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.
God had entrusted us with the education of his children. And it’s not just any education we’ve been entrusted with. If we were only teaching them arithmetic or science, our burden would not be so great, but we are charged with teaching them about God. We are given the task of showing them how to have a relationship with their Creator and Savior.
In order to do that, we must constantly be learning and growing as followers of Christ in own lives every single day. There are a ton of great books out there on Children’s Ministry. There are endless books on theology. There are thousands of sermons you can download directly to your iPod and listen to on your morning or afternoon commute. There are thousands (if not millions) of Christian websites and blogs. We live in an age unparalleled in terms of the availability of information.
No matter what resources you choose to use, the most important thing is that make a concerted effort to stay informed and continually expand your own knowledge of both the specific things you are teaching and the Bible in general. You must know your theology and doctrine, you must understand the meta-narrative, and you must know your Bible if you undertake to teach children. Although the information you share in a lesson given to kids will likely not be as in depth as one you might share with adults, that does not lessen the preparation and research and meditation that you should do. You should still understand the deeper meaning of any story or text that you plan on teaching. This will help you to ensure that you are not “proof texting” or misrepresenting the passage. It will put you in a better position to answer any questions that may come up. And, it will further your own spiritual journey.
Return to the Tips for Large Group Teaching in Children’s Ministry index page.