In the effort to "make disciples of all nations, baptizing them...and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19-20, NIV), Sunday School can help the church a lot. This post is the sixth in a series expanding on twenty methods in response to How Can I Grow My Sunday School Class Numerically?. The sixth method listed there was this one: Care for and invite unenrolled family members of Sunday School members.

Do members of Sunday School care about family members? Do they care about parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.? Do they want to help them take steps toward a life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ? Do they want them to grow to be more like Him? Then that care should motivate us to pray for, care for, and invite unenrolled family members to Sunday School.

If an average of at least one out of three lost people attending Sunday School over a twelve month period will accept Jesus as Savior and Lord, then Sunday School must pursue lost unenrolled family members. If 83% of people who join the church and are active in Sunday School are still connected to the church five years later, then Sunday School must pursue unenrolled family members.

What can Sunday School do to reach out to unenrolled family members? Consider the following:

• Identify unenrolled family members who are in the ministry area of the church.
• Gather the names and contact information of unenrolled family members in two places: in the class of their family members and in the classes of corresponding age group.
• Pray for family members by name as individuals and as a class.
• Pray for unenrolled family members in the assigned age group class.
• Enrolled family members invite unenrolled family members to class fellowships, projects, and sessions.
• Classes of corresponding age group invite unenrolled family members to class fellowships, projects, and sessions.
• Respond in time of need, stress, or crisis in the life of the unenrolled family member.
• Members of classes of corresponding age group invite unenrolled family members for a meal.
• Share a Sunday School testimony with unenrolled family members at strategic moments in conversation. (Check out Sunday School Testimony: Powerful Revolutionary Tool.)
• Ask unenrolled family members to enroll in an appropriate class. Ask them if you can add them to the prayer, fellowship, and ministry list for the class.
• Ask unenrolled family members to give Sunday School a try for six months or some period of time. Make sure the class works to connect with the unenrolled family members (during and between class sessions.

What would you add to this beginning list? Where do you need to start? Be patient. Be persistent. Pray. Share names and contact information. Develop a strategy for care. Do the care. Invite. Enroll. Disciple them. Be revolutionary!

For more ideas about inviting, check out these blog posts:

• Sunday School Becoming More Intentional about Inviting
• Christmas Invitation to Sunday School
• Creating Sunday School Class Outreach Momentum
• Personal Invitation and Enrollment: Twin Key Metrics in Sunday School Progress, Part 2
• Grow Your Sunday School: Part 1, Preparing Your Class to Invite New People and Grow Your Sunday School: Part 2, Steps for Inviting New People
• How Can We Get New Members in Sunday School/Small Groups?
• Identify and Invite Sunday School Prospects, Part 1 and Identify and Invite Sunday School Prospects, Part 2
• Multiply the Potential Impact of Your Sunday School Class Christmas Party
• Explosive Sunday School Growth
• Sunday School Outreach: Giving Sunday Night to Jesus