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Teacher Tips 10 "Make It Spiritual"

Lots of what we teach the kids is not from the "stage" but in our conversations "off stage." By that I mean, lessons taught when you're not in presentation mode are sometimes the most important.  So make it spiritual.  When a kid comes to you feeling sick, don't just get them water; heal them in the name of Jesus.  When a child tells you of trouble they're having with a bully, don't just give them advice; ask them how they can love and minister to the bully.  When they are misbehaving, don't just correct the behavior; direct them toward a desire to please God with their decisions.  Every part of life is spiritual.  We need to remember that.  We especially need to remember that when talking with the kids of stage.

Stairs or Slide?

I believe these should be installed in every stairway in every church.  Bet it would end up being more often used by the Children & Youth Pastors than it would be by the kids.

Teacher Tips 9 "The Dreaded Paper"

Ooh.  Few things tell the children that you are nervous or unprepared more than "the dreaded paper." But the pastor gave you a lesson and you've got to do everything it says or you might mess it up or forget something.  you think You need the organized thoughts of "the paper" to stay on track.  But the truth is, "the paper" is holding you back.  Sure, you might hit more details if you read it, but you'll lose the kids' attention.  It's okay to have it with you, but don't use it to teach.  Reading from a page cuts off your audience because you lose eye contact.  When you worry about missing details, you'll start hesitating, pausing, and checking the paper.  All that does is give little minds time to wander.  The key is to simply understand the basic point and how it applies to your object or character.  The paper is nothing more than a starting point.  Kids would rather listen to what YOU think than what the paper says.  I suggest simply reading your lesson through a few times at the beginning of the week and then put it away and digest it for a while.  Then when you get in front of the kids, it's YOUR lesson.  You won't remember every detail from the paper, but you'll be connecting with the kids.

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Children's Ministry Deals

Children’s Ministry Deals is an “Everything in one place” super site.   They’ve got deals on tons of great resources.  They always have giveaways, curriculum, games, graphics, leadetship tools, preschool stuff, elementary stuff, youth stuff, lessons, videos, worship, and more.  At the very least it’s worth your visit.  They might be giving away the very thing you need.  Just click the logo above or go to www.childrens-ministry-deals.com.

Let The Trail Carve Your Path

I just had an amazing conversation with Pastor Ray Noah, lead pastor at Portland Christian Center.  I've been digesting it all week.  We were discussing possible changes we wanted to make in our church to alter some patterns that had historically hindered some ministries.  I voiced my opinions about what needed to change and why, then he thought about it and shared this story.

A while ago, Pastor Noah was a pastor at a different church.  They were having building and construction issues that necessitated the pastoral staff offices to be inside a detached outbuilding.  Before the staff relocated, it was requested that a sidewalk or path be put in to allow the staff to get to the offices without walking through the grass and dirt.  A path was immediately put in that led from one particular parking lot to the offices.  As time progressed, most of the staff found that it was more convenient to park elsewhere and walk up to the building from another direction, which became their regular pattern despite the fact that there was no path.  The walkway was seldom used.

A while later, different building and construction issues necessitated the congregation to park in a new location and walk around the building to enter via the main doors.  Pastor Noah notice all these people having to walk through the grass and dirt to enter.  He asked Bryan the building manager to put in a walkway so that people had a nicer and safer place to walk.  A few weeks went by and nothing was done.  Pastor Noah spoke with Bryan and asked if he had forgotten the request for a walkway.  The building manager replied that he had not forgotten, but he was waiting to see where the path formed so he could lay in the walkway where people were already traveling.  Sure enough, a little path began to form where foot traffic was heaviest and a nice winding walkway was placed under the feet of the churchgoers.

As pastors, leaders, and teachers, we have the responsibility for prayerfully seeking God's vision and plan for the people we lead.  We have the responsibility to cast that vision to people and lead them into executing the plan we believe will best attain the goal.  Sometimes we get overambitious and begin to lay the path in front of people without first stopping to consider where they are already walking.  People seldom change their patterns to accommodate the plans of others.  When casing new vision or planning the future of your ministry, make sure you aren't trying to force people into a mold that doesn't fit where they are and what they're already doing.  It's true that sometimes major changes are necessary to get where God wants to lead us and sometimes that means people will not be willing or able to change to follow where God is leading.  Don't be afraid to follow through on big changes just because people don't want to follow you.  But, don't assume you need to change the culture or patterns of your church just so you can make your church or program run the way you want it to.  Watch and listen to people and find out where they are in life.  What do they need?  What are you planning that they perhaps don't need?  What other parts of their lives are demanding their attention?  Watch where the path forms before laying the walkway.