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Kids Ministry

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Kids Ministry, Leadership, Ministry, Volunteers

8 Ways to Develop and Work with a Ministry Team

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Working together as a team is not the latest management fad, but springs from the heart of the biblical concept of leadership within the church. Check out Proverbs 11:14; 15:22; and 24:5-6 to see the wisdom of including a team.

Don’t forget the early church. In Acts we learn that the early church was founded under the leadership of TWELVE apostles. Acts 6 tell us about SEVEN deacons chosen to serve. Acts 13 teaches that the first missionary venture was a TEAM, Paul and Barnabas and Acts 14 talks about the appointment of MULTIPLE elders.

Paul writes to the Ephesians about the BODY with various parts closely fitting and firmly adhering to one another and in 1 Corinthians he talks about the diversity of gifts but the same Spirit.

So, how do you do it? Below are 8 tips for developing and working with a ministry team that I think will be helpful:

  1. Determine the Purpose of the Team. Ask yourself the “why” question. Why do we need THIS team? One of the reasons committees and teams get a bad rap is that  many aren’t needed. If your team isn’t needed, disband.
  2. Gather the Right Team! Start with prayer. God is more concerned with our success than we are, so PRAY and ask direction as you assemble your team. Consider different personalities of those invited and don’t pick a bunch of “mini-yous.” Seek diversity that compliments.
  3. Commit to the team. Be concerned for and acknowledge the whole person not just the team member. Ask, “How can this person best serve the team?” then ask yourself, “How can I best serve this person?” Look beyond the task at hand and make a more thoughtful, deeper commitment to those on the team. Pray for your team members. Ask for spiritual insights into their needs. Make the team your priority and make sure they can see your commitment.
  4. Cast a Vision for the Team. “Where there is no vision, the people will perish.” (Proverbs 29:18). Develop your vision and share the vision and mission of the team. Clearly define the purpose and work together to create and achieve goals.
  5. Equip and Facilitate the Team. Provide specific training for specific understandings. Resist the “I’ll just do it myself mentality” because team members might not yet be equipped. Take an “always wanting to learn—always wanting to improve” posture about the work, the team, and YOURSELF. Lead by example.
  6. Empower the Team. Give things away to your team members. Encourage various team members giftedness and skillsets. Trust you team.
  7. Recognize the Team. Show Appreciation. Don’t take the credit for the team. Recognize unique contributions and give both private and public recognition.
  8. Don’t Kill the Team. Failure to do #1-7 will kill your team. Be flexible, seek opinions, and be intentional about evaluation.

Over the years Ephesians 4:12 has become one of my favorite verses. Develop your team and equip them to do the work of ministry to build up the body of Christ. I hope this verse become part of your ministry philosophy, too.

Bill Emeott serves as Lead Ministry Specialist for Lifeway Kids. A graduate of Mercer University and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Bill has served as a Kid’s Minister and currently teaches 2nd Grade Bible study.

Kids Ministry, Leadership, Sunday School, Volunteers

5 Tips to Start Your Teaching Year Off Right

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Happy New Year! Don’t you just love the beginning of a new Sunday School year and all it brings—meeting new kids, new parents, and of course, new crayons?

Sometimes though, all this newness can be a little scary. After all, you’ve gotten into such a good “groove” with the kids you’ve taught all year. They know your routine and you know theirs! It’s hard to let go.

But there’s hope! You’ll love these new kids just a much. And you can get your groove back! Try these few tips to make this year even better than the last!

  1. Set a few simple ground rules with your kids.
    1. Remember the age development of your group. Three rules may be plenty to cover what you need.
      1. Respect (or don’t hurt) others.
      2. Respect (or don’t hurt) yourself.
      3. Respect (or don’t hurt) the church property.
    2. Let the kids help you decide on the rules. They often will come up with very similar rules and will take more ownership when they’ve helped make the rules.
  2. Organize your classroom. Be sure that you have the resources you need before you need them! Stock your shelves with paper, crayons, markers, scissors, and other essential items. (Notice I said “stock,” not “hoard.”) Know where other specialty items are located in your church or know that you may need to make a quick run to the store sometime during the week for your next session.
  3. Get to know your kids before they come!
    1. Send a handwritten note to each child on your roll introducing yourself.
    2. Make a phone call to the parents to introduce yourself and ask what you can do to make this a successful year for their child.
    3. Teach in VBS or other summer activities that include the children you’ll be teaching in the new year.
    4. Refresh your memory of the age level characteristics of the kids you’ll be teaching. (Even if you’ve taught forever!)
  4. Don’t start the year with preconceived notions based on other teachers’ opinions of a child. You may have just the personality or teaching skills a child needs that will make a difference in his life. And if you don’t, your teaching partner does! God has put this child in your class for a reason!
  5. Make a decision now to commit to be the best teacher you can be. I’m guilty myself of starting the new year great … studying my lesson during the week, planning ahead of time, purchasing fun items to enhance my lesson … then as the year progresses, I digress. I find myself waiting until Friday or Saturday to do my planning and realizing how much better my teaching could have been if I had just a little bit more time! Don’t let this happen to you. Commit now to make your teaching a priority. It’s better for you and for the kids. They’re worth it!

And before we go … one for you, personally. Do you know the phrase “physician heal thyself?” Let’s take a little liberty with that statement and change it to “teacher teach thyself.” Too often the excitement of a new year quickly fades because we don’t take the time to continue our own spiritual education. When this happens, we dry up, and have nothing to give. Be sure to study God’s Word and discover what He’s got in store for you this new year!

Now, go celebrate and make this the best year ever!

Klista Storts serves as an Editorial Ministry Specialist for Lifeway Kids. Before coming to Lifeway, she served as the Weekday and Preschool Specialist at the Tennessee Baptist Convention and as Director of Preschool Ministries at churches in Oklahoma and Tennessee. Klista has a passion for equipping leaders to share the love of Christ and lay foundations for conversion in the lives of kids.

Kids Ministry, Leadership, Volunteers

Connecting with Teachers

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It’s the time of year where kids ministers are enlisting new teachers, confirming with current teachers, and praying for needed volunteers for the new ministry year. During this process a few years ago, I understood the need to be more intentional in connecting with teachers. Yes, I knew their name, but I felt I needed to know them past their name and the class they taught. As kid ministers, we are to care for the adults who serve under our leadership. Here are three ways I have intentionally connected with volunteers:

  • Learn about your teachers, individually. I asked our teachers to complete an “All About Me” page. This page allowed me to know more about their family, special days, their likes, what the Lord was doing in their life, and how I could pray for them. These pages provided a way I could quickly learn information about each teacher. I found myself referring to this resource frequently.
  • Listen to your teachers. Listen for verbal and nonverbal communication. I found many times nonverbal communication speaks as loudly as verbal communication. By listening, I discovered ways I could equip them, ideas for training, and ways I could support them as they served. Provide opportunities for feedback in various ways.  Make sure to value the feedback.  One of the quickest ways to build a connection with others is to listen to feedback and validate the person. It may not be easy to hear (or read), or the suggestion may not be possible to implement, but in valuing the person who shared the feedback, you are establishing trust and building a relationship.
  • Provide opportunities for teachers to build relationships with other teachers. Teaching in a classroom with children is very rewarding, but it can also be lonely. Teachers miss out on adult fellowship and opportunities to build relationships with other adults. Plan specific times for them to build relationships with one another. Schedule a weekly prayer time. Go out to eat once a month. Make a room available at the church for the teachers to plan and study their lesson together. Organize an adult Bible study for them at a time other than when they are teaching.

Connecting with teachers doesn’t happen overnight, or in a couple of weeks. True connections take time and intentionality. In being intentional in building relationships, I found some of these teachers became my closest friends and allies in ministry. What ways have you connected with teachers?

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.

Kids Ministry, Leadership, Volunteers

Leadership Lessons from the Bible: Hannah

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Deeply hurt, Hannah prayed to the Lord and wept with many tears.  Making a vow, she pleaded, “Lord of Hosts, if You will take notice of Your servant’s affliction, remember and not forget me, and give Your servant a son, I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and his hair will never be cut.” 1 Samuel 1:10-11

Hannah simply amazes me. Here was a woman who could not have any children—which was quite a stigma in her day—and it understandably devastated her. To make matters worse, one of her husband’s other wives delighted in mocking her because of her barrenness. (Quick aside: God never permitted polygamy and every time we see it practiced in the Old Testament, it causes trouble.)

Hannah was in such pain because of her inability to have children that she went to the temple and poured out her heart to God with such an intensity that Eli the priest thought she was drunk. But it is the subject of Hannah’s prayer more than her fervency that amazes me.

If God were to give Hannah a son, she would give him back to God. And that is what happened. God gave Hannah Samuel, and she took him to the temple to serve there once he was weaned. Hannah gave God one of her heart’s greatest desires.

Hannah was a godly woman because she was a woman of prayer and Hannah was a woman of prayer because she was a godly woman. Pray fuels intimacy with God and intimacy with God fuels prayer in a beautiful symbiotic relationship.

Our leadership thrives in direct proportion to the health of our relationship with Christ. And as we learn from Hannah, prayer is a vital component of that relationship. Here are five leadership lessons on how we can thrive through prayer:

  • Pray regularly. The fuel of any relationship is communication, and a relationship with Jesus is no different. Praying regularly is vital. Having a set time to pray each day is a great start, but think of ways that you can pray more throughout your day such as when you are driving, when you are brushing your teeth, and when you are waiting in lines. Prayer can turn these rather mundane times into refreshing times with God.
  • Read Scripture first. When possible, preface your time of prayer by reading Scripture. Scripture will help you focus your time of prayer properly. Instead of praying through a man-centered lens of what you want from God, spending time in the Bible first will reorient your heart and mind to want to pursue God’s glory in your prayer.
  • Don’t confine yourself to a formula. There are several outlines designed to ensure you pray in a well-rounded way. While these can be helpful to keep in mind, do not limit yourself by them. Structure can sometimes lead to a wooden, formulaic prayer life and can hinder its authenticity. There will be times when you will simply want to pray thanking God for who He is. There may be other times when you will need to pray just confessing sin to God.  
  • Be transparent with God. Following up to the previous lesson, strive for your prayer to be transparent. Be real with God. It’s not like you can fool Him anyway! If you are upset like Hannah, share that. If you are confused, angry, happy, worried, frustrated, or whatever else, let God know.
  • Pray for others. Enjoying a vibrant prayer life and deepening your relationship with Christ will greatly grow you as a leader alone. But it is when you also pray meaningfully for your kids, kids leaders, parents, and other church leaders that your leadership will grow to the next level. Develop the habit of asking others how you can pray for them and doing it.

Brian Dembowczyk is the team leader for The Gospel Project for Kids. He served in local church ministry for over 16 years before coming to Lifeway. Brian earned an M.Div. from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a D.Min. from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his family live in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Kids Ministry, Leadership, Sunday School, Volunteers

9 Do’s for KidMin Volunteers (Part 1)

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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.

  1. Remove your hat.
  2. Get down on the child’s level, even if it means sitting on the floor most of the time.
  3. Use a soft voice.
  4. Listen and observe more than you talk.
  5. Help each child to know how to use materials.
  6. Avoid talking about children in their presence. Devote your time to listening to the children rather than to talking about them.
  7. Use action with words. Help a child to put away blocks instead of saying, “Put the blocks on the shelf.”
  8. Commend the children when they accomplish something for themselves. Avoid “gushing.”
  9. 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?

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, Volunteers

10 Questions KidMin Volunteers Should Ask Themselves

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Holmes, LandryNot too long ago, one of our neighbors gave my wife a book published in 1959 by what is now known as Lifeway Christian Resources. The book is Improving Nursery Departments by Polly Hargis Dillard. I thought writing a three-part “Lessons from 1959” series from the book might be fun. However, I must first address the proverbial “elephant in the room.”

When I first started in kids ministry, I was taught we didn’t use the word “nursery.” A nursery was where plants were grown. A few years in, one of my mentors—a well-known preschool ministry leader—wisely told me that what we call the area at church where preschoolers are cared for is not as important as what we do in that area. The remainder of this post focuses on what we do, not only in the preschool area at church, but in the elementary ministry as well.

In her book, Dillard presents a checklist of 17 questions that preschool teachers should ask themselves in order to evaluate their potential areas of growth. I have chosen to condense that list to the following 10 questions and pose them to both preschool and elementary volunteers at church:

  1. Do I really like children; am I a friend to children?
  2. Do I see the world as a child sees it; do I use words which the children understand?
  3. Do I let the children do as much as they are able to do for themselves; am I eager to grow and learn more about children’s interests, development, and guidance?
  4. Do I treat children with as much consideration and respect as I do adults; do I see and understand each child as a growing person?
  5. Do I laugh with the children and not at them?
  6. Do I appreciate and work well with parents; do I work well with fellow workers?
  7. Do I give of myself in time, love, and service; do I make thorough preparation for each session?
  8. Do I study the Bible daily? Do I try to live daily the principles which I find in the Bible?
  9. Do I recognize that behind behavior there is a reason; do I try to find the reason?
  10. Am I sensitive to the needs of the children and to what they are feeling and thinking?

How did you do? In what areas do you need to grow the most? The purpose of this list is to be encouraged and to remember these words from Polly Dillard, “Effective workers are always growing workers.” So keep loving, keep learning, keep growing, and keep teaching.

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

Connecting with Guests

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Williams, DelaneeBeing 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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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!
  4. 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.

Kids Ministry, Leadership, Sunday School, Volunteers

The Importance of Routine in Classroom Management

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Tim PollardMy 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.  

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.

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

Connecting with Kids in Your Class

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Jeff Land-150x150I 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.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.

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