Vacation Bible School: Was It Successful?

This past week, our church combined forces with the church next door to do a Community VBS. Our average attendance for the week - ten. That's right, ten.

I heard it all week long. Forty years ago, just our church alone had 150 kids. The church in the large town twenty miles south of us had seventy kids. Years ago, VBS ran for two weeks. The mega-church my daughter attends in Columbus had 600 kids attend VBS.

Some friends of mine say VBS is an outdated, obsolete program. I think that's too broad of a criticism because obviously, from the numbers above, it works for somebody. On the other end of the spectrum, it would be easy for our workers to say, "VBS evidently isn't working for our congregation so maybe we shouldn't have it at all." I'm not satisfied with that answer either because of what I saw happening this week.

Two of the boys who attended come fairly regularly to our church. A few weeks ago, one of them stopped by my backyard, his wrist wrapped in an ace bandage. He had injured himself fighting with his sister. I feigned surprise. "I can't imagine you doing something like that. I thought better of you," I told him. We moved on to other things but at the end, I told him with a gentle smile, "Hey no more fighting with your sister, ok? You can do better." I wondered if I had been too intrusive. When he didn't show up for church the next Sunday, I really worried.

Fast forward to VBS. The story teller was having an argument with God about what constituted a sin, including fighting with a brother or sister. My student, sitting directly in front of me, turned around and looked at me with a deer in the headlights look. How did they know? Normally very talkative, this student sat perfectly still with rapt attention. I could tell the message was getting through.

The night before, I ran into the church, drenched by a sudden cloudburst. My glasses wet, I couldn't see where I was going. I knocked over a fan sitting in the hallway and, without thinking, bent to pick it. My fingers slid in between the wires, getting in the way of the fan blades. The pain was excruciating! We wrapped the most injured finger and, even though I was feeling some shock symptoms, in spite of the suggestion I go home, I pressed on, saying I thought I could go ahead and lead songs. I felt so bad, I thought I was going to pass out or throw up. "Please Lord," I prayed, "give me the strength to keep going." (Yes, I did end up in Urgent Care later that night.)

All the songs that week were the Bible verses set to music, which in my opinion, is a great way to teach memory work. The song that night, based on Matthew 22:37-39 about the two greatest commandments, was particularly a catchy tune and, I could tell, was becoming everyone's favorite. Even though we were small in number, at the very end of the session, the kids spontaneously spilled out into the sanctuary isle, doing the motions with enthusiasm. I pressed my woozy stomach back into submission and decided then; in spite of my injury, in spite of the low numbers, it was worth it all for that moment.

Yes, we need to rethink VBS. We need to decide if this particular program is the best way to use our limited resources. We need to be willing to think outside the box, and, like one of my readers suggested last week, think of different structures into which we can pour a summer outreach program such as a one day, all day VBS program. We need to be more proactive than just a fatalistic resignation to the small numbers, doggedly continuing to do the same thing that obviously is not working.

We need to do this, still keeping in mind that increased numbers is not our goal. If at this moment, this is what God has called us to, this is what we need to do. One of our other memory verses was Colossians 3:23: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord and not for men."

Or, as a wise man once said - I believe it was John Wesley who first coined this phrase - "God has called us to be faithful, not successful." When my time is finished here on earth, I pray that the Lord will find me faithful, whether faithful in hanging in there when the obstacles loomed or being faithful to listen to Him when it was time to change the way I approached ministry.

Outside The Classroom: Thinking Outside the Box

About 4 months ago my sister, Karen asked me if I might write a guest Blog for her sometime. At that time she was looking for ideas for a teacher’s devotional book. I have been out of the teaching loop too long. But I wanted to give my sister a little break and throw some thoughts out for us to ponder. I am not one who has read the latest Christian Ministry books or curriculum but I do have ideas based on my experiences with children, teaching and the word of God.

Let us leave the classroom for now. As people who are called to Children’s Ministry whether paid staff or volunteer, we see the needs of children, wanting them to come to salvation and a growing wisdom and knowledge of God. We also need to see children as a part of the church. If we don’t see them this way neither will they. Seeing children as a segment of the church body with various levels of maturity and spiritual growth will help us as we interact with them. In a small church family this should be easy to manage. A very simple, practical thing that happens every Sunday at our church is the Pastor’s granddaughters collect the used communion cups from everyone. The Pastor says, “Pass your cups to the center isle and our little Usherettes will pick them up.” Those girls feel a sense of belonging

Drawing on the home schooling experience I had with my own children, I used teachable moments. Once we were at the variety store in the summer time and I was helping my son do a price comparison. The clerk said, “Oh, give him a break it’s summertime.” I thought, no it’s life, 24/7. Helping the church family understand and practice teachable moments may or may not be a hurdle in your community of believers. I have the idea that we need to live life together no matter what the age level. We need to be building strong relationships that will last. We need to go through good times and bad together. We need to work out our difficulties and not give up on each other or run away if we get our feelings hurt. In general our lives have become too busy and compartmentalized. We are running here or there and not really getting to know one another. We need to spend time and space together. We need to practice hospitality.

On Sunday our Pastor challenged us with this statement: You have a love for the truth, but do you have a love for one another? It is easy to leave the church when you don’t really have a bond with anyone. My intent was to help us look at interacting with children on a personal level outside the classroom and help them in belonging to the household of faith. We can certainly do this. But children, and people of all levels, will be observing us in our interactions. We are modeling the Christian life. Yes, we are human and make mistakes. What is more humbling than having to say we are sorry and making amends to those we have wronged? The church community needs to practice this. Children of all levels will be taking in what they observe. Love God. Love one another. Love children and they will grow up to love God and love one another.

Judith Coran is a graduate of Intermountain Bible College and has worked in various ministries in the church as a volunteer.

When Your Ministry Program Falls Apart

In my last post, I said it would be the final edition of my thoughts on Children's Ministry. Thank you to all who have heard the discouragement in my words and have written to encourage me. You are precious people! That post will be the final edition in this blog about children for awhile because I currently have no contact with children and have nothing to draw from to share with you. However, if you are willing to bear with me, I'd like to turn my attention to sharing vignettes from the journey I'm currently on.

We tend to couple creditability with success. You aren't worthy to write a book unless you're an expert on the subject, unless you have a success story to tell of how the principles you are promoting have worked for you. We look in envy at church programs that attract dozens of kids; those are the "successful" programs. A few years back, our national church convention provided a number of workshops that started with "How our church broke the (fill in the number: 200, 500, 1000) barrier." I talked to a number of people that, like me and my husband, were heartsick. We were floundering in our ministries. We had tried all the formulas. We had seen the heartache, the defeat, the brokenness, the struggle. We felt inferior and intimidated. I so want to write a book on "the inner qualities of leadership" but because I don't have a platform or a resume that lists lines of credentials and success stories, I have an idea no publisher would want to give me the time of day. The world - and too often, the Christian world, wants success stories.

Blogs, websites and books abound on how to make your good children's program better. Printed and digital media give us the impression that "I must be the only one" who oversees a shriveling program. Yet I have a hunch that a significant minority exists out there of those who have encountered broken programs, struggling workers, defeated parents, disillusioned teachers, all wondering why God would allow their program to go down the hole, why the Lord of the harvest hasn't answered their pleas for more workers, why God let a child slip away from the inviting arms of the Savior. Perhaps we need to hear more of the wisdom of those who don't have the numbers to stand behind but have prevailed through the struggle.

I don't have any answers on how to make your children's ministry grow; in fact, I'm asking those hard questions myself The only answer I have today is a series of questions God seems to be asking me. In spite of the way our children's ministry looks, will I still be faithful to Him? Not necessarily to a program, but to Him. Will I still worship Him as great and good, a God whose loving-kindness endures forever? Will I still trust Him that He has a plan? Do I believe that He and only He can bring about change? Am I willing to wait, to be patient even though that change may take years and I may never actually see the change take place? Do I believe that God can work all things for good according to His purposes - that God can possibly bring good to a church who has no children running through the halls?

If I am going to be authentic in this column, I must tell you that my answer lies in the words of the father who witnessed the debilitating results of a demon residing within his son when Jesus reminded him that everything is possible for him who believes. (Mk 9:14-29).

"I do believe. Help me overcome my unbelief."

May the Lord give each of us the grace we need to carry us through the seemingly impossible situations we face.

Inside the Classroom: Final Edition

This will be the final post for the "Inside the Classroom" blog. Thank you to those few who have faithfully read my column. Your trust in my words is humbling. When I first started this column four years ago, there were no Children's ministry blogs. Now, there are many fine blogs out there full of good ideas and godly advice. I hope they will be a blessing to you.

I have a confession to make. While I have had many years of experience in children's ministry, I am a hypocrite. I have portrayed myself as an expert. Yet the children's ministry at my own church has shriveled into nothing. Yesterday, as one of two teachers left, I had no children in junior church, the Sunday before, one, the Sunday before that, one. I've tried to initiate programs over the last two months that have fizzled. I have tried to motivate people in my church with no success.

I am a failure at children's ministry and I cannot keep writing blog entries giving you advice on how to reach the children around you when I have no success at doing it myself. How can I write a blog on Children's ministry when I have nothing from which to draw?

I am concerned for our youth. They are being hit with more and more twisted messages about diversity, sexual preferences, relativism, evolution. They are knocked down when they try to express any kind of Christian sentiment. More and more children are becoming the victims of divorce, sexual abuse, substance abuse, and immorality and permissiveness in the home. We need strong church programs that will lift them up and empower their parents to teach them God's wisdom. We need bold Christians who are willing to shine brightly with the love of Christ, who are willing to open their arms and enfold the unlovely, unkempt child, reassuring them that there is another way to live and Someone does love them unconditionally. I long to reach these children. Yet I fear they and their families have succumbed to the greatest subterfuge of all - the lure to keep busy with other things so you don't have time for Jesus.

Children are important. Teaching children about Jesus is one of the highest callings we can have. I am saddened to see people so busy that loyalty to children's ministry gets crowded out. All of us, parents and teachers alike, need to prioritize, need to examine what is important in our lives and to have the courage to cut the good so we can focus on the best. The best is Jesus. The best is winning our world to Jesus. The best is equipping children with the tools they need to be a spiritual success in this world. I wish I was a better motivator. I wish I was better at making the Gospel more appealing so kids and their parents would come, hungry for Jesus and realizing the feast we have to offer them. I wish I could share with you what I'm doing wrong so you don't encounter the same pitfalls.

But I don't have solutions and I don't have success stories. Other people do and I pray that God will guide your teaching so that you will draw the little ones to Jesus and you may instill a faith in them that sticks for a lifetime.

The Impact of Missionaries on Your Children

Last Saturday, Heaven gained another one of the faithful. Ivan Martin, a long time missionary to Zimbabwe and a personal family friend, was taken to Glory after a long bout with cancer. The world's loss is Heaven's gain.

We first met Ivan and his wife JoAnn twenty years ago when we ministered to a small church in Colorado. JoAnn's mother was a member of our church and one of the most hospitable women I have ever met. At 80 years old, it was Evelyn's goal to have every church family to her home for Sunday dinner at least once during the year.

We had the privilege of hosting Ivan and JoAnn in our home as well. I still remember sitting around our dining table in our crowded living room, hearing Ivan give a different perspective on the problem and causes of AIDS in Africa. Just a few years later, they sat again at our dining table, this time in the parsonage of our ministry in rural Kansas. I doubt my girls remember much of the visit but they were enthralled with the Martins. The older girl signed up for Ivan's missionary letter and still to this day, both girls ask occasionally, "What do you hear from Ivan and JoAnn?"

If Heaven had an award for outstanding faithfulness, Ivan would be in the running. In spite of the mega-epidemic of AIDS sweeping across, Africa, the Martins stayed on. In spite of out-of-control inflation and political corruption, placing conditions on the country few of us would put up with for more than two seconds, the Martins stayed. Because of the economic conditions, the Martins lived simply, doing without necessities many of us take for granted; to their neighbors they still lived like royalty so theft was always a concern. Still they stayed - at a great price, for one of their daughters was murdered and another fought health issues. When Ivan was diagnosed with cancer, he had to seek treatment in South Africa. Each journey was long and arduous; although not that many miles, on African roads, it took hours. They could have so easily come home to the States citing any of the above as legitimate reasons and no one of us would have blamed them. Instead, they saw these problems as opportunities to display the love of Jesus to those around them.

I'm certain my daughters have an interest in missions and global evangelism today because of exposure to people like Ivan and Joann. I once had a relative who criticized ministers for not trying hard enough to house visiting missionaries with church members, instead, feeling they had to shoulder the burden by themselves. Burden, nothing!! After becoming the wife of a minister and meeting Ivan and Joann, I felt almost greedy for wanting visiting missionaries to stay with us. The influence on my children and the mutual strengthening of our faith, far outweighed any inconvenience it was to feed and house them.

Too often, the church asks visiting missionaries to share their pictures and accounts of their work to adult Sunday School classes and morning worship sermons. Why not instead, ask the missionary to spend time with the children? Let them tell the stories, let them share some ethnic food, let them tell the children why sacrificing your life as you know to live in a foreign land is worth it. That missionary may never know, like I'm sure Ivan never knew about my girls, the potential influence he or she may have in inspiring a new generation of world Christians.

But Heaven will know. And that is all that's needed.

Thanks, Ivan, for sharing your life with us and with the people of Zimbabwe. I hope you are hearing the Lord say about now, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Teaching Children the Power of God

This past week, my daughter stood in Red Square. I mean, the famous Red Square of Moscow, Russia. Red Square, that sits at the foot of the Kremlin palace, former USSR seat of power. Red Square, the scene of May Day military parades that celebrated the rise of the Soviet Revolution in 1917. Red Square - the very words caused a feeling of foreboding in the hearts of American schoolchildren in the 1960's - at least it did in mine.

We were taught to fear the Soviets. Oh, not in so many words. I wasn't privy to hiding under my desk during air raid drills like some children. But I do remember being instructed as to where the nearest air raid shelters were. I remember the once a month testing of the air raid siren system. I remember being given the reason, "Just in case the Russians nuke us." I didn't know what that meant but it was enough to teach me that this was a country to fear, that this country was our enemy and their form of government was not to be trusted.

What a difference a few decades can make. The Communist system is broken. Red Square is no longer the seat of Soviet power. Today, my own child walks the streets of Moscow, studying at one of the city's international universities. If someone had told me when I was ten that my own child would travel to Red Square, I would have found that inconceivable.

I would find that so because what I was taught sounded like such a forever kind of thing. Now I wonder, what if my teachers had believed that someday, Russia would be liberated from the Soviet regime? How then would they have taught us? What would they have told us instead? Would they have painted the evils of the Russian Empire with such a broad brush? Would they have taught us to hope, to love our enemies, to do something that would actually encourage the downfall of an oppressive government system? If the American schoolteacher of the 60's and 70's had taught hope rather than fear, would Communism in the Soviet Block have loosened its vice grip a few years sooner?

We need to teach our children to hope, to persist, to believe that anything is possible, and nothing is forever. We need to teach them that God is more powerful than any evil and no nation is supreme. We need to remind them of Bible verses like Psalm 33:10, "The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples." We need to teach the stories, like Chuck Colson did in his book, "God and Government" how God has personally intervened in the affairs of government, such as in the downfall of Ceausescu, the dictator of Romania, in 1989. We need to teach them to believe that through the power of God, man can change and be better than he was. We need to teach them not to cower in fear, but to stand tall, willing to face the danger, knowing that, while they may be shot at, they can be a part of influencing wrong to turn into right. We have to believe that someday, their legacy may stand where evil and corruption reigns no more. We need to imagine that someday we - and our children - and our children's children - could stand in the Red Squares of our generation.

It depends on what we teach them.

Time to Leave the Classroom

My eyes brimmed with tears as the elders of my church laid their hands on my daughter in a sending ceremony before she left for Russia. What I dreaded most happened. As the minister’s wife, I didn’t want to cry in front of my husband’s congregation, yet as her mother, my full heart overflowed, leaking between my eyelids.

Yes, I was anxious about her leaving. Recent terrorist attacks in Moscow pushed my faith in God against a wall, interrogating me for days with one question—did I believe in God’s ability to keep her safe or didn’t I? I would miss her terribly. We are a close family, in contact with each other most every day. Yet, as I explained to her in whispered assurances before the commissioning, my potential tears didn’t mean I didn’t want her to leave. It was the expression of every mother, agonizing over the necessity of letting our children go.

She had wanted to be a missionary ever since the age of ten. For years, she had persistantly talked about the desire to travel overseas. As loving supportive parents, we wisely kept our concerns to ourselves of how this shy, thoughtful child could ever manage leaving home. Time and again she surprised us, going on a short term mission trip to inner city St. Louis, showing no fear in bungee jumping at the Cleveland science museum, and adapting with a quiet finesse to the huge Ohio State University campus. She showed an affinity for language by completing four years of Spanish and four years of French in her high school studies. Wanting a challenge, she decided to minor in Russian. When I first went on a mission trip to serve Eastern European church workers, her eyes glowed with interest, absorbing every detail of my trip.

I was deeply moved at the scene before me. It was as if I stood on holy ground before the Lord. My tears were of joy, of humble thanksgiving for what God had done with her life, with my older daughter’s life as well. Graduating with honors, she had moved only the week previously to another city to prepare to enter optometry school, a dream she also had long cherished. The moment had come for which my husband and I had labored for over twenty years. Like a mama eagle, we had nurtured them, taught them the art of flying, stirred the nest and pushed them out. Now we stood as if on a craggy cliff, watching our offspring soar to new heights. I knew in my heart that this summer was only a stepping stone to even greater possibilities that God had in store for them.

In children's ministry we’re in the business of teaching children to fly. We encourage them to look inside the deep recesses of their beings to discover their dreams, to put their small hands in the hand of the Dream-maker, then to have the faith to step away from the nest and fly. With equal faith, we let them go, knowing that if we cling too tightly to their hands, they won’t be as free to catch the hand of God.

In learning to let my children go, I soar to new heights as well. I discover that I am more of a worrier than I thought, and that I am less in control than I hoped. The words of Philippians 4:6,7, “Do not be anxious about anything but by prayer and supplication, let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” seem fresh and meaningful, as if the apostle Paul was looking over the shoulder of every fretful parent.

I hope I wear bare spots in my carpet this summer. I also hope I experience inside the classroom of my prayer closet a deeper appreciation for God’s brand of peace. Like my children, I hope to soar to new heights in my relationship with my God and in my ability to trust Him with every detail of my life. Perhaps then, I will be even better equipped to teach other children how to fly.

Promoting Growth in Your Children's Ministry Program

How do you attract kids to your children’s ministry program and keep them coming back? How do you build the excitement enough that they beg mom and dad to bring them to church week after week? Wouldn’t that be a dream fulfilled, music to every worker’s ears? “Mom, I don’t want to go to T-Ball practice! Puhhh-lease, can I go to youth group tonight instead?” How do you make it happen?

Is it by creating an engaging environment? Sounds exciting but not lasting. And we really don't want our program built on externals, do we? Is there something more?

What about exciting programming with the latest multi-media power points and sound bytes? Sounds appealing but you’ll need to always keep them pumped with the latest and greatest technology to keep up with the competition. Can you afford it?

Riveting dramatic bible stories? We’re getting there but I’m feeling rather exhausted by all the hype.

The best way to attract your kids to Jesus is simple, inexpensive, adaptable to any size program – and biblical . It’s found in Mark 12:30,31 “Love the Lord your God with all your heat and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no greater commandment than these.”

It’s that simple. Love Jesus. Let your students see that you love Jesus.

And love the children. Just love your children.

How?

Show personal interest in each child. Be free with the one-arm hugs. Ask them about their lives, their families, their dogs. Pray for them and let them know you are praying for them. As far as specifics, before each session, ask the Lord, “How can I love my children today? Show me, Lord, who needs your love and how I can show it."

Find ways to help your children’s ministry team love each other. Encourage them to show love toward each other. You can express love by vocally encouraging your fellow workers, letting mishaps and misunderstanding go, praying for each other and caring for each other inside and outside the classroom. You think the kids don't notice when worker relationships are strained. Wrong! They do.

Help the children learn to love each other. Remind them that church is like a second family, that you take care of each other, show interest in each other and stand up for each other. Create opportunities for them to learn how to love each other and love those outside your classroom. Instead of competitive games, plan cooperative games. Plan service projects and mission collections such as gathering spare change for your local Pregnancy Support Center.

In a society that is self focused and self indulgent, our children are longing to be included and accepted. Your genuine compassion and kindness will stand out as different from the way they are treated in the other segments of their lives. The song really is true. “They will know we are Christians by our love.”

Bible Teaching: The Power of the Holy Spirit

Recently, a church member called me with a question about the Bible. "Where is the story about Elijah on Mt Carmel?" she asked. I gave her the reference from 1 Kings 18. Then she explained the reason for her question. Her sixteen-year-old grandson, Johnny, had asked his mom where the story was, for he wanted to read the story for himself. Her curiosity piqued, his mom asked him if he had heard the story recently. No, Johnny explained, he recalled hearing the Bible story many years before, wondered where it was in the Bible, and now wanted to read the story for himself.

I love to hear stories like this! It's a perfect example of how the Holy Spirit works. Jesus told his disciples, "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you (John 14:26)." What a tremendous help the Holy Spirit became as he enabled these men to inscribe on paper the words that would become the New Testament. The Holy Spirit continues to work in the hearts and minds of believers, reminding them of what they had heard. It's a promise that gives me, a lowly Sunday School teacher, hope that, even though it doesn't seem like my students are listening to me on a particular day, the Holy Spirit will bring to their memory the words of Scripture they have heard through my teaching days, months, even years later.

That's not all. Isaiah 55:10,11 says, "As the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth; it will not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." One of our highest goals as teachers should be to motivate our students to study God's Word for themselves. Be assured that God's Word will work within the minds of our students, even years later to convict them of sin and righteousness, to convince them, like Johnnie, of the power of God and to challenge them to seek Him and know Him for themselves.

On my most discouraging days, when I feel like I'm speaking into the haze of too little sleep and the hyperactivity of a high sugar breakfast, when it seems my kids care more about what's for snacks than about my awesome memory verse game, I can be confident that God through His Spirit is more powerful than I am and He will make sure His word reaches into the recesses of my students' souls where it needs to reach. "The word of God is living and active," says the writer of Hebrews. "Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thought and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).

So let's be bold about presenting the word of God! Let's give God's Holy Spirit something to work with! As teachers, let's promise ourselves we will never shy away from proclaiming God's truth, quoting His word, being prepared "in season and out of season" like Paul admonished Timothy (2 Timothy 4:2). Even though we may never know the end results, even though we may never hear that our students picked up a Bible years later to find for themselves where that story was located in the Bible, let's give it all we've got.

Grabbing the Teachable Moment

On Mary 5, 2010, a California high school assistant principal sent five students home for wearing t-shirts bearing an emblem of the American flag because they provoked the school's Hispanic population of students by wearing the shirts on the Mexican holiday, Cinco de Mayo..

I liked a Fox News commentator's take on the fiasco. Mary Katherine Ham noted on the "O'Reilly Factor" that this would have been a prime opportunity for teachers and administrators to teach the lessons of tolerance. Tolerance and diversity are big buzz words on high school and college campuses so why couldn't teachers sit students down and explain that while they respect the students' zeal and exuberance in displaying their cultural heritage, this is a time to respect, tolerate and celebrate other people's uniqueness and differences as well. Ham was expressing the concept of "the teachable moment."

Quite often on this forum, I have supported the philosophy that everything we do in the classroom needs to be directed toward the goals we have for that day. Snacks, bulletin boards, the music you play, the coloring pages you distribute should all focus on your specific content for that day. If you are teaching a story about Joseph forgiving his brothers,, you don't pass out coloring pages of baby Moses or let the kids watch a Veggie Tales video about Jonah and the whale. The lesson you present is like a well coordinated wrapped package, a tastefully decorated room or the perfect accessorized outfit; everything fits the lesson schematic. Children's ministry workers don't have the luxury of time for a mix n-match approach to Bible learning.

But there are exceptions to every rule. Some days, your kids may not be ready to hear about forgiveness. Because of what is happening in their lives, they may need to be reassured of the love of God or the need to stand firm against the temptations of the world they encounter "out there." You may need to drop your well laid plans to grab a teachable moment.

Jesus did this quite often. An argument among his disciples precipitated a lesson on humility (Mk 9:33-41). The disruption of mothers bringing their children to be blessed by Jesus turned into a moment to teach about faith and attitudes toward the Kingdom of God (Mk 10:13-16). A hungry group of disciples too impatient to wait for lunch turned into a lesson for the Pharisees about the true meaning of Sabbath rest (Mt 12:1-8).

Plan your lesson so that each part fits into the whole, yet have the flexibility to pause your lesson plans to grab those teachable moments. A tornado warning could be the perfect time to teach about God's power as shown through creation and how that same power can protect us from harm. A disruptive student may be an opportunity to teach about forbearance, grace and forgiveness. A class conflict, such as the California Cinco de Mayo misunderstanding, can be a time to teach about how we are all fearfully and wonderfully made, each unique yet each special to God. Spilled paint may be the perfect moment to teach about grace by holding a child close and saying calmly. "It's ok. Let's clean up this mess together."

You won't need to deviate much from your plans. Sometimes all it takes is one or two wise sentences, a quoted reminder from the Bible or a simple hug of forgiveness from you. As a preacher at my home church when I was a teenager said to me, "Use every opportunity to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord." That includes even the disruptive moments.

Parental Involvement and Mother's Day

Teaching resource Internet sites are quickly gearing up for the next big holiday - Mother's Day. This week, you'll find all kinds of craft ideas that kids can make Inside the Classroom for their mother. Here are some suggestions:

Ministry to Children: http://ministry-to-children.com/video-mothers-projcets/
Family Fun: http://familyfun.go.com/mothers-day/mothers-day-ideas-854863/
Danielle's Place: http://www.daniellesplace.com/html/mothersday.html

One of my guiding principles in teaching is to make sure everything I do fits my overall mission in children's ministry and my specific learning goals. It's wonderful to get kids involved in making gifts for their moms - but ask yourself, why are you doing this other than to honor your moms? How can you help your students grow in their faith and knowledge about Jesus by making a Mother's Day craft? Better yet, how can you extend your ministry beyond the child to the entire family using Mother's Day as your implement?

Recently, my teaching partner and I have become separately convicted of our need to involve the parents. I've been reading the book, Building Faith at Home by Mark Holman. My partner was impressed one day by 1 Corinthians 3:6: "(Paul speaking) I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow." Before church one Sunday, we shared our mutual convictions, that we need to work more in tandem with parents in helping children grow in their faith. Our ultimate goal should be to see families living out their faith daily in their home life. (Guess what passage of Scripture the minister mentioned later on that day in his sermon!!)

This year, we are using Mother's Day to involve our moms. We've planned a Mother's Day tea for them, inviting them to join us during our Children's church hour. We've spent the two weeks before Mother's Day making invitations, party favors, verse cards and gifts. Two days before The Day, the older boys will help me set up tables and chairs. As we work, we have asked the children how their families are helping them know about Jesus and we are helping them write thank you cards to Mom, specifically thanking their mothers for the role they have played in building their faith. (One is already done and it will make one certain mother cry!) At the tea, we'll take a moment to share I Corinthians 3:6, emphasizing to the moms that we consider our work to be a team effort in partnership with them and to encourage them to pray with their kids, read the Bible with them and to be bold in talking about faith issues with their children.

I've never done this before. I've never heard of anyone else doing it either. With any new venture, it might be rough the first year. Still, it's one step in our efforts to involve the parents, to show them what we are doing in our children's ministry and to encourage them to build on what we are doing throughout the week in their own homes.

How can you use Mother's Day to build the faith of the families you serve?

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/easy_find?Ntt=Building+Faith+At+Home&N=0&Ntk=keywords&action=Search&Ne=0&event=ESRCN&nav_search=1&cms=1&search=

Effective Teaching

More than anything else in my teaching Inside the Classroom, I want to be an effective teacher. I want to see results. I want to see the "Ahha" look on my student's faces. I want to hear exclamations of delight over discoveries. Most of all, I want to see changed lives, lives that stay faithful to Jesus for a lifetime propelling them straight into the eternal bliss of Heaven.

An overabundance of resource exist to help children's ministry workers become effective teachers. We have more and better resources available to us now than in any other period of history. There's published curriculum with more ideas than you can ever use in a single session. There's whiz bang state-of-the-art multi-media presentations that will have your kids' eyes glued to the front of the stage. All kinds of tips and creative ideas are tucked into the recesses of the Internet. Then there are a growing number of blogs that will give you all kinds of advice on how you can be more effective in your teaching.

Yet my answer on how to become an effective teacher starts from one simple verse in the Bible. 2 Timothy 3:17 says, "so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." Oh yeah! I want to be thoroughly equipped! I want to be prepared for everything that gets thrown my way. I want my work to be good work.

The verse before, a familiar one to Bible students, tells us how: "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). In the previous verses, Paul tells Timothy to continue in what he has learned, namely growing in his knowledge of the Scriptures "which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (v.15)."

The first step, a giant step at that, in becoming an effective teacher is to become thoroughly familiar with God's word, the Bible. It is our Source-book. It has the content we need to teach. We cannot be satisfied with curriculum guides alone, for they are just that - guides. God's word has four purposes: 1)teaching, or showing us the way to go, 2) rebuking, explaining how we got off track (the biblical term is 'sin.') 3) correcting, or showing us how to get back on track, and 4) training in righteousness, or telling us how to stay in track.

According to Paul, we cannot depend solely on what we learned about the Bible as children. We can't even rest on our laurels if we've been to Bible college. The study of God's Word is a continuing process, a lifelong pursuit, a daily activity. We will be effective teachers if we commit ourselves to faithful, consistent study of the Word of God.

I love those "God moments" when a child asks a question that has nothing to do with the lesson in my curriculum guide, but it speaks directly to something I've read in my personal study in the past week. I wouldn't have been ready to give a good answer if I hadn't equipped myself! Then there are the times that my lesson will dovetail my personal devotion time or the passage for my ladies' bible study will fit with what I teach the children. Two weeks ago, my teaching partner shared a verse she had been mulling over to encourage me in my teaching. She and I sat together in church that morning and guess what verse the minister referred to? We looked at each other, mouths open, eyes glowing as we reveled in the God-moment. Those moments can only happen, however, when we get into the Word for ourselves.

As a teacher:
How much time do you spend studying the actual passage on which your lesson is based?
Do you have a time of daily Bible reading?
How much do you interact with what you have read - do you incorporate your reading into your prayer time, memorize any verses or spend time mulling over and meditating what you have read, applying it to specific situations in your life?

If we don't study the Word of God, the Holy Spirit won't have a well-spring from which to draw. But if we do immerse ourselves in the Scriptures, letting it seep into our very being, it will flow out of us into our teaching. Then we will be thoroughly equipped for every good work inside and outside the classroom.

Classroom Management: Discipline or Redirection?

After two months of teaching Sunday School, I still had knots in my stomach every time I entered my classroom. Controlling my class was my greatest fear. How could I make this lively group of first, second and third graders sit down and listen to me?

It was the era when the time out corner was the MO of child discipline. Dennis the Menace ensconced in his corner clutching his teddy bear was etched on the mental disciplinary action plan of every teacher and parent. As a new teacher, I kept the corners of my classroom swept clean, ready for occupancy.

I don't even remember what horrible infraction those poor boys did that day to incur my wrath. First one, then another, and finally a third trudged to the designated corner at which my accusing finger pointed. I looked at the two remaining girls. "I have one corner left," I announced. "Who's it going to be?"

You could have heard an eraser wipe chalk off a blackboard.

I told this story recently to a friend. "Would you do things differently today?" she asked. No doubt! First I probably would have laughed at whatever goofiness those boys decided to do. Now, I have the experience to keep kids busy so they don't get into trouble. Finally, I've learned how to "redirect" kids so the issue never blows up into an issue.

In a church setting, our hands are tied as to how much discipline we can meter out to our kids. Parents are all too ready to hit the panic button if you dare make their child unhappy in your class. Unlike a public school, attendance is voluntary at church and a child and their parent can vote with their feet out the door never to return. We can't let public opinion deter us from doing right but as teachers, we also need to work hard to find other ways to control errant behavior before we get tough.

Redirection works best with preschoolers. Sometimes all it takes to get a disruptive child to stop taking toys from others, playing with toys when he should be listening or picking on his neighbor is to get him busy doing something else. But this works well with older kids too. If a child is too full of energy to settle down to your planned activity, refocus that energy into letting him be your helper. If your group squirms and wiggles, flailing arms like a demented octopus during story time, they are probably bored more than intentionally disobedient. Make your story more interactive. Have the rowdiest child help you with hand motions. Get the kids to act out the story.

If the chemistry between two children is as explosive as a warm, well shaken can of Coke, redirect one of the children to another group or another side of the table. Don't say anything about the misbehavior. Instead, put your hand on the shoulder of one child and say, "Why don't you come over here with me? Let's see if we can work on this word puzzle (or whatever project you are doing) together?"

A year ago, I had a child in my class who put capital letters on the term free spirit. No matter how I tried to involve him, he was intent on doing his own thing. I almost reinstated the Time Out Chair when he screamed in the middle of prayer, "He touched me!" referring to the boy next to him. Unfortunately, or fortunately, parents were starting to arrive. The next time he came, as he and the other boy started to roll their eyeballs at each other, I called my Free Spirit over to me. "I need a partner to stand by me," I invited, encircling him with my arm. I expected him to resist; instead, all through the prayer, he nestled against my side.

My prayer partner's reaction reminded me that often discipline problems occur not because we have bad kids, but because we have kids who are crying out for love, attention and activity. By redirecting their attention, we give our kids what they need most and we don't lose precious moments by stopping the teaching clock to reprimand the offending child.

God's Part in Lesson Planning

Easter and Christmas Sundays are exciting times in children's ministry. Of all times, that's the Sunday to have a children's program and to make it your best. Your lesson is predictable - the Christmas story for Christmas and the story of Jesus' resurrection for Easter. The challenge, however, is to present those well known and time worn stories in a fresh and meaningful way to a part of your audience who has heard it all before without leaving out important details for those who haven't.

I decided to put a new twist on my Easter lesson. While I was confident my group knew very well of Jesus' death and resurrection, I didn't think they were familiar with the story of Moses and the Passover. I was sure they had never been taught the connection between the sacrificial lamb at Passover and Jesus' sacrificial death in our behalf. I planned to show the clip from the Disney movie, "The Prince of Egypt" that covered the account of the ten plagues culminating in the Angel of Death passing over the blood-stained door frames of the Israelites to kill the first-born of the Egyptians. Then I planned to have the children draw the scene of an Israelite family eating dinner while standing, framed by door portals outlined in red markers. They would turn their papers over and draw a picture of themselves with the frame of a red cross arching over them. I would explain that just as a lamb had to die in order to save the Israelites from the Angel of Death, Jesus had to die to take our place so we could have eternal life. We would finish the lesson by making homemade Communion bread.

Was I presenting too much too quickly, I wondered. Would they understand the backdrop of the ten plagues and the need for the Israelites to be freed from slavery enough to then make the connection to Jesus' death for our salvation? I prayed that God would help me explain everything simply yet in enough detail so my children would understand.

God was a step ahead of me! He knew my children's needs even before I prayed. As I turned on the DVD, several children said, "Is this 'Ten Commandments?' We watched that last night." One girl told how they were watching 'The Prince of Egypt' in school as part of a unit on Egypt. (Catch that! In the public school! Kudos to that teacher!) The small clip I showed acted as reinforcement to what the kids had already seen without being boring or repetitious. They were with me the rest of the lesson. To put the crowning touch on the morning, an elder showed up with Communion for the teachers and baptized students just as I finished explaining about Christ's sacrificial death. The timing was God-orchestrated.

As you prepare your lessons for the children you teach, you have no idea what they have seen and heard in the past week. But God does. Even now, He is preparing their hearts to hear the lesson you will teach next. A crisis might happen in their lives that makes them long for something more in life. A movie, a song, something a classmate or schoolteacher says might dovetail perfectly with your coming lesson. Parents might allude to a scriptural principle that you repeat, giving that necessary reinforcement.

God's Word says, "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. (2 Peter 1:3, 4)." This week, pray specifically that God will till the soil in your students' heart, that they might be ready to add to their knowledge (2 Peter 1:5). Pray that He will bring situations, other people, and yes, even movies, across your children's paths that will make them hungry for God's word, ready to learn what you have to teach, and equipped to make the connection from knowledge to action. He can do it. I know He can.

Integrating Faith into Your Home Life

A study conducted by the Search Institute discovered that the most influential person in a teenager's faith journey is first Mom followed by Dad. And third? Grandparents.

Yet so many parents feel inept to teach their children at home. Isn't that why we take our kids to church, enroll them in Christian schools or send them off to church camp? Where do we start in teaching our kids about our faith? How do you raise your child to stay faithful to Jesus for a lifetime? To answer that, I've thought about who influenced me in my faith walk and what they did to influence me.

My mom was certainly a major component of my introduction to faith. In spite of a divorce and remarriage to a non-Christian, she took us to church every Sunday. She talked about our lessons at home. When she taught Jr. Church, she asked me as an eleven year old to play the piano for the singing time. She mentored my sister in learning to teach preschool worship. My most vivid childhood memories center around seeing my mom with her feet propped up, reading the Bible or some other Christian book. She loved to discuss what she was reading with us.

I grew up in the 70's, a time when the American church was just beginning to move out of its legalistic shell. My mother often challenged me to look beyond the externals. In rebellion, she would wear her oldest dress on Easter Sunday. She reminded me that being in church every time the doors were open did not constitute a relationship with God. She made her mistakes, but I could see her faith grow. She challenged herself to memorize Scriptures and got us to join her. She taught us about fasting by encouraging my sister and I to join her in a fast. We talked often about spiritual things. My mother, while not perfect, challenged me to embrace authentic Christianity.

In spite of this, ours was still a dysfunctional home and the non-Christian attitudes of my step-father took its toll. Perhaps the second greatest influence in my life was church camp. I still fondly remember the week I was a sophomore in high school. The theme of the week was the book of Ephesians. Each class session studied a different chapter of the book. We talked about Ephesians. We held debates about Ephesians. We memorized passages from Ephesians. We learned to live the principles of Ephesians. Godly pastors and Bible College professors shared their lives with us. Constantly, in our study and our play, in our cabins and in the mess hall, we were reminded of Christian principles and how to treat each other as Christ would have us do. Most impressive to me was that adults respected me, loved me for who I was and valued the gifts God instilled into me. They modeled grace and acceptance to me and challenged me to be better than I was.

Read through that last paragraph again. Why can't families apply these principles from my church camp in the home? Home should be a place where we freely talk about our faith, we're reminded how to apply godly principles to everyday situations, we have devotions right before bedtime, and prayer first thing in the morning. Home should be a haven where we can ask each other, "What do you see God doing in your life?" Home should be a place where we challenge each other to grow - in service projects, in spiritual disciplines, in Bible study and memorization, and in relationships. Home, like church camp, should be a place where praying about situations should be as natural a reaction as talking about the issue.

If you are a parent, what are you doing to infuse your faith into your home life? What is one thing you can do to mirror your faith to your children this week? What is one faith activity you can challenge your family to do together? Make it simple, start small, see what happens.

Here's a start: Check out Tony Kummer's web site for a worship devotional guide your family can use in preparing for the celebration of Easter this Sunday.

It's never too late. Like me, your children may benefit the most from watching you mature in your faith.

Retention in Children's Ministry: What's the Answer?

Children’s Ministry should be the primary focus of the church. I’ve quoted that concept for years and I’ve believed it with all my heart. Our youth are the future of the church, right? Therefore, we need to pour ourselves into creative programs that both attract and retain children, right? Doesn’t George Barna say as much in his book, “Transforming Children Into Spiritual Champions?”

I wanted to use a quote from Barna’s book that expresses the above concept, but guess what? George Barna does not say that! It’s not that simple. Mark Holman, author of “Building Faith at Home” puts into practical terms what George Barna was really trying to say – the parents are the primary nurturers of spiritual faith.

Holman quotes Barna as saying, “The local church should be an intimate and valuable partner in the effort to raise the coming generation of Christ’s followers and church leaders, but it is the parents whom God will hold primarily responsible for the spiritual maturation of their children.”

Do you remember how children’s ministry was done in the ‘60’s, ‘70’s and “80’s? Do you remember the bus ministries as hordes of kids scampered off retired school buses and filled classrooms? Then we moved to having separate worship services for kids and youth. Our programs kept up with the times as we’ve used media, technology, created themed environments, and introduced lots of active games, drama and crafts to keep ‘em coming and keep ‘em interested.

Kids came. And when they graduated from high school, most of them left. In fact, many churches see a significant decrease in their children’s department after sixth grade. More kids will come to special programs like Vacation Bible School and tone-time events – but they don’t keep coming. What are we doing wrong?

For too long, says Holman, we’ve treated church like one more program, where children are dropped off by their parents. If you want your child to know how to play the piano, you take them to piano lessons. If you want them to enjoy basketball, you sign them up for basketball camp and let them play on a school team. If you want your child to get a little faith, you drop them off at the church. When church is placed in the same categories as other events, no wonder our kids drop it when they leave home. You don’t see them continue to play basketball or play the piano either, do you? The church has enabled this attitude, says Holman, by creating programs that try to compete with school and extra curricular activities. Sadly, I’ve seen churches sacrifice content for style because we’ve falsely believed the only way to reach the kids is through exciting programs that match what they get on Nintendo and DVD’s. Now the data is in and we’re realizing that programming isn’t the only answer.

What do we need to do to make their faith stick? Barna and Holman both agree. Our faith has to be authentically lived out at home. Mom and Dad have to live the faith walk. Faith talk has to be part of the family lifestyle. Devotions, prayer, Bible reading, memory work and values applied to everyday situations should be woven into home life and family discussions.

Deuteronomy 6:7-9 becomes a family’s marching orders regarding God’s laws, worldview, and values: “Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols around your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates.”

Children’s ministry in the local church is still very much needed. Countless stories of kids who have brought their parents to Christ or who found out the true definition of love and grace at church when it was lacking at home propels us forward. But, as church leaders, teachers and people in the pew, we need to lower our expectations, realizing it is not the Church’s sole responsibility to teach children the Gospel message in a way that they will retain it. The best recipe for success is when the parents are actively in the mix, supporting their kids, attending church themselves, and reinforcing at home the lessons the kids learn at church.

How can parents “train their children in the way they should go?” And how can the local church influence parents to be a part of their child’s faith education? Those will be the topics of future blogs. If you have any practical ideas you would like me to add to the list, I invite you to email me at karenawingate@gmail.com.

Someone has said that the church is only one generation away from extinction. Let’s grow together in making our children spiritual champions, ones who will carry on the faith of our fathers!

A Word of Encouragement

“Would you stop being a brat?” Against my better judgment, I turned slightly to see who was the recipient of such harsh words. A cute little boy, no more than two years old, sat quietly on a booster seat in a nice restaurant. The only infraction I could see was that he was looking around the room while his apparently tired mama tried to figure out the menu.

Only days before, a grandmother confided in me that her daughter-in-law frequently degrades her children, telling them they are stupid and won’t amount to anything, that she is uber-critical of what they try to accomplish.

As teachers, we have no idea of what happens behind the closed doors of the family homes our students leave each Sunday morning. Mark Holmen in his book “Faith Begins at Home” tells of a horrendous fight his family had in the car on the way to church one Sunday, yet when they walked into church and the pastor asked how they were, they chorused, “We’re fine!” Holemn’s family was known as a strong Christian family, yet his dad was a closet alcoholic. Our students walk into our classroom wearing masks over the hurt they bear. They need, they crave someone to listen to them, someone to care about them, someone to think they are worthy to exist on this earth.

I’m a purpose driven, goal oriented kind of gal. Sometimes I’m guilty of plowing through my lesson plan, eager to get to the punch line so the kids “get it,” I forget to use my peripheral vision to catch the needs of the kids surrounding me. Yet, scenes like these remind me that our kids, like anyone else, need encouragement. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Encourage one another and build each other up.” That applies to the children you teach inside your classroom as well.

How can you encourage your kids this week? You can:
Give them a hug.
Ask them about their week.
Praise their efforts.
Give them a special job to do.
Offer to pray for upcoming tests in school

To be fair, that mama in the restaurant looked tired. I noticed that every table was filled with happy couples but she sat alone with her small son. Where was Dad? Only the Lord knows the story of why she was alone on a Friday night in a nice restaurant. My heart constricted with compassion for her. I prayed that God would give me the opportunity to encourage her and have the boldness to be a little “nosey.”

After we finished our meal, I approached her table with a smile. “How old is your child?” “Two,” she responded. “Two is such a wonderful age,” I said. “I don’t believe a word of that terrible two stuff. My daughters are in college now and I miss those years so much. We need to make the most of every moment we have with these precious ones.” The mom nodded, “They grow up so fast.” I quickly recognized that her comment to her son was possibly more out of fatigue and frustration than true sentiment.

That mom was no different than the rest of us, for we all need periodic attitude alignments. How can you encourage your students’ parents? You can:
Tell them something good their child did during that session.
Ask them about their week.
Show concern for what is happening in their family life.
Send birthday cards, get well cards, thinking-of-you cards to different members of the family.

When you teach children, you are not just teaching a specific age group. You have the chance to minister and influence entire families with the love of Jesus.

Teaching With Persistence

It took almost thirty years. But Safaa never gave up.

Safaa is a preacher in Egypt. Years ago, he became convicted of the need to preach only what is in the Bible. He has faced much opposition over the years, especially from those in his own denomination who feel he is being heretical. But now, people, churches, even an entire denomination is ready to turn away from historical traditions to embrace New Testament principles and be Christians only.

You can read this exciting account in my article, "Egyptian Churches Move Toward New Testament Principles" ’ in the latest issue of the Christian Standard magazine.

Safaa’s story is inspirational not only to other missionaries. His persistence is a light for any church worker, any Christian for that matter. What we teach might be unpopular. What we teach might have to go through the purifying fire of opposition. Yet, if we stay at it, if we remain faithful, we will see the results.

Do you have a tiny class where kids are too busy playing softball to attend church? Hang in there.

Do you have an ADD disruptive student who foils your best laid plans? Hang in there.

Do people from other departments keep “borrowing” your supplies without returning them? Hang in there.

Do you have controlling co-workers who insist that things be done their way and undermine your work with lies and gossip? Hang in there.

Keep doing what’s right. God will reward you. God sees and He will strengthen you to hang in there. You can do it (Philippians 4:13). Work with the Holy Spirit who resides within you. Make Him your partner and He will ease the burden. (Matthew 11:28-30).

It’s His work, not yours and He cares what is happening to you very much.

Resources for Teachers

What can you do with a coffee filter – besides make coffee? The food editor of the Canton Respository came up with a creative list:
1. Cover food to be cooked in the microwave. Good idea. A coffee filter would probably stay put better than a paper towel.
2. Pan protectors: Store and protect good dishes by placing a coffee filter between each dish. Just the right size Hey, this would work for storing old photos too – maybe cut the filter in half first.
3. Food wrappers: Great for holding popcorn or a taco.
4. Grease soaker for bacon or hamburgers. Now why didn’t I think of that?
5. Drip stopper for a popsicle or ice cream cone. Too bad my kids are grown and gone. They would I’m so clever – or crazy.
6. Cleaning windows and mirrors. After all, a coffee filter is lint free.

Sounds wasteful? Think about it. As the article points out, coffee filters are cheap – cheaper probably than paper towels.

I just love these ideas! They epitomize the educational philosophy I’ve had since student teaching: use every available resource to communicate your message. A preacher from my childhood, R. Lowell Applebury, gave that philosophy Kingdom purpose when he told me, “Use every available opportunity to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord.”

Jesus visualized this basic principle in his parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30. Christian students often misinterpret this parable by getting tangled up on the word “talent.” Yes, we need to invest our money in church and mission projects that will expand the Kingdom and it’s a good idea to use the talents (abilities) we have for the Lord and His church. But I think Jesus had a far broader perspective than just money and abilities. His point was that we need to take whatever God has given us – small, large, insignificant and use it the advance God’s kingdom on earth. Instead of moaning that we can’t be effective because we have so little, Jesus wants us to get to work using the little He has given us – whether it’s money, volunteers, number of students or classroom supplies.

Use every available resource to communicate your message. Use every opportunity to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord. Even coffee filters.

So how can you use coffee filters in your classroom? After just five minutes of brainstorming, here are my ideas:
1. Make snowflakes by folding the filter in fourths then snipping diamond shaped cuts in the folds and scalloping the edge Make flowers by scalloping the edge and sticking a small rod up the center.
2. Write the words of a memory verse, one word per filter. Stack the filters randomly and have the students put the words in order.
3. Demonstrate how a coffee maker works, that the filter is used to make the coffee pure, without any grounds. Discuss Bible verses that talk about purity, like Matthew 5:8 and James 1:27, that Jesus is like our filter that keeps us from being polluted by the world.
6. Take digital pictures of your students and print them out. Glue the pictures inside the coffee filter, using the filter as a frame. Make a bulletin board with the pictures. Your title could be taken from the verse in Psalm 139:14, “God’s Works Are Wonderful!”

Now it’s your turn. What could you do with a coffee filter to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord? Look around your house and choose another simple, low cost item. How could you use it in your next lesson?

Jesus’ message is simple: Use what you have to build the Kingdom. Then watch God multiply the results!

Classroom Conflict Management: It's All in How You Drive

As my husband and I neared Atlanta on a trip to visit family, cars merged into a heavy flow. Ahead of us, a driver tried to change lanes, unaware of the car a few feet behind her in her blind spot. I sucked in my breath, fearing the worse and realizing, in the heavy flow, we were too close. Without saying a word, my husband slowed our car, putting distance between us, and moved into the left lane. The tense moment passed and all were safe.

The common term used in driver’s ed classes for what my husband did is defensive driving. My husband called it situational awareness. He saw what could happen and took steps to avert the potential crisis.

An experienced teacher uses situational awareness inside the classroom too. I’ve taught in a classroom with boys who have more energy than a Jack Russell Terrier high on Mountain Dew. I have two choices. I could continue with my regularly scheduled curriculum and get annoyed and frustrated that they won’t sit down and shut – er - be quiet. Or I can back away for a moment then change direction so I can avert the impending crash of their perpetual motion and my perfected lesson plan. I’ve learned to start my Sunday morning class with a very active bible verse game that still comes from my basic lesson plan but gets rid of some of that energy so, when it’s time to listen, they will sit moderately still.

Paul used situational awareness when he entered the city of Athens. In Acts 17, we read how Paul quickly assessed that the class God gave him wasn’t ready to hear about Jesus’ resurrection. Why, they didn’t even have a clear concept of who God was. So, Paul started where they were at, an obsessive dedication to any idol they could find plus one to cover any they had missed in the form of the plaque “To the Unknown God.” He went from there, teaching them who this God was whom they longed to worship.

How do you apply situational awareness in your class? First, list the situations that frustrate you. What problems have threatened to cause your tears to thin the finger paint? What recurring issues do you face? What students don’t get along or get along too well? Role play and brainstorm with fellow teachers ways you can drive defensively the next time you enter your classroom. Here are some examples:

Two students perpetually pick on each other: Find a way to have the two troublemakers sit away from each other or in separate small group. Don’t bring attention to them or their bad behavior. Find some difference between them such as birthdays, last names or color of clothes, then have kids with birthdays in one group of months sit together and the other group of months sit at the other end of the table. Only the smartest of kids will figure out your motive.

A distraught child clings to you: Get them busy. Have them be your special helper. Ask them to be in charge of a small group skit Again, don’t bring attention to the problem. Give a positive reason why you would like them to be your helper.

A girl comes to church wearing last year’s Easter dress: It’s the day you planned a rough and tumble relay: Have Susie be the time keeper or judge of which teams wins.

Finally, pray before you enter your classroom that the Lord will give you insight as you see a problem looming toward you and that you will be able to anticipate the problem before it becomes a problem. The key to situational classroom awareness is to handle the issue in such a way, no one notices what you have done. Just like my husband’s driving, it fits so well into the flow of your lesson, you hardly remember there was ever a problem.