CHURCH REPORT: JULY 25, 2021: Special VBS Edition!

 Disclaimer (because someone will say something): although I am actively involved in my church, all opinions and observations are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the leadership, staff, or congregation.

CHURCH REPORT FOR JULY 25, 2021

I'm back with a double-header! Not only a report on our Sunday services (said report sadly absent for the last few weeks, due to the proverbial circumstances beyond my control), but also a brief summation of what happened the week before at the annual Vacation Bible School.

Sunday Morning:

I'm always thankful for the Sunday Morning Adult Bible Study. About a dozen folks gathering together to plunge into the book of Romans chapter by chapter, section by section, (verse by verse, word by word, etc.). We've been unraveling chapter 7 and made it all the way to verse 10. We had some folks traveling and others back. Such is the nature of summer.

Pastor Dick was preaching today from Daniel 4 with a message entitled "God Rules." He emphasized the fact that God's sovereignty is the theme of David. King Nebuchadnezzar certainly found that out, as he was transformed into a wild beast. In the end, God's dominion is an everlasting dominion. God is in control.

Following the service as a prayer meeting in order to lift up the search process for a new pastor. I was unable to stay, but I understand it was a blessing. My own prayer is not only for wisdom for the search, but also for how the process is carried out, that there be no misunderstandings or procedural arguments.

Vacation Bible School:

August 19-23 was incredible. Our theme was Treasured (a Group Publishing curriculum). My friend Kim directed the program. As per usual, she unleashed the kids to sing some great, uplifting songs during the opening and closing. I admire her obvious love for the children and her ability to pull together all the elements. She helped me on several VBSs when I was doing children's ministries so I appreciate what she brings to the VBS table.

My primary "job" was doing the Bible story. I did some adapting each night as what was written in the curriculum book would not have worked in our situation. Brenda helped me primarily with picture taking a moral support. A few discipline problems here and there, but overall some good groups. Some of the major and minor highlights of the week:

• When describing the qualities of a king, one 7 or 8 year old said the king should be "devastatingly handsome." A kid with a vocabulary like that will go far!
• I used a puppet to play "David." His headband fell off, so I had to ad-lib a line. It worked so well that when the headband fell off in the other sessions, I just used the same line (puppets are so temperamental!)
• One of the kids gave me and some other leaders a beautiful blue polished stone.
• Another girl approached me during transition times and asked some very insightful Biblical questions. 
• There was a medical emergency on one night. There also just so happened to be a nurse and a paramedic in the building that night. What a "coincidence," huh? (sorry, being a touch sarcastic).
• Pastor Dick sat in one of our sessions. It's always great to see him at these things.
• Thursday night is gospel night. The salvation message is emphasized in a special way. 34 kids raised their hands to profess faith in Christ! (notice that I use the phrase "profession of faith." That's because kids don't always raise their hands because of trusting Christ. But God knows their hearts, even if all we can see is their profession. One of these days, I'll write more about this).
• Ice cream social for volunteers after Friday's final session. Yum.

As I write this, Kim is starting preparation for Kids Camp, which is coming up this weekend. I'm not involved in that, but to shift from VBS to Kids Camp in less than a week is a Solomonic/Samsonitic feat (I'm pretty sure I made up those words), so I'm praying for Kim and her team.

And that was the double-header of our Sunday...and our week. So how was your church service this weekend? And if you've had a Vacation Bible School program, how did it go? Let me know in the comments.

 

BIG BLUNDERS

When I was a Children's Pastor, actively involved in the wonderful, wacky world of kidmin, I was pleased with what we got to do week after week. I rejoiced in the victories and accomplishments, knowing that it is from the Lord, who used an incredible team of volunteers to help minister to the children in our church. When we had a win, it was most definitely of God and surely an "us" moment.

And if something "tanked" or "went south," well, that was all me.

But contrary to popular belief, even failures can be a measure of success, because it is in those failures that we learn. So it is in that spirit of education that I present three of my greatest blunders in kidmin. Word of warning: these are not all the "ha-ha, lol blooper"kind of  blunders, but examples of poor planning, bad decisions, or maybe even pig-headed stubbornness that led to a less than ideal outcome.

1. And the winner is. . . 
It was uniform inspection night and I needed to select the Awana kid with the best uniform, the one with all the awards in the right place. I don't remember how many contenders there were, but there were three or four who excelled. Every leader in the place knew that Bobby was the clear winner. Their eyes shifted toward Bobby. Bobby smiled self-consciously.

I picked Kyle.

At the time, I justified my selection in that Kyle was a bright kid who tried really hard every week and probably needed the encouragement. But it was my wife who summed up what was on everyone's mind: "Did you see the look on Bobby's face?"

Yeah. Without intending to, I crushed Bobby's spirit that night. While my motivation may have been good, I really needed to find a different way of expressing encouragement to someone without downplaying the clear achievements of another.

2. New Year's rush.
The first Sunday of the New Year was coming up and I had the bright idea to give the congregation a taste of the fun music we do on Sunday morning. So I asked, begged, pleaded, and cajoled the powers that be to let our Children's Church kids do a couple of songs during the Morning Worship Service. Great way to start the new year, right?

So the week before our "performance," I told the kids what we were doing. We sang our songs just like we always did, and I reminded our children that we would be doing this for our parents next week.  I looked forward to sharing this incredible blessing with our church.

But what I know now, and really, what I've always known, but somehow ignored, was that singing in children's church was far different than "performing" in adult church. Running through our songs the week before did not constitute "rehearsal." In my haste and zeal to showcase our children, I left out the three most important ingredients of a great performance: practice, practice, practice.

The results were squirm-worthy. Most of the kids stood frozen, their eyes glazed, their voices soft or silent, and their arms unable to do the motions that I and another leader were valiantly trying to coach.It was all very awkward. The audience politely applauded, but absent was the enthusiasm for what was normally a very fun, very active children's program. I mumbled something about how stage fright could often take over with kids.  But while stage fright was no doubt part of it, the failure mostly came  from my desire to rush into our first service of the New Year without taking the time to prepare the kids and help them practice.

3. A good idea at the time.
Speaking of public performances, it is not always acknowledged that programs involving kids also involve leaders. One year, as I was planning the end-of-year calendar, I was faced with three programs: our church daycare annual Christmas program, our annual children's ministry Christmas program, and the annual Live Nativity, which was sponsored by a community organization, but staged by our church. Many of our leaders were involved in all three, so I got to thinking: wouldn't it be nice to get all of this out of the way so our leaders could have most of December to relax, have time with family and friends, and not have to worry about planning and preparing and performing? So I picked the first extended weekend in December to launch our programs. Thursday would be the Day Care  Christmas program, Friday, the Live Nativity, and Sunday, Children's Ministries program. I did it for the leaders, we would get all our programs out of the way at the first of the month, leading to a care free December.

Yes, well. . . .

The Day Care and Children's Ministry programs, of course, required rehearsal (see lesson #2 above). So it took some creative scheduling to get kids and leaders into the building often enough to practice. That didn't include coming up with costuming, props, and sets for two different events

As for the Live Nativity, it didn't take as much rehearsal (it was a procession through the town and ending at the church, with no speaking role except for the narrator), but there still had to be a certain amount of coordinating shepherds, wise men, and angels, many of whom were also kidmin leaders who were quite busy with the other two programs.

To this day, the weekend is remembered with a fuzzy haze. The kids did fine (even though some of them had more than one program), but as we progressed through the weekend, the adults seemed to proportionately drag. Being outside in the cold for the Live Nativity triggered more than a few sniffles by the time Sunday night rolled around.

Having three programs almost back to back was a big investment of time, effort, creativity, and "oomph." And a word of commendation: our kidmin leaders stepped up and excelled! But as the "leader," I should have known better. Children's pastors should minister to the leaders as well. I failed to look out for the health and well being of the men and women who served so faithfully. Not only that, but parents of kids who were in multiple performances not only had multiple commitments at church, but they had school programs as well.  By grouping three events close together, nobody had a chance to catch their breath.

There are no doubt more foul-ups throughout the 15 years I served as a Children's Pastor. I did not always make the best or wisest choices and sometimes I charged forward with an idea that really needed more refinement or wise counsel. The mistakes were there, but they carried with them important lessons that made our victories and accomplishments that much sweeter.

Did you have any notable blunders in your children's ministry? What did you learn? Respond in the comments below.

HISTORIC BUILDINGS, HISTORIC MINISTRIES, AND RIVER ROCK

(the following post was written late at night and is more personal than most. Fair warning.)

Today was a big day for our church. A historic section of the church building was torn down in spectacular fashion by some heavy equipment. More on this later. . .

One of the ministries to children at our church is "Bible Story Time." This is based on the "release time" state law that allows elementary children (with parental permission) to be dismissed from class in order to participate in "religious instruction." In our case, a group of walkers goes over to the elementary school up the street, collects nearly 100 children, and escorts them to the church,where they sing and hear a Bible lesson. Then they are walked back to school.

We've been doing this for 60 plus years!

Today at Bible Story Time, our story teller did Joshua 4. If you are familiar with the Bible, chapter 3 is where Joshua, the new, dynamic leader of the next generation of Israelites, leads the people across the Jordan River, into the Promised Land.  It had to have been a time of mixed emotions. The previous generation, along with their leader Moses, was dead. With anticipation and excitement and courage and maybe a little apprehension and fear, the children of Israel were ready to take the land. Joshua sticks his big toe in the river, the river miraculously stops flowing, and the people march across while the priests hold the Ark of the Covenant in the middle. And then things get interesting. . .
As chapter 4 begins and before the priests can move, Joshua says, "One more thing: Each tribe needs to go back and get a river rock." So while the priests are standing there, holding this ark (I can imagine what's going on in their minds!), a representative from each tribe goes back to the middle of the dried up Jordan, picks a big rock, and carries it back to shore. They take these rocks and build an memorial to the Lord, so that succeeding generations will be taught how God helped the Israelites get across the river).

The river rocks would serve as a reminder to the future generations about God's faithfulness to the previous ones. 

Now about our building demo. . .

It only took two hours for the old office wing to be knocked down. The original church building was built in 1906 and some time in the next 35 years, the office wing was added (we're still researching the date). We will be building a new sanctuary in the coming months (a project called ARISE. . . and how God brought all this about is a story for another time!), which meant the old office wing had to be come down. It's exciting, but for some, it's also sobering and sad and bittersweet. The previous generations had built and faithfully served in this section of the building. A lot of memories rose to the surface, even as sections of roof, timber, and rock crashed to the ground. Two hours and this historic wing lay in a heap of rubble. The rest of the day was spent hauling the debris away.

And then, things get interesting again. . .

With the empty basement staring up like a drained swimming pool, our pastor noticed that he could see portions of the old foundation for the church building. And what was the main material in that foundation?

River rocks!

I speak to my dear friends and church family at EPCBC, but also to anyone who might be struggling with crossing the Jordan, fearing the previous generations might be left behind:  Don't forget the river rocks!  The river rocks aren't there to stop the new generation from moving ahead, but to provide a base upon which to march forward. We honor those who have gone before and we will look at the river rocks with fond memories of God's faithfulness to us and to our local church. And we will go forward. Just like the new generation of God's children. Just like Bible Story Time for over half a century. And just like EPCBC.

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USING WORSHIP DVDS FROM ONE WHO IS MUSICALLY CHALLENGED

I recently heard about a church official who had strong opinions about children's praise and worship DVDs. Upon hearing that one of the music leaders was looking to add to the children's department's DVD music collection, he said, "I thought we determined that DVDs were no longer allowed. It's just another video that the kids sit in front of." He promised to talk to the music leader and put his foot down, so to speak. In this official's mind, DVDs (and other media based items) constituted "passive entertainment" and were not worthy of the goals of Christian education.

And I agree: DVDs and other forms of media are, indeed, passive entertainment . . . if used passively!

The fact is, many churches do not have a band, musicians, and song leaders that can effectively do live contemporary children's praise and worship. I don't have enough technical knowledge to tell you what distinguishes modern kids praise music from adult or even teen music, but there is a difference! And so several companies have attempted to bridge the gap with music videos that have music, words, and even motions. It's like bringing in a band to help lead your music.

But music DVDs are a tool . . . and like most tools, they have to be used properly. If you stick in a DVD and tiredly expect the kids to sing along, you will likely get tired results. But even the musically challenged among us can get good results using the tools in the right way. I am not a singer and I probably lack certain motor skills to do complicated choreography (although I've got a little game). But in my years in kidmin, I've learned some principles in working with DVDs.

• Look at the kids, not the screen. There are two reasons for this. One, it keeps you from having to contort your back and neck to look over at the screen for the lyrics, and second, with your attention on the kids, you can pick up those subtle signals that every children's leader needs (like the two fifth graders who are sitting in the corner with their arms crossed).
• Interact with and use the music. By knowing the music and words of the DVD, you can interject prompts ("a little louder now!") at the right spots, or take advantage of longer musical gaps to insert a quick devotional thought ("and Jesus loves you too and you can love one another, so let's sing it together..").
• Move it, move it #1. Clap your hands, try the moves, shuffle back and forth . . . do something! If you can't pull off all the moves, try to do the major ones. You may not be able to get those fifth graders moving, but you can virtually guarantee they won't move if you won't move.
• Move it, move it #2. Recruit some kids to help with the moves. Be on the lookout for the children who are into the music and motions and bring them up to help. Kids love seeing other kids in action. You can even try bringing the two fifth graders up and ask if they would be willing to help lead songs (they might just surprise you with their enthusiasm).
• Transition smoothly. Try to eliminate that awkward time when you are switching songs. Have something happening while your sound guy makes the switch. Or if you are your own sound guy, designate someone to do an announcement while you work controls. Better yet, have all your songs lined up and ready to go in a "mix." One of the more recent innovations is the availability of songs on MP3, where they can be mixed and lined up seamlessly on a computer, which sure beats cuing up VHS tapes (yes, I am that old).
• Put the songs in context. Relate the songs to the lesson or theme when possible. And that requires advance preparation, not just loading a DVD in the player that morning.

Sure, live music is best. You can do things with live musicians, song leaders, and a praise team that you can't do with a DVD. Even a talented, on-fire guy with a guitar can get a group of kids going in ways that electronic media cannot. But if you don't have those things, children's praise and worship DVDs can be just the tool you need.


Does your church used contemporary children's worship DVDs or other media, or is your music live? What resources do you use? Feel free to respond in the comments below.

SEVEN TIPS TO FILL THE RUTS IN YOUR CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

Frowny kids? Stressed-out volunteers? Directional anxiety?

Have we got a solution for you!  These seven things are absolutely guaranteed to transform your children's ministry from grump to up!

Okay, not quite. Like any anything involving children, there is a host of factors involved. And the reality of ministry is that sometimes you can do everything right and still get bad results.

But if you need a little injection of "different" and "happy" in your weekly routine, or you just want to take the edge off some ruts that you're in, these are good things to start with.

1.  Smile. A lot!
One of the first things that vanishes when we're rushing around trying to get things done is our smile. Kids respond to smiles, adults respond to smiles, and even you will respond to your own smile (don't believe me? Look in the mirror and make the silliest grin you can and see if your mood doesn't improve.).

2.  Take the time to hang out with parents.
Politicians affectionately call what they do "grip and grin." Why do they do it? Because the few moments they spend shaking hands and engaging in a few moments of conversation makes a big impression. So too, it pays to connect with the parents. If your church has a foyer where people mingle before and after the service, go visit there. Take advantage of fellowship opportunities with other grown ups.  Make a connection.

3.  Do a funny voice.
Seriously, do it. While you're teaching the lesson, suddenly deepen your voice. Or make it higher. Or strange. Or break out into Minionese.  Kids love the unexpected.

4.  Educate yourself.
I'm not just talking about self-development resources, such as books, magazines, articles, and conferences.  I'm talking about educating yourself in what kids are involved in. In point #3 above, I mentioned speaking "Minionese". If you have no clue what a Minion is, then it's time to get on Google (or ask the kids!).  I remember a little girl coming in with a lunch box featuring the Power Puff Girls. I asked her what her favorite Girl was: Blossom, Bubbles, or Buttercup? Her eyes grew wide and she looked up at her mom and said, "He knows who they are!" Even just knowing the name of someone on the child's t-shirt will set you apart from most of the grown-ups.

5. Turn distractions to opportunities.
One of the kids brought an action figure to church. As he played with it during the lesson, it became more and more of a distraction. I could have confiscated the figure and warned him never ever to bring it again or else. Instead, I asked if I could borrow it to help teach the lesson. The boy hesitated for a second, then handed over the toy. I incorporated it into the lesson and the kids seemed to be paying more attention (maybe to see if I would keep it). But I learned that sometimes, distractions can be springboards to better opportunities. When the little girl wants to sing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" in worship time, it's a great opening to talk about the Creator of the stars. Restless older kids can be transformed into helpers. Tune in to the vibe of the kids and see if there might be ways to channel their distractions into opportunities for greater ministry.

6.  Always, always, always lift up the team.
Whenever you have opportunity, encourage your volunteers. Compliment them, thank them, pray for them. And if you don't have opportunities to do this, then make the opportunity. No matter what your level of leadership in your children's department, you don't do it alone. Consistent affirmation of volunteers translates into joyful energy in the overall ministry.

7.  Take your children's service seriously.
 Don't ever justify a half-way effort by saying, "It's just for kids." Plan, prepare, pray over each and every Sunday or mid-week service. It doesn't mean you can't be flexible, but it does mean that children's ministry deserves the same quality and attention to detail that the adult service does. Kids are important, so it's important to treat them that way.

What things do you do to add a little fun, energy, and positive vibe into your children's ministry? Please share in the comments below.

WHY SHOULD YOU GO TO A CONFERENCE?

Over the years, I have read many articles about revitalizing your ministry.  And among the principles listed is this one sage piece of advice: attend conferences.

I wholeheartedly affirm this.  If you have an opportunity to attend a local children's ministry conference, by all means go.  If you have an opportunity to attend a larger conference outside your area, do it.  And if you have the chance to go to one of the humongous national conferences (like the Children's Pastors' Conference), you will not regret it. Getting together with people outside your current ministry and learning from experts will only help and challenge you...and maybe even change your whole life and ministry.

That's what happened to me.

It was the late 90's. I didn't know what CPC was.  I was an unpaid children's pastor (the leadership didn't even call it that at first) and I was at the end of my proverbial rope. Although I have had other times in my ministry when I felt like quitting, this particular time was one of the darker times I remember. I didn't sense the leadership had any kind of vision for children's ministries.  I was having a hard time getting volunteers. I was under stress, lonely, and feeling like I had exhausted my internal resources and getting no results.

Every year, we took a group to our local children's ministry network conference. It was a one day session, with workshops and a few vendor tables, and usually a nationally known speaker.  I always got a lot out of these conferences.  But this particular one was different.  After the conference ended, I planned to hand in my resignation.

I don't remember who was leading our worship time.  But one of the songs he delivered was "I Am Child" by Mr. J.  I had never heard of Mr. J, but this song hit me hard.  It talked about something I had always known, but maybe never comprehended; namely, that children have the same power of the King in them as do adults.  I listened....and gulped...and fought back tears. The ministry to children was more than just the children's program at the church...it was vitally, deeply, eternally important!

And then came the keynote speaker. I won't tell you who it was (msg me if you really want to know), but even though I had heard other speakers through the years, this one approached children's ministry like it was not only the most important ministry in the world, but the most fun.  I laughed, I cried, I scribbled notes, and felt I couldn't breathe.  This man was articulating all the reasons I enjoyed children's ministries, plus all the ways that children's ministry could be so much more than a Sunday morning program.

I didn't resign.  Instead, God used that conference to rip into my being and pull out a fire for children's ministry.

I've had other low times.  I've also been to other conferences, including CPC (don't get me started...if you can, you have to go!). I'm no longer the children's pastor (another long post), but the Lord has allowed me to teach some children's ministry workshops.  And to think I almost walked away from one of the greatest adventures of all.

Why do I think you ought to go to conferences?  Because our God can use it to provide the turning point in your ministry. 

That's what happened to me.


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WHAT TO DO WHEN LEADERSHIP DOESN'T BACK YOU

The category is Hard Lessons to Learn.  The final answer is, "Without this element, your children's ministry will likely go downhill."

What is, "The Support and Backing of the Church Leadership."

It's true.  You can attend all the classes and conferences to learn all the latest techniques, you can have a blast with the kids, you can be well loved and well admired by parents, and you can have the best, most dazzling program that the church has ever seen.  But if the elders, deacons, pastoral staff, or other governing body isn't behind the work, you will face a tough road.

When you sense that maybe you are not getting the support of the church leadership, what can you do?  Here are a few suggestions:

1.  Be the best.  It's tempting when you learn that the board doesn't back you to respond by cutting back your efforts.  Don't.  Your job is to glorify God and reach kids and that requires our very best, no matter who notices, doesn't notice, or even works against it.

2.  Make sure your program lines up with the church's mission.  It's important that your pastor and leaders know that the children's department is a vital part of the church, not a competitor.

3.  Share the wins with the leadership.  A testimony of how little Toby trusted Jesus in Sunday School, or how five pre-teens expressed interest in the mission field will often encourage the board as the vitality of the work.

4.  Meet regularly with your pastor. Make it a part of your schedule. If you can turn your pastor into a raving fan, he can become the biggest cheerleader before the board.

5.  Be willing to change. Read between the lines of the comments and mine the beneficial nuggets that will help propel your ministry further.

6.  Ask.  The apparent lack of support could be a matter of misunderstanding or lack of communication.  You may just have to lay your concerns before the board and trust for a turnaround.

7.  Be prepared for rejection.  Sometimes, a lack of support is just that: the board doesn't support you. It could be driven by church politics or marketing, or it could be a lack of understanding about what children's ministries is all about.  Sometimes you can't do anything.  It may be that the Lord is directing you into another area of ministry at your church or another church.  Be ready.

Above all, throughout all, pray.  Keep your eyes on Jesus.  Sometimes it sounds trite, especially when you hear the whisperings from the leadership about what you're doing.  But the Lord's peace will embrace you through the difficult decisions.

Lack of support from the church leadership is a hard lesson to figure out.  But even when your ministry appears to be in jeopardy, you can always lean on the Lord as you go through the storm.
    

PREPARATION TIPS FOR YOUR LESSONS

It's that time again.  You've received your copy of the teacher's manual.  There is the passage of Scripture and several pages of teaching notes, object lessons, life application stories, and maybe a craft or two.  What do you do next?

Sadly, there are teachers who pick up "easy to prepare" lesson manuals and read them over on Saturday night during commercials.  After all, it's all laid out so the teacher doesn't have to "do" anything, right? I once observed a teacher reading the lesson right out of the teacher's book! She only paused long enough to pick up the prop that the book indicated (at least she didn't actually read the words, "pick up prop").

 There is a lot of hard work and preparation that goes into writing these manuals and I appreciate the role they play in children's ministries. But it has been my observation that some teachers are intent on "teaching the curriculum" instead of actually teaching the Bible. I believe if the publisher's lesson is the sum total of preparation and presentation, it is actually shortchanging the kids in the class.

Assuming you've picked up the lesson guide in plenty of time to prepare, what is a good way to approach the upcoming lesson, to take advantage of the work of the experts, but not rely on that work as the final answer on how you do your class? Here are some steps that may help:

• Read your lesson book through once, making note of the main passage of Scripture
• Read the main passage of Scripture repeatedly in different translations. If it is only a verse or two, read the verses surrounding it to get the context.  This allows you to be comfortable and knowledgeable about what the passage says.
• Seek to understand what the passage means and how it connects to the whole of Scripture.  There is a plethora of commentaries, study guides, printed, audio, and video sermons available to aid you in your study.
• Ask yourself the point of the passage for your life today. Does the passage command something, give you an example to follow (or avoid), or teach you an attitude to emulate?
• If you had no other resources, how would you present this passage to the children in your class?
• Open your lesson book and see how the publisher does it.  Go over it until the lesson is not only familiar to  you, but actually "fits" the personality of your class.
• And then, if possible, leave your teacher's manual at home! Nothing brings more energy to a classroom than the teacher directly interacting with the students instead of reading them a lesson.  The only book you should actually be reading from is the Bible.

I'm not suggesting you have to be a Bible scholar, conjugating Greek verbs and looking up comments from the anti-Nicene fathers.  Nor am I suggesting reinventing the proverbial wheel: if the manual has a great illustration, activity, or turn-of-phrase, by all means use it.  But in the end, remember, you are not teaching a curriculum, you are teaching the Scripture.  The lesson guide is a tool to help you do it.

What kind of methods do you use to prepare your lessons? I'd love to hear your ideas in the comments section.

THREE THINGS WHILE I WAIT

One question I'm often asked is, "What have you been doing with yourself, now that you're not longer in children's ministries?" That's an excellent question. Of course, I'm still busy. I do a lot of "behind-the-scenes" work in the church office. I still fill the pulpit at my church and in other churches. I even occasionally lend a hand with a local child care center.
     But there are three things that summarize what I've been doing while I'm waiting for the next phase, level, assignment, or calling.

1. Resting
     I never realized how much of my mind and body went into children's ministry until I wasn't doing it anymore. It's not that the work was bad or anything.  Like a lot of folks in kidmin, I thrived on it. The first Saturday after my resignation took effect, I kept thinking I needed to finish up the music mix and power point presentation for Sunday morning. But reality hit and I realized I had nothing to do for the first time in many years.
     Since then, I've learned to enjoy the rest. My mind is free to concentrate on other things. When the worship service is over, I can leave and go home instead of staying an extra hour for take down. If I'm sick or not feeling well, I can stay home and rest. It took a while, but my mind doesn't drift to "the back room" during the service anymore. It's very liberating.

2. Re-equipping
     Just because I'm physically out of kidmin doesn't mean I'm done with kidmin.  I don't know what the Lord has planned for me in the future, but I still have a heart for children's ministry and, therefore, I want to stay sharp. I'm continuing to read the literature, explore the websites, and listen to the recordings of dozens of children's ministry experts. I made a list of all the workshops and seminars I've attended over the years and have started to review the notes I took.
     When I worked at a child care center, we were mandated to have 15 hours of continuing education each year. In a way, my current regimen of review serves as continuing education in the world of children's ministry, training me for whatever the next phase will be.

3.  Re-inventing.
     I've always been a student at heart, but during this current season, I'm taking it to the next level. Finances and time are always problematic, but I have always wanted to return to school and finish some advanced degrees. I'm not sure when that will happen, but I'm on the lookout for some good extension programs that will allow me to do most of the courses on line.
     But in the meantime, since I've been out of a formal classroom for awhile, I've created my own course of study, utilizing text books, online lectures, and syllabi.  The purpose is to discipline myself to regular, systematic study for when the door opens to a more formal program.  There are no tests, of course, and I'm moving at my own pace, but it's amazingly stretching to sit and take organized notes on a two hour lecture (okay, no smirking comments from you doctoral students!)

If you find yourself in a transition period, an interim time, a "between seasons" phase, then take advantage of the change to re-charge your soul, mind, and body, so that whatever the next level is, you'll be ready.

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PRINCIPLES FOR PURSUING THE DREAM

A short time ago, I had the privilege of speaking at my church's morning worship service about dreams. It wasn't about the esoteric, subconscious, whimsical kind of dream, but rather the kind of dreaming related to goals and desires. As often happens, I felt there was a lot more that could be said on the subject than I was able to share.

A couple of years ago, I was forced to resign as children's pastor (after 15 years).  It was nothing of a moral nature, nothing scandalous, just a matter of politics and marketing. Since children's ministry was such a huge part of my life for so long, I suddenly found myself in a time of transition between what I knew and the great unknown.  I believe God used that to steer me toward the message about dreams.

As I thought further, I came up with three totally random principles that I'd like to share. I'm sure there are more (and for the benefit of those of you in management, motivation, or career building fields, I'm well aware that there is a strict technical difference among dreams, vision, goals, and so on.  I'm sort of lumping everything together in this post and I'll leave it to you to fine tune the definitions).

1.  Seek counsel that will help you, not discourage you. Surround yourself with people who will be your biggest cheerleaders and supporters.  Now here's the caveat: wise counsel can and should let you know if you're not ready, not able, or not suited to a task or ministry. But there is a difference between the critic who doesn't "get it" and thinks it's his duty to let you know that he doesn't think you're the man or woman for the job and the wise counselor who will help you define, refine, and adjust your dreams and goals.
(if you are in children's ministry, you might invest in some "coaching" services, such as Kidology, Jim Wideman, and others).

2.  Surprise people with the best.  Remember Susan Boyle? She had a dream to perform on stage and got her chance on Britain's Got Talent. The judges rolled their eyes and the audience snickered...until Ms. Boyle sang. Jaws dropped and eyes widened as this powerful and beautiful voice rang out. Go to YouTube and search for "emotional" or "surprising" auditions for shows like America's Got Talent, X-Factor, or the Voice (make sure you grab some tissues!). What these videos have in common is the total shock and amazement of the judges and audience when the least likely candidate nails a performance.
   In like fashion, we should always put our best proverbial foot forward in everything we do, especially matters pertaining to our goals, aspirations, and dreams. Go beyond what is expected and do the unexpected. Polish that presentation, dress a notch above the standard dress code, make sure all the elements of your lesson are ready and in place, practice and refine that song. And when your best comes out, the observers will be amazed.

3.  Patience and flexibility go together. One of the most profound sayings in pursuing our objectives is this gem: "Lather, rinse, repeat."  Actually, it came from a shampoo bottle, but think of the implications.  If you work up the suds as you follow your dreams and desires, but somewhere along the way, you get knocked off course, what do you do? For me, it was (and still is) a time of evaluation, re-equipping, and enrichment.  It's a "rinsing" time.  Maybe the Lord wants me back in a different children's ministry.  Maybe He wants me to return to a broader teaching ministry. And maybe He just wants me to write books and articles.  At this point, I am patiently waiting until time to "lather" again.
   By the way, do not confuse waiting with idleness. Sitting around doing nothing is a dream killer. Read, study, take a course, keep your mind active with a hobby, and keep your eyes open for new opportunities.

What would you add to the list?  I would love to hear your feedback and comments.

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DOES LOW PREP MEAN NO PREP?

Low prep!     Easy prep!     No prep!

There are many curriculum companies that advertise the absolute easiest in lesson presentation.  And there is an appeal to the increasingly busy volunteer base that is consumed each week with work and school and extra-curricular activities. Who wouldn't want something that doesn't require extra time out of an already packed schedule?

But I fear the whole low/easy/no prep movement is missing some fundamental points. This isn't necessarily the fault of the curriculum companies, but rather the interpretation and expectation of the consumers. Let's take a look at these (warning: major ranting ahead!):

1. Curriculum has always been easy to transfer and present.  At the whopping age of 17, I was asked to teach a 5th grade Sunday School class. The kind lady in charge handed me a packet of curriculum from a major publisher.  You know what was in it? Colorful posters to illustrate and enhance the lesson, handout materials so the kids can read and apply stuff through the week, worksheets to do with the kids, and a teacher's manual that presented the lesson word for word. If I had only been given this material fifteen minutes before class, I could have read the lesson out of the manual, pausing at the appropriately indicated times to show the poster or have the kids fill in the blanks.  Easy prep is nothing new. Even today, most published curriculum lays out everything or even puts it all on a dvd, so all a teacher has to do is press "play."

2. Somebody had to prepare the "low prep" curriculum. Somebody had to do the study and research in order to create the lesson plan and content. Some places even "field test" their curriculum in order to iron out the bugs. A lot of hard work goes into creating curriculum, because the message is important. And the fact that we are communicating this message to children makes it even more so.

And that leads us to the key missing point...

3.  Low/easy/no prep curriculum requires prep! This may not be popular, but I believe that a volunteer who gets the teacher's book should open their manual, turn to the lesson, note the Scripture passage, close the manual, and spend some time in pure study of the passage before returning the teacher book. They should be thinking of how the lesson fits in the flow of the series, the individual needs of the kids in their class, and maybe even how to do the lesson better than the teacher's manual explains it. In short, the wise teacher needs to prepare, not just "look over" the lesson.

Now let the record show that I am not against "low prep" stuff in general.  I'm sure most children's workers have had to "wing it" with the teacher's manual once in a while. Low prep curriculum can help simplify concepts and lay out creative strategies for presenting the lesson.  Many outfits include video segments to help reinforce the lesson being taught. I'm all in favor of making volunteer's lives easier as much as possible.

But I have seen far too many volunteers say, "I love this curriculum, because I don't have to do anything to get ready for Sunday."  I've watched the "teacher of the week" get his or her materials on Friday during lunch hour so they would be ready on Sunday. And I know a certain percentage of teachers look over the teacher's manual during commercials on Saturday night. It costs the teacher NOTHING and the kids get shortchanged. Most pastors I know (including my own) spend hours prayerfully laboring  over the text and how to present it to their adult congregations. Yet the most important congregation of all gets the time it takes to read over the lesson manual on Saturday night (or in the car on Sunday morning!).

How much time is enough time for preparation?  That may be the subject of another post, but for me, I ask myself, "if my low/easy/no prep curriculum got lost in a fire, could I still do the lesson on Sunday?" And maybe a more fundamental question is, "Are the kids worth what is most convenient to me or are they worth my very best?"

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this subject in the comments below.

Related post: Easy to Use and Transfer?

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HOW TO TURN YOUR CP INTO A RAVING FAN

If you look within the various conferences, books, and blogs about children's ministries, you will eventually come across a piece about getting along with the pastor and church leadership. Workshops and articles with titles like "Getting the Support of Your Church Board" and "How to Turn Your Pastor Into a Raving Fan" dot the landscape of notebooks and podcasts. These are great lessons, because they demonstrate that the children's ministry leader is ultimately part of the larger church ministry and not some rogue operation on the fringes of Sunday morning.

But there are times when church leadership does indeed regard children's ministry as an "outside" work. It's not necessarily deliberate, but there is a sheer lack of knowledge and understanding about what goes on in "the other part of the church." Sometimes, a disgruntled parent comes in with a complaint and the pastor or board, assuming the gripe is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg, deal harshly with the kidmin leader. Or maybe there is just a general lack of response, a benign nod of the head and smile as the children's pastor tells the head elder about how the kids really liked the puppet presentation and slime craft last week.

The following are five suggestions for senior pastors and/or ruling boards on how to support your children's pastor.  Maybe we could even call it, "How to Turn Your Children's Pastor Into a Raving Fan."

• Learn what is going on in your children's department. What are the programs, curriculum, songs, and so on. Who are the volunteers? How is the program structured. If you are a senior pastor, maybe you can get a speaker for a Sunday in order for you to "hang out" with the kids to watch, observe, and take notes (you may even be pressed into service!)
• Find out why these things are done. It's not enough to merely observe the elements of children's church or Sunday School, the wise leader will find out why these elements are the way they are. One of the biggest gaps adults have in understanding children's ministry is the fact that children's ministry is framed in the culture of kids. It does no good to criticize bright colors, silly song motions, and goofy puppets by adult standards. So it is important to ask why the music is the way it is, why do we arrange classes in that fashion, why do we put the teaching in that spot in the service, and so on.
• Help the children's leadership in meeting the vision of the church. Submitting to the church's mission and vision is practically part of Children's Ministry Leadership 101, yet in some churches, pastors and church boards are not always forthcoming in helping the kidmin in lining up. Take your children's pastor out to lunch, listen to how he feels about the church and its ministry, and offer to help him blend his vision into yours.  You might be surprised at how close the two ministries really are.
• Be honest, but kind in evaluations. Legitimate problems need to be addressed in a clear, but gentle way. But while praise is always a good thing, heaping on generalities like "Good job," or "Way to go," while ignoring matters that need to be addressed, end up causing more harm than good. When the problems do come out, the children's ministry leader will feel blindsided.  If you are building a relationship with the kidmin leader (as suggested above), sharing a challenge or difficulty will be much easier.
• Be generously flexible in dealing with difficulties. There are some situations in which the pastor and/or church leadership should swiftly and decisively remove someone from children's ministry leadership: clear immorality, blatant disloyalty to the church, doctrinal deviation, and, of course, harming a child. Most anything less can be worked out amicably. "We don't like the logo on that particular curriculum, so you're fired!" is unnecessarily harsh. On the other hand, saying, "There are some people who are uncomfortable with that logo. What made you decide to do it this way? Is there a way it can be modified to soften the objectionable parts?" preserves the relationship and strengthens the ministry...and the minister.

What advice have you offered to your senior pastor or board?

A GALLERY OF CPC NOTEBOOKS

I've recently been going through all my children's ministry stuff in an attempt to get better organized for my next exciting kidmin adventure. In the process, I've had time to reflect, remember, and smile over the stuff I've gone through. Today, I want to take a look at...CPC Notebooks!

Long time readers of this blog know that I am an unapologetic, raving fan of INCM's Children's Pastors' Conference. I'm sure I can find things to pick apart--and there is a time and place for that--but I still believe it is the largest event of its kind that is dedicated to children's ministry. When I return home and unpack my bag, one of the things I like to pull out and wave in front of my wife is my notebook from the conference.  I'm really like a little kid who says, "Look what I got!" Ooooh.  Aaaah!

Whenever I thumb through these notebooks, my mind replays theme songs, set designs, speakers, and friends.  So here is a gallery of my seven favorite CPC notebooks (and you'll have to wait until the end to find out why I chose these seven).

2003..My first CPC. We used the "Building His Kingdom, Reaching His Kids" theme in our children's ministry for a while afterwards.

2004...I still have the hero puppets!

2007...after a two year absence, I returned.  Cool theme song.

2008....a reminder that it's "all about kids"

2010...instead of a snazzy 3-ring binder, we got a vertical spiral notebook. I confess: I prefer the 3-ring binders. However, it's what's on the inside that counts, content over cover, substance instead of surface, etc. etc.

2011....I can still hear the trumpet fanfare and sounds of Go Fish and Denver and the Mile High Orchestra reminding me that "we do what we do 'cuz we're solid to the core!" (1000 Teacher Tim points to any attendees who can remember what C-O-R-E stands for.  And Michael Chanley is not eligible to enter!)

2012...smaller spiral sporting the new logo (notice "Red"?). This was a bittersweet conference because it occurred after I left a 15 year stint as CP. But I have so many fond memories of people praying for and encouraging me.  One of the many things I love about CPC is the assurance that you're not alone.

 



So why are these my seven favorite notebooks?  Because these are the seven CPC's I've attended!  Yup, the rather simplistic answer to the question, "What is your favorite CPC?" is: "the one I'm at!"  And as the Lord leads and provides, I will be able to add another notebook to the gallery.

AN EARLY EXAMPLE OF LEADERSHIP

I'm really trying not to sound like I'm bragging, but I used to do children's ministries in one of the largest churches in southern California. If I mentioned this church, you would probably recognize it.  I'm fairly certain you've heard of the pastor (both the current one and the one before).

But to put this in some realistic perspective, I was involved with this church as one of hundreds of volunteers. Being a large church, there were many different children's ministries besides Sunday School, and so the volunteer base was quite large.

But here's "the thing": I was treated like the most important member of the volunteer team! When

Yeah, it was a long time ago!

we had our weekly training meeting, our team leader acted as if every single person in the room was a vital part of the ministry. If I was sick or had an unavoidable conflict, I would get a note of encouragement, prayer, and support, as well as a reminder of how crucial my participation was to children's evangelism. And when I finally moved on to other ministry opportunities, the team leader not only expressed how much I'd be missed, but also her sincere congratulations and blessings on my new adventure.

To be honest, at the time, I never contemplated just how significant this was. When I became a regular children's pastor, I also became a student of children's ministry leadership, and I began learning and growing in leadership principles set forth in myriads of  books, blogs, and podcasts. But it was only then did it all dawn on me: This team leader in this huge church was doing effective volunteer management before children's ministries became a "profession" in most churches. She never wrote a book, there was no personal computing back then, and her weekly volunteer newsletter was a hand cut and pasted affair. Yet the things she did could very well be the chapter titles of a popular volunteer leading handbook.

Let's take a quick look:

• She valued each volunteer's input.
• She kept in regular contact with each volunteer.
• She affirmed that each volunteer was an important part of something big (not just a warm body to fill a slot).
• She cast vision.
• She let God direct the volunteers' paths, even if such a leading took them away.

I'm sure there are more principles, but you get the idea. I don't remember her name and I'm not quite sure she would even remember me, but I'm grateful for this children's ministry pioneer who was "doing the stuff" before there were ever websites to lay it all out.

A PRINCIPLE ON KID CULTURE

One of my dim memories from my elementary school days was the Wacky Races fundraiser. The classes competed against each other to raise money for a special project. And there, on the giant bulletin board in the hallway, were several straight racetracks, each one marked with a graduated dollar amount. And on each track was a cartoony race car and driving crew from Hannah-Barbara's hit children's program Wacky Races (sigh, I'm dating myself). The campaign was a hit. Kids got excited as they followed their cars' progress, seeing the characters they knew on Saturday morning come to life in their environment. Even parents and teachers got in the act. I don't remember a lot from my elementary school days, but I remember that fundraising theme, because my mom came up with it.

I don't know what her exact role was on the committee, but I do remember her asking me once what my friends and I liked watching on Saturday mornings. And one of the hit shows at the time was Wacky Races, featuring an around-the-world competition among several colorful cartoon characters. So she bought a few Wacky Races coloring books and carefully colored and cut out each car and crew. Making the tracks was easy and before you could say, "start your engines," the fundraiser was off and running.

Naturally, this was a secular environment, but my mom understood something that seems so basic now to children's ministries: to reach kids, you have to understand a kids' culture. For six days, children are immersed in a maze of pop music, video games, the internet, and, partially thanks to cable, day by day cartoons and other children's programming. Then they go to church and are exposed to grown ups who live in an adult world, walls that appeal to adult aesthetics, and technology that seems dated and drab. This sheer disconnected irrelevance communicates that the safe Jesus is a great part of Sunday mornings, but not ultimately integral to the rest of the week.

There is a lot more to this, of course. We are in the world, but not of the world, after all. But just as a general, broad principle, I believe we need to do what my mom did: ask the kids about their world. Then maybe we need to go out and get a couple of coloring books, video games, or action figures. Log on to some children-oriented sites and watch a little Nickelodeon. It's a cliche' but it's applicable: be a kid at heart!

 

DO ROTATIONS DISTRACT?

Regular readers of this blog know that I'm not a big fan of rotating teachers (if you want to know why, here is a link to the introduction to that series). I'm sure there are circumstances in which rotation works well (and I'd be happy to examine each one), but overall, I believe the practice of making a schedule and having a different teacher each week for the main kid's worship time is actually counter-productive to effective children's ministries.

Aside from the inconsistencies in preparation, presentation, and participation, I think weekly rotations are actually a "distraction from the best." I know a very humble, very godly man who oversees children's ministries in his church. At least twice in the last year, he has expressed the need for "more volunteers." In fact, this last time, he has described it as a "dire need." The problem isn't that they have more kids than ever before. The problem is that children's ministry has been replaced with getting enough volunteers to fill the slots on the schedule. It has grown to the point that the focus is no longer what is best for the kids, but what is best for the volunteers.



Image courtesy of koratmember/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I imagine the process started with the innocent desire to make sure volunteers did not get too burdened with teaching week after week. So they created a schedule with Mrs. Jones teaching the first week, Mr. Smythe doing week two, Miss Looly on week three, and Mr. Grober on week four. That way, each teacher only has to teach once a month. But then Mr. Grober announces that he would rather teach every other month. So we either have to ask one of the other teachers to teach twice, or we need to get another teacher. Miss Looly is willing, but only temporarily until we find someone else. Meanwhile, Mrs. Jones calls on Saturday night to let us know that her family is going on vacation, so we ask Mr. Smythe if he can fill in. He can, but he doesn't really want to do two weeks in a row. We manage to plead and cajole and finally recruit enough volunteers so that nobody has to be stuck with the kids more than once every other month. All our slots are filled and all is well. Until we get a phone call from Mr. Grober....

A weekly rotation sounds like an ideal solution to "spread out the work," but it doesn't take much to derail the schedule. It requires us to recruit two or three times more volunteers than we actually need on a given Sunday, plus it does not guarantee freedom from burn-out. And before long, most of the energy is spent on getting warm bodies and figuring out how to schedule them. Soon, you have a volunteer or even the coordinator herself filling in for two, three, or more Sundays in a row and all they can think about is, "I'm tired of doing this every week. I haven't been in church for the last four weeks!"And, of course, there is the idea that Mr. Grober is here only because no one else wanted to do it that Sunday. That is the best we have to offer our children?

I have a testimony about my journey out of this cycle.  One day I will share it.  But for now, here are a few suggestions:

• Recruit to vision, not to need. Iimagine if children's church was regarded as "real church." Imagine if there were dedicated, sold-out volunteers who look forward to bonding with the kids week after week. Figure out what your ministry is about, what it looks like, and find volunteers that will buy in to that vision.
• Have a dedicated teacher.  Normally, that would be the Children's Pastor or Director, but in any event, find a consistent teacher whose "job" is to prepare and present to the kids each and every week.
• Watch your language. The phrases used in our scenario above are actual quotes from volunteers and leaders: "don't want volunteers over burdened," "stuck with the kids," "haven't been in (real) church for a long time," etc. Don't talk about children's ministry as duty or obligation. "If nobody else comes forward, then (deep sigh) I guess I'll do it" (doesn't that just bless your heart?). Instead, tell the leadership, volunteers, the congregation, and yourself about this great adventure called "children's ministry."

A HALF-DOZEN RECRUITING REMINDERS

When it comes to recruiting, I'm a simple, rather naive kind of guy. I think if a person hears about a need and they have a way to meet that need, they should meet that need. Simple, huh?

For years, I believed a self-imposed lie that I was "lousy" at recruiting. But I found that there are plenty of helps in this area and that, chances are, you are better at recruiting than you think. Let's take a look at six principles of recruiting (there are probably more). There is nothing new here, but it may serve as an encouraging reminder of some of the nuts and bolts behind recruiting children's volunteers.

• Bulletin announcements for volunteers are the least effective means of recruiting. If you use a bulletin announcement, make most of the announcement about how much fun and exciting your children's ministry is. End with contact information for any who might be curious enough to ask.
• Ditto with public announcements. 98% of the out loud announcement should be about how cool the children's ministry is. The last little bit should be something like, "And if you want to know how to get involved, see me after the service."  And whatever you do, don't beg, don't threaten, and don't bring sad faced little kids up front and talk about these poor children who don't have a teacher.
• Personal invitations are the best, most effective way to recruit. Some of the best children's ministry volunteers I've had the pleasure of working with are the ones I walked up to and asked if they would help. The downside of the personal ask is that a lot of people will also say "no." But for the "yesses", it is exciting.
• Don't confuse personality with technique. You can practice solid recruiting methods even if you don't have one of those winsome, charismatic personalities (you know the kind I'm talking about: the gal who, after one short conversation about the latest fashion, can get Mrs. Jones to help with crafts after you've tried to recruit her for the last ten years!). Effective recruiting can be learned and practiced no matter how socially awkward you may feel.
• Recruit recruiters. The beauty of recruiting is that you don't have to do it by yourself. Contact people who know people. Ask the leader of the mom's group to help you recruit nursery workers. Get in good with the high school leader to see if there are some on-fire teens who would like to get involved.
• Pray.  Yes, this should actually be first on this list and part of every other point!

What kinds of recruiting principles would you add to the list?

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME

You've got questions? I've got answers! They're in the link above that says "A Little Bit About Teacher Tim" (right next to where it says "Home"). Approach with caution.

 

While I'm certainly not a man of mystery (international or otherwise), I tend not to say a lot about me. A little over a year ago, some folks were asking about my background because they didn't know anything about me or my relationship to Children's Ministries.  I suppose for a steak dinner, I could lay out more details about myself than anyone would ever want to hear. But I'll settle for this for now (although the steak dinner is not out of the question, mind you).

 

This is not a resume (although if you and your church is looking for a children's minister, I will be happy to send you one). It's not even a decent cover letter. It is merely and over-simplistic summary of stuff that has made me me. And as always, all that I've been able to do as been by God's grace and mercy.  It's not about how cool I am, but about how incredible and awesome God is.

So go ahead.  Click on "A Little Bit About Teacher Tim."  Go ahead.  You know you want to.  And if, after you are done, you are curious about anything, just ask.  There are no off-limit questions, but I reserve the right to not always give you a complete answer.

Meanwhile, thanks for dropping by my blog.

MY FAVORITE AWANA MEMORY

Let's establish something up front: there is no "s" at the end of Awana!

For those who don't know what "Awana" is, it is a club (actually several clubs) that emphasizes Bible memory in a format filled with neat games, cool uniforms,  plenty of badges, and fun.  The letters in Awana stand for "Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed" (taken from 2 Timothy 2:15).  And even though it is an acronym, it is not written A.W.A.N.A. or AWANA (unless everything else is capitalized too), and it is certainly not "Awanas," (unless you are speaking of something that belongs to Awana, such as "Awana's legacy", in which case it requires an apostrophe to show possession). It is simply "Awana," and I still get that clenched-teeth feeling when I hear the word "Awanas." What does the "s" stand for? "Approved workmen are not ashamed sometimes?" "Approved workmen are not ashamed significantly?"  "Approved workmen are not ashamed, silly!"

No "s" at the end of Awana.

Now that we have that out of the way, I salute Awana and all it has done to reach boys and girls with the gospel of Christ and train them to serve Him.  My Awana experience began with listening to verses in Sparkies and then developed into becoming a leader, a director, and eventually Commander for five years. It was an incredible rush, working with outstanding volunteers, and watching our club increase each year.

But the strength of Awana can be seen in a kid I'll call "Bryan."  Almost from the beginning, Bryan stood out from our group for one reason: he would not say the Pledge of Allegiance!  I'm sure nearly every club has those kids who either don't know what they are supposed to do during the flag ceremony or who need some reminding not to goof off during the ceremony.  But Bryan did not fit into either category.  He wasn't being rebellious or silly.  He stood there, quietly and respectfully, but with his mouth closed and his right hand down at this side.

After observing this for a couple of weeks, I took Bryan aside and asked him why he didn't do the pledge.  He said, "My mom said I couldn't."  A few questions later, I found out that Bryan's mom was a member of a certain religious organization that did  not believe in saluting the flag.  I conferred with our leaders and we decided (right or wrong) that we would allow Bryan to continue to stand there, lest we alienate him and his mother.

A few weeks later, Bryan passed his entrance book.  When I congratulated him, he said, "My mom told me you didn't believe what I did.  But I showed her my book and said, 'Look mom, they use the Bible too.'  She helped me learn my verses!"  I inwardly jumped.  A couple of weeks later, Bryan told me that he liked coming to Awana more than he liked going to his own church.  Although overjoyed that Awana had struck a chord in Bryan, I started to feel a little nervous that this could lead to a terrible wedge between him and his mother.  But that faded when he added, "My mom said she might start coming to church here."

I heard that Bryan and his family moved, so I never got to meet Mom at church.  But I can just visualize this boy, entrance booklet in front of him, feeding words of truth to his mom.  That is one of my favorite memories of Awana and why, even though I'm no longer actively involved in the program, I remain a fan.

Just don't add that "s" at the end.

Awana display booth from the 2011 Children's Pastors' Conference in San Diego

REMEMBER THE SWEET TREATS

You've no doubt heard the news that Hostess is shutting down and that the ubiquitous Twinkie will soon be a rare commodity. A friend of mine lamented about how a part of childhood will soon be gone.  Twinkies could bring a smile to kids' faces.  They were spongy, packed sugar, with a shelf life of a few millennial.  But Twinkies made no pretense of being a "nutritious" snack.  They had one function: to be a sweet treat.  That's it.

Yes, Twinkies were a sweet treat that could bring a smile to a child's face.  Could it be, as we get older, we forget some of these simple pleasures, even to the point of becoming cynical?

What is it about a singing purple dinosaur that proved to be a hit among millions of younger kids? And why did it seem like the adult world was so bent on cutting him down?  Granted, Barney was not high brow entertainment.  The acting would never win an Oscar.  The songs were not the stuff of Broadway legend.  The whole gist of Barney was in its theme song: "I love you, you love me, we're a happy family...."  Grown ups gag.  Little kids love it.  It's a sweet treat.

Have you ever seen a Miss Patty Cake video?  I heard one parent shake her head and say, "I'd go into a diabetic coma if I watched too much of this."  Harsh words, but her kids were mesmerized.  I've had the privilege of meeting Miss Patty Cake.  She is one of the most pleasant, level-headed adults I've ever met. I'm sure we could have a deep conversation on the intricacies of Christian education and the use of media in an increasingly secular marketplace.  But if there are preschoolers around, it's a "Patty Cake Praise day!".

"Yes," you may argue, "They are sweet treats, but at least they have a message.  They're trying to teach something.  Twinkies have no nutritional value at all."

But does that mean they're without value?  I've got to wonder, what is the cost of a child's smile? Is it okay to make a child laugh for no other reason than to experience the joy of hearing his or her joy?
In our children's ministry, we used fun things to illustrate, fun things to teach, fun things to help kids learn.  But we also used fun things for no other reason than fun.  For example, we used video countdowns prior to the kids time.  One of the countdowns (which we used near Thanksgiving) has a goofy cartoon turkey running away for some unknown reason!  The kids laugh.  It's funny. Aside from being a visual transition from one element of the service to the next, the countdown video serves no other purpose than to be funny.

But wait a minute...it's a transition from one part of the service to the next.  The kids are learning that a church service has different parts and that there is a particular time to fellowship with my friends and a time to get ready to sing.  I've been in adult services where the leader pleads in vain from the microphone to get folks back together after "greet one another" time.  Perhaps they'd benefit from a running turkey video countdown!

I believe we've lost some of the fun.  We've tried to make kids into young adults, expecting them to conform to the understanding of a teenager or above.  And we've forgotten the joy.  Jesus said to let the little children come to Him.  I've had enough experience with kids to know that, in general, kids don't like hanging around cynical, grumpy, world-weary adults.  There was something about our Savior that children liked.  I won't speculate on whether Jesus would multiply Twinkies for kids, but I'm sure He knew what fun and joy were all about.  May we never take that away from our children.

So grab a Twinkie (if you can find one), plug in an old cartoon, and remember.

(after writing this post, I've learned that some other companies may possibly buy the brand and save Twinkies from extinction!)