There are many articles, blog posts, and Twitter comments being made about the second year of significant decline in Southern Baptist Convention statistics. For instance, check out Ed Stezter's blog post, The Southern Baptist Convention: A Denomination (Continuing) in Its Decline. Bob Mayfield has written a post, Is Sunday School Causing the Decline of the SBC?, which has led to some great comments.

There is plenty of blame to pass around. In many cases, vision and leadership are missing. We have grown complacent and lazy. There is no longer one acceptable methodology which produces growth in every situation. Along with these major areas of concern, I am concerned that time with God in Bible study and prayer seldom takes place between Sundays, and we don't care for the sheep (John 10:16).

Is Sunday School causing the decline in the SBC? Can Sunday School make a difference in the SBC decline? I believe both questions are wrong. Sunday School is simply a tool for carrying out our Lord's Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20): "make disciples of all nations." You cannot blame a tool if it is not being used or is not being used properly.

Southern Baptist churches must wake up. They must realize the eternal consequences of their actions. They must realize the potential that Sunday School has when it stops being mediocre and starts being revolutionary. Prayer is needed. Pastors, directors, and teachers must lead boldly. Vision must be cast. Raise expectations. God-led people must be enlisted and coached. Plans and assignments must be made. Training must be offered. Accountability must be implemented. Before it's too late! Be revolutionary!

Join the conversation on this important topic by leaving your thought below. Just press Comments. For more ideas about revolutionary Sunday School, check out these blog posts (which are but a few of the more than 70 on the topic):

• Snapshots of Maintenance, Management, and Revolutionary Sunday School
• 5 Goals for Sunday School Growth This Year
• REVOLUTIONARY Sunday School Anagram
• Leaders Take More Time for Revolutionary Sunday School
• Mentoring, Apprenticing, and Coaching for Revolutionary Sunday School
• Comparing Revolutionary and Mediocre Sunday School
• Five Purposes of a Revolutionary Sunday School
• Giving Attention to the Two Doors of the Sunday School
• Sunday School Outreach: Giving Sunday Night to Jesus
• Sunday School Leader Application Process
• Be Proactive, Not Reactive, in Your Sunday School Assimilati on Efforts!
• Revolutionary Sunday School Leaders Should Take a Field Trip to Starbucks
• Do You Want Your Sunday School to Survive or to Thrive?
• Sunday School/Small Groups: Where Everybody Knows Your Name, Part 2
• Turning Small Groups into Missional Communities, Part 1
• Sunday School Growth Spiral
• The 5 W’s of Balanced Sunday School
• Revolutionary Sunday School Does Care
• Responding to Sunday School Teachers Who Don’t Want to Train
• Revolutionary Sunday School Prevents, Improves, and Removes Ineffective Leaders
• What Should Happen as a Result of Revolutionary Sunday School?