This past Sunday, my heart was filled to the brim when I presented a 5th grade girl with her very own copy of God’s Word, the Bible. She has never had her own copy, so to say that she was delighted is a gross understatement. Seeing her clutch her brand new Bible to her chest and then run to show her Mom was a moment that I will treasure for a long while. When you think about all of the things that children today receive, it is so refreshing to see them desire their own copy of God’s Word with the same enthusiasm as receiving the newest electronic gadget.
If you’re like me, you may own at least 10 different Bibles. I own Bibles in just about every translation and paraphrase, devotional Bibles, leadership Bibles, children’s Bibles and study Bibles. It’s hard to imagine that many people, particularly children, do not own a copy of the Bible.
Our Children’s Ministry formally presents Bibles to preschoolers, kindergarteners and 3rd graders. We also keep Bibles on hand for older children (4th and 5th graders). Here are the Bibles that we present to each age group:
Once you place God’s Word in the hands of a child, help them discover the precious truths hidden within its pages.
Teachers,you can help students use the Bible each week in class by:
Opening the Bible. For younger children, read the story directly from the Bible and show the corresponding pictures. For older children, have them follow the text (or read it aloud) as you teach the day’s lesson. Help them understand that the story isn’t just any story; it’s from God’s Word.
Helping them navigate the Bible. Help them understand how the Bible is divided (Old Testament or New Testament; chapter, verse).
Helping them become Bible-literate. Help them discover who wrote the book; background history, maps/timelines, etc.
Marking the week’s memory verse, if parents allow children to mark in their Bible.
Providing daily devotions that include a Bible verse to continue the learning at home.
Parents,you can help your children use the Bible at home each week by:
Having your children retell the Bible story presented in class. Help them locate the scripture passage in their Bible and retell the story in their own words.
Using take-home pages to continue the learning at home.
Directing them to God’s Word when they struggle with a particular area (i.e. What does the Bible say about obedience? Justice? Self-image?)
Let’s not just give children a Bible. Let’s help them love it passionately, read it daily and become a useful tool in growing in their relationship with Jesus.
Do you or your child have a favorite Bible? Tell me about it below!
One of my favorite TV shows is “Restaurant: Impossible” on Food Network. If you are not familiar with the show, let me give you a quick overview. With two days and $10,000 Chef Robert Irvine goes to a failing restaurant with the hopes of turning the business around. Chef Robert chats with the owner, the staff and patrons to find out why the restaurant is failing. Then, after ordering several dishes off of the menu (he has rarely liked anything on the original menu), he outlines the problems that he’ll address.
Most times, the owners don’t have a clue how to run their business. Other times, the owners have lost their passion. They have been failing for so long that they have little hope of ever recovering.
I love the show for many reasons but what I love most are all of the leadership lessons that the owners learn. I learn a lot too. Aside from serving really bad food, the reasons why most of the restaurants are failing can be narrowed down to four areas:
1. Poor service
2. Poor leadership/management
3. Outdated decor
4. Poor marketing
Sadly, these things are often true of Children’s Ministries. Sometimes, leaders can get stuck in a rut or get accustomed to flying on ‘survival mode’ that we don’t give thought to the details that make our ministry shine.
Use the checklist below to see what areas your ministry might need to address.
Poor Service
Do you have friendly greeters stationed to greet families as they enter your children’s areas?
Do you have a check-in system? Is it efficient?
Do you try to alleviate long lines at check-in?
Do you walk new/visiting families and their children to their classrooms or do you just point them in the right direction?
Poor Leadership/Management
Do you have enough staff to cover each classroom? If not, are you working towards that goal?
What are your ministry’s strengths?
In what areas does your ministry need to grow?
Do you have key leaders (volunteer or paid) in place to help shoulder your ministry’s responsibilities?
Are your volunteers aware of what is expected from them? Do you have written job descriptions in place?
Do you hold regular volunteer training opportunities that equip your volunteers to do their job effectively?
Do you appreciate your volunteers? How do you show them?
Are you growing as a leader? Are you reading, taking classes, and/or attending conferences/workshops to become better in your craft?
Do you have a mentor, someone who can pour into your life and hold you accountable?
Are you mentoring someone?
Outdated Decor
Does your ministry area scream “1980”?
Are your classroom spaces kid-friendly and kid-appealing?
Are your classroom spaces clean and sanitized?
How can you spruce up your ministry area, even on a limited budget? A coat or two of brightly colored paint? New tables and chairs? New flooring?
Are the books and toys in good condition? Do you have working batteries in all of your battery-operated toys?
Poor Marketing
Does your ministry have an informative, eye-catching brochure?
Does your website have up-to-date information?
Is your signage clear and visible?
Does your ministry have a logo?
How do parents and those in your church body and neighboring communities view your ministry?
These are just a few things to think about when leading a Children’s Ministry. Help your ministry grow in 2013 by addressing areas that might be pulling your ministry down.
I’d love to hear what you’d add to the list. Share your thoughts below!
