Using Ordinary Objects in Ministry

It might seem like a small thing, but this week I want to encourage you to use as many every day items as you can in your ministry.  Why?  Because those items that we see every day can make a huge impact when they are used in an object lesson or a sermon.  Allow me to elaborate on what I mean.

A few weeks ago, I mentioned doing a Sermon in a Sack during our Family Sunday services.  During this time of the service, one child brings in a mystery object and I have to come up with a brief sermon about whatever they brought.  I don't see the object until it's time for the sermon and the curiosity about what is in the sack is part of the fun.  I've done this in almost every church I've ministered in and this is what I find happens:

1) The adults look forward to finding out what is in the sack as much as the kids do.

2) The kids start getting picky about what they will put in the sack because THEY start getting reminded of Bible stories by what they see.  (Example, "We can't put that toy food in the sack because remember God provided food for the Israelites." "Tommy, don't put a boat in the sack, remember Jesus was in a boat when He calmed the storm.")  They want to stump me, so they figure if they think of a story associated with the object that I will easily come up with one too.

3) The adults will start trying to figure out what Biblical truth can be taught from the object too...and often it is different than what I used.  I know because they come up to me after the service and tell me what they were reminded of by the object. 

Do you see what I'm getting at?  The kids and the adults start seeing what God can teach us through those every day objects even before I ever open my mouth.  The same can be said when an ordinary object is used in a planned object lesson or as part of a sermon.  Every time the kids see that object, there is the potential that they will be reminded of the Biblical truth that it was used to teach.  And, perhaps even more important, they will start looking for what God can teach them through the ordinary items that surround them in their lives.

This doesn't mean that we shouldn't use unusual objects in our ministry.  I just wanted to remind you of the amazing tools of ministry those ordinary objects can be.

Until next week...

Encouraging words

You walk into the church on a Sunday morning and find that you've forgotten the prop you needed for your object lesson.  You quickly go to your plan B which is a craft to reinforce the lesson instead.  Then, when you go to make the copies you need for the craft, you find the copy machine is down and you have no way of fixing it.  Once you finally get your Plan C in place with 30 minutes left before the kids arrive and you walk into the Children's Church room to find that all the chairs that you had set out for service the day before have vanished because someone needed them for their event the night before and didn't return them.  So, you run to the other side of the building to get your chairs back and finally get them in place with just enough time to get the computer up and running with your pre-service videos.  Finally...ready for church...then you get the text from your Preschool teacher saying that she won't be there because she woke up vomiting.   You quickly put Plan D into action, which includes the preschool staying with the rest of the children for Children's Church, plant your smile on your face, say a quick prayer asking God for help to get through this crazy day and march on with Children's Church.

This, my friend, is Children's Ministry.  And while, thankfully, it is not always that hectic, those days do come. And when they do, sometimes all we want to do is go home and hide.  Or perhaps throw in the towel and get a less stressful job (like joining the bomb squad as an old cartoon once said).  But really all we need is a little encouragement.  A few words from someone to remind us that we are doing a good job and that things are not always as crazy as they are at the moment.

Several years ago, someone I was working with passed along to me some really good advice that had been given to him years before.  He told me to put together an encouragement file.  Basically, it is a place where you put things that you have been given that encouraged you.  It could be a picture from one of the kids that says, "I love you Pastor," a Scripture that really spoke to you,  or a card you received from a parent telling you that they appreciated the work you did on an event.  Perhaps an email that you printed out from your Senior Pastor telling you that he/she appreciated the extra hours you put in for such and such a program is in the file or maybe it includes a note you wrote yourself reminding you of the date that a specific child found the Lord.  It really can be anything, but it must be something that you can go you and it reminds you why you are in Children's Ministry.  Then on those especially hard days, you can go to your folder and flip through those words and allow God to use them to encourage you once again.

Then, you can sit down and write a note encouraging someone else.  After all, you have just been a recipient of how positive words can turn your day around.  So maybe now it is your turn to add to someone else's "Encouragement file."  Words are powerful.  We should use them to encourage one another often.

Until next week!

A Few Thoughts on Bullying...We Adults are part of the problem.

There are many things that we try to teach as Children's Ministers.  But, more an more I am seeing that we, ourselves, have to be very careful, especially online, if we do not want to harm our own witness.

If you have been online, listening to the radio, or watching the news over the last few years you would see that there has been a huge surge of people speaking out against bullying. And rightly so because it is a huge problem in our society.  Those of us who work with children and teenagers know that it happens.  It's terrible and it's hurtful and it MUST STOP!  Everyone seems to agree with this...until it is time for the elections.

Then it seems that adults all across the country decide that bullying is ok.  After all, the people they are talking about are politicians.  They made themselves fair game, right?  WRONG!  They decided to run for a political office.  They decided to try and make a difference in our country.  They did not decided that they and their family were just going to be "ok" with being bullied.

No matter what our political affiliation, this blog applies to everyone...and I'm talking to the politicians and even the news reporters too. There is a difference between a news story and a smear campaign for ratings.  If we want to teach our children that bullying is wrong, then we have to stop it ourselves.

And while I'm on the subject, this applies to sporting events too.  How many times have we seen someone post something about how they are so glad so and so was fired, or how "Mr. Sports Star" is doing such a lousy job in their sporting event.  Seriously???  

How do we explain why it is ok for us to verbally torture, tear down, and post embarrassing pictures of a politician or a sports star, but it's not ok for our kids to do it of a classmate?  Do we realize what we are doing to the family of that person?  How would you like it if your Mom, Dad, Aunt, or Uncle was being torn down all over the internet by people who had never even met them?  Do you know for an absolute fact that what you are saying is true?  Even if you do, why is it ok for you to post such things about this person while at the same time you are trying to teach your children and teenagers that it is not ok for them to do the same to others?

This is a horrible and tragic double standard that MUST STOP.  Children learn by example.  What kind of example are we setting?

If you don't like a particular politician, don't tear him or her down.  Build up your candidate.  Show off all his or her good points.  I don't care why you don't like the other candidate...tell me why you DO like yours.  Is that so hard?  Or do you really not know enough about your candidate to do that? 

If you are unhappy about how a sports personality is playing their game, don't tear them down, focus on something positive you can say or simply don't say anything at all. Perhaps highlight someone else on the team who is doing well.

We are being watched and our online lives are often have an even bigger impact than our offline lives.  Why?  Because people all across the world have access to seeing what we put online.  But only those literally around us see our real life actions.  How does it look if they see us praising God with our mouths at church and tearing down people online?  What about those who post Scripture about how God loves everyone one minute and then how they hate such and such a candidate the next?  Do we not see how our witness is being damaged?

Before you post something, put your name, or better yet, your child's name in the place of the person you are ready to post about.  Would you still post it? If not, then DON'T POST IT.  Don't SHARE it.  And just because you think it's funny doesn't mean it's not cyber-bullying.  Remember...that person is someone's child, so don't do to them, what you wouldn't want done to your child.  Is that really so hard? 

I know this is different than  the tips I usually post, but this is a topic that is simply too important to ignore.  And as we all know, our actions speak much louder than our words and that applies both to Children's Ministry and to life in general.

Until next week...

* This is an updated version of posts I wrote for my other blog a few years ago.  However, with this ever increasing social media world, I felt it was important to share my thoughts here as well.

Choosing Bibles for Kids...

One question that I am often asked is "What kind of Bible should I get my child?"  It's a really good question, but the answer is going to be different for every child.  But here are a couple tips that I have found useful.

1) No matter the age of the child, if they are planning to take the Bible to church with them, buy them a regular Bible.  By regular, I mean not a "Story Bible".  Here's why.  In most Children's Church services, the Pastor or Leader will read from a certain verse or passage of Scripture and invite the children to follow along.  If the child brings a storybook Bible or toddler Bible to the class, there is no way for them to find that verse or for anyone else to find it for them in their Bible.  This often causes the child distress because they were so excited that they had a Bible with them, but now they are being told that they can not use it because it doesn't have the scripture being read in it.  It is very confusing and frustrating for them.  A kid-friendly Bible is wonderful, just make sure it has all the books and verses in it if they are planning to take it to church.

2) Storybook Bibles are great for use at home or in your devotional time with your child.  Young children enjoy the pictures and are much more likely to read that kind of Bible on their own.  There are lots of different kinds.  I encourage parents to check out a nearby Christian Book Store and simply read through some.  The parents will know which type will appeal to their child better than I will.

3) Comic Book Bibles are awesome for kids who are just learning how to love reading.  They bring the stories to life in a new and different way and really engage them in reading Scripture.  I highly recommend them for children in 1st - 4th grade.  Even some preteens really enjoy a comic book Bible.  There are several versions out there and some look more like a graphic novel than a comic book.  The graphic novels tend to have a darker look and feel to them, so be aware of that if you choose that kind.  It could be a little scary for young readers.

4) As for the version of Scripture to choose...Honestly, I think you should choose whatever your child will understand best.  Most 8 year olds probably aren't going to be very excited about reading the King James Version because it's hard to understand, but if that is your choice, then that is fine.  I generally recommend the New International Version or the Contemporary English Version because they are easily understood by most children.  If you go to www.biblegateway.com you can put in any Scripture and easily see how it is read in many different versions.

Choosing a Bible for a child is awesome, but if they are old enough to read, you might consider taking them with you and letting them pick out their own.  It is more likely they will read a Bible they got to choose themselves.  But whether they pick it out themselves or you surprise them with one, owning their own Bible is very special and opening the mind of a child to the Word of God is priceless!

Until next week!

Reports and Budgets

Not many of us enjoy doing reports or making out budgets for our department, but they are an important part of ministry.  Reports (for me, Board Reports) give our governing body an idea of what is happening in your department, and budgets give you the funds you need...or at least let you know what you have to work with.  However, when I was first starting out in ministry, I was unfamiliar with how to write either one of these papers. Fortunately, my Dad had been writing both for years and he helped know what should be in each one.  So, this week, I will share a couple of tips that he gave me as well as a few that I've figured out over the years that have helped me where writing budgets and reports are concerned.


REPORTS
In my denomination (Nazarene), I am expected to turn in a report each month to our Church Board.  This is very important because, for the most part, none of the Board will have been in my Children's Department during any of our services.  If I want them to be aware of what God is doing, what series we are studying, or how many children are involved, then I need to make sure that is in the report. So, here is a simple breakdown of what is generally in my monthly Board Reports.
     1) What we did last month - This is a brief overview of the events or programming you want to highlight from that last month.  How many attended the events, were there any conversions in your services, how many new children are attending and any other pertinent information. 
     2) What is coming up this month - Make sure they are aware of what you are planning the the days ahead.  
     3) Upcoming large events - It may only be August, but if you are beginning to prepare for your Annual Christmas program, the Board needs to know.  Keep them informed.
     4)  Who is helping you - Throughout your report, give credit where it is due.  Make sure you mention the names of those who are helping you consistently or have been of special help in the last month.  
      5) What have YOU been up to - The last paragraph of my report is always a highlight of my activities for the month.  Be detailed where you can.  This is not to say that you need to list every single thing you did, but let them know the basics.  An example might be: 
In the last month I attended 3 staff meetings, prepared and led 4 Wednesday night services, attended a workshop on Children's Ministries, made two hospital calls, prepared and led 4 Sunday Morning services, prepared the monthly newsletter, led one Children's Council meeting and one Kingdom Crew meeting, met with one potential volunteer, as well as completing regular office duties. 

Being detailed each month will help you if you have to fill out an end of the year report. Recording how many times you preached over the course of a year or how many hospital calls you made over the last twelve months is easy if you have been detailed in your monthly report.  But it also helps your Church Board to know what you do throughout your working hours. Ministry is unlike most 9-5 jobs and they need to know what you spend your time doing.  

Budgets
When you put together your yearly budget, there is a fair amount of guesswork involved, but if you keep decent records throughout the year and stay in touch with your church treasurer, you can simplify the process a bit.  The easiest thing to do is to make a list of all the things you will need to purchase over the course of the year and give each one a line item.  (Examples: Christmas Musical, Curriculum, Trunk N' Treat, Easter Eggstravaganza, Volunteer Appreciation, Camp, Publicity, etc) After you have made your list, go through your records and see what you spent last year on those items and make adjustments for the coming year.  For example, if last year you spent $100 on your publicity, but you know that you are doing an extra event this year, perhaps put $125 in the budget this year.  If you spent $500 on your Christmas Musical last year, but are planning to borrow a musical from another church this year, perhaps you only ask for $250 this year.  Take into account what your plans for the coming year as well as what you spent the year before to come up with the budget you submit.  

When you submit your budget, be prepared to have it cut when it comes back to you.  Some people take it as a personal affront when the budget for their department is cut, but the reality is that the finance committee will have to cut in many places in order to come up with a workable budget for the church, so be prepared to receive less than you asked for. It's not that they don't like you or don't think that children's ministry is important.  Generally it is simply that they have to make sure every area is covered with the funds allotted.  Yours won't be the only one cut and you will simply have to do the best you can with what the church can give you. So be gracious about your budget being cut.  No one likes to take away funds from ministries within the church, but we need to work together to make what we have work for our department.  Remember,  as the old song says, "Little is much when God is in it!"

Reports and budgets may not be the most exciting part of being in ministry, but it is no less vital to what we do.  I hope these tips make writing them a bit easier.

Until next week! 

Christmas Time is Near...

I love Christmas.  It is, by far, my favorite holiday.  However, in ministry, it is an extremely chaotic time of year. And you start planning for it in January (yes...January), so Christmas prep is sort of always on the back burner throughout the year.  However, there are a few things you can do, to hopefully lessen the chaos and make this very special time of year a bit less stressful.

Don't plan many activities during the month of December.  At my church we do three things in December and only one is not during a regular service time.  The Christmas Musical, our Angel Brunch, and a Birthday Party for Jesus. 

The Angel Brunch is held on a Saturday and it is literally a brunch where the children bring their Grandparents (or a Grandparent they adopt for the day if their own are not available).  We do an angel craft, have someone dress up like an angel for pictures, play angel themed games, and the "Angel" reads a special Christmas Story to the kids.  It's not work intensive, but it is a lot of fun and the families always enjoy this special time.  It generally lasts no longer than an hour and a half, so it doesn't take up much of the people's time during this busy time of year. 

Our Birthday Party for Jesus is always the Sunday right before Christmas.  That particular Sunday is one of the most unpredictable of the year as far as numbers are concerned because sometimes you may have far fewer kids (they have left to visit family) or you may have far more children (those in town to visit family).  This birthday party is great because it works whether you have 10 kids or 50 kids.  On this day, we have an actual birthday party and try to incorporate as many different things that would be done at any child's birthday party.  We have party games, goodie bags for each child (filled with "Happy Birthday Jesus" items when we can), prizes, music, cupcakes or birthday cake and more.  We also include a time to tell the Christmas story in some way.  In fact, all of the games tell parts of the Christmas Story as much as possible.  For example, instead of "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" we might play "Put Baby Jesus in the Manger".  If we play musical chairs, all the music will be Christmas Carols of some sort.  You can find lots of games this fit this idea on Pinterest.   The Christmas Story might be told through a video, by having the kids act it out, or various other ways.  We will have been studying the Christmas Story prior to the party so this is a review more than a full blown lesson.  But, here is my thinking about this party...if we would give a party to a child to celebrate their birthday, how much more appropriate is it to plan a Birthday Party for the Savior of the World.  It's fun and it reinforces that Christmas is when we celebrate Jesus' birthday.  It is one of my favorite days of the year in Children's Church. Also, if you happen to be gone on this Sunday, this is an easy Sunday to have your volunteers lead.  Make sure they have all the supplies and that everything is ready to go, but they can easily fill in on this day if needed.  Even the most shy volunteer generally is ok leading a game even when they might not feel comfortable teaching a full blown lesson.     

About the Christmas musical/program:  If you are doing a Christmas program or musical, my advice is to schedule the performance on the first Sunday of December.  It might seem early for a program, but most of the time, if you wait longer to do it, you will start clashing with the practices and programs the children have at school.  Doing the program early keeps the schedule clashing to a minimum and  will also put your biggest event behind you early on.  Christmas musicals/programs take more time and effort than most people realize and if you do yours early, you will have time to recuperate before you begin celebrating with your family.

That's all for now.  Until next week! 

You are not alone.

I really do not know who reads this blog, but I know there are people from many parts of the world.  I don't know who you are or where you live, but I want you to know that you are not alone.  We who work with children are a much larger group than perhaps you even realize.  This week I want to encourage you to connect with at least one other children's worker near you.  Go for coffee, send a text, or maybe chat over a walk in a park.  It doesn't really matter what you do, but take the time to connect.  We are an easily isolated group, but isolation isn't good, so branch out.  Check with your denomination.  Are there any conferences or workshops you can attend this year that will connect you with other Children's Pastors/Directors/Volunteers from your denomination? Or perhaps a non-denominational conference will be in your area soon. Check it out if you can.

What brings this to my mind?  Well, this week I am in Lenexa, Kansas attending the IGNITE Conference which is the only national Children's Leadership Convention for the Church of the Nazarene (my denomination).  Being here reminds me of how important being able to connect with other like minded children's workers is.  This week will be filled with workshops, church services, and fun times that will help us with our respective ministries.  However, for me, the most impactful time at conferences like these are the times that are unscheduled.  When we just get to chat, connect, laugh, and encourage one another.  I enjoy the worship services and the workshops, but sometimes what I long for is simply the chance to connect with other Children's Pastors.  It refreshes my soul and touches my heart in ways nothing else really can.

But here is why I bring this up.  I generally don't realize how much I needed to connect with other Children's Pastors until I get to a conference like this one.  And when I arrive, it hits me how isolated I have been.  Isolation is not good. But it is something that we can easily fall into.  So my advice to you is to be intentional about connecting.  You will be amazed how much it can change your ministry and nourish your soul.

Until next week!