5 Tiny Training Tips

by Donna Lucas
Publishing Director
Gospel Light /Children’s Ministry Resources

It’s never easy to get all of your Children’s Ministry volunteers together in one place! You can advertise the most fabulous training event and party, and yet it’s nearly impossible to get every teacher to come.

If you’re passionate about Children’s Ministry, you know that these questions always haunt the back of your mind:

How can I help my volunteer teachers see the importance of what they are doing? 

How can I help my volunteer teachers grow in their abilities?

For imparting vision and helping them see the importance of what they are doing, here are five tiny training tips for any teacher!

1.    KNOW the Bible content. No matter how well you think you know it, read the story again from the Bible. (You’ll be surprised at what you’ve forgotten!) Read it again from the teachers’ guide. Mark your Bible ahead of time with sticky notes and a highlighter. Now you’re free to act out the story, tell it in “first person” mode or do whatever works in that class, that day—because you never know if what you planned to do will result in kids getting that “blank” look. With the content “in” you, you’re free to switch up your method to make the “lights go on” in their eyes!

2.    Write the Big Idea or main point somewhere where YOU can see it. This helps you repeat it whenever you need to—and it keeps you on track!

3.    Highlight the activities and ideas you want to use for this class. Then be sure you have all of the materials. With so little time, you don’t want to waste time rifling through the pages or looking for missing materials!

4.    Prepare them socially. We can all remember those horrifying discoveries we made as preteens—feet too big, nose the wrong shape, hair too curly, too straight, too many freckles, too dark, too pale—you name it, preteens are suddenly and deeply aware of themselves and can feel overwhelmed by their worries. Create an accepting environment in your class, liberally sprinkled with humor that is not judgmental or sarcastic. Your preteens will learn from your model of kindness and humor that it is possible to “accept one another…as Christ accepted you.” They’ll feel safe and learn that these kids are truly their friends. This kind of environment will support the bond with the other kids who follow Jesus—because in the chaos of middle school, they’ll need people who accept them and remind them it’s valuable to follow Him.

5.    Practically memorize the conclusion, so that you can say those two or three sentences looking kids in the eye. You want to be able to see by their faces if they understand!

6.    Have two methods of memorizing the Bible verse “in the bag”—again, if one way doesn’t seem to work or you have extra time, you’ve got something fun and meaningful to do!

Even though it can be hard to reach each and every volunteer with encouragement and training resources, the process of building up the skills of your volunteers is a significant part of an effective children’s ministry. Training is a process whereby your volunteers improve and gain confidence in the skills they use. Training allows for growth and development of additional new skills. Training ensures vitality and freshness of the entire staff. And training helps your volunteers most effectively reach kids for Jesus!
Serving Christ through you,

Donna Lucas
Publishing Director
Gospel Light /Children’s Ministry Resources

Storytelling Tips

By Brenda Mills


Everyone loves a story. Children move to the edge of their chairs when they hear, “Let’s have a story.” Use this method of teaching to reach young hearts with Christ’s love. It’s your responsibility to become the best storyteller you can.


Note that we said storyteller. Reading stories to children is an art in itself to be discussed later. First we’ll concentrate on the techniques of telling the story.


A GOOD BEGINNING
Prepare your introduction carefully. Begin your story smoothly. If you fumble through your first few statements, you’ll become frustrated and may lose your train of thought. If you stammer to a stop and have to start over you’ll want to leave the room and never return! Never memorize a story word for word. But if it makes you feel more comfortable, memorize the first few lines for a snappy opening.


An introduction with interest-catching appeal will capture your listeners from the first word. “Mac had been Peter’s dog for as long as Peter could remember, and they were real pals.” Doesn’t that sound like a lot more fun than ‘Peter had a dog named Mac?” Use your imagination and knowledge of the group to make your introduction sparkle.


PROCEED TO CLIMAX, CONCLUSION
Progress naturally from the introduction, building to the climax or most exciting or interesting portion of the story. Then finish the story with a brief conclusion. Don’t attempt to delay the conclusion, for once the climax of the story has been reached, listeners’ interest drops. A story is a unique teaching tool. Most contain a moral or teach a lesson. Let the story do it! Don’t attempt to tack on your own “sermonette” on the end of the story. Weave the moral into the plot in such a way that your hearers can’t miss it as you tell your story. When you’ve finished telling the story, stop!


BE NATURAL
Being yourself is important. Thorough preparation and practice will lead to naturalness in storytelling. You’ll probably feel most comfortable if you sit in a circle or semi-circle with your listeners. It suggests intimacy with the group and conversation at their level. If you must stand, due to a large group, stand naturally and relaxed. Never hide behind a podium.


A LITTLE ACTION, PLEASE
Use gestures such as the shrug of the shoulders, a raised hand, a finger over the lips to indicate quietness. But don’t force or overuse them. And by all means, use facial expression. Raise your eyebrow, smile, frown, show enthusiasm. Try to portray the feelings of the story characters.


Some storytellers show pictures while telling their stories. This is fine, but don’t show 27 pictures during a four-minute story! Have several attractive illustrations to use at the appropriate times. Display them so all can see, then put them aside.
Place your hands quietly in your lap when you aren’t holding a picture or gesturing. Avoid the “gymnastics” of too many hand motions. They only draw attention to yourself. Beware of distracting habits, such as playing with a string of beads or a button on a jacket. Remember, you are the means to help your listeners SEE the story in their minds. The less they see of you, the better! Thorough practice, perhaps in front of a mirror, will help you know where and when to use gestures effectively. If well used, they can add life to the story. If overused, they can distract and spoil the story.


LISTEN TO YOURSELF
Your voice tells the story. Use your natural voice. By all means avoid a whiny, monotonous, or honeyed tone. Practice to develop variety in inflection. Let your voice reflect wonder, strength, sadness, etc. Imitate noises and sounds indicated in the story, such as “Buzzzz — was the sound Kate kept hearing outside her bedroom window.” Practice these sounds beforehand so they resemble the natural sounds. Pause to impress or to increase suspense. Work on projecting your voice. Record your own voice — it may surprise you!


Use dialog or direct discourse frequently to bring your characters to life. Make them speak to your hearers , rather than always telling your hearers what the characters say. “Hi, Mom!” is much more realistic than, “Jerry greeted his mother when she entered the room.” Change the voice to indicate the different characters. Use action verbs and colorful adjectives to tell your story. Never use words your listeners may not know.


If you suddenly discover that you’ve left out an important point, don’t try to correct it by saying … “Oh, I forgot to say…” Continue on, and if it is an integral part, weave it in. But don’t interrupt your story to apologize for your goof!


When you’re telling a Bible story, hold your Bible so all can see it. This especially impresses little children with the fact that your story is from God’s Word.


“Let’s have a story.” Do your students’ eyes brighten at the sound of those words? Use these helps to make story-time an exciting high point in your class.

Sunday School Teachers—Architects in Children's Lives

How Sunday school teachers interact with their students has been compared to the job of counselor, advisor, peer, and coach. But the best description of a Sunday school leader or teacher is as an architect.

An architect designs buildings, planning for physical stress, making them as functional as possible, and creating them to be pleasing to the eye. But once the design is finished, the architect's role stops. He has to let other people lay the brick and pound the nails. he has to let other people live and work in the buildings whether or not he likes how they live and what they do. An architect may work on a projects for months or even years, so his job requires patience and endurance. Yet the architect is simply a planner; others will actually create the buildings and use them. Yet often the architect is blamed if something goes wrong.

In may ways, a Sunday school teacher's job is similar to the role of an architect. It takes patience and endurance. A Sunday school teacher can only influence the students with whom he or she works. The students will be the ones who decide how they will respond to the "plan" the Sunday school teacher has presented to them.

As an "architect" in helping develop the lives of your students, your responsibilities as a leader in ministry can include the following:

• Lead weekly Bible lessons.
• Plan and help lead parties and special activities.
• Work closely with the students and parents in creating lessons and events that interest them and help to meet their spiritual needs.
• Get to know each child in your group by name.
• Visit your students in their homes. Invite them to your house or to the church for a special activity, fellowship event, or party.
• Develop a solid relationship with each child. Be sure all children are nurtured—not just a few.
• Have periodic prayer and sharing sessions with the pastoral staff of your church. Communicate victories and needs to them for prayer and assistance.
• Personally pray regularly for each student individually and for your ministry in general.
• Faithfully attend the services of your church (and bring your Bible), not only because you need the spiritual nourishment but also because you are an example to the children who are watching you.
• Live an exemplary, Christ-honoring life before your students.
• Recognize that everything is the Lord's work—your career, your family, trips and getaways, and even baking cookies for your Sunday school class.
• Honor the time of others. Be responsible and plan ahead before meetings. 
• Have respect for those in authority over you.

"Developing caring Christian relationships" best sums up the role and results of effective children's ministry. The leader who establishes and nurtures Christian relationships with students and their parents while growing in his or her own relationship with Jesus Christ, will experience great joy and effectiveness as a servant leader.

Relating Successfully to Children

The time you invest as a Bible teacher or helper falls into two main categories:

   1.  Time spent in prayer, preparation, and planning

   2.  Time spent with the kids during the actual Bible teaching and activities.

Some of the time spent during your Bible class will be in large group activities. It is possible to interact on a one-to-one basis in groups, however, and to make a moment important to a child.

As you get to know each child as an individual, remember that children learn in many different ways and at decidedly differing rates of progress. The All-Stars for Jesus Bible Club programs are written with these differences in mind. A variety of methods is used to present concepts or teach Bible truths. Materials are written to be age appropriate, capturing a child’s level of interest and understanding. Children who do not yet read can participate in primaries or Explorers lessons through non-reading parts provided in many meetings.

One purpose of Bible programs for children is training, and training is best accomplished through involvement. So involve your students in the planning and implementation of your Bible programs and lessons. Make taking part a really positive thing so they’ll be motivated to seek involvement and put the necessary effort into preparing. Most children love to please adults (usually!) and will do almost anything for recognition and attention. Take advantage of this characteristic to provide your students with many enriching experiences.

Give your students plenty of responsibility—not just by participating in programs, but in maintaining the appearance of the room, distributing and collecting materials and, in general, being a contributing member of the group. Give them meaningful tasks, even if it would be easier to do them yourself. Always thank them and show your appreciation.

You may be the only really positive, warm factor in an otherwise unhappy young life. Be sensitive about the things you say and do. Avoid broken promises, sarcasm, favoritism, or an impatient attitude. Your students won’t easily forget such treatment by adults. But neither will they forget the smiles, the hugs, the encouragement, and the love given to them by caring adults they can trust.

Children are looking for role models. You have the unique opportunity and responsibility as a Bible teacher or helper to be the kind of positive example they need. Your life can reflect the love of God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

How Twos and Threes Learn

I hear, and I forget;

            I see and I remember;

I do, and I understand.

            —Chinese Proverb

Twos and threes remember best when all their senses—touch, smell, sight, hearing, and even taste—are involved in learning. The more senses a child uses in learning about something, the more he will remember the experience.

It is also important which senses are used in teaching. Studies have shown that children learn 1 percent by taste, 1.5 percent by touch, 3.5 percent by smell, 11 percent by sounds, and 83 percent by sight. The more senses involved, the more likely the child is to remember that event. Therefore, visuals, room environment, and classroom decorations become very important when teaching children.

Twos and threes’ curiosity and creativity can be further stimulated by other opportunities to explore and experience. In Basic Preschool Work, Jerry Terrell lists several avenues, including the following, through which preschoolers learn:

•    Imitation: The child learns by what he sees and hears others do.

•    Curiosity: The child is motivated to discover people and the world around him.

•    Repetition: By repeating an activity, the child develops and refines skills.

•    Doing: The child learns independence by actually doing things for himself.

•    Playing: This is how kids sort out feelings about themselves, others, and the world around them.

•    Being successful: Twos and threes learn a great deal when they are successful at and get satisfaction from the activity they undertake. The activity may be a simple as putting their napkins and cups in the trash after snack time. A child may take so much pride in his accomplishment that he will want to repeat the activity again and again.

•     Relating to others: children need a personal, warm, happy environment in which to learn, and they need caring teachers and leaders who teach, guide, and support them in their learning.

Preschoolers Are Creative (Part 2)

A walk in the rain, a seed planted in a flower pot, a magnifying glass, colorful leaves, a thank-you note to Grandma, a castle made with blocks—the ideas for creative growth are all around us. They extend to your own interest areas, too. Young children like nothing better than to be included in your activities and hobbies, even if it’s cooking, auto repair, or carpentry. To help children keep and expand the creativity of their early years requires understanding:

•  Recognize that everything is new for your students. “Everything” includes the sky, clouds, rain, stars, and wind, and extends to tiny insects, pebbles, snowflakes, and leaves that most adults seldom notice. After all, small children are often a couple of feet closer to them than we are!

•  Accept the idea that the exciting world comes to them through their eyes, but also through sounds, tastes, and smells, and by way of their fingertips, too.

•  Realize that we have to show interest to help them retain theirs, but it’s foolish to fake it. Most children, even young ones, are alert to adults acting as thought they enjoy childhood games, when those games are really a bore to them.

•  Emphasize that the pictures they draw, the sounds and words they create, and the body movements they make are their very own. They are as much theirs, and theirs alone, as are their fingerprints.

Allow each child to be the creative being God has made him or her! 

Preschoolers Are Creative (Part 1)

Keep in mind that creativity means doing the “extra” ordinary. There’s no wrong way to mold clay, paint a picture, build with blocks, etc. Offer suggestions or assistance only when a child requests help or gets frustrated. The process and the creation need only be pleasing to the child, not to you or other adults. Find something to compliment in each child’s work, but don’t overdo it to the point it becomes insincere. If you can’t tell what the drawing is supposed to be, compliment the use of color or texture and ask the child to tell you about it. Display your preschoolers’ pictures and works of art around your Cubby Bears room and in your church nursery, make a scrapbook of art they can flip through, give card-size creations to shut-ins, and send creations home with parents. Show off your own creativity (arranging flowers, cooking up a new snack, painting a piece of furniture, hanging a new picture, making up a story or song to share, etc.) in front of your preschoolers. Let those creative juices flow!

Encouraging creativity in preschoolers isn’t really difficult. Here are a few examples:

•  Young children like to use their bodies to jump, rock, sway, creep, skip, and walk in funny ways, using their heads, hands, arms, ad legs. So let music come into your classroom through CDs, radio, singing, and instruments. Don’t worry if you can’t carry a tune. Most of your preschoolers won’t even notice!

•  Preschoolers like to make things, sometimes using tools and brushes. They like to feel different materials, and squeeze them through their fingers. So once in a while provide clay, scraps of soft wood, colored paper, paint, sand, and even mud. It will all wash off! Some items aren’t safe, and some stain, so use your good judgment to keep your preschoolers safe and clean.

•  Children like to make believe. So give them puppets, grown-up clothes, scarves, hats, large pieces of fabric, and other props out of which they’ll create a whole new world of fantasy. You might be an audience for them occasionally—and you’ll be sure to enjoy the show.

•  Young children like to rhyme sounds and words, tell stories, and compose songs and poems. So encourage them and listen to them. Don’t be too upset by silly behavior, unless it’s disrupting your activity. Give them times to let go and have fun. If they can’t “let themselves go” when they’re two, three, or four (or eight), when can they?

Tips for Classroom Management

What About Negative Behaviors?

Perhaps one of the biggest fears of any new teacher is that the children will misbehave in his Sunday school or Bible club class. There are several things of which you should be aware concerning a child’s unacceptable behavior:

1.   Most often, disruptive behavior does not start at church, but is the result of something that happened at home or on the way to church.

2.   There is always some reason for a child’s behavior. If you know that reason, you can help meet the child's needs.

3.   A child cannot learn if he is hurting or preoccupied with a problem.

Preventive Discipline

Remember the following basics as ways to reduce negative behaviors in your Bible club classroom:

•  Prepare fully in advance for each meeting. Spend time in prayer, asking the Lord's blessing on your class. Ask Him to work in the lives of each child to make him receptive to the truths to be taught.

•  Be in your classroom and prepared for your meeting fifteen minutes before the first child arrives, with all leaders and helpers present and prepared. In that way, when the very first child arrives, the classroom is ready and under control.

•  From the moment the child enters your classroom, be alert for trouble symptoms and try to avert further negative behavior before it even starts. Special attention from the leader or a helper, time with a good friend, or getting involved with a favorite activity is often effective in dispelling misbehavior.

•  It is important that transitions from one activity to another are handled smoothly. Make sure you are prepared. Then be sure to state your expectations clearly before beginning a new activity.

•  If one child is yelling or talking loudly, the teacher may suggest, “Let’s talk in our indoor voices.”

•  Happy teachers make happy students, so as much as possible, try to put your own concerns aside during the time you are in the classroom.

•  Never ask a preschooler or toddler if he wants to do something unless you actually intend to give him a choice (he may choose to say no). Instead say, “We’re going to glue the star on the paper now.”

•  A young child who is just learning language is apt to answer no to just about any request. This is all part of the child’s attempt to learn what it means to be an individual, and because “no” is one of the few words he knows and understands. Your guidance should be firm, but suited to the child’s ability to understand and respond. Say, “[Jacob], do not hit [Anna] with the block, because you will hurt [Anna].” If Jacob persists, remove the block or gently pick up Jacob and move him away from Anna.

Be consistent. This helps the child feel more secure and helps him develop his own sense of self-control because he can understand what is expected of him. 

Giving Your Best Each Week

Studies have shown that most Sunday school teachers prepare for their classes for less than 30 minutes—often after 10:00 on Saturday night! It is absolutely impossible for you to have the kind of exciting, dynamic classroom, where children discover wonderful things about their heavenly Father, when their teacher has spent less than 30 minutes preparing for the class. God cannot bless such a lack of preparation, nor can you expect your lesson to be a success and effectively reach young lives for Jesus.

As Christians, we are called to do our best in all situations. Colossians 3:23 commands us, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” (NIV) Here is a simple, effective way to prepare for each Bible lesson you present. When you return home from teaching a lesson, before you go to bed, read over the lesson for the next week. Pray for the children, and ask the Lord to help you prepare and make the lesson come alive for your children. Pray about any struggles or concerns the children are experiencing in their lives. Ask God to open their hearts to His Word, taught through you. Ask Him to remove from your mouth any words that are not from Him. And ask Him to give you wisdom from His Holy Spirit as you respond to questions from the children and help them understand His Word.

As you go about your daily activities during the week, the Lord will be working in your life to prepare you for your Bible lesson. Watch for examples of God working in your own life that might help the children understand the Bible lesson and begin to apply it themselves.

Then, several days before your Bible lesson, reread the lesson outline and Scripture, learn the Bible memory verse and any new action rhymes, songs, games, or activities. Gather your visuals and practice telling the Bible story or presenting your lesson until you can do so without relying heavily on a script. Try making the craft, and be sure you have planned for all the necessary supplies and tools.

Then it’s time to pretend: while you are going about your everyday activities—washing dishes, going to work, making the bed, showering, exercising, etc.—pretend! Pretend that you are telling the Bible story, leading an action rhyme, and using directed conversation to focus the children on the Bible theme or memory verse. Do it over and over again until you can do it from memory.

As the children arrive for your lesson, it’s too late to prepare or plan anything, so encourage all leaders and helpers to arrive 15 minutes before the class begins. Have a moment of prayer, thank God for helping you prepare, and ask Him to guide you through the lesson. Be sure every preschool learning center is set up and ready to go, craft and game supplies for all ages are gathered, all the snacks are ready, and visuals are in order. Then take a deep breath and greet the first precious child with a hug or a high five and a smile!

Ten Commandments of Children's Ministry

We’ve put together some fun “commandments” for your children’s ministry team. One of our favorites is VII. Feel free to pass these on to your coworkers and ministry helpers.
    I.  Thou shalt be born again.

   II.  Thou shalt have no final authority other than the Bible.

  III.  Thou shalt love children.

  IV.  Thou shalt pray regularly for the children, their parents and teachers (as well as for thine own family).

   V.  Thou shalt promote safety at all times.

  VI.  Thou shalt use age-appropriate materials.

 VII.  Thou shalt not bore children.

VIII.  Thou shalt not ignore the parents' needs.

  IX.  Thou shalt not be afraid to try new methods.

   X.  Thou shalt not ignore the impact of the Holy Spirit on daily life.

What Kind of Leader Are You? (Part 2)

As a Sunday school teacher or Bible Club leader,  it is important to nurture and develop in yourself the qualities and skills you need to relate to children in a helpful way. The first part of this article was posted on March 22. Here are six additional questions to ask yourself:

5. Am I innovative and creative?

Creative ideas are valuable only when they are actually implemented. A creative Bible Club leader must be able to dream up ideas as well as make those ideas happen. In addition, creative leaders must be able to take someone else’s idea and make it a reality in their own group.

There are many ways to get good ideas. Obviously the entire All-Stars for Jesus Bible Club program is designed to provide you with simple, easy-to-use ideas. Many Sunday school curricula contain helpful teaching suggestions. In addition, it is very important to listen. Listen to the students. Listen to the parents. Listen to other children’s ministry workers. And from what you hear, you should be able to adapt your teaching materials to work with your group.

Always be open to new ideas or new ways of doing things. Just because you haven’t seen something work, don’t assume it won’t work. Even if you tried something before and it didn’t work, be willing to give it a second chance.

6. Am I happy with myself?

Teachers and leaders who have committed their lives to Christ and are reasonably happy with themselves won’t be devastated when the first student acts up. And they won’t give up the first time something doesn’t go as planned. Furthermore, happy leaders and teachers won’t manipulate students to achieve “manufactured” results; they will minister to the students for Jesus’ sake.

Have fun with the students you’re trying to reach. Go to their homes. Go to their ball games and school plays. Play video and computer games with them. Be their friend.

7. Am I hungry for spiritual results?

The effective Bible Club leader or Sunday school teacher has a drive to accomplish and an urge to compete against the world for the attention of young students. You should have an insatiable hunger to see young people brought to a place of personal commitment to Jesus Christ. Develop a hunger for more spiritual growth in your own life as well as in the lives of those to whom you minister.

8. Do I use common sense?

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Nothing astonishes men so much as common sense and plain dealing.” Anyone who works with other people must realize that the key to success is not intelligence; the key to successful relationships is awareness of others, a willingness to learn, the ability to cope with the unexpected and genuine interest and caring for others.

These attributes are vital to successful leadership of students. Use common sense. Be flexible. Learn to respond to the needs and moods of your students, as well as to the situations they face and the environments in which they live. Help them cope with the situations in their homes and show them how to deal with the mistakes they make. One of your most important responsibilities as a teacher and leader is to minister to the everyday needs of your young students.

9. Am I tactful?

Effective Christian leadership calls for tact, persuasiveness and humor. You’ll need these attributes to overcome resistance to change and because you’ll work with many different people. Some teachers and leaders become so wrapped up in their “mission” that they become tactless, abrasive and disruptive, to the point they simply run over people in a rough-shod, uncaring manner. Your true goal and mission must be to respond to the needs of each individual student in kind, loving, tactful ways.

When you take the time to tactfully sell your ideas, to laugh a little (even at yourself, when necessary) and show you care, you will be more fun to be around, your students will notice and you will be able to accomplish a great deal for the kingdom of God.

10. Do I have courage?

Any role of leadership demands courage. To succeed as a leader or teacher, you have to take risks. Probably some of your meetings and lessons won’t be great successes. Some of your parties might flop. You might face some touchy situations you’ll wish you hadn’t gotten into.

It will take courage to go to a parent regarding his or her child. It will take courage to help your students deal with issues they might face: bullies, parent divorces, depression, cliques, broken relationships and more.

 Molding a child’s life is truly an awesome responsibility, but Jesus provided powerful encouragement when He said, “It is not the will of your Father…that one of these little ones should perish.” (Matthew 18:14) Although some of your students may not be so little anymore, this promise proves that the person who is committed to nurturing the spiritual life of a child or teenager is working in cooperation with the will of God! You can be assured then, that the Lord will direct you and guide you as you seek to guide children to love and serve Him.  

What Kind of Leader Are You? (Part 1)

Most teachers agree that some students can be a real challenge to work with. Yet they also agree the middle school and junior high years are a critical time when it is important to help students get established in their faith, their church and their lifestyle.

Some of your Sunday school and Bible club students probably grew up in your church and are from Christian families. If they ever decide to leave the church or their Christian beliefs, many children’s workers feel the seeds of departure and of rebellion will be sown during the junior high and middle school years. One Christian educator said, “Kids walk in the front door of the church when they are four, and out the back door when they are 14!”

How can you, their Bible Club leader or Sunday school teacher, catch those students before they get out the back door, or, better yet, how can you make the Christian life and fellowship in the church so meaningful and attractive to every student that they won’t even head for the exits?

To some extent, you have already answered that by your willingness to serve as a teacher, volunteer or leader. Yet it is important to nurture and develop in yourself the qualities and skills you need to relate in a helpful way to children. Here are ten questions to ask yourself. We'll look at the first four this week:

1. Do I love students?

People who minister successfully—to people of any age level—appear to have few behavioral, physical, educational or other kinds of characteristics in common. They are from many backgrounds and come in all shapes and sizes.

In fact, you don’t have to look young, own a sports car or be the best at video games to communicate with young students. It’s not necessary for you to like their music, their food or to keep up with them physically. People who minister effectively to students are of every age and every personality and the methods they use to achieve results are wide-ranging.

Yet they all have one thing in common: they love students. So ask yourself, Do I love young students? If you’re going to reach a young person for Christ, that’s a necessity!

2. Do I like students?

To some extent we can love someone and yet not like him. The Christian leader and teacher, however, must not only love the students he is trying to reach for Christ, but he needs to work hard at liking them too.

There might be students in your group who don’t smell very good, don’t talk very well, have bad habits and do things you don’t approve of—but you’re going to have to like them if you’re going to reach them—and keep them—for Jesus Christ.

In fact, friendship is one of the most important things you can offer. Your young students will respond to your friendship long before they will respond to what you try to teach them.

3. Do I expect something good to happen?

Are you excited and optimistic about your work with children? Do you have vision? Are you determined to accomplish something for Christ with your students? Do you realize your results may take a long time to happen?

If you’re after instant results, you’d better microwave some brownies or order a pizza; working with students requires a vision for the future and the willingness to trust God to bring about results in His timing.

4. Am I eager to take responsibility?

Being a Sunday school teacher or Bible club leader requires a willingness to take responsibility and get involved. Although they may never admit it, young students are looking to adults for leadership, guidance and caring; they will respond when adults show they care and want to be involved in the lives of the children.

Even when the going is rough, a Christian leader needs the ability to persevere and keep going. You can’t fall apart when no one shows up for a party—or when twice as many come as were expected! Make the best of the situation. When you do, the Lord will use your willingness and service to make something good out of the circumstances.

As a Bible Club leader or Sunday school teacher, you are influencing the students in many important ways—some of which you will never know. Don’t count on everything happening immediately; realize that some of the seeds you are sowing in the lives of your students may not bring about visible results for years!  

Passing on the Faith

In Deuteronomy 6:1-9, God commands parents to pass His Word on to their children. And He reminds us as parents, teachers, and ministry leaders that we need to know God’s Word ourselves before we can effectively share it with others. What can we do to internalize God’s Word and then grow in it?

1. Get to know the Son of God. Realize that the object of your faith should be Jesus Christ. Don’t put your faith in a pastor or a teacher or ______. (You fill in the blank.)

2. Get to know the Word of God. Learn and study it so you really come to know God’s truth. Ask God for wisdom before reading the Bible, so His Word will be revealed to you as you read.

3. Get serious about strengthening your faith in Jesus. If you don’t exercise your faith by applying God’s truth to your life, you won’t grow.

4. Read the following Scripture passages and determine what principles of faith they are describing: Matthew 17:19-20; Mark 11:22-24; Romans 10:17; I Corinthians 2:4-5; Galatians 2:20; and I Peter 1:3-7.

True faith in Jesus Christ is active and is continually at work in our lives. As we develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, God calls us to:

• Fear the Lord all the days of our lives — Deuteronomy 6:2

• Love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and strength — Deuteronomy 6:5

• Establish habits and traditions for recalling and retelling the ways God has worked in our own lives and in the lives of our ancestors — Deuteronomy 6:7-9

• Live lives of gratitude, remembering that where we live, our talents, our families, all we have, are gifts from God — not the result of our own efforts — Deuteronomy 6:10-12

As you read God’s Word, determine how these verses apply to your own life. Ask yourself, “What do I need to do to learn to trust God more?”

Then thank God for all He’s given you and your family. Praise Him each day for the opportunities before you. Share His greatness with those around you including your students, family, and friends. Remember, you may be the only Bible some people will ever read!

Be Prepared!

A good leader is always thoroughly prepared. A concert pianist wouldn't dream of going into a recital without hours and hours of practice and preparation. Why should a Bible teacher or Sunday school leader feel that his performance demands less practice?

Remember—when teaching from God's Word, we're dealing with the souls of children! How this should challenge us to be more diligent in our preparation of every Bible lesson, craft, project, or game time! Don't minimize the importance of your calling as a leader by a slothful attitude toward your preparation for the task of teaching and training children.

Here are a few tips to help you feel well prepared:

• The week before your lesson or activity, read through the Scripture passage and/or memory verse. Start praying about what concepts God wants you to focus on with your students. 
• During the week, ask God to continue to give you insight as you meditate on His Word. Jot down ideas as they come to you. You may even want to keep a pencil and pad of paper near your bed at night! 
• A few days before your lesson, decide which activities you will be using, and collect all the necessary supplies. Modify activities as needed for your students (or your location or your class time). Make any notes as reminders of the changes you're planning. 
• You may want to prepare a sample craft or try the activity ahead of time so you are able to help your students. Be sure to remove any stumbling blocks. (For example, if your preschoolers cannot yet draw faces, bring wiggle eyes and mouth shapes for them to glue onto a circle or head shape.)
• Pray for each child, that God would open each heart to the lesson and to His Word. Ask God to guide you so that you model the love of Jesus throughout your time with your students.

Now that you’re prepared, have fun. As you share God’s Word with your students, do it with a smile. After all, you’re serving the Lord!

Caution: Children Growing!

There may be a wide range of spiritual development among the children in your class. Some children may be immature for their age and cannot make a judgment between right and wrong. These children still need an adult to tell them what is right and what is wrong.

By the time they hit school age, many children know the difference between good and bad. These children are ready to understand God as Authority and Power. More mature children are beginning to define right as what good people do and wrong as what bad people do. No matter their spiritual development, you can help your students understand that they should act to please God.

As they grow, children learn things in seven different ways. Are you providing activities for children that use all seven learning styles? Or are you creating dead ends in the lives of your students by giving them only logic-oriented activities?

For children who are WORD oriented, provide reading, writing, and story activities. For children who are LOGIC oriented, provide brain teasers, puzzles, and strategy games. For children who are ART oriented, plan crafts, art projects, and design opportunities. Bring maps, puppets, and visuals to help reinforce the Bible story.

For children who are PHYSICALLY oriented, allow for plenty of play time, sports activities, and active games. For children who are SOCIALLY oriented, include sharing time, relationship-building activities, discussions, and parties. And for children who are INDIVIDUAL oriented, provide personal activities like journaling, independent study projects, monologs, and individual art projects.

By using all seven learning styles, you will be helping every one of your students to succeed in the ways that God created each one.

Lessons Are Fun When You Are!

A leader or teacher should be fun. Do you have a good sense of humor? Are you fun to be with? Do kids like you? Are you "human?" To answer these questions yes means being a "warm body"—someone kids feel drawn to and want to be around—someone with whom they're free to be themselves.

Don't be so sensitive that you can't laugh at yourself. Try to see yourself as your kids do. Relax! Have a good time with your group. They'll respond more positively to you, feel more comfortable and secure in your presence, and be open to what you have to share with them from God's Word.

Ask God to help you stop and count to ten when you reach your saturation point with the students in your care. Meditate on Scripture that mentions those qualities of God that will help you in your ministry to children: patience, peace, long-suffering, grace, forgiveness, loving-kindness, mercy, etc. Refocus on meeting your students’ needs instead of thinking of your own. Pray for each child and his or her individual situation. Ask God to open your eyes to the special needs of each student. Listen for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as you interact with your students.

A leader should be a good listener…and that means being a patient listener. If you give the impression of always being in a hurry and always too busy to hear the end of your students’ stories, they will feel that they're unimportant to you. Being a good listener shows that you sincerely care about those you listen to. Remember, kids can pick out of any crowd those who are genuinely interested in them. Talk to your kids—listen to them (look them in the eye)—give a bit of yourself to them as you share about the love of Jesus!

Off to a Great Start--Tell Kids Your Expectations

I have several students this year who have trouble moving from one activity to another appropriately. When everyone else is seated, they want to stand up and run around the room. What can I do?

Before beginning the Bible lesson or activity, clearly tell kids your expectations. Let the children know what you expect them to do and how you expect them to behave (should they be seated or standing, touch the objects on the table or just look with their eyes, etc.). Give simple, one- or two-step instructions. Whenever possible, show the children how to behave, then praise those who do it. Remind the students of your expectations each week, during each part of the lesson.

When talking to children individually, begin with the child’s name. Be sure you have the child’s attention and he is looking you in the eyes before you continue. Then state briefly what you want the child to do. Finally, add the reason why. If you are leading the lesson, have a co-worker approach each disruptive child individually to clearly state the expectations for that activity.

Also, try capturing your students' attention with an unusual signal (blow into a cola bottle, blow a wooden train whistle, play a xylophone, flick the lights, etc.). Students respond quickly to unique sounds and sights.

When moving from an active to a more quiet activity, try this action rhyme with your young students, leading the children in doing the actions described: My hands upon my head I place, On my shoulders, on my face. At my waist and by my side, And then behind me they will hide. Then I will raise them way up high, And let my fingers touch the sky. Then clap, clap, clap and one - two - three! And see how quiet they can be (fold hands in lap as you sit down).

Transition times can be especially challenging for keeping children on task. Make sure you are well prepared and ready to move quickly from one activity to the next so there are no lag times. Clearly state your expectations before beginning the new activity. This is a good way to hold the attention of your students and keep them focused on the Bible lesson or activity at hand.

How do you handle disruptive behavior? If you have suggestions or tips for classroom management, feel free to comment.

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. 

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.