I was working at Adventure Club when I got a copy of their church newsletter. It is something I read every month because I'm good friends with both the Children's Minister there and the Pastor's family. Both of which have influenced my ministry to children, and Mrs. Gerri, the PW at Simpsonville, is exactly the kind of Ministry wife I hope I can be some day for Caleb.
Recently, I have been studying Children's Ministry Leadership Styles through a book called, Lead the Way God Made You-Larry Shallenberger. (A book I'm hoping to use in our upcoming Sunday School Leadership Meetings.) I've discovered through doing this study on Godly leadership that one of my favorite ways to lead in ministry is to observe other ministries. That didn't really surprise me since my favorite thing to do is find out and observe how other folks do Children's Ministry or Ministry in general. You can learn a lot about how to do or how not to do things...Actually, it was through observing Calvary Baptist Church and Jon Hoovers' ministry with CBC Kids that the rough start to our Gospel Project was quickly changed. (And those handy rings that we put the cards on also come from the Hoover Dude.)
Usually, I skim through the articles of the Simpsonville Newsletter and hit the Children's Ministry section to see what Shari Thompson is doing in Awana or over the summer. Love to see how God is moving in our Sister Churches. However, Pastor Steve Boyd's article caught my attention almost immediately. This was most likely to do with the fact that children was mentioned in the first sentence.
I would like to share his article with you.
"I affirm our parents in their desire to worship regularly with their children. The Bible encourages us to gather together as the body of Christ and the family of God. We, as a church family, should support the Spirit-filled nurture of our children corporately through worship, ministry and fellowship. I desire to be a church that welcomes and wants families with children of all ages. In fact, much of what we do as a church is geared toward families with children.
I had the opportunity to clean the auditorium (gym) and straighten the chairs after the December 23rd worship service. As I cleaned the auditorium, I picked up at least 25 remnants (probably more) of candy. It may have been wrappers and it may have been the remnants of candy itself. I realize it was Christmas Sunday and many of our teachers gave gifts of candy to our children (preschool thru 5th grade) and students (sixth thru 12th grade) during Sunday School. I was a bit appalled because I would presume the parents would surely pick up the trash or, better yet, teach their children to do so.
I have been contemplating addressing some needed areas of concern for some time. I would like to challenge our parents to evaluate some different methods in caring for and in teaching our children during their time here. The foundational premise for the challenge is the inherent need for all of our children and students to learn and grow in discipline and respect. Now before you cut me off, please know there is NO one set of parents to whom I’m referring. This is a parent group challenge! All of us parents can benefit from examining our leadership and parenting in our family.
Please consider other areas of possible parent discussion. I hope you will feel free to engage these thoughts and to challenge me on them.
1) Encourage your children and students to use the restroom before worship. We have a revolving door of children and students going to the restroom. Encourage them to use the restroom, even if they say they don’t have to. Much of this same repetitive restroom usage is also occurring during Sunday School.
2) Engage your children in worship. Encourage your children to worship with you and allow them the
opportunity to sing, give, read and listen with you. Model worship before them.
3) Teach your children and students how to focus and listen. Many parents have forgotten that much of listening is a learned and acquired trait.
4) If your children and students become disruptive, please move them to the foyer, if needed.
They may be disrupting someone who is searching for spiritual guidance that day.
5) Help your children and students understand the difference between quiet time and play time, between talking time and listening time, and between loud voice and quiet voice.
6) Monitor your student’s behavior and presence. Some are leaving worship and can be found sitting in the church foyer. Students are generally harder to reach with the Bible truth the farther they sit from the one speaking. I have been blessed by the attention of the students currently sitting in the front of the auditorium.
I pray you have taken this challenge to parents as intended. I have a deep love and reverence for the family and the parenting of children. I want the church to be helpful to you in your journey. Please share with me how we can support you." Steve Boyd
Wow! What a challenge. Can we at BBC Kids accept this challenge? Will we help our children focus in worship by going to the bathroom before Sunday School, Children's Church, and Worship? Or not getting up to get a peppermint or crayons? Will we model worship before them? Not allowing toys to come from home, and leading them by example. There is no better time to start!
Make this a New Years Resolution that we all keep. The spiritual development, worldview, and understanding of your child is too vital not to engage them in every aspect of church life from a young age! How will they know if we don't teach them?
A very long time ago, someone told me, "Mrs. Elizabeth, church just isn't entertaining enough for my kids."
My friends, this isn't a show. Worship and deep theological study isn't just for adults, and it isn't one way. Church isn't a stage and an audience. It is a lead worshiper and other worshipers. It is interactive. We aren't here to be entertained. We are here to have a conversation with the Father. How can we help our children who are inundated with video games, electronics, and 5 year olds with iPhones? We model for them, lead them, and teach them now. To quote Pastor Boyd, "Engage your children in worship. Encourage your children to worship with you and allow them the
opportunity to sing, give, read and listen with you. Model worship before them."
This challenge hit me hard. Something I need to work on as well as I am preparing for Kid'z Zone this week, I hope you will prepare your students as well.
What will we lose if we fail to lead this generation?
Elizabeth J. Horne
No comments:
Post a Comment