The more I observe and write about Sunday School, the more I am convinced that an important key to the effective functioning of Sunday School is care. Care is essential for connecting and reaching new people. Care is vital in starting and growing friendships. Care is important during the teaching and learning environment.

Care enables reaching, teaching-learning, and caring. When each of these are infused with care, Sunday School becomes an effective tool in carrying out the Great Commission. Through care, Sunday School grows disciples, leaders, and classes.

Sunday School care is three dimensional: upward-directed, outward-directed, as well as self-directed (love God, other, and self). As a result, Sunday School care takes many forms in the lives of classes and small groups:

• prayer,
• relationship-building,
• ministry in time of need,
• presence during pain,
• encouraging words,
• listening,
• pointed challenging teaching,
• discipleship discussion,
• accountability,
• acts of service,
• fun and fellowships,
• invitations,
• conversation and interaction,
• covenants,
• and so many more.

Until there is attempt to connect, there is no context for agape (selfless) love. (Remember God made the first step to love us.) Loving connections result in reaching and enrolling new people. And these connections enable lives to be equipped and mobilized to make more loving connections which in turn reach new people. Teach your class to C.A.R.E. Teach your Sunday School to C.A.R.E. Be revolutionary!

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

• Transformational Sunday School Equation
• Grow Your Sunday School Class by Organizing to Respond in Times of Need
• REVOLUTIONARY Sunday School Anagram
• Reconnecting with Sunday School Absentees
• Sunday School’s Neglect of Care for the Lost, Part 7
• Use Your Sunday School Records to Reach and Care for More People, Part 1 and Use Your Sunday School Records to Reach and Care for More People, Part 2
• How Far Should Sunday School Go to Make Disciples of All Nations?
• Is It Time to Clean Up Your Sunday School Roll?
• Growing Sunday Schools Have More Visitors Who Stick Around
• Empty Seats in Sunday School
• Characteristics of Effective Sunday School Learning Experiences
• Internally-Focused, Externally-Focused, and Missional Sunday School
• Revolutionary Sunday School Does Care
• Ideal Behaviors of an Adult Sunday School Member, Part 2
• Personal Invitation and Enrollment: Twin Key Metrics in Sunday School Progress, Part 2