Keeping Kids Focused on Jesus (with help from some duct tape)

Kids love stuff.  Particularly stuff that can go with them wherever they go.   These things are incredibly important to them.  Special.  Loved. 

Kid's stuff + teaching in Kidz Ministry can get a little hairy. 

Last year while teaching Second Graders, they were bringing in a multitude of "special stuff "every week and it was getting harder and harder to teach.   I decided that the stuff had to go! 

I love duct tape. (I may or may not have a duct tape collection...haha) I grabbed a roll of one of my favorites and an empty honey bun box......

And taped up the box, so it looked fun,
then had the kiddos empty their pockets as they came into the room.




  It wasn't that they were necessarily being bad with this stuff...but it was keeping their's and other's attention on stuff.  And, taking attention away from why we were there...Jesus.

I read this great blog post over on the Christian and Missionary Alliance kids website!!  I couldn't say it better than this.  Check out Abby Burg's thoughts on keeping kids focused in the classroom, and how "Chuck" saved the day.  >>>

 http://cmalliancekids.com/meet-chuck-saving-kidmin-one-less-distraction-at-a-time/

Try it out!  Grab some fabulous duct tape and collect some stuff.  

Keeping our kids focused on Jesus...that's the key!  

Prepare and Pray

So a new fall and winter season of Kidz Ministry is upon us!  Time to buckle down and get back into the routine of things! I thought I'd share some lesson planning thoughts to get us up and rolling along again. 

The week before teaching is a great time to just breeze through the lesson.  I like to "chew" on things, put my twist into a lesson-which, by the way, is TOTALLY ok to do!!!  Everyone teaches differently, teach your way, don't ever get hung up on the way someone else teaches. God gives us each gifts, each personalities...use yours :)  

Anyway....back to the lesson...
So, looking at it a week before gives you time to think through the lesson, the better you know the Bible story or Biblical application the lesson is pointing to, the easier it is to teach. This also gives you time to gather any odd supplies you may need.    
Most written out lessons will tell you exactly what you need and what to say during the course of the class time.  They will also give craft or activity ideas.  It's really great that these things are all laid out, BUT, I would hate for anyone to ever get stuck inside the box.  Like I said...everyone has their own way to teach.  If you have a great way to get the Biblical application across, go for it!!  If you are more comfortable with following a lesson as written, that's great too!  

Crafts and lesson ideas are BOUNTIFUL on Pinterest.  (I love that site...it's so fun to sit and pin and pin and pin...)  Why bother racking your brain when someone else already did all the work for you!   You can find some crazy and fun ideas for any Bible Lesson you are looking for.  Here's the link to my kids ministry ideas board on Pinterest:  Kidmin Stuff

If you are anything like me...you will do the bulk of your lesson preparation the night before teaching!  There...my confession.  I'm a procrastinator.  

Which is why looking through the lesson quickly a week before is a great idea! Then, I've already done my idea thinking all through the week.  The last minute details for a lesson prep is marking/underlining any thoughts in the lesson that you want to remember to get across to the class, read through all the Bible passages you'll be reading in class (trying to sound out some of those crazy biblical names on the fly, can be seriously embarrassing), making sure you have all the materials gathered for teaching and pray.  

Don't underestimate the power of praying over your lesson.  Pray for understanding for you and the kids. Pray for the ability to easily remember what you desire to tell the class.  Pray for peace in your room ( yep...sometimes you need this prayer more than others!). Pray for response- you want the kids to respond to what God is saying.  Pray for time management.  Pray for your ability to answer questions (you know...like, how much does God weigh? sigh). Prayer is vital when teaching.  

Teaching is an amazing opportunity.  This is a chance for God to speak through you to the little people that are our church.  They can hear from God NOW and what you teach makes an impact on eternity.  

Be prepared.  

Kids...Transformed

If you are anything like me, whenever your Pastor asks you for your vision for the ministry, you have a tiny panic attack.  Some people can easily see where a ministry should go, they are visionary, they can think WAY outside the box.  Other people need a little help-that's where I fall.  I can take an idea or thought and go crazy with it, but I usually need someplace to start.

A few months ago, our Pastor and Elders prayerfully adopted a new vision for the church!  It's really an amazing picture of where we are and where we are headed. The short version is "To see the transformation of people and communities everywhere for God's glory".  People's lives are being transformed by God at our church, and it's exciting to watch!  So then, the memo went out that ministries need to re-think their own vision statements...gulp.

So the thinking began...the good thing is, being a ministry within the church, I had a place to start!  No need to re-invent the wheel, the Pastor and Elders already did that (hehe).  All I needed to do was look at the vision they set out and see it from Kidz Ministry perspective. 

So, here's what God gave me.....

Kidz Ministry Vision Statement:

To see transformation take place in the lives of kids and families by presenting Jesus, encouraging life change, creating relationships, thereby discipling, and loving kids and their families with the love of God.

Short version:

To see the transformation of kids and their families for the glory of God.

How do we do that?

·       Presenting Jesus and the Gospel more often and intentionally.

·       Encourage life change by modeling how we are changed, giving ideas/instruction how to make a change and giving space for response.

·       Relationships/Discipling by allowing and creating connections with kids and families that go beyond the church walls.

·       Loving kids and families by providing emotional and spiritual support through relationships.

The vision statement gives us direction, where we are going with the ministry.  Can you imagine what will happen with the church if the kids in our Kidz Ministry's lives are transformed for Jesus???  They are the church!  They aren't even the future...they are the now!  If they are transformed and on fire for Jesus....look out!  Then, we will reach out and effect our community...they will.  It's like that old song..."It Only Takes A Spark".  Anyone else remember that from camps when you were kids?  Yep, one spark...one kid...transformed.  Look out.