Summer is a fantastic time for Sunday School: VBS, summer camps, small class sizes, and great weather; but winter is coming. With this back to school checklist, you’ll not only be able to face back to school, you’ll conquer it! While this time of year is serious business, we’ve assembled the top 10 back to school memes for Sunday School to inject some fun along the way.

The Back to School Checklist For Sunday School Leaders

So here’s the bad news: The longer you put off your back to school prep, the more difficult it will be. Why not save yourself some pain, and start planning now? Just because you have a lot to do doesn’t mean it has to keep you up at night. So let’s fire up those memes and get started!

 

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1. Take Stock Of Last Year

Some people think Sunday School is easy: kids come in, the teachers tell a couple of Bible stories, and then the parents come pick up the kids after church. How hard can it be? Please! Those of us who have served in Sunday School know the real deal. A thriving kids ministry doesn’t just happen; it takes a good plan, hard work, and a lot of grace.

But before you get back to work for back to school, take stock of how things went last year. What should you keep doing? What should you stop doing? Try this fun and handy tool to help you evaluate: 12 Sunday School Rules For Success.


2. Build A Solid Game Plan

If you want back to school to be a success, then your Sunday School needs a plan! Where is the Sunday School program going? What are the program’s goals for the kids? Who is your team? School is coming quickly, which means bigger classes, new families, and a shortage of volunteers. Now is the time to plan.

Start with last year. List three things you really hope to accomplish this year, and prioritize them. List three things that it’s time to change, and prioritize them as well. These two lists will make your plan. Start with your top priorities and begin brainstorming!


3. Take A Look At Your Budget

The budget meeting is the most feared of all Sunday School meetings. The pressure, the hopes, the disappointment. Having a game plan can go a long way in getting the budget you want.

Here’s a secret: Your leadership is on your side. Tell them the top three things you’d like to do, and show them what you think it will cost to do them well. Let them give input. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how far a good meeting like this can go.


4. Choose Your Curriculum Wisely

One of your key budget items will be curriculum. But what’s there to discuss? Sunday School curriculum is a lifetime choice, right? Nope. Cue the voice of Morpheus: “What if we told you there was a curriculum your kids and volunteers would both love?”

Every Sunday School curriculum must be affordable, fun for kids, and volunteer friendly. If you’re not satisfied with your current curriculum, summer is the perfect time to test drive something new. We suggest these four FREE lessons from Sharefaith Kids!


5. Upgrade Your Supply Closet

They may be some of the most cluttered rooms on the planet Earth. It’s where every prop, costume, craft, and activity goes to live forever: the Sunday School closet. Just when you didn’t think it could hold any more, summer events such as camp and VBS proved you wrong.

Here’s what needs to happen:

  • Clean that closet, and throw some stuff away.
  • Look at your game plan and see if there are any new resources you need. Don’t forget the power of digital! Online kids Bible videos, curriculum, activities, and slideshows are amazing tools and space savers.

6. Set Your Back to School Teaching Schedule

The teaching schedule is where a lot of Sunday School resources get it wrong. They give you one, inflexible lesson plan for the whole year. But sometimes the lessons aren’t connecting, and you’d like to be able to switch things up.

Try this: Go to the Sharefaith Kids Bible Videos page. There you will find more than 100 amazing kids’ Bible videos featuring amazing illustrations, professional narration, and bold storytelling. Start watching and dream up you own custom teaching schedule!


7. Assemble Your Team

Granted, your team may consist of only you, but it’s a start. By this point, you should have all you need for an epic volunteer meeting. Tell them what you saw last year, the big things you’re doing this year, and the resources you’ll have.

The perfect Sunday School meeting is inspiring and informative. Pick a date before school starts, and invite your team and anyone you’d like to recruit. Make an agenda, keep it simple, and rally the troops! We all need a shot of inspiration from time to time.


8. Talk To Your Congregation

Getting on the big stage and talking to the adults can be a Sunday School teacher’s worst fear, but don’t sweat it! Your congregation wants Sunday School to be a success, and they want to know what’s going on.

Ask for a few minutes this summer to talk to the adult congregation. Let them know what’s going on, the help you could use, and the exciting things to come. Sunday School is family, and the people in big church love to hear about what’s going on.


9. Get In Touch With Parents

How do you keep insanely busy back to school parents in the loop? Make good communication a priority, not an afterthought! If you are going to keep parents informed about the upcoming school year, then you need a communication plan.

Social media is one of the best communication tools available to your Sunday School. Set up a Facebook page for your ministry, share kids Bible videos with families on Youtube, and instantly distribute Sunday School announcements via Twitter.


10. Spend Time With Jesus

We’ve saved the most important item on this Back-to-School Checklist for last. In John 15:5, Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”

Simply put, without Jesus, there is no Sunday School. Jesus is what Sunday School is all about: teaching his Word, sharing his Gospel, and knowing him better! One of your great Sunday School responsibilities is being an example of Jesus, and that starts with you and Him having some one-on-one time.


Sharefaith Kids Sunday School Lessons

We hope you’ve enjoyed these back to school memes and got some fresh ideas along the way. If you’re looking to re-energize your Sunday School before school starts, try Sharefaith Kids. For less than $1 a day, you can have the world’s best digital library of Sunday School lessons, kids Bible stories, and videos.


Bonus Back To School Meme For Sunday School

We promised you the top 10 back to school memes for Sunday School, but we had to squeeze in one more for number 11. This meme goes out to all the brave souls who have summoned the courage to suggest a change in Sunday School resources.


The memes in this article include images from the following films and television shows: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Saturday Night Live, The Matrix, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Office Space, The Hunger Games, Elf, Star Wars, The Avengers

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