Sunday School Archives - Page 3 of 24

Kids Bible Study, Kids Ministry, Sunday School

March 10, 2017

What to Say When You Don’t Know What to Say

I thought this would be a fun article to write since this very thing seems to happen to me more often than most people. Maybe it’s just me, but I seem to get quite the odd collection of random questions from kids in my ministry. Just the other day I was reminiscing with some coworkers about myself as a preteen and have decided that many of these questions come my way because I myself asked many odd questions to my leaders. Take, for instance, this little gem. “So, if God and Jesus are the same, and Jesus was with God when the earth was created, why didn’t Jesus tell anybody the earth was round when He was here?” I honestly have no recollection of how my leader answered, but I’m sure he could have used some of this advice.

When your kids ask you questions that you cannot answer here are some tips for responding.

It’s OK to say you don’t know. If their questions are biblical in nature, and likely a biblical answer, and you don’t know, you can use the opportunity to answer the question together by studying God’s Word. You don’t have to know all the answers, but knowing where to find them is very helpful.
The Bible doesn’t tell us that. This could have been very useful to my preteen teacher since the Bible doesn’t tell us why Jesus didn’t tell anybody the earth was round while He walked the earth. Many times kids can ask questions about biblical content that the Bible itself just doesn’t speak to. In those instances it’s perfectly fine to simply say what is true, the Bible doesn’t tell us.
Ask for clarity. Sometimes kids ask a question that could be interpreted in different ways, you want to make sure you answer the question they ask so asking clarifying questions is very appropriate to help in understanding.
Pray. Sometimes kids ask questions that just require us to love on them and pray for them. It’s OK to say something like, “I’m not sure how to answer your question, but we can certainly pray together about that.” Prayer is a great way to help kids connect with God and you as their leader.

Kids are going to ask questions lots of times that you may not be prepared to answer, or feel qualified to answer. It’s OK for you to be you and tell them that’s something you struggle with too, or that you need some time to help answer their questions. Sometimes that might be all they need to hear.

Tim Pollard teaches 3rd graders at Tulip Grove Baptist Church. He’s passionate about helping kids dig deep into Scripture, which he pursues through his daily work as leader of the Explore the Bible: Kids team. Tim lives with his wife and daughters in Mount Juliet, TN.

Bible Study, Kids Ministry, Sunday School

March 3, 2017

9 Do’s for KidMin Volunteers (Part 2)

By Landry Holmes

Last month I identified nine suggested actions for effective kids ministry volunteers, found in Polly Hargis Dillard’s 1959 book Improving Nursery Departments. Still convinced that these suggestions are just as appropriate for elementary volunteers at church as they are for preschool teachers, I conclude this discussion with Ms. Dillard’s final nine suggestions:

Be alert to see opportunities to enrich the child’s experiences by singing, talking, or just listening.
Be in the room at least 30 minutes before the session.
Avoid moralizing, such as “God doesn’t like that,” or “Jesus isn’t happy when you do that.”
Offer a child a choice only if you intend to let him make the decision. Avoid “Would you like to go home?” unless he is to make the decision.
Avoid comparing children.
Use redirection (turning the child’s attention to an act which has equal value to him).
Define limits clearly and maintain them consistently.
Encourage a child to talk freely about himself and his feelings toward others.
Be able to call by name the children with whom you work.

Glance at the list one more time. What is a common thread running through these suggestions? For me, Jesus’s words come to mind: “Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them . . .” (Matthew 7:12) These are some of the things I want done for me at church:

Listen to me without judgment.
Be prepared for my arrival.
Teach me the Bible and don’t use it as a weapon.
See me for whom God has created me to be.
Know my name.

Jesus reminds us that when we care for others we care for Him. (See Matthew 25:40.) Therefore when we treat kids and families, as we want to be treated, we glorify our Savior. That includes listening, preparing, teaching God’s Word, valuing kids, and knowing each child individually. What will you do this week in kids ministry that honors Jesus?

Landry Holmes is the Manager of LifeWay Kids Ministry Publishing, Nashville, TN. A graduate of Howard Payne University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Landry served on church staffs before coming to LifeWay. He is a church leader, writer, workshop facilitator, and publisher. Landry also teaches children at his church in Middle Tennessee. He and his wife Janetta are the parents of two adult sons and two daughters-in-law.

Kids Ministry, Leadership, Sunday School, Volunteers

February 20, 2017

9 Do’s for KidMin Volunteers (Part 1)

By Landry Holmes

In last month’s post—“10 Questions Kidmin Volunteers Should Ask Themselves”—I identified my source as the 1959 book Improving Nursery Departments by Polly Hargis Dillard. Drawing again from that little book, I thought it would be enlightening to list some of Ms. Dillard’s suggested actions for children’s teachers at church.

Ms. Dillard says, “A Nursery worker will be guided in her actions by the specific situations with which she is confronted. However, there are certain practices which are basic to working effectively with small children.” After thinking through the author’s list of 18 “do’s, I have concluded that these suggestions are just as appropriate for elementary volunteers at church as they are for preschool teachers. Today we’ll look at the first 9 suggestions.

Remove your hat.
Get down on the child’s level, even if it means sitting on the floor most of the time.
Use a soft voice.
Listen and observe more than you talk.
Help each child to know how to use materials.
Avoid talking about children in their presence. Devote your time to listening to the children rather than to talking about them.
Use action with words. Help a child to put away blocks instead of saying, “Put the blocks on the shelf.”
Commend the children when they accomplish something for themselves. Avoid “gushing.”
Allow the child plenty of time to do something. Don’t rush him, but be patient. And don’t rush about the room yourself.

I will admit, I chuckled the first time I read, “Remove your hat.” I usually teach in jeans or khakis and an open-collar shirt. One recent Sunday morning, however, I decided to don a tie and sport coat along with my jeans. A 5-year-old girl in my class commented, “You look nice today, Mr. Landry!” (I may need to start wearing a coat and tie more often!)

This simple suggestion to remove one’s hat is intended to be taken literally; however, I do think that there are “hats,” or things, we need to remove when we teach kids. In fact the other 8 suggestions are about removing distractions and other barriers to teaching babies—preteens at church.

Of particular interest is the emphasis on the child throughout Ms. Dillard’s list. Why? Psalm 139:13 reiterates what we already know from Genesis 1:27, “For it was you who created my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”

God created and knows the children we teach. They are valuable to Him. Therefore it’s important for us to “remove our hats” and eliminate anything that keeps us from sharing God’s love with kids. So, what will you remove before teaching kids this week?

Kids Ministry, Parenting, Sunday School

January 27, 2017

My Kid and Her Journal

By Tim Pollard

I recently discovered that my daughter had been keeping a journal. When I pressed in to figure out how long she had been keeping a journal, I was surprised to know that she had been journaling for several years. When I asked how she got started she told me that the journaling started as a suggestion from one of her Sunday School teachers. I have two daughters and I’m delighted to know that both actively journal. The older one is a fifth grader and her younger sister is in third grade. I thought it would be fun to ask them some questions about journaling and see what advice they might have for kids.

What do you journal about?

(O) Stuff that happened during the day.

(Y) Whatever I want.

Do you write words about the Bible in your journal?

(O) Oh yes, and sometimes I write things that I pray for.

(Y) Yeah.

Why do you think it’s a good idea to keep a journal?

(O) So when I grow up I can go back and look at the things I’ve done and remember them.

(Y) It’s kind of like a time capsule, but on paper.

What words would you use to tell other boys and girls why they should keep a journal?

(O) So they can remember what they did when they were little.

(Y) I don’t know.

What advice would you give to boys and girls who might want to journal.

(O) Don’t leave it somewhere so your little sister will read it.

(Y) Don’t put your name and address on it so in case you lose it nobody will come looking for you. (Her words!)

The thought that struck me most is the fact that this all started because of the suggestion of a Sunday School teacher at our church. Journaling is important, not just for kids, but also for adults. I love the fact that my kids journal and I’ve been inspired to start keeping a journal of my own. (I should probably hide it from my little sister too!) As you think about journaling give kids some simple suggestions and tell them the journaling can be about anything, the important thing is to keep the journal moving. If kids get involved in journaling at an early age they will come to enjoy the special time and will years later read things they had done and laugh themselves silly. Encourage them to write words about things they learn in church, or simple prayers, then they can see how God has been faithful throughout their lives. Journal on!

Tim Pollard teaches 3rd-6th graders Explore the Bible: Kids Worship on Sunday nights at Tulip Grove Baptist Church. He’s passionate about helping kids dig deep into Scripture, which he pursues through his daily work as leader of the Explore the Bible: Kids team. Tim lives with his wife and daughters in Mount Juliet, TN.

Bible Study, Kids Ministry, Sunday School

January 23, 2017

The Cosmic Importance of Children’s Sunday School

By Jana Magruder

I am so pleased to host Dr. Russell Moore, President of the ERLC of the Southern Baptist Convention on our blog today. Dr. Moore is an important voice in our culture today and is such a huge advocate for Kids and Family Ministry. This blog (originally posted on The Gospel Coalition) caught my eye and I could not agree more with the content. As a leader in children’s ministry, I know you will be blessed by his words.

A friend of mine, an amazingly effective Bible teacher, once told me that he was turned down by his church to teach children’s Sunday school. The reason, he said, wasn’t that the church didn’t think he was gifted to teach but that he was too gifted. They wanted him to teach adult discipleship classes, so they didn’t want to “waste” him on children’s Sunday school.

That statement was one of the saddest and most self-destructive things I’ve ever heard from a church.

How Sunday School Transformed Me

I’ve often said that I wouldn’t want to have to choose between my seminary education and my childhood years in Sunday school, but if forced I would choose Sunday school each time. Now that’s saying something since I believe so strongly in seminary education, and gave most of my ministry to it. I’d never want to give that up. But as important as theological education was for me, Sunday school was more so.

There was nothing about my Sunday school experience that would be commended by a seminar on children’s development or Bible teaching. My teachers weren’t theologically trained, and probably not one of them could have explained the hypostatic union or the Pauline doctrine of election. They also weren’t pedagogically equipped. Some just had us go around the room taking turns reading, monotone, from the curriculum shipped from the denominational publishing house. Sometimes the biblical text was incomprehensible to us, since we were, at the time, a King James Version-only church (not out of some theological conviction but because we didn’t know about other translations).

And yet, Sunday school transformed my life.

What I needed was the slow repetition, over years and years, of the Word of God. What I sometimes find among Christians is knowledge of systematic theology in one tribe or of biblical moral principles in another—without knowing the narrative of the text itself. Some Christians know how to argue their view of whether Romans 7 describes pre- or post-conversion experience but don’t know the difference between Rehoboam and Jeroboam, between Abigail and Michal. We would all—as gospel Christians—affirm the entirety of the Bible as necessary and profitable but still might, if we’re honest, think that knowledge of the text’s details—rather than the theology or life principles arising from it—is more about Bible trivia than the Christian life. If so, we are wrong.

Love the Lord Your God with All Your . . . Intuitions

We can sometimes assume the Bible is profitable to us since we know how to search it for the right passages at the right moment. Someone in the church is teaching that sinless perfection is possible? Well, we know how to get to 1 John 1. We feel guilty for sin? We know how to find Psalm 51. We are depressed and discouraged? We can go to Jesus in Gethsemane. That’s all good and valuable, but it’s not as important as having our intuitions shaped by the whole Bible.

When Jesus is tempted by the Devil in the wilderness, his response—with biblical texts—isn’t a matter of proof-texting. His biblical responses aren’t just propositional but narrative. When Jesus responds to the temptation to turn stones into bread with “Man shall not live by bread alone,” he’s doing more than finding an applicable truth to counter an error. He recognizes he’s standing where Israel had stood before him, in the wilderness, tempted to question God’s fidelity to his people. When Jesus cries out from the cross “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” he isn’t merely quoting an isolated text on vicarious atoning suffering. He sees himself in the warp and woof of Psalm 22. So it isn’t just a cry of dereliction but ultimately a cry of victory too: “For kinship belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations” (Ps. 22:28).

It’s good to find a word from God when we need it. But God usually prepares us with his Word before we know we need it. Jesus tells his disciples ahead of time he will be crucified. He tells them ahead of time they will experience persecution, “that when their hour comes you may remember that I told [these things] to you” (John 16:4). What a blessing to have a conscience shaped by the story of Peter’s restoration years before you wonder after a terrible sin if Jesus will receive you back. What a blessing to know how to inhabit the story of Elijah years before you wonder if you’re alone and abandoned.

If you’re walking through a time of fear and anxiety, you may scan the whole Bible to find relevant words, but I’ve found the best way is to have intuitions so shaped by the rhythm and flow of the text that most of it lies there submerged, poised to rise to the forefront at just the right time.

That’s why children’s Sunday school is not just another program. It can be a matter of life and death.

Russell Moore is president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, a TGC Council member, and author of the book Onward: Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel (B&H, 2015). He blogs at Moore to the Point and you can follow him on Twitter.

Kids Ministry, Leadership, Sunday School, Volunteers

January 11, 2017

Connecting with Guests

By Delanee Williams

Being new to a church can be difficult. Think of what it was like on your first day in your church. Did you know anyone? Did you feel welcomed? Did you feel that people genuinely cared that you were at church? For most of us who have served on church staff, it’s hard to remember and understand the perspective of being new to a church and not knowing anyone. Through my recent experience of finding a new church home in a new city, I discovered it’s easy to quickly forget the perspective of being a new person in a new setting. This reminded me of the necessary empathy for our church guests. I’ve found if we aren’t intentionally and purposefully finding ways to connect with guests and new members, more than likely it’s an area that needs improvement. Here are 4 actions to help you connect with guests:

Wear name tags. I understand you may know everyone in your group, but to the guest who meets several people quickly, it’s hard to remember all the names. Then, it can get embarrassing to ask the name. When everyone is wearing name tags, it limits the awkwardness of asking someone’s name you’ve met before. Name tags can also convey safety and security. They easily identify approved teachers in your kids’ ministry. It helps communicate to parents who the teacher is and let’s them know they have been screened and approved to teach their children.
Ask genuine questions. Ask questions to get to know them and to learn about their story. As a reminder, please don’t make the other person feel as though they are being interviewed. You are genuinely wanting to learn about the person and trying to find a point of connection with them. You may know something about the area where they lived previously. Maybe you have a mutual friend or the same hobbies. You can even ask how you can pray for their family.
Intentionally connect with new members. During the week, send a quick text or make a quick phone call to say hi. Plan to meet for coffee or invite the family over for play. Families in our kids’ ministries want to connect with other families and build relationships, but often don’t know how or don’t feel comfortable doing this. Help foster these relationships by identifying families in your church who have a heart for connecting with new families to your church family. Encourage them to build connections!
Follow-up with a family who has recently joined your church. Ask them to be honest with you and their family’s experience. What helped them get connected? What could your church do better to make it easier to get connected? Make sure to give them the freedom and comfort to share honestly with you. Thank them for their honesty. Then, ask them to help you make the changes needed to help new families feel connected.

What other ideas would you add the help connect with guests and new members? Make an effort today to help ease the transition for families to your church and helping them feel connected.

Delanee Williams serves as a Ministry Specialist with LifeWay Kids. She is a graduate of Baylor University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Delanee has served in kids ministry for over twenty years and is passionate about developing, equipping and encouraging leaders.

Evangelism, Kids Ministry, Leadership, Sunday School

November 11, 2016

5 Keys to Teaching Kids the Gospel

By Brian Dembowczyk

Have you ever felt overwhelmed about teaching kids because there is so much in the Bible to teach, and it’s all important?

I have felt that way at times, but what I have found helpful is to remember the big picture of what I am teaching—the gospel. Our goal is not to teach stories or doctrines in isolation. Our goal is to teach our kids the gospel—the unified story of Jesus that runs throughout the Bible. So let’s look at five keys to teaching kids the gospel based on Deuteronomy 6:4-9.

4 “Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. 7 Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (HCSB)

Know the Gospel (v. 4)

God begins with an important theological statement about Himself—God is One. God is unique, there is none like Him. As we begin thinking about how to teach kids, God invites us first to ponder who He is. Why? Because we cannot pass along that which we don’t have ourselves.

We need to make sure that we are spending time with God, considering who He is and His ways. A big part of this is camping out on the gospel and diving more deeply into its riches to understand the beauty and splendor of Christ. Remember that our best teaching always comes from the overflow!

Love the Gospel (v. 5-6)

There is a natural progression from verse 4 to verses 5 and 6. Spending meaningful time with God will stir our affections and increase our love for God and the gospel.

Don’t miss what we are to love in verse 6—God’s words. We don’t usually think about loving God’s commands, but it makes sense. When we know God and love Him, we understand that all He does is for His glory and our good. We love God’s commands because we know and trust His heart behind them.

Notice, the first three verses all center on us, not our kids. That’s critical. The best way to prepare ourselves to teach our kids is to give God space to work in our own hearts and lives.

Share the Gospel (v. 7)

We are to teach the gospel repeatedly—looking for new ways to help our kids understand its beauty and power on a deeper and more profound level. The original Hebrew in that verse carries the meaning of “piercing the heart,” which is a great visual for us. We want what we teach to get deep down into our kids’ hearts. That is why we have to be sure to teach the gospel—only the gospel satisfies the heart.

This also reminds us of our need to teach the “why” of the gospel, not just the “what.” Teaching is not just transferring facts. Facts tend to get into the mind and not go much farther. The gospel needs to get into the heart as well. And that is why we need to teach God’s heart—the “why” of the gospel.

Live out the Gospel (v. 7-8)

We usually think of teaching in a more formal sense, but that just scratches the surface. Notice when we are to talk about the gospel with our kids. When we sit, walk, lie down, and stand—in other words, all the time. The idea is not that we always teach formally, but that we weave the gospel into our daily rhythm of life. This is powerful! We want our kids to see that the gospel makes a difference in how we think, feel, and live.

Be Marked by the Gospel (v. 9)

When you think of writing God’s words on your doorposts and gates, picture a house address. An address defines your house—it is how a delivery person or guest can differentiate your house from other houses. That is what the gospel should do for us. It should define us and set us apart from others around us. And if we are living out this passage to this point, being marked by the gospel will naturally occur as we live out the gospel and show our kids and the world, the sweet fragrance of Christ.

Kids Ministry, Leadership, Sunday School, Volunteers

October 14, 2016

The Importance of Routine in Classroom Management

By Tim Pollard

My daily routine is … well … pretty routine. Each day, I wake up, shower, get dressed, go to work, come home, eat dinner, go to sleep, and start all that over again the next day. One day I recall looking for my keys which were nowhere to be seen. Where could my keys have gone? They were not where they were supposed to be so I couldn’t find them. Once I did recover the lost keys I realized that my keys were misplaced by a simple breakdown of my routine. I always put my keys on the hook when I get home so I don’t have to search for them when I need them. When that routine breaks down, silliness ensues. So, how do we apply this simple concept to our classrooms?

It’s been said that having a routine has many benefits which include structure, efficiency, good habits, and makes tasks more doable. Let’s look at each of these and see how they apply in kids ministry.

Structure: One of the things I heard many times when directing a summer program was, “My kids need structure.” This is so very true. One thing that routine in your classroom provides for kids is structure. When you and your fellow leaders provide an easy routine, this ensures that kids have a good idea what is coming and will help them get mentally ready for the learning to come.

Efficiency: When you have a routine that kids are comfortable with, your teaching time will become much more efficient. You might even think you have a few extra hours (OK, minutes) that you didn’t expect.

Good Habits: Good habits are easy to come by when a classroom is ruled by routine. When kids know what to expect they are more inclined to respond in such a way that both kids and leaders have a positive experience.

Doable Tasks: Part of your routine should certainly include activities that are appropriate for a child’s age and learning style. When we provide activities that are too challenging for a child, we might have a breakdown in our routine.

What does a routine look like? Well, that really depends on what your classroom looks like. Routine in our classroom looks like this but you can figure out what works best for the kids you lead. We open our teaching experience by providing activities that kids can do the moment they walk into the room. We move from there to a table where we do our focused Bible study time. After a bit, we do an active activity that gets kids up from their chairs and moving. We finish with another time of study with our interactive pages and always close in prayer. When kids walk into our classroom they know each week what to expect, so moving from one activity to another has become second nature to them. After just a month of teaching with this group of kids, they move immediately from one activity to another with very little need to hear from leaders over and over what they need to do.

Kids Bible Study, Kids Ministry, Ministry, Sunday School, Volunteers

September 7, 2016

Connecting with Kids in Your Class

By Jeff Land

I teach 2nd graders at my church every Sunday morning. I love being in there with these kids and watching them as they grow in their knowledge of the Lord. It is fun to see them as they blossom. I enjoy talking with the kids in my class and finding out what makes them tick. I think many times, in our quest to fill volunteer areas, telling potential volunteers about the importance of connecting with the kids in their classes is left out. For many, they think that their volunteer service is the one hour a week they give with the kids. Don’t get me wrong, that’s a huge part of it. However, for kids, the volunteer in their classroom is like their own personal minister. It’s important that we encourage volunteers to connect with the kids in their class. Here are some tips for helping your volunteers connect with kids.

Send letters or postcards. In terms of connecting with kids, I’ve found this to be one of the most effective ways. Kids (especially younger kids) love to get mail. I’ll send them little notes and ask them a silly question. It’s not uncommon for several kids to bring their postcards to class and show me that they got it. That gives me an in on really trying to connect with those kids. They know that I am thinking about them during the week.
Host fellowships. This is one area where I can definitely preach to myself. I don’t do this nearly enough. I can say, however, that my “class fellowship” hero is my wife, Abbey. She is great at planning fun events for her fifth grade girls’ class. She has about one event every quarter. My favorites that she hosts are a father-daughter date and a mother-daughter tea. She wants to connect to the kids and their parents.
Attend their sporting events. This one is a little easier for me than it would be for others because we live in a smallish suburb and I have four kids involved in sports. It really means a lot to the kids, though, when they hear their Bible study leader cheering them on. I remember when my oldest son was four, his Sunday School teacher came to watch him play soccer. It was like a famous person was in the crowd.
Pray for them by name. As you have opportunity, pray for the kids in your class by name. Ask God to give you meaningful conversations with each one. In a group setting pray for each child by name, thanking God for a unique characteristic that he or she displays. When they share a prayer request, honor them by praying for the request then and as you go throughout your week

Being a volunteer in kids ministry is more than just teaching kids about Jesus. It’s showing kids what a relationship with Jesus is like.

Jeff Land is Publishing Team Leader for Bible Studies For Life: Kids. He hold a BSW from Mississippi College and a MACE from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Jeff has served as children’s pastor and currently teaches second graders each week at his church. Jeff, his wife Abbey, and their four sons live in Coopertown, TN.

Media, Preteen, Resources, Sunday School

August 22, 2016

Farewell to Mayflower

By Jeff Land

For many Bible Studies For Life: Kids fans, you’ve come to know and love the kids at Mayflower Elementary School over the past three years. It’s been a fun cycle, but those kids have grown up and it is time for them to take Middle School by storm. This Fall, we are introducing a new line-up of awesome life application videos called “Gumshoe Lane Agency.” We are thrilled to introduce you to Juniper and Chuck, the detectives who will go to great lengths to find out the real answers to life’s questions.

Before we bid farewell to the Mayflower kids in the last session of the Summer 2016 Bible Studies For Life: Kids curriculum, we had the opportunity to talk to the people who created the series, including some of the talented cast that made up the Mayflower team.

Enjoy this documentary from the creators of the Mayflower series, SeventhStory Productions.

What to Say When You Don’t Know What to Say

9 Do’s for KidMin Volunteers (Part 2)

9 Do’s for KidMin Volunteers (Part 1)

My Kid and Her Journal

The Cosmic Importance of Children’s Sunday School

How Sunday School Transformed Me

Love the Lord Your God with All Your . . . Intuitions

Connecting with Guests

5 Keys to Teaching Kids the Gospel

The Importance of Routine in Classroom Management

Connecting with Kids in Your Class

Farewell to Mayflower

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