Make Your Class Closings Meaningful

What happens in your Sunday school class when you come to the end of your appropriated class time? If you are like many teachers, you probably make a mad rush to get over the last few remaining verses in those remaining moments.

We all know the value of first impressions, but what about "closing impressions?" What kind of an impression will your lesson leave with the class members for the week ahead?

In a way, the closing five minutes of a class can be the most important. Those final minutes will determine what many will remember about the lesson and what they will do relative to the lesson during the week ahead.

In general, there should be three parts to a Sunday school lesson closing – celebration, action and prayer. First, celebrate the accomplishments of the day. Don’t just summarize the lesson, but also recall the other important "lessons" of the day. Second, plan some action. What will the students do to put the lessons of the day into practice during the week ahead? This could also include plans or an assignment related to next week’s lesson. And, finally, close with prayer. Not a short, hurried prayer, but a meaningful prayer that thanks God for his guidance and seeks his help as the students seek to put the lessons of the day into action throughout the week.

You work hard preparing your lesson. Don’t just let the lesson "fade away," make the closing meaningful.

(This article appeared in the "Summer, 1992" issue of "The Herald.")