Finding Hope in Small Numbers: Encouragement for When Few Kids or Families Return to Sunday School
Have you ever been so excited to see your children on Sunday morning? You woke up early, planned your lesson, and had an enjoyable craft ready to go, only to be met with no children.
It’s easy to feel discouraged when none of your kids attend church week after week. Thoughts that maybe they didn’t have fun with you the previous Sunday, so their parents decided not to go, or it could be any other reason not related to you.
But here’s the thing: It has nothing to do with you or how you teach. Let’s dive into why we shouldn’t be discouraged during these times.
The Bigger Picture: Quality Over Quantity
While you may have Sundays with no children, you may only have one or two children on any given Sunday. Being at a small church can be a common occurrence. But it’s not about the number of children, but the time you spend together teaching God’s word to the one or two children you have.
In the Bible, there are many stories of God using small numbers to accomplish great things. One such story is the feeding of the 5,000. With just five loaves of bread and two fish, Jesus and his disciples could feed everyone.
When you have a smaller group of children to teach, you can better focus on each one. Remember, each one is important, and the lessons you teach are seeds being planted in their hearts.
It’s Not You
It’s important to understand that today’s families face challenges committing to regular church attendance due to busy schedules. They could have kids in sports or other commitments that fall on Sunday mornings.
We are also living in a different time, post-pandemic. The pandemic affected many families and changed their church attendance habits.
Children also attend church because their parents take them. They don’t have control over whether they can make it to church or not. The best thing to do is contact the parents and check in on them. A short phone call or quick check-in email can help encourage parents to attend the following Sunday.
I remember sending postcards to my kids during the week. They loved getting mail, and parents could see their kids' excitement. This could help encourage parents to attend the following Sunday.
Here’s another thing. If you are a Sunday school teacher at a small church, you are likely missing out on the sermon. When your kids don’t show up, you can always go and listen to the sermon and sing praise and worship songs. You can also review your lesson plan again to be even more prepared for the following Sunday.
Don’t Give Up
If you spend time preparing lesson plans week after week and no children show up, please don’t give up. God sees your efforts. You were called to teach children God’s word, and they will eventually show up. When they do, you can nurture them with lessons from the Bible.
Your teaching may influence the children who do show up. Because of the seed planted in Sunday school, they may return to their faith later in life.
Lastly, being a Sunday school teacher impacts your personal growth and faith journey. You read your Bible more and spend more time with your church family.
Practical Tips for Reaching More Families
If you want to reach more families, here are a few ways.
Community Outreach: Can your church attend any community events? Create some flyers and hand them out at these events. You can also invite families who live near your church with flyers in the mail.
Social Media or Website: Does your church have a website or social media pages? Using social media can help attract families to attend your church. Having a website with more information about your children’s ministry is also helpful to those who are looking for a church to call home.
Follow-up with Families: Whenever new families visit, it’s a good idea to have them fill out a visitor form. This way, you can reach out to them through mail or email. Sending a friendly hello with information on what you will be teaching next week might help families make an effort to return.
Parent Involvement: Try organizing a family day where parents can participate in activities with their children. This will give them an idea of what their children experience on Sundays.
Stay Faithful and Hopeful
Remember, you were called to teach children God’s word. Even if you think you volunteered to do so or you were the only option left, regardless, you were chosen. You are impacting all the children that come through your classroom. Keep preparing your lesson plans, pray for guidance, and stay positive. Mindset is everything, as is prayer. You’ve got this!
Check out my resources below if you need help with lesson plans or craft ideas.
