So if you read my last post you know that I was in Alaska last week for a Holy Spirit Conference at MCA church. One of the speakers, Randy Hurst, shared some information about what people look for in a church - and as I listened I thought the same is true for kids in Children's Ministry. I thought I would share some of my notes I took from Randy's talk.
Things Kids want from Church -
1. Practical/Biblical Teaching - Are we teaching kids things that are practical and biblical? It is one thing to tell them a Bible story, but are you helping them understand how the story that took place 2000 years or more ago applies to their lives today? That is one of the reason I really like the curriculum from reThink. (no I don't get any kind of kick back from Reggie Joiner for saying these things). I really do enjoy the curriculum. I like how they use everyday values to teach biblical principles. I love being able to say to families: "Today in our elementary department we are talking about Respect, or Discipline, or Determination..." these are all things parents would love their kids to learn about. And most kids don't want to just memorize what the virtue of the month is, they want to know how it applies to their everyday life and situations.
2. A Sense of God's Presence - Kids too want to know that they are going to get to meet with God when they come to church. No not every kid, but if they were honest, most kids do want to have that special encounter with God at church. While I was at the conference this past week a little girl came running into the classroom and right up to me and said, with a HUGE smile on her face, "I hear we are going to be filled with the Holy Spirit tonight!" She was excited about meeting God in that place. Kids want what adults want when it comes to their relationship with God - to be close to Him, to feel his presence and know he is real. To get this we must take on the posture of prayer! Prayer really does change everything. I know when I am more intentional about praying for our children's ministry and over the classrooms and volunteers, God does big and amazing things in and through the team those weekends. Not to say He doesn't move other weekends, but I am in more of the mindset to see Him move when I'm in a posture of prayer.
3. Church on a Mission - is your church missionally focused? That is one of the things I love about Seacoast, they are missional - always reaching out to the community and the world. The kids of Seacoast love it too. They love outreach projects. We have a serve team for our kids called Nerve2Serve. It is for 3rd - 12th graders and the focus is on serving in the church, in the community and around the world. We usually have a great turn out of kids when we do community outreach activities. Kids, just like adults, love to be a part of something bigger than themselves.
4. Being Able to Find One Friend - This is why I feel small groups in Children's Ministry are important. Kids want to connect with other kids that are like them. They want to connect with other adults who can help lead them and guide them in life's big decisions. They may not act like it when they are in the room carrying on, but they do. Seacoast is a big church and I have heard many times of people leaving to go to a smaller church. They say they like the feel of the smaller church better, and maybe they do. However I think the root of the problem is that they didn't get connected with at least one person in their time at Seacoast. I know I have seen over time at Seacoast, kids who did not wish to stay in the classroom because they did not know anyone. But if one adult would have reached out to that child, invited them into the room and introduced them to a group of kids, in no time they would be friends. One thing that helps kids connect with other kids and leaders is parents being consistent in which service they attend. When you jump service times then your kids never really get to build lasting relationships.We are all the same, we all want to know that we will have at least one friend in the room when we get to church.
5. FUN! (I added that) - I grew up in a church that wasn't so much fun. I remember never wanting to lift my head in class because I was afraid I was going to be called on to speak or read from the King James version of the Bible. Church was not fun for me. I decided at a young age that I was going to make church fun for kids. We serve a very exciting God - the God who created the universe and knows all the details of everything is a God to get excited over. Kids should not be lectured in Kids Church they should be excited about coming and learning in fun engaging ways. That is one of the biggest reason I started serving in children's ministry at the age of 16. I wanted kids to be excited over who God is and what he is doing in their lives. It is also the reason I cringe when I see kids go into "Big" church with their parents. Big Church is for adults, Kids Church is for kids - no matter how exciting you think Big Church is - its not for kids!
So as we start off 2015 I'm going to look at the children's ministry here at Seacoast and see how we are doing with these five things, and seek out God's guidance for what we need to change and get better at as we move forward.
I hope you got some nugget of information out of this - these are my thought, no one put me up to this!
Monday, January 26, 2015
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
North to Alaska...
So it has been a LONG time since I have posted on my blog - I love writing, I may not do a great job or be grammatically correct but I do love to put my thoughts and ideas on "paper"?! Anyway, as I sit drinking coffee out of my new Orange Alaska Bear mug I started thinking about all the exciting things I have experienced here in Alaska this week and wanted to write them down. I hope they bless you and speak to you in some way and that you might get some nugget out of what God is doing in and through me.
So I'm not gonna lie, I was not too excited when I first agreed to come to Alaska in JANUARY! It is cold enough for me in Charleston, SC in January why would I want to go north? But the more I talked with Greg Jones, Children's Pastor of MCA church in Anchorage, Alaska the more excited I became. Every time Greg and I talked on the phone or emailed each other I felt like I was talking to my best friend. I even said to Meghan on our flight out here; "I'm kind of nervous to meet Greg face to face. We have connected really well on Facebook, email and phone calls but what if we don't get along when we meet?" I don't think I could have chosen a better host here in Alaska. Greg, his wife DeAnna and their four wonderful kids are what I call the Kinney's of the north! We have so much in common from homeschooling, our way of living, young living essential oils...and so much more. Meghan and I have been blessed by this family and are plotting ways to get them to move to Charleston, SC and be our neighbors, we just love them that much. I have seen many things here in Alaska, many beautiful things, but the best part of Alaska for me would have to be the Jones Family! Blessed to call them brother and sister in Christ, but more so - FRIENDS!
Another thing that God has blessed us with is the Beauty of Alaska. Before coming I knew nothing about Anchorage or Alaska for that matter other than it was cold. We have seen so much of God's craftsmanship here in Alaska. The mountains, the wildlife, the glaciers...the list goes on and on. We go driving around and I find myself just staring out the window in awe of the beauty and majesty of the mountains. I keep saying over and over in my head; "I shall lift up my eyes to the mountains, where does my help come from..." (Psalm 121) God is the creator of the whole universe and it just blows my mind at how awesome He is when I look at all he has created.
I'm also in awe that God would have allowed me to come and speak about who He is as the Holy Spirit. I have grown in my understanding of who the Holy Spirit is, how He works and moves in our lives. I love seeing the faces of these kids as they connect with God the Holy Spirit and hunger and thirst for more of Him. Last night one little girl entered the room all excited and came running over to me and said; "I hear tonight we are going to be filled with the Holy Spirit, I'm so excited!" Faith like a child! I didn't see that much excitement on the faces of the parents. I have really been blessed to have this opportunity.
I thought I was coming to Alaska to pour into the lives of children at MCA church - I was wrong! I have come to Alaska to experience God in a new and fresh way. To have a new hunger and desire of learning more about Him as the Holy Spirit. To want more of Him in my life, to see His power at work in my life, in my family and the people I have influence over.
Thankful for my time in Alaska especially with Meghan. I never thought I would say I can't wait to come back to Alaska some day! - Thank you Greg, MCA Church and God for this opportunity! I am a blessed man!
So I'm not gonna lie, I was not too excited when I first agreed to come to Alaska in JANUARY! It is cold enough for me in Charleston, SC in January why would I want to go north? But the more I talked with Greg Jones, Children's Pastor of MCA church in Anchorage, Alaska the more excited I became. Every time Greg and I talked on the phone or emailed each other I felt like I was talking to my best friend. I even said to Meghan on our flight out here; "I'm kind of nervous to meet Greg face to face. We have connected really well on Facebook, email and phone calls but what if we don't get along when we meet?" I don't think I could have chosen a better host here in Alaska. Greg, his wife DeAnna and their four wonderful kids are what I call the Kinney's of the north! We have so much in common from homeschooling, our way of living, young living essential oils...and so much more. Meghan and I have been blessed by this family and are plotting ways to get them to move to Charleston, SC and be our neighbors, we just love them that much. I have seen many things here in Alaska, many beautiful things, but the best part of Alaska for me would have to be the Jones Family! Blessed to call them brother and sister in Christ, but more so - FRIENDS!
Another thing that God has blessed us with is the Beauty of Alaska. Before coming I knew nothing about Anchorage or Alaska for that matter other than it was cold. We have seen so much of God's craftsmanship here in Alaska. The mountains, the wildlife, the glaciers...the list goes on and on. We go driving around and I find myself just staring out the window in awe of the beauty and majesty of the mountains. I keep saying over and over in my head; "I shall lift up my eyes to the mountains, where does my help come from..." (Psalm 121) God is the creator of the whole universe and it just blows my mind at how awesome He is when I look at all he has created.
I'm also in awe that God would have allowed me to come and speak about who He is as the Holy Spirit. I have grown in my understanding of who the Holy Spirit is, how He works and moves in our lives. I love seeing the faces of these kids as they connect with God the Holy Spirit and hunger and thirst for more of Him. Last night one little girl entered the room all excited and came running over to me and said; "I hear tonight we are going to be filled with the Holy Spirit, I'm so excited!" Faith like a child! I didn't see that much excitement on the faces of the parents. I have really been blessed to have this opportunity.
I thought I was coming to Alaska to pour into the lives of children at MCA church - I was wrong! I have come to Alaska to experience God in a new and fresh way. To have a new hunger and desire of learning more about Him as the Holy Spirit. To want more of Him in my life, to see His power at work in my life, in my family and the people I have influence over.
Thankful for my time in Alaska especially with Meghan. I never thought I would say I can't wait to come back to Alaska some day! - Thank you Greg, MCA Church and God for this opportunity! I am a blessed man!
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