Water Daily

By Joyce Tepfer

Water Daily is what the little card said attached to the lovely bouquet of flowers that came my way while recovering from surgery. Truer words were never spoken.

With the daily-ness of life, it takes disciplined intention to take in daily watering…from our heavenly Father through His Word and prayer. Don’t you think the Enemy enjoys keeping us distracted in dozens of directions every time we anticipate the watering hole?

We need not be motivated to include daily watering by guilt. It’s a simple case of NEED.

While recovering, I also received a plant that serves as a super example of this need. When the plant becomes completely dehydrated, the blooms droop from dryness. It’s a study in the benefits of water to watch the plant again take on shape and beauty as water travels to each limb, leaf and bloom with NEED—meeting hydration. 

I don’t have to meet with God daily for His watering, but my look, feel and attitude will take on vibrancy and fresh perspective if I do.

If you’ve ever experienced or seen someone else experience dehydration, you know it’s nothing with which to mess around. Dehydration brings a lethargy that overrides all energy output. It is pure struggle to get to the emergency room for that needed IV. 

Just as the body was designed to require the nutrients of water, so is the spirit responsive to drinking deeply at God's well.

If your spirit is sagging and your motivation to serve is falling off, check out the watering station. It could make all the difference.

For Best Results…Add Water Daily.

He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul. — Psalm 23:2-3 (KJV)

This devotion is from Joyce Tepfer’s new book of devotions and teacher training ideas, Refresh, available in February from ChristianEdWarehouse.com or by calling 1-800-854-1531. 

Christmas Candlelight Devotion

Here’s a Christmas devotion you can use at home or in your church services this week. Use an advent wreath (with greenery and a sprig of berries or red flowers or ribbon, if possible). Place four white candles around the wreath with a fifth candle in the middle (or place the candles as your wreath allows). Adjust the speaking part below depending on your wreath. Copy this devotion so each participant has a copy. (Do not leave lit candles unattended.) This devotion is taken from A Church Family Christmas Celebration (Item #3031) © 2008 Christian Ed Warehouse, www.ChristianEdWarehouse.com . Reprinted with permission.

Leader:            

During this time before Christmas we are preparing for the arrival of God’s Son, Jesus. Because God loves us, He chose His Son to be born on earth.

The candlelight wreath is round. The circle reminds us of God. God has no beginning and no end; He is eternal. The evergreen part of the wreath stands for life and hope. Jesus is the hope of the world. Red berries or flowers remind us that Jesus died on the cross and shed His blood so that our sins could be forgiven. The white candles remind us that Jesus has forgiven (or cleansed) us of our sins so that we may have eternal life.

Scripture:            

(To be read by an adult or older child)

Luke 2:11-13, 21; John 1:9, 12 — “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger . . . . And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the Child, His name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb . . . . That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world . . . . As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.”

Candle Lighting:            

Gather around the candlelight wreath. Have one person light the first candle as another says: The first candle we light is the Promise candle. God promised to send His Son, Jesus, and that promise came true.

Have another person light the second candle while someone else says: The second candle is the Bethlehem candle. God’s Son, Jesus Christ, was born in a stable at Bethlehem. Jesus is called the Prince of Peace.

Have someone light the third candle, while another says: The third candle is the Angels candle. The joy and praise of the angels should be our joy, too, during this Christmas season and all year long.

                       

Have another person light the fourth candle while someone says: The fourth candle is the Shepherds candle. Just as the shepherds told others about Jesus, we, too, should share the Good News of Jesus’ birth with others.

Have someone light the fifth candle while someone says: Today we light the final candle, which represents Jesus. This candle reminds us that Jesus Christ is God's Son, the Light of the world. We celebrate the arrival of the long-awaited King, born as a Baby in Bethlehem.

Song:     Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,

              The little Lord Jesus laid down 
              His sweet head.

              The stars in the sky looked down
              Where he lay.

              The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

Reading:         (To be read by a leader, child, and adult or older child.)

Leader:             

The candle in the center of the wreath represents Jesus Christ, God’s Son. Even before He was born, the angel told Mary the Baby's name. When the days were accomplished, Mary and Joseph took Jesus to Jerusalem.

Child:            They presented Jesus to the Lord.

Adult:            

We thank God for His wonderful Christmas gift to us. We thank Him that Jesus Christ came to be the Light of the world. We can spread the light of His love to everyone we meet.

Song:   Silent night, holy night, all is calm, 
             All is bright.

             Round yon virgin, mother and child.

             Holy infant so tender and mild,

             Sleep in heavenly peace.
             Sleep in heavenly peace.

Sharing:            

Ask family members to share their thoughts and feelings about what the birth of Jesus means to them personally. Talk about Christ, who is God's Son, having to be born into our world of sin. Talk about His love for each of us.

Prayer:            

(To be read or spoken from the heart by one or two family members)

Dear God, We thank You for Jesus, the Savior of the world, who was born as a Baby in Bethlehem. Thank You that if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that You raised Him from the dead, we will be saved (Romans 10:9). Help us to spread the Light of Christ’s love wherever we go during this Christmas season. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

(Have a family member extinguish the candles.)

Celebrating Jesus’ Birth

For many of us, the Christmas season is a hectic time with too much to do and not enough time to do it all. But the Christmas season is really a time of preparation for Jesus’ birth. Beginning the fourth Sunday before Christmas and continuing through Christmas Eve is a time often called the advent season. The word advent is derived from the Latin word “adventus,” which means “coming” or “arrival.” The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem is recognized as the first advent. The advent season is a time to prepare spiritually for the birth of Christ.

Set aside family and/or Sunday school or children’s church time to read about the preparation for Jesus and His birth in Luke 1:1-80 through 2:20. Read a few verses at a time, letting some of your good child readers alternate with adults to take turns reading the verses. Talk about how the people of so long ago must have felt as they prepared for the birth of Jesus.

You may also want to read Matthew 1:18-24. Explain that when the angel appeared to Joseph, he told him to name the Baby Jesus, “because He will save His people from their sins.” Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua, which means the LORD saves. (You may  need to explain that "sins" are the wrong things we say and do.) This took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet Isaiah: “The virgin will … give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel —which  means, 'God with us.'” This Scripture is taken from Isaiah 7:14.

Let each person describe how he feels as Christmas approaches. Take time together to remember all of the reasons you have to be joyful. Sing a favorite Christmas carol or two. Close with a prayer of thanks to God for sending His Son, Jesus, to earth.

Prayer Makes a Difference

A few generations ago, in many families, the way to begin and end a child’s day was with prayers. They were recited out loud, usually beginning and ending with requests for God to bless the child’s family and friends. Today, however, in most homes, prayers have disappeared, except perhaps before meals. To encourage your family and your students to pray regularly (even for a minute or two at a time), try the following suggestions:

 •    Point out blessings as you notice them. Say a brief prayer of thanks with your students for the beautiful sunset, a rainbow, a rabbit scurrying across your path, or the rain.

 •    Give thanks for the small acts of kindness you catch your students doing (sharing a toy, giving another child a turn, saying “please”).

 •    Let your students share some of the praises and blessings in their own lives. Or point out some blessings for them. Say, “I’m so thankful to God for that yummy fruit we just ate.”

 •    Help your students verbalize some of their own praises and blessings. Say, “[Jason], why don’t you thank God that your grandma is home from the hospital.”

 •    Since children are great imitators, try spending some quiet time in prayer by yourself, and let your child know that you are also having your own conversation with God.

Becoming a Servant Leader

The success of your ministry to children is, more than anything else, dependent upon you — the teacher or helper. As you serve the Lord in children’s ministry, you will make the difference in the lives of the children you touch. For most people, leadership does not come naturally; it must be learned, developed and nurtured. The secular world is full of books, CDs, and DVDs to help people become successful — at least according to the standards of the world. However, as Christians, we are called to be leaders of a different kind; we are called to be servant leaders.

Learn from biblical servant leaders

The Bible gives many guidelines for effective leadership; as Christian leaders we should put these into practice in our lives and in our ministries to students.

Jesus, the Greatest Leader of all, gives us the first guideline to follow. He said, “Whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:43-45) As Christian leaders, we are called upon to serve others as Jesus did — by ministering to them and by meeting their needs. To help us do this, we can look at the characteristics of Jesus’ leadership while He was on earth.

In Isaiah 42, in referring to the coming Messiah, the prophet says, “Behold My Servant, Who I uphold; Mine elect, in Whom My Soul delighteth; I have put My Spirit upon Him.” (Isaiah 42:1) Just as Jesus was God’s chosen servant and God placed His Spirit on Him, if God has called you to be a teacher or helper, you are God’s chosen servant and He has promised to place His Spirit on you as you serve Him.

Isaiah goes on to say, that God’s chosen servant “will not shout or cry out or raise His voice... A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out.” (Isaiah 42:2-3 NIV) Jesus was a gentle, kind, and loving leader; One Who cared for the weak and struggling people around Him; One Who treated everyone fairly and with equity. This should be the standard that you try to follow as you lead or assist in your children’s ministry. Are you fair? Do you care about each of your students equally — even the underachievers, the rebels, the quiet ones; do you treat each one with love and compassion?

According to the world’s guidelines, leadership depends on cleverness, wit, humor, and talent. But Jesus’ leadership was different, and ours should be too. Jesus was available and He was vulnerable. He cared for each individual person and He showed it in the supreme way — He died the most painful and humiliating death and rose from the dead so all people may be forgiven. In so doing, the Bible says He “made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.” (Philippians 2:7) Jesus was no arrogant, glamorous leader, He came “not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

Apply servant leadership to your ministry

What are the qualities we should try to develop in ourselves, as leaders, as we seek to become servant leaders like Jesus?

•    Servant leadership recognizes that everything is the Lord’s work — your career, your family, weekend trips, washing the dishes, mowing the lawn, watching your child’s basketball game, and even baking cookies for a Sunday school party.

•    Leadership builds the confidence of those you lead; good leaders instill hope in those they lead and in those they minister alongside.

•    Servant leadership trusts the work to God and allows Him to bring the results without our manipulation.

•    Jesus-style leadership produces excellence — both in yourself and in those you lead.

•    Good leaders honor the time of others. They are responsible and plan ahead. They have respect for those in authority over them.

Applying servant leadership to ministry does not mean you should do everything for the child. It does mean you do the servant tasks that make it possible for your children to be a group. You seek out the tasks and give the encouragement that makes it possible for children to express their own leadership. Your Sunday school or Bible club class is not a showcase to display your programming and promotional skills — it should be a training ground where students develop their own skills and personalities under the guidance of a caring, loving leader.

When you are able to fully understand your role as a teacher, you will be freed from the terrible strain of constantly trying to have a perfectly executed program for other adults to admire. That is not your primary responsibility. Your role is to allow the students to do things for themselves and help them, when they experience failures and disappointments, to do so without feeling they are failures themselves.

Some teachers feel they must run a tight ship and have polished performances and slick promotion to be successful. To make this happen, usually the leader has to do things himself; that is not a truly successful leader. The successful leader is committed to being a servant who helps children develop their own leadership, even though the results aren’t as tidy and impressive to the outside world.

The real key to leadership is to follow Jesus’ example in leadership — follow God’s will, be filled with God’s Spirit and be a servant to all.

On a Positive Note

All children respond well to positive feedback. The key is to teach your point in a positive way, even when you feel like saying something negative. Here are a few tips:

• State your expectations before beginning the activity. Let the children know if this is a time when they should talk, listen, raise their hands before speaking, sit, stand, or whatever you expect them to do.

• Give complete instructions before they start the game or activity. Then ask a child to repeat the instructions. Finally, ask for questions.

• Give positive feedback when deserved, but only as a result of student behavior. This tells children that you are aware of their performance individually and in a group. Children will begin to see that you give feedback to the best performance of every individual.

• Give feedback to student groups whenever possible. Frequent group praise helps establish a sense of cooperation and community among your students.

• Positive feedback should be given matter-of-factly. Flowery, emotional praise can embarrass children. Positive feedback should not imply that you are treating children any differently from the way you would treat an adult.

• After giving positive feedback, continue your lesson or explanation without pausing for the children to comment. For example, “Thanks for reading in a loud, clear voice, Hannah. Does anyone know why King Herod wanted to find baby Jesus?”

• Use descriptive statements that briefly tell students what was worthy of comment.

• Positive feedback to individual students should be relatively private. Children can be embarrassed by comments that single them out as the “teacher’s pet.”

• Be persistent. Some children feel uncomfortable with praise because they have had so little. But every student needs to learn that he or she has enough self-worth to accept recognition from someone else.

• Give negative feedback in private. Conclude your time together by praying with and for the student.

Tips for Successful Conversation with Young Children

By Carol Rogers

Combining words with actions in a relaxed atmosphere greatly increases a child’s ability to understand and respond to biblical truths. As you use Bible learning activities or interact with children as they play, remember to talk with the children to help them focus on the Bible lesson and memory verse you are teaching. Your Sunday school, children's church, or Bible club Teacher's Guides will often include suggested conversation to help direct the children to the Bible theme. Here are a few tips for using directed conversation as you teach and play with children:

• Use a natural tone of voice. Do not talk down to the child.
• Encourage Bible learning by talking with the child as he works and plays.
• Use your words to focus the child back to the Bible lesson or biblical truth.
• Relate what the child is doing to what the Bible says.
• When referring to the Bible, hold it open in front of you.
• Stoop down to her level and use eye contact when speaking with the child.
• Use the child’s name frequently, especially at the beginning of your sentences.
• Say the child’s name and make sure he is looking at you before giving instructions.
• Use non-verbal signals of touching (if it’s okay with the child) and smiling.
• Actively listen to how the child responds to your conversation.
• Repeat the child's words back to him or ask a question about what he said.
• Recognize and accept the child’s feelings. If she really does not like coloring, give her another activity to do.
• Use praise and encouragement, focusing on the child’s strengths.

THIS IS A TEST!

By Debi Nixon

"CLASS, TAKE OUT A PIECE OF PAPER AND A PENCIL."

Remember how your heart raced when a teacher blurted out those words? Pop quiz! Ugh! You'd rather do anything than take a test. Right?

As painful as tests were at times, they provided our teachers with a helpful way of assessing how we were growing as students. In the same way, giving your ministry periodic tests can also help you assess the growth of your children, staff, ministry programs, and procedures.

When was the last time your ministry had a checkup? Assessing the details of your ministry will help guide your ministry as you seek to live out God's calling to change children's lives for Christ. A ministry of excellence is clear on its ministry progress and is continually adapting, changing, and growing to meet the spiritual, emotional, and social needs of its children and families. Where is your ministry? To find out, take out a piece of paper and a pencil...

WHY EVALUATE

Evaluation is only effective if you have a clearly defined purpose or mission statement. If not, do that first. How can you know if you've hit the target if you don't know what the target is? Evaluation helps you know if you're achieving what you've set out to accomplish.

Evaluation helps your planning process; helps assess the progress of your children and families in fulfilling your ministry's purpose statement; and also helps you know what to communicate to children, parents, volunteers, and your church family. Evaluation examines the difference between your vision and what you're currently providing to help create new ministry goals and plans.

WHAT TO EVALUATE

Evaluating or measuring your ministry results against your purpose may seem rudimentary, but many churches make little or no effort to assess results, either in terms of ministry program objectives, ministry procedures, or children's and families satisfaction. To decide what to evaluate, begin with clear, defined values, goals, and objectives that are consistent in fulfilling your minstry's purpose. From your clearly defined goals or vision, evaluate all that you offer. For example, does your curriculum meet all the objectives as defined in the values you've established for your ministry? Is your facility child-friendly, inviting, and representative of your ministry? Do the programs you offer meet the spiritual, emotional, and social needs of children? What is your parents' satisfaction level with the ministry you offer to children?

It's easy to place our primary focus of importance on the big picture. However, it's in the details that the big picture is clearly brought into focus. A great architect once said, "God is in the details." Evaluating and paying atttention to all the details and aspects of your ministry turns it into a ministry of excellence.

WHEN TO EVALUATE

To improve your ministry with children and families, evaluate the details of your ministry daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annually - carefully examining what you're doing and accomplishing.

For example, you may assess your facility and what it communicates about your ministry by doing a weekly walkthrough, taking note of the physical condition of the rooms and equipment. From this evaluation, develop and implement goals and plans to help with maintenance and improvement. At the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, we complete a weekly facility maintenance report for each room, hallway, entranceway, and restroom in the children's ministry area. Details of this evaluation tool include equipment and facility repair needs, room cleanliness, and needed supplies. From this report, we develop a weekly action plan with the church facility ministry and the children's ministry team.

You, also, could implement an evaluation tool after each weekend for your Sunday school. What went well? What could be improved upon? Other evaluations may be quarterly or yearly, based on the time and length of the minstry. Of primary importance is that the details of your ministry are evaluated on an ongoing basis throughout the year.

HOW TO EVALUATE

When deciding how to evaluate, it's important to choose a variety of methods. By using different tools, you'll have a more comprehensive review of your ministry. The results of your evaluation should also be put in writing for future review and use. The following are examples of evaluation tools.

Continue...

Why Bible Clubs?

God loves his children. He commanded parents to "train up a child in the way he should go" (Proverbs 22:6).

All-Stars for Jesus Bible Clubs are designed to help churches and parents teach children to know God, to believe in Jesus as their Savior, and to live for Him. Researchers say that 43% of people who are Christians accepted Christ as Savior before the age of 13! We want to help you reach that 43%...and more!

Bible clubs also offer a non-threatening place for children who might never attend a regular church service or Sunday school class to learn about Jesus in a fun, casual atmosphere. In a whole where children are exposed to a variety of bad influences coming from all directions, All-Stars for Jesus Bible Clubs are places of love and encouragement, where kids can safely learn how to say no to those bad influences and learn how to live a victorious life in Christ!

So...what exactly IS All-Stars for Jesus?

All-Stars for Jesus provides everything you need for an exciting ministry to children!

All-Stars for Jesus is:

• A multi-use Bible curriculum in a fun club environment for age 2 through grade 6, with an optional awards program.
• A program that provides solid Bible teaching in a fun and interesting way for kids—one that directs them to know and follow Jesus.
• Curriculum that is easy to teach and includes helpful options for teachers, giving you maximum flexibility.
• Bible- and curriculum-based, rather than activity-based.
• Age appropriate and fun for kids of all ages.
• Bible-centered—every activity helps kids focus on God's Word.
• A way to help churches reach the children and families in their communities for Christ.

The All-Stars for Jesus Bible Club program is designed to lead children from age 2 through sixth grade to a personal faith in Jesus, to teach them about God's love and care, to encourage them to grow spiritually, and to give them a solid biblical foundation for their lives.
We want each child to know that he or she is a star in Jesus' eyes, no matter what the child's skills and abilities are. Jesus loves children just as they are. All-Stars for Jesus Bible Clubs help children to feel loved and accepted.

All-Stars for Jesus partners with churches to extend their outreach from just Sunday school to mid-week, Sunday evening, or other times children can gather to learn about Jesus. All-Stars meetings are fun, less formal time with a variety of interesting and fun activities to direct the child's attention to God's Word. The optional awards program offers a further way to extend the Bible learning into the home.

What unique features does All-Stars for Jesus have?

Each All-Stars for Jesus age-level Flex-lesson Leader's Guide has everything you need for two meetings a week—to use for Sunday morning and mid-week, Sunday evening and after-school Bible club, or whenever great Bible lessons are needed. Or, you have extra options for one meeting a week!

• Easy-Trac meeting plans direct the leader step-by-step through each weekly program, and let you see at a glance which activities and materials to use.
• The optional awards program provides more opportunities for kids to learn about Jesus by completing Bible learning activities in their award books at home. When each activity is completed, children earn colorful awards to place on a cap or pennant. Plus, each child could have ALL first-year awards for as low as 82 cents per week!
• All-Stars for Jeus offers not only five age-level programs for children age 2 through grade 6, but also the All-Stars Explorers program for grades 1 through 6 in one classroom for smaller Bible clubs.
• There are no membership fees, dues, or doctrinal requirements—just fun, Bible-based, solid Christian learning.
• The All-Stars Promo Kits (included with your Starter Kits) offer great resources to promote your clubs: promotional posters, clip art, fundraising ideas, and club kickoff plans!
• All-Stars for Jesus offers lots of colorful "fun stuff" as gifts, awards, and promotions.
• All-Stars for Jesus is an affordable program. The Flex-Lesson Leader's Guide provides two lessons a week!
• Christian Ed Warehouse offers Standing Orders on All-Stars for Jesus quarterly curriculum so you don't even have to remember to order! Plus, Standing Orders over $100 receive free shipping.
• There is no requirement that you use all available materials—just choose the options that will work with your group and your finances.

Does all this sound like something you would like for your church? Visit eChurchDepot.com and order your Starter Kits for a 60-day risk-free review! Or order a FREE Lesson Sampler to review with your church.

Roller Coaster Emotions

by Sharyn Spradlin and Cyndie Steenis

Working with preteens can be a roller coaster ride of emotions.

One minute you’re engaged in a great discussion focusing on faith. You’re impressed with kids’ spiritual and intellectual growth. Then out of nowhere one of your preteens falls apart when he feels everyone looking at him. The emotional outburst escalates until he runs out of the room screaming that no one likes him. Only minutes ago impressed, you’re suddenly depressed by the emotional state of your preteens.

Preteens’ intellects and emotions are developing on two different timetables, with the emotions falling behind. The emotional life of preteens is at the core of their beings. They’re focused on their own feelings, ideas, and behavior. They also believe that these feelings, thoughts, and actions are on the minds of everyone else, so they often feel as though there’s an audience always watching, judging, accepting, or rejecting them.

If a preteen’s words or actions seem aimed at you, your first response may be to take it personally, perhaps with tears and anger. Don’t!

Don’t personalize the outburst. Remember—these tantrums are a part of the normal pushing away and pulling close that every preteen works through as he or she moves toward independence.

“Nobody Likes Me!”—Affirm preteens’ feelings. Don’t dismiss their emotions or deny their sense of reality. Let them vent and explain why they feel disliked. Empathize with what they believe to be true, and help them talk through their feelings. You may even share how you felt as a preteen—not how everything worked out. Offering solutions is not the goal here.

Once you’ve identified the traumatic event that caused the preteen’s world to crumble, stay calm and offer encouragement. Look for the positives that’ll help him or her regain balance and control.

“I Don’t Like Myself.”—Plagued by unachievable standards of perfection, beauty, and popularity, preteens have been set up for failure. Their self-esteem and emotional cores are under attack, so take their words seriously.

Ask questions about how they feel, and watch for feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. Encourage them with everything you know to be positive about them.

“Just Go Away.”—This is a Jekyll/Hyde statement. What this preteen is really saying is: “Please stay and get to know who I am, what my interests are, what my likes and dislikes are, the names of my friends, and who I hang out with. Please stay and communicate with me, not at me. Please, someone help me put words to the feelings I have.”

The preteen years are often turbulent. They demand more than a few fun activities or free time with friends. In a sense, preteens are on that roller coaster ride emotionally. They need your willingness to strap in next to them—so they can be confident you care and that you’ll be there when they need you. They want to know you’ll be sitting right next to them, buckled in and holding tight, when they open up to you. They want to know that when the ride is fast and unpredictable, you’ll see the difference between needing to be heard and needing advice. They need to know that even around those tight curves, you’ll be listening, and actually hearing what they say.

Sharyn Spradlin and Cyndie Steenis co-founded New Re-sors-es, a Seattle, Washington, consulting and training company.

© 2003 Children's Ministry Magazine. Used by permission.

Hit the Mark

"Take aim so your programs hit the bull's-eye to meet kids' needs every time"
by RaNae Street

Your children's ministry is much more than programs. And that's a good thing because programs don't change people; only God changes people.

Yet your children's ministry includes programs. Lots of programs. The question is, are the programs meaningful to your children and volunteers?

The Four R's

It's not the quantity of programs that counts in children's ministry - it's how effective each program is in carrying out your church's mission and vision. Our goal for every program we host is to help connect children and their families with our church. We want to form healthy relationships with children. Those relationships prompt kids and their families to come back.

Pause and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your existing programs. Are they meaningful for children? How can you really know?

Here's an easy way to measure whether a program will be meaningful and life changing: Ask if the Four R's are present in each program. If you see that a program is Relevant, Radical, Reflective, and Relational, you've got a great one. Here's what those words mean…

* Relevant - Programming needs to be relevant to kids in your church and kids in your community. Research kids' interests. Identify the specific needs of your church, area schools, and the families in your neighborhood. Every community is different, so avoid the temptation to simply import a program that's been successfully done elsewhere.

Don't rely on written surveys alone. Instead, make personal contact and actually ask what programming would be relevant. Pay attention to available resources. Prioritize program ideas so you meet people's expressed needs first.

* Radical - Churches lose their effectiveness when they try to offer programming that meets all the needs of children, their families, and their communities. Instead of trying to do it all and failing, focus on creating a program that's unique to your children's ministry. Intentionally select the one thing that'll set your children's ministry apart from other churches in your area; then do it very, very well. You won't be shortchanging your kids or their families because you can refer families to capable, Christ-centered, community-based resources that your church simply can't provide.

The challenge is that to do one thing well, you may have to stop doing several things poorly. There's a cost when you ask your church to stop doing programs that have outlived their effectiveness, but it's a cost worth paying if you can redirect resources to support truly meaningful programs. "The way we've always done it" may no longer meet the needs of your children.

* Reflective - Children love exciting and fun things, and meaningful children's ministries reflect excitement and fun. Meaningful programs are active, carefree, enthusiastic, and inspiring. They reflect what children love to do, mirroring children's creativity and enthusiasm for hands-on learning. Meaningful programs also reflect real day-to-day situations that kids encounter and help children apply what they're learning to those situations. Most importantly, meaningful programs reflect God's unconditional love and acceptance.

* Relational - Of the four R's, relational is the most vital. Too often we focus on giving information, not transforming lives. Meaningful programs aren't focused on tasks. Rather, they cultivate an environment where relationships can be built.

Relationships matter! We need to help children make new friends and help families build a network with other families and church leaders. Jesus' ministry is a great example of the importance of relationships. Jesus nurtured others through compassion and invested deeply in people who later changed the world. Our programs need to be places where children are turned on to faith through the power of relationships.

The Four Options

At the heart of most children's ministries are Sunday school and midweek programs. Many churches focus nearly all their attention and finances solely on these two programs. But are these two programs enough?

Here are four children's ministry program options, each designed for a different purpose. A well-rounded, meaningful children's ministry includes each of these program options. Why? The goal is to engage a child at any point and move that child toward the center of the target. A word of caution: Hosting a poorly executed event is worse than not hosting one at all, so plan for excellence.

1. Momentum programs are designed to bring new people into the faith community. They're "come and see" events that provide positive first impressions of your ministry. Think of them as entry-level opportunities that facilitate numerical growth. Momentum events include theme days, special events, and community outreach events.

* Theme days promote excitement among children who are already part of your ministry and encourage children to invite friends. With a bit of creativity, you can turn nearly any day or event into a theme day. Possible theme days are Super Bowl Sunday, Ice Cream "Sundae," Dinner at the Movies, and Day at the Beach.

* Special events are often seasonal. Involved families are encouraged to invite their friends to join them for fun. Special events offer kid-friendly activities, food, and time for families to get to know each other better Special events include a New Year's celebration, bike rally, or back-to-school event.

* Community outreach programs fill needs or interests in your community. They provide partnerships between your community and your church. Outreach programs offer families that aren't drawn by traditional Sunday school or church the chance to be exposed to spiritual people and biblical lessons. Examples of community outreaches are team sports and skills camps, child-care centers, fine arts lessons, and storybook hours.

2. Support programs offer assistance to families and children who are dealing with challenges. Support programs provide a safe place for children to learn, talk, and express their feelings.

Many support programs are offered as classes or small groups that last between six and eight weeks. The goal is to help kids explore issues in the context of God's Word. Support programs offer more than just coping skills; they also provide hope. These support programs exist to help children with issues such as school, grief, character development, homework, or divorce recovery.

3. Service programs involve children in opportunities that help them develop a heart for serving others. Service programs help children cultivate a servant attitude and the desire to make a positive difference in the world. They're great opportunities for children to develop friendships.

Service opportunities can be inside your children's ministry, such as puppets, drama, clown ministry, multimedia ministry, or hospitality. Or service projects can benefit the larger community. You'll have to decide if you want one-shot, short-term, or long-term projects. Either way, keep service programs open to newcomers at all times.

4. Discipleship programs build a community of kids who want to grow deeper in their Christian faith. Discipleship programs aren't for first-time visitors or sporadic attendees. They're designed to help children dive deeper into spiritual development as they study the Word of God, pray, develop friendships with other believers, and share their lives. Children experience a personal relationship with Jesus and also disciple others as they build up each other's faith.

Discipleship classes can be long- or short-term, but they're intentionally more intimate so children can connect with each other. Experiences where children encounter God and make life-changing decisions are the bull's-eye of the target. It's where you want every child to ultimately end up.

The Six Questions

Answer the following questions before you begin any new program to determine whether a program will be meaningful to your children and church.

* Who will lead? In his book Doing Church as a Team, Wayne Cordeiro suggests that before launching a new program, the first step needs to be building a team of four other leaders to serve with the program leader. This team becomes a support system that shares responsibilities of the program and provides accountability for each other. A strong leadership team also helps prevent frustration and burnout.

Accurately predict the number of servants needed to support a program. Do you have enough leaders? The right leaders? Are they equipped? Are they all on the same page regarding the vision?

* What will you do? To be meaningful, any program you develop must connect people with an experience they'll value. Meaningful programs also bridge people to your church and toward relationship with your church family.

Have you considered the culture and daily life of kids you want to reach? Have you found a name for the program that's interesting and inviting? Have you decided precisely what need you'll meet?

* When will you meet? Timing is important. Schedule a day of the week and a time in the day that's convenient for families. Be considerate of young children and their routines.

Consider God's timing for the program. Great program ideas move forward and become reality only with God's blessing. You may be able to recognize God's timing for your program as you evaluate how easily the components of your action plan come together. What would happen if you chose not to launch a program until you had all the volunteers you need in place?

* Where will you meet? Whether you have a huge facility or a tiny one, space is always an issue. Be creative as you search for the ideal location.

Some events and classes need to be held at your church building, but others may be appropriate for a neighborhood park, community building, or back yard. Growing a children's ministry may require you to go where the kids are. Take into consideration what supplies you'll need and what setup is required when thinking about where you should meet.

* Why are you considering this new program? Is the program aligned with your church's vision and children's ministry philosophy? What's your desired outcome? Will you seek to expand your current children's ministry, offer support to children and their families, provide service to your community, or develop disciples? How will this program engage kids and move them toward the center of the target?

* How will you move ahead? This question may be the most important because your answer becomes your action plan for making the proposed program a reality. You'll sort out the program's goals and determine publicity, budget, and team communication. Decide up front how you'll evaluate your effectiveness — so you can make midcourse corrections.

But it isn't just a matter of logistics. A detailed plan also ensures your program will be meaningful for children and volunteers. Remember that what counts most isn't pulling off a spectacular event. What counts most is what kids learn and how relationships develop during the course of the event — from the initial brainstorming meeting to sweeping up after the event ends.

The One Target

Anyone can pull together a slapdash program to entertain kids. But creating a meaningful program requires something more.

It requires that you're intentional about building a program that's relevant to your kids, that meets the needs of your church and community, and that's radical in its creativity and uniqueness.

Meaningful programs also reflect God's love and mirror how kids learn and what kids already love to do. Meaningful programs encourage transforming relationships.

Creating excellent children's programming is hard work, but it's rewarding, too. You'll touch kids' lives in ways that have lifelong impact and draw children closer to God. It's worth the effort!

RaNae Street is a children's ministry director in Tipp City, Ohio. This article is excerpted from the new Children's Ministry That Works! (Group Publishing, Inc.).

© 2002 Children's Ministry Magazine. Used by permission.

Guerrilla Training

by Cynthia Crane and Keith Johnson

Creative training approaches that can happen in hallways, over the internet or phone lines, or any old place.

You've just finished one of the greatest summers in children's ministry history! Now it's time for you to kick off a new school year, plan a Halloween alternative, get ready for a Christmas musical, recruit volunteers, sort curriculum, get the newsletter out, put the bulk mailing dates on the calendar, reserve rooms, coordinate child care, and train volunteers. So much to do...so little time. Let's talk about the ever-present need to train volunteers.

When can you fit that in? The world tells our team members that a packed calendar is a sign of success. When will they fit in training? Besides, training events sound optional; do people really have to go to those—every time?

When can you train? On Saturday...no, that's soccer-baseball-water-ski-family day.

Okay, how about Sunday? Pleeease! Today alone three teachers needed subs at the last minute; next week the kids are singing in big church...Sundays are jammed!

Could you schedule it during the week? Wait! Miss Debbie can't come on Mondays because she's at Weigh Down Workshop; the Campbells can't come on Tuesdays because that's ballet night.

Sound familiar? Time-crunched families and volunteers are the norm today. So maybe training doesn't always have to be a set time, place, or agenda. Instead you can sneak in training when your volunteers least expect it. The following guerrilla training ideas can refocus your time, energize your team, and mobilize your teachers to remain faithful to their calling!

1. E-Team—You don't have time to meet personally with each volunteer. So create an "E-Team" that'll be in charge of encouraging and equipping others. Meet with your E-Team to develop a quarterly game plan so everyone on your team receives encouragement. Use these criteria to select your E-Team members: creative, supportive, sensitive to people in need, and detail-oriented.
2. Coffee Break—Do you have someone who struggles more than most with the lesson? Meet with that person one-on-one at a coffee shop and share several ideas for a successful Sunday school class time. Help him or her design four to six weeks worth of totally awesome lessons! Follow up with this person each week to ask about how a specific lesson went.
3. Success Stories—Use play-by-play videos or digital photos each Sunday to show great things that are happening in classrooms. You can play the video as children arrive, or post the photos in hallways. Volunteers will not only learn from one another, but they'll be encouraged to see they share similar challenges with others.
4. Party Time—Throw a planning party for your teachers to celebrate individual successes and the things people are doing right. It's the ultimate volunteer training because they'll learn from each other.
5. Snack Time—Bring in leaders from other churches on Sunday morning to mingle with your team during a continental breakfast or coffee break. Your guests can ask your volunteers questions to help you assess who's struggling (because sometimes they won't tell you) and what's working (because sometimes we get home-blind and don't see all the good things).
6. Conferences—Send teachers to a conference and make sure they drive together. Their discussions before and after the event are sometimes even richer than the conference itself. It's especially helpful for conference attendees to wrestle together with how they'll apply what they learned.
7. Tag-Team Training—Match new recruits with experienced volunteers for one class. Then have the new recruits share what they've learned. This is a great way to get your veteran teachers-who may feel they can't learn anymore-to learn how to transfer their years of knowledge relationally.
8. NIMBY (Not in My Backyard) Day—Give your Sunday school teachers a day off to visit another church, then have them report what they saw. Because most teachers have families that they'd bring with them, include the stories of children in those reports. Print the reports in your monthly newsletter or weekly teaching tip sheet. Or simply have your "scouts" tell their stories to your other volunteers at a coffee meeting or planning committee.
9. Task Force—Do the above assignment but with a twist. Assign volunteers different ministry aspects to research, then have them share what they learn. Empower them to make the difference!
10. Prayer—Organize prayer groups with no more than six people. As your volunteers pray together, they'll also encourage one another and share helpful training insights.
11. Testimony Night—A night to honor kids turns into kids giving testimonies about specific volunteers who've changed their lives. Take photos to put in your newsletter, and add specifics that'll help your volunteers see the big picture. It's important for your volunteers to see the results of their labor in the hearts of changed lives.
12. Online Tutor—Send an e-mail with some great websites that have ideas you know your volunteers can use. Or send your volunteers to childrensministry.com's Children's Ministry Magazine Live Training Institute. Your volunteers can read one of 22 brief tutorials and then answer three questions related to the topic. Push one button, and they fire off an e-mail to you to let you know they've completed a training piece.
13. E-mail Training Tips—Send out a weekly teacher's tip sheet via e-mail! Let your teachers know that you're praying for them. List prayer requests, birthdays, anniversaries, and helpful hints. A good way to do this and solicit some discussion is to offer a "problem of the week" where people can e-mail a solution. Post answers in your next newsletter.
14. Book Club—Many volunteers love to learn on their own. Their best approach to instruction is self-discovery. So give the same book to three different volunteers, and have them each share the top three things they found in it with each other during a coffee discussion.
15. Book Review—Read through a book with your volunteers and share how it touches each of you.

Cynthia Crane is a children's pastor in Huntington Beach, CA. Keith Johnson is the field services manager for Group Publishing, Inc., leading more than 200 REAL learning specialists to provide training and consultation to churches.

© 2001 Children's Ministry Magazine. Used by permission.

Make No Assumptions

By Becky Ussery

Your teacher training session is just around the corner, and you're staring at a list of volunteers—a mixture of people from various backgrounds. You have Rookies, Veterans, and Experts with a wide range of abilities and teaching experiences. How can you possibly meet all their needs?

Identify which category your volunteers fall into, and then customize training to meet their unique needs. Rather than having individual meetings for Rookies, Veterans, and Experts, sprinkle in a variety to meet all their needs. The following ideas will help you understand your volunteers and provide them with the basic skills needed for each experience level.

ROOKIES
Your new teachers and assistants come to training with preconceived ideas about what's going to take place in their classrooms. They're either eager to pitch in and make a difference—or terrified at the possibility of being asked to pitch in and make a difference! This is your opportunity to set their minds at ease, inform them about the basic ins and outs of their responsibilities, and let them know what's really going to take place in their classrooms.

Training Needs

Relationships—Introduce all new teachers to your team. Let your Rookies know that they're a welcome, valuable part of your team. Present each new teacher with a tote bag of supplies or a tub of materials as a welcome gift. Intentionally plug Rookies into relationships with Veterans and Experts by having them pair up for discussion and prayer times.

Mission Statement—Provide Rookies with the written mission statement for your ministry. Let them know that accomplishing this mission will be their motivation for all that takes place in their classrooms.

Job Descriptions—Develop job descriptions for the different positions within your ministry. By the way, these can be one paragraph long. Give each Rookie the appropriate job description.

Age-Level Characterisics—Provide age-specific information for the grade level each Rookie ministers to.

Curriculum—Review the curriculum you've chosen with your Rookies, focusing on each component of the lesson. Consider having a mock classroom to demonstrate teaching a lesson. (Your Experts can even teach this.) Include a suggested schedule that'll also be posted in the classroom as a backup reminder to keep things moving in class.

Safety—Review safety procedures and administrative policies regarding finding substitutes, chain of command, discipline methods, and confidentiality agreements.

Supplies—Tell Rookies about your resource area. Discuss your system for checking out resources, purchasing supplies, and adhering to classroom budgets.

Partners—Pair Rookies with Veterans or Experts in classrooms. Have partners evaluate the teaching sessions in four-week intervals. Encourage teaching teams to pray together for the children in their classes as well as for each other.


VETERANS
With one year in children's ministry under their belts, your Veterans can be a valuable resource. They've learned by trial and error how to run a classroom and have experienced success in making curriculum and schedules work. It's time to take your Veterans to a deeper level and further develop their skills and interests to make an even greater impact on children.

Training Needs

Mission Statement Review—Keep your mission statement and policies in front of your Veterans. Everyone needs a "refresher course" on these topics.

Job Description—Have your Veterans review their job descriptions to see if they've been taking on too much or if there are responsibilities they've let slip through the cracks.

Skill Development—Help Veterans pinpoint their "specialties" so you can help further develop those skills. Provide training from guest speakers or team members on worship, prayer, Bible teaching, and creativity geared toward children.

Growth Plan—Have Veterans identify personal areas for improvement. Connect your Veterans with other volunteers who have strengths in these areas.

Deeper Training—Provide in-depth training on teaching skills and understanding the needs of children. Discuss learning styles, involving the five senses in lessons, delegating responsibilities, in-home visitation, and outreach projects.

Veteran Stories—Have your Veterans share testimonials with Rookies about what they learned during their first year in the classroom. Use their enthusiasm to make announcements to the congregation about children's events and recruiting needs.


EXPERTS
Volunteers who've put in five or more years of service are unique in their own way. They've gained a great deal of experience in the classroom and have seen their assistants and other teachers come and go. They may've begun teaching out of guilt or just to fill a slot, but they've found a reason to stay. Your best way to provide continuing training for your Experts is to find out why they've stayed in the game and maximize on their desires. Show respect for the years of service your Experts have given to children's ministry. Help them stretch beyond their experiences by introducing them to new resources and strategies for ministry.

Training Needs

Ministry Reminders—Remind your Experts of nuts and bolts of your ministry, such as your mission statement, administrative policies, and procedures. Provide Experts with age-level characteristics, curriculum overviews, and administrative policies annually. Go over any changes to curriculum, schedules, classroom assignments, or teaching teams on paper and in person. Ask for Experts' feedback the first week after any changes have been implemented.

New job Descriptions—Have your Experts create or edit their job descriptions to fairly represent all they're doing. This will provide affirmation about the impact they're making on children. It'll also give them an opportunity for personal evaluation in areas where they may've started "coasting" through the preparation process out of familiarity with the curriculum or children.

Personal Touch—Spend one-on-one time with your Experts outside of your regular training sessions. Ask for their input on special events and additional programs for your ministry. Train them to handle responsibilities in these areas with less involvement from you. Ask these volunteers to tell you what's working in their classrooms. Affirm them for the work they're doing and ask how you can help. What areas of development would your Experts like to explore? Just ask them. Have them suggest possible topics to cover in future training sessions, and see if they'd be willing to serve on a question-and-answer panel or teach about a topic they've suggested.

Extended Training—Pay for your Experts to receive training at national and regional conferences where they can choose the seminars they want to attend. Have them report what they learn to your Rookies and Veterans.

Leadership Development—Help your Experts recognize their opportunity to make contributions to the teachers with whom they teach as well as the children in their classes. Pair these teachers with Rookies and Veterans. Your volunteers will learn from each other if you promote these relationships.

Feedback—Allow Experts to offer advice on problems in the classroom and share common experiences and struggles. Before making any dramatic changes in curriculum choices, teaching teams, or classroom assignments, ask for your Experts' feedback. Valuing their opinions and insights will make them stronger team players when changes are implemented.

Update—Some Experts may feel close to retiring from your team because they think children today have changed too much since their first classroom of kids. Other Experts are teaching in your children's ministry because they know it's what God created them to do, and they wouldn't consider doing anything else. Either way, Experts need to keep in touch with today's kids. Create a "What's Hot" list detailing the interests of kids in each age group. Include movies, books, hobbies, clothing trends, and other details, with a brief description or blurb about each topic. Give your Experts their own copies of Children's Ministry Magazine to keep them in the know. Better yet, encourage your Experts to survey kids about their interests. Although members of your ministry team have different levels of experience and talents, your training can level the field and help all of them, regardless of their years of service, feel confident and equipped to accomplish the mission the Lord has laid out for them and the children in your church. Your sensitivity to your volunteers' needs and understanding of how to effectively address their concerns and interests will lay the foundation for a strong and effective team that sticks together for the long haul.



Encouraging Long-Term Service
While many people are willing to volunteer for a year or so, long-term workers are harder to find. What can you do to turn your Rookies and Veterans into Experts? Make a strong start with the following steps.

Pray, pray, pray. When facing the challenge of recruiting volunteers and assigning teachers to classrooms, ask God to lead you to the specific people he wants ministering to children.

Make it personal. Approach each individual personally, focusing on gifts rather than availability. When you know the specific positions you need filled and the best types of people to fill them, seek out individuals who are good matches—not just warm bodies.

Connect consistently. You've only begun your job when your classes are staffed with equipped teachers. Your volunteers need to see your face and hear your voice weekly. Lend support verbally and physically. Offer to serve as an assistant from time to time. Volunteer to take over a class to give a teacher a non-vacation related break. Call, visit, and send notes.

Listen as you lead. Ask for input from your teachers about ideas, implementing as many as you can to give them ownership in children's ministry.

Offer timely training. Meet in large and small groups throughout the year. Hold weekly or monthly prayer times whenever possible.

Develop relationships outside of your roles. Take time to invest in the lives of your volunteers, not just in their ministries.

Practice what you preach. Demonstrate the level of commitment you expect from your workers. Treat your volunteers as if they were your class.

Be flexible. Keep in mind that children's ministry isn't the only area where your workers are involved. They need personal ministry, time with family, and occasional breaks from the grind. Keep the doors of communication open so you're approachable when your workers need to ask for getaways. Better yet, build into each person's job description a clause that provides for refueling and time off at the end of a yearly rotation. When people know they have a break coming, they're likely to be more consistent.

© 2001 Children's Ministry Magazine. Used by permission. To learn more about Children's Ministry Magazine and how to subscribe go to Children's Ministry Magazine. Use your browser's back button to return to ChristianEdWarehouse.com

Important VBS Ordering Information

We can't emphasize enough how important it is to order your VBS materials now! The VBS season is in full swing, and at this point we can't guarantee we have everything you need in stock. We're constantly getting orders in, so we'll get everything you need ASAP. But we can't tell when the most popular items will stock out for good! View a list of items going fast, backordered, or stocked out.
When churches order VBS materials after the “For Best Service” date (which was April 30), it’s like your teenage son brought six of his hungry friends unannounced to dinner. Sometimes we have to scramble. We’ll do our best, but because we haven’t anticipated your order, we don’t always have inventory of each one of the more than a thousand VBS items we offer. The simple reason is that since VBS programs run for one summer only, the publishers can’t afford to be left with extra inventory at the end of the summer (and neither can we!). Therefore, many items stock out before the summer is over. View current stock-outs and backorders.
So...put "Order VBS" on your to-do list for today, and visit Shop VBS to place your order. Ordering is really easy and we have lots of information on our website! Or if you'd prefer to talk to someone, call us at 800-854-1531. Be sure to use the money-saving coupons below!
Have a great VBS,
Your friends at Christian Ed Warehouse

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P.S. The same goes for Sunday school curriculum! We recommend ordering your summer curriculum by May 1, so if you haven't ordered yet, please do so now!

Hints and Tips for Teaching Grades 5-6

More Teaching tips can be found on our website.

Positive Feedback for Preteens
All students respond well to positive feedback. The key is to teach your point in a positive way, even when you feel like saying something negative. Following are a few tips:

• Positive feedback must be a result of student behavior. This tells students that you are aware of their performance individually and in a group. Students will begin to see that you give feedback to the best performance of every individual.
• Positive feedback should be given matter-of-factly. Flowery, emotional praise can embarrass preteens. Positive feedback should not imply that you are treating students any differently from the way you would treat an adult.
• Use descriptive statements that briefly tell students what was worthy of comment.
• Positive feedback to individual students should be relatively private. Preteens can be embarrassed by comments that single them out as the "teacher's pet."
• Give feedback to student groups whenever possible. Frequent group praise helps establish a sense of cooperation and community among your student group.
• Eliminate pauses after giving positive feedback. For preteens this can be very uncomfortable. Instead say, (Julie), good job on reading that Scripture, now let's turn to…
• Be persistent. Some students feel uncomfortable with praise because they have had so little. But every student needs to learn that he or she has enough self-worth to accept recognition from someone else.
• Give negative feedback in private. Conclude in prayer.

A Record of FaithEven though God's work is incredible, we often forget about experiences not long after they happen. Keep spiral notebooks on hand and let your preteens write their names on the outside. Encourage them each week to keep journals of their faith journey. They might write prayers or record answered prayers, describe how they saw God at work in the previous week, jot down thanksgivings, or write what this week's Bible memory verse means in their life. Keep the journals in a special place and allow the children to write in them once they have finished any class projects.

Bible Verse Word Search
For your students who enjoy word-search puzzles, prepare this simple Bible memory verse review activity. Write the week's Bible memory verse on the bottom third of a sheet of paper. Underline ten or more key words in the verse. Above the verse, create a word-search puzzle that includes the underlined words. Make a copy of the page for each preteen. Hand out a piece of candy or a sticker to each student who completes the word search and brings it back to you the following week. Follow up by having the children take turns creating a similar word-search puzzle for each memory verse of this quarter. Have them create a corresponding answer key too. Each week, have the child say his verse for the class. Then duplicate that puzzle for the entire class.

Hints and Tips for Teaching Grades 3-4

These hints and tips were written to help you with your 3rd and 4th graders, but can also apply to other age levels. More hints and tips can be found on our website.

Seven Learning StylesWe learn things in seven different ways. Are you providing activities for children that use all seven learning styles? For children who are WORD-oriented, provide reading, writing, and story activities. For children who are LOGIC-oriented, provide brainteasers, puzzles, and strategy games. For children who are ART-oriented, provide crafts, maps, and visuals. For children who are MUSIC-oriented, sing songs and play instruments and rhythm games. For children who are PHYSICAL-oriented, provide plenty of play time, sports activities, and active games. For children who are SOCIAL-oriented, provide sharing time, relationship activities, and parties. And for children who are INDIVIDUAL-oriented, provide personal activities like diaries and independent study projects. By using all seven learning styles, you will be helping every one of your students to succeed.

Sing a Song of SymbolsHelp your children make a rebus of their favorite song. (A rebus is a form of writing that substitutes pictures and symbols for key words.) Look for key words in the song that can be illustrated. Print the rest of the words on a poster board, leaving space for the key word pictures and symbols. Add illustrations drawn by the children and sing the illustrated song vigorously.

Get the most out of your Bible storiesBefore you read or tell the Bible story, brainstorm ideas regarding the topic of the story with your children. Ask them to write down their feelings regarding the topic or to remember a time in their life when they were faced with similar circumstances. Then read the Bible story to them. After you have read the story, ask your students open-ended questions to prompt discussion about the story itself. Conclude the story time by bringing the children back into the present by asking them to relate modern-day examples of the Bible story's lesson.

Make the most of memorizationWhat is the goal of Scripture memorization? Are you looking for perfect recitation or are you looking of a connection between the verse and the child's behavior? After a child recites a verse to you, ask her to tell you what it means in her own words, or ask for an example of this verse in daily life.

Seldom is heard an encouraging wordElementary school age is an age of teasing, criticism, and nicknames. Your students need positive feedback to balance the barrage of negativism they receive. Make an effort to compliment each of them about something in each class session. Provide plenty of opportunities for them to enhance their self-concepts.

Bible navigation
To help the children find the books of the Bible, let them try doing a little exploration. Ask, Which book do you think you will find if you open your Bible in half? (Psalms) Try it. What if you open the back half of your Bible in half? (Matthew) What if you open the front half of your Bible in half? (I Samuel) Continue opening your Bible in eighths, then sixteenths, as the children guess which book of the Bible they will find at that point.

Bounce this idea aroundThink of your words as tennis balls. Every idea or lesson point is one ball. When you teach using the lecture method, you are tossing several balls to the children and expecting them to catch and hold on to all of them. (How many balls do you think the children can handle before they start dropping some of them?) When you teach using a question/answer method, you toss out a ball (your question) and ask a child to hold it and then toss back a ball of his own (a stab at an answer). Is your teaching a singles match between you and one other child or do you see that everyone gets a chance to handle the ball? When you use group discussion, you toss out a ball and ask a child to toss it to another child, then to another and to another. How many balls can your children juggle at one time? By thinking of your words as tennis balls, you can visualize what you are expecting the children to do with the concepts you toss their way.

A mile of nickelsOne way to increase interest in your missions offering would be to have all offerings given in nickels. Tape the nickels side by side on a heavy gift wrap ribbon approximately _ to _ inches wide. As you complete one roll of ribbon, safety pin another roll to it. For every foot of nickels you collect, you will have 70 cents; for every yard, you will have $2.10. If your ribbon stretches to the mile mark, you will have collected $3,696.00 and your ribbon will weigh approximately 925 pounds!

More hints and tips can be found on our website.

Hints and Tips for Teaching Grades 1-2

First and second graders are really developing their personalities and becoming more intellectual. Here are some tips for teaching your primaries. More hints and tips can be found on our website.
A Blooming Story
Here's a unique way for a story to unfold. Cut identical size circles, one for each element of your story plus one more. Use one circle as the center of your story plus one more. Use one circle as the center of a flower, glue an appropriate picture or print the title of the story on it. Use the other circles as flower petals. Attach them with staples. Print or put a picture of each story element on the petals so they are in order clockwise. Then beginning with the last element of the story and working toward the first element of the story, fold all the petals behind the center of the flower. Now you are ready to tell the story. Introduce the story with the center of the flower, and fold each petal forward as each story element is told. When the story is finished, the flower will be in full bloom.
Color Day
Help your students remember lessons better. Design the lesson around a color featured in the lesson. (For example, blue can be used for a lesson about the children of Israel crossing the sea or Jesus walking on the water.) On Blue Day (or whatever color you choose) everyone must wear something blue. (Have some blue ribbons or bandanas available for children who don't wear blue.) Snacks must be blue. Everything you do must have something to do with blue. What do you do as a follow-up to a color day? Why, have black and white day, of course!

Party TableclothHelp your students design their own party tablecloth. Use a flat, white, twin-size bed sheet. Place newspapers under it to prevent the colors from bleeding onto the floor. Use fabric dye markers for drawing or writing. Use acrylic paint in a shallow pan for hand prints. Personalize the tablecloth with everyone's signature. You can use the tablecloth again and again throughout the year for special events or to add interest to your room. If you wish, choose a central theme or make the tablecloth for a special occasion.
Look! Up in the sky! It's a lesson visual!
When setting up visual displays, don't limit yourself to bulletin boards. Other possible display areas include the classroom door, the sides of a desk, the sides of a file cabinet, or the back of a piano. You can use large cardboard boxes for movable stand-up room displays. If you feel adventurous, use the ceiling and have everyone lay on the floor for the lesson!

Primary humorOrdinary things out of place are funny to primaries. Mix things up. Do things backwards. For primaries, silly is fun. When you plant a seed, don't use a flower pot (that's too ordinary); plant your seeds in an old tennis shoe. That's something your students will talk about.

This week, shape the future
Most people only talk about making the world a better place, but you are doing something about it! In a series of experiments on the moral development of children, a significant discovery was made: children who are enrolled in Sunday school showed significantly better conduct in the areas of honesty, cooperation, persistence, and inhibition of undesirable behavior! How important is this week's lesson? You are making this world a better place. You are shaping the future!

Keep it concrete
Primaries are making tremendous intellectual progress. By this age they can manipulate data mentally, come to some logical conclusions, and define, compare, and contrast things. But they still do not understand symbolism. After touring the defense plant where her daddy worked, one first grader resisted when told it was time to go home. She cried, "But I haven't seen where Daddy makes the money yet!" When teaching primaries, say what you mean and mean what you say. Always teach them in literal concrete terms.

Hints and Tips for Teaching Ages 4-5

Preschoolers are fun and full of energy! And they have a short attention span! Here are some hints, tips, and ideas for teaching your 4- and 5-year-olds. More tips can be found on our website.

Threading Activities Made Easy
Before using yarn for threading activities, dip the ends of the yarn in glue, twist them, and let them dry overnight. Or tape the ends with a small amount of clear tape. This will give the yarn a firm point to work with. For smaller threading projects, use chenille wire.

Preschool Vocation Guidance
Preschoolers are always wondering what kind of person they will grow up to be. They test possible vocations, consider future goals, and learn what it is like to be grown up by pretending to play the role. All of this is important to their future development. Help your preschoolers begin to discover what kind of person God has planned them to be by providing props, dress-up clothes, and opportunities for them to imitate and role play a variety of vocations.
Special Delivery. Send letters to your children. Be sure to include a stick of sugarless gum or a plastic bag of raisins. The parents will appreciate the letter and the child will remember the gift. Sending letters to absentees is always a good idea, but don't forget to send letters to your faithful members, too.

Taming Tempera Paint
When mixing powdered tempera paints, add a small amount of powdered detergent. This will give the paint body and will also make it wash out of smocks and clothes more easily. Adding a pinch of salt will keep the paint from souring.
Well done, good and faithful preschooler. Self-respect is an essential building block for healthy personalities. You can help your preschoolers lay a solid foundation of self-respect. Teach them the satisfaction of achievement by praising them for good work. Teach them that their accomplishments are significant. Give them small tasks they can do for the good of the group.
Language Explosion. At ages four and five, a preschooler's vocabulary increases tenfold, from 150 words to 1500 words! You can help them manage this explosion of words by doing two things. First, teach preschoolers how to use their new words correctly by speaking to them in complete, literal sentences. Second, let them practice using their new words by asking them to retell a story.

Jesus (Stop talking, Brian!) loves youAs a teacher, you talk about love, you read Bible passages about love, and you sing songs with your children about love. But do you give your children opportunities to practice loving one another? A Bible class that talks and sings about love but doesn't let the children talk to each other long enough to become friends is a contradiction in terms.
Let your fingers do the story telling, Try using finger puppets if you are telling a story with many characters. Finger puppets can be made from strips of construction paper that are decorated with crayons and then taped around your fingers. Finger puppets can also be quite elaborate creations made from felt and yarn. Fingers of gloves can be decorated so each finger becomes a different story character. Keep fingers bent when those characters are offstage, and raise your fingers as the story characters appear.

What's in a name?If it's a child's name, plenty! The sum of a child's existence is packaged in that name. And most children hear their name only when they're in trouble. They hear, Stephanie! How many times do I have to tell you to stop hitting Chris? Children need to hear their names spoken in positive sentences. When each child arrives for class, greet him or her by name. Say Jason! I'm glad you come today! When a child does something well, use his or her name with a compliment. Say, Philip, you did an excellent job cleaning your work place! When a child does something commendable, include his or her name in the recognition. Say, Andrea, letting Matthew borrow your crayon was a kind thing to do! Saying the child's name at the beginning of the sentence helps capture their attention so they are more likely to hear the rest of what you have to say.