Web Searches On VBS

As you can see at the bottom of this web page, I use SiteMeter to track how many visit my blog site. Site Meter tells me more than just how many people visit my site. It also tells me how you might have found my site, particularly if you used a search engine. This gives me valuable information as to what people are looking for.

However, fortunately for your security, it doesn’t tell who you are, what your email address is or any other personal information. Yet once in awhile, I see what people are looking for in their searches and I know resources that will help you! I wish there was a way I could get back to my readers!

Two searches particularly caught my eye. Someone was looking for VBS material on the life of King David. I just finished a unit of study for The Salvation Army called Growth Signs. This unit of study combines study of the fruit of the Spirit with stories from the lives of King Saul and Kind David. Use the link on the right to find out more. The website HopeShare doesn’t mention this material; however, you can use the email on that page to get more information. Please mention how you found out about Growth Signs.

Someone else was looking for VBS material with an Egyptian theme. Standard Publishing (see link on the right) did a VBS curriculum in 2003 called “Treasures of the Nile.” In my opinion, it was one of the finest VBS programs I’ve seen before or since. Follow the link to Standard Publishing and contact them to see if they still have material left from that year. Standard is in the process of remaking some of their previous units to use in their Anytime VBS series. I don’t know if they have plans to revisit this program or not. If you are interested – ask!

I’ve seen a number of searches for craft and snack ideas. There are many websites with wonderful craft and activity ideas. This blog could quickly become an idea shop, but that is not the vision I have for this blog. I intend for this blog to be an open forum where I can share my experiences as a teacher – what has worked and what worked for me. I want to encourage my fellow teachers to be the best they can be in serving the children of our generation, so we can follow the mandate of 2 Timothy 2:2.

However, if you don’t find what you are looking for in my site or in other sites, pose your specific question on my comments page. I will be glad to respond within another comment or I may turn your question into a blog entry.

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Part of becoming a master teacher is the realization that I have never arrived. Hate to admit it, but I don't know it all. I don't have to know it all before I can teach others. What is truly necessary to be a good teacher is the humility to become a lifelong learner.

Learning involves change. If I learn something, it will change me. If I apply something I have learned and put it into practice into my own life, that application demands that I change in some way.

Change is not easy. Most of us resist change. Even if we know the change is for the better, the way we are seems preferable because it is more comfortable. It takes effort to change. When we teach, we have to recognize that we are asking our students to change. If we resist change, then we may be guilty of hypocrisy, for how can we ask our students to grow, stretch, move out of their comfort zones, or try new ideas and endeavors while we sit safely at our teacher’s desk? Teaching is getting out, rolling up our sleeves and learning one or hopefully five steps ahead of our students.

When we commit ourselves to learning, we gain compassion and empathy for what we are asking our students to do. We feel the frustration our students feel when learning doesn’t come easily. We share the excitement and joy when they discover something new because we know, oh do we know, what it feels like. We can more effectively urge our students onward because we’ve experienced what it is to work toward a goal.

I’ve been doing a bit of learning and growing myself. Technology does not come easily to me. Maybe I’m too old, maybe I’m part of the wrong generation, maybe I’ve just never had a grasp of how things are put together. I’m more an idea person, I guess. This whole blog thing has been a stretch for me. I work through the problem of setting up SiteMeter or FeedBlitz or connect to a blog ring, never quite sure what I did to arrive. Yet, what a thrill when I finally “get it”

In this spirit of becoming a life long learner so I can best serve my students and readers, I’m continuing to make changes to this blog site. The newest feature is on the right hand side of your screen. If you would like to receive notice of when my latest blog entry is up, please subscribe to the FeedBlitz email service. It’s easy, it’s really easy. So my college daughter tells me! If you have trouble following the directions, email her. No, I’m kidding! You really shouldn’t have any problems, unless you are techno-challenge like me. In that case, feel free to email me at karenawingate@gmail.com and I’ll email my daughter and ask her how to help – er. I mean, I’ll help you through.

Tips for VBS Crafts

Many of you are already busy looking for craft ideas for this year’s VBS. As you plan what crafts you will offer, consider these tips:

Fit the craft to your purpose: Your purpose is to teach children the truths of God’s Word, not to teach art skills. Choose crafts that reinforce the Bible story or reflect that day’s application. With the theme oriented VBS curriculum currently available, it’s easy for craft directors to merely choose crafts that emulate the theme such as making maracas for a Fiesta theme. Go beyond the environment theme. Try to catch the Bible theme as well. Remember my guiding principle in Christian education: make every activity you do reflect your purpose.

Fit the craft to your time: Do whatever you can to make the craft flow easily for the children. Be organized. Have everything arranged and on the table before the children arrive. Have the supplies each child will need setting at each table. Write out directions on card stock and place several copies in the middle of the table. Give verbal directions too; some children learn best by hearing the directions. Have a sample craft made so children can see the finished result. Have something else to do for those children who finish their craft early.

Fit the craft to your students: Choose crafts that are appropriate to the age and skill levels of your children. Just as some kids have difficulty learning to read, other children have difficulty with their fine motor skills. If you find yourself doing most of the craft, then perhaps you have chosen too difficult a craft. I know some teachers who want every craft to look exactly the same; perfection is their goal. Other teachers value allowing the child to make the craft by themselves regardless how messy and imperfect it becomes because they want to build the child’s self esteem. Children want to be able to say, “I did it myself.” Whatever your style of teaching crafts, remember my guiding principle of Christian education: make every activity you do reflect your purpose. Your purpose is not to help children make beautiful keepsake crafts. Nor is it to promote artistic self expression. Your purpose is to teach God’s way and to show God’s love.

Fit the craft time to divine opportunities. As a craft director or teacher, it’s important for you to have a sense of the broader picture of what is happening that week in VBS. Teachers, storytellers and music leaders don’t have the time to have conversations with individual kids. You do.

A year ago, a five year old girl from an unchurched family had just left my storytelling session. She came down to crafts where my 18 year old daughter was in charge. The little girl said to Katherine, “That story was so sad about that friend dying.” Katherine, knowing the story was about Lazarus, said, “But Jesus brought him back to life.” The little girl said, “I wish God would do that for my grandpa.” Katherine said, “If you and your grandpa believe in Jesus, you’ll get to see him in Heaven.” The child went on to her seat, now smiling.

If Katherine had not known what my story was that day, she would have probably given a perfunctory, “Uh Hah,” to the child’s first comment. If she had focused only on helping children make crafts, she would have hurried the child on to the daily project. But, because Katherine had a sense of the purpose for VBS, she took the time to talk with a child who needed to know the hope we have behind our faith.

Youth Ministry: Persevere and Pass It On!

I’m proud of the members of my high school Sunday School class. At the beginning of December, they decided to earmark their weekly offering money for a special project with the Voice of the Martyrs ministry. If they raised $25, they could provide a care package for a teenager in guerilla torn Colombia.

We thought we could do it as a Christmas service project. But we have only six students in the class. And Christmas is a tough time on their wallets. I gave them the option of just donating whatever they had raised to another mission or to keep going until we reached our goal. They chose to keep going. It wasn’t until yesterday, March 4th, that they reached their goal.

Now that may not seem very impressive – six teenagers raising $25 in four months time. But I’m impressed. They did it on their own with their own money, not asking any adult to help them out. As the teacher, I could have bailed them out a number of times, yet I probably put in only two dollars to that total amount. When they realized yesterday that they were only a couple of dollars short, they dug deeper into their pockets and purses, counting out change to make up the difference.

I teach my high schoolers about seeking God’s will for their lives, how to apply God’s wisdom to their relationships and their career choices, how to avoid the temptations unique to youth and the need to share their faith. For the last quarter, I’ve taught them lessons about who Jesus was and what His ministry entailed. Yesterday they taught me lessons I don’t think I’ve covered with a group of kids in my twenty five years of teaching – the importance of persevering until you get the job done and faith that God can do something with even what seems like a small gift. What’s exciting is what God has the power to potentially do with that $25 in the form of a care package to an oppressed Christian teenager on the run for his faith!

If you are reading this blog, would you join me in praying that God use this $25 in an awesome way to encourage His people and change lives? Thanks.

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A reader posted some great ideas on the comments page of last week's blog. Let's make this topic practical and share what other service projects we can lead and encourage our young people to do. Here’s the ideas we have so far:

1. Collect offering for a special mission project (check out Voice of the Martyrs. The usually have great projects teenagers can do.)
2. Plan a worship service to share with a shut in.
3. Do yard work and snow removal for the elderly in your church or community.
4. Prepare care packages for servicemen.

What has worked for your youth group? What about service projects for elementary school age children? I invite you to share your ideas on my comments page. I’ll compile the list for a future post.

Youth Ministry Leadership

As our church’s high school Sunday School teacher, I’ve been trying to plan monthly events for my class. We don’t have a youth group or a youth group leader, so I’m planning these events to build fellowship and promote outreach. One girl, our only senior, came to me at the beginning of the year and said, “This will be my last year and I want our youth group to be something special my last year. What can I do?” She’s been terrific about helping me plan events and doing some of the legwork I don’t have time for. Several parents have also been helpful in working with me. Yet it’s been a struggle to get the youth to tell me what they want to do.

One parent came to me and said we should take the kids out for lunch one Sunday afternoon. I told her I was thinking about leading the group in a service project. We would plan a worship service and visit a lady who recently moved into a retirement center too far away for her to come to church anymore. So, we could combine the two ideas; first go out to eat then travel on to visit our shut-in friend. The parent screwed up her face, “Oh I don’t think the kids will want to do that. They would rather go see a movie.”

Since I’m trying to get my youth to take the lead in planning activities, I posed the activity to them. I also posed another event, a chocolate cook-off, where ladies of the church would donate chocolate desserts, and the youth would taste and judge the desserts then spend the rest of the evening absorbing chocolate and playing games.

Their response surprised me. There was dead silence about the chocolate cook-off. Yet, there was quiet agreement about visiting our shut-in lady. “We could do that,” said the son of the parent who told me the kids wouldn’t be interested. “Don’t forget to get enough transportation for all of us,” said the shy boy among us. That was a problem for the last event. I asked various people to take responsibility for choosing songs, writing a devotion and praying aloud. All cautiously agreed.

We ate pizza then drove to our lady’s house. Our chosen song leader, on her own, had made up song sheets. Our devotion giver, the shy boy, gave one of the most thoughtful devotions for Communion I’ve ever heard. Our lady friend wept with joy. We all felt the beauty of sharing Holy Communion among a small circle of friends who shared our precious faith.

I went away learning a big lesson about leading youth. For so long, I’ve heard sentiments like what that parent voiced, that you have to plan what the kids are interested in. Yet I learned that sometimes, in youth ministry, you have to lead. You have to say, “Hey, let’s go this way. Let’s do this.” Then, the youth will follow, maybe reluctantly at first, but as they become involved, they’ll catch your excitement and passion. The event will turn out to be one they’ll cherish for years.

Actually, this is biblical. Acts 20;26 says, “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God which he bought with his own blood.” Shepherds lead. Shepherds say to the flock, “Hey, let’s go this way.” If you want your youth group to mature in their faith, you have to direct them and lead them in the direction they need to go. If you only plan what they want to do, they will not make the initiative to grow on their own. They’ll choose what they like, what’s convenient, what’s “safe” and familiar. If you want them to grow, you need to nudge them out of their comfort zone and lead the way. Besides, once you lead, they just might surprise you with their interest and enthusiasm.

The chocolate cook-off? We did that too. Only five kids came but one was a visitor and she had a great time. We all ate too much chocolate and had a blast playing “Apples To Apples.” The ladies loved being included and there was a lot of talk among church people of what the youth group was doing. An adult bible study was meeting in the church at the same time as our chocolate party, and afterwards, two ladies quietly came and cleaned up the kitchen for me. Everyone just needed someone to lead.

Choosing a VBS Curriculum

Yesterday I attended one of those wonderful meetings at my local Christian bookstore where vendors promote their publishing company’s VBS package for the current year. I thought about comparing the curricula on this blog, but I realize that each church is different and that you need to choose the curriculum that best fits your church’s needs. Besides, since I write curriculum for one of the companies, I could so easily be accused of being biased! I do have a favorite curriculum this year so instead of doing a comparison, I asked myself what is it about this curriculum that I like? What should a church look for when selecting a VBS curriculum?

Vendors quite often will try to first sell you on the catchy theme, the environment in which their curriculum is set. But there’s a whole lot more to a VBS program than the theme. Here are some things to look for:

1) Bible content: To me, this is of first importance. After all, why are we doing VBS? Is it just to give kids a good time? Hopefully we are directing a VBS where children learn about Jesus. Consider: Do the stories center around a common theme or character?
How do the stories connect with what we call the environment theme? Are the stories concrete enough for children to be able to understand?

2) Focus Statements: Every company will list a focus statement for each day. These tell you what life lesson the material wants the children to learn. Scrutinize these carefully. Some statements are geared more for the unchurched child who needs to know the basics of God’s love. Others are tailored more for the children who have been coming to VBS for years. Some statements state a fact about God then give a goal of how children should respond to that fact. What do you want your VBS material to teach your kids about God?

3) Theme: Can your group of children relate to the theme? Do you have the personnel and resources to make that particular theme work for you? How is the theme connected to the Bible stories? Is the theme carried through every aspect of the VBS program? Is so much emphasis put on the theme that the bible stories become a dim afterthought?

4) Music: Are the songs relevant? Are they teachable? Are they abstract and full of Christian jargon? What helps are provided so you can teach the songs?

5) Price: Does this material fit your budget? Does the starter kit provide all you need or are there hidden costs? Some companies provide great audio video helps such as power point presentations, drama videos and theme posters, but all of this costs money. If your church is on a shoestring budget, can you still use the material without these more expensive extras? One company had a really neat interactive Bible story power point but the curriculum seemed built around the power point. The church who can’t afford this or doesn’t have the equipment to use this would have to make some major alterations.

Why didn’t I mention crafts or snacks? While material that coordinates the snacks and crafts is really cool, it isn’t a deal buster. Don’t discount a curriculum just because the crafts seem too difficult, costly or irrelevant. I’ve been a part of many VBS programs that make up their own crafts out of what we call “junk art.” A talented craft director should have no problem creating crafts. Also, look through the lesson for additional craft ideas beyond the suggested craft packages.

What are extras I like to see? I love the dramatic skits that can be used to open each session. If you have the people to carry this off, they can be so effective. Evaluate these as well for their relevancy, extra cost and length. Do you have the time in your program for the dramas? I also like to same suggestions for outdoor fun. Kinesthetic learners don’t always have the chance to move around in Sunday School classes. VBS offers this chance and well chosen games that fit the theme and message can be so effective. I especially like well written devotions for the teachers. This is a growing time for them and curriculum that uses devotions shows me the company’s commitment to discipleship.
Finally, I like material that gives directors and teachers well thought out tips and directions on how to plan a VBS. For new directors, VBS can be scary and a good curriculum can be such an encouragement and teaching tool for the newbie director.

So, choose your director, select your curriculum and get to work. Summer 2007 isn’t that far away!

A VBS Option

In my last few posts, I’ve talked about the wonderful children’s ministry program called VBS. If you are wondering why I’m discussing VBS in the middle of February, think again! It’s not too early to start planning your church’s VBS summer program. Already Christian bookstores are holding meetings to present the various VBS curriculum available this year.

I’d like to share with you about one curriculum, produced by the Salvation Army. that most likely won’t be featured at those meetings that is still worth considering. The Salvation Army designed the material to meet the unique needs of unchurched and high risk children. However, other denominational groups are discovering the material, and it is now being translated into several different languages. I had the privilege of writing the last book in a three year series.

Originally designed to be an extension curriculum for their regular 42 week curriculum, churches can easily adapt the material to a VBS program. However, it’s so flexible that a church could also use it for a backyard bible club, a summer youth group or for a Sunday School program during the summer months.

The first curriculum, entitled Life Signs, studies the Ten Commandments. I love the cute traffic sign motifs that come with this material! The second series, called Health Signs, looks at the Beatitudes and connects the lessons with a health theme. The third year, the one I wrote, is called Growth Signs and studies the Fruit of the Spirit. The stories look at the life of King Saul and King David and use the theme of growth of a fruit tree. Each lesson revolves around a different fruit. I had lots of fun coming up with ideas for snacks, crafts and games for each fruit.

What I like best about this material is the “More Ideas” section at the end of each lesson. Any teacher knows that sometimes the suggested ideas in a lesson don’t work for your group of kids. Also, a teacher might have more time than the lesson will take and wants something more that will augment the lesson. This extra page gives the teacher additional ideas to consider using in addition or in place of the ideas given in the written lesson.

I also enjoyed writing the “As You Prepare” section of each lesson. This is a concept I don’t see in many curriculum guides. I believe that preparation, both spiritually and physically, is the key to a successful lesson. In this section, I give specific suggestions of how the teacher can apply God’s word to his or her own life and how to pray for students regarding the principles the teacher will present in the coming lesson. Also, it’s good to have a brief summary of what you need to do to prepare for the lesson. This is what I tried to communicate in this particular section.

I’ll write more next time about other work I’ve done for the Salvation Army and about their philosophy behind their curriculum. It’s an exciting story. Meanwhile, check out their program at www.hopeshare.org. Also read more about Salvation Army’s SONday’SCOOL program here.

Give a Fresh Look To VBS

I liked VBS when I was a child. VBS was different than Sunday School. In Sunday School, we heard a Bible story. Sometimes the teacher would use flannelgraph figures to tell the story which made it more interesting. Then we completed a worksheet about the story. That was it. That was Sunday School.

In VBS, we got to have a snack. Sure it was just punch and cookies but since I never got punch and store bought cookies at home, I thought that was pretty cool. We also did crafts. That was different. Now, I do NOT like crafts, but I still remember the craft I did when I was four years old. We planted geranium flowers in a Styrofoam cup. My mother let me transplant the flowering plant to our garden and I tended that geranium plant for years. We finally had to pull it out when I was in college and I was sad to see it go. We also got to sing new songs, songs that related to the lessons. Some of them were really dumb sounding but they were still something new and exciting. We didn’t do that in Sunday School.

We would meet in the auditorium for song and missions time. The director would get everyone excited about our mission project, then we would go to our classes. There, we would sit in the same room with the same teacher for the bible story, worksheets, snack and craft. Sometimes the same teacher would do everything; other times, someone different or the teacher’s helper would do the craft.

My, my, how times have changed. As our children are faced with an increasingly visual, action packed, ever moving and ever changing world. VBS curriculum producers have tried to keep up with the competition of tv and video games. Today’s VBS curriculum is filled with drama, video, interactive activities, outdoor games and even purpose driven snacks. As much as I have fond memories of my early VBS days, I’m glad for the changes.

There are two major approaches to VBS. One is the traditional classroom which I’ve described above. The other is what is called the “site based” approach or a rotation approach. Instead of staying in one group, the children travel from one activity to the next. They’ll go to a storytelling room, a music center, games outside and the snack area. Each age level is on a different schedule. An adult or teen helper travel with the children and each station is staffed with yet more volunteers to lead the children in that activity.

The advantage is that kids are moving around from site to site which is great for today’s active children. Another advantage is that the rotation method uses the gifts of your volunteers much more efficiently and gives a director a chance to work in people who have never taught before. I never liked being a teacher for VBS under the traditional method because I’m so bad at crafts. With a rotation structure, I can choose to do what I’m best at – which is usually leading music or telling the Bible story in a dramatic way.

A final plus is that the site based method gives all kinds of room for creativity. Your staff can create an entire environment based on the theme. I’ve seen churches transformed into to a water park, Egyptian palace or country farm. This builds excitement and encourages even more volunteers to get involved.

What is the down side to the site based VBS? You ultimately need more volunteers. A site based structure needs planning and organization. You can’t do it last minute. I’ve seen a site based VBS thrown together at the last minutes and it’s disastrous! It also requires your core staff members for the music, craft and bible story time to be able to shift their approach up or down depending on the age group. Not everyone is suited to work with all age groups and it takes some very talented people to be able to do three preparations and change gears three times during the VBS session.

Which is best for your group of children? You have to decide, based on your facilities, the number of children you expect, and the number and talents of your volunteers. However you choose to structure your VBS, keep my guiding philosophy on Christian Education in mind. Everything you do in your needs to relate back to your purpose and your theme for the day or for the week. Tie everything you do back to your theme, whether it’s a game, a snack or a craft. You only have a few precious hours with these children. Make every moment count.

What's So Good About VBS: Part 3

What else is so good about VBS? Here are three more points to consider:

3. VBS is a fellowship tool. Even if you have low attendance and no children come to Christ, VBS is not a waste. It’s a time to build community, to work together, to laugh together. VBS can be a tremendous boost to the moral of your congregation because together, they made something happen. I’ve seen new friendships blossom and old wounds heel as people work side by side together and learn to appreciate the gifts God has given each one of them.

As we plan for VBS, we too often focus on the preparations for the kids. But a few extra small touches will make your staff feel wanted and appreciated. Promote this by having a place for staff to come when they aren’t doing anything. Have snacks other than what you serve the kids for your staff.. Provide lunch after a morning session or supper before an evening session so tired workers don’t have to stress over fixing food for their family too.. Have a work day before and after VBS. Have a staff prayer time before each session. When you have a well-cared for staff, they will outdo themselves in making your VBS program the best ever.

4. VBS is a worship tool. VBS is such a faith builder. You will see God work in ways you haven’t noticed before as He provides staff, children and supplies. You’ll see children and staff grow in their faith and their confidence that God can use them through His mighty power. Every time you say, “Wow! Look what God did this time,” you will be worshipping Him. Promote this by having a VBS praise service for your staff about a week after VBS so staff can share how they saw God at work throughout the week. Have a praise box centrally located so staff can jot a quick note of “what good thing happened today.”

The singing at VBS is some of the most exciting singing I hear in church. Perhaps it’s because everyone is more open to learning new songs and those songs are song over and over until they stick in everyone’s minds. Don’t compromise this part of your program! Be willing to spend the money on the CD’s or video. Choose your song leader wisely. Have a practice session with your song, sound and audio equipment people before VBS. Teach one or two of the songs several weeks before in children’s church or to the entire congregation. Pick your song leader wisely, someone who has a good, clear singing voice and an infectious enthusiasm.

5.VBS is a mission tool. Supporting a mission is one of my favorite parts of VBS. What a spirit of community as the children work together to reach a goal. I see this tool deemphasized which saddens me. Often VBS programs just want to support a local benevolence cause, which is needed, but you can do so much more. VBS is a great chance to introduce foreign missions and the world’s need for Jesus to your children.

I just love all the creative things you can do to promote your mission time. Choose tangible projects the children can grasp. It’s best if you have a specific goal in mind. One year, we decided to “buy a cow” for a needy family in Kosavo. Someone had the great idea that I should dress up in a cow costume. Yep. Complete with udders. We needed $700, so we made up a poster with a picture of a cow, divided the cow into seven parts and for every hundred dollars, we would place a piece of the cow puzzle on the poster. Excitement ran high that year and for weeks afterwards, I was known as the “Cow Lady.” We raised almost $900 and we only had about 30 children in our VBS! The entire congregation became informed and excited about “the cow project.”

Another time, we sponsored a missionary in Hong Kong, the minister’s son. Our minister, who had just visited his son, was the missionary speaker. He got a wide pickle jar and a small Buddha statue which he put inside the pickle jar. The theme became, “Bury the Buddha.” At first it didn’t seem like a good idea because people brought mostly pennies, realizing that would cover Buddha faster. The total offering was down that year. But children and adults were more informed about Gary’s work and our congregation continued to support Gary and his family past VBS.

The tools of VBS: missions, evangelism, fellowship, worship and discipleship. Hey, this sounds like Rick Warren’s five purposes in The Purpose Driven Church! VBS programs have been fulfilling these five purposes long before Warren wrote his book, because as Warren so clearly emphasizes, these tools are straight from the Bible. VBS is a biblically sound, effective program for reaching children with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

But do we have to do it the way we’ve always done it? I’ll discuss that in my next blog entry.

What's So Good About VBS: Part 2

Every church should periodically evaluate their programs. The line, “But we’ve always done it this way” isn’t a good enough reason to keep the program. I firmly believe that if a program isn’t meeting the needs of the congregation and isn’t effective in reaching the surrounding community, it should be dropped.

On the other hand, I’ve known churches who want to drop programs just because they’ve been around for so long. That’s not a good enough reason either. There’s good reason that we still do some programs and traditions in the church. VBS is one of those good ideas. Why?

1. VBS is an evangelistic tool. VBS was started to reach out to kids who couldn’t be reached for a regular Sunday morning program. Also, because VBS gives the staff more time to include more fun activities, VBS can be a great exciting draw.

Some wonder at the effectiveness of VBS as an evangelistic tool because some kids leapfrog from one program to the next all summer long. Some churches feel used as a free babysitting service. Don’t worry about this. You do your best to present God’s truth. You never know when something might click with a child. I think of my friend Susan who was one of those kids. She came from a dysfunctional family whose drunken father chased them through the house with a butcher knife. One summer, Susan heard at one of the many VBS’s she attended the verse, “When I am afraid, I will trust in you.” The next time her father came after her, she repeated that verse to herself and she realized there was a God who would take care of her. Today Susan serves with her husband in a para-church organization that translates theological books into other languages.

If VBS is indeed an evangelistic tool, then we need to work hard to use that tool. Don’t be satisfied with publicizing VBS to your own church kids. Use every available resource – newspaper, radio, flyers, word-of-mouth – to get the word out about VBS. Start early so families can plan ahead. In today’s society, your VBS program has stiff competition. Don’t let that stop you; instead, rise to the challenge! Then, don’t forget follow-up. Get the names and addresses of your visitors and send them a postcard, telling them you are glad they came. Give those names to your children’s director or your pastor so follow-up calls can be made. On the last day of your program, send home a letter with each child, detailing your other church programs. Use VBS contacts to help your other church programs grow.

2. VBS is a discipleship tool. VBS is a great time to train new teachers and incorporate new volunteers. People will be willing to serve for one week as a VBS teacher before they are willing to serve indefinitely as a Sunday School teacher. It’s also hard for new people to break into a children’s program. VBS is a fantastic way to get your newer members involved, to show them that they can teach. Also, it’s a place where people can discover how they can use their gifts and talents for the Lord. Not every one feels qualified to teach. However, they might be terrific in crafts or leading recreation. As they do the thing they love, suddenly they find that teaching children about Jesus is exciting.

My daughter Christine wasn’t interested in teaching, but she was willing to help the VBS song leader two years ago. By Thursday of that week, MaryBeth, our lead song leader,had totally lost her voice. With a poise and a finesse even her mom didn’t know she had, Christine calmly took over leading the music and decided she loved it and did it by herself the following year. The next year, she was my assistant as the Bible Storyteller. This year, she is talking about becoming a camp counselor at a Christian camp for 5th and 6th graders.

So, if VBS is a discipleship tool, use that tool effectively. Every single year, think outside the box of your regular volunteers. Pair the new volunteers with veterans so the veterans can mentor the newbies. Provide each staff worker with a staff devotion from your curriculum or write your own. Use this as a time to help both your children and your volunteers grow in their faith and service to Jesus.

Next time, I’ll share more reasons why your church should hold a VBS program this summer.

What's So Good About VBS?

Vacation Bible School, commonly known as VBS, is an intensive week or two week long program held in the summer that churches have used over the last century to teach children about Jesus and to reach out to unchurched children in the community. In the beginning, the program copied Sunday School classes with the addition of a snack time, crafts, singing and a mission project. Wikipedia says that VBS was started in 1894 because teachers wanted to have more time to teach children religious education in the summer months when children were more available.

VBS has changed tremendously over the years as churches have tried to freshen this century old program. But, in recent years, I’ve heard discouragement and doubts about VBS. Some people say VBS is a dying program. Others wonder what’s the use of their church holding VBS? After all, the same group of children hop from one church’s VBS program to the next. Is this really useful as an evangelistic tool? Yet other churches, discouraged by low attendance, a lack of resources to “do it up big” like the themed curricula suggests, or the lack of volunteers, have collaborated with other churches, sacrificing their chance to use VBS as a tool for church growth, softening their own doctrinal stance, and acquiescing to support a local community service instead of supporting one of their own foreign missionaries.

Since I write Vacation Bible School curriculum for Standard Publishing, you can probably guess how I feel about VBS. But let me say it bluntly just in case you wonder how I really feel about VBS. And it’s not just because I write the curriculum.

I’m for YOUR church sponsoring your OWN VBS.

Why am I so strong about a century old program? What’s so good about VBS? Should this tried and true program be changed to meet the changing needs, interests and time schedules of today’s kids? If so, how? I’ll answer these questions in the next few posts. I also intend to do a comparison of this years VBS curriculum near the end of February and will offer some tips on how you can revitalize VBS for your church.

The Tired Teacher

“What?” you might react. “Tired Teacher? Aren’t you a Sunday School teacher doing the Lord’s work? Teaching children about Jesus should be exhilarating, not exhausting.”

Yes, I believed that discrepancy for years. If I’m doing God’s work, then He should give me superhuman strength and I should be so thrilled with the honor of serving Him, that the work of teaching shouldn’t phase me. Then why am I so wiped out after teaching two hours? Why would my minister/husband rather sleep than eat right after morning worship services (so much for my stereotypical, traditional Sunday dinner)?

Don’t get me wrong. I love teaching. I love seeing how my plans come to fruition. I am thrilled when a student nails the answer to a question, saying it in even a better way than I could. Best of all, I love seeing children respond positively to the gospel message. But after that exhilarating adrenaline rush, I feel tired. When I was younger, I wondered why the “high” didn’t last. Actually, it was just my body saying, “Hey, you’ve worked. You need a rest!” But should doing God’s work make us tired?

When I read in one of the classic Bible stories we teach children that Jesus got tired, even taking a nap in a boat once, I realized it’s okay for me to feel tired too (Matthew 8:23-27). In fact, after the disciples short term mission project, Jesus encouraged them to rest (Mark 6:31).

When you labor for the Lord, you are laboring. That means work and sometimes, it’s hard work. Yes God gives me the strength, but He gives me the strength during the time I’m doing His work. I don’t need His strength any longer after the task is done. Also, the work we do is in a war zone. We are in a rescue operation to save lives for eternity. We can count on the fact that there will be forces at work to distract, oppose and hassle us to keep us from accomplish our work. Work is extra hard when you encounter the push of resistance. Ask any cyclist which is more tiring – to cycle uphill or downhill?

So, how do we cope with the fatigue that comes after teaching?

1. View your fatigue as a tithe of your energy to the Lord. We are to love God with all our strength. Well, you did!

2. Find ways to refresh and rejuvenate yourself. I’ve learned not to fix fancy Sunday dinners, especially on Sundays that I’m teaching twice. I usually cook a large meal on Friday night and save the leftovers for Sunday lunch. Sundays naps are mandatory in our household. We especially need it if we have evening church services as well.

3. Know and accept your limitations. Evaluate your other activities. What other volunteer activities do you do Sunday morning? Each of these responsibilities will sap the store of energy that could be focused into your teaching. Look carefully at what you do Sunday mornings and have the courage to make some hard choices. I know this will be difficult. I chose to drop out of our church choir several months ago and there are some people who still do not understand my decision. Your job is to please the Lord, not others. You need to do what is best for His work and for you.

4. Spend some moments debriefing and evaluating your teaching session. How did you see God at work in your session? What activities worked with the kids? What didn’t work? Who were you able to connect with in a special way? Who can you show more love and kindness to the next week? How could you be better prepared? Who wasn’t there that might need some encouragement this week.

5. Keep in mind the words of 1 Corinthians 15:58: “Therefore my beloved brethren, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (italics mine)”

So, go take that nap, Tired Teacher. Put your feet up. You’ve earned it!

Preparing To Teach

It’s Saturday night and I have both my Sunday School lesson and my Junior Church lesson done. Actually, I finished them yesterday. No Saturday night specials for me!

I’ve learned over the years that flying by the seat of your pants in your preparation usually means you’ll fly by the seat of your pants during the lesson time as well. Saturday night used to creep up on me; I’d study furiously Saturday night, then pray like crazy that God would rescue me in spite of my lack of preparedness. He is such a gracious God. Sometimes my best lessons have happened when I was the least prepared; but instead of getting cocky and taking advantage of it, I knew deep down that it was His doing, not mine, and I’d better not push the point.

I know one lady who would start preparing her next Sunday School lesson Sunday afternoon. I have tried studying Monday or Tuesday, but life would get busy and as I got older, by Saturday, I couldn’t even remember what I had studied! So, after twenty five years of teaching, here’s what I find works for me.

1. Start studying the scripture passages early in the week. Take notes of what impresses you and what you learn from the Scripture. Spend time reflecting on how you need to apply the Scripture to your daily life. I incorporate this study into my daily quiet time, studying the Scriptures several days in a row.

2. Read the curriculum lesson sometime in the middle of the week. Purchase necessary supplies. Choose your activity options or think through how you need to adapt the options to your particular group of students.

3. Try out any craft ideas new to you. I had to do this just this week. I’m glad I did because my directions said to use a thin line of glue and I found that only a couple of drops were enough. I’m a little nervous about this craft because I know how kids are with a bottle of glue. I may yet decided to put a teen age helper in charge of the glue bottle.

4. Write out an outline of the lesson on an index card so you don’t have to keep looking at your teacher book. Put key words for questions or examples you want especially to use.

5. Read the scriptures and look over your outline either Saturday night or Sunday morning. Spend time praying for yourself and your students, that the Lord might speak through you and through the activities you use. Pray that morning preparations for the families of your students go smoothly so they will have time to come and will arrive in a right frame of mind.

Happy teaching. May God bless your Sunday.

The Best Gift

My 16 year old daughter was low on cash this year, so her choices for presents were limited. When my doctor put me on a severely restrictive diet five days before Christmas, Christine despaired. So much for her standard ideas of either chocolate or special tea, my favorites. So she gave what she had – a bit of herself. A whiz at computer graphics and a budding writer in her own merit, she wrote two poems, one each for my husband and me, stylizing them on the computer, complete with color graphics. My poem is entitled “These Hands” and my husband’s poem is entitled, ‘The Man in the Pulpit.” Then she worked with her sister to sift though our collection of digital photos, then put six select family photos in a collage photo frame.

As my husband, a typical tough man, started to open the folder containing his poem, he said, “Oh my! I think I’m going to cry.” My hand immediately felt my pocket-did I have my usual stash of Kleenex? By the time we opened the picture frame we were both bawling. I said to someone later, “You give to y our children year after year. Then they start giving back.”

But I was wrong. My children have always given me a bit of themselves. I still treasure the wobbly cut poster board angel ornament with scribbled features and the shellacked wreath fashioned from scrap puzzle pieces. As a parent, I give out of my abundance, often buying frivolous presents they want but don’t need, even (I admit) buying useless things just to even the score between the two girls. The best gifts are those where we share a part of who we are to touches and acknowledge who they are.

That’s what Christmas is all about. Jesus Christ gave the ultimate gift – Himself. Philippians 2 says, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who being in very nature, God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness; And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:6-8).” Jesus gave all of himself to touch who we are: sinners in need of a Savior.

My goal this new year is to give as Jesus gave: to give of myself to touch the deepest needs of others and to acknowledge and celebrate who they are. I can learn to do that by deepening my relationship with Jesus who has given me so much and by watching the children I teach Inside My Classroom.

Teaching Moments To Live For

In the classic film, The Miracle Worker, Annie Sullivan patiently attempts to teach blind and deaf Helen Keller a language spelled into her hand. Annie realizes that it is just a game of random movements to Helen, that the key to Helen’s mind is an awareness that these random spellings have meaning. Every object Helen touches has a name and that name is represented by a word. Finally, the day comes, as Annie furiously pumps water with one hand and spells the word “water” into Helen’s hand when Helen “gets it.” The audience sees Helen’s face twitch with deep concentration, then relax as an eager awareness spreads over her features. We call it the “Ah Ha” moment. From that moment on, Helen became an avid and quick learner.

While maybe not that life changing, every learner has an “ah ha” moment where after struggling to understand, an inner light comes on and our minds say, “Oh I get it!” I remember that feeling as I stood at our fourth grade blackboard with three others, trying to solve 17 divided by 9. Frustration rose up through me like unwanted stomach acid. Futilely, I wrote 1, r 8 and heard my teacher behind me say, “Karen got it right.” What did I do right? I stared at the problem in front of me and suddenly realized why it was right. “Oh, that’s how you do long division.” Suddenly, every problem seemed easy.

When I taught kindergarten, Missy seemed so on the verge of reading. She could sound the words phonetically but every word was a major hurtle for both her and me. One day as she held the book between us, she looked at the picture then read the sentence below it easily. Her confident voice conveyed that her brain had made that crucial correction between symbol and word. “You can read!” I exclaimed. “I can read!” she said, her face a circle of smiles. We both got so excited, that I hollered to the three year old teacher to watch my class while we raced down the hall to the day care supervisor’s office. “Missy can read!” I yelled and the three of us shared the special moment together.

That moment of awareness happens as we teach others about Jesus too. Jeff was one of those goofy kids who asked questions just to get the teacher off topic. My training told me to brush him off and stay with my lesson plan. But my intuition told me to respectfully yet briefly answer his question, then get back to the lesson. Some days he was infuriating, pressing the point for a wasted 15 minutes as he insisted on an answer. There were days I told him, “Jeff I’ll just have to get back with you on that later.” However, over time, I noticed Jeff’s questions slowly changing to thoughtful, deep questions. I saw him growing in his understanding of God’s word. I prayed for the day he would accept Christ. I thought it would be soon since Jeff came from a strong Christian family. But Jeff always held back, wanting one more question answered.

“I just don’t get this Trinity thing,” my questioning sixth grader announced one day. I tried to explain how ice, water and steam are still water but three different things. “I still don’t get it,” he said. “Well Jeff,” I acquiesced. “Some things you just have to accept whether you get it or not.” A few Sundays later, he said, “I don’t get this cross thing. How could Jesus the Son of God die as a man? Why did he do that anyway?” I carefully explained, for perhaps the tenth time how the sinless divine Son of God was God’s perfect choice to deal with the need for punishment of sin. This time, however, I saw that light of awareness slowly dawn in his eyes. Jeff became more thoughtful and quiet over the next few weeks, then quietly announced to his family that he wanted to accept Christ and he wanted his minister/uncle to baptize him the next time he came to visit.

I think there’s no greater delight in teaching than to share the delight of the “Ah Ha” moment with a learner. It reminds me to keep teaching, to be patient, to answer the questions because I never know when the light may come on and the face is circled with the smiles of understanding.

My Favorite Teachers: Part Three

While I could write multiple posts about some of the wonderful teachers who impacted my life and shaped my thinking, helping me become the person I am today, this will be the last installment. With perhaps a few interruptions for Christmas, I want to share next about some of the students who have also impacted my teaching and enriched my life. For today, however, here are several teachers who I remember with much fondness.

Dr. North: A history professor at Cincinnati Christian University. Dr. North was a superb storyteller. He would drop these delightful stories into his three hour lectures that would make the moments fly. I still remember laughing so hard, I couldn’t take notes as he told how churches on the American frontier came to use individual Communion cups. From him, I learned the importance of story in my teaching.

Mr. T: Mr. T was my high school government teacher. Several times during that semester, Mr. T came to class drunk. One day, he staggered in, tripped over the trash can and swore, using words I didn’t think teachers were allowed to utter. I was horrified, the other students laughed at him, we all lost our respect for him. Yet, another time, he gave us a pop quiz, using an overhead projector to display the questions. Because of my vision problem, I couldn’t see the questions; however, without my asking for help, he offered to let me stay after class so I could stand close to the screen without embarrassment of having to look close in front of the others. In a day when mainstreaming was still in its early stages, I learned that attitude rather than law will bring about the most change for education for the handicapped. I also learned a huge lesson in not judging others. On the outside, he was a gruff, surely teacher with a serious problem, but deep down, he was a kind, compassionate man.

Mrs. W.: You would think Shakespeare would be an unpopular high school English elective, especially with this serious, no-nonsense teacher, yet her class was packed. I think we appreciated her high standards. On the first day of class, she announced, “You will not want to be absent in my class. If you do, you will miss out. We’re going to be covering a lot of ground each day.” So concerned that I not miss out on a single day, I even turned down attending a scholarship awards luncheon, which I learned later was not a smart idea. Mrs. W. brought Shakespeare to life. That year was the 500th year anniversary of his birth, so we had a birthday party for Shakespeare, complete with an English menu and Shakespeare recitations. I recited Portia’s speech from “The Merchant of Venice,” using a brand new mop head as my wig and a graduation robe for my judge’s gown!

I wish I knew her name: I had gone to visit my great-grandmother for the weekend. My aunt and uncle took me to their huge Baptist church for services where I was shown to a class of more than 50 junior high students. I was horribly homesick and intimidated by strangers and unfamiliar settings. Yet, after we were divided into smaller groups, my teacher welcomed me warmly and introduced me to the other girls. She then had us act out the story of Josiah and the Temple workers finding the Book of the Law in the Temple renovations. It was the first time I had ever seen drama used in Sunday. Why back in my church, we just listened to the story and filled out a worksheet! This was new! This was interesting! Moreover, she gave me one of the key roles, the workman who actually found the Book of the Law. I have never forgotten that Bible lesson. Being able to be involved in the lesson cemented that story into my brain and set the stage for my educational philosophy about the importance of interactive learning. I also learned the importance of including visitors. I never had the chance to go back to that church but, oh, I wish that lady knew the tremendous influence her teaching had on a one-time visitor.

My Favorite Teachers: Part Two

This week, I'm continuing my tribute to the teachers who have made the most impact in my life.

Mrs Winn: Over ten years ago, I had the privilege of publishing in Standard Publishing Company’s adult Sunday School take home paper, Seek, the story of the impact Mrs. Winn, my fifth grade teacher, had on my life. As a severely visually impaired child, I attended public school before mainstreaming became mandatory. My fourth grade teacher, fresh out of college, lacked the maturity and experience to know how to deal with a handicapped child in her classroom. She had a boy read the board to me instead of allowing me to sit close to the board. She restricted me in P.E., only allowing me to play outfield or second or third base. In retrospect, I wouldn’t let me play softball either. But we played only softball and kickball and an occasional game of dodgeball in our fourth grade class, so every afternoon, as team captains chose up sides and the teacher reminded them I couldn’t play certain positions, my visual impairment hung like a Damocles' sword above my fragile self esteem.

I became more miserable as the school year progressed, feigning illness just so I wouldn’t have to go to school. Finally my fourth grade teacher had had enough of me and the principal and school nurse insisted that I be placed in the state blind school. My mother dug in her heels, requesting I stay one more year and have Mrs. Winn as my fifth grade teacher. But I was deflated. School could never be the same. I knew no one wanted me, on their softball team or their classroom, for that matter.

The first week of school, Mark, the one boy who liked me, was selected to choose his softball team. He chose me to be catcher. A stunned silence dominated the classroom. Maria finally spoke up. “Mrs. Winn, Karen can’t be catcher. Our fourth grade teacher never let her be catcher.”

Mrs. Winn retorted, “Karen can do anything she wants to do and I don’t want any of you to forget it.”

Anything? Did she say anything? Mrs. Winn was referring only to softball team positions, but in my ten year old mind, that word “anything” took flight. I could do anything. Mrs. Winn said so. I walked onto the playing field that day, my head held high. I was a terrible catcher and my team probably lost, but it didn’t matter. I was someone important in the pecking order of my class. I was the catcher!

I cradled that word in my mind for the rest of my school years. Whenever someone told me I couldn’t do something because of my vision, I muttered to myself, “I can do anything. Mrs. Winn said so.” When college counselors encouraged me to go into rehab instead of my chosen field so I could be with others "of your own kind," I rebelled, because, “I can do anything. Mrs. Winn said so.” Whenever I had doubts about my parenting or my ability to teach because of my vision or other weaknesses, I remembered . . . . “anything she wants to do.” As I grew older, I found the Bible verse, “I can do all thing through Him who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13)," and I realized my ability to do anything comes through the mighty loving power of God.

I still keep in touch with Mrs. Winn. She came to my college graduation. We exchange Christmas cards And I had the ultimate privilege of sending her this story when it was published. I cherish the letter she sent back to me.

One word. Sometimes it only takes one word to set a child free. As a teacher, you have the privilege of speaking that one word that can send a child soaring.

My Favorite Teachers: Part One

As part of my Thanksgiving celebration, I want to spend the next few weeks featuring teachers who have impacted my life.

My mother: Although I have three college degrees in education and have attended a number of teacher training seminars, I owe most of what I know about teaching to my mother. She never sat me down and told me how to teach; in fact, she would deny that she taught me. But I learned the basics of teaching by simply watching her teach. I watched her teach our junior high Sunday school class at Pantano Christian Church, I served as a helper for her in Junior Church, and I watched her work with others to create an innovative approach to VBS before activity rotations became popular.

From her, I learned to not wait until Saturday night to start working on a Sunday morning lesson. I learned to be creative, to get students involved in the learning process, and to use a variety of teaching methods so you reach each child’s individual needs. I learned classroom management skills from her, such as the best way to prevent discipline problems in your class is to keep students active and involved. I learned that a teacher always needs to keep learning because I saw her read books on teaching and witnessed her daily quiet time. My mother was a model teacher.

Mrs. Keeling: The first thing Mrs. Keeling said when we walked into her first grade Sunday School class was, “Bring your Bibles next week. In this class, you’re going to use it every week.” Wide eyed, I went home and told my mother I had to have a Bible right away because Mrs. Keeling said so! From Mrs. Keeling I learned that my faith revolved around the words found in that Bible, that the Bible was not so sacred, you didn’t touch it; it was to be opened and used and applied to my life every day.

Mrs. Keeling would always cry on Promotion Sunday because “her kids” were leaving her. Later in life, Mrs. Keeling lost all her eyesight, but she kept teaching. Our Sunday School superintendent read the lessons on to a cassette tape and her nominally Christian husband started to attend every Sunday with her to help her in class. We’re not sure if the attraction was her seeing eye dog or her love for the children, but her class became the largest in the Sunday School. I was a young teenager at the time, struggling with my own visual limitation and my place in the world. Her persistence in teaching had tremendous impact on me. If God could still use her in spite of her visual loss, He had a place for me too.

Thank A Teacher

Teachers are like musicians. They make their craft look easy, but few in their audience realize and appreciate the hours of preparation and practice that goes into The Final Performance. I will have spent hours practicing the piano for a mere five minutes of glory. Likewise, I often spend three to four hours preparing for a 45 minute lesson.

Like a musician, a lack of preparation can lead to a bad performance. One musician told the story that if he skipped practice one day, he noticed. If he skipped two days, his critics noticed and if he skipped three days, his audience noticed. (I’ve looked all over the Internet to credit this story but couldn’t find a source. If you know, please comment!) Sunday School teachers often joke about preparing their lessons Saturday night. When a teacher sees that Saturday night special turn sour Sunday morning, it’s no laughing matter.

Like musicians, teachers occasionally fight stage fright or nervousness, especially when they encounter a new audience or circumstances throw a curve ball at them. Only experience teaches both the teacher and the musician to squelch the jitters. Like musicians, they squirm more when they must face their peers or superiors. Nothing intimidates me more than when I teach the Senior Saints Sunday School class at my church, especially when a local college teacher sits in the front row!

Like musicians, teachers are passionate about what they do. They love the art of teaching. They long to impart the beauty of knowledge to their audience.

Like musicians, most teachers care deeply about what they do. They strive for perfection. It scares me silly when I read James 3:1 that warns that not many should become teachers because teachers will be held more accountable. May God keep me from ever leading a child astray! I love to teach, but I am constantly aware that I am responsible for the information and life lessons I impart and the trust my students (and their parents) place in me. Like musicians, we have our critics and those who would challenge what we teach.

Like solo musicians, it’s lonely with just you on that stage. You must exude confidence and poise whether you feel it or not. Somehow, even though it is just you, you must connect with those in front of you, carrying them along on the waves of your message.

Yet teachers don’t often receive the public acclaim musicians receive. Unlike musicians who give occasional performances, a teacher stands before students day after day, or week after week in the case of Christian education. Teachers mold the views and thought processes of their students and their encouragement and challenges can impact a student for a lifetime.

For the next few posts, I’ll feature some of my favorite teachers, the teachers who have impacted my teaching and my life. Who are some of your favorite teachers? Why were they special to you? Write me and tell me about them. Then, if you can, in this season of Thanksgiving, I encourage to drop them a note, thanking them for what they have taught you and how they encouraged you.

Happy memories!

Protect Our Children

I usually try to stay away from commenting on political matters. While I have a personal interest in government and current events, I've learned it's usually best to keep my opinions to myself. Yet, when political tactics infringe on morality and our children, my mouth pops open! Bear with me this week as I comment on something that deeply concerns me.

Nothing stirs our society more than when we witness the exploitation of children. It’s said that the person lowest on the prison pecking order is the child molester. Recent laws like Jessica’s Law and recent stories such as the man who murdered a family and molested a ten year old girl in Idaho create an instant media firestorm. Most of us would find internet child pornography utterly repulsive because it uses the innocence and vulnerability of children for selfish pleasure.

Yet, I believe another exploitation of children is occurring within our country with little reaction. There are those who would use the needs of our children to persuade us to do things that will not necessarily benefit our children, but those who are trying to persuade us. I’m talking about the marketing and advertising industry. Marketers use all kinds of tactics to persuade us to buy their product, vote for their candidate or support their cause. They appeal not only to our sense of reason, but also to our emotions. Marketers well know that children are a sure-fire emotional tug.

A current example of this is the ad campaign for Ohio’s Issue 3, the constitutional amendment that would allow gambling at racetracks and establish several casinos within the state of Ohio. The ads don’t immediately tell you, “Vote for casinos.” Those promoting this bill would know most people would immediately dismiss it. No, instead, they pull on our heartstrings. They call it the “Learn and Earn” program. Don’t we want every child to have a chance at higher education? We can do this without raising taxes. Vote for Issue 3!

I don't think I could live with my conscience if I knew the money my child received from a scholarship came from the pockets of a gambling addict who used money his or her children needed for food, clothes and a roof over their head. I coulnd't stand the fact that a father or mother somewhere was teaching their child by example to give into the horrendous lie that gambling is an easy solution to financial need. Issue 3 may provide some money for education. But if passed, it will teach our children to rely on money reclaimed from addicted, vulnerable and ignorant people who don’t see the harm they are doing to themselves and their families. It will teach our children to be greedy, garnering money they need the easy way instead of having to work for what they get.

However, this blog post is not about gambling. . It’s about our society’s tendency to exploit children in the name of persuasion. Jesus said in Matthew 18:6, “But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hang around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” When we use our children as a persuasive tactic, we are teaching them it’s acceptable to maneuver others for our selfish agenda. That’s morally unacceptable.

So the next time you feel a tug on your heart about children, sound your internal alarm system. Ask if your acquiescence help and protect the children in your life? Or will it line the pockets or advance the future of the promoter? Then look at the stated need. Ask yourself, what would be God’s best way to meet this need in our children’s lives? The exercise of honestly evaluating our children’s needs will help all of us do what is right and best for our children.