RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

This past Sunday we had an Easter Egg hunt for the kids. There were lots of smiling faces. 

The hunt was over and the kids were going back to their classrooms (we did the egg hunt during service time - it's amazing how fast kids can pick up thousands of eggs...literally just a couple of minutes). 

Anyways back to what happened.  As the kids were walking back to class, two girls can running in.  They had arrived late and all the eggs were picked up.  They burst into tears.  They were so upset that they were going to leave. 

Then something amazing happened. I asked the kids if anyone wanted to share some of their eggs with the two girls. The kids started surrounding the two girls and giving them some of their eggs. Soon the two girls' baskets were full of eggs. The tears turned into smiles. I was so proud of the kids living out what it means to be a giver. 

Watching this happen reminded me of something. It is important that we teach kids what it means to be a giver. 

Here are five easy ways you can teach kids to be givers. 

Share with them how Jesus modeled giving.

Jesus life can be summed up in two words. 

"...just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:28 

Time and time again, throughout His life, Jesus gave and gave and gave.  He gave the ultimate gift when He gave His life and died on the cross for our sins. 

Point kids to Jesus and encourage them to follow His example. This is a key part of discipleship. 

Give kids hands on activities that bring giving to the forefront.

Here's an example of how you can do this.  Prepare bags of candy and give one bag to each child. Let them know that the candy in the bag is theirs. Then share with them about some kids in your community or area that are in need. 

Give them a choice. They can keep the candy or they can give it back and you will deliver it to the kids. When you do this, you will feel the tension in the room rise. Kids will have mixed emotions as they ponder what they should do.  

Some kids will take their candy home...and that's okay. But you will see that many of the kids will make the choice to give the candy to someone else. 

These kind of activities are powerful ways to teach kids about giving. 

Take up an offering each week and teach the kids about giving tithes and offerings. 

Share with the kids a simple truth about being a giver before you take up the offering each week. Share with the kids what the Bible says about giving God part of the money He has entrusted them with. It will normally be small amounts at this age but if they can learn the principles of being a giver, it can help them live this out for the rest of their life and experience the joys and blessings of being a giver. 

Share teaching series that focus on giving.  

I have two curriculum series that I use to teach kids about giving. Click on the images below for more information. 

Encourage kids to participate in church-wide giving campaigns.

When your church engages in big projects like a building campaign, special Christmas offering, filling shoe boxes for kids, etc. make sure you include the kids. God can do great things when you do this. 

We were raising money for a new children's ministry building.  A 3rd grade boy had  made big birthday plans. His parents were going to take him to Florida for his birthday and he would be going to some amusement parks there. It was a big, big trip for him. The family had saved money for this trip for a year.

When he heard about the building campaign, the Lord began to do a work in his heart. He went to his parents and shared with them that God was leading him to forego the birthday trip and give the money toward the new children's building. His parents questioned him about this and he confirmed that it was something God was telling him to do. 

So he gave the money toward the building campaign. God used it and his giving inspired the entire church to sacrificially give toward to the new building. 

Your turn. What are some other ways you teach kids to be givers? Share in the comment section below. 

In children's ministry, we often talk about spiritual growth factors.

What helps kids grow in their faith?

What helps children discover and follow Jesus?

What spiritual disciplines should kids be involved in?  

I believe one of the key ways to see kids grow spiritually is to empower them to share their faith. 

I know personally that when I step out of my comfort zone and share about Jesus with other people, it makes my faith stronger.   

Remember the old saying, "the best defense is a good offense?"  When we empower kids to be proactive in sharing their faith, it causes them to study God's Word, to know why they believe what they believe, and to spend time with Jesus in prayer.  Going on the offense by sharing their faith will help kids ward off doubt, and deception, and disillusionment.  

That being said, here are five proven ways you can empower kids to share their faith.  These have all been tested real time and work well with the Holy Spirit's guidance.

Teach lessons about sharing your faith.  

Teach lessons from God's Word about our responsibility to share the Gospel with those in our sphere of influence.  This will give kids a solid doctrinal foundation from the Word of God about the importance of sharing the faith.

Emphasize sharing the Gospel on a regular basis. 

Here's an idea for this. Always have an empty chair in the room.  Talk with the kids about who should be sitting in that chair.  A friend in the neighborhood that doesn't know Jesus?  A teammate that doesn't go to church anywhere?  A cousin who needs Jesus?  

Consistently keep their focus on other people who need Jesus.  What you emphasize will become their focus as well. 

Provide kids with tools they can use to share their faith. 

In my curriculum series called The Blab Lab, each week you help the kids create a tool they can use to share their faith that coming week.

Spend time in prayer for unchurched friends. 

During prayer time each week, take time to pray by name for other people that the kids want to see come to Jesus.  We know that God can do more in one second than we can do in a lifetime.  Ask him to move in the heart of those the kids are praying for.

Encourage the kids to bring their unchurched friends to church with them.

Here's an idea for this.  Print up invite cards for the kids to pass out. Here is an example of a card that we are currently giving to our church kids to pass out at school, ball practice, neighborhood, etc. You can see the front and back side below.  It is a baseball theme that day.  We are giving our kids these cards each week to pass out leading up to the 29th.

Your turn. How do you empower kids to share their faith?  Share your thoughts in the comment section below. 

Did you know that the majority of guests will return to your church based on how you make them feel?

I wish that the majority of people would return based on how you communicate God's Word, worship Him in song, and how you disciple their children.

But they normally come back based on the feelings they experienced while there.

Here are some feelings that you want people to feel while they are at your church.

Welcomed.  

Help them feel at home.  This starts in the parking lot.  

Diversity.

If you live in a diverse area, your church should reflect that. They should see people that look like them, talk like them, have the same interests as them, etc.

Stages of life.                                                                                                                                                                    They see other people who have children the same age as they do.  They are in the same stage of life as other people in their church.  

Important.  

They should feel like a VP.  Have a separate check-in area for them.  Have a gift for them. Walk with them to their classroom.  

Go the second mile to make them feel important.

If you can help parents feel these 4 ways during their visit with you, there is a good chance that they will return for a second visit.

Have you read my new book "Be My Church Guest?" It contains lots of practical ways you can help guests have a great experience on their first visit.  You can get it at this link.

One of the exciting times for kids at church is when they get to move up to the next grade. 

It's an important time and you need to have a plan for it.  

Here are some key things to remember when you are promoting kids to the next grade level.

Have a clear plan for parents that explains the transition and how you can partner with them during this time.  

Include steps you are taking and any preview days or events that will take place.  

Clearly communicate your promotion plan to parents.  Promotion can be a challenging time for parents. Some are afraid and uncertain as their "baby" moves into middle school. Some of them are nervous as their child is moving up to 1st grade.  

Prepare the kids by letting them experience a small part of the classroom they will be moving into.  Take them over to their new classroom for a small part of the service.  Let them meet the volunteers who serve there.  By helping the kids get acquainted with their new room, it will help reduce any of anxiety they may be feeling.

Have a clear plan for the kids who are moving into the student ministry.  The jump from elementary ministry to student ministry is a big one.  It is also a critical time to make sure all of the children make the transition smoothly.  

In the last months before the transition, have the student ministry pastor / leaders come over several times to the children's classes and spend some time with the kids so they can get to know them.

Seize the opportunity to invest in the lives of the children who are moving up to student ministry and their parents.   This transition is a key milestone event.  You will have the attention of parents.  

Have a Graduation Celebration.  Kids and their parents attend together.  I've got everything you need to host this milestone event.  It creates a solid bridge between your children's ministry and student ministry.  You should partner with student ministry for this event. 

It helps you create a powerful, life-changing, shared experience for the kids and their parents. Guaranteed to impact them. Be prepared to see lots of tears as you guide parents through blessing and praying over their children as part of the celebration.

You can get everything you need to host a graduation event by going to this link. Click here for more information.

Decide when you will move the kids up to the next grade. Some people like to move kids up at the beginning of summer.  Other people like to wait until school is starting back up.  

Personally, I prefer to do the transition right after school dismisses for the summer.  Once a child finishes a grade, they immediately say they are in the next grade.  Plus it gives leaders and volunteers time to connect with and get to know the kids before school starts back.

Another one of the key times you can equip parents is when their children are entering elementary school. Bible Presentation & Celebration is a shared experience for kids and their parents at this crucial time in their life.

This resource helps kids and parents grow in their love for God's Word and for each other. Families who participate, give it rave reviews and talk about how it impacts not only their child's faith, but also deepens their relationship with their child.

It will help you create a life-changing experience for kids and their parents.

Here's what it's all about...

• A one-time class that kids and parents take together, where they learn how we got the Bible, foundational truths about the Bible and how to make it an important part of their life.

• Helps children see and understand God's Big Story found in the Bible and how they are part of it.

• Equips parents to lead their children to love God's Word as they enter their elementary years.

• Speaks into the lives of parents and helps them see why it's important to raise their children in church and attend consistently.

• A life-changing experience as parents present their child with a Bible and speak a blessing over them.

• A time of prayer as parents pray over their children. 

You can get more information about this milestone at this link.  

Encourage volunteers to move up to the next grade with the children when it is doable.  One of the biggest ways volunteers can make a difference in the lives of the children is to move up with them and continue to be their teacher / small group leader over the years.  I have personally seen volunteers move up with the children in their classroom / small group through all the grades.  This results in a huge impact in the lives of the children.

So there you have it. Some key things to remember when promoting kids to the next grade at church.  What are some other things you do when promoting kids to the next grade at church?  Share your thoughts and ideas in the comment section below. 

The people you work with want to be recognized for their contributions.  

The volunteers on your team want to know that they are making a difference.

They probably won't come out and ask for it, but everyone wants to be recognized.  

When you recognize people it helps them feel appreciated and motivated.   

When you take the lead on this you can help create a culture of appreciation and gratitude.

Here are some examples of how you can recognize the people you do ministry with.

Say "thank you." It sounds simple, but what an impact it has. Take time each week to walk around and say "thank you for serving and making a difference" to the people you serve with. 

Write a personal appreciation note and put a gift card with it to Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts, etc.

Bring some sweets for everyone. Maybe it's someone's favorite kind of cookie. Maybe it's donuts. Maybe it's ice cream. Take some time to enjoy these together as a team. 

Invite some of your volunteers over for dinner at your house. 

Have the kids write personal thank you notes for their leaders. 

Take a volunteer out for lunch. 

Meet a volunteer for coffee and encourage them.

In the age of technology, a handwritten note is gold. 

Recognition can lose its impact if it’s practiced or applied only one way. Rather, it should be organic based on how each person wants to be recognized.

Keep in mind that not everyone wants the same kind of recognition. Some people do not want to be recognized in front of others. Customize your recognition for what best fits the person.  

Recognition must be genuine. An empty, meaningless recognition will be apparent and can have the opposite result.

Recognizing people in a team environment is very valuable. It helps you take time as a team to slow down for a moment and celebrate what they have accomplished. If we don't take time for recognition, it can cause people to feel unappreciated and dissatisfied.  

Recognition can be highly motivating. When you recognize the fruit of others, it instills a sense of pride and can motivate them on to even greater accomplishments. It also brings confidence and a renewed sense of commitment.

Don't just recognize the big accomplishments. Acknowledge the small wins as well. 

The recognition should be focused on a specific accomplishment.  

Who will you recognize this week?

I often hear people say, "If I had Disney's budget, I could make a big impact as well."

Hang on a minute.  I think you've got it in reverse.  The truth is this - Walt started out with nothing.  Broke.  He had been fired from one job because they said he "lacked creativity."  At one point, it got so bad that Walt had to survive for two weeks by eating dog food.   

But because Walt was able to create environments, experiences and events that families could enjoy together - he grew his business and began to bring joy to millions of families. The money and personnel followed.  

And it all started with one idea.  Here's what happened.

Did you know that kids are listening to podcasts? 

According to research by the U.S. nonprofit "Kids Listen," 63% of the those surveyed said they have been listening to podcasts for a year or more. 

Those surveyed were...

5-to-6 year olds (35%)

7-to-8 year olds (38%)

9-10 year olds (31%).

The survey also revealed what kids want to hear in a podcast.

69% are into "stories" (narrative fictional pieces).

56% like podcasts about science.

32% like fact-based non-fiction.

49% listen to podcasts for the fun and entertainment value.

33% listen for education purposes.

25% see it as something to do in the car.

75% of the kids who tune in are "active" listeners who like to fully focus on that content they are hearing.

Podcasts are also becoming a family event.  

63% of parents surveyed said they join their kids when they are listening to podcasts.  

59% listen along when the family is driving together. 

38% say they listen in while they are doing household chores together. 

What a great opportunity we have to reach and disciple kids through podcasts. 

It is also a great opportunity and tool to help parents disciple their kids at home, in the car, etc.

In the world of children's ministry there are lots of great podcasts for leaders.

But I am not aware of any podcasts that are geared for kids. 

Sounds like a wide-open door for someone to step up and use this tool to help disciple kids and their parents. 

Based on what the reports says, kids would love podcasts about...

stories in the Bible...

science from a Christian world-view...

fun jokes and riddles from the Bible...

interesting facts in the Bible...

and more.

Your turn.

Do you know anyone in the children's ministry world who is doing podcasts for kids?

Share the podcast information in the comment section below.

A large percentage of churches took their children's ministry classes, services and events online.  And in many cases, they didn't have a choice since the adult services were meeting online as well.  

I'm thankful for the many, many hours children's ministry leaders have been putting into their online content.  It has removed the 4 walls of the church and made the content available for the entire world.

I've talked with many churches who say they are going to continue offering online services for kids even when the pandemic has subsided.  That will be a noble undertaking for sure.  

But before we decide to keep providing kids' content online, I believe there are some questions we must ask ourselves. 

1. Is it sustainable?  Do we have the ability and resources to continue doing this long term?  

2. How can we get an accurate picture of how many are engaging with our content? 

3. Is online the best tool for kids to grow spiritually?  

4. Are we okay with families attending online instead of in-person?  What are the pros and cons of both?

5. What affect or changes will it have on our overall children's ministry?

Personally, I believe there is no substitute for in-person children's ministry.  There's a reason why the Bible says this in Hebrews 10:25.   

"And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near."

And then there is this verse found in 1 Thessalonians.  

"But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face."

I believe kids need in-person classes, small groups and services.  I believe churches should go back to offering this as soon as it is safe and doable.  Notice again what it says in Hebrews.

 "And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near."

1. In-person services, events and small groups are the best way to see kids grow spiritually.  Kids need to hear a dedicated leader say their name and personally interact with them each week through questions and statements.

2. Relationships are formed and built when kids and leaders connect face-to-face.  Yes, parents are the biggest influence in a child's life.  But I have also found that God will send along another person who backs up what you are saying and helps you influence your children to the right way.

3. Discipleship happens through relationship.  Kids grow faster when they have someone teaching them and investing in them in-person.

4. Ministerial care best happens face-to-face.  Kids and families can be encouraged and prayed for by name and be seen face-to-face as Paul reminds us.  

5. When you meet face-to-face, there are people who can hold you accountable. People who can challenge you.  People who teach you and help you apply God's Word to your life.  People who will call you out when you begin drifting.

Should we stop offering online services and groups for kids?  I'm not saying that.  I do believe it is a great tool that God can and is using in the lives of so many kids and families. 

I don't believe it is an either or.  I believe both are great tools God has given us to reach and disciple kids and families.  

That being said, I do believe the in-person model is what our main focus should be.  How long will it take us to immerse ourselves back into this model?  I'm not sure.  But I do know we were made for internal fellowship.  

Can you do both online and in-person services long-term?  Maybe, but if it comes down to a choice, I would choose in-person every time.

Your turn. Would love to hear what you have to say about this? 

Are you still volunteering in children's ministry during the pandemic?  

Do you feel safe and protected when you serve?  

Do you believe kids and families should attend in person?  What are the pros and cons of this?

Share your thoughts, experiences and findings in the comment section below.

It's so important to have regular times of training and encouragement with volunteers. 

Remember...vision leaks.  Passion leaks.  Motivation leaks.  Encouragement leaks. 

We know this, but it's been difficult to do this during Covid-19. 

Here's where I can partner with you and provide you with a great volunteer training online. 

There are two options:

#1 - Bring your volunteer team together and bring the live training to them as a group. 

#2 - Volunteers can watch the live training at home.  

 You also get...

• training handout with notes
  

• 40 min. of training and 20 minutes of Q & A