Effective Children's Ministry

Archive for the ‘Articles’ Category

Catherine and I once turned up at a children’s service with the wrong bag of visuals.  We had identical bags for a youth event and a childrens event – not a good idea! Fortunately Catherine is a tremendously good story-teller! So the loss of the picture cards was not an enormous handicap to her telling the Bible story.  She used her gestures and voice to dramatize the lesson, and gripped us all.

But from that day onward we kept a list of everything that was needed, and before we loaded the car we eye-balled each individual item. Oh yes, and we colour coded the bags!!

Lists are invaluable. Most of us use them when we go shopping, pack for holidays and  plan for Christmas. They are equally useful (and for us older folk, essential!) in kid’s ministry.

Doing craft? List every required items. Then you won’t find yourself without wet-wipes to clean hands after a messy activity.

Leading worship? List your visuals and equipment. I once forgot the amplifier for my electric guitar! I have also left behind electrical extension cables and overhead projector slides.

Giving a powerpoint presentation? List all the connectors, extension cables and projector screen, if required. Put your presentation notes on the list too, if you work from a sheet of paper.

Teaching a Bible lesson? List all your visual aids and presentation equipment, together with any objects or demonstrations you will be using.

Even after all our years in kid’s ministry, we still find making lists one of the best ways to ensure a trouble-free setup and a smoothly run meeting.
You might even like to transfer a list onto your computer, so you can print a checklist each time to leave to take part in a meeting.

Seth Godin is a successful and respected entrepreneur and business author. In his blog he wrote:

I stumbled on a great typo last night. “Staff in the lobby were wondering around…”
Wandering around is an aimless waste of time. Wondering around, though, that sounds useful. Wondering why this product is the way it is, wondering how you can make the lobby more welcoming, wondering if your best customers are happily sharing your ideas with others… So many things worth wondering about, so few people actually taking the time to do it. Wondering around is the act of inquiring with generous spirit.

Colin Peckham, preacher and author once told us, “In God’s work you’ve got to have time to dream.”

In kid’s ministry we can spend time preparing our crafts, planning the décor, selecting or making our visuals, studying the lesson…and a thousand and one other good and vital things. But what a joy when we have time to dream!

A relaxing environment can be hard to come by, but if we find it, then coupled with a sanctified imagination and an intimacy with God, we can dream his dreams, catch his vision, think the impossible. As Seth Godin said, wondering around can be very useful.

Catherine and I both love our allotment garden. We grow veggies, fruit and flowers  there, but the crop can be ruined by weeds and pests.
So we sat up and took note when we spotted  one article highlighted  in the Childrens Ministry magazine newsletter.

ChildrensMinistry.com is a great site, stuffed with useful resources and tips from experienced kid’s workers.

Walter Norvell, a children’s minister in Tennessee, writes  about 10 “weeds” that threaten the growth of your children’s ministry. It’s a great check list to run through from time to time.

10 Things That’ll Ruin Your Children’s Ministry

What are the needs of single-parent families?

How does the situation affect the children?

What can we do to minister to these needs?

How can we in children’s ministry avoid problems?

If you would like to know the answers to these and other questions about this type of family, then the article in the link will give you more understanding, ideas and advice.

Go to A House Divided, by Lori Haynes Niles

ChildrensMinistry.com is a great source of ideas and materials. In this article there are heaps of ideas for fun activities of an easter theme, including “Donkey Relays” , papier-mâché piñatas, using ice cubes  and making yummy Easter snacks.

It’s a varied bunch of ideas where there is sure to be something to suit your facilities and your children. Check it out here.