Growing Trends In Children's Ministry

Children’s Ministry is changing! Not only do our kids grow and the needs of the family change, but so must our ministry and the means by which we reach this new generation. Gone are the days of felt boards, and sitting quietly in Sunday school. We have now entered the age of Playstation, Power-Point, and roller skate tennis shoes.

Here are the top 6 positive trends we have identified as growing within the UPCI. These trends will impact your ministry and increase your effectiveness in reaching for the children of this world.

TREND #1 - TAKING A “HANDS ON” APPROACH.

For years many churches approached children’s ministry in the same way they did 20 or 30 years ago. There are a growing number of churches realizing that we can not reach this new generation with old mindsets. Whereas children once had the ability to sit at tables and work through lessons, kids today need the constant activity and hands on interaction that many churches are turning to. Group Publishing, a leader in Children’s Ministry resources, caught this trend and published their “Hand’s on Bible Curriculum” for Sunday school. It has been a tremendous success. Another engaging curriculum is “Kid’s on the Move” published by Church on the Move in Tulsa OK. Both of these resources use a hands on approach that takes kids from just hearing the word of God, to experiencing the word of God.

Also, The UPCI's Word Aflame Publishing offers a distinctly Apostolic Kid's Church and Sunday school curriculum that promotes hands on teaching, and involves students in all activities, while at the same time teaching Apostolic doctrine.

TREND #2 - MEDIA MINDED MINISTRY

This trend continues in the spirit of trend #1. When competing against game systems, television, and videos, churches have discovered that traditional methods are no longer efficient. Because of this many Children’s Ministry leaders have found ways to include power-point, video, and other media in their kid’s church services. (Please see video below)

A multi-media Ministry is highly engaging, but not necessarily more effective than a ministry that can not afford the bells and whistles. What is truly important is for your Children’s Ministry to have a staff that engages the children and forms strong relationships with their kids.

TREND #3 - PARENTAL INVOLVMENT

A growing trend that is revolutionizing the way churches minister to children is something that is so basic and biblical that many have underestimated its importance for generations. Our society has the mindset that it is the responsibility of our local school system to educate our children. Many feel that only well trained, professional, teachers are qualified to properly educate our kids.

This mindset has permeated the church. Many feel that the responsibility of instructing our kids in the ways of God falls primarily to the Sunday school teacher. However, this mindset is changing as parents are beginning to see the importance of being involved in the spiritual instruction of their children. In many churches the Children’s Ministry is taking a supportive role and working to equip parents with the tools to effectively teach their Kids. Churches that find ways to include parents will increase the effectiveness of their ministry by leaps and bounds.

TREND #4 - CHILD SECURITY

Unfortunately the closer we get to glory, the deeper in sin this world must fall. It is becoming more and more common to turn on the radio, open the news paper, or log onto the internet and read about another abduction or abuse case. This unfortunate sign of the times is what has prompted trend number four. Many churches have recognized the need to create policies to safe guard our children. By utilizing a “check in” system, as well as adhering to proper teacher-student ratios and doubling up on bus ministry runs, churches are increasing their awareness of safety needs and taking the proper steps to protect their children from abuse or abduction, and their teachers from wrongful allegations. Creating a safety policy is a smart decision that every church should make.

TREND #5 – EVANGELISM

Bus ministry has always been a popular form of child evangelism. However, we are seeing a new trend approaching on the horizon. Kid’s street services are being found to be an extremely effective way of reaching the children in our communities. For many years churches have hosted “back yard Sunday Schools,” but lately more and more churches are catching on to this innovative outreach.

With exciting music, high energy games, puppets, candy and other activities, our churches are finding that hosting a street service is a highly effective means to promote your church and its Children’s Ministry. During these events, if you send your staff to walk the kid’s home and get their information from Mom & Dad, it becomes a great way to build your bus ministry!

TREND #6 - THE PRIORITIZATION OF CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

To me this trend is the most exciting. For FAR TOO MANY YEARS Children’s Ministry has sat on the back burner of many churches. Most of a church’s time, attention, and resources went toward reaching the teenagers, and adults. More and more churches are realizing that by reaching out to children they are growing their church! It has been said many times, “Save an adult and you save a soul. Save a child and you save a life.”

In a recent Barna Research study they found that only 1 out of every 7 senior pastors listed Children’s Ministry as a priority in their church.

1 out of every 7!

This is staggering when you think about the fact that our greatest chance of influencing someone to live for Christ is between the ages of 5 and 12! Many churches, especially our home mission churches, are discovering that by reaching the children they are able to reach the entire family. No longer is Children’s Ministry only a “necessity” it is now becoming a priority!

If, as Children’s Ministry workers, we do our jobs right; then that makes it easier for the youth pastor, and eventually the pastor, to do their jobs. We are the first line of assault when it comes to Children. What we teach them and what we instill in them will shape their beliefs, values, and ideas for the REST OF THEIR LIVES!


JOE’S THOUGHTS

The question is not “Are children important in my church?”

It is “Are children a priority in my church?”

The answer to that question greatly determines how effective our church and Children’s Ministry will be in reaching the future generation. If we approach kids as anything other than a priority, we should not be surprised when they choose something other than God.

Why?

Because the world understands the importance of making them their priority and it has put into motion many things to influence the children to live worldly and humanistic lives. Looking at the world objectively, there is no other area of ministry fought harder than the field of our Children. Hell is doing everything in its power to remove God from their lives, teach humanistic doctrine, normalize sin, and degrade the family structure, all for the purpose of influencing our children - the future generation.

The church is the only entity that can defeat the game plan of Hell. Left unchecked Hell will prevail; left un-reached we will lose our children. It is imperative that each church make Children’s Ministry a priority if they wish to be effective in influencing the next generation for Christ.


Below is a video segment I use in kid's church - as well as rallies, camps, and crusades. I call it "Bro. Joe's Toy Stories." It is a simple concept using toys to tell a Biblical story or illustrate a Biblical principle. I got the idea from Karl Bastian - The Kidologist. It is a lot of fun and kids absolutely love them.

I would love to hear how you incorporate media into your Kid's Church. Please comment below and share your ideas!

A Dog Defined Righteousness

Earlier in the week I was listening to a local Christian radio station on my way to work. The morning DJs were talking to a well-known national bounty hunter.

You have probably heard of him. His name is “DOG”

His actual name is Duane Chapman and he runs his bail bond & bounty hunter services out of his hometown of Denver Colorado. Since the launch of his show in 2005 Dog has become a national icon of vigilante justice.

Moreover, apparently, he professes to be a Christian.

Normally I don’t make it a practice to question someone’s profession of faith. However, I heard quite a few things during the course of the interview that made me concerned about the times we live in.

Towards the beginning of the interview one of the DJs brought up the fact that Dog is often seen on screen smoking cigarettes and offering tobacco to his captives. He asked him how he justifies his habit while professing Christianity.

Dog’s answer was astounding to me. He said, “Well, you know… Just 10 years ago, people would put you in Hell for smoking cigarettes. Cigarettes were sin. Today, they’re really not that big of a deal.”

He saw nothing wrong with smoking cigarettes. He saw nothing contrary to scripture or the spirit of God. His attitude and tone of voice made it sound like the DJ was a legalistic Bible thumper for just breaching the subject.

What made it worse is that the DJ – whom I originally thought was asking a serious question and addressing a concern – turned and agreed with Dog stating, “Yea, my pastor says that cigarettes won’t send you to Hell. They’ll just make you smell like you’ve already been there.”

A few moments later, the other DJ asked another question. She pointed out the fact that in nearly every episode Dog can be heard cussing and ranting. She mentioned that his words aren’t just cuss words, but some of them are the “hard ones.” She then turned and said that many people today don’t believe a person is a Christian if they talk like that.

“But you are a very strong believer.” She said.

It was as if she was trying to use Dog as an example to illustrate even the most righteous and strong believers can cuss and not be tainted by their swearing.

I drove stunned.

I turned off the radio and pondered what I had just heard. Three public figures – who professed a strong faith in Christ – were working together to justify sinfulness and re-categorize it as anything but sin.

What a dangerous place to be.

The word still says,

“For I am the LORD, I change not…”

- Malachi 3:6 -

What was sin to God 10 years ago is still sin today. For those who profess a faith in Jesus Christ, our bodies are no longer our own. We are bought, with a price and our bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost.

It is still a sin to defile God’s temple…

Our tongues ought to be under subjection to the Holy Ghost, not filled with all manners of filthy language. We now live in a world with a Dog defined righteousness. Sin is no longer fearful and Christ has become a supine and benevolent enabler whose holiness is subjective to our fleshly desires.

When we can confess Christ one moment and then turn around and cuss someone out as we light a cigarette the next moment – something is most definitely wrong.

We need a revival of righteousness…

We need a revival of God inspired convictions…

I’m not talking about the standards we wear on our backs – they are necessary and I’ll preach them all day long – but I am talking about God given convictions that run deep in our heart and govern our behaviors, attitudes, speech, and lives.

Righteousness doesn’t need to be defined by a self-serving Dog. It needs to be preached by a passionate and loving Saint, Pastor, Sunday school teacher, Children’s Pastor, etc. It needs to be shouted from the rooftops and declared in the streets. It needs to be taught to the children and embedded in the young. It needs to be illustrated by the adults and emulated in the youth. It needs to become our coat, our garments, and our breastplate in a world whose love of truth has evidently gone to the Dogs.

One of the greatest things a Sunday school teacher, Children’s Pastor, Pastor, and Parent can do for their kids is teach them what sin is and how to avoid it. Teach them that a spade is a spade and God doesn’t play cards. Teach them that holiness is obtained, only through a life of righteousness and that NO SIN will ever enter the kingdom of Heaven.

Our society wants to teach our kids that truth is relative. We need to remind them that it is absolute. Sin is sin and there is no getting around that. One man’s trash may be another man’s treasure, but that principle does not apply to sin.

Sin is sin, no matter how you slice it or how you justify it.

Sometime in the near future, let’s talk to our kids about sin. Let’s remind them that God demands holiness and no sin will ever be justified in the eyes of God.

Dog doesn’t define righteousness, God does.

Here is an illustrative game that I’ve used when teaching our kids about sin. On white bulletin board paper, or poster board, draw a target like you would see on a dartboard. In the bulls-eye, write 10,000. Make the bulls-eye small so that it is hard to hit. Let the kids take turns throwing paper balls at the target. They get three chances each. They only score if they hit the bulls-eye, and they have to hit it every time after their first time in order to keep their points. If they hit it on the first try, but miss it the second or third time, then they lose all their points.

The point of this game is to make it impossible to win.

That is the way sin is. Sin is defined as, “missing the mark.” The only way to do it right is to hit the bulls-eye. Every time a kid misses the bulls-eye, he sins. Even if he hits the bulls-eye once, if he misses it at all during his time he sins. The only way to win is to be perfect and hit the bulls-eye all three times. It is impossible, everyone will miss the mark.

Likewise, we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

I use this to teach about sin and how only with God’s help can we hit the bulls-eye. Turn the paper over and reveal another target, this time the bulls-eye is huge.