LEARNING FROM THE KIDS' CHOICE AWARDS

The Nickolodean Kid's Choice Awards have come and gone and I'm the better for it!

No, I'm not a big fan of the non-stop screaming from the audience. Nor am I always thrilled with the nominees and winners, many of whom I wouldn't allow my own kids to watch if they were still in the targeted age-group. And after a decade and a half of clearing and cleaning our own set in our children's program, all I think as I watch is, "somebody's gonna have to stay late and mop up all that slime! (and I'm pretty sure host Will Smith isn't going to do it)." So why do I watch?

1. Feeling the pulse. What are kids watching? What are they listening to? What's "hot" in the world of children? For a couple of hours at the KCA, I get a mini-seminar on trends, tastes, and likes of the elementary, pre-teen crowd. By "taking the pulse", I'm better able to apply the truth of the Word to the world of the kid.

2. Staying up to date. Several years ago, a mom walked in with her daughter. "Hey, cool lunchbox! It's got Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup," I said, pointing out each of the PowerPuff Girls. The daughter's eyes grew wide and she looked up at her mom and exclaimed, "He knows who they are!" The thing is, referencing the PowerPuff Girls will not work today (ummm, yeah, I tried). The Kid's Choice Awards helps me find out what's IN today and helps me gain a hearing (or at least the proverbial "foot in the door") when I teach spiritual things. If the only thing you have to share is, "Did you know Selena Gomez was named favorite tv actress at the Kid's Choice Awards?", you've made inroads into the child's world.

3. Transferable concepts. Kid's Choice Awards know how to put on a show. Yes, it's loud. It's active. Like it or not, it is a venue where kids can act like kids. Scores of books and articles have been written about Disneyland and how they are masters at creating kid-friendly, engaging environments. The point is not to emulate everything that secular parks and events have. For one thing, it's not always suitable for church, and for another thing, most churches don't have the budget or staff to pull it off. But creativity can go a long way. This year's KCA involved kids at the outset by having them wave glowsticks in the air. Right away, we have a low cost, low tech thing we can do! The show announced the winners with sword swallowers (not recommended), flying blimps, robots, and other creative ways. Imagine bringing out this week's memory verse on a flying hovercraft toy or an endlessly deep bag.

4. Encouraging service. Believe it or not, the Kid's Choice Awards isn't all lights, slime, and sound. They have a service award called "The Big Help," which is given to a celebrity who has given back by way of service to others. It is all part of a year long effort to encourage kids to get involved in their communities. We can do that too. We can make thank you cards for all the church leadership, or pack care baskets for the missionaries. Some churches even do short term missions trips to other countries or lead in clean up efforts around town. If a secular organization can model serving others, how much more should the church lead the way!

5. Keeping it real. "Model this." "Emulate that." "Apply the other." Before you think I am advocating "doing it like they do at the Kid's Choice Awards," let's wrap it up with a very important distinction: I don't know if Will Smith, or Katy Perry, or Justin Beiber stayed after the show to talk to a kid about the loss of a pet, or pray with a child whose parents are fighting, or comfort a child who is afraid of bullies at his or her school. And having established such a strong connection, did any of the producers take advantage of the high honor and privilege of sharing the gospel with a child, or even helping the kids' parents share the gospel? It's been said before by more knowledgeable people than me, but we can build relationships better than Disney, better than Chuck E Cheese, and better than the Kid's Choice Awards. And that reality trumps slime, flash, and effects every time.

CPC 12: POSTLUDE: THE HIGHLIGHT VIDEO

Here it is, almost a month out of the 2012 Children's Pastors' Conference in San Diego and I realize I never posted the highlight video on this blog. Enjoy!

CPC San Diego 2012 from Cross and Crown on Vimeo.

CPC 12: PART 4: "FAREWELL TO THE FAREWELL TOUR"

Me and Red hangin' out at CPC

The line was long at the continental breakfast table in one of the courtyards.  But folks seemed in bright spirits as they got their muffins, bagels, fruit, juice, and coffee and headed for the final breakout of CPC 12.

I attended John Tietsort's presentation on applying the Bible to kids.  Like all the other workshops, this was top-notch, practical, and motivating.  Dr. Tietsort took the time to talk to me after the conference, inviting me to network with him regularly.  That is what sets the presenters and "personalities" of CPC apart: they are fellow laborers, fellow servants, a band of brothers and sisters who are there for one another.

The closing session featured Craig Jutilla.  What a testimony of a man who nearly lost his marriage and his life to doing too much and having the wrong priorities.  Without losing his trademark humor, he stripped away the outer shell and showed his vulnerability.

It was when Michael Chanley took the stage that I began to choke up.  The last session of CPC is always emotional for me, but seeing as this is my "Farewell Tour", this could have been my last CPC for awhile.  The CPC staff came up.  Earl Radcliff, a founding member of INCM, was recognized.  Michael was presented with a special plaque from a pastor from Jordan.

And then it was over.  Hugs, handshakes, high fives.  Luggage carts, lines to get the final cd's and dvd's, and last minute farwells. Staff flew into motion, dismantling the stage set and clearing out rooms.  Later in the afternoon, I walked to the front desk lobby and was amazed that every trace of the 2012 Children's Pastors' Conference was gone. 

Well, not quite gone. Hundreds of children's ministers are making their way back to their homes, carrying with them the lessons learned.  Networks and contacts have been established.  Not to sound corny, but CPC will continue in the children's ministries across the country and in other lands.

 For me, I've come away with a great deal more than I expected.  I even learned a few things about myself.  But that's another subject for another day.  In the meantime, here's just a few folks I got to connect with:

For a full week, from the church tour to the resource center, Carla and I kept crossing paths!

Sylvia Foth, director of Kidzana. 



Rob Biagi...great music and ministry

Brian Dollar with High Voltage Kids 

 Go Fish Guys

 And I finally got closer to the stage!





CPC 12: Part 3: "LIVING ON LEAP DAY"

"Every kids pastor needs another kids pastor to talk him off the ledge." (Sam Luce).

As I began this blog, it is Wednesday, February 29. It is also leap day, which adds a little twist to the quote above.  The speaker was Sam Luce, who, along with Matt McKee and Jonathan Cliff, appeared on a panel in our first general session of the morning.  The topic was networking with a community of leaders.  As one who has wanted to "leap" on more than one occasion (figuratively speaking, of course), I appreciated their wisdom.

Of course, the music was incredible, with Denver and the Mile-High Orchestra doing Solid Rock (a fave of the kids at VBS last year).  The days' breakouts were also uplifting. Steve Adams (current CP at Saddleback) spoke about re-inventing your ministry, something that hit me squarely where I am at this season of life. Matt Barnes, who is on staff at Rock Harbor Church, challenged us to evaluate our programs with "why?"

The evening general session featured Beth Guckenberger. I've never heard her before, but her ability to tell a story and her emphasis that the Word of God is the MAIN CHARACTER of the story made for captivating listening. Larry Fowler from Awana was honored. And then, Michael Chanley pulled a surprise: a performance by up and coming singer Jamie Grace.

Later that evening was FX LIVE, a family oriented "crowd show" that involves music, stunts, and games. I have to confess to being exhausted from the last couple of days, so after a last stroll around the bustling resource center, I reluctantly headed to my room (sorry Roger!). But unlike my last post, I got some pictures that hopefully capture some of the atmosphere and rooms. Enjoy.

My camera is woefully inadaqute to capture the stage. But I tried...

the famous Resource Center

CPC Store

Believe it or not, this is the Internet Cafe

CPC 12: PART 2: "A BUSY DAY"

I'm a bad blogger (sad face). Actually, I'm a tired blogger. But I'm also a blogger with no pictures of today's CPC adventures (Tuesday, February 28). I'll try harder for the next segment...honest!

But the "no pictures" and "no energy" feeling is offset by a very full and filling day. If there is one thing I've learned about CPC, it's that one goes away with far more than one had upon arrival. I'm going to (try to) break down Tuesday's events with just a few phrases:

General Session: great opening worship. Michael Chanley interviewed three children's pastors-- Mike Johnson, Brad Tate, and Mindy Spurrier--about providing a safe and relevant children's environment. M.C. was master ventriloquist Dennis Lee...never fails to have me doubled over in laughter.

Breakouts: "Ministry Seasons" and "Doing Good Leading to Bad" with Craig Jutilla and "Dealing With Difficult Parents" with Kurt Goble. All breakouts were good....I especially appreciated Craig's vulnerability and Kurt's down-to-earth approach.

Networking Lunch: boxed lunch containing something wrapped in a green stuff. Apple good. Meeting other warriors at one of the "leadership" tables better.

Afternoon general session: the legendary Jim Wideman received INCM award. His daughter Yancy sang (I'm one of only three people in the field of cm who hasn't actually never heard Yancy sing before). Keynote speaker was Reggie Joiner on working with families.

Dinner on the Town: Kelly's Steakhouse. At the table next to mine was a virtual Who's Who in the CM world.

Late Night With Lee: Dennis Lee showcasing great children's ministry talent: Rob Biagi, Miss Patty Cake, and Jana Alarya. Fun evening.

Kidology Gathering: laughing and sharing with Karl Bastian (the Kidologist). Received some great counsel regarding my "between ministry" situation. One of the greatest things about CPC is that I can open up and talk about what's going on in my life. Very refreshing.

And so, late at night, I finally arrived back in my room...physically and maybe a little mentally tired, but my spirit was full. No, I didn't get a lot of pictures, but I ended the day with far more.

CPC 12: PART 1: "THE SIGNS SAY...."

"I played my drums....for the One Who saved me!" And with the crashing sounds of the GoFish Guys and stage effects worthy of a rock concert, the 2012 Children's Pastors' Conference opened its first general session.

More on that in a moment, but first...

It rained today (Monday, February 27); which, as we all know, is perfect for driving the freeway system in southern California in a double decker tour bus. But that did not deter our hearty souls from starting our morning at 8 a.m. to visit three churches--two in Orange County and one in San Diego itself. Friends Church in Yorba Linda is a 100 year old church that looks like they have defined the word, "Innovative." Three stories and a basement through which run what appears to be endless hallways, but the attention to every detail can be seen in every room and station. Next came Rock Harbor Church in Costa Mesa, a church which has adopted a warehouse with great effect, creating eye-popping rooms for the kids. Our last stop was College Avenue Baptist Church, a historic church in San Diego that does amazing things with their environment on a low budget. One thing I noticed as I was sifting through pictures is that all three churches were very good at signage, letting folks know where they were going. Very important for first time visitors.

Later that evening was general session one. Some of my colleagues from the Rogue Valley Children's Ministry Network were there and we were able to sit together at a group table. We ate, we laughed, we joked. And then the lights dimmed and BOOM! The GoFish Guys opened with "I Played My Drum" (which I first heard as part of their version of "Little Drummer Boy."). It was a powerful way of launching the session. We were treated to an overview of the vision of INCM by new Executive Director Michael Chanley. I have to confess being one of the few who has not heard the incredible vocal talents of Yancy, but her performance really showcased those talents.

In an unsusual twist this year, Michael Chanley sat on a couch (yes, you read that correctly...living room furniture!) and interviewed Phil Vischer, creator of Veggie Tales and What's In the Bible. And then, following some hard driving worship from the combined talents of the GoFish Guys and Denver and the Mile High Orchestra, we were treated to a message by Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship and speaker at the annual Harvest Crusades. He spoke on the prodigal son and how prodigals can return to the Lord.

Opening night at CPC sets the tone, and it would appear that the tone has been set well.

"Oh I like to ride in a double decker bus..."

Museum display? Nope...bulletin board display at Friends Church

Example of signage pointing to kids registration at Friends Church

Signs at Rock Harbor Church emphasize security

Lunch at Rock Harbor Church

Simple, yet creative stage design at College Avenue Baptist

What do you call the College Avenue Children's area? Follow the signs!

THIS is how you paint a kids area and label the office! (College Avenue)

This is OUR table! (another example of effective signage)

Rogue Valley Children's Ministry Network at CPC 12

CPC12: PRELUDE 3: "WHEN THINGS DON'T GO AS PLANNED"

I recently read that if you want to get something you’ve never had, you need to do something you’ve never done.

I don’t always do that deliberately, but sometimes I get dragged into it. And then I wonder, “What is God trying to teach me through this experience?” Well, maybe I don’t wonder that all the time. Indeed, at times I react with less than a Spirit-filled reaction. Thank the Lord for grace and mercy and lessons learned, even if I get taken out of the comfortable and predictable and I have no idea why.

I’m in San Diego waiting for the start of CPC12, the premiere conference dedicated to children’s ministries. Because I have no idea what the future holds (long-time blog readers know the story), I’ve jokingly referred to this as my “Farewell Tour.” Being as this is my seventh time at CPC, I know the routine of the conference, and I know my personal routine. I’m ready, I’m set, I’m pumped.

As often happens, I had a flight delay on my way. No problem. That, in itself, is part of the routine. I expect that. I plan a “travel day” just for that. That way, when I arrive at the hotel that evening, (hot, tired, sweaty, and hungry), I can just give my plastic to the front desk clerk and I’m soon in my room.

For the first time in seven years, my card was declined! I won’t bore you with all the details of the problem, but I spent a fairly good amount of time on the phone with the credit card company trying to get this fixed. The front desk clerk at the Town and Country was incredibly helpful and patient and understanding of the problems and figured out a way to keep me in my room until I could fix things (I always like to applaud great customer service!). Still working on details, but I thought at the time, “This is not part of the plan! What a way to start my ‘Farewell Tour!’”

As I went to bed, I knew I could at least look forward to the breakfast buffet in the morning. It has always been one of the highlights of my trip. I awoke with a headache, but even that did not deter me from doing what I have always done on my first morning in San Diego: get the buffet! As the hostess sat me at my table, I said in my cool, casual voice, “I’ll just have the breakfast buffet.” The hostess said, “I’m sorry, they did not put the buffet out this morning.” My cool, casual voice caught in my throat like a cat with its tail stepped on. No breakfast buffet? But…but….I’m Tim. This is my “Farewell Tour.” Oh, the humanity! For the record, what I did order was very good, but for the first time, I was unable to get the first morning buffet. Sad face.

Okay, nothing here is worthy of being called “dramatic life challenges,” but my routine has been disrupted! While I pride myself in thinking outside the proverbial box, my friends and family will tell you I will usually step out of that box when I’m good and ready. I don’t mind being unpredictable, as long as I can plan for it. But ever so often, it feels like God comes up behind me, places His loving hand on my shoulders….and shoves! And then I’m out of the box, outside the lines, out of my comfort zone, etc. I’m having to do what I’ve never done before, so that…hey, wait a minute! So that maybe I can have what I’ve never had. Hmmmmm.

I knew my “Farewell Tour” would be different this year, as I’m looking at things as one who is between ministries. Michael Chanley, the director of INCM, has said that there are new innovations this year in the conference. So the routine, which has already been different, will be even more so. And my “Farewell Tour” may just be the thing to force me to do what I’ve never done in order to get what I’ve never had.

Bring it!

CPC 12: PRELUDE 2: "CPC, WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME?"

In a very short time, I will be heading off to my 7th (but not in a row) Children's Pastor's Conference in San Diego. This is somewhat bittersweet, as my church leadership recently changed directions in such a way that I was somewhat forced to resign from children's ministries. So I'm heading to CPC without the CP part (the church had already paid for me to go before the changes, so I still get to go!).

I was thinking about this year, and how my expectations will be different without a local church on which to try out all the new stuff. But the more I thought about why I go to CPC, the more the same reasons I go every year still make sense to me.

*Refreshing. Contrary to popular perception, children's ministry involves long hours of hard work. Everyone needs a break and CPC gives me just that: a much needed, much appreciated departure from the routine. When I arrive at the resort in San Diego, often the first thing out of my mouth as I gaze at the impossibly blue sky is a sigh of relief.

*Recharging. Electric razors, cell phones, and children's ministers have one thing in common: they all need to be plugged in from time to time for a healthy dose of new energy. I don't know how to say this, but CPC vibrates with energy. Whether it is like-minded people who share the same struggles as me, or the bustling Resource Center that makes me wonder how I ever got along without some of this stuff, or the workshops that inject new ideas and concepts, or the general sessions that lift me up, CPC buzzes with what I need to keep going another year.

*Renewing. There are so many levels to this. I think of things like renewing my spirit--there are times I can just lock myself in my hotel room and pray and study and meditate on God's Word, or cry out to the Lord during worship in the general sessions. Or there is renewing my mind--learning new ideas, new ways of doing things from men and women who are smarter than I am about certain things. Or there is the renewing of relationships: over the years, I have come to regard my fellow conference attendees as family and CPC as one giant family reunion.

*Rewinding. I hate it when I'm trimming the lawn and the line on the spool runs out or gets out of whack. Sometimes, the line of my ministry runs out or doesn't quite feed out the right way. CPC helps me diagnose the problems, then gives me the right tools to wrap my proverbial thread tight enough to feed out and benefit the kids and families we serve.

*Recreating. Okay, that sounds like a stretch, but really, recreation is just that: re-creating. And I will fully confess before all assembled: CPC is FUN! Sure, I'll impress the "powers that be" with tales of "classes" that start at 8:00 a.m. and sessions that can last until 10:30 or 11:00 at night. But honestly, I don't think I ever laugh as hard as I do at CPC or smile as broadly or weep as profusely or just plain enjoy myself as much as I do when I'm at this conference. It's San Diego in late winter, people....what's not to enjoy?

Is it worth it? YES. Even for someone who is between ministries. See you in San Diego!

EASY-TO-USE AND TRANSFER?

I confess: the lessons I did as a Children's Pastor were not easily transferable to other teachers. Guilty as charged. Here is my statement:

I've been sorting through files on my computer. Pictures, notes, power point presentations, and lesson plans of all shapes and sizes. One of the power point presentations (a rather creative re-telling of the story of Esther using concepts and characters that were popular with the kids at the time)caught my eye. Speaking as one who does not like to "toot his own horn," I had to honestly conclude something about the presentation.

It was good!

And then I remembered the work that went into it. Hours of studying the Biblical text itself, finding the right graphics, putting everything together for a presentation that lasted maybe seven minutes. And why? Because I believed the kids deserved something more than a lesson I read over the night before during commercials for my favorite television show.

I'm not against easy-to-prepare lessons, mainly because I know that hours of hard work went into making these lessons easy to prepare. I'm not saying that I've never used low prep curriculum or that I've never (perish the thought) "winged it" with a teacher's manual. But even the simplest of curriculum still propels me to study the Biblical text, to understand how it fits into the scope and sequence, to practice the lesson, maybe even come up with a better way to present the lesson.

I concede that this approach means the lesson isn't as easily transferable. I can hand another teacher the curriculum, but I can't transfer the study and preparation and creativity and prayer to that teacher. I know of churches that think this a liability. I believe it is a strength.

Teachers of kids: PREPARE.

CPC12: PRELUDE 1: "FIRST TIME ON A STRANGE PLANET"

2003
The portal to a strange, new world

Just like you never forget your first kiss, your first tricycle, or your first car, you never forget the first time you attended Children's Pastors' Conference.

I recently watched the highlight video from my very first CPC back in 2003 and the memories and feelings of that week still churn within me. It was as though I had stepped onto the surface of another planet in a another galaxy, surrounded by fellow astronauts who were either seasoned (but no less excited) explorers or those who, like me, were lost and amazed at the same time.

Of course, it didn't help that my first activity was the church tour and that the first church we toured was Saddleback Church! I knew about big churches--I used to attend a mega-church--but to discover that my current home church could fit comfortably within the "footprint" of just their children's building with room to spare put a whole new perspective on what was possible. The other churches were no less impressive, but the two lessons I took away from the church tours were 1) We may not have the money to do that, but we certainly have the creativity to do this, and 2) The problems that kidmins face are the same everywhere, only the scale is different.

By the time we returned to the Town and Country Resort, I felt I had successfully acclimated to this strange, new world. And then I entered the Resource Center...

I'm not sure if I actually did this, but I felt as though I was standing there, my jaw open, unable to breath for several moments. It was like a carnival had landed on the planet. Vendors and providers of every size lined up in row after colorful row. Resources I had never known were available called my name. Many of the booths were staffed by people whose names I had only seen on the covers of books or cd's. The experts were right there...and I could actually talk to them! As the week went by, the Resource Center was the place to hang out. I didn't have to buy anything (although I did), I could just soak it all in, ask questions, and get ideas.

To be perfectly honest, the rest of the week is kind of blurry in spots. Not that it wasn't excellent--it was phenomenal--but it was so BIG that my mind has a hard time summarizing the experience. I remember during the general sessions that I never laughed so hard or wept so much as I did during the music, the skits, and the messages. The workshops were great and I still refer back to my notes from time to time. The big amusement park party was great. While I chose not to risk severe injury in some of the games, the pure fun (and great food!) made it a night to remember. And, of course, the opportunity to meet so many co-laborers for children, men and women who made me feel for the first time that I was not alone in my own struggles. I kept in touch with many of them...and many I confess, I have lost touch with. But their faces are also part of my memories.

The most interesting observation about my experience at Children's Pastors' Conference is this: the thoughts and feelings have never changed. I will be attending my 7th CPC in San Diego (not in a row) and every year, I still have that same "frontier planet" excitement. Oh, sure, I'm one of the seasoned veterans now. I can make my way around the resort without feeling like I'm lost. I'm a little more selective about what I look at in the Resource Center (being perpetually broke helps!). But I still feel every single emotion of the previous year come out for a good scrubbing at the first general session. I still feel the warmth of handshakes and hugs from colleagues new and returning. And I still get a lump in my throat during the last general session, knowing that it's time to head back to earth.

Because my ministry situation has changed (at this writing, I'm no longer the Children's Pastor at my church), I don't know if the 2012 CPC will be my last or not. But regardless, I'll never forget my first in 2003. Or my second (04), third (07), fourth (08), fifth (10), or sixth (11). Come to CPC...you'll never forget either!

A QUICK ANKLE POST

So a funny thing happened right before my birthday. I have a particular recurrent form of arthritis that usually hits my already weak ankles. Recurrent means it doesn't hit too often. Recurrent means I never know when it's going to hit. The first time was about 3 years ago. I think I might have had one or two minor bouts since then, which I didn't bother checking because they were relatively short.

But on the evening December 30, I felt the familiar discomfort and experienced the minor swelling. I limped through my birthday breakfast and festivities on the 31st. I continued to limp through the work week...each step getting more and more painful and all the more slower. Then on Thursday, it was starting to feel better. Or so I thought. Long story short (HA...like that's gonna happen!), it flaired up more intensely. Even the touch of blanket on my foot brought waves of pain. I couldn't walk on it. Ice and ibuprofen took a little edge off, but just enough for me to get to the restroom and back. I spent most of the weekend of the 7th and 8th on the couch, unable to spring to my feet when the Broncos claimed their first round playoff victory. I decided it was time to visit a doctor.

Please understand that a doctor visit for me is a gamble. I am one of the many uninsured Americans you read about in the paper. I have made doctor visits, payed my money, and five minutes later told the equivilent of "take two aspirin and call me in the morning." So the last thing I wanted was to dip into our already strangled budget to hear the professional tell me to elevate my foot, apply ice, & take ibuprofen. But my friends, family, and my own common sense won out over manly pride and I visited the doctor.

Good news: I didn't sprain it, break it, tear ligiments, etc. I guess I can't say I hurt it in any "cool" sort of way. Hence the bad news: I'm just getting old.

The doctor prescribed something which made me question my sanity as to why I did not want to go the doctor in the first place. Within 24 hours, I was mobile. That is, the pain decreased significantly and the mobility increased markedly. I went from couch bound to doing a fairly decent impression of Fred Sanford (look it up on YouTube). At this rate, I'll be doing the 100-yard dash by Friday. And to think I could have felt better sooner.

Okay, I wouldn't be a very good minister if I didn't take advantage of an opportunity to pull an application or two from my experience. So here I go:

1. Don't be afraid to take advise from others. I know there are many exceptions to this, but many times, your friends and family are trying to help. At times, they will see things that you might miss. God may very well have placed them in your path to give you a hint or nudge in the right direction.

2. Are you letting your pride or sense of human sufficiency keep you from what the Lord has in store for you? As the little kids' song so excellently puts it: "little ones to Him belong. They are weak, but HE IS STRONG!"

YEAH, I SAID IT

The following post does not necessarily reflect the views of the leadership, staff, and congregation of my church, nor of the conservative, Christian, evangelical community in whole and in part.

In other words, I'm about to "step in it."

I have no problems with the expression "Happy Holidays." And I really don't think a lot of people have a problem with "Merry Christmas" either. I do think, however, that by making these expressions the nexus of the so-called "war on Christmas," we are missing the entire point.

Why do people say "Happy Holidays?" While I'm sure someone has a sinister motive and I'm sure some (especially in the retail industry) have a desire not to offend potential customers, I think most people say "Happy Holidays" out of a sincere expression of peace and goodwill. In this increasingly hard-edged, selfish, and cynical society, it feels good to have someone take the time and wish me well. Why squelch that by rebuking the greeter?

Why do people say "Merry Christmas?" For me (and many Christians), it is a theological statement, a way of saying, "Let's celebrate the fact that God the Son, the Second Person of the Trinity, came to earth as a baby, born of a biological virgin, lived a sinless life, died to pay the price for your sins and mine, and rose again on the third day, so that by trusting Him as your Lord and Savior, you can have everlasting life and a day to day relationship with Him, even as you look forward to His return!" For others, it's merely a nod to the "religious" nature of December 25. But I think a surprisingly large number of people say "Merry Christmas" for the same reason they say, "Happy Holidays": it's nice to say and it's nice to hear.

Puh-leese don't tag me with the label of "politically correct" (them's fightin' words, pard!). I think some of the things that schools, government institutions, and businesses do during December are silly and illogical. I don't know how many have nefarious motives, but a lot of them are just not thinking this through. Hanukkah is not the "Jewish Christmas." Thanksgiving and New Year are not Christmas. They put up all the decorations and trappings and lights of Christmas, then stick up a banner that says "Happy Holidays." As the governor of one state responded to the move to call the state "Christmas tree" a "Holiday Tree": "what other holidays celebrate using a decorated fir tree?" With prolonged use, the whole political correct thing collapses under its own weight.

But I think by insisting that folks utter "Merry Christmas", we are imposing a kind of "Christian political correctness" on the landscape. We gladly proclaim the "Reason for the season", but we must not forget that the Reason goes a lot deeper than a greeting. There is a war, but it's a war on Christ Himself, not just His birth. It's a war that is fought every single day in the hearts and minds of human beings. It is a war in which Jesus is the ultimate victor and in which one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord (Philippians 2:10-11). And that is greater than any mere December greeting.

Happy Holidays
(yeah, I said it).

A BIG AND SOBERING ANNOUNCEMENT

Effective December 31 (my birthday, by the way!), after 15 years of service, I will no longer be the children's pastor at my church.

To say I have mixed emotions is like saying Shakespeare was a good writer. It is the epitome of understatements. On the one hand (trying to look for silver linings here!), there is less on my plate now, freeing me to finish some other projects in the church office (I'm employed as the administrative assistant for the church. I did the whole children's ministry gig for free), giving me a little more couple time with my wife or releasing me to get some badly needed yard work finished. Plus there's the whole lack of stress thing, which anybody in ministry can tell you is a part of the whole ministry package. Okay, silver linings, check.

But then there's the other side. How do I just walk away from something that has been life and passion for a decade and half (and actually longer, since I regularly did children's ministries in high school, college, and other churches before coming to this current situation)? "Building His Kingdom, Reaching His Kids" was the theme of the first Children's Pastor's Conference I attended, but it's also been a theme of this ministry. I sincerely, honestly, truly want kids to learn about Jesus and have tons of fun! Since I'm officially on the "older" side of the age scale, I've been impressed with the contagiousness of kids' energy. I don't know how to explain it, but for some reason, any aches, pains, and lack of energy vanish from the time I walk in the door to the time I leave. I'll be doing dance moves and goofy characters during the ministry time, only to feel like every bone in my body has been twisted out of shape when I leave. How can I leave a ministry that constantly demands the very best of my adaptability and creativity and gives me avenues to exercise and apply infectious joy? And then there's the smiles, the laughs, the tears, the high fives, handshakes, and hugs. Why am I leaving all that?

I will not bore or trouble you on a public blog with the internal matters of church politics and demographic targeting. Let me be general for a moment (understanding that nearly all churches encounter this with any ministry, not just kids): when the leadership of a church does not share or support the vision for children's ministry, there are few options left. Children's Ministry is a function of the local church and, as such, is under whatever board controls the vision and direction of that church. That's the way it is and that is the way it should be. That does not mean I agree with the specifics of the board's actions and reasonings. I have expressed the specifics to my pastor, but there are very few others with whom I will share the proverbial "nitty gritty." If you are local and curious, I will direct you to the elder board for their take. Causing a ruckus will serve no one.

So I'm resigning. I'll still be at my church for the foreseeable future as I'm still employed in the office. And just because I'm leaving my unpaid position does not mean I'm leaving "children's ministry." I will still be in San Diego for the 2012 Children's Pastors' Conference. I may even have time to blog more and share at least some of the thimble-full of knowledge and experience I may have gleaned over the last 15 years. I may make myself available once again for pulpit supply and guest speaking, seeing as my Sundays are not as tight as they once were. I don't know yet specifics yet, as I'm still in the praying, grieving, and "what's next" stage. But one thing that has been resounding around my brain is this: as important and integral as children's ministry is to my life, it is not God. Think about that--in whatever area of your life is important--that area is not God. God is God...and I serve Him.

Thank you for your prayers and support. And as rule #3 says in our Sunday morning kidmin: "Learn about Jesus and have tons of fun!"

HARMONY AND TRINITY

Quick disclaimer: it would not surprise me in the least if someone else has already written on this; particularly those who are in the music field. I didn't do an exhaustive search for this theme, I just wrote what was on my mind at the time.

I love music and I love to sing and I know enough to distinguish good music from bad music (I know enough to know my own singing voice is highly untrained and undisicplined. In other words, no American Idol for me!). Within the whole allowance of personal taste and opinion, I can tell when a note is missed or a rhythym is out of place. I don't enjoy the kind of heavy metal screaming type of singing, but I can appreciate the guy who can play his guitar at a zillion miles per hour in something that resembles a melody. I have favorite songs in dozens of genres and styles. I love music.

One thing I love is a good, tight harmony. I just finished listening to Celtic Woman sing "Oh, Holy Night." Incredible. I enjoy the GoFish guys as they let loose with "Little Drummer Boy." Plug in some of the gospel quartets out there and you'll hear such a seamless blending of voices, it sends chills up and down your spine. I love great harmony.

You know what I like the most about harmony? If you listen to each individual voice, they're singing something different. Each voice is making a distinct sound. But put them all together and it sounds like one smooth voice singing the song.

But here's the part that gets me: next time you hear a really close harmony, notice that the voices sound like an unbelieveably rich single voice. But if you concentrate really hard, you can actually hear each individual voice come through. Distinct voices (I can almost hear them) blending together into one voice (I can hear it).

I got to thinking about the Trinity as I was listening to "Little Drummer Boy" by GoFish. Listen, there is not a single earthly illustration of the Trinity that can fully explain the Godhead, so please do not read too much detail into this. It's just that each Person of the Godhead is distinct, but are also, at the exact same time, one voice! Just like an incredibly tight harmony, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct, but one.

Once again, don't take the illustration beyond where it is supposed to go. The theologian in me can already pick this apart. But the music lover in me is in awe.

Listen to the music and glorify God.

THE SEVEN SIGNS OF THE HOLIDAYS

What if you woke up one morning and there were no calendars? Why, how could you tell when it was....Christmas?

Do not despair, oh Gregorianally challenged friend, for I now bring you: The 7 Signs of the Holidays, in no particular order:

1. McDonald's eggnog shakes. Of course, these started earlier this year, but no problem...nothing says the holidays like a thick eggnog shake (minus the cherry).

2. The end of Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. Yup, when Santa rides in on that unbelievably tall float, it's time for the season to begin.

3. The Santa hat. I have a friend who wears a Santa hat and puts the image on Facebook. When I see that profile pic, I know that Christmas can't be far behind.

4. Activity begins at the Christmas light house. There's a house in town that decorates with spectacular music synchronized lighting. When I pass by and see extra people crawling on and around the building like industrious ants, I get excited because I know that the holiday season is getting close.

5. Steve's 25 Days of Christmas music. Mr. Steve Tanner, who must have enough vinyl in his record collection to supply protective gloves to every hospital on the eastern seaboard, shares a rarely heard Christmas offering every day. This year, in honor of his impending fatherhood, Steve presents Navidaddy. And the neat thing, it's free. Give it a listen here

6. Mannheim Steamroller. 'Nuff said

7. Christmas decorations in the stores. Now this one can get out of hand; I mean, who needs ornaments next to the Halloween masks? But I notice that each day the decorations get more and more pronounced, until after Thanksgiving when everything lights up! It's like a great big party (now if all the guests would just realize who the party is for!).

A LESSON IN BEING VISIBLE

Some days the lessons come by accident.

It was a typically busy Sunday. Kids were already starting to come in before the service, and I was greeting them, talking to them, saying "hi" to the parents, and attending to a few dozen other things. I then had a moment where I needed to go to the foyer to give a message to someone.

As I made way past the hallway, the little girl with the cute ribbon in her hair broke away from her parents to run up to me and give me a smile and a hug. She had been absent for awhile, so I talked to her and told her how much we had missed her. After our conversation, I walked a few more steps and heard, "Hi, Teacher Tim," "Hey, Teacher Tim," "Mom, there's Teacher Tim!" Another hug, a couple of high fives, handshakes, and knuckle bumps later, I finally delivered my message. I turned and met a family who was there for the very first time. I spoke with them for a few moments, then spoke with a fairly new family who had been coming for a couple of weeks. They said how much they're kids enjoyed our program and they were thinking that maybe they had found their new church home. As I turned to go, I met a parent who had some questions and a volunteer who wondered when she was scheduled.

In the course of 12 minutes, I had more exposure then I usually have on a given Sunday. You see, I always try to be visible to the parents. In fact, one of the changes I made in the "way I do things" was to quit doing take down tasks and instead talk to parents at the door (I describe it here). But this last Sunday, I was struck by another fact: people expect "Teacher Tim" in the children's area. But "Teacher Tim" in the main foyer is a treat! It was an energizing, affirming experience.

So as I continue to grow and build as a children's pastor, I want to make my "out of the box" appearances more deliberate. I want to be even more visible, so that kids and parents can identify someone who watches out and cares for children at our church.

REMEMBRANCE, REALITY, AND ROUNDUP

September 11, 2011 marked our children's ministry's sixteenth annual "Celebration Roundup." Part pep rally, part family reunion, Roundup is a kickoff party to the new school year. It's kind of loud, with lots of laughter and games and singing. Roundup is the embodiment of one of our weekly rules at Sunday Morning Celebration: "Learn about Jesus and have tons of fun."

And September 11 was also the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Thousands lost their lives in the assaults, as well as in the war that followed. It was most certainly a solemn day.
Getting ready for Roundup was difficult. I spent a good portion of the day assembling props that, for some reason, would not stay assembled. I attempted to scale a 12 foot ladder to hang some streamers, only to discover that my knee and my own lack of height would not allow me to go to the uppermost rung (hooray for a very tall high schooler who fastened the decorations for me). That evening, I went home to put together some video for the next morning, but my video camera was not working. The next morning (talk about last minute!) I discovered some songs that would be perfect, only to have another equipment malfunction ruin that idea. And as is the case every year, I didn't get to the church as early as I would have wanted.
Yet in spite of the obstacles and setbacks, Celebration Roundup went great. The kids sang. Some of our teens jumped in and led songs. We played games. We laughed. We talked about the coming year and where we would be in the Scripture. No question about it: we learned about Jesus and had tons of fun. All the hard work, all the preparation, and even all the setbacks were worth it. Roundup 2011 was a success.

But in the midst of it all, I was wondering if anybody would ask the question: should we be doing something as fun and light hearted as Roundup on such a day of deep solemnity and remembrance as 9-11? I imagined a gathering of leaders who would be asking how they planned to commemorate the attacks: a moment of silence, a sounding of bells, perhaps a solemn song? Our roomful of kids would be spending the time playing assorted games and dancing to upbeat music. How respectful is that?

For the record, we did have a moment during Roundup to talk about 9-11 and its significance. As I spoke to the children, many of whom were not even born on that terrible day, I emphasized that they live in a country where they are free to worship and that no matter how many things bring us down, we still live in a great country. And with a little boy holding the American flag and an older boy leading us, we said the Pledge of Allegiance and prayed for our country. It was a simple, but moving moment.

That brief "mini-devotion" on 9-11 was the reconciliation of any concerns about the appropriateness of the day. You see, I'm a children's pastor. I work with kids. And I sincerely want kids to be kids: to laugh, to sing, to dance, to praise with whole hearts. In short, I want them to "learn about Jesus and have tons of fun." But as I reflected on 9-11, there are groups and cultures where kids most decidedly do not learn about Jesus and do not have tons of fun. Some roadblocks are environmental or economic, but some are man-made, by those who want to teach their children early on how to kill and hate in the name of whatever belief they embrace. How unbelievably sad.

9-11 was a tragedy, but it would be worse if we allowed it to stop reaching kids as kids, if it would still one foot, or quiet one small voice from worshipping the Lord.

A BLOG FOR ETHAN--EPILOGUE

9 year old Ethan Jostad went home to be with the Lord on Monday, August 8, at 1:58 p.m.

To see a community rally around one of its children has been heart warming. To expand that care and concern to the entire nation has been incredible. The "Team Ethan" Facebook page has been "liked" over 15,400 times. Ethan's personal page shows nearly 5000 friends.

And now our community will be mourning. But the sadness we face here on earth at the loss of an incredible young fighter is nothing compared to that first full deep breath of heaven that Ethan inhaled this afternoon. Ethan is more alive now that he's ever been and in that we can rejoice and be comforted.
Please continue to pray for the Jostad family.

A BLOG FOR ETHAN

Yes, my blog has an international following. Okay, one of the readers was from Australia, so I know that someone outside the U.S. reads my blog. Since many of my friends have no other connection to me but through this periodic writing hobby, I wanted to talk about a kid named Ethan.

The Jostad family was part of our church’s day care operation for several years. I was always impressed with the infectious smiles the family had when they dropped off and picked up their children each day. Mom, Dad, and the kids always seemed to be upbeat. After a while, they had found other child care options, but they still kept in touch with the daycare and some of its staff.

And then one day, the Jostad’s world flipped over. This is how their website describes it:

"In August 2009, Ethan Jostad (7yrs old at the time) was diagnosed with Stage IV Rhabdomyosarcoma (“RMS”), which is a cancerous tumor that originates in the soft tissues of the body. Ethan had a large tumor in his chest and a few smaller tumors in his abdomen. RMS is very rare and occurs in roughly 40 kids annually in the United States."

What followed next was a wellspring of support from the community…local, state wide, even nation wide and around the world. And then, earlier this year, Ethan’s scans were clear! It was as though the sunshine had broken through the black clouds that had hovered over the family for months.

But the relief and rejoicing was to be short-lived. Again, from the website:

"…the cancer has come back with a vengeance….on June 21st we discovered Ethan had relapsed and once again he was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer that had spread throughout his body"

It sounds so simplistic to say “pray for Ethan and his family.” Yet we know that this is the most profound thing we can do. And yes, the family can use financial support. Unable to work, having to maintain two places to live (home in Oregon and again in New York where the treatments are held), travel expenses, and medical costs. You can find out how to donate through the “Team Ethan” website.

There are many children and adults who are struggling with life-threatening diseases. I wanted my friends who read my blog to learn about one of them. Thank you.

ROTATION, ROTATION, ROTATION: Part 5: Conclusion

They say the secret to a business’ success is location, location, location. But there are also those who suggest, for the small or medium sized church, that in order to have someone present the lesson to children each week, the secret is rotation, rotation, rotation. In other words, get a bunch of volunteers, put them on the schedule to teach each week, and then no one person has to miss out on the “main service” all the time.

But as I stated in the introduction to this series, it is my humble opinion that such a weekly rotation is counterproductive to effective children’s ministry. Today, I want to sum up my thoughts, clarify my points, and lay out some suggestions both on how to have a consistent teaching structure and how a rotation could possibly work in some circumstances.

As we’ve been discussing, the three drawbacks to a weekly rotation are Inconsistent Preparation, Inconsistent Presentation, and Inconsistent Participation. To phrase it in a more positive way, during our Sunday Morning Children’s Church hour, there should be an expectation of consistency. Let me illustrate: when my daughter was in middle school, she had the opportunity to go to Japan. While there, she went out to eat at McDonald’s. I asked her what kind of food they served at the Golden Arches in Japan and she replied matter-of-factly that they had the same food there as we do here. Sure, they also had some options that were specific to their country, but overall, the McDonald’s experience was the same. And that’s true wherever you see a McDonald’s: the food is going to taste pretty much the same (which may or may not be a good thing in your opinion). That’s because McDonald’s is big on consistency. I believe that the Children’s Church experience should be a consistent one each week. The children should come in knowing that they will have a certain type of music, a certain atmosphere, a certain connection with an adult or older teen that they know will be there each week.

Now consistency does not mean “boring.” I remember Ronnie Caldwell once saying that we need just enough variety in our service to avoid the “routine ruts.” Having the same presenter each week does not mean the presentation has to be the same thing for 52 weeks out of the year. Rearrange the chairs, introduce a new character, flip the order of service…there is variety available within a kind. What we want to avoid is the pitfall of having a high-impact, multi-media experience one week and faded flannelgraph and stale cookies the next week. That’s not variety, that’s quantum shock. That’s McDonald’s serving French fries one week and porridge the next.

Besides creating a consistent atmosphere for the kids, having a consistent presenter also helps with relationship building. A caring adult who comes in and ministers to the children week after week is in a better position to remember their needs, their prayer requests, their spiritual growth. The kids get accustomed to the personality of the teacher, instead of having to adjust to a different individual and way of doing things each week.

As strongly as I feel about consistency in children’s church, I am not 100% against all kinds of rotations. In fact, if you are in a church that has a rotational schedule, here are some ideas that will help make it more workable.

1. Make the rotations longer. Instead of weekly, try monthly. Some of your volunteers may enjoy teaching for four weeks straight, then having a few months off. This will also strengthen relationship building.

2. Establish an atmosphere in which all the teachers will present their lessons and make sure the teachers know it. The teachers may be pleased to know they don’t have to re-invent the proverbial wheel each week.

3. Raise the standard for teachers with well written job descriptions. Make sure each of your teachers knows what they should be doing. Spell out your policies for absences and work on instilling a level of commitment among the teachers.

4. Encourage your teachers with training opportunities. Become their biggest cheerleader. And if it becomes clear that some of your weekly rotation volunteers want to exit, find a graceful way to help them transition out.

As for those small to mid-size churches that have discovered the joy of a consistent presenter each week, here are some quick principles, observations, and tips:

1. Have a support team. While you are responsible for the overall hour, the more people you can gather around you to help with songs, crafts, games, and just plain crowd-control, the better.

2. Stay connected with your pastor’s messages. If you have multiple services, this is easy: teach the kids in one and attend the main service in the other. But if you are in a church with only one service, take advantage of any recordings that your church does on Sunday mornings. Find a time to listen to the message and take notes.

3. Link up with other fellowship opportunities at your church. Men’s and women’s groups, Bible studies, and so on provide you with small group contact with “big people.”

4. Have substitutes ready who are trained and able to maintain the expectation of consistency in the event that you are ill, traveling, or just need a Sunday off.



I will not pretend that this series is the final word on rotations. It is based on my experiences, which means (as the commercials say), "your mileage may vary." But I do welcome your insights and observations, as we learn together in this adventure known as Children's Ministry.

ROTATION, ROTATION, ROTATION: Part 4: INCONSISTENT PARTICIPATION

They say the secret to a business’ success is location, location, location. But there are also those who suggest, for the small or medium sized church, that in order to have someone present the lesson to children each week, the secret is rotation, rotation, rotation. In other words, get a bunch of volunteers, put them on the schedule to teach each week, and then no one person has to miss out on the “main service” all the time.

But as I stated in the introduction to this series, it is my humble opinion that such a weekly rotation is counterproductive to effective children’s ministry. I believe there are three reasons why this is true. Reason number one was Inconsistent Preparation. Reason number two was Inconsistent Presentation. Today, we present reason number three:

INCONSISTENT PARTICIPATION

It’s Saturday night. You’re relaxing with your spouse when, suddenly, the phone rings. You exchange despairing glances with your spouse. The tone of the phone grows ominous. You pick up and manage a casual and cheerful, “Hello.” “Hi, it’s Burt,” the voice on the other end intones. “I really hate to do this to you,” he begins. Your shoulders sag. “But my wife reminded me of this commitment we have…and I really can’t get out of it, so I won’t be able to teach children’s church tomorrow.” You put your best smiley voice on, express sympathy for the conflict, and ensure Burt that everything will work out. When you hang up, your spouse’s eyes sum it up: “you’re not going to be able to come to the main service again, are you?”

A weekly rotation looks impressive on paper. And it can even look impressive in practice, as each individual or couple faithfully takes their turn at bat on their designated Sunday. But the reality is, not everyone is as consistent in their participation as the schedule would assume. People cancel their commitment, sometimes at the last minute, leaving their supervisor to scramble for a last minute substitute or even taking it on themselves.

There are many reasons why people cancel. Some are unavoidable, like illness or family emergencies. Some are perhaps avoidable, but certainly understandable, such as a change in vacation time or an unexpected opportunity for travel. But others leave us feeling very cold inside; such as the woman who calls and says, “I know I’m on the schedule to teach tomorrow, but we just found out last night that we’re going water skiing.” (yeah, I watched the weather forecast for Sunday…it’s a beautiful day). Or the teacher who called and said, “Tomorrow is my day, but we’ve got this reunion planned…it’s been in the works for three months now and I can’t cancel it.” (and you’re telling me this now?). And of course, there are those few who don’t call at all.

When someone who should be prepared to present a lesson is absent, it falls on someone who may not be prepared to bring the lesson. And when that happens, the expectation of consistency goes out the window. You may have a talented substitute who can bring a fairly decent lesson at the last minute. Or, you may have someone who is armed to the hilt with VeggieTale videos. There is nothing necessarily wrong with showing a last minute video in a pinch, but when the pinches become regular and frequent, the arm of our children’s ministry starts to show bruising.

By having a regular teacher (or teaching team) whose weekly responsibility is to bring the children’s church lesson, you cut down the frustration of the Saturday night phone calls and bring a consistency to the Sunday morning kid’s work. That’s not to say that the regular teacher won’t be sick or won’t have a day off, but by instilling a week by week consistency, a difference in participation becomes the exception and not the rule.

In our next (and final) installment of this series, I’m going to lay out some yays and nays regarding rotations and consistent teachers. In case you haven’t noticed, I am a strong proponent of consistency, but there are times in which a rotation may work (or may be the only option). We’ll look at a virtual potluck of principles in this last segment. And, as always, I welcome your comments, observations, suggestions, or experiences as we learn from one another and build each other up.

ROTATION, ROTATION, ROTATION: Part 3: INCONSISTENT PRESENTATION

They say the secret to a business’ success is location, location, location. But there are also those who suggest, for the small or medium sized church, that in order to have someone present the lesson to children each week, the secret is rotation, rotation, rotation. In other words, get a bunch of volunteers, put them on the schedule to teach each week, and then no one person has to miss out on the “main service” all the time.

But as I stated in the introduction to this series, it is my humble opinion that such a weekly rotation is counterproductive to effective children’s ministry. I believe there are three reasons why this is true. Reason number one was Inconsistent Preparation. Today, we present reason number two:

INCONSISTENT PRESENTATION

When it comes to making a children’s church hour pop and sizzle, Jan is tops. Every powerpoint slide is synched with the cd player. Because the church lacks a children’s praise band, Jan uses children’s worship dvds, each one cued and ready to go with nary a gap. And everyone remembers when Jan taught Noah’s Ark. The tub of water, the scale model of the ark, all the kids wearing animal masks, and the feel of the spray from the spray bottle as they marched around made memorable impressions.

The following week on the weekly rotation is Margo. As I watched Margo, she was friendly enough with the kids. She sat them down on the floor in front of her chair. And then she pulled out….the teacher’s manual. With little or no eye contact, she began to read the lesson to the children. It’s not that she was a bad reader…she wasn’t. It’s just that it sounded like…..well, like she was reading the lesson. At one point, the lesson directed the teacher to show the kids the particular prop for that story. Margo stopped, set the book down, picked up the prop and held it up, picked up the book again and resumed reading.

Volunteers have mixtures of talents and gifts. No two teachers are going to teach or present a lesson the same way. And I am certainly not advocating that we make them. But as we pointed out in the previous post, there should be an expectation of consistency. If a multi-media enhanced, upbeat music infused, participatory lesson is followed next week by faded flannelgraph punctuated by 30 year old camp meeting songs, it creates a massive disconnect in the overall children’s ministry plan. And it doesn’t take too many rotation cycles before the kids notice that certain teachers do a great presentation and certain ones don’t.

I believe the best place for rotations is with support roles. Unless your children’s church is so small that one person is all that’s needed, you still need folks who can circulate among the kids, help with games, crafts, or snacks, or lead a song or two. This is where a rotation is useful. But if you want a high level of consistency each week in the overall presentation or lesson, there needs to be a consistent teacher who is responsible for bringing the same level of presentation each week.

As always I welcome your comments, observations, suggestions, or experiences as we learn from one another and build each other up.

Next time: Inconsistent Participation.

ROTATION, ROTATION, ROTATION: Part 2: INCONSISTENT PREPARATION

They say the secret to a business’ success is location, location, location. But there are also those who suggest, for the small or medium sized church, that in order to have someone present the lesson to children each week, the secret is rotation, rotation, rotation. In other words, get a bunch of volunteers, put them on the schedule to teach each week, and then no one person has to miss out on the “main service” all the time.

But as I stated in the introduction to this series, it is my humble opinion that such a weekly rotation is counterproductive to effective children’s ministry. I believe there are three reasons why this is true. Today, we present reason number one:

INCONSISTENT PREPARATION

In many ways, Elaine is an ideal teacher. Before the teaching volunteer schedule is even typed, she has left three messages and an email wanting to know as soon as possible when her weeks are. She gets the teacher’s manual, makes copious notes, and does a careful verse-by-verse analysis of the Scripture that would make seminarian proud. She then turns her attention to crafting the lesson. Leaving nothing to chance, she rounds up her props, making sure they are functioning properly. She jots down notes on 3x5 index cards, which she will rarely refer to while teaching, as she has the lesson already committed to memory by the time her Sunday rolls around. And when that Sunday comes, Elaine is there an hour early, making sure the room is ready to go.

Back when we had teaching rotations for children’s church, I had a couple of Elaines. I wish I had had more Elaines, but actually, some of my teachers were like Doug. Doug is a likeable fellow and enjoys kids well enough. He was asked to be part of the rotation and readily agreed. He is especially grateful for the teacher’s manual, which lays out the entire lesson for him. On Wednesday, Doug looks at the schedule and sees that he is teaching on Sunday. He puts the teacher’s manual on his desk as a reminder to look it over. After showering on Saturday night (following a long day of ball games with his office league and yard work), Doug spots the manual right where he left it. Slapping himself on the forehead, he plops down on the couch, turns on the television, and begins reading over the lesson for tomorrow (“multi-tasking,” Doug calls it). Thirty minutes later, his wife finds him sleeping on the couch. The next morning, as Doug hurriedly dresses, he asks his wife to drive them to church so he can look over the lesson again.

Truth be told, most of the weekly rotation volunteers I had were somewhere between Elaine and Doug. And yes, there were some Dougs that really stepped up and made sure they were well prepared and some Elaines that slipped up and remembered their responsibility at the last minute. And while we’re at it, there are Sundays in which I am less prepared than I should be. But since children’s ministry is a week by week experience, there should be the expectation of consistency when it comes to preparation. Sadly, there isn’t. I realize good training and clearly spelled out job descriptions can alleviate some of this problem (and that’s a subject for a whole other blog), but in the small to medium church that is tied to curriculum, it becomes a challenge to convince folks who work hard all week and who “tend to the kids” once a quarter to invest even more time in study and preparation for their lesson. After all, it’s all spelled out in the teacher’s manual.

But if someone knows it is his or her responsibility to have a quality lesson ready each and every week, then it becomes “the thing to do.” Someone can dump an ill-prepared lesson on the kids once every three or four months and no one will necessarily remember. But one cannot go unprepared week after week, because then everyone will notice. Inconsistent preparation is one of the weaknesses of a weekly rotation. Having a consistent, primary teacher whose responsibility is to prepare the lesson each and every week goes a long way into building a quality children’s ministry.

As always I welcome your comments, observations, suggestions, or experiences as we learn from one another and build each other up.

Next time: Inconsistent Presentation.

ROTATION, ROTATION, ROTATION: Part 1: INTRODUCTION

One of the questions (aka “veiled suggestions”) that has often come up in my years as a children’s ministry director/children’s pastor is: “why don’t you get a bunch of volunteers and rotate the teaching each week, so you don’t have to do it all the time?”


On the surface, it seems like a reasonable solution to a common problem. If you rotate the teachers, you won’t overburden any of them. And if you do it weekly, your teachers won’t be out of the “main service” too long. It seems entirely logical; indeed, many churches have a weekly rotation of their teachers. In fact, our church used to have a weekly rotation.

But I have become convinced that this kind of weekly shuffling of teachers is counter-productive to effective children’s ministries, because it works against the expectation of consistency. We will deal with the three main difficulties of weekly rotations: Inconsistent Preparation, Inconsistent Presentation, and Inconsistent Participation, and then we’ll wrap everything up with some final thoughts and suggestions.

Now let me throw out some clarifications, caveats, and disclaimers:

1. I’m assuming a large group, children’s church type of setting, and not a separate, dedicated, graded Sunday School type class.

2. The teacher is the main presenter of the lesson. We’re not primarily talking about helpers, song leaders, support volunteers, and so on.

3. The church is a “single service” church; that is, there is no opportunity to teach one hour, then attend the main service the next hour (“ah-hah”, my larger church brethren are saying.“That’s why this is a problem!”)

4. There is a backstory as to how and why I have come to these conclusions. I’ll be sharing it at a future date (it won’t be as dramatic as the E True Hollywood Story, but there might be a few children’s pastors who can relate).

5. The views expressed in this blog are mine and mine alone. They do not necessarily reflect those of the leadership, staff, or members of my church.

And of course, I welcome your comments. I would be particularly interested in how your church handles rotations, particularly if you have just one service. My word is certainly not the final one on rotations. When all is said and done, I'm a still a student of children's minsitries, so we can learn from one another.

JAW DROPPING MOMENTS WITH THE "LESS THAN ENGAGED"

Sometimes the basics of education get reinforced in unexpected ways.

This past Sunday, we had a less than normal turnout for our Large Group (Children's Church) time. As we sang in worship, I looked out and, of course, I knew who would be sitting, arms crossed, maybe talking with a buddy. And I was right. I mean, I've gotten used to those I call the "less than engaged." We all have them. Kids who just sit there with blank or no expressions. We do not have a large ministry on Sundays, so it's easy to spot them. It becomes painfully easy to spot them when our numbers are cut by half. Sometimes, these children will offer their unsolicited evaluation of the kids' service by breathing a heavy sigh and saying (loudly), "this is boring."

After our singing and games, I launched into the lesson from Daniel 1. I began describing the Babylonian captivity of Judah and how Daniel and his friends were swept away to a strange land. And out of the corner of my eye, I spotted...the hand. It belonged to one of my "less than engaged." And I knew it was probably a request to use the bathroom. At first I tried to ignore it, but the hand was still up. And so I said (with my best Teacher Tim smile), "hold on one second and then I'll get your question." The hand went down and I continued the section of my lesson. But when I mentioned "Babylon" again, the hand went back up. So I called on the boy with the hand.

"ummm, yeah," he started, "Isn't Babylon like where Iran is today?"

My jaw dropped. I recovered enough to affirm what he had said and did a little Bible geography (which was for a later lesson) on the spot. I knew his parents were very Biblically literate and had no doubt taught him this at home. But in spite of what I saw on the outside ("less than engaged"), this young man was actually tracking on the lesson enough to connect Babylon with modern Iran.

This wasn't the first time I have been surprised by one my "unengaged" kids. I did a lesson on prayer that seemed well received by most of the kids, but not neccesarily by one of the guys who was "too cool" for this. The lesson had 4 points about how God answers prayer.

Three days later, I came across one of the "unengaged" with a group of his peers. I walked close enough by to hear one of the kids ask about how God answers prayer. I was about ready to launch into my presentation, when the unengaged kid began rattling off the four points (along with the illustrations).

It's a basic of education: kids learn in different ways. I believe it was singer Rob Biagi who said that the kids who don't sing in our church are probably singing at home. Lessons that you think aren't going anywhere are probably getting absorbed on a variety of levels. Obviously, it is our goal as teachers to try to hit as many buttons as we can. But even if we aren't consciously doing that, it is encouraging to know that, often times, even those who seem "less than engaged" might very well be connecting with the worship or lesson on a level of which we are not aware. And when that connection manifests itself, prepare for more jaw dropping moments.