Posts Tagged ‘children’s ministry’

Among a list of prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch (Acts 13:1) is mentioned Manaen.

I have read this book many times over the years, but this year, for the first time, I am reading from the New Living Translation. Here I saw what I had never registered before, that Manaen was a “childhood companion of King Herod Antipas”.

This man had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch , the one who had John the Baptist executed.

The thought occurred to me: “What was it that made the difference in those two men’s response to God?” According to James Orr, the Greek in Acts 13:1 suggests they were “foster-brothers”, brought up in the same environment. Yet Herod became so evil and Manaen evidently trusted God for salvation and later became a trusted and esteemed leader in the church. Even his name is gracious; it means “consoler”.

That made me sit up with a jolt – something made a difference to the outcome in the two men’s lives. With God’s help, we must make a positive difference in the lives of the kids we reach and teach.

It is an awesome responsibility – because we might just as easily make a difference the other way. What if we allowed ourselves:

• A dismissive response to a child’s interruption (“Later!”)  
• A sullen expression (“Why can’t we organize the activity the way I wanted?”)
• An over-competitive edge in the group games (“My team’s going to win this one, come what may!”)
• A careless attitude to preparation (It’s 11.30pm Saturday night. I’ve just got time to read over the curriculum for tomorrow.”)
• An angry response to difficult behaviour from a child. (“That’s it! I’ve had enough of you! Out!”)

Catherine and I knew and respected an old Christian leader. We still often quote one of his favourite comments: “You can be a blessing or you can be a blot. But you can never be a blank.”
What impact am I making on the children in my care? Am I turning them off from Christianity and Christ, or am I making it easier for them to see the beauty of Christ and the delight of the Christian life?

It might be through: 

• One fun day, with kid-friendly wholesome activities and a chance for the kids to see us as “real ordinary” people.
• One VBS, where the gospel message is consistently taught in such a way that kids are immersed in the message yet don’t feel spiritual indigestion!
• One smile, one look in the eyes that says: “I’m so glad you are here today. I do appreciate you.”
• One Sunday school lesson, well-prepared and clearly applied to young lives. (Come to think of it – maybe it will be through the lesson that, though well-prepared, was diverted by the Holy Spirit along an unexpected line, but the teacher was in touch with God and knew to go with the flow and respond to the child who asked a vital question or expressed a need.)

Any one or all of these might make that difference in drawing a child nearer to Christ. One connection we make with a child, by whatever means, might be the moment that tips the balance and sets them off on a personal pursuit of God that leads them to the Saviour.

With the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can make that difference that turns a young life towards God and points that kid to the One who can change him or her from the inside out. We may never see the type of adult they become. But we can trust God to save them, keep them and help them to live for him.

It is always a blessing and inspiration to hear or read of other people’s ideas. We have been signed up to the e-newsletter of ChildrensMinistry.com for some time.
There is a quality and consistency about the tips and ideas their writers share.
This month’s e-news contains a link to a great selection of summer arts and crafts.  As the subject line in the email said : “Nine new ideas that’ll spark kids’ God-given creativity all summer long “.

The article outlines some simple, inexpensive but fun crafts, where the kids can express their own creativity.

Check it out here.  While you are there, why not browse the site. If  you like what you see, you could sign up for the e-news yourself.
Go to this page http://www.childrensministry.com/magazine/ then scroll down a bit. You will find an orange “E-newsletter sign up” place.

FUN! We use the word all the time in kids’ ministry.  We want our kids to have a fun time, doing fun activities.  This is because when they are happy and absorbed, they will learn more quickly and remember more effectively. And, of course, they will want to come back next week.

Never wanting to over use any word, I was looking recently for alternatives. But somehow they didn’t seem to work the same! Congenial, amusing, diverting, jolly – none of them seems to hit the nail completely on the head. And none of them would be clearly understood by children.

I came to the conclusion that “fun” is a word kids understand very well. They may not be able to define it, but they surely know when they are enjoying it!

Naturally, there will be solemn times as we teach our clubs and classes. There will be rules and responsibilities for the children. But if the overwhelming thought they have as they leave our care is not  “What a fun time I’ve had!” can we expect them to return of their own accord?

A fun time means :

• A pleasant, friendly atmosphere where each child knows he or she is  welcomed, appreciated and valued.
• Activities which engage their interests and gives them space to stretch their creativity and hone their skills.
• Children learning something without necessarily feeling it was an effort.
• No boredom, but a varied program with some surprises.
• Friendship and fellowship at a spiritual as well as a natural level.

What would you add to the list? How would you define “fun”.

What suggestions would you have for ensuring that the time the children spend in your care is a fun time?  We’d love to know your thoughts! So feel free to add a comment below.

Thanks to Iconshock.com for the great images, used with permission throughout this game.

Some of the most popular items that are downloaded from our site at the free PowerPoint review games.

Maybe it is being on our allotment garden and seeing all the wee insects and creepy crawlies that inspired this summery game.

It works in the same manner as the Burger Bar PowerPoint review game. There are two presentation files to download. Once these are saved into the same folder on your computer, you can hop between one and the other using the special ladybug button. One is the “playing board” with the insects hidden beneath the numbered cards. The other is the score board where the bugs are checked off the list.

The teams have to answer your questions to earn the right to choose a number and reveal the tiny bug below. The aim of the game is to collect one each of the 5 creatures . Easier said than done!

Don’t be put off by what appears at first to be a complex PowerPoint. Once you have opened up the file and had a “play” yourself, you will see how easy it is and how much fun it will be for your children.

If you are not used to downloading files over the internet the following steps may be helpful:

1) Make a new folder somewhere on your computer where you will be able to easily find it again. Name it, for example, “Bug_Hunt”.

2) RIGHT-click on one of the links below and when prompted, SAVE it to the folder you have just made.

3) Do the same with the other PowerPoint (.ppt)  file. Remember: You MUST have BOTH these files in the same folder for the game to work properly.

4) To view the game, open up first the file (Bug_Collecting_part1.ppt). Full instructions are on slides 3 and 4. OR, you could open the Word document and read the instructions there.

As always, if you have any problems, feel free to contact us -
contact[at]effectivechildrensministry[dot]org

Download 1.  Main Game board PowerPoint

Download 2.  Score chart PowerPoint

Remember!  You must download both the above files to be able to fully enjoy the game.

Download Instructions (Word document)

One sure way to help kids memorize bible verses is to say them out loud. An article on the Psychology Today website confirms what we have probably known all along!

They looked at people’s memory for items like a list of words. They found that if people studied the list by reading half of the words silently and the other half by saying the words out loud, that he words spoken aloud were remembered much better than those that were read silently.

There are lots of games and strategies to make out-loud repetitive learning fun. Speaking out the Word of God is a proven help to remembering.

Kathy Vincent (aka Scripture Lady) has some great ideas from making out-loud learning fun for kids.  Here is a great one. Check it out and see if you would like to use it this week with your class or club

CRAZY STAND UPs  Bible memorization from Scripture Lady

This free review game is the PowerPoint version of Key to Success or a Mess, which we have made available as a printable game, ideal for small groups, in a previous post.

What is the key to making a success of your life? What is the key to making a mess? By choosing random keys, and reading the scenarios they open up, the kids are encouraged to think about the consequences of their actions.

This game goes really well with any story where the character makes a mess, or is tempted to do something wrong. For example, Joseph showing off ; David not attacking Saul in cave; Abraham getting a son his own way instead of trusting God’s promise, the disciples turning away the children, Peter cutting off the man’s ear, etc.
In schools, the practical and moral message of the scenarios is appreciated very much.

It is essential to download BOTH PowerPoint files and save them to the same folder on your computer. This is because the game “hops” from one presentation to the other and back again, using hyperlinked buttons. It sounds complex but it isn’t really.  Don’t let that put you off trying out this exciting game that we have found to be among the kids’ great favourites .

If you are not used to downloading files over the internet the following steps may be helpful:

1) Make a new folder somewhere on your computer where you will be able to easily find it again. Name it “Keys to Success”.

2) RIGHT-click on one of the links below and when prompted, SAVE it to the folder you have just made.

3) Do the same with the other PowerPoint (.ppt)  file. Remember: You MUST have these files in the same folder for the game to work properly.

4) To view the game, open up first the file (key_success_part1.ppt). Full instructions are on slides 2-6. OR, you could open the Word document and read the instructions there.

As always, if you have any problems, feel free to contact us -
contact[at]effectivechildrensministry[dot]org

Download Key to Success Instructions (Word document).

Download Key to Success Part 1  PowerPoint file

Download Key to Success Part 2 PowerPoint file

If you would prefer the printable version, go to this post for the download.

Would you like to draw on a big pool of kidmin experience?

Whether you work in a large or small setup; whether your children’s ministry is thriving or struggling; whether you have a healthy budget or nothing in the “kitty” – there will be something for you at the forum of Ministry-to-children.com.

We have learned a huge amount over the 6 months or so that we have been visiting the forum. It is free to join and very easy to sign up. I know you’ll learn a lot, and no doubt you will be able to contribute to the discussion with your own experiences and comments.

Here’s the link to the forum.

Other areas of the site are extremely helpful too, with lesson plans, craft and games  ideas, helpful videos, stimulating discussion and a massive list of kidmin blogs for you to browse.

What is the key to making a success of your life? What is the key to making a mess? By choosing random key pictures, and reading the  scenario on the back, the kids are encouraged to think about the consequences of their actions.

This game goes really well with any story where the character makes a mess, or is tempted to do something wrong. For example, Joseph showing off ; David not attacking Saul in cave; Abraham getting a son his own way instead of trusting God’s promise, the disciples turning away the children, Peter cutting off the man’s ear, etc.

In schools, the practical and moral message of the scenarios is appreciated very much.

The download is a single PDF file, which contains the images, suggested scenarios and full instructions.

Download the Key to Success or a Mess Review Game

Another game we featured recently may be of interest to you.
You can find the Helping or Hurting Hands review game in a previous post.

Now available: the POWERPOINT VERSION!!!

**CLICK HERE FOR the POWERPOINT VERSION of Key to Success or a Mess.

Yes, it’s that time of month when Wayne Stocks (aka Dad in the Middle) captures links to all the best in the kidmin blogosphere!

If you want a ” one-stop-shop” with free articles, tips, resources, challenge and anything else to do with children’s ministry, then Wayne’s Blog Patrol is for you.

This list is a great resource for all of us. Wayne does the web browsing for us and we benefit. Once again, everything is in easy-to-find categories, including:

 and TONS more!

Check out The Children’s Ministry Blog Patrol (April 2010)

Would you like to see a video of two of the cutest kids on the planet showing what they have learned about the Crucifixion? They use finger gestures to help recall the “5 mighty miracles of the cross”.

Hop over to FreeCMStuff.com .

I defy you not to grin from ear to ear when you watch the girls and then try to remember the gestures so that you can teach your kids!