JamieDoyle(dot)com

These past weeks, as I’ve mentioned, I’ve taught on the Word of God for our Children’s Large-group format.

Here are the Topics taught and the basic synopsis of each lesson:

• “God’s Word is Strong” We used the story of the Wise and Foolish Builders and discussed how we will face storms in life. We can build our lives on many things: wealth, fun, friends and stuff. Unfortunately, those things will let us down. But if our lives are built on the Words that Jesus taught, we can stand strong.
• “God’s Word Inside” We used the story of Jesus being Tempted by the devil and yet, Jesus had the Word of God inside of Him so he could use it wherever he went. We will encounter temptation every day! If we will put the Word inside, we can have it with us wherever we go.
• “God’s Word is Sharp” We used the story of David and Goliath and emphasized the fact that it wasn’t necessarily the stone that won the fight… it was the message that God had already spoken that He would fight our battles for us. David knew that message and used it to win the fight. We ended this particular service by providing places where kids could pray what the Word says – We posted scripture verses around the room and invited kids to pray those verses over their struggles, trials and problems. It was an amazing altar time.

These were 3 lessons that were part of a longer series called “This Is BIG”. In years past, I have done entire 8-12 week series on the Word of God. Here is a snapshot of some of the past lessons we’ve taught in those longer series’:

• The Bible is God’s Word
• God’s Voice
• The Word Inside
• The Real Truth
• The Word In Your Mouth
• God’s Word is Like a Hammer
• God’s Word is Like a Sword
  
• God’s Word is Forever
  
• God’s Word is Strong
  
• Where Does Faith Come From?
  
• What Do Your Feet Look Like (Beautiful are the Feet…)
  
• God Keeps His Promises

Memorize It

Knowing what you’re doing is different than planning what you’re doing. Again, you can start collecting your ideas and putting together all the stuff to make the service a success. But, if you don’t know WHAT you’re doing in the moment… it can create a moment of confusion, embarrassment or the sense from the audience that you aren’t prepared for them.  Even though, some of these items may be similar to the earlier section on Preparation… this list really is really all about “knowing” your service.  Memorization in a kids service has very little to do with knowing each service word-for-word or action-for-action – it has more to do with knowing the details enough to keep things moving along for so the audience will stay focused for maximum ministry results.

• Know and be able to quote the main scripture – you’ll want to reference back to it during your teaching times.
• Know and be able to quote the main idea or key point you want the kids to walk away with… you can’t get something into a kids world until it’s in you’re first.
• Make and use a schedule of the service – As I mentioned in the last post, I prefer Planning Center Online. It gives you ways to schedule each item in your service and assign it a time. You can also use it to schedule team members for each item.
• Outline your stories, object lessons, gospel magic routines, illustrative sermons and even skits. It’s not necessary to have it all memorized word-for-word. But if you know the main points and can elaborate on them, you’ll be more confident as you teach.
• When doing an illustrative sermon or when many props and visuals are being used in one service, put them in order of their use on your table, in your box or from left to right on the stage or presentation area.
• Make your team aware of what props and visuals you are using so those items don’t get touched, moved or end up getting put away before the service starts (I’ve had it happen).
• Put a bookmark in your Bible where the main Bible story is found. Mark the passage with a highlighter or red pen… You ARE opening your Bible with the kids and having THEM read Bible stories with you – aren’t you?
• Make sure everyone understands their cues for their parts. Music cues, key words, graphics on the screen or knowing that “…immediately after such-and-such happens…”, is when the next person needs to be walking on stage will help keep transitions smooth.
• It helps to have a rehearsal with others involved, even if it’s just a walk-thru of each thing happening in your service.

It begs the question: Whatever happened to Preparation A thru G?

Children’s Church Services/KidMin Large Group Times are my passion. So, in an effort to help you do a better job, or inspire you to go to a new place with your Children’s Church Services, I’ve decided to start a posting on what will bring your services to life. In this series, I’ll not only give you practical advice… but, I’ll also tip my hand as the the “stuff” I use to make it all happen:

Prepare

• Read Your Curriculum or Lesson/Sermon Materials Early in the Week
• Read the main scripture
• Read the supporting scriptures
• Know or come up with a main phrase the kids will know when they walk out
• Pray for guidance
• Start a creativity file for each lesson and start filling it with ideas and resources you come across – http://kidology.org and http://CMConnect.org are great places to find resources, ask questions and get input from KidMin leaders all over the globe!
• Outline your topic and put together a service schedule Planning Center https://www.planningcenteronline.com is perfect as it has a way to add times to each event in your service schedule. They even have a free version so you can try it out with your team.
• Meet with everyone involved in the service and make sure they are all on the same page – http://Dropbox.com is a good way to share information with your team and http://www.nozbe.com works well as a project management with a team of people.
• Prep multi-media – I swear by ProPresenter for presentation Software http://www.renewedvision.com/propresenter.php and even Keynote for Mac is pretty robust if I couldn’t afford ProPresenter.
• Prep print materials
• Gather props and visuals and put them where they are needed for the service
• Rehearse with the appropriate people
• Make adjustments
• Set up your room
• Remember – The service starts the moment the kids walk in

• Continue to communicate vision to your team
• Find new ways to connect with parents
• Go be alone once in a while
• Your enemy is not your pastor, the board, your volunteers or the parents
• This whole #kidmin calling isn’t about you
• Drink some coffee
• Change your voicemail (don’t make it goofy)
• Find a way to serve another #kidmin leader in your community
• Find a way to network face to face with other #kidmin leaders
• Clean up your office, desk or storage closet (it’ll make you feel good!)
• Hug on your spouse and kids

… that is all for now – trust me, you’ll come up with more.

You are a creative person – that’s how God made you. Put it to work as you consider the resources you already have on hand for little to no money. You’ll be surprised how much God has already blessed you with if you’ll just do a little extra work, investigation and have enough humility to ASK. Here you go:

• The church craft/supply closet
• The internet
• The church kitchen
• Your garage
• Free stuff on craigslist
• Relationships with other KidMins
• Your own children’s toy-boxes and closets
• The local library
• That retired Sunday School teacher in your church
• Your external hard-drive and/or the hard-drive on your computer
• Local businesses (They’re always giving stuff away)
• Business owners in your church (They’re looking for a tax write-off)
• Family members

For a little cash:

• Garage sale
• Salvation Army
• Goodwill
• Pawn shops
• Second hand stores
• Dollar-type-stores
• The internet
• Craigslist
• Surplus stores
• Going out of business sales (everything from their merchandise to the store fixtures)
• Churches closing (sad but true)
• The dollar sections and clearance sections of larger retail/dept. stores

Have a very happy Easter – make it incredible for the kids at your church!

1. Pray
2. Make the story of Jesus come alive
3. Greet every kid with anticipation of the day
4. Give a salvation opportunity
5. Inspire your leaders all this week leading up to the weekend
6. Give the kids something to remember their experience by
7. Present something the kids have never seen before
8. Keep a record of attendance, salvations, first-time guests, returning guests, etc
9. Thank God in advance for the victories won
10. Celebrate your results with your leaders

So this is a post to my blog from wordpress’ iPhone app. In a mobile world where everything is constantly on the go, one has to learn to adapt and conquer.

It’s no different in the kidmin world. The kids involved in your ministry adapt constantly. Why aren’t you?

Just some quick thoughts as I pound out this post.

Stop Using that Rubber Chicken!

These kids are bored, sometimes, because, they keep seeing the same props over and over and over again. Sure, you bought that rubber chicken because you knew the kids would laugh when you pulled it out of your briefcase. And I commed you. Every #kidmin leader needs a rubber chicken! But ever since, that thing had shown up every time you need to illustrate the concept of fear, or anytime a character needed a funny prop to display. Maybe for you, it’s not a rubber chicken. Maybe its a flaming Bible, a fake brain, a decorated gift box or any other oddity or novelty item that has adorned your children’s ministry supply closet.

It seems easy to pull these props – it’s our default setting. “I need something extra here… hmm… ah ha! I’ll use this pair of jumbo sunglasses!” But are your kids seeing those jumbo sunglasses too often? Are kids already anticipating what your are going to use to illustrate a point? When you pull out that prop, are they saying “Oh, that again…”?

Look over your service planning sheets for the last year and count the number of times your commonly used props have been used. Is it time to store that away? Give it away? THROW IT AWAY?

I’m preaching to my self here, I know. But let’s all take stock of what we have. Be a good steward of it. Evaluate. Make changes.

Be blessed.

You’re Not Really HEARING me!

Everything a kid tells you is important. You may not think it’s important, but to that kid, at that moment, it’s the most important thing in their world.

We as adults have, over time, developed a filter called: “THE STUFF IMPORTANT TO ME” filter. And we react accordingly. If someone tells you something that is interesting to YOU – YOU naturally react with genuine interest. YOU react with attention. YOU react because you actually care.

But when someone tells you something that you have no interest in, you may try to react as though you care – because you don’t really want to offend the person trying to tell you something. But you’re not really listening, are you?

When that child walks up to you and shows you his loose tooth… this is a big deal – no wait! It’s a BIG DEAL! When she tells you that it was her birthday yesterday… it’s a BIG DEAL! When a kids tells you that his family is taking him on vacation to “Happy World”, it’s a BIG DEAL! When she explains that her dog is lost… it’s a BIG DEAL. When they point to their new shoes… it’s a BIG DEAL. Should I go on?

How many times have you had one of these experiences to only usher that child to his seat and tell him politely that he can tell you later? After all, it’s time to start class, right.

To a child, you may be the most important person in their life that needs to know this information. Your reaction will determine their significance at that very moment in THEIR WORLD.

Are you really listening?

It starts from the moment they walk in…

You might have assumed that this whole series of posts was going to be about how to prep and present a better children’s church.  And guess what? Later, I am going to discuss that very thing… but, later.

Before you can start the 5 minute countdown, make a grandiose announcement, send in a crazy character, start your Bible on fire, or eat donuts suspended from a rope, we need some kids to come thru the doors.  If the kids don’t show up, you’d be starting your Bible on fire for, well… nobody.

But what can you do to keep kids from getting bored from the moment they come into your ministry area?

Engage them!  Here are a few suggestions:

• Decor- Have your ministry room(s) decorated to reflect the theme of your ministry or the topic that you are teaching.  Whether you have the ability, permission and money to deck-out an area for kids or you have to set it up and tear it down; kids know when they are being welcomed and if you’ve prepared for them.  Banners, backdrops, balloons, props/scenery and murals will create an environment that kids will remember.
• Ambiance- Fun music that is upbeat and fun or anticipatory will help kids feel like this is the place just for them.  Light up the room(s) with different colors to help accent and compliment the look of the room.  Video clips that are familiar or interesting to kids will make a welcoming experience.  AND FOR GOODNESS SAKES – clean up the clutter, vacuum, adjust the temp and eliminate odor!
• Activities- When kids enter any new environment, their internal intensity changes.  Kids need an outlet for energy. So have some energy-outlet friendly stuff ready. Board games, twister, an art station, simple “carnival”-type games, long-jump contests, high-jump contests, follow the leader, quiz games, treasure/scavenger hunts, video games… Use your imagination.  I mean, look at it as if “nothing kid-friendly is off-limits”.
• Relational Interaction- Having the leaders in your areas who are initiating interaction will create a memory and set the temperature for an experience.  What do the leaders do?  Ask kid-related questions; about their clothes, school, shoes, movies, video games, toys, pets, vacation, friends, etc.  Having some conversation starters are important.  Read my post about “What I’ve Kept in my Pockets”  These little items will help leaders start conversations and create experiences.

Have I given you something to think about?  More later.