When You're Too Old For Children's Ministries...

I had a conversation with a youth pastor today that made me think. He asked if I would ever do anything other than children's pastoring in the future. I've been asked and thought about it many times before. But we had just ended a conversation about my father. He's a former children's pastor of almost 30 years and currently the lead pastor of a small church. My youth pastor asked if my dad would ever want to be a children's pastor again.

I cannot speak for my father, but he is an example of several that I know that moved from children's ministry to another ministry when they got older. Will I ever be too old for Children's Ministries? Some move on because they receive directive from God to do something different. Some do it because of physical limitations. But some do it because they feel they have ceased to be relevant to an ever changing culture of new children flowing in to their ministry. To this last group I reply, "Hogwash."

Several teachers in my ministry still serve and teach children in their 70s and they are still doing an amazing job. I remember people who made a difference in my life when I was a child that wouldn't have recognized a single TV show, toy, or video game I liked. They loved. That's all. They loved me and taught me the Bible. You don't need cool illustration videos, flashing lights, and a large VBS to reach kids. As the song says, "All you need is love."

A person does have to pour quality and energy into what they present to kids, but love far outweighs the latest ministry trends. If you do flannel graphs and object lessons well enough, any child will still listen to you if you're giving them a good healthy dose of love. It's not the method that captures a child's attention, it's the deliverer. Anyone who still loves kids and can communicate with quality is still qualified to work with kids no matter how far out of touch they are with current trends. This doesn't diminish the value of such trends and technology as useful additional tools to help you minister effectively, it just means that these are not essentials in order to make a valuable impact.

So someone over 50 please read this and serve in your children's ministry. And to my future self: Please remember what got you into this thing in the first place. Serve the kids. They're more important than the communication methods you choose. You're never too old.

Object Lesson: How Much Is God Worth?

How Much Is God Worth?

SCRIPTURE:  Matthew 13:44

OBJECTS:  Remote control, nice watch or ring, sports ball, and a Bible.

MAIN POINT: God is worth our time, our money, our energy, and even our injury.  He is worth everything we have.

Hello boys and girls.  Do you see this watch?  Pretty nice isn’t it?  What do you think this watch is worth?  Seventy-five dollars perhaps?  I could find the receipt and tell you how much money was spent to purchase it, but what if it was a gift from someone I love?  That would make it worth more to me than just $75.  It would have “sentimental” value.  I would have an emotional attachment to it.  So, this watch is worth $75 plus my sentimental attachment. 

            This is a TV remote control.  This remote control and I have spent a lot of time together watching TV.  What would you say your TV is worth?  A couple of hundred dollars perhaps?  Well, it’s certainly worth more than that.  You spend hours upon hours in front of it.  You probably spend more time watching TV than you do on homework and eating combined.  That means that the TV is worth not only money but also your time.  By watching your TV for hours on end, you show that it is worth investing your time into it.

            This is a football.  How many of you play sports?  What would you say your sports or hobbies are worth?  Well you obviously spend time on them.  You also invest your energy.  TV takes your time, but sports are worth more than just time, they are worth time, effort, practice, energy, and sometimes even injury.  If athletes gets hurt, do they quit and never play again?  No, they keep working to recovery and get back into the game, They show that their sport is worth injury. 

            What is God worth?  Is he worth your time?  Is He worth your money?  Is He worth your energy?  What if you get made fun of or even hurt because of your love for God?  Is He worth injury?  God created the universe, he created you, He gave you life, a home, a family, food, clothing, and if you’ve asked him to lead your life, He’s even forgiven you of your sins and given you eternal life!  When it’s time to give your tithes and offerings do you give joyfully, or would you rather spend the money on a watch?  When it’s time to pray and read your bible do you do it joyfully, or would you rather spend the time in front of the TV?  When it’s time to sing, dance, clap, and shout in worship do you do it joyfully, or would you rather spend your time and energy on sports?  God is worth so much more than a watch, TV, and sports.  Jesus told a parable that told how much God’s kingdom is worth.  Let me read it to you.  (Read Matthew 13:44) So you see, God is worth everything we have.  Give him all he deserves, He’s worth it.

Kidz Matter Pro

Okay, I've been testing this site out for a few months and I think it's definitely worth the investment. KidzMatterPro.com is a resource site for children's ministries that includes networking, videos, games, and more. I've found that it pays for itself in the video clips alone. Sign up for an annual subscription and you have access to anything they provide for an entire year.

Kids And Tragedy

In my opinion as a Children’s Pastor, I believe the number one thing North American children struggle with is fear.  Sometimes they don’t even know what they’re afraid of or how to articulate how they feel.  When tragedies occur, we adults can sometimes fuel the fear without knowing it just by the way we speak around the children.  When violence or disaster strikes, we panic and wonder how we are going to discuss it with our children.

The answer is that you don’t have to say anything. You simply pray for the people affected and move on.  If the kids bring up the subject, which they probably won’t, you can just help them understand that no matter what terrible things happen to us or around us, God will always take care of us. The bigger of a deal we make out of it, the more we feed the fear. The kids don’t need to worry about such things unless they bring up questions. In which case we simply remind them of Gods promises and move on.

We don’t have to avoid or sugar coat the truth, but violence and sin are not new problems in our world and have been happening every day for thousands of years in every country in the world.  But God’s promises are just as true when we see the tragedies as when we’re not noticing them. 

Philippians 4:6-8

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Welcome To My World 6

Frog Sunday School

Object Lesson: Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas

SCRIPTURES: Luke 2:10-11

OBJECTS: Wrapped present, Christmas ornament, Christmas music, Christmas cookie (enough to share if you wish), a baby Jesus from a nativity set, and a Bible.

MAIN POINT: The best part of Christmas is Christ coming to save the world. 

(Start playing Christmas music as you enter) Merry Christmas everyone!  Don’t you love Christmas?  Everyone loves Christmas.  It’s the most wonderful time of the year.  Everyone seems to get along better, everyone walks around humming Christmas carols.  (display the ornament) Some people’s favorite part of the season is the decorations.  Who doesn’t like hanging ornaments on the tree, stringing lights on the gutters, and putting the wreath on the door.  Some people just drive around the neighborhoods for the sole reason of looking at the lights and decorations people put up.  (display the cookie and distribute to kids if you wish) Then there’s the food.  Christmas eating is some of the best all year.  Deserts rule the season with candy canes, cookies, fruitcakes, and pies.  How many of you have a favorite Christmas treat?  But of course, everyone knows the real favorite part of Christmas.  You’ve probably already told your wish list to your grandparents.  (display the present) It’s the presents!  Waking up Christmas morning to see all those packages under the tree is one of life’s greatest joys.  All the pretty wrapping and bows enticing you to tear them apart and litter the living room rug.  Everyone loves opening that new game, outfit, or toy and tearing apart the package to use it the first time.  Then you get to see your family’s face light up as they open the presents you got them.  What fun.

All these things are the favorite parts of Christmas that make it such a wonderful time of year.  These are the things that take up most of our time, our attention, and even our love.  You spend a month Decorating, shopping, baking, and singing.  There’s nothing wrong at all with these joy-filled traditions.  But, there is one more part to Christmas that seems to take a back seat to all the fun traditions.  There’s one more part that we kind of try to remember or fit in somewhere between the lights and wrapping, but it never gets our full attention.  (display baby Jesus). 

I think you know what this is.  It’s a baby Jesus from a nativity set.  Presents, decorations, music, and food are wonderful.  But Jesus should be the first thing we celebrate, not the last.  Jesus should be the most important thing we remember, not the presents.  Jesus is the best, most wonderful, most joyful news this world has ever gotten.  God, sent to earth to save the world.  (Read Luke 2:10-11)  Did you hear that?  For ALL PEOPLE.  The people of the world were dying in their own sins and God sent us a rescuer, a hero, to die in our place.  No part of Christmas traditions can ever be better than this news.

We honestly don’t know when Jesus was born.  It probably wasn’t in December.  But this is the day we’ve chosen to celebrate the birth of our Lord.  This is the day we set aside to remember his miracle.  Let Jesus be the focus of your decorations.  Celebrate Jesus in your meals and treats.  Give and receive gifts with the love of Jesus.  Sing songs that glorify Jesus.  And most of all, like the angels, spread the good news that Jesus came for all people as the savior to rescue us from our sins.  That’s the best part of Christmas.