Tag: children’s ministry

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What is “Success” in Children’s Ministry?

What is Biblical “Success” in Children’s Ministry?

For many years I never gave much thought to the above question.  I think in the back of my mind that if my ministry was growing in numbers, then I must be “successful”.  If some of the children I was ministering to grew up and became ministers of the gospel themselves, then I must be “successful”.   One day though a verse from the bible jumped out at me, and I gained a whole new perspective.

1 Timothy 1:5New King James Version (NKJV)

5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,

 

From this verse I saw that the purpose of the word of God we are teaching.  If the children we minister God’s word to:

  1. Become people of Love
  2. Keep tender consciences
  3. Have sincere faith in God

Then we have experienced “success” in Children’s Ministry.  Whatever the children grow up to do and whatever their great exploits will emanate from what it is their hearts.

THIS IS HOW I SEE IT – Patricia Loranger, Author of Rocksolid Curriculum and Bible Stories

 

Click here for Children’s Ministry Resources.

 

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Never Quit Learning

#51 Why is it we never experience growing pains in the head?

(E. C. McKenzie from the book 1800 Quotable Quotes)

The book that this quote was taken from was printed in 1968.   I think it is fair to say that this would NOT be true today.  Even though it can be overwhelming, I believe we should NEVER QUIT LEARNING. 

 My grandmother was born in 1902 and lived through the transportation explosion.  During her lifetime she saw mankind go from horseback to landing a man on the moon and everything in between.

 My generation is living through the communication explosion.  We are going from manual typewriters to social media platforms that are in a CONSTANT stage of change.  It can be overwhelming to the mind, but I encourage you to not give up.  Never in the history of mankind has the common person had the opportunity to reach the world as we do now.

 Constant learning is actually good for your mind, so stay in there.  Be ready to share what you have to give to the world.

 

Click here for Children’s Ministry Resources.

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The Lasting Impact of Love

THE LASTING IMPACT OF LOVE

In the group of neighbourhood children we minister to in our mid week outreach kids club, there is a young girl from a foster home.  When we first met her she was so shy and withdrawn, she could have easily “fallen through the cracks.”

Week after week, the ladies who run the craft time and the men who run the sports time, engaged her and showed her genuine love and concern, until the time came that she took one of the lead roles in our Christmas concert.  She shone in her role and was all smiles.

Now a couple of years later, she still talks about her role in the Christmas concert.  Where ever life takes her, I am confident that she will remember that during this season of her life she experienced LOVE.

 

Click here for Children’s Ministry Resources.

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WHAT TEACHING MATERIALS (curriculum) SHOULD WE USE?

A blog by Rev. Grace Verrier

WHAT TEACHING MATERIALS (curriculum) SHOULD WE USE?

Matthew 13:19 (NIV) “When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart.”

 Our children are facing perilous times.  They are inundated with ungodly teaching.  Their moral values are being determined by their friends and the media.  If ever there was a time to teach children Godly principles it is now.

What teaching materials or curriculum should we use?  When teaching them we must keep in mind Matthew 13:19 to be sure that they really listen to and understand God’s word so that the devil cannot steal it from them.  We must be aware that secular teaching competes for their attention and we must minister to them using quality material and teaching methods that are at least as good as or are better than what the world has to offer.  If you do not have the gift of teaching and are unable to write your own material, be sure to draw from anointed resources presented by people who are experienced and knowledgeable ministers of God.  I have known Patti Loranger for many years and have worked with her and watched her develop into a mighty woman of God.  I believe she hears from the very heart of God when she is preparing teaching materials.  Her material is truly anointed and affordable and I feel that every children’s minister should prayerfully consider using it.

Click here for Curriculum and Bible Stories.

 

 

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Puppets – Instructions and Ideas

A Blog by Rev. Grace Verrier

INSTRUCTIONS FOR WORKING WITH PUPPETS

  1. No elevator entrances or exits. I.e. they simulate walking up stairs
  1. Keep puppet’s mouth closed when not talking.
  1. Lip sync with the spoken part. Be sure to move the mouth on each syllable.  Open the mouth when you speak – don’t close it.
  1. If you do not have rod arm puppets, use your own hands to move the puppet’s arms around. The kids really don’t notice your hands.
  1. Keep the puppet at right angles to the stage.
  1. Puppets always exaggerate their actions.
  1. Look for sewing talent in your own church. Our puppets were designed by someone in ours.
  1. Make them so babies’ clothing fits them.
  1. The puppet show is done live. A sheet with dialogue is pinned to the stage.  In order to work the puppets effectively and read the dialogue at the same time it takes quite a bit of practice.
  1. It might be better at first if the show is adlibbed if your workers are able to take a subject and do this.
  1. Puppet shows can be pre-recorded with sound effects. The disadvantage is if something unplanned happens (i.e. a wig falls off a puppet) you must stop the show and start all over again.
  1. The best way to learn to operate a puppet is to do it for someone else. Ask them to tell you the things you are doing right and wrong.
  1. If you have puppets that appear regularly, give them a personality and stick with it.

                                                   PUPPET IDEAS

1.Give each puppet a voice appropriate to the puppet.

  1. Watch kid’s shows for ideas.
  1. Get kids to ask God for a character puppet to come to Children’s Church. Give him a biography and say how he needs money to come.  Receive an offering for it.  (Children do not have much money but they know how to get it from their parents.)
  1. Write puppet skits for animal puppets.
  1. Use a puppet to give out a quiet seat prize (need a puppet with hands to do this).
  1. Get a puppet to do announcements.
  1. Puppets can do music.
  1. Bully puppet can tempt the kids to do wrong showing them peer pressure.
  1. Devil puppet tells kids not to give during offering.
  1. Use songs on tapes and puppets to sing them.

Click here for Children’s Ministry Resources.

 

 

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Fruit Salad Game

Fruit Salad Ice Breaker Game for Children’s Ministry

Here is a good game for a medium sized room. Medium energy game. A moderate amount of energy burned. Burn some of the kids excess energy before you teach.

 

http://www.greatgroupgames.com/fruit-salad.htm

 

Click here for Children’s Ministry Resources.

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USE CRAFT TIME TO ENHANCE YOUR STORY TELLING

USE CRAFT TIME TO ENHANCE YOUR STORY TELLING

Jesus was a master story teller and still today story telling is one of the most effective ways to get a truth across to people.  Use craft time to enhance your story telling.

Long ago I had drawn cartoons to go along with a missionary story.  Recently on mission Sunday, I thought I would pull out that old story and read it to the kids, but to my dismay, I could not find the cartoons that went along with the story.  I searched my home and my computer but could not find them.

After prayerful thought, I decided that I would put craft time at the beginning of the service and have the kids draw the pictures.  I gave the children a detailed description of the missionary and then told each child what to draw in their picture.  At the end I gathered up the pictures and used them at story time.

Obviously this only works this way in a small group Sunday School class.  If I were teaching a large group, I would chose 10 kids and have them come to the front, give them the instructions, and have them draw while I proceeded on with the rest of the service.  You then would want to have someone to scan them or take photos of them to be imported into a power point presentation.

Anyways, the children’s enjoyed it and had a good laugh at each other’s pictures and I believe the missionary was honoured.

 

Click here for Children’s Ministry Resources.

 

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USING CALESTHENTICS TO TEACH GOD’S WORD

A Blog by Rev. Grace Verrier

USING CALISTHENTICS TO TEACH GOD’S WORD

(KEEP IN SHAPE)

We have worshipped God in the sanctuary and while the pastor gives his sermon the children exit to be taught Biblical principles using effective teaching methods for children.  However, the children have been standing or sitting quietly in the sanctuary for the previous 20 to 30 minutes.  As teachers walk to the designated teaching areas we realize that we now have little human “pressure cookers” in our midst fully waiting to release their “steam”.  We can either try desperately to curtail that energy or we can harness and utilize it.  Children love to be active while they are being taught.  Why not use calisthentics to teach God’s word while they burn off energy?

 This is a great time to do “Bible Exercises”.  For example, sing the books of the Bible while exercising doing jumping jacks, running on the spot, physical contortions, etc.  We can sing Bible action songs with exaggerated actions.  We can be part of the “Lord’s army” marching and doing callisthenics to scripture.

If we, as adults, are unable to lead these actions, we can choose a child with exceptional energy to do so.  However, children love to be “better than adults” and they don’t seem to mind when the adult is unable to make the full movements expected.  We can join them in laughter, roll our eyes and keep on going.  Once I got down on the floor to do a push up and as I got up one little voice said, “PG you are creaking!”  When I realized children and activity go hand in hand and I read the scripture, “I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some, (I Cor 9:22) I joined a gym.

 

 

Click here for Children’s Ministry Resources.

 

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Greet the Children Too. Don’t Overlook them.

Greet the Children Too.  Don’t Overlook them.

OVERLOOKING THE OBVIOUS

(A blog written by Rev. Grace Verrier.) (Used with permission.)

Last Sunday when I was about to enter the door of the church, the greeter (who is a really friendly person) opened his arms to give me a hug and welcome me.  However, out of the corner of his eye he spied some old friends who were about two meters behind me and he immediately pivoted his body and moved away from me to greet them with an exuberant embrace.  I know that he did not overlook me on purpose and that his happiness to see old friends overwhelmed his manners for the moment.  However, it made me realize that every week the same thing I experienced happens to the children in our church.  Adults greet other adults at the door but nobody greets the children.  It happens again when the pastor asks us to greet one another during announcement time.  Adults reach over the child beside them to an adult two chairs away to shake hands with them or hug them.  The children either stand feeling rejected or with fear of being smothered.  (Imagine being caught between two embracing giants.)  It often happens that when I do look toward children and reach out to greet them they turn to look behind them to see who I am greeting because they are so accustomed to being ignored.  I am reminded that Jesus didn’t overlook the children.  “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” (Mark 10:14)

 

Click here for Children’s Ministry Resources.

 

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LIMIT YOUR VOCABULARY TO CHILDREN’S VOCABULARY

IS THIS THE TOWER OF BABEL?

(by Grace Verrier)

 

Imagine going into a church and experiencing an entire service presented in a language we cannot understand.  “When anyone hears the message of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart.”  (Matthew 13:18,19)  It is essential that we limit our vocabulary to children’s vocabulary when teaching children.  If it is necessary to use more than a two-syllable word, be sure to explain what the word means.  Also, realize that young children are not able to grasp the concept of analogy.  For example, “The devil walks around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour” may be interpreted as “Every roaring lion is the devil” in a child’s mind.

 

Click here for Children’s Ministry Resources.

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Children’s Worship Song

Children’s Worship Songs for Children’s Ministry

Looking for Children’s Worship Songs? Kids will love this re-make of “This Little Light of Mine” by Yancy. Children’s Ministry is fun.

I’m gonna ‘Serve

 

Click here for Children’s Ministry Resources.

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MEET CHILDREN AT THEIR EYE LEVEL

MEET CHILDREN AT THEIR EYE LEVEL

An article by Rev. Grace Verrier

BIG OR SMALL

What would it be like to see through a child’s eyes?  Imagine walking into a church and seeing giants everywhere.  If I walked into a room full of people who are twice as tall as I am, it could be a frightening experience.  That is why I have learned to greet children at their own level.  (Why pay to go to the gym to do squats when it is free to do one every time I greet a child?)  There is an instant connection when I look straight into a child’s eyes.  They know that I care enough to meet them on their own level.  Children are exactly the same as we are – just shorter. “Man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord looks on the heart.”  (1st Samuel 16:7)

 

Click here for Children’s Ministry Resources.