Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Tuesday
with Tiff: A Better Large Group Environment
Do you
want to improve your large group communication skills with kids? Here are
six tips that will help you grab kids' attention and effectively share God's
Word with them.
Use the volume of your voice.
Don't talk monotone. Vary between
loud...soft...medium...whispering...shouting.
Involve the kids.
Have them make sound effects...make a motion every time you say a certain
word...repeat key phrases to their neighbor...act out the Bible story as you
tell it.
Tell stories.
We are wired to love stories. 80% of the Bible is stories. Jesus
was the master storyteller. Use stories...lots of them. It's a
guaranteed way to connect with kids.
Change the speed of your voice.
Vary the speed. Talk fast...slow...pause between words...use normal
speed. When you change your speed, it resets kids' attention spans.
Be animated.
Don't just stand there. Move. Use your arms and hands to visually
describe what you're talking about. Get excited about what you're
teaching and show it through your body language.
Target the oldest child in the room.
Cool rolls downhill. Aim your teaching level at the oldest child in the
room. An example. If you're teaching 3-5th graders, let your target
be the 5th grade boy. If you connect with him, all of the kids will think
it's cool and engage.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Tuesday
with Tiff: 5 Ways to Stay Motivated in Children's Ministry
Children's Ministry is a marathon...not a sprint. In a marathon, it's
pretty easy to be motivated for the first mile or so. But with each
passing mile, you have to be more intentional about staying motivated.
It's in mile 18...20...23...24...25...26 that you need the most
motivation.
So how do you stay motivated in Children's Ministry for the long haul?
How do you keep your passion and dedication fresh and new?
Prayer. Nothing will keep you motivated like spending time with
Jesus. When you feel your motivation waning, (which we all do at times)
get alone with Jesus. His presence will fill your motivation tank up.
Pause. Many times our motivation wanes due to physical or mental
tiredness. Take time to pause and rest. Pulling away for rest will
renew your motivation. You'll come back ready to conquer the world.
Praise. When you get discouraged, you'll find your motivation
dipping. When that happens, start praising God for His blessings.
Think about all the good things He has given you. Dwell on the
victories. I have a folder where I keep cards, notes, letters, and
stories from people God has helped through my ministry. When I get
discouraged, I pull out that folder, start reading, and begin praising
God. It doesn't take long before my motivation returns.
Positive people. If you want to stay motivated, surround yourself
with people who are motivated. Negative people will slowly drain your
motivation. Be kind to them, but don't spend much time with them.
Your motivation level is directly tied to the motivation level of the people
you spend the most time with.
Purpose. Your ultimate motivation must come from the purpose God
has for your life. His calling on your life is what will keep you
motivated through the ups and downs...the good times and the bad times...the
happy times and the sad times. Always remember why you are doing what you
are doing. It's the call God has placed on your life.
What are some other ways you stay motivated?
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Tuesday with Tiff: Asking
the Right Questions
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The
art of a good discussion begins by asking effective questions. Most often,
the best questions will not occur to you during a discussion but will
result from good preparation. Take the time for thorough lesson preparation
and for planning good questions. The best teachers continue to evaluate and
refine their question-asking skills, even after years of service.
Basic
Preparation
Master the material. The teacher needs to
know more about the lesson than what the child is expected to learn.
Although the youngest children will have simple lessons, some teachers may
find that their own Bible knowledge is less than that of their older
children!
If
a concept presented in your lesson material is confusing or difficult to
understand, ask your leader or the pastor for help. As you participate in
adult Bible studies and personal Bible study, you will find that your
knowledge and understanding will grow. In class, never be afraid to let a
child know that you don’t know the answer to a question. After class, look
for the answer and share it with the child and others in the next class
meeting.
Avoid yes and no questions. These kinds of
questions provide little learning and little interest for the child and
only reinforce what a child already knows. Yes and no questions do little
to encourage discussion and, in fact, may inhibit discussion if children
are worried about giving wrong answers.
Start where the children are starting. Try
to gauge where the children are in their knowledge. Many children in church
today come from unchurched families and are unfamiliar with the Bible and
church traditions. They may not know that the Bible is divided into the Old
and New Testaments. In seeker classes, start with the basics and do not
assume what the children know. Another challenge can be children with
sporadic church attendance. They may be playing “continual catch-up” for
the weeks missed. The challenge is to keep the interest of the more
knowledgeable children while also meeting the needs of the beginners.
Developing Questions
Understanding
the different types of questions can help a teacher ask the best questions
for the lesson and the children.
Knowledge questions. These are questions
that recall information and recite facts: What are the names of the 12
disciples? In what city was Jesus born? What cities did Paul travel to?
Children are familiar with this type of question from weekday school. These
questions may test what the child knows, but they do not stimulate
discussion.
Comprehension questions. These questions help
children interpret their knowledge. Such questions ask the child to
describe, explain, retell or identify. Some examples: What else could the
father have chosen to do when he saw his son coming down the road? Why do
you think Noah obeyed God’s command to build an ark? These questions help
the child move beyond just knowing the information to understanding it.
Comprehension questions have no right or wrong answers, so a child can feel
comfortable expressing his or her ideas.
Application questions. Bible knowledge
reaches a new level when the child can apply it to his or her own life.
Application questions help the child to make the lesson personal and to use
the information in a new setting. These questions ask the child to apply,
experiment, show, solve and describe. Questions such as What are some ways
God provides for you? How can you follow Paul’s example in telling others
about Jesus? What are some ways we can be good stewards of the things we
own? These questions move beyond “head knowledge” and into “heart
knowledge.”
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Monday, November 19, 2012
Relationships:
Building Trust in the classroom
Imparting information is only part of what the effective teacher
accomplishes in Children’s Ministry. Establishing an atmosphere of trust and
love that makes the child want to return is just as important. Why do children gather at church instead of learning about God
from a book or a video? Because only in a communal setting can children and
teachers build the Body of Christ and form friendships that last for years. Some
adults who grew up in a church fondly remember the church teacher or camp
counselor who made them feel valued.
Let’s take a look at the first kind of relationship that needs
trust in order for any Children’s Ministry to thrive—Teacher-Child
Relationships.
Trust. As the teacher, you have
the opportunity to be someone whom children can count on to be present on more
than an occasional basis. Children need to feel that they can talk to you in
confidence and without ridicule or criticism. Children expect that what you
present in class is accurate and useful.
Attitude. Children like teachers who
are positive, upbeat, confident, cheerful, friendly and willing to help. Leave
your personal problems at home and give children your undivided attention.
Fun. As responsibilities set
in, adults tend to become serious and preoccupied. While the subject matter you
present in class is serious in nature, the atmosphere of the class doesn’t have
to be dreary! This doesn’t mean that you have to act silly or let chaos reign
in the classroom. It means that you can enjoy games with your children, find
joy in their discoveries and maintain a happy classroom environment.
Acceptance of feelings. Listen
and empathize with the feelings of the children in your class. Children respond
to situations with emotions rather than rational logic. Their reactions may
seem childish because they have not learned how to control their feelings or
how to think through situations. While you need not agree with everything a
child says, you can be a sounding board and a sympathetic ear.
Acceptance of ideas. Adults
are often self-critical and self-censoring. Children are freer to express wild
and crazy ideas. Encourage children to think out loud and ask questions.
Children are more involved in learning when they feel that their ideas are
accepted. One way to encourage brainstorming is to ask open-ended questions
about opinions instead of facts (“How did the lame man feel when he could walk
again?” “How do you think David felt when he heard King Saul’s threat to hurt
him?”). Questions with more than one right answer are less threatening to
children because they don’t feel that they will make mistakes in their answers.
Enabling questions. Allow
children to make choices instead of telling the child what to do. Instead of
saying “Put the paint back in the cabinet,” ask, “Where do we put the paint?”
Ask children what phrases or slogans best summarize the lesson’s Bible truth.
Children like to feel they have an important role in the classroom.
Praise and affirmation. Every
child wants to feel like the most special child in the world. Compliment and
encourage children frequently, mentioning specific actions you have observed.
The more children feel valued, the more they want to participate in learning
and feel that God accepts them.
Nonverbal signs. Use body
language to show acceptance. Sit at the children’s eye level and avoid hovering
over them. Nod and lean forward when a child is speaking. Smile frequently!
Now we’ll look at another relationship that is just as
important—Child-Child Relationships.
Trust and Security. In many
churches, children don’t know each other. They go to different schools during
the week and may live in distant parts of the city. The children won’t
automatically get to know each other, much less develop relationships of trust.
Start by having children learn their peers’ names (name games are fun)
and something about each other (pets, hobbies, siblings, sports, favorite
performers or TV shows). Maintain a safe place where
children won’t be hurt and their belongings won’t be stolen.
Group Activities. A good
way to develop friendships is through group work. Children bond when they have
a common goal or problem to solve. Have children work in pairs, trios and small
groups using worksheets, skits, music, games, research projects and cooperative
art projects. Be sure each person in the group has a task and is not left out.
One person from each group can share the group’s discovery or project with the
rest of the class. Acknowledge the contributions of each child.
Sharing. Children learn about each
other by sharing their heritage and interests. Invite children to demonstrate
music, food or artwork from their home life. Children also enjoy bringing an
item from home with spiritual importance in their family (heirloom Bible, gift
cross, Scripture sampler, devotional book, etc.).
Prayer. During class prayer time, encourage children to pray for each
other. This may be uncomfortable or threatening at first. Model sentence
prayers for children to hear and imitate. As children feel comfortable in
telling things for which they are thankful and/or their concerns, invite other
children to pray for them. Children can say together, “Thank You, God,” when
someone describes something for which he or she is thankful.
These are
just a few of the ways to make sure that trust is established between the
teachers and children in your Children’s Ministry. --from Children's Ministry
Magazine.
20 Ways to Wake up the
Kids in your Class
(Found this great article
and wanted to share!)
Glassy-eyed, restless, squirming kids who'd really rather not listen to your
pearls of wisdom can cause endless anxiety. How do you handle them? What can
you do to rein in their interest? You could give up, get angry -- or get
creative. Try one of these tactics to engage even your most challenging child.
1 Break in with a funny personal story. I have a trove of bizarre and
revealing "My-brother-Daniel-and-I" stories that includes (but is not
limited to) an attack by a skunk, sliding my 3-year-old sister down the stairs
in a plastic tub, and chopping off a snake's head that we found on the floor of
our room. I'm not making this up. Believe me, kids' attention becomes
laser-beam sharp when they recognize you're about to spin a yarn.
2 Start whispering. Kids will think you're hiding something from them,
and they'll strain to hear what you're saying.
3 Give candy randomly. Tossing out a few treats every now and then will
keep kids alert and interested. (Don't use these as rewards for good behavior
or correct answers; kids are not dogs, after all! Just occasionally surprise
kids with a sweet treat.)
4 Fake a coughing, gagging fit. My mother did this when she was being
mugged, and her assailant actually became so concerned that he tried to help
her. True story!
5 Show the emergency room photo of your son's gaping leg wound. I did
this last week in Lubbock, Texas, with a group of fifth-graders. Gross as it
is, kids can't get enough of seeing my son's boating injury. Maybe you didn't
remember to bring a camera to your last emergency room visit, but a photo of an
odd-looking animal or other freak of nature will do the trick, too.
6 Say the magic words, "I have a movie clip." You'll see kids'
eyes instantaneously light up at the change of pace.
7 Scream at the top of your lungs for no apparent reason. You'll
definitely get kids' attention (just ignore the unintended consequence of other
adults and security running into the room). Then return to your normal speaking
tone. Kids may decide you're a bit unbalanced, but they'll be listening.
8 Pull out a crazy toy from your Mystery Box. This can't be any old toy
or gimmick they've seen dozens of times before. It's got to be something that
truly captivates.
9 Quickly leave the room for a potty break and return in a Bible-times
costume. And stay in character the rest of the class.
10 Take out a digital camera and feign ignorance about how to work it.
The kids will stumble over themselves to help you -- instant engagement. Once
they've educated you, they'll be happy to dive back into the lesson.
11 Bring in a junior high schooler or high schooler to help with a game,
music, or art project related to the lesson. Your kids adore older kids; it's
the natural order. This brings together two things they love -- older kids and
fun.
12 Take kids into a different room or outside for a change of scenery. I
can't tell you how many teachers I know who love to transition with a location
change. The walk alone works out boredom and wakes up kids, and the new
surroundings offer a fresh start for your lesson.
13 Sob and dab your eyes with a hanky. A crying adult always made me
freak out as a child -- and you'll be rewarded with kids' total attention (if
not an Oscar).
14 Start a stampede. Say in an excited tone, "On the count of
three, everybody run to the wall on your left...one, two, three!" Kids
will drop everything and run without understanding why; this can be
entertaining to watch as an adult. When everyone's at the wall, continue with your
lesson or move on to something new.
15 Form groups. Change the pace by asking kids to get into groups for
the next activity. This social change is a reliable way to get kids excited and
checked back in.
16 Chase rabbits. Or let kids go off on tangents. Kids' topics of
interest keep them engaged and interested in your lesson...and a creative
teacher can find some strand of insight that relates to the lesson aim.
17 Fall prostrate on the floor and begin praying in Hebrew. No doubt
about it, this is a showstopper.
18 Give a "For instance..." A "For instance" is
something that relates to kids' real world. Ask them about specific things
going on in their culture and how they'd apply the Bible Point to that
situation, on the playground, or at home with siblings.
19 Turn the problem into the solution. If they'd rather be anywhere than
in your classroom, take them where they are in their imagination. Pull out your
Improv Supply Box, and let kids create scenes as the lesson takes on
international, mysterious, or creative dimensions.
20 Ask the rowdies to do -- not help. Hand over one segment of the
lesson, and then sit back and enjoy yourself as kids try their hand at
teaching. (And don't forget to give yourself a small pat on the back as you
realize that you truly are the key ingredient to kids learning about Jesus in
your classroom.)
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
12
Killers of good leadership
I know numerous leaders with great potential…
They have all the appearance of being a good leader…
But they lack one thing…or two…
There are a few killers of good leadership…
Any one of these can squelch good leadership…
It’s like a wrecking ball of potential…
It’s not that they can’t lead, but to continue to grow as a leader…to be
successful at a higher level or for the long-term…they must address these
issues.
Here are 12 killers of
good leadership:
Defensiveness – Good leaders don’t
wear their feelings on their shoulders. They know other’s opinions matter and
aren’t afraid to be challenged.
Jealousy – A good leader enjoys watching others on the team excel.
Revenge – The leader that succeeds for the long term must be forgiving
and knows that “getting even” only comes back to harm them and the
organization.
Fearfulness – The good leader remains committed when no one else is and
must take risks no one else will. Others will follow. That’s what leaders do.
Favoritism - Good leaders don’t have favorites on the team. They reward
for results not partiality.
Ungratefulness - Good leaders value people, knowing they cannot attain
success without others.
Small-mindedness – Good leaders think bigger than today. They are
dreamers and idea people.
Pridefulness - Pride comes before the fall. Good leaders remain humbled
by the position of authority entrusted to them.
Rigidity - There are some things to be rigid about, such as values and
vision, but for most issues, the leader must be open to change. Good leaders
welcome new ideas, realizing that most everything can be improved.
Laziness – One can’t be a good leader and not be willing to work hard.
In fact, the leader should be willing to be the hardest worker on the team.
Unresponsiveness – Good leaders don’t lead from behind closed doors.
They are responsive to the needs and desires of those they attempt to lead.
They respond to concerns and questions. They collaborate more than control.
Leaders who close themselves off from those they lead will limit the places
where others will follow.
Dishonesty – Since character counts highest, a good leader must be above
reproach. When a leader fails, he or she must admit their mistake and work
towards restoration.
A leader may struggle with one or more of these, but the goal should be to lead
“killer-free.” Leader, be honest, which of these wrecking balls do you struggle
with most?
Saturday, April 28, 2012
God loves variety.
Think of all the wonderful varieties of plants, animals, colors, and fish He
created. Think about all the different types of people He created. It would be
boring if we were all the same! He also created kids with a variety of learning
styles.
The effective Children's Ministry recognizes
this and seeks to engage all learning styles.
Linguistic Learners have sensitivity to the meaning and order of words.
They use an expanded vocabulary. They respond to jokes, riddles, reading,
writing, telling stories, and word games.
Logical-Mathematical Learners like reasoning, patterns, and order. They want to know how
things work, ask lots of questions, and collect things. They respond to
puzzles, blocks, and counting devices.
Bodily-Kinesthetic Learners enjoy sports and physical activity. They
respond to body language, dance, acting, and active games.
Musical Learners are sensitive to pitch, melody, rhythm, and tone. They love to
listen to and play music, sing, hum, move to rhythm, and create tunes.
Spatial Learners perceive the world accurately and recreate or transform aspects
of that world. They like to doodle, paint, draw, build with blocks, puzzles,
mazes, and taking things apart and putting them back together again.
Naturalist Learners recognize and classify the numerous species of an environment.
They like to spend time outdoors observing plants, collecting rocks, and
catching insects. They love nature.
Interpersonal Learners are all about people and relationships. They have many friends.
They are good mediators and team players. They enjoy group games and
discussions.
Intrapersonal Learners use their emotional life to understand themselves and others.
They control their feeling and emotions. They do a lot of observing and
listening. They do best when working alone. They enjoy cameras, drawing pads,
journals and questions about their experiences and emotions.
How to use the learning styles...
Make a grid with the above learning styles. As
you prepare your lesson, run it through the grid and incorporate as many
learning styles as possible. Over the course of a few lessons, you should hit
all the learning styles.
Here's an example.
Let's take the story of Jonah and the Whale and run it through the grid.
Linguistic –
Dramatically tell the story to them. Then have them re-tell it to someone else
in the room.
Logical-Mathematical – Have them put together a puzzle of Jonah and the Whale.
Bodily-Kinesthetic - Have them act out the story.
Musical
– Sing a song about the story.
Spatial
– Have them draw a picture of the story.
Naturalist – Bring some seaweed for them to touch or a picture of a large
fish for them to look at.
Interpersonal – Have them play a group
game and discuss the story with friends.
Intrapersonal – Ask them questions and have them draw pictures about how they
would have felt if they were Jonah.
Your teachers will have a tendency to teach out
of their own learning style because it's their comfort zone. Challenge them to
engage all learning styles. When that happens children will be excited about
coming to church because they will be learning in style...their style, that is!
How do you incorporate
learning styles into your lessons?
What are some creative things you have done with some of these
learning styles?
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Tuesday
with Tiff: 5 Practical Tips to Keep the Attention of Kids
You are constantly
fighting for the attention of the kids at church. We live in a world saturated
with entertainment, where even on the short drive to church there is probably a
video game in the hands of every kid under 13. So, how do you compete?
Some choose to say they won’t
compete and some throw every gaming system and slang acronym at kids, entertaining them, but
missing out on solid teaching.
If you fall somewhere in
the middle – wanting kids to be engaged and get quality Biblical content that
supersedes just having fun and being entertained – you are not alone.
Here are some practical
ways to keep the attention of kids at your church that we use:
1. Keep segments
short. A kid’s attention span is normally about as long (in minutes) as
their age.
2. Keep them moving.
Don’t let them sit in the same chair the whole hour. Have them up and moving
around the room. Take them on a journey if you are talking about Paul’s
journeys or tape a whale on the floor for them to sit in if you are talking
about Jonah.
3. Don’t waste game
time. Games can be a great way to tie in spiritual content for kinesthetic
learners. Connect games to stories principles that you are teaching.
4. Vary activities each
week. Keep kids guessing about what is coming next. This takes planning and
preparation, but has a huge pay-off.
5. Make it apparent that
you care. Kids think video games are great, but kids will know when you
genuinely care… and that makes all the difference.
"I have fought a good fight, I have
finished my course, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7
What does your current ministry pace look like? A constant sprint?
An all out run? A steady jog? A power walk?
Whatever the pace...make sure it's sustainable. Make sure it will take
you the distance.
You're are not called to run half your course...you're called to finish your
course.
Over the years, I have seen many people start out in ministry at a pace that
couldn't be maintained. Their heart was in the right place and they were
full of zeal. But they didn't take the long look and pace themselves properly.
Eventually, they fell out of the race.
I have found that finishing the race is not based on speed...it's based on
maintaining a steady, sustainable pace.
Can you finish your course at your current ministry pace? If not...it's
time to make some adjustments.
12
ways to get Kids to pay Attention
Ask them to repeat what you just said.
Show a short video.
Have them get up and move.
Have them make something related to the lesson.
Remove distractions.
Place kids in groups and let them talk about a question.
Let them make up the classroom rules.
Play a game.
Create an incentive or reward for listening.
Take them outside of the classroom to a different location for a change.
Let them help teach the lesson.
Have a motion or signal they repeat after you.
Usually if the kids are bored it's because the teacher is boring.
Engaged students pay attention.
Have you ever been around an
inspiring leader? After talking with them or listening to them, you were
ready to go conquer any mountain.
As a children's ministry leader, it's vital that you have the ability to
inspire others.
When we talk about being "inspiring" you may be thinking it has to be
someone who is extremely gifted, has a charismatic personality, is a people
magnet or can give dynamic, soul-stirring speeches.
If that's not you, don't worry. That's not what being inspiring is really
all about anyways. Anyone can be inspiring if they take the right steps
and work at it.
Here's 10 key steps you can take to become an inspiring children's ministry
leader.
Inspiring leaders collaborate.
Do you want to inspire people? Then include them. Inspiring leaders
don't bark down orders. They gather people and create something
together. When people have a part in creating something instead of just
being handed something, they are inspired.
Inspiring leaders develop people.
When you are intentional about pouring into people...when people know you are
committed to helping them become a better person and leader...when you call
people up instead of calling them out...it inspires them. They will be
drawn to you.
Inspiring leaders empower people and then get out of the way.
Inspiring leadership and micromanaging aren't compatible. Inspiring
leaders empower people and then give them room to lead, fail, and learn from
their failures.
Inspiring leaders ask the right questions.
You don't always need to have the best answer. Just learn to ask the
right questions to draw out the best answer from the team. Lead with
questions just as much or more than you do with answers.
Inspiring leaders admit their mistakes.
Be quick to admit your mistakes. Be the first one to apologize.
Humility and transparency inspires others.
Inspiring leaders lead by example.
Go the second mile and when you ask your team to go the second mile, go the
third mile. Inspiration is caught by example more than it is taught by
words.
Inspiring leaders build relationships.
Inspiring leaders don't lead by title or position...they lead by
relationships. Love people for who they are instead of for what they can
do. When people know you really care about them, their hearts will be
drawn to you. Inspiration is created through relationship.
Inspiring leaders give away the credit for wins and take the blame for
failures.
It inspires people when you put them in the spotlight instead of
yourself. It also inspires people when they know you've got their back
and when something goes wrong, you take the ultimate responsibility.
Inspiring leaders continually fill people's vision tank.
Constantly share the "why" of what your team does. Realize that
vision leaks, so keep the vision front and center. And you don't have to
be an "inspirational" speaker to do this. This is done just as
effectively in small gatherings or individually.
Inspiring leaders are faithful.
There is something about long term faithfulness that inspires people. You
will find the longer you are in ministry, the more inspiration potential you
will have. Time and experience are two of your best inspiration
allies. Stay the course.
What are some other traits of inspiring leaders?
What are some traits in leaders that have personally inspired you?
The Best Ways to Let Kids Know They Matter
Look at them not past them.
Listen to them.
Know their name.
Ask them questions about their life.
Just show up.
Brag on them.
Remember their birthday.
Go to their sports game.
Write them a handwritten note and
mail it to them.
Forgive them when they mess up.
Spend time with them.
Giggle with them.
Notice when they are absent.
Laugh at their jokes.
Be excited when you see them.
Notice when they grow.
Love them...no matter what.
7 Bad Habits That Are Crushing Your
Children’s Ministry
Bad Habit #1 - Tolerating disunity. Disunity will crush your
children's ministry. If you are allowing backbiting, gossip, hallway
conversations, and personal agendas to propagate, then you are crushing your
children's ministry.
Confront it. Get everyone on the same page...everyone aligned to the same
vision. If this means asking some people to move out, then do it.
Unity doesn't happen naturally, you have to fight for it.
Bad Habit #2 - Not following ratios. When parents look into a room
that is out of proportion and out of control, they are hesitant to bring their
child back. It also leads to volunteer burn-out.
Follow ratios. Do the work to enlist enough volunteers to make it
happen.
Bad Habit #3 - Not maximizing the first 8 minutes. People decide if they
are going to return to your church in the first 8 minutes. If you are not
being intentional about what they experience in those first 8 minutes, then you
are diminishing your return rate.
Bad Habit #4 - Begging for volunteers. When you beg for volunteers,
you are devaluing your children's ministry. Never appear desperate, even
when you are.
Bad Habit #5 - Not keeping your facilities clean. People are
turned off by dirty rooms, clutter, dirty walls, stained carpets, and toys that
are not sanitized.
This has nothing to do with the size of your building or your budget.
Whatever God has provided you with...you can keep it clean.
Bad Habit #6 - Only being inwardly focused. Children's ministries
have a tendency over time to turn their focus inward. They begin to only
cater to the needs and whims of those already inside the walls of the church.
Yes, meet needs, but let the biggest need be your biggest focus. The
world around you that is in desperate need of a Savior.
Bad Habit #7 - Making kids feel like they are going back to school on the
weekend. Kids have been at school all week. The last thing they
want is another school experience on the weekend.
Use engaging, out of the box, dynamic lessons that will capture kids'
attention and communicate God's Word in a relevant way. Make it
fun. Let them laugh, play, and have a blast.
July
and August: Best of the Bible (TIL about –then title of
message) 
December:
Birth
of Christ ‘Jesus is the Reason for the Season’: (Website) (TIL: Jesus is the Reason for the Season!) 
