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434 Esther Díaz-Bolet

tations for the servants of God, and formulated an action plan, con- taining the essential elements discussed in this chapter. The church experienced a transformation from the inside out as congregational leaders and staff equipped and unleashed the members to accomplish God’s purpose for their lives and for the church.

If your church is afflicted with the volunteer blues, you, too, may discover a different tune when the church appropriates the practical principles found in this chapter. Although their implementation may need to be customized to your church culture and needs, the prin- ciples are universal. Let me encourage you to take these principles to heart. Begin working with the staff and experienced leaders by praying first and then identifying ways to effect the changes needed. Imagine each member ministering as God intended, growing spiritu- ally, building up the body of Christ, and bringing glory to God.

And may we hear the Lord say, “Well done, good and faithful ser- vant!” (Mark 23:26).

discussion Questions

(a) Describe your theology of service. (b) What role does a the-1. ology of service play in the development of a church volunteer ministry? Discuss the role of the staff in equipping congregational leaders 2. to serve in the church. Discuss ways we can encourage lay ministers (a) to commit to 3. serve in the church and (b) to recruit other volunteers. (a) Describe your experience as a church volunteer. (b) Were 4. there factors that encouraged or discouraged you in your ser- vice? Explain. (a) List the seven elements of a strategy to equip lay leaders 5. and describe how well your church implements each one. (b) Compare your descriptions with the chapter content and pro- vide recommendations for improvement where applicable.

Bibliography

Anderson, Lynn. They Smell like Sheep, Volume 2. New York: Howard, 2007.

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Yount, William. The Teaching Ministry of the Church : Second Edition, B&H Publishing Group, 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/amridge/detail.action?docID=665100. Created from amridge on 2021-03-30 13:40:05.

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MinisTering alongside volunTeers 435

Blanchard, Ken, and Mark Miller. The Secret: What Great Leaders Know and Do. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler, 2007.

Gangel, Kenneth O. Feeding and Leading. Wheaton: Victor, 1989. Mallory, Sue. The Equipping Church: Serving Together to Transform

Lives. Grand Rapids: zondervan, 2001. Nelson, Gustav. Service Is the Point: Members as Ministers to the

World. Nashville: Abingdon, 2000. Pinsoneault, Donna. Attracting and Managing Volunteers. Liguori,

MO: Liguori Publications, 2001. Pope, Randy. The Intentional Church. Chicago: Moody, 2006. Rainer, Thom S. High Expectations: The Remarkable Secret for Keeping

People in Your Church. Nashville: B&H, 1999. Stanley, Andy, Reggie Joiner, and Lane Jones. 7 Practices of Effective

Ministry. Colorado Springs, OR: Multnomah, 2004. Wilkes, Gene C. Jesus On Leadership: Becoming a Servant Leader.

Nashville: LifeWay, 1996. Wilson, Marlene, ed. Volunteer Orientation and Training. Group’s

Volunteer Leadership Series, volume 5. Loveland, CO: Group, 2004.

Wright, Walter C., Jr. Relational Leadership: A Biblical Model for Influence and Service Waynesboro, GA: Paternoster, 2002.

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Chapter 23

EVALUATING THE TEACHING MINISTRY

Terri Stovall

Catch the foxes for us —the little foxes that ruin the vineyards—

for our vineyards are in bloom. (Song 2:15)

Lord my God, You have done many things— Your wonderful works and Your plans for us;

none can compare with You. If I were to report and speak of them,

they are more than can be told. (Ps 40:5)

are There Foxes in the Vineyard?

L ott Street Baptist Church is an established church in a met- ropolitan area. LSBC has seen tremendous growth over the past 10 years, but along with this growth logistical issues

have surfaced over what to do about Sunday school. They were out of space. The staff and church leaders decided that it was time to get creative. So the church began moving from predominantly Sunday morning Sunday school to both on-campus Sunday school and off- campus small groups for adults. LSBC is about three years into this paradigm shift with 60 percent of adults meeting in a traditional Sunday morning Bible study setting and 40 percent meeting in off- campus community groups.

There is a growing concern among the staff as they have been re- ceiving feedback from the various groups. Jim is the minister respon-

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sible for the small-group ministry, and he has the same concerns. While some of the groups are growing and multiplying, several are not. Jim just learned that two of the groups have not met in several weeks because their teachers were sick or out of town and they didn’t know what to do. On Sunday afternoon he received a telephone call from a church member who wanted to know why his small group was doing a study written by a popular Christian author that sug- gested a believer could lose his salvation. Then just this morning Jim heard that several of LSBC’s core members have begun visiting other churches because they just couldn’t find a small group that fit.

Jim thought everything was going fine. But as he began to take a fresh and close look at the educational ministry of LSBC, he began to see the signs. There were foxes in the vineyard.

a Biblical Basis for Planning and evaluation

This chapter emphasizes the role of evaluation in educational min- istry, but it is impossible to address evaluation apart from planning. Without a plan or a target, there is nothing against which to evalu- ate. The plan is integral to evaluation.

I have been asked on many an occasion how much we should plan and how much we should just allow the Holy Spirit to lead us. The people asking this question seem to view planning and God as being mutually exclusive as opposed to being partners. God has given us our marching orders and our overall purpose, but God has also given each of us a brain, the ability to reason, and the ability to put feet to His plan for the church. It is clear that Scripture both illustrates and admonishes that we are to be about actively carrying out the plans of God. If we don’t, we leave our vineyards open to the little foxes.

Planning with Purpose and order

Scripture abounds with examples of God’s people partnering with God to carry out His plans. Moses is a clear example of an ordinary man doing extraordinary things for God. Many will go to the story of Jethro confronting Moses on his inability to delegate. I like to look earlier in his life. Can you imagine what kind of planning it took to get all of the children of Israel moving in the same direction at the same time when they left Egypt? That is more an illustration of being

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an extraordinary planner than Jethro’s confrontation. Moses knew the destination. He knew when it was time to move. He knew God was with him. But I am sure it took every ounce of his reason—and many meetings with Joshua, Aaron, and the tribal leaders—to put feet to God’s plan. Now that’s what I call a planner (Exod 12).

What about Joshua? He is a true example of one who knew God’s plan and how it was to be carried out. He did not waiver even if it did seem like a crazy way to take a city. After all, who marches around a city for seven days and then takes it down with a blast of trumpets (Josh 6:1–27)?

Nehemiah is the epitome of a planner and one who could make decisions and deal with the critics, the government, and the people all at once (Neh 1:1–11; 2; 4:1–6).

David is credited with putting together one of the greatest leader- ship teams known to man. He continually sought the Lord’s direc- tion for each step he led the people to take (2 Sam 2:1–4; 4:9–12; 5:17–25; 7:18–29).

Paul was intentional in carrying the gospel to people who had not heard. He was not one to close his eyes and throw a dart at a map to decide which town to travel to next. Paul was specific in the route he took. With that said, he is also an example of one who was ready to make changes when God redirected his path (Acts 16:9–10).

While on earth Jesus showed Himself to be the ultimate planner. He came for a purpose and a plan and did not allow anything or anyone to steer Him from that plan. He did nothing haphazardly or without intention. Every word, every step, every act—even the ultimate act of sacrifice—was carried out to fulfill the plan of the Father (John 6:38). When the religious leaders challenged Him on the plan that He was fulfilling, He was steadfast and clear on the direction He was walking (Luke 5:30–32). He stayed in constant contact with the Father who sent Him (Matt 14:23; Luke 9:28; 11:1); and when He knew the steps ahead were going to be painful, He once again went to the One who sent Him (Matt 26:36–46). Then He finished the plan set before Him.

admonition from the Proverbs

God not only gives us examples of people who carried out His plan with purpose and order, He also gives us admonition to be in-

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tentional about planning. The book of Proverbs overflows with such admonition.

The inexperienced believe anything, but the sensible watch • their steps. (14:15 ) Plans fail when there is no counsel, but with many advisors • they succeed. (15:22) The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the • Lord. (16:33) A man’s heart plans his way, but the • Lord determines his steps. (16:9) Finalize plans through counsel, and wage war with sound • guidance. (20:18) Commit your activities to the • Lord and your plans will be achieved. (16:3) The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit, but anyone • who is reckless only becomes poor. (21:5)

It is clear from this small sample that God expects us to be about planning. God expects to be a part of that process, but He also wants us to do our part. Scripture reminds us that we are to be sen- sible, seek counsel, allow God to determine the steps and always be diligent.

evaluation and Planning

At this point you may be thinking, But I thought this was a chapter on evaluating not planning. Evaluation is the beginning, the middle, and the end of planning. Let’s look at our vineyard.

Before we can grow a crop, we must determine what we are • working with. Different types of crops, different soils, and different climates require different types of care. Evaluation is the beginning point of assessing and analyzing where we are today. Once a crop is planted, a gardener tends his field regularly. • Sometimes the crop needs water, sometimes fertilizer, pos- sibly a little cultivation, or perhaps just given time to grow. In Christian education regular and ongoing evaluation allows

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us to make sure the conditions are the best for continued growth. Each season the vinedresser harvests his crop and then deter-• mines what steps to take to prepare for next season’s harvest. The educational ministry of the church will never end until our Lord returns, but there are significant pause points where we will evaluate our progress thus far and determine the next steps God wants us to take.

It is impossible to address evaluation apart from planning. Without a plan or a target, there is nothing against which to evalu- ate. The plan is integral to evaluation.

What exactly is meant by planning and more specifically strategic planning? I say strategic planning because the goal of life transforma- tion is so critical that it must be part of a plan that takes into account as many variables, conditions, and opportunities as possible while never wavering from the ultimate objective.

As I have tried to settle on one definition of strategic planning that can be applied to the ministry of the church, I discovered that this is not a cut-and-dried task. Many definitions have been given and restated.

The process of thinking and acting.• 1

A disciplined effort to produce fundamental decisions and • actions that shape and guide what an organization is, what it does, and why it does it, with a focus on the future.2

A multifaceted plan designed to reach an objective.• 3

Webster’s dictionary does not define strategic planning per se, but defines plan as “a method for accomplishing an objective.” The term strategy has multiple definitions. The primary definition has a defi- nite military application: “the science and art of military command aimed at meeting the enemy under conditions advantageous to one’s own forces.” That was it!

1 A. Malphurs, Advanced Strategic Planning: A New Model for Church and Ministry Leaders (Boston: Baker, 2005), 11.

2 J. M. Bryson, Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1995), 4–5.

3 K. Hemphill and B. Taylor, Ten Best Practices to Make Your Sunday School Work (Nashville: Lifeway Church Resources, 2001), 25.

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Paul reminds us in his letter to the church at Ephesus that “our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against

the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens” (Eph 6:12). The teaching ministry of the church is not just another program. It is making dis- ciples for the kingdom of God. It is carrying out God’s plan that has eternal ramifications. We are in a spiritual battle, and the enemy will do what he can to move the church off course. Many times, I believe, one of the enemy’s most effective tactics is to draw the church into a laissez-fare attitude toward the teaching ministry of the church by convincing us that everything is fine.

Solomon warned that we are continually to be on the lookout for the little foxes that enter our vineyard. If we do not stay alert, before we know it, our vineyard will be invaded, trampled down, and de- voured by little foxes.

understanding your Part of the Vineyard

The overall Teaching Ministry

Earlier in this text a foundation was laid that addressed the role of the church, pastor, and family in Christian education. The ultimate goal of all we do in Christian education is life transformation. The Great Commission clearly states our command to make disciples by baptizing (evangelism) and teaching (discipleship). The teaching ministry of the church is integral to accomplishing the mission of the church. But how do we make sure we truly are making disciples?

Leonard Sweet, in his book Aqua Church, states, “Every successful [ministry] is successful in its own way. However we may try to pass ministries off as our own intuitive insights, settling for mimicry and

GOD-CENTERED strategic planning is a disciplined, inten- tional effort to develop and follow a method to accomplish God’s objective for His church in order to meet the enemy under conditions that give us the advantage.

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impersonation only offers up a recipe for extinction.”4 Too many churches today jump on the latest program or methodology band- wagon without realizing where that parade is taking them. The ulti- mate goal for which God wants a church to aim will dictate how the teaching ministry of the church is carried out. The church’s responsi- bility is to execute the ministry in the best possible way to reach that goal, regardless of what everyone else may be doing.

A local church—that is, a New Testament church—has been placed by God at a particular time, in a particular place, with an abil- ity to reach a particular people. A church in San Jose, California, is able to reach a particular people to whom a church in Tyler, Texas, may not have access. Florida works in a culture that is different from the culture of a church in Minnesota. A church in Minnesota has opportunities to reach people in 2007 that the same church did not have in 1955. Each local body of believers is unique, and God has a unique way of carrying out His ultimate plan in that context.

A series of questions will help us determine what is to be accom- plished and how to get there.

Why does this church exist?• What are we to be as “church”? (Who and what are we?)• What is our church profile? (age, family demographics, work • patterns, and the like) What are the spiritual needs of the people we are reaching? • (seeking, new Christians, growing believers, leaders) How are we doing? (attendance, baptisms, leadership, • outreach) Where does God want us to go from here? (What does God • want this local body of believers do in this community and in our world?) How will we get there?•

Answers to these questions, while generally similar, will be dif- ferent for each church. While all churches have the same universal mission—God’s mission—each church plays a unique role with its own specific methods in accomplishing it.

4 L. Sweet, AquaChurch (Loveland, CO: Group, 1999), 257.

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setting goals within the Teaching Ministry

A popular adage says, “If you aim for nothing you are going to hit it every time.” God’s target is specific and intentional. Our targets, however, tend to be so broad and general that we never really know when we hit them. Once you have answered the questions listed on the previous page, you will have a clearer picture of what God may be leading you to accomplish through the teaching ministry at your church. Given this picture, you can set objectives and goals within that ministry.

Each program within the teaching ministry of the church should have goals and objectives. The previous chapter, “Administering Educational Programs,” introduced you to the process of developing goals, objectives, and actions for the various programs. The ques- tions that must be answered at this point are:

How does each program help us accomplish the overall goal • of the teaching ministry? Are the goals and objectives set for each program and minis-• try a true reflection of that program or ministry? How does each program or ministry fit into the context of • our church? Is there anything that we are trying to accomplish through • the teaching ministry that has nothing in place to help us get there?

When you answer these questions, you may find that some of the goals or objectives or actions will need to be changed, adjusted, or even eliminated. It is important to keep coming back to the question, What are we trying to accomplish and how are we getting there? You may also find that your goals and objectives are right on target. When that is the case, it is time to move on to the next step.

Tending the Vineyard

Having set program goals and objectives, it is then time to work the field. The wise gardener monitors his field regularly to determine what is needed to produce the greatest growth. If we are wise, we will also regularly monitor our programs to determine our progress toward what we believe God wants us to achieve. Evaluation involves

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gathering information and data that tell you where things stand to- day and measuring that information against a standard or criterion.

Evaluation is only as good as the information on which it is based. Information and data should be current, accurate, and reliable. If the information is inflated or a mere supposition, then the picture that is painted is not a true reflection of what is happening in the teaching ministry of the church.

The question often asked here is, “What kind of information do I need, and where do I get it?” Tools and resources are available that will give you the standards to set. The resource Essentials for Excellence provides work sheets, checklists, and tools to measure space requirements and student-teacher ratios.5 The earlier chapter on “Evaluating Curriculum” gave you criteria on which to evaluate curriculum. The objectives and goals, too, serve as benchmarks to compare the collected information.

evaluating the Tangibles

You will want to evaluate several areas, areas that are objective and easily measured. How often each of these elements is intention- ally evaluated will depend on the situation and the setting. I have yet to meet someone who is responsible for an area of the educational ministry of a church that is not constantly evaluating whether there are enough teachers on any given Sunday. On the other hand, evalu- ating space may happen less frequently. Here are several suggested questions to answer that will aid you in the evaluation process. They can, of course, be adapted to your church’s unique setting.

Administration

Is our record-keeping system effective, accurate, and • adequate? Are we capturing the information that we need?• Where does each program fit into the overall organizational • structure of the church?

5 The resource Essentials for Excellence (see resource list) provides a CD with print- able work sheets and tables. Some of the tables that are most helpful give standards for student/teacher ratios and space recommendations by ages.

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Leadership

How many teachers do we have for each unit? How does this • compare with the teacher-student ratio guidelines? How many people do we have in leadership positions other • than teachers? What kind of regular training do we provide for our teachers • and leaders? How many teachers and leaders attend training • opportunities? What is the attendance record of the teachers and leaders for • program meetings? How many teacher or leader vacancies do I have today?•

Space and Equipment

Is the space for each unit adequate?• Are there classes/departments/groups that have outgrown • their current space or are in too large a space? What equipment needs to be replaced or repaired?• Does the classroom environment promote learning?• Is there a need for additional spaces for groups to meet?•

Programming

What programs are designed to reach people for Christ or to • introduce them to the church? What programs are designed for discipleship?• What programs are designed to develop leaders?• What percentage of your church membership is actively in-• volved in the Foundational Bible Study of your church? How many outreach contacts are made by your church • members? How are members educated in doctrine, church polity, mis-• sions, or how to share their faith?

Working through these questions will help you see areas that need to be addressed. It will also reveal the strengths of the educational ministry of your church, highlighting the things that are going well. This is by no means an exhaustive list of questions, but it can be

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used to help the educational minister objectively evaluate the teach- ing ministry of the church.

evaluating the intangibles

The previous section addressed the tangibles; those things that can be measured in an objective way. There are also intangibles. If you were to ask a farmer how he knew when it was just the right time to harvest his crop, he would try to give you some objective answer, but it generally comes down to “when it feels, looks, and smells right.” While depending too much on feelings and experience can mislead us, God has given us intuitive insight to know when something is working well.

One way of getting a feel for how things are going is to observe classes while they are in session. When I served as minister of educa- tion, I made it a point to visit each Sunday school department at least once a quarter to observe and evaluate. When you observe a small group, ask yourself questions like these:

What is the general feel of the group?• Does everyone seem to be engaged?• Does the teacher appear prepared?• Is the space conducive to learning?•

As you are observing, take note of anything that you sense can be improved. These notations can direct your further investigations.

Another way to get a feel for what is happening is to solicit feed- back from the participants. While a formal evaluation is helpful, I have found the best information comes from casual conversation. For example, as I am talking to Laurie about the women’s Bible study, I may say, “I know this is the first time Jane is leading this group; how is it going?” In the course of a conversation, Laurie may be more open to give me honest feedback than if she were formally to evaluate Laurie’s performance. You can gain feedback from par- ticipants on any aspect of the learning experience, but I have found it most helpful to hear from participants regarding schedule, curricu- lum, space, and leadership.

One final area to consider is teacher evaluation. A large church in Texas tells its teachers that they will be evaluated at least twice a year. The teachers are videotaped, and then the minister of education

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sits down with the teacher and evaluates his teaching. This inten- tional evaluation has resulted in teachers who are maturing, honing their skills, and more committed than ever. You may not wish to do something quite as formal, but evaluating teachers—encouraging them in their strengths and helping them with their weaknesses— can only improve the learning experience and give your teachers a boost of confidence.

Pests, Foxes, and the unexpected

The best planned and well-tended vineyard cannot account for the unexpected events along the way. External forces that are out of our control, unforeseen events, or overlooked problems can have signifi- cant impact on the harvest that is produced.

Prioritizing and addressing needs

In any given church on any given week, issues may arise from lack of teachers to disgruntled members. I saw a Sunday school come to a screeching halt one week because we had run out of coffee. Now that was a significant problem!

A farmer, struggling with a withering crop due to lack of rain, will put thoughts of water aside when a swarm of locusts swoops in and begins to eat the fruit. While water is important, the immediate pri- ority is getting rid of the locusts. When you are being pulled by sev- eral issues at once, the best thing you can do is to stop and prioritize what is most critical. As you deal with the most critical first, it is not uncommon for lesser issues to correct themselves.

After determining the most critical problem, next identify the steps or create a plan of action to address the most critical need first. When you begin to implement each step, it is important to deter- mine the timetable, who is involved, and what is your expected re- sult. Let’s look at a couple of specific problems and how this might work.

Teachers

The need for more teachers is often a priority problem. In order to develop a strategy, leaders will first determine how many teachers they need, for what ages, and by what deadline. From here they can

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begin to set a specific course of actions such as how and when to en- list, when to offer training, and when the teachers will start.

Helping ineffective teachers is another priority problem. Unlike employees, my rule of thumb is “never fire a volunteer.” Rather, work with the volunteer to help move him to a ministry that may be a better fit. The general steps are similar. The leader will decide by what date he wants to have a new teacher in place. From there he can begin to set up a specific course of action. I suggest meeting with the teacher to determine how we might redeem him first. Work a plan of teaching improvement. Then in time, through this process, it is easier to determine if another place of service would fit him better. We would then help him transition out of this leadership position and into another, enlist a new teacher, and help the new teacher get started.

Programming

Every now and then conditions dictate that a farmer plow his field over and start fresh. Likewise, a time may come when a program needs a fresh start or needs to be significantly changed. As you evalu- ate the teaching ministry, you may find that a program or ministry that was once effective is now struggling. We can either work to rejuvenate the program, or we can, in extreme cases, simply discon- tinue the program. God often uses these times as opportunities to launch new programs and ministries.

This process—identify priority needs, envision a successful solu- tion, set a course of action, and implement appropriate steps—can be applied to any area of the educational ministry of the church, includ- ing space concerns, resources, publicity, and conflict resolution.

a Word about sacred cows

There are times when we have worked the process, discovered a program that needs to be discontinued, and a plan is in place to tran- sition the program out; but suddenly you discover that this is impor- tant to a significant group in your church. You may have stumbled upon a sacred cow—a ministry or program that is so meaningful to a group of people that if you were to change or discontinue this ministry, it would have deep reaching ramifications on you and the

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church. Jesus gave a warning for such times: “First sit down and cal- culate the cost” (Luke 14:28)

The Ruth Class was mine. This group of older ladies had been to- gether as a small group for decades. They met in a sizable room on the bottom floor next to the preschool area. The Ruth Class had painted, hung curtains, and furnished the room with tables, lamps, and comfy chairs. They just loved their meeting room. As our church was grow- ing, I had my eye on that space for a preschool room. I located a new space for the Ruth Class that I felt would be more than adequate. But when I approached these sweet ladies about the move, I quickly un- derstood what this might cost me. Ruth Class members were among my biggest supporters and prayer warriors. I knew if this was not han- dled correctly it could have deep-reaching ramifications. I did eventu- ally move them, but it was on a much slower timetable. I spent almost a full year visiting and working with the ladies (especially the matri- arch of the group). I took them handmade Christmas cards from the preschoolers, sharing our vision for the church and preschool ministry and involving them in finding a space where they were comfortable. I was even able to move all of their furniture and use the same curtains. It took a lot of work and time, but in the end it was worth it.

It is possible to change and even discontinue groups or ministries that need to be changed even when they have deep stakeholder roots. When faced with this task, ask yourself, “Is the cost of leaving a sa- cred cow in place less than what it would cost us if we changed it?” A cost can be felt in loss of membership, loss of trust, loss of credibil- ity, and even loss in finances. Sometimes, the church—and you—are better off letting a sacred cow continue to graze until it dies a natural death.

The end result

A fellow minister once said to me that all this planning and evalu- ating are the “not fun part of ministry. It just feels so administrative.” That may be true, but evaluation is critical to ensuring that we are doing what we believe God wants us to do. It involves setting goals and objectives, developing criteria against which to measure, evaluat- ing where you are against where you want to be, and then addressing those things that are keeping you from getting there. Then at the end

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450 Terri Stovall

we can proclaim, “Lord, my God, You have done many things” (Ps 40:5).

getting rid of the Foxes: revisited

Jim quickly realized he had some issues to deal with. He pri- oritized them as: (1) addressing the curriculum issue, (2) helping members connect with a small group, (3) educating small groups that the purpose of this ministry is outreach and multiplication, and (4) giving the small groups resources and support when their leaders needed to be out.

Jim knew he needed to close the curriculum hole quickly. It was important to him and the church that their teaching material be theo- logically sound and in line with the beliefs of the church. But he also recognized that the nature of small-group ministry required some level of choice within the groups. He evaluated a number of curriculum lines and topics and developed a list of acceptable choices, which he distributed to the groups. Now, as groups choose from this list, he is confident that the material is theologically sound. As an added benefit, the small groups were helped in finding new materials for their stu- dents. One fence hole closed; just three more to go.

The remaining holes are not as quick or easy to fix, but a process and plan are in place. He has been working with his leaders to in- tentionally locate those people who are having difficulty finding a small-group Bible study to attend. Slowly they are getting connected. Problems 3 and 4 have yet to be addressed, but Jim sees the long- term effects of not taking care of these “foxes.” Now that he is aware of them, he is beginning to plan to keep watch over the vineyard where God has placed him.

Bibliography

Biehl, Bobb. Masterplanning. Nashville: B&H, 1997. Bryson, John M. Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit

Organizations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1995. Buzzell, Sid, Kenneth Boa, and Bill Perkins, eds. The Leadership Bible.

Grand Rapids: zondervan, 2000. Essentials for Excellence. Nashville: Lifeway Church Resources, 2003.

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evaluaTing The TeaChing MinisTry 451

Hemphill, Ken, and Bill Taylor. Ten Best Practices to Make Your Sunday School Work. Nashville: Lifeway Church Resources, 2001.

Malphurs, Aubrey. Advanced Strategic Planning: A New Model for Church and Ministry Leaders. Boston: Baker, 2005.

Sweet, Leonard. AquaChurch. Loveland, CO: Group, 1999.

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452

POSTLOGUE

Rick Yount

C. S. Lewis, premier Christian philosopher of the mid- twentieth century, was standing before his garden shed one sunny day. He opened the door, stepped

inside, and found himself standing in darkness. He could just make out the garden implements, and that only by a thin beam of sunlight, piercing the darkness from upper right to lower left. Dust floated in and out of the dim, thin beam. Then he stepped over into the beam, looking up along it. In a flash the darkness was gone, the shed was gone, everything gone but the blinding beam—shining from 93 million miles away. There is a differ- ence, said Lewis, of looking “at” and looking “along.”

Our hope, as you have read these pages, is that you have seen more than a thin beam of Christian education, shining in dark- ness. That you’ve seen people more than programs, life change more than methods, a living organism—community—more than cold organization. That you have looked “along” Christian edu- cation into the brightness of the Son.

Christ is the great Life-changer; the church is His means of changing the world from pagan to seeker, seeker to believer, be- liever to disciple, disciple to teacher, teacher to missionary and leader. Such spiritual evolution is impossible outside the realm of the Spirit of God. But in Him it is a task worth every effort re- quired of us: to awaken in learners of all ages and all nations the awareness of Christ’s kingdom, at hand, available, and to teach them to depend on Christ as they grow in kingly citizenship and as they serve. He receives honor and glory as King; we receive joy as citizens and colaborers. Beloved, let us step into the blind- ing, energizing Beam and leave our darkened sheds behind. His beam: “for the training of the saints, to build up the body of

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posTlogue 453

Christ . . . [growing] into a mature man . . . speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the Head—Christ” (Eph 4:12,15). Make it so, Lord Jesus. Make it so.

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455

Adler, J.. . . . . . . . . 54, 73 Anderson, A. . . . . . . . 415 Anderson, L. . . . 422, 423,

434 Anthony, M. J. . . 4, 7, 39,

42, 43, 44 Arn, C. . . . 402, 403, 415 Arnold, J. . . . . . 135, 140 Arn, W. . . . 402, 403, 415 Ashton, J. . . . . . . . . . . 18 Atkinson, R. . . . 161, 168,

172, 173, 176

Barclay, W. . . . 38, 39, 43, 163, 182

Barna, G. . . 103, 106, 108, 109, 112, 122, 142, 143, 160, 288, 301, 302, 306, 307, 321, 322, 328, 329

Barnes, A. . 177, 178, 183 Barnett, J. N. . . . . . . . 415 Bass, V. R. . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Bauer, W. . . . . . . 94, 106 Beall, C. . . . . . . . . . . 123 Behe, M. . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Benson, W. S. 39, 43, 398,

416 Bergen, D. . . . . . 293, 301 Beveridge, H. . . . . . . . 43 Biddy, R. . . . . . . 304, 322 Biehl, B. . . . . . . . . . . 450 Bilezikian, G. . . 126, 127,

128, 140 Blackaby, H. . . . 136, 140,

286, 301 Blanchard, K. . . . 28, 423,

435 Blomberg, C. L. 219, 221,

232 Boa, K. . . . . . . . . . . . 450 Bock, D. L. . . . . . . 40, 43 Bonhoeffer, D. . 108, 122,

130, 140 Borgan, D. . 161, 166, 169 Bounds, E. M. . . 286, 301 Bradbury, M. A. 292, 296,

302 Brady, J. . . 161, 162, 167,

168, 171, 178

Bredfeldt, G. J. . 261, 281, 284

Browning, R. L.. . . . . 183 Bruce, A. B. . . . 48, 50, 62,

65, 68, 73 Bruner, K. . 311, 322, 323 Bryson, J. M. . . . 440, 450 Burcham, A. D. . . . . . 416 Burkett, L.. . . . . 310, 322 Buzzell, S. . . . . . . . . . 450

Calvin, J. . . . . . . . . 42, 43 Campbell, B. . . . 303, 322 Campolo, T. . . . . . . . 329 Carter, R. . . . . . 161, 169 Cavalletti, S. . . . 311, 322 Charles, J. D. . . . 96, 106 Christianson, D. 146, 160 Christofer, A. . . . . . . 206 Clark, C. . . . . . . . . . . 339 Clemmons, W. P. . . . 402,

415 Cody, M. . . . . . . 316, 323 Coleman, L. . 50, 73, 260,

351, 360 Collins, C., Jr. . . 163, 164,

182 Colson, H. P. . . 370, 378,

379 Corley, B. . 220, 224, 231 Coscia, J. . . . . . . 293, 301 Couch, B. . . . . . 309, 322 Cully, I.. . . . . . . . . . . 379

Davis, C. . . . . . . 298, 301 Davis, G. . . . . . . 308, 322 Davis, K. . . . . . . . . . . 338 Delitzsch, F. . . . 151, 160 Demarest, B. A. . . 93, 106 Derouen, J. . . . . 324, 333 Dewy, G. . . . . . . . . . . 333 Dickason, C. F. . . . . . . 75,

76, 86 Dobbins, G. . . . 404, 415 Dockery, D. S.. . 230, 231 Doughterty, K. . 304, 322 Downs, P. G. . . . . . . 212 Dunn, J. D. G. . . . . 81, 86

Eddy, S. . . . . . . . . 46, 73 Edersheim, A. . . . . 48, 50,

52, 56, 58, 69, 73, 392 Edge, F. B. . . . . . . . . 261 Edgemon, R. . . . 108, 112,

123 Edwards, J. . . . . . . . . 335 Edwards, R. . . . . . . . 359 Eldridge, D. . . . 292, 301,

305, 314, 322 Ericksen, S. C. . . . . . 262,

263, 271, 284 Erickson, M. J. . . . . . . 33,

43, 83, 84, 86, 91, 92, 98, 106

Estep, J. R. Jr. . . . . 38, 43

Fee, G. D. . 220, 226, 231 Fields, D. . . . . . . . . . 344 Fish, R. E. . . . . . 402, 416 Fitch, J. E. . . . . . 399, 400,

416 Flake, A. . . 400, 401, 404,

415 Ford, L. . . . 356, 360, 364,

365, 379 Foster, R. . . . . . 112, 122 Fowler, J. . . . . . 318, 323 Fraenkel, P. . . . 143, 160 Fray, W. . . . . . . 288, 301

Gaebelein, F. E. . . 77, 86 Gallery, J. . . . . . 300, 301 Gangel, K. . . . . . . . . . . . .

28, 122, 356, 359, 360, 398, 416, 423, 426, 435

Garland, D. . . . . 142, 160 Gary, A. . . 161, 168, 175,

176 González, J. L. . . . 39, 43,

225, 231 Good, J. W. . . . . . . . . . . 5 Goodrich, T. L. . 290, 301 Gray, P. . . . . . . . 227, 232 Gregory, J. M. . . . . . . 284 Grudem, W. . . 82, 86, 90,

91, 93, 106 Guthrie, D. . . . . 167, 183

NAME INDEX

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456 The Teaching Ministry of the Church

Guthrie, G. H. . 230, 231

Hamilton, J. M., Jr. . . . 80, 86

Hanks, B. . . . . . . . . . 122 Hanks, L. . . . . . . . . . 359 Hargrave, J. . . . . 305, 306,

323 Harris, M. . 134, 140, 379 Haywood, J. . . . 297, 301,

302, 304, 323 Hedin, N. . 292, 294, 301,

313, 314, 318, 373 Heifner, F. . . . . 308, 322 Hemphill, K. . . . 289, 301,

440, 451 Hendricks, H. . 36, 41, 44,

67, 222, 230, 231, 232, 261, 284

Hendricks, W. D. . . . 222, 230, 231, 232

Heuser, R. . . . . . . . . . . 28 Hixon, D. . 161, 168, 175 Hodges, P. . . . . . . . . . 28 Hubbard, R. L., Jr. . . 219,

221, 232 Hull, B. . . . . . . . . . . . 183 Hunt, T. W. . . . 112, 117,

121, 122 Hybels, B. . . . . . . . . . . 28

Isbell, R. . . 315, 317, 323 Issler, K. . . . . . . . . 4, 6, 7

Jacobson, R. . . . . . . . 227 Johnson, P. . . . . . . . . . 18 Joiner, R. . . . . . . 426, 435 Jones, I. . . . . . . . 137, 140 Jones, L. . . . . . . 426, 435

Keil, C. F. . . . . . 151, 160 Kelly, J. N. D. . . . 90, 106 Kennemur, K. . . 303, 323 Klein, W. W. . . . 219, 221,

232 Knowles, M. . . . 345, 356,

357, 360 Kolb, L. . . . . . . . . . . . 336

Lawson, L. . . . . . . . . 415 Lawson, M. S. . . . . 41, 44 Leacock, A. . . . . . . . . 164

LeFever, M. D. . . . . . 284 Lemke, S. . . . . . . . . . 231 Lewis, C. S. . . . . . . . . 452 Lewis, G. R. . . . . 93, 106 Longenecker, R. . . . . 163 Lour, R. . . . . . . . . . . 331 Louw, J. . . . . . . . 94, 106 Lovejoy, G. . . . . . . . . 231

MacArthur, J. F. . . . . 212 Mager, R. F. . . . . . . . 379 Mallory, S. . . . . 428, 435 Malphurs, A. . . . . . 31, 44,

440, 451 Márquez, G. G. . . . 74, 75,

86 Maston, T. B. . . 143, 144,

146, 149, 160 May, L. E., Jr. . . 399, 416 May, S. . . . . . . . 304, 323 Maynard, M. . . . 125, 132,

133, 140, 420 McCarthy, B. . . 272, 273,

274, 275, 276, 283, 284 McDowell, J. . . . . . . . 325 McGavran, D. . . 402, 403,

415 McGrath, A. . . 33, 37, 44,

78, 86 McIntosh, G. . . 354, 360 McLendon, J. . . 358, 359 McQuilkin, R. . . 228, 232 Meyer, F. B. . . . 163, 183 Miller, M. . . . . . 423, 435 Milligan, G. . . . . . . . 175 Mims, G. . . 114, 129, 131,

132, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 379

Mitrokhin, V. . . . . . . 206 Mock, D. J. . . . . 222, 223,

224, 229, 232 Moody, D. . . . . . 167, 183 Moore, W. . . . . . . . . 118 Morganthaler, S. . . . . 293,

302 Moroney, S. K. . 100, 106 Morrow, D. . . . . 317, 323 Motyer, J. A. . . . 167, 183 Moulton, J. . . . . . . . . 175 Mow, A. . . 289, 290, 302 Mulholland, M. R., Jr. . .

116, 122 Mullins, E. Y. . . 169, 183

Naugle, D. K. . . 229, 232 Nelson, G. . . . . 417, 435 Newton, G. C. 83, 85, 86 Nida, E. . . . . . . . . 94, 106

Ornstein, A. . . . . . . . 379 Osborne, R. . . . . 311, 322,

323

Packer, J. I. . . . . . . 37, 44 Patterson, R. . . . 357, 360 Pazmiño, R. W. . . . 42, 44,

261 Pearcy, N. . . . . . . . . . 333 Pentecost, J. D. . . . 78, 86 Pérez, N. N. . . . . . 80, 86 Perkins, B. . . . . . . . . 450 Phelps, K. . . . . . 308, 323 Piland, H. M. . . 404, 416 Pinsoneault, D. . 431, 435 Popenoe, D. . . . 143, 160 Pope, R. . . . . . . 422, 435 Posner, G. J. . . . . . . . 379 Poteet, J. . . . . . . 303, 323 Powell, K. . . . . . . . . . 339 Prevost, R. . . . . . . 40, 44

Radmacher, E. D. . 36, 44 Railsback, G. . . . . . . . 329 Rainer, T. . 302, 304, 323,

424, 435 Raines, S. . . . . . 315, 323 Raughton, A. . . . . . . 359 Reed, J. E. . . . . . . . 40, 44 Rhodes, J. . . . . . . . . . 339 Richards, L. O. . 261, 281,

284 Rienecker, F. . . 167, 183 Rigdon, R. M. . . 370, 379 Robertson, A. T. . . . . 167,

168, 169, 178, 183 Rogers, E. . . . . . 316, 323 Roncace, M. . . . 227, 232 Ross, R. . . . . . . . 289, 301 Rush, M. . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Ryken, L. . . . . . 226, 227,

228, 232 Ryrie, C. C. . . 83, 86, 229,

232

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subJeCT index 457

Sabido, M. . . . . . 316, 323 Sachs, A. . . . . . . . . . . 349 Sanders, T. . . 292, 296, 302 Sanford, J. C. . . . . . . . 18 Santorck, J. W. . . . . . 302 Santrock, J. . . . . 312, 323,

328 Santrock, J. W. . . . . . 291 Saucy, R. L. . . . . . 91, 106 Shawchuck, N. . . . . . . 28 Sheip, E. E. . . . . . . . . 184 Shell, W. A.. . . . . . . . 122 Siew, Y. . . . . . . . . . 39, 44 Simpson, E. K. . 174, 183 Singhal, A. . . . . 316, 323 Sisemore, J. T.. . . . . . 416 Skinner, K. L. . . . . . . 301 Slaughter, J. 150, 154, 160 Smart, J. . . . . . . 170, 183 Sneed, B. . . 108, 112, 123 Songer, H. S. . . . . . . . 126 Speer, R. E. . . . . . . . . 164 Stanley, A.. . . . . 426, 435 Stonehouse, C. . 291, 302,

312, 318, 323 Stott, J. . . . . . . . 224, 232 Stringer, P. . . . . 305, 306,

314, 315, 323 Strong, A. H. . . . . . 4, 5, 6 Stuart, D. . 220, 226, 231

Stubblefield, J. . . . . . 360 Sutherland, L. . . . . . . . 18 Sweet, L. . . 441, 442, 451

Tate, W. R. . . . . 224, 225, 232

Taylor, B. . . . . . 440, 451 Tolar, W. . . . . . . . . . 224 Tonks, A. . . . . . 317, 323 Tozer, A. W. . 32, 44, 300 Travers, M. E. . . . . . . 228 Trent, J. . . 311, 322, 323 Turner, C. . . . . . 137, 140 Turner, M. M. . . . . 80, 86 Tyler, R. W. . . . . . . . 380

Vanhoozer, K. J. . . 78, 86, 228, 232

Vaughan, W. C. 167, 183

Ward, C. . . . . . . 317, 323 Warren, R. . . . . 134, 140 Warren, T. S. . . 220, 232 Washburn, S. . . 161, 168,

170, 171, 174, 178 Welch, R. . . . . 16, 22, 28 Westerhoff, J. . . . . . . 323 White, E. . . . . . 307, 323

Whitehead, B. D. . . . 143, 160

Wiersbe, W. W. . . . . 167, 183

Wilhoit, J. . . . . . 122, 356, 359, 360

Wilkes, C. G. . . 121, 420, 435

Wilkinson, B. . . . . . . 261 Willard, D. . . . . . . . . . . 7,

73, 109, 110, 112, 121, 123, 162, 183, 213

Williams, D. . . . . . . . . . 7 Williams, S. . . . . . . . 123 Wilson, M. . . . . 429, 435 Woodcock, E. . . . . 83, 87 Woolley, J. . . . . 308, 323 Wright, W. C., Jr. . . . 430,

431, 435 Wyckoff, D. . . . . . . . 380

Young, M. . . . . . . . 42, 44 Yount, W. . . . . . . . 45, 62 Yount, W. R. . . . . . . . . 40,

44, 185, 213, 233, 261, 351, 354, 360

zuck, R. B. . . . . . . 73, 76, 79, 81, 82, 85, 87, 184, 218, 219, 232, 304, 323

SUBJECT INDEX a abiding . . . . . . . 111, 112 acceptance . . . . . . . . 202 administrator . . . . . . . 96 adults . . . . 347, 348, 350,

351, 356, 357 affective (sphere of life) .

189, 191, 209 andragogy . . . . . . . . . 356 apostle . 23, 62, 166, 169 application . . . . 230, 236 assignments . . . 206, 252,

253, 254, 255, 259 atmosphere . . . . . . . . 223

attendance . . . . . . . . . 68

B baptism . . . . . . . . . . . 398 behavioral (sphere of life)

190–191 Bible, the. . . . . . 218, 219

as canon . . . . . . . . . . 91 as curriculum . . 98–100,

102, 103, 104 as revelation . . . . . . . 91 epistles, the . . . . . . 226 narrative . . . . . . . . . 226 parables . . . . . . . . . 228

poetry . . . . . . . . . . . 227 prophetic literature 228 proverbs . . . . . . . . . 228 relevancy of . . . . 92, 93 self-description . 89–90 study of . . . . . . . . . 114

bishops . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 bride of Christ . . . . . 125 burnout . . . . . . . . . . 195

c calling . . . . . . . . . . . . 425 character . . . . . . . . . . . 65

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458 The Teaching Ministry of the Church

children . . 303, 304, 305, 306

Christlikeness . . . . . 6, 62, 111, 185, 186, 212

church, the . . . . 124, 125, 420 as body of Christ . . 126,

133–135 as family . . . . . 137–138 definition of . . . . . . 125 functions of . . . . . . 134 teaching role . 130, 131,

132 churches, local . 134, 442 closure . . . . . . . . . . . 258 cognitive (sphere of life)

188, 191 community . . . . 126, 127,

128, 129, 133 conceptualization, ab-

stract . . . . . . . . . . . 273 context . . . . . . . . . . . 225 creativity . . . . . . . . 40, 41 culture . . 92, 98, 99, 179 curriculum . . . . 363–380,

398, 404 curriculum plan . . . . 364,

365 curriculum resources . . .

365, 366, 367, 368, 369, 370, 371, 372, 373, 374–379

curriculum series . . . 366

d development

emotional . . . . . . . . 293 mental . . . . . . 292, 312 physical . . . . . . . . . 292 social . . . . . . . 293, 312

disciple . . . . . . . . . . . 413 Disciplers’ Model . . . 8, 9,

10, 11, 390 Disciples, the Twelve . . .

47, 48, 49, 50, 62, 66, 71

discipleship . xii, 84, 107, 108, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 133, 175

discipline . . . . . . . . . 154 “doers” . . . 186, 187, 194

e education

definition of . . . . . . . . 5 education, Christian . 6, 7,

31, 398, 452 curriculum . . . . . . . . 33 definition of . . . . . . . 79 goal of . . . . . 35–36, 42,

185–214 theology of . . . . . . . 7, 8

ego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206 eisegesis . . . . . . . . . . 198 ekklesia . . . . . . . . . . . 420 elders . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 emotionalism . . . . . . 194 environment, learning . .

197 epignosis . . . . . . . . . . 208 evangelism . . . . . . . . 115 evangelist . . . . . 167, 169 examples . . . 64, 199, 246 exegesis. . . 198, 219, 220 experience, concrete . . . .

273, 277, 278, 280 experimentation, active .

274 exposition . . . . . . . . . 219

F family . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

definition of . . . . . . 142 modern day . . . . . . 143 parents’ teaching role . .

148–159 theology of . . . 144–148

“feelers” . . 186, 187, 193, 273

fellowship . . . . . 114, 125, 129, 130, 131, 132

form, literary . . . . . . 223 Foundational Bible Study

(FBS) . . . . . . . 404, 405, 405–412, 406, 408

g generations . . . . . . . . 354 genre, literary . . 223, 226 gifts, spiritual . . . 84, 134,

420, 421, 422 glorification . . . . . . . . . 8 gnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . 208 God

as creator . . . 17, 18, 33, 41, 42

as teacher . . . 31, 34–35, 36–41, 42

Great Commission . . . 68, 107, 130, 135, 398, 441

groups, closed . . . . . 136 groups, open . . . . . . . 136 groups, small . . . . 66, 67,

69, 118, 133, 135, 136, 242, 251, 256

growth . . . . . . . . . 6, 207 growth, numerical . . 172,

173, 174 guilt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203

h harmony . . . . . . . . . . 224 hermeneutics . . 219, 224 Holy Spirit

as paraclete . . . . . 79–80 as Revealer of God . . . .

78–79 as Spirit of Truth 77–78 as teacher . 9, 74, 75–77,

80–83 filling of . . . . . . . . . . 83 fruit of . . . . . . . . . . . 83 ministries of . . . . 80–83

humor . . . . . . . . 202, 240

i illumination . . . . . . . . 76 illustrations . . . . . . . . 63 inductive Bible study

method . . . . . 221–231 inspiration . . . . . . . . . 82 intellectualism . . . . . 193 interpretation . . 224–231

J Jesus

as Master Teacher . . 46, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72

as Suffering Servant . 55 King . . . . . . . . . . . 196 priest . . . . . . . . . . . 196 prophet. . . . . . . . . . 196 Rabonni . . . . . . . . . . . 45

justification . . . . . . . . . . 8

K knowledge . . . . 208, 235

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