries. On the podcast with me in this episode are: Alan Folsom - Georgia Brian Fillingim - South Carolina Rick McKinney - Arkansas Kevin Freeman - Maryland

We're in a presidential election year, and political conversations are going to take place in your Bible study group. Just like the guarantee of death and taxes, letting those conversations go unchecked is sure to cause division and tension in your group. In this episode I share 6 tips for making sure that politics doesn't become an explosive issue when you gather for Bible study. 1. Set ground rules 2. Acknowledge that the two major political parties are represented in your group 3. Agree there are no perfect candidates 4. Pursue the biblical mandate of peace 5. Agree to disagree 6. Only allow a political conversation if it directly relates to the Bible study at hand

In this episode I am joined by David Apple and Alan Raughton, Church Ministry Specialists at LifeWay Christian Resources. With a combined total of 50+ years of church staff and experience as LifeWay adult trainers, David and Alan help us understand two big things: 1. How are Sunday School groups teaching and studying during COVID-19 "shelter in place" and social distancing mandates? 2. Why is it important for groups to use an ongoing type of Bible study curriculum, especially now during COVID-19?

In this episode, I make the connection between Brussel sprouts, Bible study, and better Bible teaching (yes, they connect!).  Dr. Robert Pazmino, a well-known Christian educator, told a story of a Thanksgiving meal in which his son, an aspiring chef, begged the family for an opportunity to bring his favorite dish - Brussel sprouts. Dr. Pazmino was not a fan of the vegetable because of its bitter taste, but his son talked him into allowing him to create the dish. Dr. Pazmino was invited by his son to his home to take part in cooking the dish, and it was then that Dr. Pazmino learned a great lesson he related to his current group of university students: preparation makes all the difference! Dr. Pazmino was given a small melon scoop and was directed to scoop out the core of the vegetable (the most bitter part). His son wrapped the vegetables in bacon, baked them in the oven, and the family devoured them! Pazmino admitted it was one of the best lessons he had ever learned. Preparation is key in cooking, and in Bible study. Too many group leaders take preparation shortcuts and don't put in the proper preparation time. Because preparation is essential, here are three tips that I elaborate on in this episode: 1) Start early 2) Study daily  3) Sleep deeply

During these days of COVID-19, online services and Bible studies, and social distancing, group leaders must serve their groups well in one way if they truly care for them. I wrote about this in my book Three Roles for Guiding Groups available from LifeWay. Shepherding is one of the oldest professions in the world. It is first mentioned in Genesis 4:2 in regards to Abel. Shepherding language influenced biblical writers: God is referred to as a shepherd (Psalm 78:52) Leaders of God's people were described as shepherds (I Kings 22:17) Jesus called himself a shepherd (Luke 12:32) Jesus called himself the Good Shepherd (John 10:10ff) Psalm 23 uses shepherd imagery throughout   Amos 3:12 is a prophetic verse, but embedded in it is a little-known fact about shepherds. That little-known fact is vitally important to group leaders everywhere today. Amos 3:12 says:  12 This is what the Lord says: “As a shepherd rescues from the lion's mouth     only two leg bones or a piece of an ear, so will the Israelites living in Samaria be rescued,     with only the head of a bed     and a piece of fabric from a couch.”   Why would a shepherd wrestle away a piece of a dead sheep from a predator? The answer: the shepherd is not the owner. The shepherd works for a master, and is accountable to him for each sheep entrusted to him. As group leaders today, you and I are temporary shepherds/stewards of God's people, His sheep. He's the Owner/Master, not us. We are responsible for the sheep he temporarily gives us to shepherd. Therefore, we must watch them carefully, love them, and protect them - especially during the isolation taking place during COVID-19 "shelter in place" days.

With more and more churches going online for worship, what about groups? If you're a group leader and want an interactive way to teach a Bible study during the COVID-19 crisis, ZOOM is a good tool that allows people to interact online in a safe environment. You can get a free version at zoom.us  In this episode of The Sunday School Guy podcast, I share 12 tips for using ZOOM to teach an online Bible study.  Tip 1: Shorten your content – less is more! Reduce your classroom content by about 40-50% Tip 2: Plan for discussion – people need to talk, especially these days of social isolation. A good discussion question will take 3-5 minutes for people to respond Tip 3: Use a headset or microphone for clarity Tip 4: Lighting should be positioned to the front or side of you, not behind you Tip 5: Look directly at the webcam, not you're screen, when you're talking Tip 6:  Mute your microphone if you're not speakingTip 7: Don't use a Zoom virtual background unless you have a green screen. Use simple backgrounds, and make sure clutter is minimized or it will be distracting Tip 8: Check the “chat” feature regularly Tip 9: Use Zoom's annotation tools to highlight or call attention to things on the screen that are particularly important Tip 10:  Use “gallery view” when you have a smaller number of attendees. Tip 11:  Share your screen when appropriate Tip 12: Set ground rules at the beginning of your Zoom meeting