I recently attended a worship service at a church I had not attended for a little over a year. Due to my morning schedule, I arrived late. It turns out the church had changed its service time from 11:00 to 10:30, so I was later than I thought. I had missed the music, offering, and apparently the first part of the pastor’s message. When I arrived a young man was standing in front of the congregation giving a testimony.

This man’s testimony was of time spent in prison and the rough, streetwise, vengeful life he had given up since entering into a personal relationship with Christ. According to his testimony, he has been living a life for Christ for several years and has claimed victory over past lifestyles and attitudes. It was a very good, compelling testimony. It just made you want to go up to him, shake his hand (or hug him) and hear more from him. Indeed after the service many people crowded around this young man to speak to him though he had been in the church for some time.

After this man’s testimony the pastor stood up walked to the center aisle (did not go to the platform or the pulpit) and addressed the congregation. I noticed he did not have a Bible in hand. Instead he had a Sunday School Leaders Guide, opened to a particular lesson. After commenting on the testimony and thanking the gentleman for sharing, the pastor told where he was reading from. It was obvious he was teaching the Sunday School lesson, and many in the congregation had Sunday School quarterlies and were following along.

At first I was a little surprised, thinking this pastor was using someone else’s script as his message – a Sunday School lesson. However, it did not take long to realize what he was doing. This is a pastor who knows and understands some of the dynamics of small group Bible study, otherwise know as Sunday School. Small groups are relational, built on growing relationships that encourage us to share and learn.

The Sunday School lesson being covered that day was about Joseph (Genesis 40) and his years of imprisonment. The pastor had recruited the young man to give his testimony that particular day because it related to the message. The pastor related like Joseph we need to live a life worthy of the name “Christian” no matter what life circumstances we find ourselves in.

The pastor spoke to the congregation of the importance and their need to be in Sunday School. He gave the times for Sunday School and encouraged everyone to be part of Sunday School. He spoke to various age groups and social groups in the congregation and shared features and benefits for them of being in Sunday School. He preached Sunday School.

Those who know me know I am whole-heartedly, 100% pro-Sunday School (small open group Bible study). It is the one common denominator around the world that produces sustained “church” growth.

I left that church feeling good about what I had witnessed. God spoke to me and encouraged me through the service that day. I asked the pastor permission to write about my experience that day. I pray that more pastors would take his example. It is not about the next great program, gimmick, or fad. It is following Jesus’ example; share with the multitudes, influence as many as you can, and teach a small group how to live and how to pass it on in their daily lives. This is Teaching That Bears Fruit.