Telling VBS Bible Stories

You’ve been asked to teach a VBS class. Or, perhaps you have agreed to host the Bible story center at your local VBS. Ok, so far. Then your VBS director hands you the teaching guide. Uh oh! You didn’t KNOW so much was involved in just telling a Bible story! Is it really necessary to do all this decoration stuff? Aren’t you tampering with the word of God to tell the story in verse? Maybe you’re thinking, “I’m not going to act like an idiot in front of all those kids!!”

As to the last concern, rest assured! I’ve been acting idiotic in telling dramatic bible stories for years and my reputation is still intact. If it isn’t, nobody has dared to tell me otherwise!

Consider this. You have one week to make an impression on these children for the sake of Jesus Christ. The Bible story and the life application is THE MOST IMPORTANT PART of the VBS experience. You want to tell a story that they will not soon forget. And you can do this and still be true to the Scriptural content. Here’s some suggestions on how to make your stories come alive for your students.

1. Create an environment. Put down a blue tarp for the Sea of Galilee. Set cushions around a low table for the story of Jesus washing the disciple’s feet. Bring in a fake tree for the story of Zaccheus. VBS curriculum today has all kinds of awesome ideas of how to turn a church classroom into a storybook paradise. Two warnings: first, if decorations aren’t your “thing,” don’t push it. You do what you are good at. I’m not the decorating type so I go for simple or involve other people who are good at it. Second, don’t spend so much time and energy on the environment that you have nothing left to invest in the story. The environment should enhance the story, not overwhelm it.

2. Use props. One of my most effective stories was the retelling of the widow’s mite. I stood, holding a penny over an offering plate, debating back and forth whether I should give that penny. I dramatically held the penny over the plate, paused, then let the penny drop. The only sound you could hear in the room was the drop of that penny and the kids got the point about the cost of commitment.

3. Get the kids involved. Have them hold up signs, hold props, help you pretend to row the boat caught in that bad storm on the sea of Galilee, repeat sentences after you., make sound effects. This is great for the kids who have difficulty sitting still. When you involve them, you are assured you have their attention.

4. Be dramatic. Vary your voice. Treat your storytelling like a musical symphony. Use loud and soft dynamics. Pause dramatically. Pretend you are the conductor of this symphony by using hand gestures to accentuate your story. Just the way you tell your story makes an average story become an exciting adventure.

5. Loose your inhibition. These are kids! They’ll love it when you act silly! For them, I lose my identity as “Miss Karen” and become “the Bible story lady.” Even the adults won’t think you are whacko – they’ll respect you and wish they could do it too.

6. Don’t forget the punch line! Like overdoing the decorations, it’s easy to get so caught up in the drama of the story, that you forget the life application. What’s the point of your story? What do you want the kids to learn ? What’s the central truth you want them to not forget? Does your story communicate that clearly? If it does, your story will be a winner, all the way around.

How do you become a good storyteller? I’m not a drama major and by nature, I’m a rather serious person. I’ve learned by watching other storytellers, following good curriculum, practicing in front of the mirror and my dog, and being willing to experiment. Stephen James has written an excellent resource I wish I had when I first started teaching. The book is “The Creative Storytelling Guide” and I highly recommend it.

VBS Staff Recruitment

VBS season is in full swing. If your church hasn’t yet heldVBS, most likely your plans are well underway. If your VBS dates are on the church calendar but you haven’t started planning the details yet, grab a piece of paper and the phone and get busy!

No matter whether you’ve completed your VBS program, holding it this week or planning it for later in the summer, one of your top concerns is staffing yourVBS program. It’s a good idea to reflect on the staff you chose, praying over each choice. There’s much to consider in choosing your volunteers:

- Competency. Are the people you’ve chosen skilled for the task you want them to do? Are they doing what they are gifted to do? If they are gifted but not skilled, will the postion you give them help develop their skills and boost their confidence?

-Maturity: Do your recruits have the spiritual maturity to represent Jesus faithfully to the children you serve?

-Love: Do your recruits have a love for children, a passion to meet the children’s needs and a vision to help them become all that they can be in Christ Jesus?

-Compatibility: Have/Will the recruits work well with the other volunteers in their department?

I’d like to talk about compatibility for a few minutes. Over twenty years of VBS experience, I’ve learned how important this aspect of volunteer recruitment is. Pairing certain people together can make or break a VBS program. It’s almost better to put two lesser skilled people together who do work well together than with a highly skilled person who doesn’t work well with others.

There are two groups of people: leaders and followers. Be very careful in pairing two leaders together. Their leadership qualities need to be tempered by their love for the children, their maturity in the faith and the development of the fruit of the Spirit of kindness and gentleness in their lives before they will work well together. Otherwise, they will compete with each other, each trying to insist on their own way. Or the stronger of the two will dominate and the other, trying to be gracious, will step aside and let the more dominant take over.

I’m thinking of two examples where I saw compatibility work. One year, as VBS director, I chose a woman to be my assistant who I wanted to disciple. She refused at first. “I’m not a leader. I don’t like telling people what to do. I make a much better follower,” she told me. I told her I still wanted her as my assistant, that I respected her ideas and her creativity. She proved herself invaluable. She had great ideas and I had the leadership skills to coordinate people and make the ideas happen. All during the week of VBS, she was at my elbow, anticipating my needs, brining me things, playing “go-pher,” asking what else she could do. She respected that I was in charge and that her role was to help me “make VBS happen.” It took someone with a follower mentality and a servant hearted attitude to make an ideal assistant. If my assistant had been someone who had her own ideas and who argued with me on each decision, VBS definitely would not have run as smoothly.

The other time was last year. My daughter was asked to be the craft director. She loves crafts, has developing leadership skills but lacks experience. She asked a retired art teacher to be her assistant. This lady is very creative, has worked for years with children, yet was a naturally kind person and had the maturity and graciousness to let the leader lead. Even though she was three times the age of my daughter, she made suggestions without being pushy and allowed my daughter to be the one who made the final decisions, always showing respect for her in front of the children. My daughter respected her expertise and was willing to ask for her advice.

When you choose teams of workers, you don’t want to pair two very strong and combative personalities. Nor do you want to choose two people who are naturally “followers” or who are timid in leading others. Examine each person’s strengths and weaknesses then pair up people so one person is strong where the other is weak.

Next year, as you select your teams, consider scheduling a meeting where you administer a personality test. Check out this test: Also check out Florence Littaur’s book, Personality Plus. If you don’t have time for this, ask each volunteer what their birth order was. You’ll understand a lot about your volunteers just by knowing where they fall in the birth order of their families. An excellent resource on this concept is The Birth Order Book by Kevin Leman.

I say again, pray about your recruitment choices. You may not have all the information you need to pair the right people together, but God knows the hearts of man and He in His wisdom can and will guide your decisions.

My Time To Give

I wonder if there is such a thing as deja vu in reverse. Déjà vu is the eerie feeling that you’ve been in a certain place or experienced something before, that a moment in time is caught in a time loop. Déjà vu in reverse would be when you’ve experienced something before but suddenly the roles are reversed. It’s the feeling expressed by an adult women who was driving her elderly mother to the doctor. She had to hit the brakes suddenly and instinctively threw her arm out over her mother just like she would a small child. It hit her that that was the same motion her mother made for her years ago.

I experienced this role reversal this month. My great aunt and uncle, now in their eighties, came to visit us for my daughter’s graduation. It was such a thrill to have these precious people in my home, people who meant the world to me when I was growing up. Both are suffering from age related illnesses. My uncle has lost most of his vision due to macular degeneration and my aunt has never fully recovered from shoulder surgery.

As I led them from the car to the house, I suddenly realized my uncle would have difficulty navigating the unfamiliar steps. Instinctively, I took his hand, asking casually, “There’s some steps coming up. Think you might need some help over them?” With his typical humor, he replied, “I don’t think so, but it’s sure nice to hold your hand!”

That déjà vu moment hit. So many times, when I was a teen, Uncle Eldon would offer me a hand, an arm, a gentle guiding over a step. He never made a big deal over it,; instead, just stayed close by, anticipating potential hazards and “being there” if I needed him. Now it was my turn to guide him. Now it was my turn to offer a hand to the man who had given me so much.

For ten days, I hovered close to be a sighted guide, to find a missing cap, to remind him to get his cane, to warn him of a coming step. Helping him, offering him aid with dignity never became a chore. It was my time to give. I was deeply moved by the privilege.

I thought of my teaching. How many times I approach my teaching with resentment or boredom, as one more week that I have to go teach those kids. Yet I think of the many teachers who gave up their time, their energy and their level of patience to put up with me, I have received so much from so many wonderful teachers. The best way I can honor them is to turn and pass on the blessing, to give to other children what was so frelly given to me.

If you are feeling discouraged this week about your teaching, think of a teacher who gave to you, who treated you with respect, who offered you a hand up the knowledge and confidence ladder. Think of a way you can pass on the blessing to someone else. Give as you have been given.

It’s your time to give.

The Introverted Child

The last few weeks have been a flurry of activity as my youngest daughter graduated from high school on May 24th. We’ve attended awards assemblies and band banquets, shopped for napkins in school colors, made Sam’s Club a bit richer, made multiple trips to the airport to pick up and return visiting relatives, and learned to pinch hit when the lady who was making her graduation cake ended up in the hospital.

My high point was the area churches’ co-sponsored Baccalaureate service. My graduating daughter played in the school’s jazz band. My eldest daughter, now a junior at college was the keynote speaker. As proud as I am, neither of those were the pinnacle moment for me. The highlight was the testimony the school valedictorian gave. This young man is in my high school Sunday school class. He’s always been one of those kids who is never a problem, but never has anything to say either. It’s not my boring class or not enough sleep Saturday night that causes him to stare at me for forty five minutes. That’s just him.

In a moving revelation, J. told how he has always struggled with shyness. He is the kid who always sat in the back of the classroom, scared to death a teacher might call on him. He is the kid who never wanted to be involved in activities because he was so shy. He told how, each year, he came out of his shell a little more, getting involved in the band, widening his social circle, moving up a little farther toward the front of the classroom.

His point? In each situation, he told us, “I knew God was there.” When he was scared to respond in class, “God was there.” When he ventured into more social situations, “God was there.” When he prepared his remarks for Baccalaureate, “God was there.” And when he goes off to college and faces new challenges, “God will be there.”

I learned several lessons from J. that day.
1. There are shy kids in the world. They aren’t defective. It’s not my job as a teacher to draw them out. I need to accept them as they are and let them blossom at their own pace. I need to structure my teaching to maximize their strengths instead of forcing them into the box of my expectations.

J.’s admission has caused me to do a lot of thinking as a teacher. Is something wrong with our educational system that we reward class participation and students who take extroverted initiative? Should we not instead teach kids how to do projects by themselves as much as we insist they work on group projects? My two children are mildly introverted. They have always felt uncomfortable with school group projects and social settings. Was I wrong to urge them to “get over it” and be bolder in their approach? I haven’t come up with any decisive answers yet. Except this one. We need to affirm and restructure our teaching methods a lot more for the introverted child. If you have any specific ideas, please comment on my comment page!

2. Kids are learning even though they are not responding. Shame on me. I wondered about J’s commitment to God. After his testimony, I have no doubt! Even though he wasn’t saying much, he was internalizing what I and other Sunday School teachers were teaching him. If he has learned the lesson that “God is there” no matter what he is facing in his life, he has come a lot farther than many other, older Christians.

3. God accepts us as we are and builds us into what we can be. Paul says in Galatians 3:28: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Paul could have easily added “introvert nor extrovert” in that list but he probably figured we got the idea. No matter who we are, no matter our personality type or background, no matter how we are growing as we each reach for Christ and His best for us; in J’s words, “God is there.” As God accepts us, we need to accept each other as we are as well.

I teach children. And they teach me. Constantly.

Who Is Your Role Model?

Who is your role model as a teacher? Is it someone who is currently mentoring you? Do you come from a family of teachers? Is it a teacher you once had? Someone you have read about from history? Let me tell you about one of my favorite role models. This person is a character from the Bible and is actually called a teacher in the biblical text. His name was Ezra.

What makes Ezra a role model for Bible teachers? The answer lies in a marvelous verse found in Ezra 7:10. This is a verse every teacher should consider memorizing. The first phrase is, “For Ezra had devoted himself . . . “ Then the verse lists three things Ezra was devoted to:

1. Ezra studied the Word for himself. Ezra 7:10 says Ezra devoted himself to the “study . . . .of the law of the Lord. We never stop learning. As we teach, we need to keep studying the Word for ourselves. I try to start preparations of my lessons early in the week. The first thing I do is to study the passage for myself, to make it part of my personal devotion time. This way, I have all week to mull over the principles I find in the Scripture and to allow God’s Holy Spirit to teach me what those words mean.

Ezra was such a great student of the Bible that he was known for his study. Earlier in the chapter, the text reads, “He was a teacher well versed in the law of Moses (Ezra 7:6). Wouldn’t that be a wonderful reputation to have, that people know you as a Bible expert?

2. Ezra obeyed the Word. Knowing the content of God’s Word was not enough. Ezra devoted himself to the observance of the Law as well. We would be hypocrites if we teach others how to follow God’s way then fail to observe God’s law ourselves. It sounds so obvious, but sadly enough, too many children’s ministry workers do not make Christ a priority in their personal lives. How can you personally follow Christ more closely this week?

Ezra was not a teacher who was new to the faith, high on enthusiasm and low on long term commitment. His commitment to God and His law came from a solid foundation of teaching that spanned many generations. Ezra was a from a long line of the high priests of Israel, reaching back to the first high priest, Aaron, the brother of Moses. In his lineage are included such courageous ancestors as Hilkiah, the priest who help King Josiah repair the Temple and read the discovered book of the law to the people, and Zadok, who ensured that Solomon was established as King as God had chosen.

3. Ezra devoted himself to his teaching. How devoted are you to your teaching? How prepared are you before each teaching session? If you are going to be a model teacher like Ezra, no procrastination! No Saturday night crash preparation sessions! No bare minimums! If you are going to be devoted to your teaching, you may have to give up other church activities. You may need to sacrifice your desire to be in a class of your own. You may need to face the misunderstanding of other people who criticize you for not serving on other committees or joining the choir. You may need to allow yourself to get close enough to your kids for your heart to break as you see their hurts up close and personal. Yet when you fully devote yourself to your teaching, you feel the joy of knowing there’s no other place you would rather be than Inside the Classroom.

When you fully devote yourself to the study and observance of God’s word and the teaching of His decrees, you will also garner the label of Teacher, like Ezra.

Teaching Children and Banana Pudding

When I served on a short term mission trip in Austria recently, part of my responsibilities was to work in a kitchen. In a two week span, our team of eight cooked three meals a day for 68 people. Although I love to cook for my family and friends, I begin to feel stressed if I must cook for any more than eight people at a time. This was my first introduction to large quantity cooking in an industrial kitchen. Fortunately, someone else was in charge and I only did what I was told to do, which was fine with me!

Often we started the preparations for a dish one or two days before it was even scheduled on the menu. One day, banana pudding was on the meal plan for the next day. Our head cook, knowing the end result, told me, “We’re making banana pudding. I want you to grind an entire box of graham crackers into crumbs.” When I completed that, she asked me to mix the crumbs with butter and put the mixture in a container. Next, I was to mix together nineteen boxes of vanilla pudding mix with milk.

Since I’ve made banana pudding before, I knew the next step and I wanted to continue. I wanted to be in charge of the entire process of making the banana pudding. It was not to be. At that moment, the head cook needed me to go cut up tomatoes for another project. Someone else finished the pudding the next day and I never saw it again until a small square rested at my place at the lunch table.

Teaching children is much the same process as I experienced with banana pudding. Many of us probably secretly desire to be the one to teach a young child the beginning concepts about God, then continue to train them in the ways of the Lord, bringing them to that wonderful moment when they accept Christ as Lord. After all, we’ve invested time into their lives. It would be so satisfying to be The One to bring them through to that final step of faith that brings them into the kingdom of God.

But that kind of long term involvement is more the rare exception rather than the rule. More often than not, you will have a particular child inside your classroom for 45 minutes a week, for one year. Some children will fill your room for only one session. That’s all the time you get with them. Then it’s someone’s job to influence, guide, teach and help them grow into the likeness of Jesus Christ. In fact, many people are teaching that child: parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers, church elders, dear little old church ladies who give the child a hug, the pastor, so many more.

The apostle Paul knew this part of discipleship very well. He says in 1 Corinthians 3:5-8: “ What after all is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants through whom you came to believe – as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Appolos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.”

Some plant, some water. God gives the growth. We can’t always be the one to finally see a child come to Christ or disciple that child to full maturity. We are needed elsewhere. Think of Phillip who, as recorded in Acts 8, won the Ethiopian to Christ then was whisked away by the Holy Spirit to somewhere. He never saw the man again, never knew whether the man passed along the Good New much less kept the faith. Yet Phillip lost no time in continuing to preach Jesus (Acts 8:40). Our task is to make the most of each moment He gives us with each child, to teach our best, then move on, surrendering that child’s spiritual growth to God, knowing that He cares infinitely more for each child then we ever could.

Hiatus

Thanks for visiting my blog. This blog specializes in issues pertaining to teaching children and the lessons they teach us as teachers particularly in the Christian education realm. I'd love to hear your feedback and what touches you as a teacher. Please feel free to leave your comment by clicking on the comment link below.

I'm having to take a short break from blogging because I just had emergency surgery. I hope to be back in the grovve soon to share more about teaching the children we love.

Helping Students Develop a Passion for God

Last week, I mentioned my trip to Austria to serve at TCMI, a graduate level training center for students from Eastern European countries. Many of these students who come to study God’s Word in-depth face isolation and even hostility for their faith. Bible training is not easily found. They do not have easy access to Bible resources and Christian literature like we do. Brothers and sisters in Christ who could encourage them in their daily walk are few and far between. These students were hungry for the Word of God, starving for encouragement to stay strong in their faith.

My first evening, I sat beside J. from Poland. Before I rose from the table, I said to him, “Blessings on your studies this week,” He paused, then said with a deep and sincere sound of gratefulness in his voice, “Thank you. Thank you very much.” I could tell he was deeply moved by my simple blessing. His response was indicative of the deep gratitude these students feel for being able to come study at TCMI, gratitude that they have a place to come, study the Bible and be encouraged by other believers.

J.’s commitment, hunger for the Word, and gratitude for what he was receiving made me ache. Unlike these Eastern European countries, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is readily available to us in the United States. Often the students Inside my Classroom lounge in their chairs, passive and indifferent to the truths I teach.

How can I fire my students with a passion for the Word of God, to long for God above all else? Hunger and longing come because the student recognizes something is missing from their lives. As Romans 5 says, character comes from suffering. As a teacher I cannot cause my students to suffer nor do I want to just so they will be hungry for God.

Perhaps I can show them what they are missing. Sometimes we don’t know we are hungry until we smell the scent of freshly baked bread or the pungent aroma of roasting meat. Perhaps my strategy should be to pray for hungry students, pray that God will make them aware of the voids in their lives that only Christ can fill. Then I should pray that God will motivate me to feed my students with the words that will bring them the satisfaction they crave. Perhaps I can be like the missionary couple I heard about who reached out to one Muslim. All they did was to be shower him with friendship. Just being his friends showed him how empty he really was. Soon he began to ask questions to find the food that would satisfy his soul. As I heard years ago, “Evangelism is merely one beggar showing another beggar where the food is.”

Meanwhile, may I look to myself. How can I become more hungry for God? How can I be more grateful for the teaching and encouragement that I receive from others? Would I be as grateful for a “word fitly spoken” that is the seasoning of salt my life needs at that moment? May I learn to be as hungry and as grateful as my friend from Poland..

The Way Children Learn

I’ve spent the last few weeks in Austria serving at Haus Edelweiss, the facility of TCMI Institute,, a graduate level bible training center, sponsored by TCM International. My job as a short term ministry worker was to serve the students by working in the kitchen, serving meals and praying for the students.

On the first evening, I sat beside J., a student from Poland. We were talking about children’s ministries and what kind of programs he knew of in the churches.. Then he dropped a comment into the conversation that seemingly was off topic, yet it caught my attention with its profoundness: “Children must learn by our example as well as by our teaching.”

Several times, during our stay, we were told, “The students are watching you. They see you serving and they are amazed that you would come so far to serve them.” The unspoken message was, “Watch then how you live.” I quickly realized this message was true for any person, teacher and helper alike, who works with students. The way we live our lives is as much a teaching session as the content between the cover pages of our curriculum guides.

The children you teach are watching you. They watch how you live. They see you during the week. They see how you interact with other adults. They see how you are modeling your faith. They hear every bad word, every bit of gossip you speak. It’s not likely that they will remember a specific bible lesson you teach; but they will remember the kindness you showed to them, how you served them, the hug you gave them when they were having a bad day.

Your children will indeed learn as much if not more from your example as from your teaching. Thanks, J., for reminding me to watch my walk this week so the children Inside My Classroom will listen more closely to my talk.

Discipleship Making: Teaching and Mentoring

If you are a Sunday School teacher, children’s ministry leader or youth worker, you are teaching some of the most important concepts your students will ever learn. You are responsible for presenting the truths about God that will lead them to structure their lives around His moral code. You are sharing the words of life with them, for your words will cause them to accept or reject Him, to believe in Him or not, to accept His gift of eternal life or turn away from it. Does God care about your teaching? Of course He does! And He wants to be involved in helping you plan and teach His message. He is working in ways you don’t even know to connect your teaching to your students’ lives.

I shouldn’t be surprised when I see God working with me in my plans. But I never cease to be amazed. My last post told how God orchestrated my schedule over several weeks. This past week, He was faithful once again to be an integral part of my plans.

My junior church lesson was on Jesus’ calling of the twelve disciples. I flitted with the idea of skipping that lesson and doing a lesson on the Resurrection instead, since this was, after all, Easter Sunday. I decided to keep to the curriculum. On another front, the church was planning a “Sending Service” at the end of worship service to commission me and a man in our church who are leaving for a two week mission trip this week. As I worked though the lesson with my class, I realized that my lesson and the “Sending” was going to dovetail perfectly.

We learned about the disciples, their names, who they were, what occupations they left, that they were ordinary men Jesus called to do His work. We talked about who God calls today to spread the Good News, that it’s not just preachers God calls but everybody. Then I explained that in a few minutes, the class was going to go join the adults as I and Verl were set apart by the elders to go to Austria. One little boy, after five minutes said, “You really are going to Austria? You aren’t just using that as an example?” His answer came a few minutes later.

An elder escorted us upstairs. I asked him to find a place for the children to sit together since the auditorium was packed. I walked to the front. A soloist sang a song I had been warned would bring on the tears, called, “Here I Am.” Then the elders lay hands on us and prayed over us. I looked out over the congregation. There in the second row, sat a line of my seven students, staring right at me, learning what it means to be a modern day disciple. That’s the moment the tears came.

In that moment I moved beyond teaching to mentoring. I wasn’t just mouthing words about our need to follow Jesus. I was doing it in front of my students. I was showing them that Jesus calls ordinary people like their Junior Church teacher to go to far away places to share the Good News.

As you teach inside your classroom, how are you modeling what you teach? How are you displaying what it means to be a disciple of Jesus?

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I’ll be back with more thoughts on teaching children Inside The Classroom in three weeks. I ask for your prayers that God will grace our work and continue to lead us to do His will.

Youth Teaching: Partnering with God

In the Old Testament, the Israelites often inquired of God when they were about to enter into battle against their enemies. When they failed to seek God’s council, battles went badly. When they did seek God and followed through by doing what He said, they incurred great victories.

I’m learning to seek God’s guidance in everyday decisions: in my writing and in my teaching. Like the Israelites, I’m learning the benefits of asking God first.

About six weeks ago, my husband told me on a Friday that a guest speaker would give a missions presentation to the two adult Sunday School classes. Would I like to bring my high school class to the presentation?

“I already have my lesson prepared,” I whined. “You should have told me earlier.”

“I thought your kids were interested in missions,” he said, “So they would enjoy this.”

He was right. My class has had several great talks about short term mission trips. I looked ahead in my curriculum. If I saved my planned lesson to the next week, showed the movie I wanted to show another week, did the special activity I had planned for yet another week, I could stretch my curriculum out to end right before I left for my own mission trip for three Sundays. My substitute was going to do his own thing and I could start something new when I got back. Besides, the last lesson of the series was on the Resurrection which would then fall exactly on Easter. It sounded like a plan.

But, I stopped. Shouldn’t I pray? But hadn’t God given me the wisdom to plan ahead? Still I prayed and asked the Lord’s guidance. My lesson for that week, of all things, was on the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and how He guides us in our daily lives. As I prayed whether I should teach or join the adults, one word invaded my thoughts as if someone had spoken inside my brain. “Teach.” “But that doesn’t make sense,” I thought. “That would mess up my plan for the next five weeks.” The thought came again, “Teach!” Since my lesson was on the Holy Spirit, I thought I had better listen, even though it didn’t make sense.
That Sunday I realized that was indeed God’s direction. The presenter of the mission program had an equipment malfunction with his power point presentation. My rowdy class would not have had the patience of the adults who sat through the moments of scrambling and uncertainty that occurred. We, in turn, had a fantastic lesson and I felt like I connected well with the students.

The reasons behind God’s direction to me became more evident as time went on. Two weeks later, Ohio experienced the third heaviest snowfall in 24 hours in recorded history. Churches all over the state, including ours, canceled services. There went my extra week. The very next day, we received word that my husband’s aunt passed away. Jack flew to Georgia, spent a grueling, difficult week with his family, then was caught in the Atlanta airport that Saturday that storms and tornadoes raged around Atlanta. He got home at 2AM, and I got to sleep at 3AM. How very thankful I was that I was showing my planned movie the very next day!

On Easter Sunday, I taught my lesson about the Ressurection and closed my book of curriculum. If I had excused my class for the mission presentation, I would not have been able to finish my curriculum in time and I would not have had that movie to show which made for an easy lesson time which I needed after only three hours of sleep. Six weeks ago, God knew about the upcoming snow day and the tornadoes in Georgia, and how they would impact my teaching schedule. He who controls the winds and the waves kept the storms of life from disturbing the lessons taught Inside My Classroom. He know all along!

Matthew 11:29 says, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and will find rest for your souls.” A New Testament yoke was made for two oxen, not one. If one oxen leapt ahead or lagged behind, the yoke pulled them back into position. God is asking us to partner with Him in our teaching, to join with Him under the yoke and learn from Him. Part of that yoke bearing process is to ask Him for direction in your teaching. Seek Him. Listen to Him. Learn from Him. And watch Him do mighty things inside your classroom.

Children's Easter Lessons

As Easter Sunday (or Resurrection Sunday as a church elder from my childhood always called it) fast approaches, children’s workers are scrambling for last minute activities. Easter and Christmas can be hard on teachers. We teach these lessons every year so we wonder what fresh angle we could possibly give that old, old story this time. It’s tempting to just dismiss Jr. Church and let the kids go sit with their parents in adult worship so they can listen to the choir cantata as family.

Don’t give in! Think of the children and their parents who seldom come to church any other time. This is a prime opportunity to share the reason why we teach in the first place, that Jesus Christ came to save sinners and He rose from the dead to give us the gift of eternal life.

Be bold in your teaching this Sunday. Make sure you weave the gospel message into your lesson. Tell your kids in words they can understand that they can have the gifts of salvation and eternal life too. Tell them you are convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus came back to life and because He came back to life, that changes your perspective in everything you do. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted by the commercialism and traditionalism the world calls Easter. If you do Easter baskets, Easter egg hunts, or bunny crafts, tie it all back to the reason we’re here in the first place, that Jesus came to give us new life and He’s coming again to give us eternal life. Finally, pray for opportunities to show the love of Jesus to the kids you teach.

So what am I doing as a teacher this Sunday? In my high school class, we’re talking about modern day heroes who have made a comeback then talking about Jesus who made the greatest comeback of all. We’ll put together a melodrama about the Resurrection that gives proof for the Resurrection. (Check out Zondervan’s Youth Specialties materials for great youth lessons.)

My junior church lesson is on the Twelve disciples this week but I’m also putting together an Easter Egg treasure hunt. Each plastic egg will hold a slip of paper giving an event from the crucifixion and resurrection stories. One egg will be empty. Why? The tomb was empty! I'll hide the eggs around my classroom then have the kids go on an easter egg hunt. After they find the eggs, they'll work together, using Matthew 27 and 28 for reference, to put the slips of paper in the correct order.

What are YOU doing this Sunday to promote and proclaim the resurrection of Jesus?

Easter Craft Activity: Ressurection Cookies

Do something different this year with the children in your life. Instead of surprise Easter baskets and Easter egg hunts, try this Easter cooking activity. If you are a Sunday School teacher, get on the phone and corral your kids to join you in your home or at the church to make this Easter surprise. If you are a parent, this will be a great way for you to involve your children in the Easter story. Thanks to my friend and faithful blog fan Rhonda for sharing this with me.

RESSURECTION COOKIES
(To be made the evening before Easter)

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup whole pecans
1 tsp. vinegar
3 egg whites
Pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
Ziplock bag
Wooden spoon
Mixing bowl
Electric mixer
Wax paper
Cookie sheet
Tape
Bible
Your children

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pecans in the Ziploc bag and let children beat them with a wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. (Read John 19:1-3)

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. of vinegar in the mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink. (Read John 19:28-30)

Add egg whites to the vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. (Read John 10:10-11)

Sprinkle a little salt into each child’s hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. (Read Luke 23:27)

So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetness part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. (Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16)

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12-15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God’s eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. (Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:13)

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoon onto wax paper-covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid. (Read Matthew 27:57-60)

Put the cookie sheet into the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus’ tomb was sealed. (Read Matthew 27:65-66)

GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus’ followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. (Read John 16:20 & 22)

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow. Explain that on the first Easter Jesus’ followers were amazed to find that the tomb was open and empty. (Read Matthew 28:1-9)

Whatever you do with your children, be bold in sharing the Easter message with them. After all, Jesus’ resurrection is the greatest thing that has ever happened.

Easter Craft

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” I think the writer of the Christmas song got it wrong. In my humble opinion, Easter is the most wonderful time of the year. It’s not because Easter is the herald of spring, although after Ohio got blanketed with a historic one to two feet of snow over the weekend, it is tempting to believe that! Easter is the most wonderful time of the year for Christians because we celebrate the pivotal weekend of all history, the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The historical events of Easter and the reasons behind the events are hard for children to grasp. They barely have a concept of death much less comprehend that something dead can come back to life. The thought of the atoning death of Jesus is so abstract and steeped in Old Testament symbolism that it’s hard for even adults to comprehend. If children grow up in the church, they take the events for granted and accept it as truth. “Of course Jesus rose from the dead.” They’ve heard it all their lives.

As a teacher of children, how can you help your kids get past the passive head knowledge acceptance of the truths of the Crucifixion and Resurrection? Remember, children are concrete thinkers and kids of today are visually oriented. In explaining what Jesus did, use visual images and object lessons of things with which they are familiar. Here is one craft activity you can do to help them understand the work of Christ at the cross.

Give each child a blank white sheet of paper. Ask them to think of something they have done wrong, a rule they have broken, a nasty thought they have thought. They don’t need to tell you what it is. Ask them to make a black dot in the middle of their paper with the pencil. Ask them to think of other things they’ve done wrong and to mark a dot for each wrongdoing. Ask them if they do something wrong once a week, once a day. If they are older, have them do the math. If they sin once a day, multiply their age by the number of days in a year. How many dots would they have on their paper? Demonstrate that you can try to erase the dots, but even the best of erasers leave a smudge. In order for God to accept us, we must have a clean sheet of paper.

Ask students to then color their entire page with a red crayon, or, if you don’t mind the mess, a layer of red tempura paint. What happened to the dots? They are gone. In the same way, Jesus’ blood covers our sins. Jesus lost all of his blood when he died. He chose to die to take the punishment we deserve for the wrong things we have done. That’s why we say his blood covers our sins.

What is a way you as a teacher or parent communicate Jesus’ atoning death on the cross to the children in your life? I invite you to put your idea in the comments link below or email me at kwingate@neo.rr.com if your idea gets a bit long. Let’s work together to share the Good News of Jesus’ death to the children we love. Next time, we’ll talk about activities for the resurrection.

Bibles for Kids: Part 2

Adventure Bible. Faithgirlz Bible. Boys Bible. Big Red Bible Revised. Hello? Revised? How does the Bible get revised?

Those are only four of the 177 options I found on the website of Christian Book Distributors, an online/mail order Christian bookstore, when I clicked on the link, “Children’s Bibles.” Granted, these represent several translations and paraphrases, but even within one translation, a parent will find a many splendored array of every kind of Bible, designed and packaged to meet every niche of the consumer market. “I just want a Bible for my kid,” some parents might be moaning. “How do I begin to choose?”

Here are some guidelines you can consider when purchasing a Bible for your own children or for the children inside your classroom.

1. Look beyond the cover. I grew up in an era where Bibles said what they were on the front – Holy Bible. We thought it extravagant to have a choice of covers. Now covers are designed to catch the consumer eye, to be more appealing, hopefully so the seeker won’t be threatened by the simple words “Holy Bible.” I appreciate publishers’ desire to attract more readers to the Bible but, don’t let an attractive cover be your only criteria. Open up the Bible and see what is on the inside.

2. Look at the print and layout. Is the Bible easy for your children to read? The vision of early elementary aged children is still developing. The print in a Bible should be larger and dark, making it easy to read. Does the Bible have an easy to find Table of Contents? As children are learning how to find references in a Bible, this is a key help that they will need to refer to often. It should be easy to find at the front of the Bible and easy to find the corresponding page numbers. Both page numbers and beginning and ending references for each set of pages should be prominent at the top of each page.

3. Look at the helps. Many Bibles now come with an array of helps, devotions, activities, and commentaries. Does the Bible under consideration have enough but not too much? Are they located at the back of the Bible or sprinkled throughout the pages? Are there so many helps that they overwhelm the actual text so that it is hard for a child to know where to read? I suggest that helps should either be at the back, before each book, or in textboxes or somehow clearly designated on the page, so that there is no confusion to a child as to what is and is not text.

Here are the helps I would consider important to have in a child’s bible:
Dictionary
Maps
Topical index: This is more pertinent to a child than a concordance. Concordances are confusing to children until they reach middle school.
Lists of Bible events such as Jesus’ miracles and parables, or a list of kings of Israel and Judah,

The helps I consider nice but not necessary:
Suggested memory verses
Suggested activities
Introductions to each book, giving background information and outline

The helps I would stay away from:
Commentary and explanation about passages, unless it is predominantly historical and cultural background. These can be misleading to anyone especially the young fertile mind of a child. Commentaries can often reflect the doctrine of the commentary writer, thus misinterpreting the Scripture. Naïve beginners accept the commentary as truth, not being able to delineate between a man’s opinion and the actual Word of God.
Devotions: You want your children to actually be reading the Bible, not to be distracted by comments about the Bible.

What is my final recommendation? I think you would best spend your money by buying a simple, inexpensive Bible from International Bible Society, then spending the rest of your money on a good Bible handbook for kids. As with Bible helps, choose one that is long on reference helps and short on opinions and interpretations .However, some kids would never touch the handbook so for some kids, it’s nice to have the helps readily available within the pages of the Bible. If you want a Bible with an attractive cover and a good assortment of helps, I would recommend the Adventure Bible. My girls both had The Adventure Bbile, NIV and loved it. When they grew older, one girl wanted a Life Application Bible and the other wanted just a plain Bible with minimum helps.

Most importantly, before you log on to the Internet or head out to your favorite Christian bookstore, stop and pray. Ask God to lead you to the best option that meets the unique needs of your child or students, and that helps you be the best steward of the money He has given you.

Thanks, Dr. D.

Today I mailed a big package to my major professor in Christian Education from the Cincinnati Christian University, formerly the Cincinnati Christian Seminary. In the box were three manuals of curriculum I wrote for the Salvation Army. I wanted to share with her the work I had created.

It was more than merely a "See what I've done moment." As I composed my letter of introduction to her, telling her about the process of writing the curriculum, a host of fond memories flooded over me. There was so much of me embedded in the pages of that curriculum, but there was equally so much of her entertwined into the lessons. She taught me to know the children I taught, to consider the characteristics of their age level, to start where they are and lead them to where they need to be. She taught me the importance of balancing bible content with life application in my teaching. She taught me that everyone has different learning styles and that's important to include activities that will meet the various learning needs and styles of my learners.

So, as I sent her my box, my letter told her how grateful I was that she taught me well enough for me to be able to produce the curriculum contained in that box. She was fulfilling Paul's command to Timothy: "And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualfied to teach others (2 Timothy 2:2)."

Dr. D., thanks for entrusting to me the tools to teach other faithful ones. I hope as you open that box and peruse the pages of this curriculum, you will find me a reliable teacher.

Next time, I'll finish my discussion about selecting bibles for kids.

Bibles for Kids: Part 1

What Bible should you give a child? Walk into any Christian bookstore or check out Christian Book Distributors online and you can quickly become overwhelmed by all the options available to parents today.

There are many wonderful beginner Bibles available that tell the stories of the Bible in simple beginning reader words. These are great when your child is first learning to read or for you to read with your child, but my suggestion is to move quickly toward getting your child an actual bible by the time they are 6 or 7 years old.

Now, which version of the Bible? There are several excellent translations (or really paraphrases) for children. I have used the International Children’s Bible (New Century Version) and the New International Reader’s Version. Both Bibles use simple words at a beginning reader’s level. This is good because it gets the child actually reading and handling the Bible and they are able to actually read words they can understand. However, again, I would not leave my child too long at this level. In order to simplify the words, the big concepts are corrupted by the choice of easier to understand words which hamper your child’s ability to have a full understanding later of some of the meatier concepts of Scripture. Also, when your child starts to memorize Scripture, it’s good to memorize in the version he or she will be using into adulthood. I grew up in the 60’s when our only choice was King James or Revised Standard. The New International Version came out in the 70’s and that is now my preferred version. However, I still am quoting from the KJV and RSV and sometimes I quote from two versions in the same verse! (Does that make me Scripturally bilingual?!) This confuses me and my students!

Yes, I recommend the New International Version for children from third or fourth grade on. It uses simple words, it flows well and it is easy to memorize. It is also conceptually accurate. The only Bible more accurate in translation is the New American Standard Bible. It is so accurate that the translators even translated the word order according to the way it was written in Greek. This is uncomfortable to our English speaking ears so the NIV translates the Greek text grammatically as well as word for word.

Lewis Foster, one of my professors, at the Cincinnati Christian University was one of the NIV translators. He told us of the process they underwent to translate the Bible. It is an arduous process with much cross checking. Just hearing of the process they took to translate the Bible compared to other translations and paraphrases convinces me that the New International Bible is the best for our current English speaking generation.

The choice of Bible doesn’t end here! Bibles come in a broad array of styles and covers, appealing to different audiences with different reference helps. Is there anything such as a plain ole’ Bible anymore? How does a parent choose? We’ll talk about that next time.

Children's Ministry Volunteer Recruitment, Part 2

Last time, we discussed the need to assess children’s ministry volunteers to protect your children’s ministry from potentially harmful people. How do you evaluate a volunteer, especially in a small church?

1 Develop an application for service. Request background checks. Ask for references. Talk to people who know the person. Don’t be afraid or worried about what the volunteer might think if you don’t readily accept the offer to help. Background checks, applications, and requests for references are a common practice in schools, day care centers and large churches. Besides, it’s biblical. Your leaders should be held to a higher standard. Much is at stake – the lives, minds and eternal destiny of our young people.

2. Eliminate the practice of asking for volunteers unless you specifically state that volunteers must go through an application process. A far better recruiting approach is to pray, consider people in your congregation, then approach them about serving. If your church isn’t ready for a formal application process including background checks, consider this approach. If anyone volunteers on their own, don’t accept their offer immediately. Establish a process where they must meet with you, understand the job description, meet with other workers, agree to training, or be willing to serve as an apprentice.

3. Test your worker. 1 Timothy 3:10 says, “Let them first be tested and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.” Have a policy stating that workers must have been church members for a certain length of time. Don’t dump a brand new Christian or even a new member from another church into a teaching position. Once the person starts to teach or help, set a probationary period of three to six months and make sure the person agrees with the time frame. This will give both the leaders and the volunteer a way out if their service isn’t working out.

4 Go on your gut instincts. If something doesn’t smell right, it’s probably rotten.

5. Assign the volunteer to work with a veteran teacher. The team approach is a biblical concept and protects the church from liability.

6. Have a plan of action now even though you don’t think you need it. Then, if you do have a questionable person come into your congregation who volunteers to work with the children’s or youth ministry, you don’t have to scramble to create an application and job description that hasn’t been used for anyone else. Small churches don’t usually have this level of organization, yet this is what makes them so vulnerable. You will be protecting yourselves and your children by having a plan in place now.

8. Pray for wisdom. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send the workers.(Luke 10;2). Rely on the Lord for your workers, not on yourself. Pray for discernment. Pray specifically that God send you godly leaders.

Children's Ministry Volunteer Recruitment: Part 1

A children’s worker once stated in a teacher’s meeting that she didn’t like teaching the Old Testament, she had issues with the Bible character David and she would much rather make up her own material than using the prescribed curriculum. Another volunteer refused to cooperate with other workers and regularly lost his temper when those workers didn’t meet his demands. Yet another worker, seen as a friendly man who loved children, was discovered to have sexually abused many of the teenaged girls. All these events happened in small churches.

More and more, large churches are adapting the practice of using applications and background checks for their workers. When people join the church, a staff can’t know their backgrounds and their motivations for joining the church. With such large numbers of children and volunteers, large churches have to adapt a structure to keep track of children and keep their workers accountable.

It’s time small churches adapt these practices as well. Yet small churches often don’t see the need for accountability until something drastic like the above situations happen. Small churches have the advantage of everyone knowing everyone in the congregation. This lulls them into a naïve trust. Small churches also often have the misfortune of being short on volunteers. Perhaps desperate is a more suitable word. And so, there’s an unwritten code that churches are foolish to turn down volunteers. If you have warm blood coursing through your veins and you want to help, why roll up your sleeves and get busy!

Sadly, I’ve learned lately that Inside the Classroom, this cannot be our strategy. Our children’s safety should be one of our highest priorities and we must be circumspect about who leads and influences the minds and hearts of our young people. We cannot afford to blithely accept any new person who volunteers to work with our children. Large churches require applications and background checks for children’s ministry workers. It is time small churches adapt those practices as well.

I’ve learned through experience what the Bible taught long ago. Take a look at Paul’s list of qualifications for deacons in 1 Timothy 3:8-13 (Also see 2 Timothy 2:24). While deacons are often an elected position, the Bible often uses the term deacon to denote any servant or worker in the church. That definitely includes teachers and other youth workers. With this list of qualifications, we can’t accept any person who walks in the door and raises their hand to volunteer. We need not feel compelled to accept anyone who volunteers; in fact, it’s completely permissible and mandatory that we evaluate those who want to serve.

How do you evaluate a volunteer? How can a church do it on a small budget without intimidating the new worker? In my next post, I’ll give a list of guidelines on how the small church can evaluate new workers.

Purpose of Christian Education

Yesterday, two students in my high school class publicly confessed their faith in Christ and were baptized. What a happy moment! As I watched the baptism, I was filled with a quiet contentment. “This is what it’s all about,” I thought to myself.

Leading our students to Christ and training them to walk in His ways are our most important goals inside the Christian education classroom. Everything we do, every word we say, every activity we plan, every movie clip we show should somehow fit into the overall plan of introducing our young people to the LifeSaver who is the Only One capable of giving us the hope of life after death.

I’ve been teaching through the book of John. My last few lessons have hit pretty hard on the reality of Jesus as the divine son of God, his work on the cross to save us from our sins, and the hope he gives us. Yet, before my hand moved to my shoulder to pat myself on the back, I realized my two young people who accepted Jesus yesterday had not been real regular in their attendance in my class the last couple of months. What brought about their decision?

Most of the training in the Christian faith had happened outside the classroom. A man in our church had taken the boy under wing for the last couple of years. D is a fix it kind of guy. He does a lot of odd jobs for other people, sometimes for pay, sometimes as a service to others. Over the last two years, D has taken A everywhere: on job projects, on youth outings, to widow lady houses to do yard work, to VBS to build a backdrop for our Story Center. A became D’s shadow. All along, D modeled the Christian faith and slowly started talking to A about his relationship with Jesus. Soon, A started attending church and Sunday School. We knew A was becoming interested when he would show up even if D wasn’t there.

A week ago, A said he wanted to accept Christ. The pastor asked his girlfriend who was with him if she wanted to as well. No, she wasn’t ready, she said. But middle of the week, the girlfriend called and said she was ready. Even before he was baptized, A was leading someone else to Christ! The next day, A called and asked if he could start helping with the power point slides at church. He’s already jumping in to family life!

No, I really couldn’t take credit for the new faith of these two young people. Yet, in a way, I could. I was there. I was friendly to the two students. I included them whenever they came. I taught my class faithfully. Who knows what I or any of us said that might have been the trigger that led them to this decision? We all needed to be faithful in presenting Christ every chance we had so that the Holy Spirit could take our words and actions and use them to convince these two young people of the Truth. Leading someone to the point of acknowledging their faith in Christ is a partnership with the Holy Spirit, a team effort with a lot of other people. Our job is to be faithful to proclaim and to quietly rejoice that the Lord saw fit to allow us to have a part in the process.

The angels in heaven are rejoicing! So am I! Rejoice with us!

What Is A Pharisee?

So many times, I look at an activity in a lesson book and say to myself, “My students would not resonate with this activity.” So many times, fewer than I’d like to admit, I do the activity anyway. And there are so many times my students surprise me, in turn, teaching me to look at the Bible in a fresh way. Last Sunday was one of those times.

We were studying John 9 in my combined junior high/high school class. I was to have the students read John 9;13-36. Then I was to read three paragraphs that described the three different groups of people in the story – the man born blind, the parents, and the Pharisees. Now, my group of kids are a little low on the Bible academic challenge scale. I wasn’t even sure they could pronounce the name “Pharisee” much less, know what one was.

I read the description for the parents. My high school senior daughter guessed that one correctly. Thank you, sweetheart, for giving the rest of the class the idea behind how we do this activity. Whatever am I going to do without you next year when you leave for college? The next description was that for the Pharisees. To me, the answer was obvious. Would it be to them?

An eighth grade girl raised her hand. “That’s the snotty people in the synagogue,” she answered. I think I actually took a step back. Her answer was brilliant. It was beautiful! It so aptly depicted who these guys were! A lot of times, kids in Sunday School parrot back the right answer without making head connect with heart. This little gal didn’t give the correct word, but she gave a fitting description of the Pharisees’ attitude in words with which she could connect.

Better yet, I was able to use her description in the end of the lesson. We talked about how the blind man could see better spiritually because he showed he understood his need for Jesus while the Pharisees didn’t. We talked about how if we are willing to humbly admit who we are before God, He will accept us as we are. I said, “Even if the ‘snotty people’ at school, at home or wherever you are don’t accept you, God will.”

My students discovered how to translate Pharisees into “snotty people in the synagogue.” In that moment, I understood far better than I had before what Jesus was explaining about spiritual blindness. And I also learned a new turn of phrase that has kept me smiling all week long! Teaching truly is a never ending learning process.

Students as Investments

When we buy certain items for our household, we realize that some items are investments rather than disposable expenditures. A programmable thermostat is a good example. While it may cost more than a thermostat, home owners often buy them even if they don’t need to replace their furnace thermostat. They do because they realize that, in time, they will actually save money on their gas bill, hopefully more money than the actual cost of the thermostat. When my husband and I purchased our new Honda Civic, we had sticker shock at the cost of a new car, a Honda to boot. Yet, even though it made our finances tight at the moment, we bought the car. Why? Gas prices had just escalated in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and we knew that with the excellent mileage and reliability of the Honda, we would actually save money in the long run. Our gas bill for 2007 has proved us right.

This past weekend, as I visited my family in Arizona, I spent precious time with people who had invested in my life. My grandfather, who drove me 2000 miles to attend graduate school and who flew out two years later so he could walk with me 30 feet down a church aisle to meet my future husband at the alter. My uncle, who spent countless Saturdays hiking in the desert with my family and constantly fell behind the others to help a visually impaired teenager maneuver around rocks and cacti. Two aunts who always treated me like an adult and took time to remember the special days in my life. A former elder in our church, who took me to my first football game, arranged for me to play the piano at the senior citizen’s home where he served as Director of Maintenance and took time out on Sunday mornings to talk to and encourage a lonely, insecure teenager. Two teachers who spent hours outside the classroom, taking personal interest in me and putting up with my wild, hare-brained, idealistic dreams. I owe who I am to these wonderful, giving people.

As I praised God for these special people who have invested in my life, the question came to me, “Who am I investing in?” I was ashamed of my own behavior this weekend. We joined my sister and her daughter for lunch one day and so caught up in visiting with everyone else, I didn’t take the time to visit personally with my niece. I didn’t invest in her like all these wonderful people had invested in me. My youngest daughter turned eighteen this week, and I wistfully look back at the past eighteen years, regretting that I didn’t stop and enjoy the journey more with her.

Inside the Classroom, the time we have with our students is even shorter than the eighteen years we have with our own children. Investing in our students’ lives means we’ll step beyond the curriculum, get our nose outside of the book, and look beyond the bulletin board. Investments always have a cost. You may think that you don’t have the time to do any more than what you already are doing. Yet, even though you may never see a bottom line return like you would on a blue chip statement, your investment in the lives of your students will yield a profitable and lasting return.

Sunday’s coming. Who will you invest in this week?

"What Is A Mission Trip?"

I had a powerful Sunday School lesson this morning for my high school class on the atoning sacrifice of Christ from John 6. At least, the potential to be very powerful. It was an interactive lesson. My 17 year old daughter called it reactive – meaning you had to react to it. It was full of object lessons and visual imagery. I was prepared. I was ready. I even told my husband it might be one of the most memorable lessons I had ever taught that class.

My class walked away from my classroom inspired and pumped, ready to do God’s calling. Yet it wasn’t because of anything I said during my planned lesson. My wonderfully awesome lesson ended early and I told my group of teenagers I wouldn’t be there the next Sunday, because I’m going to Arizona to visit my dying grandfather. Instead, the substitute teacher will speak about his recent mission trip to Honduras.

“What is a mission trip?” asked the student who takes the role of the class clown.

We spent the rest of the hour, talking about mission trips: what they are, what they cost, how God will provide, what you do during a mission trip, where we could go, the dangers Christians face in other countries and what we, as a group would need to do to prepare ourselves to go. When I asked who would be interested in going on a mission trip as a team, almost every hand shot up.

It was a divine opportunity, a moment engineered by the Spirit of God. The only thing I did was recognize the moment for what it was. Planning is still important. Well crafted lessons will still inspire, motivate and move. Only God knows what those kids are doing with the information on Christ’s death that I presented this morning. Yet, as teachers Inside The Classroom, we also need to be ready for that unexpected question, that turning of subjects. It’s easy to brush those questions off or ignore those unexected moments because “they aren’t part of my lesson plan.” Instead, we need to consider that maybe, just maybe, God knows far better than we do what our students are ready to hear and we need to follow His leading.

Classroom Decorations

Several pages of your 2008 calendar have already turned over. By now, you have removed the Christmas decorations out of your classroom (or should have – don’t ask me if mine are down yet!). Does your room look a little bare and gloomy after the festive decorations of Christmas? Why can’t classrooms have bright decorations all year long, at other times besides Christmas and VBS?

You can! In fact, it’s a good idea. It’s a great idea. Remember, children of today are visual learners. You have four walls of empty space ready and available to reinforce the lessons you teach your children.

So what decorations can we put up for the month of January? It’s too soon for Valentine’s Day, way too soon for spring flowers. Snowflakes and winter scenes aren’t very colorful and may not even fit your location. (I grew up in Arizona. As a child, I always thought snowflake decorations were so dumb!) So what kinds of bulletin boards or door and wall decorations can you use?

Look no further than your current curriculum! Remember my guiding principle of children’s ministry: Everything you do should fit your focus. That includes any activity, game, songs, even your snack if you can. It also includes classroom decorations. We have so little time to minister and teach these children; we need to use every available moment and resource to proclaim the message of Jesus Christ to them. What you hang on your walls can be a powerful reinforcement to your lesson. If you have children whose eyes are wandering during your lesson, their eyes will fall on what you have portrayed – that is still teaching them what you want to teach them.

Usually lessons are grouped together in units. Look at your unit theme. Look not only at the Bible stories. What is the major application or theme? Is it courage? Is it worship? Is it obedience? How can you portray those themes? What are the memory verses for that unit? How can you display those verses attractively and prominently?

If you aren’t the artistic type, what do you do? I can relate. I’m not the artistic type either. But I know it’s important to other people. If creating decorations is not your favorite way to spend a Saturday afternoon, consider these ideas:

1. Ask a member of your church who does like that stuff to help you.

2. Devise activities for the children that create wall decorations. This is especially a good idea if you can add to the project each week.

3. Look for what has already been made. Don’t reinvent the wheel! If moeny is a concern, some supplies may be cheaper than you think and if you recycle, you will save money over the long run. Check local teaching supply stores. Most of them have a section for Christian education. Check for posters, letter templates, borders and bulletin board paper. Your Christian bookstore may have wall hangings or books of bulletin board ideas. Do a search on the Internet for bible themed bulletin boards.

4. Use computer generated projects. Programs such as MS Publisher and PrintMaster can help you create some beautiful memory verse posters on card stock. (Hey, even I can do this!) Feel computer clumsy? Get a teenager to help you.

Finally, remember to change your decorations at the beginning of the new unit or the new season. Children, or anyone for that matter, will start to tune out what they see if it is there for more than three weeks. If you change your decorations frequently, you'll keep your students coming back week after week to see what's new Inside The Classroom.

Teacher Training

Today I conducted teacher training for new teachers for our preschool worship program. After I finished my agenda, I asked if there were any questions. One lady said, “I’m just afraid I won’t be a good enough teacher.”

The vulnerability I showed in my answer surprised me, yet my words were heartfelt, true and echoed by the other veteran teacher in the room. Here’s in part what I said.

Every week, I walk away from teaching, feeling intimidated and like a failure. I wonder if the kids got anything out of what I said. Were they listening? They didn’t seem to be, the way they ran around or wiggled while I was trying to teach.

Two months ago a member of our church brought her grandchildren to preschool worship and stayed with them so they would comfortable. I especially felt nervous with her in the room. One of her grandchildren stared at me the entire time. The other ran around and acted like he was totally out of touch with what was happening. Yet, just last week, the grandmother told me, “I’ve meant to tell you this for some time. That week I stayed with my grandchildren in Wee Worship, I was so impressed with what an excellent teacher you are. You had my grandchildren spellbound. When they came home, they repeated the entire story.” This came from a lady whose husband taught for years, one daughter is now a grade school teacher, and another daughter is an assistant principal. She knew what she was talking about and I was touched by her comment.

Another child has been a problem child for all of us. She always wants to play with the toys. She resists whatever I tell her to do. Yet, early in December, I was working with a community group to sponsor a “Breakfast With Santa” at a local restaurant. This child came in with her mother, spotted me and called in a loud voice, finger pointing in my direction, “There’s my teacher!”

They do listen. They do remember. And more important than the stories, they will remember you. “The best thing you can do for these children,” I told my fledgling recruit, “is to love them.”

It's a New Year

Have you ever watched two children having an argument? You want to step in and settle the fight for them, but before you get a chance, the two kids are back playing together as if nothing happened!

Watching that scene always humbles me. I think of how, as adults, weall too often carry grievances into the next day, the next year, never letting them go. Would that we could become like those kids who so easily forget the sharp words spoken only moments before.

I’m so thankful our heavenly Father purposely has a short term memory when it comes to my failings. No matter what I’ve done to Him today, His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23). If I repent of my wrong doing and recommit myself to trying again, He gives me a clean slate. Every morning. Another chance to try again. Because of His compassion for us, we are not consumed by His just wrath – like we deserve (Lamentations 3:22).

As you look toward the new year, look at the children in your life, the people in your life, for that matter, who have rubbed you the wrong way. Follow in Jesus’ footsteps, by giving them the gift of compassion. Give them a second chance to be the best they can be. Even as your Heavenly Father lifts you up and gives you new mercies every morning, extend your hand down to those in your life who need a touch of His grace. When you show the children in your life that you believe in them, they will be better equipped to believe in themselves.

Like Paul in Philippians 3:13,14, let’s forget what was behind and strain forward to what is ahead, pushing forward - and helping others push forward - to receive the prize of eternal life.

Waiting For Christmas

One of my favorite childhood poems was “Jest ‘Fore Christmas” by Eugene Fields. This was one little boy who had his year planned out! “Most all the time the whole year round/There ain’t no flies on me/But jest ‘fore Christmas, I’m as good as I kin be!" Throughout the year, this little guy acted like any normal ornery boy. But, in anticipation of Christmas, he put on his best behavior because he knew what was coming.

Do you remember how, as a child, you waited for Christmas? Did it seem like Christmas would never come? Are the students in your class or in your home getting antsy and hyper with anticipation? As adults, we’re waiting too. Most of us are waiting for Christmas to be over!

There are two adults in the Bible who waited for Christmas. They waited longer than any child of today has waited. They probably waited with more anticipation yet more patience. Not wanting to miss a moment of the coming event, Simeon and Anna frequented the Temple. When the moment finally arrived, the moment Jesus’ parents brought him into the Temple, there was no big let down, only great joy and peace. Simeon took the baby in his arms and proclaimed, “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised/you now dismiss your servant in peace/for my eyes have seen your salvation/which you have prepared in the sight of all people/ a light for revelation to the Gentiles/and for glory to your people Israel (Luke 2:29-32).” Anna met the event with praise to God and told everyone she met that the Event had happened.

When Christmas Day comes, will your children feel let down that it’s over? Will you praise God by saying, “Thank God that’s over. Now we can get back to normal life!”? If our eyes are focused on God’s gift that He has already given instead of what we might get, like Eugene Field’s ornery boy of his poem, or on what we have to give others out of obligation, if we wait in anticipation of the celebration of God’s greatest gift, then we also will celebrate on that Day with joy and peace.

Instead of trying to tamp down your children’s hyperactive anticipation of Christmas, this year, channel their enthusiasm toward the celebration of God’s gift to us, His promised Son, Jesus, the Savior of the world.

Children's Christmas Craft

Three years ago, I had eye muscle surgery to correct a lifelong eye disorder. As I was packing my overnight bag, my younger daughter came into my bedroom, holding her favorite stuffed animal, a Clifford, the big red dog. puppet. “It’s time I let go of this,” she said, “And I figure you need him more this week than I do.”

I had to turn my head so she wouldn’t see my face crumple. Clifford had been her life long bed buddy. Clifford went everywhere with us. We even backtracked ten miles on a vacation because Clifford had been left behind at a motel.

Why was Christine willing to give up her favorite stuffed animal for me? I suppose because Clifford was so precious to her. It was the best she could give me to show her deep love and concern for me.

That’s what Christmas is all about. God loved us all so much, He gave the best He could give us – the irreplaceable life of His one and only Son, Jesus. If our Christmas celebrations end at the manger, we’ve missed the point of Christmas. Christmas is about a baby who grew to be a man who threw his life across the beams of a rough hewn cross. Jesus gave his best – and his all – for us. As you wrap your gifts for those you love and unwrap the gifts you receive, may you remember the gift of a baby and worship Him as the King of Kings, your Savior and your Lord.

Here’s a Christmas tree ornament craft to remind you and your students inside the classroom of the meaning behind this holiday season:

Supplies
3 inch Styrofoam balls
Straight pins with colored ball heads
¼ inch ribbon.

Stick the pins in the pattern of a cross, keeping the pins close together. Cut a 4-6 inch length of ribbon and attach the ends to the top of the ball with a straight pin, looping the ends together so you make a loop with the ribbon that will hang on a tree.

Christmas Crafts for Children

Here’s an easy, fun Christmas craft you can use Inside the Classroom.

Supplies
Plain colored glass ball ornaments
Fingernail polish or acrylic paint
Paintbrushes
Lots of newspaper
Cups of water for cleaning brushes

Your kids can paint designs and Christmas motifs on the balls with the fingernail polish or use paintbrushes to apply acryllic paint. Show children how to carefully hold the ball with one hand while painting with the other. Devise a place to set the balls or hang the balls so they can dry without getting smudged.

This is a great project that lends itself well to all ages, individual creativity and is non threatening for the artistically challenged. If a child does nothing more than paint silver dots all over a blue ball, it will look beautiful. I’ve also seen teenagers paint intricate nativity scenes or Christmas trees. With patience, you can also write words but keep it simple. Our church made these ornaments last year to give to the elderly in the provided fruit basket, so on many of the ornaments, we simply painted the initials of the church.

Either acrylic paint or fingernail polish work well – each give a different effect. You can involve the adults of your congregation or the parents of your children by asking for donations of ready to discard bottles of fingernail polish. Believe me, you’ll be overwhelmed with unwanted colors!

Here’s some ideas of what to do with your ornaments:
Decorate a class or church Christmas tree
Give to shut ins, nursing home residents or the elderly in your church.
Give as a thank you gift to teachers and church leaders.

What’s a simple craft for children you’ve discovered? Leave a comment below or email me your idea at karenawingate@gmail.com. I may be able to include your idea in a future post.

Have fun!

Christmas: Children's Service Project

Visiting nursing homes with your class of children is always a much needed appreciated service project. This year, add an extra touch by making homemade Christmas cards.

We did this yesterday at our church. Instead of letting the children make up their own ideas, I designed two sample cards for them to copy. This way, we kept cards consistent in their message, I had more control over what art supplies were used, we were able to put a specific message in each card that proclaimed Jesus as the reason for the season, yet the cards allowed for some individual creativity. We had 96 cards to make. That’s a lot for a small youth group so we had to have something was fairly easy for the children to put together.

Here’s what we did:
1. For the high school class, I had them cut out a snowflake from a folded 4 inch square of white paper. They folded a blue piece of construction in half, glued a four inch piece of red tissue on the front, then glued the snowflake, slightly tilted on top of the red tissue. They used glitter glue pens to decorate the snowflake. On the inside, they wrote, “May Jesus give you a beautiful Christmas. (signed, name of church.)

2. For the elementary class, I had precut 2 inch wide piece of green paper that fit eon the front of a folded red piece of paper to look like ribbon on a package. I allowed children to put a tuff of tissue paper in the center. On the inside, they cut and glued small squares of construction paper to look like presents. They glued small loops of yarn on top of the presents. They wrote, “Jesus is the best gift of all. Merry Christmas. (Signed. Name of church.)

Why didn’t I let the younger kids use the glitter? Years of teaching experience have taught me glitter, glue and young children are a toxic mix, especially when you don’t have much time! Yet the high schoolers loved it and added some creative touches I didn’t expect.

Why glitter glue pens? I adapted this idea from a craft idea on a website that suggested mixing glue, glitter and water together, then paint the mixture onto the snowflake. In my sample card, I found out very quickly – this doesn’t work.

Why the sample cards? As a curriculum writer, I know how easy it is to suggest activities that you haven’t actually tried out. Unless you have experienced making a craft a certain way before, always, always, make a sample of the craft project. Some children do best by looking at what you want them to make. Also if it is an idea that just won’t work, you find it out in the middle of the week, not in the middle of the class session.

Christmas: Classroom Decorations

Yesterday, a friend sent me an email quoted from the weekly email newsletter, “The Focus” published by Dennis Wheeler that put a new spin on the celebration of Christmas for me. Throughout the month of December, we’ll see houses, malls, churches, streets, and classrooms all decorated for Christmas. Is it too much, Wheeler poses? When we decorate, are we commercializing the season, a holiday that is steeped as much in pagan as religious traditions? Is it going overboard to strings lights on our rooflines, pin teddy bears ornaments on our Christmas trees, or layer our mantelpieces with plastic evergreen garland?

Then Dennis Wheeler quotes Jack Hayford and, with Mr. Wheeler’s permission, I take liberty to quote him as well:
"If God commissioned angels to roll back the night and fill it with blazing light.
If God provided a mighty celestial choir to serenade a few startled shepherds.
If God graced the heavens with a miracle star.
If God arranged such a memorable entry point as a feeding trough in a stable.
If God went to all this trouble to open our eyes to His entry into our world...
Then we needn't apologize for festooning our home with a few seasonal reminders."

If you were going to celebrate your child’s birthday, wouldn’t you buy gifts, make a special cake and use decorations of some kind to commemorate their special day? Think of the work, hours and expense families go into to celebrate the special milestones of life: an 80th birthday, a high school graduation, a wedding reception complete with catered dinner, live music, and dancing that will last into the wee hours, a 25th, 40th, or 50th wedding anniversary. Bring out the balloons. Buy fresh flowers! Where’s the streamers and the kazoos? Spend thousands on a catered meal. Let’s celebrate!

The greatest event of human history happened when Jesus took on flesh to become our Savior. That deserves our greatest celebration. We can celebrate with abandon and we can teach our children to celebrate inside and outside the classroom in many ways that all honor our Lord’s special day. We can worship in holy reverent praise in Christmas candlelight services and reenactments of the nativity scene. We can feast as we do at Thanksgiving in honor of Him. We can also use visual reminders such as garland, wreathes, lights, snowmen, and nativity scenes to remind us, hey, there’s a celebration happening here! As we involve our children in the decorating process, we can use that teachable moment to tell again the wondrous story.

I like what Dennis Wheeler said at the end of his devotional:

“So, run on out to the store and purchase a few more strands of Christmas lights and present your decorating and decorations to the Lord as a tribute to Him!

Pray before you decorate.
Worship as you decorate.
Give thanks after you decorate."

"Whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through Him to God the Father." -Colossians 3:17 (NLT)

Amen! Now, how can I decorate my church classrooms this week?

Christmas Inside The Classroom: Jesse Tree

If you teach children or are a parent of young children, here’s an idea to emphasize the gospel message to your kids throughout the holiday season. This year, make a Jesse tree.
This is a super idea that can help your kids connect Old Testament stories with the birth of Christ.

A Jesse Tree is a small Christmas tree that holds ornaments symbolizing Old Testament stories, particularly those stories, characters or prophecies that speak of the coming Messiah. Unlike our modern Christmas trees with their lights, garland and ornaments that rarely have anything to do with the Christ Child, a Jesse tree contains Christian symbols that all point to the coming Savior. Basically, a Jesse Tree is a family tree about Jesus.

This is a great project for a Sunday School class, a Christian private school classroom, a homeschooling family or an activity for your family to create together if you want a different twist on the celebration of Advent. Consider suggesting this idea to your Messianic Jewish friends or use it as a gospel tool for your Jewish friends.

The Jesse tree is not my idea. Nor is it a modern idea. It actually dates back to the 13th century. It is also based on the 11th chapter of Isaiah, remembering the chapter that talks about the branch springing forth from the root of Jesse? Look it up!

Use your creativity to create the symbols. They can be pictures of bible story symbols downloaded from the Internet. Or you can make your own symbols out of paper or other material. Some ideas of stories and their corresponding symbols are:
Creation: Dove
Adam and Eve: Apple
Noah: rainbow
David: crown
Baby Jesus: Manger scene
Jesus: cross or a chi-rho symbol

Here are some websites where you can find more information about Jesse Trees:

http://www.christiancrafters.com/jesse_tree.html

http://www.crivoice.org/jesse.html

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/7202/advent.html
:
http://christianity.about.com/od/christmas/qt/jessetreeadvent.htm

I was one of those teenagers that questioned everything. One day, I asked my preacher, “If our Christmas celebrations come from so many pagan traditions, why do we celebrate it?” I have quoted his answer over and over again, “Use every available opportunity to proclaim Christ as Lord.” As Christmas becomes more commercialized, we have to work harder to find ways to proclaim the life giving message we have to share. But it’s worth it. After all, Christmas is the greatest event of human history – when the divine Son of God chose to take on human flesh in order to bring mankind back to the Father. Using a Jesse Tree in your classroom or home gives you one more opportunity to proclaim Jesus as Lord.

Thanksgiving: Ideas of How to Say Thanks

Have you noticed? It’s everywhere. Stores, malls, restaurants and radio stations all have it. And it’s not even Thanksgiving yet. What is it? Christmas music. It’s been permeating our air waves for the last two weeks. Moreover, tv stations are already showing Christmas movies. C’mon guys, it’s November sweeps month. Aren’t there enough top-the-chart movies to show without digging into the Christmas batch?

Don’t misunderstand me. I am not the Grinch. I love Christmas music. I even like Christmas movies. But as I wrote in an article that appeared in the November 18, 2001 issue of the Lookout, Thanksgiving is slowly being squeezed out of existence by those seeking to extend the Christmas consumer shopping season.

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It’s one of the few unscathed by religious controversy. Who can argue with a holiday centered on giving thanks? Yet I fear we’re going to lose this holiday, not from commercialism or controversy, but from neglect.

While Christmas music and decorations surround you as soon as you walk out the door of your home, you don’t have to let the Christmas frenzy (or even a football game – whoops, different soapbox) squeeze the thanks out of your Thanksgiving holiday. It’s your responsibility and mine to keep the tradition of Thanksgiving alive for our children so the next generation continues to give thanks where thanks is due. Here are some tips I gave in that article to keep the thanks in Thanksgiving:

*Make it a holiday for friends. We often think of the holiday as a time for family. Yet the Pilgrims and the Indians feasted together to share their thankfulness. Start thinking of how you could encourage your church or community group to hold a thanksgiving dinner and service the weekend before the Big Day so you can worship and thank God with other believers.

*Have a family time of worship. Sing praise songs, have younger children perform vocal or instrumental solos of praise songs. Have each family member share how they have seen God work in the past year, than praise God together for His wonderful works.

*Place several kernels of popcorn by each person’s plate. Have each person name a blessing for each kernel they receive.

*While the Bird is cooking, put your feet up, grab a cup of your favorite hot beverage and write a thank-you note to someone whom God has used in your life recently.

What am I going to do? I’ve already started to gather my favorite praise CD’s that I’m going to play as I prepare our family feast.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! May God continue to shower His richest blessings on you.