CHILDREN'S CHURCH
· Why Have Children's Church?
· What Is Children's Church?
· When Should Children's Church Be Held?
· Where Should Children's Church Be Held?
· How To Carry Out Children's Church.
· How To Convince People That Children's Church Is Worth-While.
· Miscellaneous
Why Have Children’s Church?
1. When Jesus gave the great commission to teach all nations...that includes children.
2. Children and their welfare and training are mentioned throughout the Old Testament.
3. In the New Testament Jesus spent a great part of His ministry in helping children.
4. God Gives promises to and for children.
5. God gave ministries to people for the perfecting of the saints.
These saints include every age group within the church.
6. Children can be born again, sanctified, and filled with the Spirit.
God is no respecter of persons. (Acts 10:34)
What is Children's Church?
1. Children's Church is where children
a) Experience church on their level.
b) Participate actively in Worship.
c) Function in traditional roles within the body of believers.
2. Children's Church is not:
· Just another program.
· A babysitting service
· A glorified nursery
3. Children's Church is a Ministry Called and appointed by God!
4. Children's Church should help them grow spiritually, physically, and in favor with God and man.
5. Children’s Church is work!
When Should A Church Have Children's Church
1. All churches should have Children's church.
2. How often do you have Children Church?
· One time a week
3. Children also need to be in Adult Church..3
Where Should You Have Children's Church?
1. In a place where children can worship.
2. Don't get too near the auditorium. Children's worship is often loud.
3. Have a stage. If the children can't see they find a way to entertain themselves.
4. Have decorations for Children. They like to feel good about their surroundings just like adults.
5. A room too large is just as bad as one too small.
6. Ideally any place is better than no place at all!
How To Carry Out Children's Church?
Isa. 28:9-10 Whom shall he teach knowledge and whomshall he make to understand doctrine. Those who are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For Precept must be upon
precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little there a little.
1. Plan - "Fail to plan then you plan to fail"
2.Ecc 1:9 "there is no new thing under the sun". Creative people are not born they are a product of necessity!!!!!!!!!!!!
3. Focus on a theme..
a) Yearly
b) Quarterly
c) Weekly
4. You need Help - You can't do it alone!!!!!
5. Serve the children a "sandwich".
a) Preliminaries
b) Lively Action
c) Worship
d) Preaching (object lessons etc.)
e) Fun and Games
(also can be extended should you have a lengthy adult service)
6. Children learn by repetition. - Isa 28:10.
a) Focus on one theme repeat it in everything you do!
Use Scripture!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(object lessons, Bible Stories, etc)
b) Attention span (here a little, there a little)
1. Stick with the shorter attention span
2. Switch every 6 or 7 minutes.
3. Avoid dead spots!!!!!!!!!!!!
4. Have one master teacher – then divide - music, puppets, discipline, preliminaries.
5. Keep fillers on hand; you will need them.
7. Sermons - Use variety to preach. Jesus often used object lessons in his sermons. ie: THE PARABLE OF THE LOST
Use Scripture in everything you do..
RECALL RATE AFTER
Method 3 HRS 3 DAYS
Telling alone: 70% 10%
Showing alone: 72% 20%
Telling & showing: 85% 65%
A. Flannel-graph
B. Illustrated sermon:
C. Act out Bible Stories.
D. Offering contests
E. Puppet Skits(Need to be filled with action and short bursts of energy.
F. Illustrated stories
1. On the overhead
2From illustrated booklets
3. Make your own
G. Sign language.
H. Let the Children tell the Bible story.
I. Let the children act out the Bible Story.
J. Science Experiments
· the never ending God (paper in a circle when cut is still a circle)
·
A balloon with scotch tape X-ed on the bottom. When punctured with a pin.6 will not break.k) Methods are NOT more important than the message!
8. Games - These are great to fill time when the pastor’s message or worship service becomes lengthy.
9. Rewards - Rewards work well in Children’s
10. Songs - If you can, have either a song book or an overhead with the words written down so children can sing along.
a) Player - (dubbing, cd player)
b) Old favorites - Don't forget these. These are usually easy and fun to sing; even without a piano children like these.
c) New Releases –Keep your ear open when listening to Christian radio stations or go to Christian bookstore.
d) Choruses - If your church uses choruses tape them and use them in children’s church.
e) We have also found that quartets when played at a faster than normal speed produce great puppet specials.
f) Who and What - in outline
g) WATCH FOR SALES - Some of our best tapes were bought on sale. Usually if I get two good songs on a tape I feel good about it.
h) Samplers - Some tape companies sell tapes which contain
songs by various artists at a cheaper rate - as little as $.88 Wow what a bargain.
11. Puppets
à Remember That:----Puppets don't have to be expensive -.
7----Jesus is the Ministry not puppets -
----Each puppet needs a personality
----Puppet helpers are needed
a) Teenagers
b) Older children
c) Have puppets smaller children can use.
d) Puppet stage is needed: simple or elaborate
12. Finances - Every Children's church needs money.
a) Initially Children's Church can seem quite an expensive endeavor. In the past five years I don't think I have spent more than $1000.00.
b) Small Beginnings -
1) Flannel Board
2) A puppet stage can be made from an old furniture box and a little spray paint. Someone in the church with a little direction can build a stage for you. (less than 100.00)
3) Puppets can be made from old socks and buttons.
4) Music can be made by you and the children using their ten stringed instruments, their hands.
5) All you need now are the children. And believe me; if you worship Jesus and have some fun, the children will come. One church started Children's Church with 2 and one of those was the director’s own son. Within a year it grew to 25. Find a need and fill it.
c) Offering –Teach children that giving is WORSHIPPING
d) Special Needs of Children’s Church.
8·
Pray·
Talk to the Children·
Tell the parents·
Tell the pastor·
Look for alternatives13. ALTAR CALLS ARE APPROPRIATE IN CHILDREN'S CHURCH.
Typically children may not cry like adults when they Receive something from God. They don’t have as much to repent of.
a) The altar call itself should be simple
b) When the Children respond - Let them.
c) Have a place to pray
d) Expect a miracle
How Do You Convince People That Children's Church Is Worth
While?
·
Show them.·
Hold Children's Church before the entire congregation.·
You may wish to take someone to visit a successful Children's Church.·
Keep your pastor and church informed.A FEW OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST.
A) Everyone needs a break! Get out of Children's church
occasionally just for your sanity.1. Workers need to receive from God.
2. May show a good Christian video
3. On special occasions the children usually want to be a part of the Church's celebration. Do not have Children’s church
--- Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving are times for the entire family to be together.
B) Use Children's Church to train your future leaders.
1. Ushers.
2. Deacons.
3. Janitors.
4. Special Singers.
5. Puppet ministry.
6. Greeters.
7. Preachers.
8. Teachers - Let them teach a story! It may not be polished but it will be remembered!
9. Secretary.
10. Song Leader.
11. Piano Player.
12. Let them find their talents anywhere they can.
C. Send something home as often as you can.
D. Keep a Church bulletin board: use lots of photos
E. Have a calendar posted with coming events clearly
marked.
F. Some children have a need to do. Let them form clubs, witnessing teams, read to the elderly etc. Let them give. input on how to apply Biblical principles in Children's Church.
G) Don't force children into Children's Church
H) Don’t force children out of Children’s Church
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