Harry Piland’s Impact

Posted on July 22, 2012 by

I just tweeted: Ridgecrest reminds me of the legends that have impacted my life and ministry such as Harry PIland.  Harry served First Baptist Church in Houston as the minister of education before coming to the ImageBaptist Sunday School Board (Now Lifeway) as the Sunday School Leader for Southern Baptists.

For those of you who did not have the privilege of knowing and leaning from Harry Pland, let me share how he impacted my life.

The first time I met Harry was after a worship service at Ridgecrest at a restaurant in Black Mountain.  The year was 1985. I had just graduated from seminary and had accepted the call to serve as the minister of education and youth at Markham Street Baptist Church in Little Rock, Arkansas.   My wife and I were attending our first Sunday School Weekend with my mom and dad.  At that restaurant, Dad introduced me to Harry Piland.  From that moment forward, Harry never forgot my name.  He called me by name.   I was a nobody  just a young minister of education in a medium size church in Little Rock, Arkansas, but he knew my name.  What a remarkable gift?

During those years, I soaked up every book and every conference  on Sunday School, Church Growth, and Discipleship.  My home church pastor and mentor, Hoyt Wilson, had told me that was the best education that I would get.  So I diligently earned Study course awards for every age group and program. I even have a WMU Study Course Award.  One of those books was  Growing  and Winning through the Sunday School.  What a great book?  In this book, Harry unpacked his nine basics of Sunday School growth:Image

  1. Make a Commitment to Grow
  2. Identify and Enroll People
  3. Start New Units (Classes)
  4. Enlist Workers
  5. Train Workers
  6. Provide Space and Equipment
  7. Conduct Weekly Workers Meetings
  8. Conduct Weekly Visitation
  9. Teach the Bible to Win the Lost and Develop the Saved

I can promise you these basics still work, even weekly workers meetings and weekly visitation.  In fact, Georgia has done research that verifies that the churches who do these things are more evangelistic than the ones that do not.  These principles have never left me.

In 2000, I became the State Discipleship Leader for Tennessee.   Our state team had a meal with Harry where he made a statement that has impacted me.   He said, “Mark, when the equipping centers* came out, our attendance in Church Training at FBC Houston increased greatly, but I watched as the attendance began to dwindle, because people started choosing rather they were coming back on Sunday Nights to Church Training based on what was being taught instead of the group.”  Today, most churches do not have a weekly, ongoing Discipleship Training Ministry and many churches have given up on Sunday night worship as well.   This statement impacted me significantly.  I believe that what is taught in Sunday School is absolutely essential and is a hill worth dying on.  Sunday School must stay an open Bible Study group where the Bible is the textbook.   If Sunday School teachers are allowed to choose their own curriculum and people start choosing rather they attend on Sunday morning based on what is being taught,  in twenty years, we will lose Sunday School as well.  This is why I believe in curriculum and resist using short term studies, even great studies like Experiencing God in Sunday School.

Harry Piland was a man that impacted my life and my ministry.  Thank you Harry for  giving to the Lord.  I am a life that was changed.

*(Equipping Centers were short term studies that were the first major alternative to dated curriculum for church training, now discipleship training.)

Posted in Christian Life, Organization, Stories | Leave a comment

My Indonesian Adventure

Posted on July 5, 2012 by

I recently returned from a trip around the world.   Literally, we flew from Altanta to Los Angeles to Japan to Singapore, finally arriving in Bandung, Indonesia.  On the way home, we flew from Bandung to Singapore to Frankfurt to New York, finally arriving back in Atlanta.   It was a trip around the world.   I wish that I could have spent several days in each city, but the purpose of the trip around the world was to visit my daughter and son-in-law who are teaching at the Bandung Alliance Christian School.

Truthfully, until son-in-law proposed to my daughter and they were married last summer,  Indonesia was not on my bucket list of places to visit.  What a beautiful country… a country with over 17,000 islands, volcanoes, mountains, and beaches.  It is also the country with the largest muslims population in the world.  Each morning, we woke to the call to prayer at the local mosque.   My daughter and son-in-law are very careful to respect the customs of the muslim world and we were sent some simple do’s and don’ts prior to coming.  Pray for their work at the Christian School and for their ability to be a witness for Christ in this world that they have chosen.

Indonesia is a diverse culture and on our trip we spent three days on the island of Bali.  Unlike the island of Java, the people on Bali are primarily Hindus.   We witnessed the peoples of Bali, provide the daily offerings on the many altars and spelled the incense that was offered as a pleasant aroma to their god.  At a cooking school hosted by a local Hindu family, the husband gave a major evangelistic presentation on Hinduism.  It was very enlightening presentation.

As I reflect on my trip, it was a joy to see where my daughter and son-in-law live.  They are doing a great job learning the language and building relationships with their neighbors.  The trip gave me a real taste of world religions.  May the people in Indonesia and in America come to know the only God who loved them enough to send his only Son so that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.

Please pray for my daughter and son-in-law and for the nation of Indonesia.

Posted in Christian Life, Discipleship, Ministry, Stories | 2 Comments

Life Still happens at Christmas

Posted on December 9, 2011 by

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!   Growing up, my mom and sometimes dad loved to sing Christmas songs as we returned from shopping in Memphis, Jackson, or Nashville.  Christmas is my favorite time of the year.   I love the decorations and the lights.  I reserve Black Friday for decoration day. While everyone is shopping, my family is decorating.   I love the parties and food, and believe that every group or class should have a party not just at Christmas but every month.  I love the music and the programs.   But the greatest thing about Christmas is the message and hope that Christmas brings.

At Christmas, many churches participate in Advent.  Advent means anticipation. And at Christmas we remember and anticipate the Messiah’s birth.  John says that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.  It is why we sing Immanuel, “God With Us.”  This simple fact gives those of us who know Christ a peace that passes all understanding, a hope in the midst of life’s storm. and the ability to deal with life’s valleys.

As I write this blog article, I am in the Critical Care Waiting Room in Jackson, TN.  My mom is in stable but critical condition.   Even before this, I was dealing with the fact that my daughter and son in law would not be able to be home for Christmas this year.  Life can rob us of the anticipation of Christmas.

It is in these times that I wish every person in TN and the United States was a member of a Sunday School Class.  Even in the midst of the lights, sounds, and parties of Christmas, Sunday School classes still call, visit, bring food and care for their members.  In Sunday School, you will find a loving group of people who will remember you and love you.

Remember: Don’t miss the anticipation of Christmas even when Life Happens.  “Joy to the World…The Lord Has Come!”

Posted in Christian Life, Discipleship, Ministry | Leave a comment

Read the Bible for Life

Posted on October 10, 2011 by

David Green, pastor at First Baptist Church in Greeneville, Tennessee, was asked at a conference for Sunday School leaders, “What his church was doing in the area of discipleship?”  One of the resources that they are presently using in their discipleship ministry is Read the Bible For Life.  When David was sharing, I became excited because I believe that Read the Bible for Life is one of the most significant emphasis and resources ever released by Lifeway.

This resource was written by Dr. George Guthrie, Benjamin W. Perry Professor of Bible at Union University in Jackson, TN.  Dr. Guthrie shares on his website, “Over the past two
decades I have become increasingly concerned about the state of biblical literacy in the church…biblical literacy has more to it than merely knowing Bible trivia.  For instance, it concerns reading the parts of Scripture well and understanding the “grand story” of redemptive history.”

Read the Bible for Life initiative, seeks to foster:

  • an understanding of how to read the parts of Scripture well,
  • a perspective on the Bible as a grand story God has written on the world,
  • a grasp of the themes of Scripture that thread their way powerfully and beautifully from the beginning to the end of this book of books, and
  • sound application of the Scripture to modern-day life.

The Read the Bible for Life initiative is a whole-church initiative focused on growth in biblical literacy.  As the Disciple-making Team Leader for the Tennessee Baptist Convention, I would strongly urge every church to join First Baptist Church,
Greeneville in offering Read the Bible for Life.  Consider the following actions:

  1. Offer the nine-session group study (READ THE BIBLE FOR LIFE: LISTEN. UNDERSTAND. RESPOND) as a foundational experience for the whole
    church.
  2. As a church, read through the Bible chronologically in a year, as the pastor preaches through the highlights of the Bible’s grand story year.

Two resources are available to encourage every member to use day-by-day  as the church reads through the Bible together: READING GOD’S STORY: A CHRONOLOGICAL DAILY BIBLE and/or A READER’S GUIDE TO THE BIBLE.

Call or e-mail me at the Tennessee Baptist Convention for questions about Read the Bible for Life or strengthening your discipleship ministry.  For additional information, the Read the Bible for Life website is  www.readthebibleforlife.org.

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Sunday School: A Mechanism for Outreach

Posted on September 7, 2011 by

 Randy Davis, Executive Director for the Tennessee Baptist Convention shares his views on Sunday School as the outreach arm of the church.  He expounds that evangelism is all about passion for the lost and ultimately about building relationships with lost people.

During the recent Sunday School Investigation Conference in Paris, Tennessee, Randy Davis,  responded to the following question:  My dad taught me that Sunday School was the outreach arm of the church but over the past 15 years, there’s seems to be a de-emphasis on the Sunday School as the outreach-evangelism arm of the church.  What have you done to keep Sunday School as a strategy for outreach and evangelism?

According to Dr. Davis, there has been a de-emphasis on evangelism so naturally, there will be a de-emphasis on outreach and evangelism in Sunday School.   If Sunday School directors, minister of education, and pastors don’t have a passion for evangelism, you will not lead your church and your Sunday School to be the evangelism, outreach arm of the church.  I love Randy’s response that Sunday School is the best mechanism to do ministry and to fellowship and to reach people for Christ.  Are you using your Sunday School to effectively reach, teach, and minister to a lost and hurting world?  

Sunday School Investigation offers breakout conferences for pastors, ministers of Education, and Sunday School Directors, Preschool, Children, Youth, and Adult leaders.  Seven more SSI:TN will be offered in September.  Each events features pastors sharing with pastors and Sunday School Directors there philosophy and solutions for growing Sunday School.  Each event  begins at 6:30 and conclude at 9:00 PM.  SSI: TN is requires no advance registration.  These conferences are available thanks to your church’s gifts to the Cooperative Program and participating associations.

Visit our web site at http://www.equippingu.org For each SSI conference location, a complete list of breakouts being offered, directions to the host church, and available publicity items.

Posted in Evangelism, Ministry, Organization, Stories | Leave a comment

Realistic Expectations for Sunday School Growth

Posted on September 5, 2011 by

It’s Football Time in Tennessee!  As Tennessee gets ready to play Montana, I began to think about realistic expectations for the season and for churches.  Most Tennessee fans have realistic expectations for this season.  In 2011, few are dreaming of a National Championship, but all are hoping for a decent bowl game.   My Alabama Friends though realistically are thinking about winning a National Championship in 2011. 

Every pastor and Sunday School director should be dreaming and setting goals.  What is  a realistic goal and expectation for your Sunday School attendance?   

A pastor recently asked me to speak to their Sunday School leaders.  During the session, the topic of goals came up.  One of the members declared that we should be averaging 100 in Sunday School. Now, I love that attitude and applaud this member for dreaming big.  The church at this time was averaging 75. Growing from 75 to 100 is probable, but was it realistic? I mean Tennessee could win the national championship but is it realistic? Tennessee certainly should plan and play to win every game and if they do, they would certainly be crowned national champions.  (Another blog topic?)

For the last five years, a list of the fastest growing Sunday Schools in Tennessee has been compiled.  These churches are identified as one of the top 25 fastest growing churches in the small, intermediate, medium or large church category.   In 2010, the study was based on three years from 2008-2010 and analyzed growth in attendance, growth in enrollment and total baptisms over a three year span.  The churches in the small category grew an average of 25 over a three year period.  The churches in the intermediate category grew an average of 36 in a three year period.  The churches in the Medium and Large categories grew 37 and 128 over a three year period.  (This years Medium category did not grow as much as in previous years)

Based on these numbers, was this church member’s dream of growing from an average of 75 to 100 in one year realistic?  Adding 25 was certainly possible and if accomplished, would have almost certainly placed his church as one of the fastest growing Sunday Schools this year, but was it realistic?

My philosophy of Sunday School and church growth was impacted by the late Ron Lewis.  In my first church as minister of education in Little Rock Arkansas, he led a Church Growth Conference and served  as our church’s consultant.  He stated that a church would double every 10 years if they just grew at 7.5% a year.  In other words, a church averaging 100 in Sunday School would need to average adding 7-8 new members plus replace its churn.   David Francis estimates that the average church loses 20% of its attendance every year to deaths, relocations, transfers, etc.  So for a church averaging 100 in Sunday School, they would have to discover 20 new attendees simply to maintain plus 7-8 to begin the process of doubling every 10 years.

Let’s dream big, but set realistic timetables for growth.  Unrealistic goals develop unrealistic expectations. Realistic goals  and realistic expectations provide energy and motivation.  I am sure that one day Tennessee will beat Alabama again and win a national championship, but realistically it probably will not happen in 2011.

Posted in Discipleship, Evangelism, Ministry, Organization | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Importance of Prospecting and Assimilation to Sunday School Growth

Posted on August 17, 2011 by

At Sunday School Investigation in Dyersburg, I asked Fred Ward,  pastor of First Baptist Church in Huntington, Hoyt Wilson, pastor of Chapel Hill Baptist Church in Lexingon, and Robert McBroom, pastor of Madison Baptist Church in Jackson, what steps they have done to keep their Sunday School as a growth Strategy for our church.  In this video, Fred shares that he believes constantly prospecting and a strategy for assimilation has been the key to growing his Sunday School.

The late Andy Anderson used to say that a church literately killed itself visiting if all they ever visit is chronic absentees.  Finding prospects ranks right there with finding teachers as too of the biggest obstacles Sunday School must overcome.  I would love to hear answers to these questions:  How are you finding prospects?  How are you creating a Sunday School that has members wanting to invite their friends, neighbors, family, and associates to attend?  What is your church’s strategy for assimilating prospects?  Use the comment field to respond or send me an e-mail at mmiller@tnbaptist.org. 

These three pastors simply are doing the basics.  One of the basics is Identifying and Enrolling Prospects.   For help finding prospects, call my office at the TBC.  Steve Pearson, our Sunday School Evangelism Specialist or myself would be glad to help you.

Sunday School Investigation offers breakout conferences for pastors, ministers of Education, and Sunday School Directors, Preschool, Children, Youth, and Adult leaders.  All but one event  begins at 6:30 and conclude at 9:00 PM.  In Nashville, the event will begin at 9:00 and conclude at Noon.  SSI: TN is requires no advance registration.  These conferences are available thanks to your church’s gifts to the Cooperative Program and participating associations. 

Visit our web site at www.equippingu.org For each SSI conference location, a complete list of breakouts being offered, directions to the host church, and available publicity items.

Posted in Discipleship, Evangelism, Ministry, Organization | Leave a comment