This past weekend I had the chance to go to the Central Florida Nazarene Sunday School Training Day. My mom presented a children’s ministry workshop along with two other kidmin veterans. It was so wonderful to see everyone so attentive and excited about serving kids. I saw people nodding and taking notes and agreeing with the presenters saying, “absolutely” and “Mmhmm.” It was great to know that everyone was on the same page as far as understanding the needs of our kids and what it is going to take to get the Gospel to them. To all you guys who were there, thanks for being so committed to following God’s call to love our kids!
January 30, 2012
January 29, 2012
CPC '12 in Orlando
I love going to the INCM Children’s Pastors Conference! It’s a fantastic time to think and find new ideas and refocus our ministry towards God’s leading. This year at CPC in Orlando was amazing. INCM laid out five key parts of children’s ministry, the “5 Initiatives” as they’re calling them, that they believe are the fundamentals of what we do in the lives of our children. Taking things back to basics, you could say. Each general session covered one of these Initiatives. So, here are the 5 Initiatives and my take-away from the general sessions:
1. Impart God’s truth to this generation.
Do not underestimate the above sentence. It does not mean “Tell them enough Bible stories.” Are we afraid to tackle tough truths with our kids? Have we watered down or limited the Bible too much in our classrooms? Kyle Idleman, author of the book “not a fan,” who presented this session said, ”Teaching is not downloading information; kids need to fall in love.” Getting the majority of our kids to remember the days of creation or Ten Commandments or life of David is not our goal. Not that those stories aren’t important, but our kids need more than just stories. They need truth that they can use for offense and defense. They need serious truth that they can use in the challenging times in their life. They need to know that truth is something they should seek after – they should ask the hard questions. Our kids need to fall in love with the Truth.
2. Provide a safe and relevant environment.
The environment is the first thing that lets kids and parents know how much we care about them and about what we do. It should impress the parents with its organization, assure them of its safety, and still be fun and engaging for the kids. Here are three things all good kidmin environments should have:
a.) Signs – Good signage is a must. People like to know how to get where they need to go, like the bathroom for instance.
b.) A means of collecting information – Someone should be collecting information from the parent/guardian: Who will be picking your child up? Does your child have any allergies or health concerns? Where will you be sitting or how can we reach you in an emergency? Etc.
c.) Emergency plans – All teachers should be aware of the emergency or evacuation plans for power outages, fire, intruder, and medical emergencies plus any disasters that are common in the area such as tornadoes, earthquakes, or tsunamis.
Aside from being safe, we need to make sure that we are giving kids a place where they can have fun and learn and be themselves.
3. Communicate with families
Parents, guardians, and other family members spend more time with the kids in our ministries and therefore have more influence on those kids than we can ever hope to have. Connecting with families is essential, but don’t stereotype the idea of family ministry. Families don’t need a better picture of what family “should be.” In most cases, the families in our ministries will never be able to become a mom and a dad with 2.4 kids, a dog, and a picket fence. Our families need to know that God is working in and through each family just as it is. Parents need to be encouraged that God has a bigger story to tell in their family, that they will be accepted as a family that God is using, and that they can succeed as the family God made them to be. And, as is true with everything else in our ministries, you, me, we set the example. We must make our own families the most important ministry we will ever be involved in. What does it profit a man to bring many souls to the Kingdom if he loses those he cared about the most?
4. Network with a community of leaders
Ministry is a marathon not a sprint and most of the time it takes teamwork. We need to look for and ask God to bring into our lives people we can team up with to encourage and inspire and build up each other. In the Information Age networking has become so easy that there really is no excuse for not trying. Join a group on Facebook, get an email pal, find a mentor, and make lunch dates with other kidmins or pastors. Give yourself an outlet and a chance to be a good team member and friend. God never meant for us to go it alone.
5. Pray for the international children’s ministry community
Prayer is one of the most powerful tools in our arsenal. When we pray, we should not only pray that we can think of a game by Wednesday and that a certain little boy will behave but also for others who are trying to minister just as we are. While we worry about getting a snack for the preschoolers, some churches are worrying about famine. While we worry about having enough volunteers, some are worrying about getting caught attending a secret Bible study. We need to remember the big picture – that the Kingdom is so much bigger than just us. Praying for each other builds connections that reach across continents and into eternity so that their kids become our kids and ours become theirs and God gets the glory for them all.
January 28, 2012
Solutions for Small Churches by Dienna Goscha
Dienna Goscha is the owner of River's Edge Curriculum and specializes in providing effective resources that large and small churches can use. She draws her inspiration from working in her own small ministry.
http://www.riversedgecurriculum.com/
"Walking into the children’s area of a mega church where I was attending a conference, I found a large castle located on the kid’s stage. I learned that the castle cost $25,000 and was designed by an architect with a myriad of bells and whistles that would wow kids of all ages. As I was taking it all in, someone from my church also attending the conference came up beside me. Carol excitedly exclaimed, “They have a castle just like yours!” My castle, back at our smaller church, was made from cardboard boxes. Our resident handyman had constructed a bridge out of scrap materials, the local garden store allowed us to borrow crocodiles for the moat and a hula hoop with cheap fabric hanging from it extended from the ceiling making a gazebo. All for a cost well under $100. And yet, in Carol’s mind, the castles were the same.
With creativity, smaller churches can overcome obstacles and turn them into positive opportunities. Often I hear children’s pastors and leaders complain about lack of funding, low volume of volunteers, cramped space and discouragement over the number of children in their ministry. Instead of having a “we can’t” attitude, start capitalizing on the unique blessings that God has given and focus on how to maximize these areas.
Within a smaller church, kids can have opportunities to learn servant hood at a young age. Put together a creative ministry team using the talents that your church has. I started with a team of 3 upper elementary kids and five years later “The God Squad” had grown to 16 kids and teens. At the beginning stages, the team performed simple puppet songs, however, quickly moved into doing backyard Bible clubs and even leading the spiritual segment of an entire week long summer camp engaging in drama, crafts, games, props, audio-visual and teaching. Each Sunday, The God Squad arrives to set up the kid’s ministry for the church which meets in a movie theater. They assist with early childhood classes, do puppets and dramas, run sound and power point, create props, man the welcome center and finally clean up after the service. Each member of the group is assigned a role based on spiritual gifts and talents. With this group of dedicated kids and teens, the kid’s ministry has been able to run smoothly with a quality program.
Often smaller churches worry about not being able to pull off the big events such as Christmas programs, VBS, or outreach family events. Instead of trying to imitate other programs, capitalize on the talents in your church. Do you have artistic talent instead of musical talent? Do away with Christmas musical ideas and imagine an art show displaying children’s artwork, all tastefully and professionally arranged with girls dressed in black and white walking around the guests serving chocolate on golden trays while the boys usher the guests through the art displays. Imagine setting up a Bethlehem Village with biblical costumed children guiding family, friends and guests through the village showing off crafts such as pan flutes, perfume bottles, coins and weaving. Don’t forget the beggar at the town well or the Roman soldiers standing at attention. Both of these ideas work well with committed artistic individuals leading the way. Imagine a fun family night Bible study where parents and kids learn together with hands on activities such as seeing how many helium balloons it would take to lift a GI Joe or Barbie, launching an Alkaseltzer rocket or working together to craft a boat out of aluminum foil. Together they decorate a family cake or make homemade ice cream in coffee cans or zipper baggies. All of the activities tie to a biblical concept. Families would not only bond with each other but also have meaningful interaction with other families. Family outreach events can be effective and meaningful even in small group settings.
Instead of outreach being a Vacation Bible School at your local church, consider going to places that larger churches would not be able to go and doing events that no one else is doing. Think about doing a neighborhood Bible club, traveling to different neighborhoods in the area. Sponsor a story time in your local coffee shop where you read to preschoolers one day a week along with sharing some simple puppet skits, finger plays and hands on activities. If you have athletes in your church, run a free one day sports clinic or a 3 on 3 basketball tournament in your local park. Get into the community instead of waiting for kids to come to you.
Volunteer numbers can seem like an obstacle in a smaller church setting. The same people can easily be overwhelmed and overworked. Be on the lookout for those who are not engaged in ministry. Create short term opportunities to get people excited about kid’s ministry. Small drama parts, a personal story, teaching a craft or making a video are all ways to introduce people to kid’s ministry. Most people are willing to invest 15 minutes of their time doing something they are comfortable with. Once they get a taste of what you are doing in kid’s ministry, they may want to come back for more.
Discouragement can come from comparing attendance with other churches. Instead of making comparisons focus on building relationships with the kids you have. There is a much greater opportunity to mentor kids and to make a lasting impact on their lives because you personally know each child in your ministry. Take time to go to ball games and school plays, send notes, shoot off simple emails, recognize birthdays, and have the kids into your home. Pray personally for each child, knowing the struggles that each child may be facing. Focusing on relationships instead of numbers will keep discouragement to a minimum.
Smaller churches often will have mixed age groups of kids all in one class. Sometimes the wide age span of kids can seem like a huge obstacle. What do you do with four-year-olds in the same room as fifth graders? In these situations, older kids get an opportunity to lead and to mentor younger kids. Use older kids not only as helpers, but also to lead small groups. We learn the best when we can teach something. As the older kids teach the younger kids, they will be learning and hiding biblical truth in their hearts. Lack of funds to keep up with technology can be discouraging. However, kids still learn best with experiential learning. Create activities that will keep kids moving. Acting out stories will stay with kids longer than watching them on a big screen. Making something with their hands will help them remember a story long after they have gone home. Participating in a game show or a “reality show” race are all ways to help with learning retention. However, do not discount the importance of using technology today. A smaller church should make attaining technology that can complement their kid’s ministry programs a priority in their goals for the future.
Max Lucado told a story about a World War 2 pilot, Bohn Fawkes, whose plane was hit by Nazi antiaircraft guns. Even though the plane’s gas tank was hit, it did not explode and Bohn was able to safely land his plane. The next day he went to the crew chief to ask for the shell that could have ended his life. He wanted it as a souvenir. He found that not one, but eleven shells had been found in the gas tanks. Incredibly, none had exploded. Later when the missiles were opened they were found to be void of explosive charge. They were empty except one. Inside, a small piece of paper was found with the message, “This is all we can do for you now.” It seemed that an assembly-line worker was disarming these missiles. The worker knew he could not end the war but he could do something. It seemed so small, and yet it made all the difference.
We may feel that we aren’t making the impact we should because we are in a smaller church. But the impact we make can be deeper in many ways. Never discount what God has given you to do and what He can do with it. It may seem like what you are doing is “all you can do for now,” but know that it is making all the difference to the children God has placed in your life."
http://www.riversedgecurriculum.com/
"Walking into the children’s area of a mega church where I was attending a conference, I found a large castle located on the kid’s stage. I learned that the castle cost $25,000 and was designed by an architect with a myriad of bells and whistles that would wow kids of all ages. As I was taking it all in, someone from my church also attending the conference came up beside me. Carol excitedly exclaimed, “They have a castle just like yours!” My castle, back at our smaller church, was made from cardboard boxes. Our resident handyman had constructed a bridge out of scrap materials, the local garden store allowed us to borrow crocodiles for the moat and a hula hoop with cheap fabric hanging from it extended from the ceiling making a gazebo. All for a cost well under $100. And yet, in Carol’s mind, the castles were the same.
With creativity, smaller churches can overcome obstacles and turn them into positive opportunities. Often I hear children’s pastors and leaders complain about lack of funding, low volume of volunteers, cramped space and discouragement over the number of children in their ministry. Instead of having a “we can’t” attitude, start capitalizing on the unique blessings that God has given and focus on how to maximize these areas.
Within a smaller church, kids can have opportunities to learn servant hood at a young age. Put together a creative ministry team using the talents that your church has. I started with a team of 3 upper elementary kids and five years later “The God Squad” had grown to 16 kids and teens. At the beginning stages, the team performed simple puppet songs, however, quickly moved into doing backyard Bible clubs and even leading the spiritual segment of an entire week long summer camp engaging in drama, crafts, games, props, audio-visual and teaching. Each Sunday, The God Squad arrives to set up the kid’s ministry for the church which meets in a movie theater. They assist with early childhood classes, do puppets and dramas, run sound and power point, create props, man the welcome center and finally clean up after the service. Each member of the group is assigned a role based on spiritual gifts and talents. With this group of dedicated kids and teens, the kid’s ministry has been able to run smoothly with a quality program.
Often smaller churches worry about not being able to pull off the big events such as Christmas programs, VBS, or outreach family events. Instead of trying to imitate other programs, capitalize on the talents in your church. Do you have artistic talent instead of musical talent? Do away with Christmas musical ideas and imagine an art show displaying children’s artwork, all tastefully and professionally arranged with girls dressed in black and white walking around the guests serving chocolate on golden trays while the boys usher the guests through the art displays. Imagine setting up a Bethlehem Village with biblical costumed children guiding family, friends and guests through the village showing off crafts such as pan flutes, perfume bottles, coins and weaving. Don’t forget the beggar at the town well or the Roman soldiers standing at attention. Both of these ideas work well with committed artistic individuals leading the way. Imagine a fun family night Bible study where parents and kids learn together with hands on activities such as seeing how many helium balloons it would take to lift a GI Joe or Barbie, launching an Alkaseltzer rocket or working together to craft a boat out of aluminum foil. Together they decorate a family cake or make homemade ice cream in coffee cans or zipper baggies. All of the activities tie to a biblical concept. Families would not only bond with each other but also have meaningful interaction with other families. Family outreach events can be effective and meaningful even in small group settings.
Instead of outreach being a Vacation Bible School at your local church, consider going to places that larger churches would not be able to go and doing events that no one else is doing. Think about doing a neighborhood Bible club, traveling to different neighborhoods in the area. Sponsor a story time in your local coffee shop where you read to preschoolers one day a week along with sharing some simple puppet skits, finger plays and hands on activities. If you have athletes in your church, run a free one day sports clinic or a 3 on 3 basketball tournament in your local park. Get into the community instead of waiting for kids to come to you.
Volunteer numbers can seem like an obstacle in a smaller church setting. The same people can easily be overwhelmed and overworked. Be on the lookout for those who are not engaged in ministry. Create short term opportunities to get people excited about kid’s ministry. Small drama parts, a personal story, teaching a craft or making a video are all ways to introduce people to kid’s ministry. Most people are willing to invest 15 minutes of their time doing something they are comfortable with. Once they get a taste of what you are doing in kid’s ministry, they may want to come back for more.
Discouragement can come from comparing attendance with other churches. Instead of making comparisons focus on building relationships with the kids you have. There is a much greater opportunity to mentor kids and to make a lasting impact on their lives because you personally know each child in your ministry. Take time to go to ball games and school plays, send notes, shoot off simple emails, recognize birthdays, and have the kids into your home. Pray personally for each child, knowing the struggles that each child may be facing. Focusing on relationships instead of numbers will keep discouragement to a minimum.
Smaller churches often will have mixed age groups of kids all in one class. Sometimes the wide age span of kids can seem like a huge obstacle. What do you do with four-year-olds in the same room as fifth graders? In these situations, older kids get an opportunity to lead and to mentor younger kids. Use older kids not only as helpers, but also to lead small groups. We learn the best when we can teach something. As the older kids teach the younger kids, they will be learning and hiding biblical truth in their hearts. Lack of funds to keep up with technology can be discouraging. However, kids still learn best with experiential learning. Create activities that will keep kids moving. Acting out stories will stay with kids longer than watching them on a big screen. Making something with their hands will help them remember a story long after they have gone home. Participating in a game show or a “reality show” race are all ways to help with learning retention. However, do not discount the importance of using technology today. A smaller church should make attaining technology that can complement their kid’s ministry programs a priority in their goals for the future.
Max Lucado told a story about a World War 2 pilot, Bohn Fawkes, whose plane was hit by Nazi antiaircraft guns. Even though the plane’s gas tank was hit, it did not explode and Bohn was able to safely land his plane. The next day he went to the crew chief to ask for the shell that could have ended his life. He wanted it as a souvenir. He found that not one, but eleven shells had been found in the gas tanks. Incredibly, none had exploded. Later when the missiles were opened they were found to be void of explosive charge. They were empty except one. Inside, a small piece of paper was found with the message, “This is all we can do for you now.” It seemed that an assembly-line worker was disarming these missiles. The worker knew he could not end the war but he could do something. It seemed so small, and yet it made all the difference.
We may feel that we aren’t making the impact we should because we are in a smaller church. But the impact we make can be deeper in many ways. Never discount what God has given you to do and what He can do with it. It may seem like what you are doing is “all you can do for now,” but know that it is making all the difference to the children God has placed in your life."
Be renewed in the spirit of your mind - Eph. 4:23
So, it’s a new year. Time for a new start – new outlook, new goals, new strategies, new programs – but it’s also the perfect time for spiritual renewal. Renewal is important for both ministries and individuals. No person or ministry can grow without taking time periodically to recharge and strengthen its ideals. Take some time and be honest with yourself, brutally so. Breathe, use your hindsight, refocus, look at the big picture, and most importantly, let God do all of it for you.
Every January, the volunteers in our children’s department go to the INCM Children’s Pastor Conference. We get away and worship and fellowship. We get out of our church building and out of our boxes and hang with other kidmins and share our problems and ideas. It’s just a great time.
Conferences are a fantastic way to get encouraged and inspired, but they’re also noisy. The static that is new ideas, new resources, networking, and note-taking is not renewal. At almost every conference I’ve attended, everyone says that their favorite part is the worship services because that is where the renewing Spirit of God is felt.
Renewal is giving yourself back over to God again – letting Him heal the hurts, fill the empty places, and bring you back from the places where you’ve strayed. When we let God renew our spirits, He will clear our minds and hearts for the ministry He has ahead for us giving us the strength and wisdom we need to press on.
Remember, our ministry is all about serving our kids and bringing God glory. But we can’t do that if we’re worn out, empty, discouraged, or overwhelmed with all the holes we’ve found in our boat. So often in ministry, we force ourselves to keep going no matter how much water we’re taking on because we feel like we have to. God never intended for it to be that way, and we have to give ourselves time to be reminded of what God truly wants for us.
So, take a day off for prayer, have a private worship service with your bible and your iPod, or go to a conference – but make sure to make some time to spend with God so that He can renew your spirit for ministry.
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