Today I was doing some thinking (dangerous) about kids today… who they are and how do we reach them and impact them for eternity. I started thinking about my childhood verses childhood today.
First of all… I am aware that I\’m old (at least I felt old today after reminiscing) and that my childhood (now over 30 years ago) was, for the most part, very simple. Occasionally there was an attempt at sports or some other interest crossed my path, but my world rotated around family, school, and church. The options were minimal but always enough.
The kids I know today are always on the go. Their schedules are so busy that many of them think the back seat of a mini van is a second home. It’s there that they have meals, take naps, and watch their favorite movies and TV shows. Don’t get me wrong… I\’m not writing (today) to put parents on a guilt trip. I\’m just saying the lives kids lead today is so very different than how it was when many of us were growing up.
So, how do we reach these over scheduled and under-churched boys and girls? Really… I\’m asking the question so please feel free to comment and share! Here’s some things I was thinking about:
Do those methods used years ago still work? I think some of them do. Think about some of the ways you were ministered to as a child… those things that really left an impression on you and impacted you. Those acts of love, kindness, and ministry still work today and we need to remember them, dust them off, and place them back n our ministry tool box.
What about the events we\’re already doing in our churches? I\’m not sure that we need to add anything else to the calendar but I do think perhaps we need to re-think, re-purpose, and re-focus to move our scheduled events to outreach and ministry focused opportunities.What events can you back up and re-start with a new focus?
Can technology help us reach kids today? I sure hope so! Emails, texting, social media, cell phones, blogs, websites, You Tube, Twitter… certainly these technologies can help us as we reach today’s kids and their families? Yea, their fun… couldn\’t they be tools?
Okay… there you have it. These are some of my thoughts today. What do you think. What do you think about the questions I’ve listed above? Post a comment… let’s think together!
Great ideas, Bill. I especially like your suggestion of kids doing outreach and ministry. I remember flannel graphs in Training Union on Sunday nights–but I think kids today would rather see a video!
Here’s a link to hands-on mission projects that kids can do now to help missionaries in North America http://www.namb.net/christmas/
Hey Bill, GREAT Post! I love people who ask questions. I would agree with you and I say YES – reaching kids/families with all available means of technology is best. Doesn’t every good and perfect gift come from above? I believe God breathed creative ways to reach more people for the purpose of the gospel….BUT, we must be very careful to also ask:
Q: What are we producing when kids come out the other end of the pipeline in 6th grade? I’m all for DVD’s and I know that kids “prefer” them to flannel-graphs, but a video can never replace a “live” storyteller or teacher. What about creating a cool, edgy flannel-graph type of resource where the teacher can post the characters and tell the Bible story? it doesn’t have to be flannel or 2′ by 2′, It could be 6′ by 6′, but it would be a way for teachers to capture kids’ attention in story.
PPT and media is great, but are we enabling kids to become “sitters and watchers” of the show rather than ‘active learners” who are engaged, in their Bibles and being challenged to think/act?
I think we need to look at ourselves as “Trainers/Coaches” rather than teachers or educators. We’re not a school. I see Kids’ Church as a locker room of strategy, equipping, motivation, inspiring leaders. A coach equips the player to go out and lay his life on the line for the win. Our win is hurting people. Let’s innovate our training techniques. What do you think?