For January 3, 2010

And We're Off!

This Sunday we have our first Sunday School gathering for the one year voyage of reading through the Bible. Hopefully, everyone set sail individually on Friday. This Sunday we set sail collectively through Sunday School and worship. This is going to be an exciting adventure that will require effort, energy, dedication, enthusiasm, perseverance, and preparation on our part just to name a few. But if we stay the course, I believe it can truly be a life changing year!!

Staying Ship Shape

1. Pray. Pray. Pray.
2. Set aside dedicated time each day to spend with God reading and journaling.
3. Let the Holy Spirit guide you.
4. Talk about the voyage -- communicate with others what you are learning and/or struggling with.
5. Encourage others.
6. Be accountable and hold others accountable.

About this Sunday (January 3)

1. Be prepared for a possible large crowd to attend your class. We have distributed 900 Bibles and 895 journals to youth and adults. Some of that number includes people in the community who have chosen to take the voyage on their own or with a small group in their church.
2. If you have someone attend who has not signed up and therefore does not have a Bible or a journal, there will be sign up forms in the acrylic boxes outside of your classroom. Ask the person if they would like to get on board. If they are interested, give them a sign up form and have them complete it. When they complete it, collect it from them and place it either in your class roll notebook to be returned to the office, or back in the acrylic box outside of your classroom. If you place it in the box, I will come by later and pick the forms up.
3. We currently are out of Bibles and only have 5 journals left. This is why it is important that we get an accurate number from new sign ups this Sunday, so that we can order the correct amount of materials. In the future, the plan is to have extra Bibles and journals available in the church office so that any newcomer, regardless of when they come to your class in 2010, will have the opportunity to receive a Bible and journal and immediately get on board.
4. This means for this Sunday, newcomers will have to wait on the arrival of a new shipment of materials. I was out of town over the holidays, and we had more sign up than we had Bibles and journals for. I will be attempting to order an accurate number this next week.

Creativity in Your Voyage

1. I encourage you to be as creative with this voyage as you care to be. Let your class be creative with it too. They may come up with some great ideas. You can do a lot with the nautical theme. Along the way, I will share some ideas that you may want to use. I also welcome your ideas to share with others.
2. Here's one idea: Give your class a Ship Name, like the "SS Truth." SS stands for Sunday School anyway. You could welcome people aboard your class ship each week. You could refer to the class session as an "all hands on deck" experience or crew meeting.

This Week's Lesson

Remember the parts of each lesson

1. "Week in Review" -- be sure to begin your class time with a look back at what the class has been reading this past week. Allow class members an opportunity to share what they learned or struggled with. The questions at the end of the "Week in Review" section are good ones to ask to start this discussion. Be sure however, to limit this "Week in Review" portion of class time so that you can cover the day's lesson
2. Lesson Outline -- there are anywhere from three to more major points of emphasis to the selected Bible study passage in each week's lesson. They all "flow" together to support a major emphasis on the current theme and ultimately lead to a time of commitment
3. Passage Guide -- to give you biblical commentary for your own preparation to share with the class as you feel led.
4. Discussion Guide -- to give you possible questions to ask your class to engage them in active participation
5. Application Guide -- to give you suggested ways within the study of each outline section to lead the students to move from hearers of God's word to doers of God's word. It's all about application.
6. Commitment -- At the end of the day, our lives should be different when spending time with God in His word. Lead your class each week to make the commitments they need to make in light of what they have learned.

Remember the Lessons are connected by themes

• This Sunday, we begin to emphasize the theme, "Who is God?" This week's lesson will focus on the truth that God is "The Righteous Judge."

Remember to utilize the journal

• Class members should be bringing their journals with them each week. This is a tool that you have not had as a teacher before. Think of ways to utilize this tool during the lesson each week. Students will have a place in their journal for "Sunday School Notes." Encourage them to take notes during the class. You may also suggest that they write their commitment that they make at the end of class in their journal as a way to truly commit. When you write something down you are more inclined to follow through. There may be a question that you especially want the class to answer individually to drive home a point. Encourage them to record their answer in the journal. This can also be a way to get people who don't usually talk out loud to share with the group. Rather than letting the usual ones who speak up to dominate the discussion time, you can perhaps call on someone to share what they recorded in the their journal. This will give you some control over the discussion as well.

One Final Thought

This week's lesson is about a family that obeyed the word of God and built a boat, the "SS Salvation," and set out on approximately a one year voyage the end of which not only changed them, but also changed the world. How appropriate that this is our first lesson on our voyage! We have built our boats and we now set sail on a one year voyage. As we study God's word and apply it into our lives, we will be changed, and potentially the world as well!!

We have a Righteous Judge who commands obedience, delivers His judgment, and provides deliverance for all who accept His provision for salvation!!