Dad in the Middle » Teaching Tips

CM TeleSummit – Praise and Worship That Rocks – Yancy

Wayne — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 17:57:16 +0000

Here is my next installment of notes from the CMTelesummit.

Been around children’s ministry her entire life.
Praise and Worship
What is the purpose of worship leaders?
- Worship is communication
  - Communication with God
  - As leaders, worship time is also communication to kids or families
  - Everything we do communicates something to our audience
“Leading Worship is more about your leadership ability than your musical ability.”
- Mean more than standing on stage with a microphone and singing songs
“Leading worship is a lot like being an aerobics instructor.”
- Coach
- Helps people not to give up
- Example in the action that is going on
- Also a source of encouragement
“Define what you want to teach kids about worship in every class.”
- Sometimes we use music just to fill time.
- Shouldn’t be main motive for using music
- Teaching kids to worship is missing from many ministries
  - Praising God is part of our Christian walk
  - Need to teach kids what it means to be a worshipper and how they can become a worshipper.
- Need to define what we want kids to learn about worship during their years in our ministry
- Helps us to know what to aim for
- Important that we cast this vision
What can we teach kids about worship for every age (just an example)
- Preschool – We sing to Jesus because its a way to show Jesus that we love him
  - Preschoolers understand love
- Elementary – We can teach our kids that God is good and praising him is what we were created to do
- Pre-teen – Give kids a foundation of why we worship and the importance of it so as they move up they aren’t influenced and swayed by others not to participate, but they are the one encouraging others to praise.
  - We want them to become examples of worship
  - Takes defining and investing
Have to give kids bite size pieces of worship they can handle
- Preschool
  - Love action songs
  - Move, jump, clap
  - Don’t always do well with slow songs, but can if you position it well
  - Songs that repeat.
    - Kids repeat after the leader
    - Not about them just learning the entire song
- Elementary
  - Love high-energy stuff
  - Opportunity to get loud
  - Encourage them to sing loudly
  - Unashamed to lift hands in worship
    - Encourage them to lift hand and close eyes
    - Perfect example of faith like a child
  - Encourage them because they are naturally interested in it
- Pre-teen
  - Love to Rock out
  - Starting to really care about “cool factor”
  - Still at a teachable point in their lives
    - That’s why it’s important to start teaching them early and build upon it
How to plan a worship set
- Know who your audience is
- Know the vision of your children’s ministry Pastor or Director
  - How many songs are needed?
  - What do they want the kids in their ministry to learn about worship?
- Find music that is musically relevant to culture
  - Preschool – Playhouse Disney, Noggin
    - Super fun, energetic, wiggle around
    - Praise God
  - Elementary – Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers
  - Pre-Teen
    - Music tastes change quickly
    - Not listening to “kiddie” music
  - Make sure you provide music that sounds similar in type
- Pick songs with easy to sing choruses
- Simple lyrically
  - Avoid Chrisitaneese (Blood of Jesus, etc.)
  - Once kids get older, more option
  - Deal with subjects your kids can identify with at their age
- Songs that speak their language
  - If in doubt, play it for others (including kids)
  - Get other people’s feedback
  - Sometimes you don’t know until you try it
    - Don’t force the issue
    - If it doesn’t catch on after a few times, don’t be afraid to stop using it
    - Don’t worry if it doesn’t catch on first time
- Keep in time attention span
  - Pre-school – 1 1/2 – 2 minutes
  - Elementary – 3-4 minutes
    - Don’t do more than 2 or 3 songs at a time
  - Two songs works great
- Create dynamics in your set
  - Take them on a journey
    - Tie into the theme of the week
    - Journey can be tempo of songs (fast then slow then fast – like a roller coaster)
  - Dynamics can help with participation
- Allow for familiar
  - When introduce new song
    - 2 weeks in a row
    - Then take a week off
    - Bring it back next week
    - Next month, maybe only two times
    - At that point everyone should have experienced it.
  - Always surround a new song with something familiar
    - Known songs on either side
    - Start with unknown then do something everyone knows
    - Not going to do a bunch of songs all at once
- Look at song dynamics
  - If had a lot of energy, great time to transition to slow song
  - From slow song, transition back to upbeat songs
- Make it unique every week
  - Same thing good with preschoolers
  - After that, mixing it up is good
    - Order of songs
    - Number of fast and slow
- Don’t need huge number of songs
  - Be aware of when kids are getting tired of songs
  - When should it go away forever?
  - When should it be put on hiatus for a while
What we do on stage is important to leading well
- 15% content and words, 30% tone and emotion, and 55% what they see
Top 12 tips for leading worship for kids (in no particular order):
- Prepare
  - Plan what you are going to say
  - Plan transitions
  - Avoid dead time
  - Know your songs – “There is freedom in preparation.”
  - Don’t wait until last day to plan.
  - “Anointing doesn’t make up for a lack of preparation.”
  - Kids can tell the difference
- Speak Clearly
  - Talk slower than you normally do
  - Repeat what you say
  - Have emotion and passion as you speak
  - Be energetic – You can control and lead just by your enthusiasm and volume.
- Model the behavior you want from your audience.
  - It’s OK to be over the top because you’re onstage
  - Wear bright colors
- Be Bold
  - If you act wimpy, your audience will think you’re wimpy
- Be Consistent
  - Lead with same characteristics and leadership techniques
- Don’t hide behind a microphone stand
  - Psychological barrier between you and audience
  - OK to use, just don’t do it all the time
  - Helps you to open up and connect with them
  - Don’t leave random items on the stage
    - Clean neat stage
    - Looks nicer
- Make eye contact
  - Look at them and connect with them
  - Move around
- Give vocal instruction
  - Ask them for participation
  - Tell them what to do, when to do it, how to do it
- Be creative in your song choices
  - If you are bored, your kids will be bored too
  - Introduce new material
    - Tell them it’s new
    - May want to do it twice
  - Find different arrangements of songs
- Teach kids to worship
  - Psalms 8:1-2
  - Amazing opportunity to help them become the worshippers God created them to be.
  - “There is power in kids worshipping.”
  - Encourage them in worship
  - Teach them why we worship God
- Constantly evaluate
  - Good teacher has sense when their audience is getting and when they are not
  - If not, find a better way
  - Find best way possible to communicate truth so their audience will get it
- Problem Solve
  - Mistakes will happen
  - Think through past mistakes
  - Participation level of class
    - Why wait until next week if you can fix it now!
  - Talk to other workers and staff about worship
  - Talk to kids themselves about worship
Soundtracks
- Don’t let intros, etc. determine what you’re going to say
- Take a look at the whole worship set and connect the dots
- Make the most of the time you’ve been given
Pray
- For direction
- For the right people
- Be specific
Read the Word of God
- The more you put in, the more will come out
Be a worshiper on stage and off

100 Questions For Talking to Kids

Wayne — Mon, 24 May 2010 17:00:00 +0000

Here is another synopsis of an article which I published over on Ministry-to-Children.com. The article titled TALKING TO KIDS: 100 QUESTIONS TO START A CONVERSATION was published on May 17, 2010.

Brief Synopsis

I love talking to kids! I really do. It just comes naturally, but I know that is not the case for all people. In this article I offer a list of 100 conversation starters in a variety of categories that you can use to start talking to kids.

Click here to read the entire article!

You can find all the articles I’ve published on Ministry-to-Children.com at this page.

The Play That Doesn’t Work

Wayne — Fri, 21 May 2010 17:08:44 +0000

I’m way behind in updating this site for articles I publish over on the Ministry-to-Children.com site. So, here is another synopsis of an article which I published over on Ministry-to-Children.com. The article titled HERE’S AN EASY WAY TO TEACH BIBLE STORIES TO CHILDREN was published on May 10, 2010.

Brief Synopsis

This article goes over a technique that allows you to retell any Bible story over and over again while the kids in your class have a great time learning it.

Click here to read the entire article!

You can find all the articles I’ve published on Ministry-to-Children.com at this page.

The Importance of Storytelling With Children

Wayne — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 17:38:13 +0000

Time for another Ministry-to-Children.com article synopsis. My article published today on Ministry-to-Children.com is titled Is Storytelling Really That Important?.

Brief Synopsis

This article was prompted by story time each night with my almost three-year-old son. It examines the importance of storytelling to kids particularly when it comes to teaching them about the Bible. The Bible is, after all, the greatest story ever told. Part of conveying a sense of excitement about the Bible lies in helping kids to understand their part in God’s story!

Click here to read the entire article!

Please go check it out and let me know what you think!

Here are some additional resources from Dad in the Middle:

The Power of a Story [08/13/2009]
#2 – The Jesus Storybook Bible (Top Ten Christian Books for Kids) [10/22/2009]
Shaped By The Story [03/18/2010]
#41 – Step Into The Story (Tips For Large Group Teaching) [03/26/2010]

#53 – If It’s Too Comfortable, You’re Not Doing Something Right! (Tips For Large Group Teaching)

Wayne — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 13:00:40 +0000

Welcome to a continuing series of tips on working with large groups of children. I hope that you will find these tips useful and be able to implement them in your dealings with large groups of kids. If you do, please leave a comment and let us know. For a complete list of posts in this series, please see the index page. So, without further introduction, here is today’s installment.

In this series, we’ve been through a ton of tips for improving and expanding your large group experience. Some may seem very natural to you, and some of these ideas may make you very uncomfortable. All of us are better at some things than others and find certain ideas more intimidating than others. So, while it’s important to find the things that we are good at, it’s equally important to stretch ourselves and try things that are not in our comfort zone.

In order to take over the large group teaching portion of our lesson, I had to give up doing small groups on a regular basis. Small groups were something that I loved and something I thought I was quite good at. It came naturally to me. I love talking to kids one-on-one and finding out what is going on in their lives. I love building on the large group lesson and helping kids figure out specific ways to apply it to their own lives. I had become very comfortable in the position of small group leader. So, as cool as I thought doing the large group teaching would be, I was a little bit apprehensive to give up something I was so comfortable with.

In the end, it was that level of comfort that actually led me to swallow the bullet and start teaching the large group. It was listening to a song by Matthew West called “The Motions” that finally convinced me that I needed to step out of my comfort zone. The lyrics to the chorus of that song are:

I don’t wanna go through the motions
I don’t wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don’t wanna spend my whole life asking,
“What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?”

In our Christian life, we must continue to progress spiritually or we will regress. We are always moving one direction or the other. We should constantly be on the lookout for new ways to relate to and serve our God. I think the same idea is true in Children’s Ministry. We must constantly look for ways to change and grow in Children’s Ministry in order to honor God by conveying his love and grace to the children we teach. It is easy to identify things that work and things that we find comfortable with or good at and start to do those things week after week after week. The problem is that where we get comfortable the kids we influence tend to get bored, and being bored is not compatible with learning about God.

Challenge yourself to new try things in your spiritual walk and in ministry that you are not comfortable with. I’ve written about a number of things in this series that were far out of my comfort zone. I finally tried those things in our classroom because the kids like them. I am anything but dramatic. I don’t act. I don’t do costumes. But, in an effort to teach these kids about God, I have become different characters, dressed up, acted out stories, worn wigs, and all kinds of other things that I am anything but comfortable with. In doing so, God has taught me a lot about letting go of myself in service to him, and I found myself having a lot of fun doing things I never would have done in any other situation. One thing God has taught me is the absolute necessity of continuing to stretch my comfort zone for the purposes of his kingdom. After all, it’s not about me. It’s about God!

Return to the Tips for Large Group Teaching in Children’s Ministry index page.

#52 – Seek Feedback (Tips For Large Group Teaching)

Wayne — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 13:00:38 +0000

If we’re doing Children’s Ministry the right way, we invest a lot of time preparing in preparing the actual lesson, a lot of time praying about the lesson and the kids in our ministry and a lot of time practicing what we are going to do for our lesson each week. All of these are admirable uses of time, but how foolish would it be to spend all that time getting ready and never ask anyone how it turned out? Take advantage of volunteers in your ministry and other people in your church. Ask them what they thought of the lesson. Ask them for input on things that you are doing well and things that you could do better. Ask them for any ideas they have to improve the children’s ministry. Involve them in planning and decision making. If you don’t have a team of other people who you can seek input from, ask a trusted friend to come into your room and observe on a regular basis. Then, meet with that person and give them permission to speak the truth and evaluate what you are doing. Talk to other large group leaders and ask them to evaluate how you are doing. No matter how hard you try or how much you plan, there is always room for improvement, and an unbiased opinion is invaluable in that process.

Return to the Tips for Large Group Teaching in Children’s Ministry index page.

#51 – Learn From Your Failures (Tips For Large Group Teaching)

Wayne — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 13:00:37 +0000

I wrote an article last year called 8 Questions to Determine How Proud You Are. The fact of the matter is that there is no room for pride for in any ministry, especially in Children’s Ministry. Our job is to teach kids about our Creator and Savior. Our ego stands in the way of, and has no place in, that mission. When we make a mistake, we must be willing to admit it and learn from it. When that great idea you had to get the kids involved in your lesson strikes out, we have to admit the failure and either improve on the idea or pitch it.

Albert Einstein once said that insanity is:

“…doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

When we refuse to admit our failures in Children’s Ministry and continue on with ideas and methods that do not work, that is the definition of insanity. When you allow your pride to take over and refuse to admit when you’ve been wrong, your ministry becomes more about you then about God, and it is doomed to fail. In order to succeed we must admit our mistakes, learn from them and give them up to God.

Return to the Tips for Large Group Teaching in Children’s Ministry index page.

#50 – The Power of Sound (Tips For Large Group Teaching)

Wayne — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 13:00:35 +0000

When you’re watching a movie, oftentimes the background score and many of the sound effects go unnoticed. But, have you ever watched a movie without sound effects and the background score? It is a completely different experience. There are specialists in Hollywood who do nothing but record background music and sound effects for motion pictures, and there work makes all the difference in the world. Sound, subtle though it may be, creates the atmosphere and tugs at your emotions. The sound creates a sense of doom or excitement or joyfulness depending on the scene, the music and the effects.

You can use these same techniques with your children’s ministry large group. With a minimal amount of funds, you can create the same effects that make a movie or television show stand out during your large group teaching. With an Ipod and a simple adaptor, I can use sound effects and play background music to create the atmosphere in the classroom that matches the story that is being told. Whether it’s game show music for a game show, storm sound effects for the story of Jesus calming the storm, or suspenseful music to play while telling the story of the crucifixion, sound adds a whole new element to your large group teaching. And don’t forget, louder is better!

Return to the Tips for Large Group Teaching in Children’s Ministry index page.

#49 – Two Are Better Than One (Tips For Large Group Teaching)

Wayne — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 13:00:34 +0000

One effective method for breaking up your lessons in Children’s Ministry is to use a “team teaching” technique. When the kids are forced to physically shift their focus from one individual to another, this forces them to play closer attention. Furthermore, if more than one person is capable of, and comfortable with, presenting a lesson to your large groups, it is lot easier when one person has to be gone.

Team teaching can be as simple as having one person teach the beginning of a lesson and another person teach the end. Or, one person can serve as the host doing the introduction and conclusion while the other person can do the storytelling. In you are lucky enough to have more than two people to help with your large group, you can try all kinds of different things. Position people in different parts of the room so that as you shift teaching from one person to the next, the kids have to physically shift their attention. Another technique I’ve read about but never had the opportunity to use combines a dark room and team teaching. In this approach, the room is pitch black. Various teachers are positioned around the room. As that person’s turn to speak comes up, a spotlight is shone on them. If you don’t have spotlights (like me) you can use a desk lamp or flashlight to illuminate the teachers. The point is that visually the only person the kids can see is the one teaching. This helps to further focus their attention. Done right, this technique can be very dramatic and is a great way to tell a story with a narrator and various characters.

There is an old saying, which is supported by Biblical truth, that two are better than one. This is true in life, and it’s true in teaching as well.

Return to the Tips for Large Group Teaching in Children’s Ministry index page.

#48 – Use Special Demonstrations (Tips For Large Group Teaching)

Wayne — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 13:00:33 +0000

One great way to spice things up in your Children’s Ministry is to invite in guest speakers and people to do live demonstrations. In addition to giving the kids someone other than you to listen to, it gives the kids another focal point to remember your lesson by. If it fits with your lesson, invite someone in to talk to the kids. If you’re talking about Noah’s Ark, invite someone from the local zoo to bring in some animals. If you are talking about the holiness of God, invite a judge to come in to talk about the law. If you are telling the story of Gideon, invite someone from the armed forces in to talk about their impression of Gideon’s “strategy.” Invite your pastor to come talk to the kids. If you’re talking about Satan as the great deceiver of the brethren, have a magician come in and do some tricks as an example of how you can make things seem completely different than they are. The possibilities are really endless when it comes to demonstrations.

Here’s one example of how I’ve personally used this technique. When we were talking about spiritual disciplines, I had my eight-year-old come in and do a karate demonstration. Then, I interviewed him about the amount of training and practice that goes into doing some of the things he demonstrated. I concluded by having him teach the kids in the room a simple move they could practice on their own. Following the demonstration we talked about spiritual disciplines and how you have to train yourself in those areas as well. The kids had a blast, as did my son, and they still talk about that lesson and remember the point of it today.

If you don’t know where to find people to come show off their skills, just ask! You’ll be amazed at what you can find in your own congregation. Like visual aids in general, one key point to remember is that any demonstration you incorporate into your lesson should always have a point. The demonstration should expand upon or reinforce your lesson. No matter how much the kids might enjoy them, frivolous demonstrations are a bad stewardship of the time God gives us with the kids in our ministries.

Return to the Tips for Large Group Teaching in Children’s Ministry index page.

#47 – The Use of Visual Aids and Focal Points (Tips For Large Group Teaching)

Wayne — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 13:00:31 +0000

If used incorrectly, the visual aid can easily become tacky and distracting rather than a useful tool. However, used correctly it can give you a visual focal point for your lesson and give your kids something to easily remember the lesson by. If you do choose to use a visual aid, it should be something that the kids in your ministry are familiar with. An outboard motor or coffee maker won’t resonate with the kids and likely won’t add anything to your lesson. Ideally, you want to pick something so familiar to the kids that they are likely to encounter it in their everyday lives. Your goal in using a visual aid is that whenever kids see that aid in everyday life it would spark a memory of a particular lesson.

Visual aids can range from the very simple (a sword to represent the Bible) to the very complex (a manger scene with live animals to teach about Christmas). Remember, you want to pick something that the kids are familiar with. If you want a boat to use as a visual aid when talking about Jesus walking on water, find a toy boat (or better yet a remote control boat set up in a small pool). This will likely resonate more with the kids than a life preserver or a picture of a yacht. Be creative with what you choose for visual aids. If you’re telling the story of David and Goliath, a sling shot is a choice for a visual aid. If you practice, you could even put on a little demonstration, though I don’t advise getting the kids involved in that particular demonstration! If you’re telling the story of Gideon and his army, you could bring in a puppy to help the kids visualize the soldiers by the river who lapped up the water like dogs. The more creative you get, the more likely the kids are to retain the lesson and remember it when they see that visual again.

A couple of warnings about visual aids are important. First, make sure you check with the appropriate people before using live animals or anything else too far out of the ordinary. Most importantly, if you are going to use visual aids, remember that they are supposed to be a tool. They are meant to enhance what you are teaching, but they should not become the focal point of the lesson itself. That job and position belongs to Jesus alone. Never let your visual age upstage Christ in your lesson!

Return to the Tips for Large Group Teaching in Children’s Ministry index page.

#46 – Using Contrast to Mix Things Up (Tips For Large Group Teaching)

Wayne — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 13:00:30 +0000

One effective way to regain a child’s attention when their mind starts to wonder during your teaching is to include an abrupt change in your presentation. This abrupt change can take many forms. If you’re teaching a very serious portion of your lesson, switch abruptly to something funny. If your lesson is fast pace, suddenly slow down your presentation speed. If you’re speaking loudly, drop your volume quickly to something just slightly louder than a whisper. The sharp contrast in your teaching style will have the effect of drawing the kids back into your lesson.

Along the same lines, another technique which can be very effective when used correctly is silence. Silence is a powerful thing. Most people do not care for silence and they drone on and on rather than allow a silent moment. However, in teaching a silent pause in the middle of your lesson can be very effective. It allows you to collect your thoughts. And, it allows the children some time to reflect on the lesson. In most situation silence generally means the end of what you have to say. If your silent pause is misperceived as the end of what you are going to say, the kids will be more likely to start listening again to see what comes next. Be careful though with the power of silence. If you allow your silent pause to continue on too long, you will start to lose the kids’ attention rather than gaining it.

I’m going to go practice silence right now. Until next time….

Return to the Tips for Large Group Teaching in Children’s Ministry index page.

#45 – Teach From Their Level (Tips For Large Group Teaching)

Wayne — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 13:00:28 +0000

When I was 21, my best friend’s sister had a baby. I remember going over to his house one day and walking upstairs where he was playing with the new baby. As I walked into the room, I noticed that they were having a great time. Having a great time, that is, until the baby turned around and noticed me. I’m a big guy (about 6’5”), and the sight of me sent him into hysterics. That pattern continued for several years. When my friend’s nephew was two, he backed off a porch one day when he saw me coming. Back then, I never would have imagined that God would have Children’s Ministry in my future. The interesting thing was that when I was sitting down my friend’s nephew would walk right up and play with me. You see, to him I was some sort of giant until I sat down and dealt with him on his level.

The same technique works in Children’s Ministry. See, we look big to the kids in our ministry. To them, we are just like all the other adults in their lives whose primary reason for existence is to tell them what to do. In Children’s Ministry, our role is not to just give them a list of things we want them to, or not to, do but to explain that God wants to have a relationship with them and what that relationship looks like. While they should recognize the authority we have in the classroom, when we are talking about our relationship with God we are all brothers and sisters, not teachers and students. Sometimes it will do a great deal of good to get on their level when presenting your lesson. Sit down or get down on the ground so that you’re looking straight into their eyes rather than looking down on them. Physically and figuratively, we should not be in a position where we are looking down on the kids in our ministry.

Return to the Tips for Large Group Teaching in Children’s Ministry index page.

#44 – Read To Them (Tips For Large Group Teaching)

Wayne — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 13:00:27 +0000

Many people think of reading stories to kids as something you do in the nursery or preschool classes. They reject it as an effective means for teaching elementary aged kids. The fact of the matter is that most kids like stories, and they like to be read to. I wouldn’t want to read them a book every weekend, but it is an effective means to break up your lessons a little bit by mixing in a week every now and then where you pull up a chair or sit on the floor and just read them a story.

There are some great books out there that I turn to from time to time for use in children’s ministry. One of my favorites is The Jesus Storybook Bible which made #2 in my list of the Top Ten Christian Books for Kids. Combining great storytelling with compelling images, this book is perfect for captivating kids and will be a great resource for your children’s minsitry. The biggest problem I have when I use it is that I find the kids crowding in trying to take in every picture and every word. I read it to my kids at home (ranging from age 2 to almost 9), and they all love it. Of course, there are also other great kids’ storybook bibles out there that you can read from.

Of course, the classic book that you should read from every week is the Bible. Frankly, this one should be a bit of a “no brainer.” Our lessons should be taken directly from God’s Word, so why not read the verses you are teaching from to the kids you are teaching? Don’t just tell them what’s in the book, read it to them so they can see it for themselves. Reading from the Bible, in addition to whatever else you do in your lesson, should build excitement about God’s Word in their hearts.

If you do choose to read, it is important that you read well. Simply reading to your kids in a monotone voice without ever looking up from the book will not inject excitement into your room. As a storyteller, it is your job to make the story come alive. Let your inner thespian shine through. I am far from dramatic, but when I read a story I use voice inflection, different voices, and different tones of voice and different reading speeds to help make the story come alive. Oftentimes, I will move around the room as I read the story to assume the parts of different characters.

Earlier in this series we discussed why you should never read your entire lesson to the kids, but you should never be afraid to read them a story!

Return to the Tips for Large Group Teaching in Children’s Ministry index page.

#43 – Don’t Be Afraid to Admit That You May Be Too Old (Tips For Large Group Teaching)

Wayne — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 13:00:33 +0000

Whether you’re 22 or 42, there may be times when you are too old to be the best person to relate to a bunch of young children. Find kids who are just a little bit older than the kids in your ministry to help you out. Children tend to relate to and bond well with kids who are just a little bit older than they are. Let’s face it – they’re cooler than you are. Use this to your advantage. Have the middle school kids in your church come and teach the elementary age kids every once in a while. Build a high school worship team for your Children’s Ministry. Using older kids to help you out is particularly effective in getting kids involved in worship. They are much more willing to open up, sing and dance if they see an older teenage boy leading worship. Find older kids to help you with sound and video (they’re probably better at it that you anyhow). If you don’t know which kids to ask, ask their parents. Although some can be a bit biased and blind to reality when it comes to their own kids, most parents know whether or not their children are good with younger kids.

Here another free tip. If you’re having trouble keeping up on the latest trends and cultural phenomena, find a middle schooler. They’re still young enough to know what the younger kids like, and they’re old enough to talk to you about them. No of us likes to admit that we’re old, but sometimes it is in the best interest of the kids that we minister to to admit it.

Return to the Tips for Large Group Teaching in Children’s Ministry index page.

#42 – Be Specific With Your Application (Tips For Large Group Teaching)

Wayne — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 13:00:25 +0000

Many lessons include an application or challenge to the kids which is generally a great idea. However, you have to be careful not to be too vague in making applications. Give the kids something specific to do. Encourage them to tell someone about Jesus that week or invite a friend to church. Follow up the next week and find out which kids followed through. Who did tell someone about Jesus and who invited someone to church? If you’re teaching a lesson on what the Bible has to say about itself, encourage the kids to read at least a chapter a day in their Bible for one week, and then have them tell you what they learned. If you’re teaching the story of creation, encourage the kids to make a list that week of five things they notice in the world around them that are so awesome that God MUST have made them. If you’re teaching about prayer, have them write down at least one thing they can pray for themselves that week and one person they can pray for that week and encourage them to make those prayers each night. Kids don’t tend to deal in the generalities – they like something specific that they can do!

Return to the Tips for Large Group Teaching in Children’s Ministry index page.

#41 – Step Into The Story (Tips For Large Group Teaching)

Wayne — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 13:00:24 +0000

Storytelling is a vital part of teaching. There is no quicker way to lose the attention of a group of kids than to just stand up and read them a story. Stories were not meant to be just read – they were meant to be told! One tip I picked up from some of the books I’ve read on the subject is to make yourself part of the story. As you’re telling the kids a story, whether it be from the Bible or some other source, step in and out of the story and become one of the characters. Take on that character’s personality, accent and mannerisms. If you’re telling the story of Jesus walking on the water, become Peter when you get to the part of the story where he asks the Lord to allow him to walk on water. Express his amazement as he walks on water and his despair and fear as he starts to sink. As you step into and out of the story, there is no need to announce that you are doing it (as in, “if I were Peter I would say…”). If your storytelling is effective, the kids will recognize what you are doing without ever missing a beat. Stepping into the story is one of many ways you can make your storytelling more effective and engaging. It’s also one of the simplest ways.

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#40 – Play With Them (Tips For Large Group Teaching)

Wayne — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 13:00:45 +0000

There is no denying that kids like to have fun. Watch a group of five-year-olds with nothing to play with or play on, and they will still find some way to have fun. In our roles as teachers and disciple makers in Children’s Ministry, we sometimes lose sight of important things like having fun. One of the best ways I have found of forming lasting bonds with kids is to play with them. On Wednesday nights at Awana, surrounded by hundreds of kids, I always try to find some time to shoot some baskets, or push a kid on a scooter, or play catch. There is something about playing and having fun that forms a bond that conversation can’t match. In addition, it’s a good way to connect with shier kids who don’t like to talk. Whether you’re leading the kids in a game or just observing, get involved – play with them!

So, what does this look like in large group setting? Well, first of all, it means making sure that you take a serious, but still light hearted, approach to teaching. Just because the material we are teaching is on eternal importance doesn’t forbid us from having fun with the kids we have been given stewardship of. Make a joke here and there. Engage the kids in conversation. Laugh when you goof up (you will goof up at some point). Play games. Keep them guessing. Be goofy. Whatever you do, find a way to incorporate fun into your lesson. You won’t regret it.

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#39 – Candy, Candy, Candy (Tips For Large Group Teaching)

Wayne — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 13:00:45 +0000

There are all kinds of debates out there today about whether or not using candy as an incentive in Children’s Ministry is appropriate or not. I understand the arguments against candy. It’s unhealthy. Kids don’t need all that sugar. What if the parents don’t like it? If you give them candy, you’re bribing them to behave when they should just behave because it’s the right thing to do. Like I said, I understand all the arguments. That said, I give out more candy than Willy Wonka in my classroom. We have a discipline and reward system where kids can earn up to three pieces of candy every single week. In addition to that, I ask questions each week and give candy to the kids for right answers. I hand out candy to the kids who volunteer to help in the large group portion of the lesson. We have parties with sweets and punch to celebrate our Lord.

So, that’s where I come down on the issue, now let me explain the reason why. Kids are all different, but the one thing I’ve found that they all seem to like – is candy. They might like different kinds and have different favorites, but they all seem to like candy. That makes it a powerful motivator and one you should take advantage of! As for the argument that it’s unhealthy, my experience is that there are very few kids that NEVER eat candy. The point is not that they should never eat sweets, but that they should understand stewardship. Even candy, in moderation, is not bad for you. Finally, many people resist handing out candy because they fear parents will object. To date, I have never had such an objection, but I do respect the fact that parents have been appointed by God to be the ultimate decision makers for their kids. To that end, even when we do pass out candy as prizes, our rule is that the kids have to wait until their parents pick them up to eat it. That gives parents the opportunity to regulate the sugar intake. In short, my advice when it comes to candy is – Never underestimate the power of a good bribe!

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#38 – Make Yourself Part of the Lesson (Tips For Large Group Teaching)

Wayne — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 13:00:44 +0000

Whether you are working in small groups or large ones, you will find that kids will relate to you a lot easier and a lot more deeply when they feel a personal connection with you. To accomplish this in a large group, you have to make yourself part of the lesson. Remember, of course, that’s it’s not about you – it’s about Jesus. But, you can certainly talk about how Jesus has worked and is working in your life. Share your testimony. Tell the kids what it was like when you didn’t know Jesus. Use stories from your life as examples. Let the kids see that you aren’t perfect. The more you can make your teaching time seem like a very intimate and personal chat rather than just a lecture, and the more personal you can make a lesson, and the more likely the kids will retain it.

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