Tag: teaching materials

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ARE WE WILLING AND AVAILABLE TO SERVE GOD?

AVAILABILITY – A Blog by Rev. Grace Verrier

I was teaching a workshop on Children’s Ministry when I first met Patti Loranger.  She told me later that when she saw how I taught children at their own level sometimes using outrageous methods, she questioned my validity.  However, as we got to know each other (and she eventually moved to the city where I ministered regularly) she not only appropriated everything she could learn from my experience but she greatly surpassed me in Children’s Ministry.  I knew that the day she went on her own and immediately started a bus ministry and neighbourhood out reach programs, that she was not going to just stay in her church to teach – she was going “into all the world” as Jesus instructed.  (Matthew 28:18-20)

I thought about my own call to Children’s Ministry.  I remember I didn’t really like children except my own.  However, the church I was saved in had a shortage of Sunday School teachers and was about to ask me to teach (because they thought I would learn the Word as I taught it).  The day they were about to ask me I slipped down the church steps and my children and I took a tumble.  I was furious at my husband for not helping and I yelled at the top of my voice chastising him.  (Remember I was just a new Christian.)  Needless to say they couldn’t have someone like me teach Children so I got to sit in the adult teaching session and learn the Bible for over a year.  Then I asked God to use me in any way He wanted.  I heard in my spirit that He wanted me to teach children.  I argued that I only liked my own children and anyway, the Pastor’s wife had witnessed my outburst the previous year so she would never approve it.  She was the Sunday School Superintendent and because I felt I heard God’s voice I cautiously approached her and asked for her position.  She just stared at me open mouthed.  Then she waved to her best friend, Esther, and in front of me said, “Well, it seems our prayer was answered.”

The pastor’s wife had been feeling a tremendous amount of pressure because she had too many duties in the church and the day before, she and Esther had called out to God to send someone to help her.  They had asked God to have the right person approach them and ask for the job of Sunday School Superintendent.  (I am sure that they would not have even considered me as a prospect if they hadn’t asked for God’s confirmation.)  Needless to say my application was accepted and I knew I would have to study teaching methods and organizational methods to do the job and I began research immediately.  I was uncertain if I could do the job properly, however, one day God spoke so clearly to me, “It is not your ability I look for – it is your availability!”  I have never looked back.

 

Click here for Children’s Ministry Resources.

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How to Keep Your Audience’s Attention

Here are a couple of ideas that really help to keep your audience’s attention.  Daydreaming is something we all fall into sometimes, but especially kids.  Daydreaming is generally good except when we should be focusing on something important.  To bring the daydreamer back online with your lesson, have the children repeat key phrases in your lesson.  If you want to really imprint this information on their minds, have them repeat each phrase a few times.

 

The other method to bring the daydreamer back to the lesson is to call them by name and ask them a question.

 

Click here for Children’s Ministry Resources.

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HOW CHILDREN LIKE TO PRAISE GOD

A blog by Grace Verrier

My parents told me, “Children should be seen and not heard.”  They often quoted this poem to me:

When company is here my girl
I think you ought to know
They didn’t come to see a silly clown
Put on a silly show
They didn’t come to see you dance
Or stand upon your head
Or summersault around the room
Before you go to bed
They came to have a quiet talk
And sip a cup of tea
And not to watch a silly ape
Act like a chimpanzee

 That was many years ago and the world is much different now.  I actually delight in visits with my grandchildren when they perform for me on the trampoline or dance around the room and do gymnastics.  However, some of the old generational thinking is still in the church.  Although I am sure we don’t mean to, we often seem to belittle children in our midst.  Once I heard someone say, “Last night 2-1/2 people were saved!”  He went on to explain that there were two adults and one child saved.  I found that reasoning difficult to follow.  After all, the two adults have only 1/2 of their lives to live for God.  The child has his whole life to live for God.  Another statement that I often hear is “Children are the church of the future.”  I do not feel that way at all.  Children are a valued part of the church already.  They will be future church leaders.  Just as many children were discouraged and curtailed from their exuberant expressions in previous times, children sometimes are discouraged and curtailed in their God-given expressions because we as a church expect a certain behaviour from them.  Yes, of course children must show respect to others by not running through the sanctuary or pounding on the instruments.  However there are ways that children can express themselves that people and God totally approve of.  For example we can show children how to worship God as stated in Psalm 150 or as David did when he brought up the ark.  (II Samuel 6:14)  David danced before the Lord with all his might.  Now, that can be a bit strenuous for adults but children revel in it.  This is HOW CHILDREN LIKE TO PRAISE GOD.

 

Click here for Children’s Church Curriculum.

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Marshmallow Toss Game

Marshmallow Toss Game for Children’s Ministry

Kids love messy games. Here is a game with lots of laughs and a little mess to clean up . Get the wiggles and jiggles out before you teach the Word of God.

http://www.greatgroupgames.com/marshmallow-toss.htm

 

Click here for Children’s Ministry Resources.

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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.