(dot)kids

Bible Study Curriculum

2010-10-22T13:52:00.000-05:00

I was asked to write an instructional post on writing kids curriculum. I have never written kids curriculum. However, I have edited, contributed to, and taught kids curriculum. Here's what I've learned during all that editing, contributing, and teaching.

Kids need interaction. I cannot stand and deliver a 5-minute speech and expect kids to listen. Anytime the kids can get up and move is great. Visuals, props, and examples are also good. When none of that is available, I try to ask a question for every 3 sentences or so. At the very least, this recalls the daydreamers, whisperers, and the kid shooting rubber bands back to the fact that I am actually attempting to teach them something.

Kids need explanations. I can't just tell kids that the Israelites had the Ark of the Covenant to symbolize God's presence; I have to explain that the Israelites were not, in fact, carrying a giant boat around in the desert all those years. Also, all those tricky terms that we use all the time (glory, mercy, heart, etc.) need an explanation! A lot of kids won't ask for explanations, because they've already figured out their own explanation, which may or may not be correct. It's sometimes fun and often helpful to just ask kids what they think a term means. I've even gotten explanations that I liked better than my own!

Teachers need variety. A Bible study with all active games is great--unless your classroom is the size of a small closet. Team games are fun--unless your class only has 3 kids. Crafts are excellent reminders of the lesson--unless your class consists of kids who race to finish the project and then leave it for you to trash at the end of the day. A Bible study will alternate activities is amazing. As a teacher, I like to have as many options as possible.

Kids and Teachers need context. Why this lesson? How does this lesson fit with the rest of Scripture? or this month's focus? or kids' lives today? It's important for kids to know why they are learning what they're learning.

Certainly, there are more extensive instructional curriculum-writing guides out there. This is just one teacher's perspective.

What are some tips and suggestions you may have regarding Bible study curriculum?

No One's You-er than you!

2010-10-20T11:27:00.001-05:00

thank you dr. seuss for that beautiful sentiment.

thank you ty pennington for tweeting about it.

thank you twitter for allowing me to see the tweet.

now… to the point… we are having a big crusade this week at long hollow. the first speaker on sunday night ,Tony Nolan, brought it. He not only shared the exciting truth of a gospel that saves us… he shared his story. born to a prostitute, adopted for $200, told that he wasn’t worth the $200 they spent on him…. life of everything bad… then radically saved, now living to testify to the truly miraculous nature of transformation that comes from knowing you are loved by the one true god.

i was talking with a few girls afterwards who realized that this was their moment. their time to mark on the calendar of their lives that they chose to walk the narrow road. their joy from forgiveness was evident in tear streaked cheeks… then there was one that stood out.

you could see her pain when she was trying to talk about how her dad made her feel… like the speaker, she apparently had been hurt emotionally by her father.

she couldn’t complete a sentence. it was clear that she had felt worthless, and it was my privilege to share with her about a father that loved her enough to give the greatest sacrifice for her. i got to tell her this “you are the perfect you. no one can be a better you. god made you exactly like this to be exactly who you are. and he loves you. he sent his son to die for you, even it had been only you. nothing can pluck you from his hand”…

i wish i would’ve read that tweet earlier…. i would’ve added “no one’s you-er than you!”

When are you most Creative?

2010-10-19T07:43:00.002-05:00

It's amazing to me how resistant we are to creating patterns that we know will lead to greater productivity. For example, I know that when I work out in the morning I feel way better all day. Yet, when morning comes, I can think of 10,000 reasons to put that workout off until evening. Another example is our creativity. I've discovered over time that I am much more creative in the morning time. All the people on the creative team at our church are on the same page in this area. Yet, for some reason, we've scheduled our creative meetings for 2:30 pm on Tuesdays. We have to get that changed.

That's just one example, but I'm sure there are hundreds in your life as well. When are you most creative? When are you capable of the greatest productivity? Create patterns that will lead you to be effective. Think about it.

Big Apple Adventurers

2010-10-14T14:46:00.004-05:00

Children's pastors around the country are headed to http://lifeway.com/vbs to check out the 2011 VBS stuff.

While you're at it, if you're a children's pastor, or a children's ministry director, or a VBS volunteer at your church, or a parent, or a pastor, or anyone who has anything to do with children's ministry in whatever capacity, think about contributing your VBS missions offering to the Gallery Church in New York City.

LifeWay's 2011 VBS theme is Big Apple Adventure. As evangelicals are beginning to see the strategic importance of reaching the world's great cities for Christ, this theme could not be better timed. At the heart of the battle to win the city for Christ are my dear friends, Freddy T. and Susan Wyatt and their kids Jack, Lilly, and Elliot. The efforts of the Wyatt family and the Gallery Church to reach NYC for Christ would benefit tremendously from the kinds of gifts that would come from scores of churches sending VBS missions offerings their way.

I know where my church's missions offering will be going in 2011. What about yours? Think about it.

Sincerity vs. Cynicism.

2010-10-12T13:51:00.003-05:00

Recognizing lately the (hopefully receding) cynical tendency of my heart, I wonder as a children's pastor how we might develop kids into followers of Christ who are charitable rather than cynical in their perception of others. The thought I keep landing on is that there are two ways that we impact a kid's "perceive-er:" our words and our actions. Interestingly enough, this is exactly how God goes about forming his people: spoken word and mighty deed. It probably is not an accident that he's designed humans to respond to precisely these two stimuli. When these two are in harmony with one another, an intangible quality results. A quality perceived by onlookers to be what is called "sincerity."

I'll keep this brief, but the bottom line is that every word we say around kids either poisons or nourishes their minds. Of course there are different ways to nourish a mind than always being super spiritual and spouting bible verses. Nonetheless, when we speak, our words, our tone, our demeanor, and our attitude have a great impact on the kids who hear us. That is true whether we're on stage, in a small teaching environment, or just hanging out. In fact, it may turn out that the more nonchalant settings are exactly the settings where our words are most powerfully impactive. That's because it is in these settings that we are "off guard" and the harmony of what we've said publicly and how we are acting "privately" is exposed. If these words and actions are harmonious, kids will benefit from the example of a sincere leader. If they are discordant, kids will learn from the evidence of our lives to be cynical.

Further, kids will learn from the critical things we say about others that it is ok to be cynical. I'm learning that when I have a critical attitude towards someone, it's more about me than them. The best thing I can do is turn that scrutiny inward and make changes in my own character rather than wait for someone else to make changes in his or hers. That's true whether my criticism is off-base or absolutely true. Incongruence in your own heart is probable the root cause of a cynical attitude.

So be sincere. Live in such a way that you can believe the words of truth that you speak. Keep critical thoughts silent and try to limit your words to those that are helpful and positive. You never know what cynical heart is being softened by your sincerity and charitable perspective toward others. Think about it.

Sweet Sleep

2010-10-11T14:04:00.000-05:00

Teaching kids about missions can be one of the most fun parts of children's ministry. Kids enjoy learning about kids around the world. When we are able to show the kids in our churches how some children don't have food, or can't attend school, or have to work all day, our kids get excited to help out. This is often a challenge for churches. Often, we simply have kids give to "missions" without going into detail about what their money is going towards. Kids aren't as excited about giving money to "missions" as they might be about giving money to help kids like themselves.

One organization that understands kids and missions is Sweet Sleep. Sweet Sleep's motto is "A bed for every head." They provide beds for orphans in countries around the world. They build sturdy bunk beds that will last many years and outfit them with blankets and mosquito nets. They want kids to have a good night's sleep and the ability to have pleasant dreams. And for some kids, having a bed and mosquito net is literally life-saving.

Orphans in many countries have no choice but to sleep in beds that are broken, bug-infested, or soiled, if they have beds at all. For these children, this can mean being susceptible to disease, bone and joint trauma, and even learning problems. Sleeping without mosquito nets can mean exposure to malaria.

Sweet Sleep has many programs for children's ministries. They want to get kids motivated to help kids. Most, if not all, kids in your children's ministry know what it's like to have a warm, cozy bed, and they can probably imagine what it's like to sleep without one. Sweet Sleep has designed videos, promotional materials, and a Build-a-Bed program especially for children's ministries.

Right now, Sweet Sleep is partnering with the American Refugee Committee (ARC) to help hundreds of thousands of children living in child-headed households in the IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camps in northern Uganda. Sweet Sleep provides children returning to their home villages each with a bed, a mosquito net, and a Bible. These three simple items have greatly helped the children transfer from the camps to their villages. Many were reluctant to leave the camps, because they have lived there so long, but once they saw that children were receiving beds, nets, and Bibles, they were lining up to leave!

Sweet Sleep has a special need for the month of November--they need money for 700 beds, nets, and Bibles for Gulu, Uganda. Each resettlement kit--including a straw mat, mattress, blanket, mosquito net, and Bible--is just $50. Thanks to some friends of Sweet Sleep, any gifts given toward this project in October will be matched 100%!

This and other Sweet Sleep projects are missions work your kids can understand. Your kids can get excited about helping kids around the world have a place to sleep and dream.

To learn more about Sweet Sleep, their project in Gulu, or the Build-a-Bed program, go to their website: http://www.sweetsleep.org/, or visit their blog sweetsleep.blogspot.com.

Thinking about thinking up Names for Kid Programs

2010-10-07T11:00:00.002-05:00

What percentage of kids' ministries would you say have the word "club" in their name? It drives me nuts. Sorry if that one hits close to home. But come on let's get creative--or not.

Truthfully, I think children's ministers in general have overdosed on the creativity pills. If anything, I think it's time to tone down the way we name things. Above all else, when I go about the work of naming a program, I make sure (or try to) that the name actually carries with it information (or at least a hint) about what the program actually is.

For example, my Wednesday night program for kids is called Wednesday(dot)Kids. The music program is called Tunes(dot)Kids. The Lock-ins we have are called Vault. Every name carries with it something that is central to the program's essence so that people have a clue about what it is just from hearing the name.

When we name a kid program "collide" or "air assault" (these are real names of real programs by the way) there's no way anyone knows what in the world it is. So how do they know whether they might want to check it out?

Stick with simple names, and find a way to be creative within that framework. You'll find it's more difficult to create within boundaries, but it's also much more effective. Think about it.

Is Greatness Possible Anymore?

2010-10-06T12:01:00.004-05:00

I've been reading lately about some of the "great men" of the Renaissance. At a time of enormous upheaval in religious, political, philosophical, and technological spheres (planetary spheres, too), greatness was perhaps never at a greater premium. As we look back on those years, most of us gravitate to individuals like Leonardo Di Vinci or Michelangelo. These great men accomplished more in their lifetimes than anyone since, and they did so because of their immensely superior talent and brainpower...Or did they?

A closer look at the Sistene Chapel will reveal that it is highly uncertain how much Michelangelo's physical hands actually contributed to the physical painting of the actual fresco with which he is credited. It was common practice at the time for greats like Michelangelo to utilize apprentices to accomplish enormous tasks like his fresco in the Sistene Chapel. Michelangelo himself had fulfilled a similar role twenty years earlier as an apprentice to the artist Domenico Ghirlandaio (someone needs to start a deep dish pizza shop by that name). This practice allowed Michelangelo to accomplish greatness in a medium that by his own appraisal was not one he had mastered. He would have preferred to stick with his sculpting.

In a world like ours, similarly thirsty for heroes, leaders (kidmin leaders included) are venturing to the forefront and we all know their names. However, greatness in our time won't be achieved by lone guns anymore than it was achieved that way in the Renaissance. Greatness will belong to the leaders who are bold enough to surround themselves with people who are more competent than they are. Greatness will belong to leaders who are willing to be led by their followers. Greatness will belong to leaders whose vision surpasses their own ability and whose drive to become great is overshadowed by their determination to build something great. Greatness will belong to leaders who are willing to be overshadowed in talent, intelligence, and "credit" by the people with whom they surround themselves.

In Michelangelo's day, his own reputation overwhelmed that of his apprentices. In our day, someone who went about things in the same was Michelangelo did would not have his own name trumpeted. Twitter, Facebook, the blogosphere, and whatever new instant media are being created as I write this post would instantly let the world know who all was involved, in what capacity, and to what degree. The limelight is not hog-able anymore unless you're willing to surround yourself with folks who are less talented and less driven than you are. So to operate in a way reflective of the genius of the Renaissance, today's leader will have to let go of his desire to be known as a Renaissance style genius. You can't do everything yourself while also expecting to do anything great. And you can't really turn things over to a team and still keep the credit for yourself. You'll have to decide which is more important: your resume or your impact.

You have a choice to make. You can be known as a Renaissance man, or you can act like one. Think about it.

weird blogger

2010-10-05T13:59:00.001-05:00

so i just posted a new piece about kids' spaces, and it posted it as though it were written in march. anyone know how to keep that from happening? weirddddddddd

As Easy as ABC?

2010-09-28T11:29:00.007-05:00

If you’ve been involved in children’s ministry for very long, you’ve probably come across some sort of mnemonic device to use in sharing the gospel with kids. The most popular one, at least in Southern Baptist culture, is the ABCs of Becoming a Christian:

A-Admit to God you are a sinner

B-Believe that Jesus is God’s Son and can save you from your sin

C-Confess your faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord

This is a great tool to use as a jumping-off place when teaching kids what it means to be a Christian and how to become one. It makes it easy to remember and easy to use. The ABCs help adult leaders who may be nervous about forgetting something or not knowing how to share the gospel on a kid’s level. They help kids remember a way to tell others about Jesus. But, in order for them to be effective, we must actually jump-off and expand upon them.

See, what’s happened is we’ve so engrained these three steps into kids’ heads that they know them forward and backward. It’s great that kids know the plan of salvation, but whenever you ask them about the ABCs, they spout them off in their best I’m-bored-out-of-my-mind voices. They’ve heard the mnemonic device so often, so many ways, that it is no longer new. They’ve become bored with it and, therefore, bored with their knowledge of the gospel.

So, how do we fix this? I think we can still use the ABCs (or whatever plan-of-salvation tool you prefer), but we have to actually explain them. In working with kids, I have learned that just because they’ve memorized something, doesn’t mean they understand it. We can’t rely solely on our mnemonic s, because they aren’t necessarily self-explanatory. Kids who’ve grown up in church know these devices, but that doesn’t mean they know what the word admit means. They may know that they believe in God, but what does believing in something really mean? How does our belief make us different than the demons, who also believe, according to the Bible? And confess? Kids don’t get this one at all. Probably because, if you look up the word “confess” in a dictionary, the first definition is “to admit a wrongdoing” and we’ve already covered that in step one. Kids rarely know the second definition of confess—“to acknowledge something to be true.”

We have to explain what the words mean and why we have to do them, but we have to do it in a new way. Kids who’ve grown up hearing the ABCs or F.A.I.T.H. or salvation bracelets or whatever your church uses, tune us out almost immediately when we begin that lesson, because they already know it. So, we have to get creative and get personal. We can incorporate our mnemonic devices into everyday life, in order to help kids understand, and pay attention.

For example, which teacher are you more likely to listen to—the one who says, “A is for Admit. Admit to God you are a sinner.” or the one who says “When I was little, I slapped my sister across the face. Then, my mom asked me about it—she already knew I did it, but she needed to hear me say that I did it. She wanted me to admit I was wrong.”? The second teacher gets the kids’ attention (probably because kids are shocked that a teacher would do something like that and then tell them about it!) and can easily transition into why we need to admit to God we’ve sinned.

When we move past the mnemonic devices into something personal, we show kids that our faith isn’t just a three-step process and it isn’t boring. Our faith is real, for real life. And in seeking new ways to explain salvation to kids, maybe we’ll learn a little, too!

(You can follow Elizabeth on twitter or read her blog)

Catechismal Success

2010-09-28T11:04:00.004-05:00

I've written before about the idea of catechizing kids.I sort of laid out the "why" factor here. In this post, I want to make a few points about the "how" factor. How is it that a church can go about getting kids to actually memorize a catechism?

1. I don't know. Truthfully, I've been going about this project for over a year now, and in terms of actual kids actually memorizing the catechism, I'd say success has been at best modest, but we're making strides and the other points are made up of the things that are working. Little by little.

2. Parents must be involved. Obviously, this is a pretty basic tenet for any children's ministry program. High parent involvement=high probability of successful (using the word "successful" here causes me to realize that I need to define that term. that post will be coming soon) discipleship. Take it easy, though. I'm not just stating the obvious. In this case, more than in other aspects of discipleship, parental involvement is absolutely key. When I was teaching at a very high level private school, getting kids to memorize biblical facts was easy. We spent 2 hours a week on it, and I gave them a test every other week. Either memorize it or you'll get an "F." At most churches, at best we can spend maybe 25-30 actual minutes a week on memorization, and we do not have any grades to give out or red pens to wave around. Parents MUST be the agents of encouraging memorization, and any "accountability" we offer must center around parents. This complicates things tremendously. Wise ministers will find a way to make it happen, though.

3. Bribe em. Give them candy, give them gift cards, give them access to games, give them money, give them toys. Bribe em bribe em bribe em. I know just as surely as I'm writing this some poindexter out there is snarling at me and writing me off. If that's you, you're wrong. Kids do not have to want to be catechized in order to benefit from being catechized. It's your job to do everything possible to help them learn, it's their job to benefit from it. Take for example a kid who doesn't begin to take his faith seriously until, say, tenth grade. Will that tenth grader not now benefit from having been catechized successfully as a child even though he didn't want to be? Of course he will. So make it fun. Make it attractive. Make it work. Find a way to get the kids to memorize the catechism, all the while having faith that God will work in the kid's heart in due time to make him good soil. It'll just so happen there will be some really awesome seed already planted when that happens.

4. Create an environment that fosters autonomy. Let kids discover these truths rather than plopping them in their laps. They will remember best and cherish most what they discover on their own.

5. I DON'T KNOW!!!!! This bears repeating. I don't yet know exactly how to foster catechismal (i think i just coined that) success in a protestant setting where we can't hold communion over a kid's head. We have to be intensely creative in discovering ways to make this work. What I do know is that it'll be worth it.

Catechize your kids. And use the comments section to brag if you've figured out how to make it work. Please. Tell. Me. Think about it.

staff meeting live blog

2010-09-27T09:34:00.003-05:00

I am struck suddenly with the curious and nearly irresistible temptation to do a live blog commentary of our staff meetings. How awesome would that be?

Thinking about Starting Something New?

2010-09-24T13:31:00.003-05:00

So you're thinking that maybe you'll launch a new program or change an existing one. You have a vision, you have a passion, you have a budget (yeah right), and now you're ready to leap into the bright sunshiny future with this idea of yours. Or are you?

Before you jump, you might want to consult this checklist.

1) Have you talked to your volunteers about it? This is a little elementary, but let me ask it another way. Have you listened to your volunteers about it? So often, leaders talk to people and in their minds they confuse this with having listened to people. The truth is that your volunteers will very often not only have good advice, but they may know better than you know what will work and what will not. You've got a bird's eye view, but their feet are on the ground. Listen to them, and do not be afraid to heed their warnings or take their advice. It doesn't demean your leadership skill to listen to your volunteers. It confirms it.

2) Are you really committed? Are you going to see this thing through or is it just a whim? There's no better way to know than to look at your past. Think about the last 3 projects you've launched. Have you seen them through or have they proven to be just a whim? How have you responded when things took a turn for the worse? How have you handled setbacks and disappointments? You have no right to ask for volunteers to commit to a vision if you aren't committed yourself. And you have no right to call yourself committed if your track record proves otherwise. Stick with what you're doing now so that you can trust yourself in the future.

3) Can you state clearly and persuasively why this program is necessary or beneficial? If you can't, the vision is probably still in the infancy phase where it effects primarily your emotions. That doesn't mean it's the wrong vision, it just means it's probably the wrong time. Let it grow and develop some more before you inflict it upon your kids and volunteers.

4) Are you unnecessarily re-inventing the wheel? If there's someone who is already having success, consider doing what they do. One of the best kid ministry ideas I ever had was one I got from a conversation with another minister. I tweaked it and tailored it to my church, but the kernel was still borrowed--and we had double the kids at that event than we had ever had at any event at that church before. All because at that one moment I stumbled upon the humility necessary to use someone else's idea.

5) Do you feel rushed? If so, drop back and punt. Live to fight another day. Wait wait wait. Do not start a new program in a hurry. If you do, you'll reap the consequences sooner rather than later.

Maybe you'll look at this checklist and decide you can get by without it. A good flight mechanic can probably get by without his checklist too. But would you want him to?

Think about it.

re-code your to-do list

2010-09-23T08:15:00.006-05:00

How do you manage your time? I used to have a huge poster on the wall with those "urgency/importance" quadrants on it (I think I got this from the Covey book), and I'd write whatever tasks I had to complete on post-it notes, and stick it on the right quadrant. Then I'd faithfully carry out the "important but not urgent" tasks first, leaving the others for later. It was actually pretty successful, albeit very confusing for anyone who came into my office and saw the giant wall of sticky notes.

Now I use a simple to-do list. I do note which items are high priority/low urgency sorts of tasks, and I tend to spend more time on those. After all, who wants to be stressed out on urgent tasks all the time?

The biggest change is something else, though. The first thing I look for on my to-do list is any task that is delegable. If there's someone else who can do it, chances are that person can do it better and faster than I can. So I deal with delegable tasks first. Make a call, send an email, whatever it takes, delegate those tasks. It's pride, not work ethic, that tells us we can do things better than others. When we as leaders do what would be better done by someone else, we are robbing them of the privilege of using their gifts.

So--here's your new "coding" for time management on your to-do list. A slight modification of the popular quadrant system, but I think it's a huge improvement.

1-delegable tasks (deal with these FIRST)

2-high priority/low urgency (spend most of your time here)

3-high priotity/high urgency (too much time on these will cause a heart attack)

4-low priority/high urgency (too much time on these will make you depressed)

5-low priority/low urgency (too much time on these will make you fat.)

Think about it.

Imagine...

2010-09-22T21:31:00.003-05:00

What if kids encountered church as a world to explore rather than a program to attend? What if their own imaginations dictated their experience as much as any grown-up's imagination? What if we grown-ups used our imaginations to figure out ways to unfetter theirs? Are you willing to relinquish control? Are you willing to put in the work that's necessary to create an environment that's imagination-friendly and ready to be explored? Maybe it'll push your children's ministry to the next level. Think about it.

Theology Matters for Kids

2010-09-22T09:58:00.013-05:00

Behind every children's ministry is probably a well-meaning minister attempting to answer the question, "Does theology matter for kids?" The answers vary, and if we get it our answer wrong, our program tattles on us every time the church doors open. It seems that all children's ministries fall somewhere on a theology(depth)/fun(engaging) quadrant.

Block 1a=Theologically deep but not fun.

Block 2a=Not theologically deep and not fun.

Block 1b=Theologically deep and fun.

Block 2b=Not theologically deep but still fun.

Where we land on this spectrum is probably determined as much by our personality as anything else. Nonetheless, we can't allow our personalities to become the end all, be all of our ministries. We have to develop a ministry that is reflective of the kingdom of Christ. That means we have to develop ministries that are marked by theological accuracy and depth. If you have already decided that theological depth is unimportant, then you're free to go finish watching whatever you have waiting on your DVR.

For those who are still here, I want to offer a solution to theological shallowness that also keeps us from becoming stuffy and boring. The solution is biblical theology. (the rest of this post will assume the reader is somewhat familiar with the terms "systematic theology" and "biblical theology.")

We need to stop teaching kids systematic theology (and most of our curriculums are a very watered down version of systematic theology) and start teaching them biblical theology. That’s right. I said it. No more systematic theology. Ok, maybe "no more" is a little excessive. But really, it’s an overemphasis on systematic theology that has created much of our current mess (biblical illiteracy). Take the average topical sermon. What is a purely topical sermon if not an exercise in (really bad) systematic theology? I haven’t read any dissertations on the rise of purely topical messages, but I can’t find another explanation.

Our "on demand" culture has created a demand for pithy answers, but it has not created the justification for using the Bible in the way only a purely topical preacher can. The justification must have come from our obsession with systematic theology. I can remember as a kid hearing the churchy grown-ups arguing about Calvinism (which was a very dirty word). But I cannot remember anyone ever discussing image-ness and it’s implications for the Christian life. When we boil our theology down to sound bites, it's like substituting a MIDI orchestra for the real thing--it just doesn't do the trick.

Systematic theology isn’t a bad thing insofar as it relies on biblical theology rather than replacing it. It's okay to come to the scriptures seeking answers, but insofar as we seek the scriptures in order to explain away what is meant to remain a mystery, our inquiries border on pride. As Wendell Berry has explained much more adroitly (check it out), we aren’t meant to know everything. When we demand from the Bible a full explanation of all God’s mysteries, what we are really demanding is for God to make us just as smart as He is. That sort of request violates both our nature and God’s. So let’s content ourselves to know what’s knowable and allow the text to dictate not only our answers, but also the scope of our inquiries. That is biblical theology.

Maybe it's time to re-think not only how we teach kids, but what we teach them. Maybe it's time to recalibrate our theological depth-finders. Think about it.

Distracted, anyone?

2010-09-21T11:13:00.003-05:00

I recently read this article, after it was tweeted by a friend. Some people have a knack for focus and are so bad at multitasking that they really could make do with one arm. Whatever that is called, I'm the opposite. I am constantly multitasking. If we're having a conversation, and it's time for a subject change, it is nothing for me to jump to a completely (seemingly) random topic that my mind has been mulling over the entire time we were talking. I know I'm not the only one like that, and it's not altogether bad. I think it's made me more creative than I would otherwise have been. Nonetheless, if you're in the same boat, we've got to recognize the problems our personality presents and solve them. So, I've been doing some things lately to help with concentration and eliminate unnecessary distractions. Here's what's been working for me.

1. be honest with yourself. it's so easy to categorize things as 'necessary' when they really aren't. Part of being a grown-up is recognizing the voice we use when we lie to ourselves. When we hear that voice, we have to immediately discard whatever it's telling us.

2. build fences around whatever distracts you. This might mean totally getting rid of a distraction. It might mean setting aside the mornings as a distraction free zone. The way my mind works, if I allow a distraction in, it'll completely dominate my mind almost all day. I have to set aside a few hours each morning when I am making sure I am hyper productive. Otherwise, I'll spend the day distracted and although I may be working hard, my mind isn't in it as it should be.

3. don't be instantly accessible. This is a hard habit to break. I have probably a dozen people in my life who have come to expect that I will respond within seconds (literally) anytime they contact me. That's crazy. Only in the last very few years has this even become possible, and it is utterly unhealthy. The way I manage this, practically, is that I simply read messages to me at a set time rather than when I receive them. In other words, if I get an email, I do not necessarily read it just because there's a little red "1" on my email icon. I just ignore those little red numbers wherever they may be, and read my messages at the time I've set aside for reading messages. Maybe it'll be instant. Maybe it'll be a few hours late. Either way, no one has died or been seriously injured because of it yet, but I'll keep you posted.

4. keep a pen and paper handy. One of the reasons that distractions are so tempting for people like me is that we are super afraid an idea will slip away into nothingness if we do not address it immediately. The reason we think that is because it's true. I can't begin to express the number of times per day I have a thought that I can't attend to promptly. Those thoughts sometimes vanish and all the eye squeezing and grunting in the world will never bring them back. That leads me to chase every thought that seems promising. There's a better way. If you're in the middle of, say, writing a blog on distractions, and you suddenly have an idea for a kid event that would be amazing, just write down a sentence to remind you of the idea later. Put it on your to do list. Whatever works. Make yourself a reminder, and then go back to what you should be focusing on.

If you're one of those people who only needs one arm, this advice probably will just be a waste of time. But--for those of you who are like me, maybe this will help. Think about it.

Go Vols! Wait, WHAT?!

2010-09-20T15:22:00.004-05:00

finding volunteers is hard work.

finding great volunteers is harder work.

keeping great volunteers is heart work.

Practically speaking, it's good to look for people that are interested in your particular area. You can ascertain this by doing surveys, posting information and sending messages out to your population alerting them to the opportunities of service in your area of ministry. Or.... you can get really intentional about finding the best people for you servant leadership opportunities.

some places you've probably already thought to look:

•people that are already serving somewhere else (but this could get you in trouble with your partners in ministry, if you hijack their people)

•people with an interest in your age group (i.e. middle school kid=middle school parent volunteer)

•people that you talk to every day

•your friends on facebook

places you may have not thought to look:

•people that your friends know, but you don't. i had a conversation yesterday with a volunteer who is "taking a break". she said not to make her feel guilty. i said that i dont want her to feel guilty, i want her to help me find more people that want to serve. i enlisted her to recreate herself. i gave her a way to make a change without skulking out with her head hung low.

•people that do what you are looking for in their professional lives (i.e. if you need a coordinator, a project manager would be an ideal candidate, even though they might not think they are equipped; if you need an actor, ask around and find out who starred in their schools' productions)

•linked-in - linked-in is a networking tool for business people, essentially, however, it gives you an opportunity to read the resumes of the people you locate. this is a great way to find out what people are good at. ( I have a volunteer who owns a concrete company, this tells me that the next time i have a building project, this guy or people that he knows will have the skill sets and the abilities required to pull it off)

•senior adult ministry - these are people that have experienced life and have seen what works and doesn't. in many cases that have been captains of industry or home ec afficianados. dont miss this valuable volunteer resource (and more than just for greeting)

some criteria for identifying a great volunteer:

•they are on time

•they are faithful to fulfill their commitments

•they truly find joy in the serving

•they do not grumble

•they do not create division or strife

•they are well meaning and supportive of leadership and programming (if they are not supportive, you do not need them, they will tear your ministry down)

•they are respectful of the authority God has placed on you as a leader and submit to that leadership

•they bring energy and love to the spaces they infiltrate.

some criteria for identifying a great leader:

•you are on time

•you are faithful to uphold your commitments (you deliver things on time to volunteers)

•you find joy in serving alongside other Christ-followers

•you do not grumble

•you do not create division or strife

•you are worthy of volunteer support and a good steward of their time.

•you carry the authority that God has given you with great humility.

•you bring energy and love to the spaces you infiltrate.

to keep great volunteers you have to show them you love them. you have to help them make the best of their talents. you have to give them a chance at success. you have to encourage and communicate with them. you have to love them. you know what makes you feel loved, figure out what makes them feel loved and do it.

if you do this, they will be there with you through it all.

constantly be looking for ways to duplicate yourself and train your volunteer servant leaders to do the same.

never forget, we carry an eternal message. we are charged with the task of sharing the greatest story ever told. we are allowed to be part of someone's path to eternity. never forget that its about pointing others to Christ.

(follow robyn on twitter, read her blog, and check out her church!)

A Different Approach to Blogging

2010-09-20T10:44:00.003-05:00

Wow, it's been awhile. For the past several months I've thought a lot about the whole blogosphere, half participating and half critiquing, never quite diving in. The notion that keeps recurring is that blogging is almost necessarily a narcissistic enterprise. I really can't justify spending hours a week so that I can say more things in order to get more people to notice that I'm saying things. My resistance to entering that sort of cycle is part of what has caused me to blog so sporadically.

Throughout my ministry, it's always seemed to me that the more individualized a person's particular project/ministry/task/job is, the more narcissistic the motives behind it tend to be. It's hard to be narcissistic when you're constantly directing applause and praise toward other people. If that's true, then the solution to the problem seems obvious: try not to get wrapped up in too many individualized projects/ministries/tasks/jobs. When a group accomplishes a task, the whole group gets the credit. Personal achievement breeds pride. Group achievement breeds humility. So maybe, just maybe, the synergy of a team is the best antidote for narcissism.

Taking all that in mind, here's where I've landed. Instead of making this a place where I stack up a bunch of my own ideas, I want this to be a place where I gather the ideas of some folks whose thinking I respect significantly. I'll still chime in pretty regularly (as a sort of moderator, and also as a writer from time to time), but I hope others' thoughts will make up the majority of the content here.

Stay tuned, because I have some really sharp people on deck for us all to learn from. Maybe we can all learn together. Think about it.

A rant about behavior modification...

2010-03-22T10:02:00.006-05:00

As I read through a stack of various samples of children's curricula, I am flabbergasted by the number of lessons driven toward behavior modification. It is not the job of the Church to make good little girls and boys out of our children. The job of the church is to develop in a kid's mind an identity that goes beyond himself. Rather than teach kids to "make good choices," provide them with a narrative framework for their existence. Help them to identify themselves as those who are part of an eternity long plan to redeem all creation. Teach them to latch onto their role as children of Abraham, those who are recipients of the promises of God. As long as behavior modification is the center of teaching, self will be the center of teaching. If we raise kids to think that modifying their behavior is the ultimate goal of church, we will inevitable raise kids to believe that self is the ultimate reality.

Should parents teach their children to act right? Yes. You're responsible to teach kids to use manners as well as tie their shoes. You're responsible to help them become kind. But the Church must cast its gaze higher than behavior. Teach kids to look to Heaven for their identity, and watch self shrink to its rightful place in the universe, making obedience to God natural. The slot on a report card that tells whether or not they've played well with others is not the ultimate identity of your kids. Think about it.

Two Handed Bowling?

2010-03-19T10:27:00.003-05:00

I'm sure this is old news to most people, but there's a guy on the PBA who bowls with both hands. Apparently it's raising quite the ruckus. The question it brings to my mind is this: If your kid started to bowl two-handed, would you let it continue or would you make him switch to an orthodox one-handed style? Why? Think about it.

The healing power of consistency

2010-03-17T09:36:00.001-05:00

It might be that the single most important thing your ministry can provide for a kid is consistency.

Consistent presence.

Consistent welcome.

Consistent teaching.

Consistent grown-ups.

Consistent example.

Consistent Gospel.

Kids might come and go. Marriages may fail. Poverty can strike any kid anywhere anytime. But if you will allow the Holy Spirit to make you consistently the presence of God, (after all, isn't that what it means to be the temple?) kids will encounter God through your ministry and be transformed over time by having their minds renewed by the Gospel.

Be consistent. Provide consistent ministry. Think about it.

do's and don't's of kid spaces

2010-03-16T13:52:00.004-05:00

1. DON'T go too trendy with the room. You can't be sure that silly bands are still going to be popular in 10 years, or even 5 years for that matter. Chances are you will still need your room then, though. So it's not advisable to create a room that is themed entirely around silly bands. Accessorize with trends, but build with what will last.

2. DON'T go haywire trying to create "a world." The kids do like to be imaginative, but if you make a cave, they won't be any more excited about it than if you made a cool room that is gray and has cave-like features painted on the walls. If you go overboard with this, all you'll have to show for it is a room that is completely useless and really difficult (read: "expensive") to change.

3. DON'T go for the very latest technology. This is sort of like buying a brand new car. You pay a huge premium for being state of the art, but it won't be state of the art anymore in 6 months. Go with a generation or two older than teh very latest technology. It'll still be plenty current, plenty modern, but hopefully not exorbitantly expensive.

4. DO use lots of colors. Kids love colors. This should be elementary to think about, but if you are thinking about going with brown or something along those lines, change your mind immediately. Recently I went with all white, but that's because I want it to be bright and I'm going to accessorize with tons of colors. Go to the mall and look where teens shop. Make the kids' space look like that. If I want a room to appeal to kids, then I use this rule of thumb: when they look at it, they should think, "that's awesome, but it's probably for teenagers. I wish i could have something that cool." Gear kids' stuff towards youth and you'll probably get it right.

5. DON'T worry about the girls. I know that sounds awful, but it's true. Girls in general have way better attitudes about church at the elementary or preteen age than most guys do. They'll get on board with most things as long as they're fun. Just make sure the guys aren't gonna feel like the room is girly.

6. DO spend some money. Kids deserve to have as nice a space as the grown-ups have. Demand it. Fight for it. Work hard on it. Maybe you won't win every battle, but every battle is worth fighting.

Think about it.

the whole bringin catholic back thing is gaining momentum...

2010-03-14T15:39:00.003-05:00

click the title to get a load of JI Packer's thoughts on the ancient practice of catechesis...thanks to my pastor Lyle Larson for showing me this article.

Hush, preacher, hush your lips...

2010-03-11T09:47:00.004-06:00

I've seen it countless times. A preacher at a kid's event rambles on for up to 40 minutes. Then as I look around at all the kids sleeping the sermon ends and everyone leaves. After the event everyone is talking about what a great job the preacher did.

He really connected with the kids (what? you mean subliminally maybe?). His illustrations really kept them engaged (what? you mean the dreams they were having reflected the content of his message?). Oh my he really used words that kids understand (kids understand words while they sleep?). It's unbelievable the way people talk about these things. But there's a reason for this discrepancy. What the fan club members described above are really saying is that the message made them feel like kids. Everyone loves nostalgia.

Regardless of how the grown-ups feel, their nostalgia does not translate into a learning experience for kids. If you want kids to engage and learn, then you have to learn when to hush your lips. Here are seven pointers:

1) Kids are inundated with video elements. They watch more television than any generation before them. That means we should show videos, right? Wrong. Kids are desensitized to video. What can get them to laugh is not necessarily what can get them to engage their minds. Sure, showing a video at the right moment or for the right purpose is a great way to use technology and create an overall fun experience. But the sermon is not generally the time for that. So stay away from videos.

What will engage kids is a visual experience that is unique to the event. Bring a prop and use it in a way that is unexpected. Or talk about it in a way that is unusual. If you are telling a story about fishing, don't bring a fish. Bring a plastic bucket that you use as a seat on the riverbank. Use items from the periphery of your experience. This creates intrigue and causes kids to engage the creative side of their brains. If you use a fish, the kid will automatically catalog your entire illustration in the section of his brain labeled "stuff I already know about." On the other hand, if you start talking about your experience fishing and you are holding a plastic bucket, things get interesting.

2) Make every sentence count and make big sentences count twice. In a kid message, if it's worth saying, it's worth repeating. That doesn't mean we become redundant. It means we have to craft carefully every phrase so that it reinforces the one main point of the message.

3) Have a main point. Not four, not even two. Don't try to say a lot of things. Try to say one thing in such a way that a kid can repeat it to you afterwards. Repeat yourself without appearing to repeat yourself.

4) Make sure your messages aren't so illustration heavy that they capsize. This happens not because of the percentage of the sermon that is made up of illustrations, but because of the percentage of the illustration that is about itself. Good illustrations aren't about themselves, they're about the point of the message. An illustration is not a destination, it's a tunnel. The entire purpose of the tunnel is to get from one place to another. The entire time you are traveling through the tunnel you are keeping your eyes on that little glimmer of light at the end. The illustration is about getting the kids not just to see that light but to arrive at the place where they are enveloped in it. When you get to the "punch line" of your illustration, make sure that it reinforces the point of your message.

Take this very cliche prop as a very lame example of a good or bad illustration.

Bad illustration:
Show a flashlight, turn it on and off, tell a story about using a flashlight. Then say "Today we are going to talk about being a light." Transition into a message on being light.

Good illustration:
Show a flashlight, turn it on and off then try to turn it on again and fail to turn it on, blaming it on bad batteries. Then say "If you want light, you gotta have batteries." Transition into a message on how God's word powers our light.

See the difference? The tie-in is key. In the second illustration I didn't say "we are going to talk about..." The kids don't want you to narrate the talk, just talk. If you have to explain that you are transitioning, that's a pretty good indication that you haven't thought through your transition fully enough.

5) Shut up and communicate. It's true that on occasion you can keep a kid's attention for 25 minutes, maybe even 40. But even in those cases, the kid will only remember about 10-15 minutes of that message. So why hit them with 40? Why hit them with 25? Give a kid a well-crafted 12-15 minute message, and it will do more good than even the best 40 minutes you could ever write for them.

6) Sit still. There is nothing more obtrusive to a kid sermon than flipping through a Bible. Choose a text and let that text say what it says. Even if you can't resist the temptation to hop on your pogo ball and bounce all over the Bible, do it alone by quoting. If you are convinced that you really must skip all over the bible, put some money where your mouth is and memorize all the texts you use outside your main passage. What? I thought you said it was important...?Don't drag the kids all over the place. Let them sit in a text and show them how you are getting your point from what they are reading.

7) Do not water down your message. A kid can understand anything you can communicate. The understanding of a kid is limited only by the clarity of the communicator. A kid can get his mind around anything you can get yours around. The real question is not whether a kid is able to understand but whether the communicator has taken the time to understand fully. Don't dumb down the message, just smooth it out. Complex truths fill kids with a sense of wonder. Even if they don't fully understand the intricacies of a doctrine, they can enjoy the fact that there are intricacies that lie beyond their understanding. Take the time to travel for yourself into the heart of a text and understand it in all its simplicity and all its mystery. Then communicate it clearly. If you can do that, the kids will understand.

This is a verbose blog on becoming less verbose. Thankfully I am talking to grownups and not kids in this case. Remember all of this is accomplished progressively not instantly. Be willing to implement it over time. You'll mess it up at first, but sometimes you have to get worse before you can get better. Most importantly, give yourself the freedom to fail. You'll be glad you did. Think about it.