When a new teacher starts a new class, he is sometimes frustrated, sometimes embarrassed by the low attendance. The needs of the kingdom are parallel with the teacher’s needs. He is eager to have new people in his class and in his life. He greets every new face with an enthusiastic smile. He calls the church office regularly and says, “Are you sure there are not any more prospects that I could follow up on?”

That is why new classes tend to do better than older classes. The teacher and the class are eager. They want people in their lives. They really, really want people in their lives.

What about you? Do you really, really want people in your life for your own selfish reasons? Or is outreach a matter of obligation and responsibility and duty?

Responsibility and obligation and duty will never do. People don’t want to be the recipient of your well-intentioned commitment. They don’t care how committed you are. They don’t care about how responsible you are. They want to know whether you want them.

And the only way to truly want them is to structure the church so the needs of the teacher align with the goals of the kingdom.

If you have not picked up on this already, what we are talking about is starting new classes.