Children's Ministry Newsletter

Kid’s Ministry

Don’t get so busy ministering to the kids that you forget kid’s can minister too!

 I wanted to help. It didn’t matter to me that I was just a kid. I wanted to do more than sit on a pew. I agree I wasn’t qualified to teach the class but there were lots of things I could do. Although my Sunday school teacher couldn’t image her class doing anything more than listening to her talk, the state director of the girl’s ministry saw potential. She understood that girls wanted to be involved and she let us. She asked us for ideas that would make the reward ceremony extra special. She let us file and make copies. We carried out trash and we thought we were the most important girls in the world because we were helping.

I remember helping stock the shelves in the Home Mission closet where the pastor’s wives of struggling, young churches came to pick out basic supplies for their homes. I will always remember one lady’s job as we packed her box with sheets and towels. We wrote each other for years after that. What a powerful impact that experience made on my life. I saw first hand what it meant to pioneer a Home Mission work.

There are children in your class that need to become involved in ministry before they catch the deadly Pew Potato Disease that is destroying our churches. Churches are filled with pew sitters that haven’t done anything for God in years. If we want children to be involved in ministry then why wait until they have lost that natural desire to serve and then suddenly begin to fret and whine that no one wants to help you in children’s ministry. If you want you to raise pew potatoes all you have to do is nothing, but if you want to raise a group of children that will love the church and serving others help them take ownership in their church- get them involved. 

Maybe you are thinking what can kids do? The list is endless. They can pick up paper around the church. They can use puppets in outreach settings such as the nursing home and parks. They can share object lessons or short stories in a younger Sunday school class. They can sing specials or as part of a praise team. They can file visuals or make bulletin boards. Children can write notes to the visitors or absentees. They can serve as Watchman on the Row.  Provide a number of janitorial duties. They can serve as the sound and lighting crew or any other technical requirements. They can put together newsletters or manage your web site. Children have talents that need to be used.

I believe there are three vital steps in involving children in ministry.

1. Help them see the need.

2. Train them.

3. Give them opportunity.

Summer is a great time to start. Use your Wednesday night s to train them for service.

 Start with the end in mind?

Make a list of all the jobs that need to be done. Then look for people that fit those jobs. When you fit people to job they will be happier and do a better job. Organized people fit better in organizing roles. Warm people oriented people fit better in roles where they are directly involved with people.

Don’t assume they know what to do. Be very specific with them about what you expect and how to handle discipline problems. They will need to know the chain of command. This can be done with a simple procedure manual and/or audiotape. Include a list of their responsibilities such as the time they need to arrive, who will supply snacks, purchasing policy etc. This will eliminate confusion and hard feelings.

If they will be telling stories, train them how to tell stories. Even experienced teachers can always learn more. The training videos from Let Us Teach Kids are great for monthly teacher training or to have as a resource in your library to loan out when you have a new teacher. Training is vitally important. Don’t assume they know how to teach. Teach them how to do it. Train workers to use the sound system, the audiovisual equipment or whatever tools they will be using. Give them a walk through the Resource Center. Set a time and have all your new helpers come at one time so you don’t waste your time training them one at a time. I’ve found coming an hour or half hour before a regular service time works well. Remember to reserve a location with the church office, so there is no conflict of scheduling with the room you want to use.

 

You don’t have to do it all.  We’d like to help! Use our videos to train your children for ministry.

 

Video Training Tapes  

New Titles:

 Preventative Discipline

So You Want to Be Heard

Make the Bible Come Alive

Here’s A Story to Tell

Visuals Galore

Costumed Characters

Puppet Know How

Developing the Puppet Character

Black Light Visuals/Puppetry

 These videos will help you take your teaching to the next level. You’ll be motivated and challenged to “Make the Bible Come Alive” in your class using exciting, cutting-edge methods that will make your class pertinent and fun!