Keeping up with the times

          I'm sure that most of you can relate, that as a children's pastor there is still a little kid or sometimes a lot in all of us. We can remember what it was like when we were kids too. Who the popular music singers were, the best tv shows, movies, toys. Recently, I came across an article on Facebook about all the different foods that 90's kids knew but were no longer being made today. Man that made me sad. But I learned something through that article. Times change. What was popular even just 5 years ago may not be anymore. But I'm afraid that we often take these memories from our childhood and apply them to kids today. Instead of realizing that today's kids have different sports, music, and movie role models than we did. Even when I go eat lunch at some different schools, kids are amazed that at one time you always got fries or tator tots in the school cafeteria. By placing our memories in their lives this places us, the children's minister, back in time though. Which means we can become outdated and ineffective in reaching today's kids for Christ. So one challenge for myself and for you as well, is to keep up with the times. Find out what is popular currently and what kids go through on a daily basis. As Karl Bastian, the founder of Kidology.org, would probably say we need to become kidiologist. But how can we do that? Here are some ideas I got partly from him and would like to pass on.

1. Never pass a toy store without going into it. This allows us to see what the coolest new gadgets and toys are for kids, not to mention you may find something for yourself too.

2. Read some popular kids books. If there is a popular series coming out that a lot of preteens are reading (like Harry Potter back in the day) then pick it up and read it. This lets you know what kids are being exposed to and gives you something to talk about with them.

3. Watch the Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, or whatever TV channel or movie is popular for kids. Not that this is all you watch but spend some time each day trying to watch a show kids do.

4. Watch the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards. This easily in a few hours allows you to see who the popular music, actors, and sports stars are in kids lives today.

The main thing to remember is that by staying relevant we can more easily and effectively connect and minister to children today. There are many other ways you can find out what is popular with kids today. If you have any ideas please share them in the comment box below.

Speaking Christ through your actions

Today as I was listening to a pastor I was reminded of the saying actions speak louder than words. Now I know this is going to upset you because you have studied for hours preparing the best children's sermon series possible. Perhaps you just came across the coolest object lesson or sermon illustration there is and know the kids will be extremely focused during your lesson time this week. While I hope this is true and that we all (me included) are digging into God's word in preparation for when we get to speak to the kids in our ministry, it is possible we are missing a key aspect to sharing the gospel of Christ. Our actions.

In Acts 20: 18-19 Paul is addressing the Ephesians stating, "When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents." Isn't it interesting that instead of pointing back to some the sermons or teachings Paul had spoke it was his actions that Paul referred to as a teaching point here?

What if instead of just interacting with the kids in our ministry we began to view it as a evangelistic or discipleship time? If there is one thing I know its kids maybe listening but they are definitely watching. This includes in how we treat others, if we are fair and honest, how we act in Walmart, or anywhere we go. The question is are they seeing Christ through your actions or are you harming the message of Christ? I pray they do in mine.

Counseling kids

Counseling kids can be an exciting but nerve racking event. There is the excitement that God is doing something in the child's life. But not only is He moving in their life, God is using you as well in this process. It's always a great feeling to know you are being used by the almighty creator. On the same token, counseling a kid can be a very delicate process. As one presents the gospel, they must be certain the child is answering questions on their own, and that they understand.

This past week I found myself in this very situation. A parent had come to me stating their child was asking questions and wanting to be baptized. I of course agreed to sit down and talk with the child. This is a favorite part of my job after all. As we preceded through what baptism means, what sin is and the gospel it became obvious that while the little girl was asking questions it just hadn't clicked yet. I'm so grateful for the Holy Spirit's discernment in times like this. 

This past week reminded me of the awesome opportunity we have to reach kids with the gospel of Christ. But at the same time that opportunity comes with great responsibility. So next time you get to counsel a child I want to encourage you. Pray for discernment and clear words. Let the child answer even if this creates a long pause. Finally, let the Holy Spirit take over and guide you. 

Training Workers

One thing that every children's ministry needs is equipped, committed, and faithful workers.  After all you can't do everything yourself in the children's ministry or at least you shouldn't. But that is a whole different topic. Now i'm sure you have some people like this is your ministry already. There are some people who just naturally are very gifted, even at being a children's ministry worker. I believe that every worker can become this equipped and committed worker though. It just takes time and effort from you, the children's minister, to help aid and equip them for that purpose.

But in today's world it is a fact that people are ever increasingly busy. This presents a problem when it comes to pouring into today's children's ministry workers. At a Conference I went to several months ago only 1 out of 25-30 children's ministers were having a monthly training, where most if not all their workers attended.  This shows us that today meeting once a month at a set time does not always promise a good turnout. Which means that some of your workers are being equipped while others are missing good training points. The majority of the children's ministers had one meeting every quarter or half a year for training. This doesn't give a lot of time to equip those in the forefront battle ground of your children's ministry.

So in order to equip your workers one is going to have to think outside of the box. How can I equip my workers and manage to not ask of a lot of time from their daily schedules? This is a question I have looked into myself. Here are two ideas I came up with. Perhaps some of ya'll have come up with another solution. I'd love to here how others are equipping their workers, please leave your training strategies in the comments below.

1) Training Online

There are several different online training tools available today. My children's ministry is actually in the process of getting all our workers signed up for this as we speak. One benefit of training online is that you can track each workers progress, allowing you to provide different trainings for more seasoned children's ministry workers. These also give you a database of training videos so you don't always have to make your own.

2) CD/DVD

Another thing you could try is making a CD/DVD each month for every worker with videos or audio on it. This takes a bit more work as you have to make and/or compile the videos. But it allows them to carry the training with them anywhere they may go.

Ultimately I believe that a key to equipping today's kidmin workers is making training conveniently available. Whether this is online, through a CD or DVD, people will be more willing to listen or watch a short 5-10 min training if they can listen while driving to work or pull up a video on their Ipad during commercial breaks. The question is how will you equip your kidmin workers?

Starting Conversations with Kids

It is Sunday morning. Your running around trying to get everything together last minute for the kids programs that are beginning. Got to get glue for this craft or some supplies for a game that was found this morning. But you have missed one important thing. . . . meeting and having a conversation with the kids. Instead of worrying about getting everything together that could have been done days in advance, you could be meeting with kids, especially visitors. Establishing a relationship or connection with the kids in your ministry is more important than you think. Starting a conversation with them doesn't have to be tough either, especially if you know some key topics kids pay attention to today. Here are some topics you might want to become familiar with to help you get on their level.

1) Disney. . . .

One of the easiest things you can do to relate to kids is get hooked on Disney. This could be the latest and classic Disney movies, watching the Disney channel, play Disney video games. The list goes on but if you want to talk to kids asking them who their favorite Disney character is an easy way to get started.

2) The latest music

Who is the most popular kids music sensation right now? Not sure. Watch the Nickelodeon kids choice awards each year. Also you could start by asking what a kids favorite song is and then go back and learn about them later for next time.

3) Sports

This is a big one with boys especially. But knowing the hottest sports athletes is a big deal. These kids are watching them constantly. And if your in the south you better know how the state college football teams are doing!

4) Pets

A lot of kids have pets. Of course for many people pets have a special place in one's life, but this is even more evident in kids lives. After all they are the only ones I've ever had request for me to pray for their pet.

5) School

I know what your thinking. Did he just list school? Yep, while some kids may not enjoy school the most it is where they spend a big chunk of their week. Everyone has a favorite period (even if it is lunch). Why not ask about where they spend most of their time?

These are just some conversation starters to think about. But making an effort to converse and meet with the kids in your ministry is important. It shows them you care, are a human just like them, and can establish a foundation for a opportunity to discuss the gospel and God's love for them.

Feeding Yourself

Are you taking time to feed yourself? Now I know this sounds like an odd question. I mean of course your taking your lunch break and maybe hitting up the closest fast food joint from the church. And every morning you wake up and grab that bowl of cereal or eggs. Then at night you know supper is a great meal. Of course your feeding yourself right? We all make sure we take time out of our day to eat because our bodies need fuel to keep going. Without food we will become sluggish, tired, and lethargic. So to keep going and hopefully fulfill our jobs and relationships to the best of our ability we eat right.

But are you taking the same stance in your spiritual life? Are you, as a minister of the gospel, taking time to feed yourself God's word? Now don't get me wrong I know it is easy to get caught up in whatever ministry your focused on and there is always someone you can help and serve. But the fact is your still a person like everyone else. You still must have a relationship with the God you serve, like everyone else. One thing that requires is purposefully spending quality time with Him daily.

Notice, I said quality time not quantity time. Because the length of time can vary from day to day. And I believe it can be different for every person. But quality time, that is needed no matter who you are. Time where you get alone with God and personally meet with Him. This is vital for all ministers, after all its hard to tells others about someone you never meet, spend time, or talk with. So maybe you've been in a rut and neglecting your time with God, maybe you need to make it a meeting time where you set aside a specific time daily. But make sure your connected to the vine.

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing" John 15:5

Conferences. . .a great opportunity

One thing that is a great resource for ministers are conferences. This is a time where maybe you get to take a road trip or even fly and be around a lot of other ministers too. In a conference setting, as a minister you get to go somewhere and hear from others about things happening in ministry and hopefully catch onto some great ideas of things that could help boost your ministry at home. Obviously it is a great time for one to gain a greater knowledge and understand. It is a training opportunity for ministers today.

But by going to a conference one can gain so much more than just realizing new ideas and trends in ministry. During the course of a conference, a minister can network and develop relationships. I would say that at no other time can you as a minister so easily and effectively meet other like-minded people face to face. Not to mention that the other ministers you meet will probably be from all over the region, country, or at times maybe even world. This allows you to see what’s going on in ministry in so many different situations. Developing these relationships can be a great opportunity, as you can later go back and see how each other is doing in ministry, bounce ideas off each other, and just simply share in life together.

Conferences can also be a time of rest and renewal for ministers. Perhaps you have been super busy lately and just had no time to get away. Conferences can be that opportunity, where you can relax a bit and rest. Sure you are going from session to session, but you can relax in knowing you just get to listen. This could also be a time where maybe you get to focus more on your own relationship with Christ, instead of planning and studying all the time.

I have been to several great conferences over the years and have some already scheduled for the upcoming year. I hope that you will consider going to a conference this year as well. Whether you need to gain some insight and knowledge, rest, or network with other ministers. Perhaps, you even need all three. It seems there are so many conferences readily available today, I hope you’ll take advantage of the opportunity set before us.

You Must Read To Succeed

I once had a Bible college professor, who said “You must read to succeed”. Now I don’t know about you but I am not a reader. As a kid, I read the Bible and that was about it. In college reading was a necessary evil. I did not like it but I did it so I could pass my classes. At the time I thought his saying was just for the classes my professor taught, because we had reading quizzes all the time. But I have since realized that this saying applied to far more than just his class but ministry in general.

I now find myself reading to help my ministry. So rather than being a necessary evil, reading has become a tool. It is a way for me to continue to keep up with trends in Children’s Ministry, whether I use them or not. Reading helps my mind brain storm different ways that our ministry could reach kids. Through reading I continually develop my own views on the process of Children’s Ministry, how I need to react to volunteer workers, as a leader. The list could go on and on with different ways reading is effective and profitable for ministers. But I think you get it, reading is important. Especially to those ministers, who don’t always get to conferences and workshop seminars.

So if you aren’t currently I would like to encourage you to find a book, pick it up and start reading. Maybe it’s a book about children’s ministry, disciplining in church, teaching kids to pray, training volunteers or leadership. There are a ton of books out there. Two books I would suggest are WHOLLY KIDS and Children’s Ministry That Works, which I’ve read recently. Next on my list of books to read are Kid Ministry 101, and The Kidology Way. But these aren’t the only books that could prove helpful to your ministry. I’d love to hear some suggestions on books you’ve read, which helped you in ministry? Just leave them in the comments below.

Reaching out to kids . . . outside of church

One thing that I love doing is seeing kids outside of a church setting. To me it seems to help everyone relax. I also believe it helps show the kids that you really are the same in church and out of church, you’re a follower of Christ everywhere. Your faith is real. Which is a great example I think they need to see. Here are a two ways I’ve found to connect with kids outside of the typical church environment.

First, you could try to meet them at school. Now I know this is easier said than done in some places. I’ve been in a ministry situation where schools would let me come for FCA and that’s it. I’ve been in a school system that didn’t want me to come at all. I’ve also been in situations where I can come to lunch, morning devotions, and special events to help. Either way it is worth finding out what they will let you participate in. Schools are the biggest single place you can meet kids on their terms and share the message of Christ with them.

One way I get into the schools is at lunch. I have a “Lunch Box” at our church and allow kids to place a ticket in the Lunch Box. Once a week during school I draw a name and eat lunch with that child. Now before you go do this 1) call the schools for approval and 2) I check with the parent of the child I draw each week. But this allows me to meet our kids, bring them a cool dessert, and meet kids that don’t go to our church as well. It’s easily the biggest mission field I have in our community. You could also attend a student’s band recital or play as well. This of course will be after school hours but still shows them you care and you get to meet and connect with the family, not just the individual child.

Secondly, you could go to a child’s ball game. I’d be willing to say that almost all kids play in at least one rec league during their lifetime. You can quickly find out if a kid is playing a sport by just simply asking them. Afterwards talk to their parents and ask when their next game is and if they mind you coming to support the child. You can go support the child in your ministry and sit with their family to connect with them on a deeper level as well. After all, as a children’s minister, we should be partnering with the parents to aid in their child’s spiritual development. That involves getting to know them too, not just their kid. The child will also probably be thrilled their children’s pastor cared about them enough to come to a game.

These are just two ways you could connect with kids outside of church. I’d love to hear of some other ideas for meeting kids outside the church walls! Just post your ideas in the comments section below.

 

Using Sports In Childrens Ministry

So lets begin by stating the obvious. Sports are a big deal in our world today. This summer the World Cup was on, which is a world wide sporting event that takes whole countries captive for the duration of the tournament. Of course college football season is fast approaching, which tons of people look forward to every year. But not just that, think of the fact that people actually rate high school players coming into college years before they even graduate. Then there are children's recreation league sports. It seems like almost every kid I knew growing up tried at least one rec league, whether that was baseball, basketball, soccer, football, softball, you name it. Some kids these days even focus on one sport from a early age because travel ball teams play year round. Sports are a big deal to society, and kids play sports.

Now I love sports, I think that when handled properly they can be good for kids promoting team work, and health amongst other things. My point here though is if sports are such a big deal to kids and so many kids are involved in them, why not use sports in your children's ministry? Here are a couple of things you could do:

1) Sports leagues

Of course there is Upwards sports leagues, which I highly recommend. But start a sports league through your church that is focused on sharing the gospel with kids. At my current church we use Upward Basketball and I can't tell you how many kids and their families have come through our door that wouldn't on a Sunday morning or Wednesday night.

2) Sports Camps

Now this one is a little tougher because a lot of schools host their own sports camps in the summer. So you may have to get creative with the time. Possibly a set of weekend camps or hosting one during fall break.

The most important thing to remember is that the sports are just a draw and presenting Christ is the true goal. So adding a devotion during a break or character traits with biblical references you go over each day or a gospel presentation. Yes, sports need to be taught. That has to occur so parents will be willing to send their kids to the camp. But they can be a great bridge to opening up a chance to present the gospel to kids today.

Story telling

So you are preparing for Sunday morning, or Wednesday night and you want to make sure the story is exciting for the kids. What do you do? Now there are many ways to capture a child's attention as you relay a story from the Bible and how it applies to their lives. There are object lessons, power points, videos, felt boards, and the list goes on. One great way to teach kids is through story telling! This is after all one way that Jesus taught. There are many parables such as the prodigal son, the wise and foolish builder, and the mustard seed are just a few. But I'm not just talking about having them sit and listen.

Instead, step out of the norm and put a new twist on story telling. This could be done by getting some of the kids to help you act out the story. This is a great way to keep the kids interacting and engaged. It also probably makes them feel special. Not only are they getting to help teach the story for the day but they also get put up on stage in front of their friends.

Using children to tell the story also ensures for a lively time. Just this night I had kids up on stage helping me act out the three little pigs. Now yes this is a simple story that preschool kids learn. But even my sixth graders were excited and engaged. Of course having a little girl be the big bad wolf can be fairly entertaining. So can seeing your adult leaders crumble as the house gets blown down too. The point is using kids can produce some funny visuals as you have them act out different events.

So next time your looking to change up how you teach the kids. Try using them to help act out your story. It is a great visual and can keep the kids engaged as they are thrown into the story. No matter what you choose, just don't be afraid to try something new.

Summer Camp

So this year I changed up our summer camp at the church I am currently serving in. For the past several years the kids group has gone to a "big" camp. Now before I continue please understand I am not in any way bashing these big camps. In the right in the right situation, with God's leading, they can be very helpful to a church. Instead though I felt God leading us to go on our own camp. It was definitely a great decision. We doubled our attendance for camp from the previous year. All the kids had fun. We got to do a shaving cream/water balloon war, giant soap and slide, and much more. But these aren't the benefits of doing your own camp. Rather the benefits are so much more. Below are just a few reason I believe God led me to choosing our own camp this year.

1) Your own camp allows you and your adults to connect with the kids.

By being the only church there it allows your kids to focus on you and you to focus solely on your kids. This is a great time to build and strengthen relationships with them. Because you are going from a couple hours a week to being around the kids 24/7 for several days.

2) Your own camp allows for the speaker to connect with the kids more.

This past week at camp, one thing that blessed my heart, was seeing our camp speaker interact with the kids. Now yes this was done during the service, as he spoke and called kids up to help. But he also was there during meals, games, crafts, and more. The kids actually got to know our speaker. He wasn't just someone, who preached to them, but was real and his walk with Christ was evident outside of the pulpit.

3) Your own camp allows you to tailor the week for your group.

By having your own camp you, their children's minister, can tailor the camp to help fit exactly where your children's group is. Do you have a lot of unchurched kids? kids who haven't made a profession of faith? Kids, who are already on their walk with Christ? Younger kids? Older Kids? Of course the answer, is different for every group and could even change from year to year. By knowing where your group is overall, the camp can be tailored to their stage of life. If you have a lot of kids, who haven't accepted Christ, then the gospel should be a constant focus in crafts, services, and more. Perhaps this means also doing more group Bible study so that an adult is clearly relaying the Bible message. If you have kids, who have already accepted Christ, then perhaps doing more small group discussion or personal devotion time would be a good choice. But its your choice, and responsibility to tailor the camp.

Of course, I would urge any children's minister to consider taking your kids to a camp of their own. There are so many positives to it in my mind. But ultimately there is really only one thing that matters and I was reminded of that this week. Are we reaching kids for Christ through the camp. Whether it is your own camp or a big commercial camp, if the gospel isn't being presented, if kids aren't growing deeper in their walk with Christ. Then something needs to change and a serious evaluation should be made. Yes, camp should be packed with fun, but even more so camp should be packed with Christ!

Keeping the Vision

You are at a new place in ministry. Maybe it’s a different church, state, even age group focus. So what do you do? One of the first and most critical aspects of beginning a new ministry, I feel, is establishing an overall vision for the ministry you are put in charge of. Now sometimes this may be done for you generically, as the whole church operates under a certain vision from the head pastor. But perhaps not. Maybe you have come into a situation where you’re responsible for the vision of the ministry. So you pray and seek God’s guidance and develop a vision, mission statement, a plan of attack or ministry strategy, if you will. It sounds great, looks great, and you can’t wait to implement it into the ministry.

Fast forward several years, possibly months, and a question should arise. Are we still following the vision? You know it is easy to make sure the vision is followed at first. It is fresh, new, and exciting. But keep going down the road and it becomes more of an afterthought at times than a driving force.

Of course from time to time you may see the vision adjusting and need to change it some but I believe that one key to being successful in ministry is sticking to the vision God has laid out to you for the ministry. This is not an easy thing to accomplish though. It takes perseverance and focus. Constantly, reminding all of the workers of the goal. Doug Fields, In Purpose Driven Youth Ministry, suggest that you at least remind people of the vision or purpose of the ministry every twenty-six days.[1] This may sound very repetitive but it drives the purpose into the forefront of thought. It keeps focus in the ministry. It keeps organization and a general unity amongst the workers.

So the question is simple. Are you focusing on your ministry vision? If not why? Perhaps you have simply gotten busy and distracted from the vision. I encourage you to return to it as soon as possible. By focusing on the purpose your ministry can be more effective, unified and focused. The challenge is not to lose sight of the vision.

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[1] Doug Fields. Purpose Driven Youth Ministry. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1998.

The Redneck Olypmics

 

Looking for a fun, new event to do this summer with the kids? Try the Redneck Olympics. This combines the wonderful Olympic events with a down home southern twist for the kids at your church. These could be coupled with many different verses to show how God’s word applies to our lives. One that comes to mind though is 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 which discusses the need for Christians to submit to training ourselves spiritually so we might run the race of life for Christ to the best of our ability. Just as real athletes prepare and train for their races so they can perform to their best. Along with being able to relate this themed event back to God’s word, these make for some fun and sometimes funny games.

1) Toilet seat toss

This game is kind of like throwing a discus. Kids will grab a toilet seat. Give it a whirl and see how far the seat flies. Of course the farther the better. I wouldn’t advise having a “used” toilet seat, although you may get some funny reactions.

2) Shoot em’

Rednecks likes to shoot stuff. Whether it be hunting, paintball, fireworks or simply a good Nerf gun war. This game is simple. Just grab some nerf guns (or BB guns if you’re outside and brave), set up some targets and see who has the best marksmanship in the group.

3) Chug it

Everyone knows that sweet tea is the drink of the South. This game requires a bit more setting up. You do have to brew the tea after all. But give every kid a glass and see who can chug it the fastest! Try not to laugh though it might come out of your nose.

4) Skiing across the farm

This game is similar to the Olympics cross country skiing. Get some plungers, to use as ski sticks. For the actual skis, you could cut pool noodles and use duct tape (a rednecks best friend) to make foot straps. On the sound of “GO” kids will be sliding their way across the finish line.

5) Redneck Biathlon

The redneck Biathlon combines the redneck skis with shoot em’. Just give the kids a track to race around, a shooting station, and possibly something crazy to do if they miss a shot. Line the kids up into teams and make this a team relay race.

6) Bologna Toss

Now I’m personally not a fan of Bologna but Rednecks aren’t picky. Give each kid a slice and see who can hurl this mystery meat the farthest. Just make sure no one starts eating before they toss it.

7) Don’t drop that egg

This partner game will see who has soft hands. Partners toss the egg back and forth until only one couple is left standing. To make it more difficult, for every successful catch have the pair take one step back.

8) Duct Tape Ball

This game is similar to hand ball. Teams will hold a ball of duct tape, and attempt to pass it back and forth down the field and throw it into a goal. To make sure players pass the ball instead of just take it and run, only allow them to take so many steps before they have to pass.

9) Cricket Spittin’

Everyone loves a good cricket spittin’. Just grab a cricket, and let them fly. But beware if he sit in your mouth to long he may start jumping. You or an adult volunteer may have to do this one first to show that its harmless for the kids.

I’m sure there are many more that people have done. If you know of any good redneck Olympic game please share it to the comments below.

Starting a new school year

Well it's hard to believe but summer is actually starting to wind down. To me it seems like summer just started. Maybe your preparing for the last "big" event of the summer. Perhaps your just trying to make sure programs get through the summer or your recovering from the summer already. Either way this can be an important time in ministry. Here are a couple things to help you transition into the fall.

First, finish well. After all summer isn't over yet. There is no need to throw in the towel or enter cruising mode. There are still events and programs in the summer that need to be done. But not just thrown together. These need to be carried out with excellence, just like the rest of your children's ministry. Make sure that you finish the summer as strong as it began. 

Secondly, look forward. The fall is coming so what's happening in your ministry? Fall festival, family nights, maybe a big children's event. Start looking ahead and planning now. That way your not scrambling last minute. 

Thirdly, get involved. Schools soon will be back in session, so how could you get involved? Maybe it's first priority, eating lunch with the kids, helping one of the ball teams, or even just bringing some snacks for the teachers. Anyway you can meet with the kids outside of church is a plus. 

 

Do I really need to be prepared?

Weeks sure are busy aren't they? You have to prepare for all the programs and events. Look ahead to keep the calendar moving. Of course there are weekly meetings as well. Sometimes things are just so busy that part of the ministry gets neglected or not done as much. I think that often times the aspect that is first neglected is preparing beforehand for those weekly activities or events that seem to repeat every year. This is in part because they have been done before. You know the typical order of your children's church service or Sunday School lesson. So is it really all that important for you or a Sunday School teacher, or any other volunteer in your children's ministry to come in prepared? Absolutely, and here are just a few reasons why.

1. Being prepared allows you to connect with the kids before hand.

One of the best times to connect with the kids in your ministry, on a personal level, is by going around and talking to them before your weekly programs. This cannot be done though when you aren't properly prepared for the day. Make sure your prepared before instead of running around looking at your lesson plan or trying to set up a game. Just a few minutes of talking to a child could create a personal relationship, enabling them to listen to the gospel your about to present.

2. Being prepared shows the kids they are important.

Now I know what your thinking, and I've even had another minister tell me, the kids won't know we are winging it. But I must admit, I disagree. Kids can tell when your not prepared or coming up with things on the fly. And it shows them that its not important enough to take time before hand. Not to mention that kids are going to be more likely to bring a friend if your program is exciting and well planned, instead of thrown together at the last minute.

3. Being prepared allows you to connect with your workers.

Yes, before an event or program you should be visiting and connecting with the kids. But also make sure to stop by your volunteers. Let them know how much you appreciate them or just simply get to know them. A volunteer, who is invested in, is much more likely to stay in the long run. Which allows you to train and develop positive, strong leadership.

4. Being prepared allows you to include others.

If you are throwing together a lesson plan, or service order it is a lot harder to include others because everything is last minute. Instead by preparing, you can include other workers in leading a game, craft, music, etc. This helps develop solid workers, and ensures the program will be well ran when your on vacation, or a conference.

Expanding your horizons

So what is one thing kids love? Yes, they love candy. And yes, video games, sports, and the disney channel are very popular. But one thing I see kids always getting excited about is something new! It really doesn't matter what it is, if it's new that brings excitement, and anticipation into their lives. 

Yet, often times I've also seen ministries and ministry workers get into a rut of doing things the way they have always been done. Now this isn't all bad. It provides structure and a sense of what to expect for the children. But if every once in a while we, as children's ministry volunteers and ministers, would expand our horizons, step out of our comfort zones and try to do something new, the way kids view our ministry, events, teaching, and even us could drastically change. By changing a teaching style Sunday school can go from normal to exciting, especially for the child that is not just a verbal learner. Learning a new skill could take your children's church to a level of awesomeness not yet reached. But it takes time, effort, and a willingness to try something new.   

This is something recently I've been faced with in my ministry. But not because things have become typical or old news but rather because of God's leading. I have begun to attempt learning to juggle and use a diablo (Chinese yo-yo). To me this is something drastically new and will take a long time to form a "routine" and get comfortable with it. But when the kids at my church see a Chinese yo-yo in a object lesson, I bet they listen because it's something new and exciting. 

 

The question for you is what new skill or trick could you learn? Maybe it's a magic trick, using art, or utilizing the kids to tell a story. The possibilities are almost limitless. 

 

Keys to maintaining a successful summer

Summer is here! And that means kid ministers near and far are busy at work. Now I do not believe there is really a “slow” time in ministry but summer definitely is a “busy” time for children and youth ministers. There just seems to be many things going on during the summer, especially BIG events. A lot of churches will have VBS and kids camp. I know of several that have a mission trip planned for preteen age children. These things are big events, they take a lot of planning, advertising, and footwork.

Along with these bigger events, summer is a great time for smaller events because the kids are not in school. Because of this some churches will add a bowling trip, movie night, crazy game night, the list goes on. The summer might also mean a change in your typical programs, especially Wednesday night. For us, where I currently serve, our RA and GA programs end in May and we have KA’s from June to August. This means that during the summer I plan have to plan our lesson and activities instead of following a set curriculum, which I don’t mind, but it does take more time.

Maybe this summer has caught you by surprise, or just seems more hectic than normal. So here are some keys to maintaining a successful summer.

1. Don’t forget the main thing.

Now this is going to sound simple but let’s face it as things get busy, some stuff gets pushed out of our life. Don’t put God on hold during your summer ministry months. Make sure to still daily spend time in God’s word and in prayer. After all if we aren’t looking to God for direction in our ministry, it really is going to become more of a fun babysitting service than a God empowered, life changing ministry.

2. Don’t forget the second thing.

There is a second thing? I’m sure you might have thought this point was odd, but don’t forget the second thing during the summer, your FAMILY. I can’t tell you how many pastors have warned me, if you lose your family you lose your ministry. This statement holds a lot of truth. But these people often get put aside during busy times because time just doesn’t seem to allow you to be with them. Be sure to plan time with your family during the busy summer schedule. Whether that means taking a personal day or two; or just making sure your open nights are given to time with them.

3. Don’t take your vacation early

Now I personally don’t take a vacation in the summer just because it’s so busy, but that is not what I’m talking about here. When I say don’t take your vacation early, it’s really a nice way of saying don’t get lazy. I know summer is a time when you want to relax and rest. Instead try to make sure you keep on top of planning and preparing for all the awesome events you have planned. It’ll actually make the summer a bit less stressful if you don’t wait till last minute on everything.

4. Rest

Wait, you just said not to get lazy? Right. There is a difference between rest and being lazy. Don’t forget to have a few hours a day or one day a week where you get to rest. After all God rested on the 7^th day (not because he had to) as an example for us. This summer follow his example and get some rest in between events.

Are there any other keys you’ve found to maintaining a successful ministry during the summer? Share them in the comments below.

Turning a normal event into a special one

Through my experience it is common that ministry events often get repeated. The unfortunate aspect of this is that events, even with a good purpose, can become boring and mundane to the kids. As an example if one does a game night and plays the same games or rotation of games eventually they will lose appeal. The same could be true of a movie night, discipleship program, the list goes on. Of course, at times repeating events is ok. For instance in youth ministry every year there are events repeated like D-Now, Summer Camp, and Mission Trip. But still as a minister, you must be careful not to just repeat everything and lose the excitement of the kids. So how can you make sure that events stay fresh?

1. Put a new twist on an old event.

Repeating events is not a bad thing. Especially if it was an event that went well the previous time. When kids hear that event is coming up again there is an excitement from remembering the last event. But to keep excitement, try adding something different. Most recently I did this by having a snowman building contest with a movie night. The movie we watched was frozen. So the contest went along with the movie. I also didn't tell them the movie before so kids were coming up trying to guess what the movie would be. 

2. Do something new. 

New isn't always bad. Don't be afraid to try a new event. Does this mean you may have an event that doesn't "knock it out of the park"? Possibly. Before the event pitch your idea to some of your trusted volunteers for feedback. New is always exciting too because of the unknown element. You never know the event could become a one the kids are begging to do again. 

A passion for kids

               From the moment I realized God was calling me into a vocational ministry, it was children’s ministry that He led me to. Of course I can confidently say this looking back into the past but I really do believe that children’s ministry has always been where I was supposed to be. During high school I got to intern with the children’s minister in my home church, and I worked for an after school day care (man that was fun). My wife, I am sure will tell you that now I’m just a kid trapped in an adult’s body. But what drives this passion for kids to come to know Christ?

                Of course the easy answer for me is God made me this way. Also early on in ministry and even today I’m aware that studies state a majority of people accept Christ before they are 13 years old. In 2004 Barna stated this number was around 50%.[1] Not that i'm saying any other area of ministry is unimportant. Both of these are some great reasons for me to be passionate about children’s ministry but that not the only reason.

                There are several passages that are my “favorite” or I feel extra drawn to in God's word. Isaiah 6, the story of Gideon and David are favorites of mine for instance. But so is the scripture found in Matthew 19:13-15 which reads, “Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” And He laid His hands on them and departed from there”.

                In this passage we see an account of Jesus taking time out of his short stay here on earth, to especially spend with children. I’m not sure why but this scripture has always stuck with me. Often I find myself asking “If in this passage of scripture, Jesus found the children so important shouldn’t they be important to me?” Now don’t get me wrong as a minister you are a minister to everyone. Children is just where most of my time is spent. But it is also purposefully where my time is most spent because that is where God has placed a special passion in my life for. Maybe you find yourself with this passion as well? Maybe your just looking for some kid min ideas. Please continue to join me as we begin to walk through this together. Also let me know what drives your passion for children's ministry too.

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[1] https://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/5-barna-update/196-evangelism-is-most-effective-among-kids#.U4T-rNFOVes

The First One

I’m excited to write my first blog post! Through the past several months I’ve been almost consumed with the thought of somehow “giving back” or contributing to others in children’s ministry. Before I write any further, there should be a disclaimer. By no means am I claiming to be the best or most knowledgeable person out there about children’s ministry. However, I do hope that some of my experiences and knowledge can help some of you readers to become a better children’s minister than I’ll ever be. So from this time on we will dive into different experiences or occurrences I have personally seen in ministry, reveal object lessons (which I love), and discuss the new and ever-changing world which is children’s ministry.

Whew, there I did it my first introductory blog post. I’ve had a lot of first in my life. First steps, words, failure, successes but I must admit that I never imagined blog post would be one of them. Hopefully there will be many more to come (maybe they will even get better as time passes). Please check back and join me in this journey through the world of children’s ministry.