Church Based After School Programs: Decorating for Christmas

Have the kids decorate your center for Christmas.

MATERIALS: Popcorn Garland: popcorn, needles, thread/dental floss; Window Paint: powdered paint, dish soap, bowls, brushes; Christmas Ornaments: flour, water, salt, holiday themed cookie cutters, wax paper, pencils, brushes, tempera paint;Christmas Chain: red and green construction paper, scissors, glue; Christmas Snowflakes: white paper, scissors; Crèche: three recipes of art dough, yellow paper, butter or cream cheese box, two cereal boxes, stones/dirt, brown construction paper, crayolas, sheet of cardboard, glue, tooth picks, scissors,

(The directions below were taken from the Kidtrek Life Skills Curriculum)

 Prep

• Plan to continue this activity in your craft time – there are no other craft suggestions this week
• Split your Life Skills/Craft time to have one day be the making (crafts) of the decorations and one day be the decorating of the KidTrek Center(Life Skills)
• This week you will have the kids decorate your center
• A survey was once taken of elementary kids.  The question was, “What do you most like about Christmas?”  The overwhelming response was, “Decorating the house.”  Decorating the house was overwhelmingly more popular than opening gifts
• Today you may want to spend the majority of your time planning
• This is a great activity to do as a KidTrek Center family – thus there are no directions for teens.  Have everyone participate together if possible
• If your teens meet at a different time than the younger kids, have all the ornaments made one day, then during a Family Time that week have a celebration decorating the center
• Be flexible with your scheduling this month – it is a month of celebration
• Decide which decorations will be made
•   As a group decide how you will work the day
• It will run most smoothly if an adult is responsible to oversee the making of each decoration
• The greatest Life Skills lesson the kids will learn may be how the Secondary Nurturers deal with the need to be flexible; how do the Secondary Nurturers deal with organized chaos?

 Popcorn Garland

• Have a volunteer pop popcorn – make enough to eat too
• Thread needles with thread or dental floss
• Make a sample  (Directions on page 23  )

Window Paint

• Gather needed materials  (Recipe in PDF below )

Christmas Ornaments

•  Have a volunteer make the dough and samples (Recipe in PDF below  )

Christmas Chain

• Make a sample  (Directions below  )

Christmas Snowflakes

• Have a volunteer make circle patterns
• Make a sample (Directions in PDF below  )

Crèche

•   Have a volunteer make a sample
• Gather all the materials  (Directions in PDF below  )

Guided Conversation

1. What is Christmas?
   It is the celebrations of Christ – the celebration of Jesus the Messiah coming to pay the price for our sins
2. In everything we do at Christmas it is important for us to remember why we are celebrating.  Our decorations can be a message to others of what Jesus means to us.  As we plan our decoration today lets remember we want to bring honor and glory to Jesus.

The Activity

• Listed below are several different types of decorations that the kids can make and then put up in the center
• Before you begin show the kids the possible decorations they can make
• Give time for each Trek Team to come up with three suggestions of
  how the KidTrek Center should be decorated
• They are also to tell how this will bring honor and glory to Jesus
• Each Trek Team appoints a spokesperson to share their three
  suggestions to the group
• Have butcher paper/black board or white board on which you can write the suggestions and how the suggestion will bring glory to Jesus
• When you have put down all the suggestions discuss which ones are possible
• Remind the kids that after Christmas they will also have to take the decorations down and clean up everything
• If you are able, and the kids want to, let them make extra decorations that they can take home and decorate their own homes

Popcorn Garlands

• This may be an activity only for the older kids
• Show them how to use the needle and thread to string the popcorn together
• You can also alternate different colored jelly beans, jujubes, or cranberries to add color to your garland
• Let the kids decide where they want to drape their garlands

Christmas Windows

• Mix together the paint powder and dishwashing soap
• Experiment with amounts to get the consistency you desire
• Discuss with the kids what kinds of painting they would like to do on the windows
• How might the pictures share Christ with people who drive or walk past?
• After Christmas the pictures will wipe off easily with a wet rag

Dough Christmas Ornaments

• Show the kids the various cookie cutters from which they can
  choose
• Show the kids how to cut out designs using the cookie cutters
• Use a pencil to poke holes in the top of each ornament
• Paint the ornaments as desired
• Tie a colored ribbon through the hole in the ornament and hang
  on the Christmas tree
• The kids can also make free form decorations
• The Art Dough will dry over night

Christmas Chain

• Cut strips (across the width of paper, 1 inch thick) of red and green
  construction paper
• Take one end and glue to opposite end
• The second strip loop through the first – and so forth
• Have the kids connect their chains
• Let the kids decide where they want their chains to be hung

Christmas Snowflakes

• Cut out a circle of white paper
• You can have cardboard shapes for them to trace
• OR let them cut the circles free hand (it will make them even more creative
• Fold in half, then in half again and for a third time in half
• Cut triangles, squares, etc. out of each side, being careful not to cut completely across
• Each one will open to being a unique snowflake

Crèche
(There is a second Creche in the PDF below)

• The crèche can be as large or as small as you desire
• CHARACTERS: Using Art Dough make images of Mary,
  Joseph, Jesus as a baby (make sure the kids understand
  Jesus is no longer a baby), shepherds, three wise men, camels,
  donkeys, cows, lambs,
• STRAW: Cut thin strips of yellow paper for the straw
• CRADLE: use a butter box or cream cheese box, cut off the top; glue toothpicks on the box; let dry then paint brown; add “straw” to the “cradle”
• BARN: two identical cereal boxes, put stones or dirt in boxes so they will stand, cover boxes with brown construction paper – color paper to look like wood; stand boxes apart from each other distance will depend on size of art dough characters;  large sheet of cardboard folded to make shape of roof, cover with
  ”straw”; place straw on floor of manger
• Put baby Jesus in cradle and place in barn, place all the other art
  dough characters in the manger

Recipes, Directions and a second Creche PDF

Child Discipleship: A Scripture Memorization Ministry Plan

(I am now writing in regard to Children’s Ministry at www.kidtrek-sundayplus.org  I will continue writing in regard to Christian After School Programs here at www.kidtrekasp.wordpress.com)

Hugo approached the director’s office asking, “May I quote a memory verse to you?”

“Sure,” Vonnie responded, with a thrill in her voice.

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. James 1:2”

Hugo proudly continued . . .

“It’s a good thing I memorized that verse. A kid was calling me names today and getting in my face. I kept saying this verse to myself and kept my arms at my sides . . .

“ . . . Miss Vonnie, I was steadfast.”

What a difference when kids apply the Word of God into their everyday lives.

But if Hugo hadn’t memorized that verse the week before he wouldn’t have had it on his heart when he needed it.

Scripture memorization is a vital part of discipling children whole-istically. Sunday Plus Curriculum encourages churches to set up a Scripture Memorization Ministry which eventually engages the entire church (or almost entire church).

FORMAT:

Children will have one verse a month to memorize.  The verse will relate to the concept they are learning on Sunday morning.

Why only one verse a month?

• Children have a tendency to memorize a verse on the way to church Sunday morning and forget it on the way home. Working on a verse for a whole month, saying it weekly to the Memory Verse Specialists and then continuing to say it in the months to come it won’t be easily forgotten.
• Kids are taught the meaning of the verse in the Midweek Celebration.
• The current month’s verse may be recited to the Memory Verse Specialists between services.

Children earn Bucks for memorizing the verses.

• The Store is open once a month.
  (We teach a Biblical Worldview to stewardship; giving Bucks is much more than just a reward  https://kidtrekasp.wordpress.com/2010/08/22/child-discipleship-using-bucksbanking-in-discipleship/)

• Children will receive additional Bucks as they retain verses and recite each of the previous month’s verses.
  • Children say past months’ verses at home to their parents.
  • The parents sign a voucher which the child turns in on Sunday morning to the Memory Verse Specialists.
• The Memory Verse Specialist gives the child the allotted number of Bucks when the child quotes that month’s verse between services.
• Vouchers can be picked up at the Memory Verse tables each Sunday.
  • They could also be passed out in The Shema Focus.
  • Children may say their verses and turn in the vouchers every week.

If a parent or other adult (must always be the same adult) accompany the child to the Memory Verse Specialist and can quote that month’s verse, the child receives extra KidTrek Bucks.

• Adults may quote the verse in the translation in which they learned it.
• An adult can quote the verse for only one child.
  • If there are four children in a family the father can quote for one child and the mother for a second child.
  • Children three and four will need to recruit other adults in the church to be their scripture memorization partners.
    • This again engages more of the church body in the discipleship of children.
    • Children are connecting with more adults in the church.

4 year olds through 2^nd graders may memorize an abbreviated verse.

• A “slash” is placed in the verse to indicate the portion they are to memorize.
• Encourage them to memorize the entire verse if they are able.

• Parents should also make adjustments for children with learning disabilities.

AWARDS:

• A child receives 5 Bucks for each verse quoted.
• A child receives 5 Bucks for an adult who quotes the present month’s verse.
• A child receives 5 Bucks for each past verse s/he quotes to parents and returns the voucher.
• When two verses are given for a month and the child learns both verses, s/he receives 5 Bucks for each verse

Parental Voucher

If you would like a “Sample Voucher”  http://www.kidtrek-sundayplus.org/curriculum/  Then scroll down to the Scripture Memorization Plan pdf

Child Discipleship – Scripture Memorization Games

By Wanda Parker

(I am now blogging on Children’s Ministry at www.kidtrek-sundayplus.org  I will continue blogging on Christian After School Programs at this site.)

It is vital that we assist kids in memorizing scripture. We never know how long we will have easy access to the Bible.

I remember hearing the story of Brother Andrew meeting with a group of pastors to discuss how the church should prepare to go underground. The response of the pastors was that this is ridiculous, this will never happen in “our country.” The following weekend the country fell to communists and it was illegal to have a Bible.

Be sure the kids understand the verse they are memorizing before playing the games.

Here are a few game to use to encourage kids as they memorize scriptures.

Dizzy Drop

Materials: a penny, blindfold, small pieces of paper with 1,000; 2,000;3,000; 4,000; 5,000   written on them

PREP

• Decide the teams you will use for this game, Primary or Secondary.
• Lay out the numbered pieces of paper on the floor

THE ACTIVITY

• Select a volunteer from the first team to quote the verse from memory.
• If she is able to correctly quote the verse she is blindfolded, spun around and given the penny to drop.
• Her team receives the points closest to where the penny dropped.
• If she is unable to correctly quote the verse she does not get any points.
• Next select a volunteer from the second team to quote the verse from memory.
• To go faster have a kid quote the verse to one Discipler while a second Discipler is supervising the spin and drop.
• Don’t forget to give out Spirit Points for participation, encouraging other players, sitting quietly when it isn’t your turn.

PENNY TOSS

Materials: a plate per team, a penny per team, copies of the verses

• A Discipler from an opposing team works with a team.
• The Discipler lays the dish down approximately 6ft.from the player.
• The Discipler asks the player to quote the verse.
• If she is able to quote the verse she is allowed to toss the penny.
• If the penny lands in the plate that team gets a point.
• The players may keep studying the verse when it is not their turn.
• Make sure everyone goes home with a copy of the verse.

Duck Duck Verse

Materials: copy of The Ten Commandments for each kid

THE ACTIVITY

• Give each kid a sheet with the verse written on it.
• Give them a couple of minutes to study.
• Play the game in the two big teams from recreation.
• One player from each team is chosen to be “IT”
• “IT” goes around the circle tapping each player on the head and saying, “Duck, Duck Duck, Verse.”
• The player whose head is tapped “Verse” stands and chases “IT.”
• If “IT” makes it around to the space of the player he tagged then “Verse” must say the verse.
• If “VERSE” tags “IT” before getting to the vacant spot then “IT” must say the verse.
• If the player is able to say the verse their team gets 1,000 points.
• Give teams points for cheering on their players.

What’s The Next Word

Materials: a set of cards for each team, each set will have one word written on                            each  card, the reference stands as one word

THE ACTIVITY

• Determine if this will be played in Primary Teams or Secondary Teams.
• This is played similar to a relay.
• All the word cards are laid at one end of the room and scrambled.
• Teams are at the opposite end of the room.
• When the adult says “GO” the first person from each team runs down and finds the first word of the verse.
• She then runs back to his team and lays the word down.
• The second player then runs down and looks for the second word, runs back and lays his word down.
• If a wrong word is brought back the player must return to find the correct word.
• The team to win is the first team to have laid its verse(s) out correctly.

More Games Click Here

In this PDF are a list of games to review the verses they’ve learned in the past year  Memory Verse Review

Child Discipleship – How Children Learn

By Wanda Parker

(Now posting on Children’s Ministry at KidTrek Sunday Plus. I will continue to post here on After School Ministries)

“I had to go to the hospital because I had a bug in my stomach,” ten year old Olivia told her Sunday school teacher. When the doctor told her she had a bug his picture of the bug looked very different from the bug Olivia saw.

What we want more than anything is for children to internalize the truths that we are presenting to them. However, how can they do so when we present these abstract truths in ways that their brains can’t yet grasp?

CHILDREN THINK AND LEARN IN THE CONCRETE

They need to taste, touch, see, hear and smell what is being taught. In other words they need to experience the concept being taught. When the truth is presented in this way it is internalized, the child has an internal understanding that they still can’t put into words.

New studies show us that the teen brain isn’t as developed as once thought but they fool us because of the experiences they have had. They can communicate at a higher level because through living they have internalized concepts.

Elsa, a kindergartener, and her Mom went to visit Grammy.  Upon entering the house Mom said, “Elsa, tell Grammy what the pump is in your body.”

Elsa replied, “My heart.”

“Elsa, tell Grammy what makes you breathe.”  Mom prodded

“My lungs,” Elsa proudly replied.

Grammy quickly asked, “Elsa what does it mean to breathe?”

“I don’t know,” came the hesitant answer

Not to be outdone Mom told Elsa to show Grammy what it meant to breathe.  With that Elsa took two huge intakes of breath.  To put into words what the word “breathe” meant was too abstract.  But Elsa did know what it meant to breathe because she had experienced breathing and thus had internalized the concept. The abstract concept had become concrete to Elsa, she could use the word breathe and know what it meant but she could not explain it.

BIBLICAL CONCEPTS ARE ABSTRACT

Our challenge as we present the Biblical concepts is to make them concrete so that the children can understand them.

In Sunday Plus Curriculum we do this through what we call Reality Check. – the first portion of each Kids’ Bible Focus lesson.

Reality Check is intended to bring alive the Biblical truth being taught.  This usually means making abstract concepts concrete – allowing the child to taste, touch, see, hear, and smell the concept being taught.  You are also permitting emotions to become a part of the learning process.  In other words, you are allowing the whole child to experience the truth – bringing reality into the lesson.  The kids will actually experience the concept.

The best way to explain such learning is to give you a couple of examples.

Temptation

As the children entered the room, there was a large stack of newspapers next to the door.  One of the adults told them they could take the paper and do anything they wanted with it.  However, they were directed towards a table where there was a craft they could make out of the newspaper.

Each child came in and began working on the craft.  After a few minutes, you could almost see the wheels turning in Kevin’s mind as he looked at this “stupid” craft he was working on and then looked over at the stack of newspapers.  He got out of his chair, walked over to the adult, Miss Tish, who was welcoming the children and asked, “Did you say we could do anything we wanted with this paper?”

“That’s right,” she answered.

“You mean I could take and wad up the paper and throw it around the room?” he prodded.

“As long as you don’t hit anyone,” Miss Tish directed.

With that Kevin took one piece of paper after another, wadded it up and threw it across the room.  The other boys, after seeing the fun Kevin was having, didn’t want to work on any “stupid” old craft.  They left the table and joined Kevin in making a mess of the room with the newspaper.  When it was time to clean up the adults helped the children who had been working on the craft.   Those children got their area cleaned up quickly and were given donuts and juice.

“Hey!  How come they are getting donuts and juice?”  Kevin demanded.

“Because they got their mess cleaned up.”  Miss Tish answered.

The whole room was now paying attention to the exchange between Kevin and Miss Tish.

“But you helped them clean up,” Kevin responded

“They were working on the craft,” Miss Tish explained.

“But you said we could do anything we wanted!”  Kevin argued.

“That’s right, and that is called TEMPTATION.” Miss Tish explained.  “In the world people tell you all the time to do whatever you want.  You know what the best things are to do.  You have to make choices.  There are always consequences for the choices we make.  When we give into temptation and choose to do what looks like its more fun or easier, though we know the other choice is the better choice, we will eventually pay the consequence.”

The children were then sat down and immediately told a Bible story which related to temptation.

Honesty

Miss Marla led the kids in a game of Red Light, Green Light.

The game was played on the honor system.  Miss Marla never turned around.  The winners were given a baggie full of candy, but were told not to open it until the end of class.

Then they had the Bible lesson on honesty after which the adults brought out the video camera that had been secretly recording the children as they played Red Light, Green Light.  Upon playing the video, those children who had cheated had to give their candy back.

Reality Learning also engages the emotions. When does God teach you the most? My experience has been that it has been when he has engaged my emotions – that is when the truth moves from the head to the heart.

WHAT REALITY LEARNING IS NOT

Skits
Object Lessons

These are both abstract presentations – object lessons in particular.

If you would like to learn how to use Reality Learning in your ministry and also how to create your own I am offering a two hour free training to the first ten people to email me at wanda@kidtrek.org If you live outside the United States it may mean middle of the night.

Child Discipleship: Gathering Games

By Wanda Parker

(I am now blogging about Children’s Ministry at http://www.kidtrek-sundayplus.org  I will continue to Blog about After School Ministries at this site.)

What do you do when the kids first arrive? Here are a few games to get kids involved as soon as they enter.

• Always think of that kid who has never been to church – thus an activity that everyone is engaged in, he doesn’t have to make a choice when he is feeling insecure.
• An activity into which kids can engage as they come in one at a time.
• Nothing Biblical – again for that kid that has never been to church before. How embarrassing when everyone but you knows what the answers are, or you have no idea what the adult is talking about. There will be plenty of time to share Christ once the child is comfortable.
• Always have an adult at the door to greet kids and guide them into the game while a second adult is with the kids guiding the game.

Hidden Surprise

Materials :      lots of masking tape, pill bottle, Bucks, flat box, dice

Object:            To be the one to unwrap the pill box with the Bucks inside.

• Have the kids sit with you on the floor in a circle.
  • If there is more than one Trek Team per age group have all teams sit in one large circle.
  • Disciplers play too – except for the one greeting at the door.
• You may want to have more than one pill box wrapped so the game can be played more than once.
• Take an empty pill bottle and place any amount of Bucks in it.
• Wrap it up with layers of newspaper and duct tape, electrical tape or any other kind of tape.
  • You can even layer it with different types and make a huge tape ball.
• Take a set of dice and place them in a flat box.
• If the person rolls a double, they start working on getting the tape ball apart, while the other kids pass the dice attempting to be the next one to get a double.
• They continue unwrapping until the next person rolls a double.
• Keep going until someone wins the Bucks.

Play again if time allows and you have a pill bottle prepared

BALLOON BAT

 

Materials: Several balloons of different colors

Object of game is to keep your balloon in the air longer than the opposing team.

• Children sit in a circle.
• Number kids off 1,2,1,2 around the circle.
• Give a number 1 player a blown up blue balloon and a number 2 player a blown up red balloon.
• When the adult says “GO” the balloons are batted to another player.
• Players can only hit their own balloon.
• If a player hits the wrong balloon he is out of the game.
  • The winning team is the team that can keep their balloon up in the air the longest.
  • This is a fun game to play over and over – expect craziness.
  • Have the kids take some deep breaths and sit without speaking for 30 seconds before going into Reality Check.

Musical Spoons

Materials :  plastic spoons

• Kids sit in a circle.
• Using a permanent marker place a spot on one of the spoons where it is not readily noticeable.
• One less spoon than players are placed in the center of the circle.
  • Make sure the spoon with the dot is in the pile from the first round.
• All players are given 3 Bucks.
• Music is played or leader claps.
• When the sound stops everyone tries to get a spoon.
• The player to not get a spoon must give the leader a Buck.
• Every fifth round the person who gets the spoon with the black dot gets all the Bucks the leader is holding.

COTTON BALL CRAZINESS

Materials: cotton balls, masking tape

Object: to be the team with the least amount of cotton balls on their side of the circle.

• Kids sit in a circle.
• Cut the circle in half so half the kids are on one team and the other half are on a second team.
• Put a strip across the center of the circle so there is no question which side the cotton balls fall.
• Every kid starts off with 5 cotton balls.
• When the adult says “GO” everyone begins throwing their cotton balls to the opposite side of the circle.
• They keep throwing until the adult says, “STOP.”
• The team with the least amount of cotton balls on their side is the winner.
• Play it several times – the best of 3 or 5.
• When finished have the kids take deep breaths to relax before moving into the remainder of the morning.

Every Sunday Plus lesson has a Gathering Game suggestion.

Child Discipleship – A Parent’s Challenge Is To Model Faithfulness

By Wanda Parker

GOD’S PURPOSE – WILL BE DONE!

If you walk with God He has a purpose for your life. He can open and close any door that is needed to bring you to the place where He wants you to be.

Are you walking fully with Jesus? Are you ready to walk through the doors He opens? Are you ready to accept the doors He closes? Do your children see you accepting God’s purpose for your life? Do you accept where God has you – even if you’d rather be somewhere else? Do you believe that God is sovereign and that He can put you where is best for you?

Do your kids see you modeling a walk with a sovereign God, do they see you trusting Him no matter where He takes you?

The following was first written and sent to friends the day after what I called “A Most Amazing Day.” Life had been VERY difficult and I had been struggling if I should continue in ministry. Everything my husband and I tried slammed shut in our faces. We thought we were about to lose everything. I could hear the mockers in the background, “The Parkers are so foolish.”

Our children were already adults; however I knew we were still modeling.

If you remember my sharing that we received a call two weeks ago from the White House.  Yes it was THE WHITE HOUSE.  It was an invitation to attend a conference on Faith Based Initiatives at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

In speaking to the young man who had called with the invitation I had asked him how he had gotten KidTrek’s name.  He said he wasn’t sure but that someone from the White House staff had laid a note on his desk that said, “Contact this ministry.  It is an incredible ministry that should be at the conference.”

My husband, Joe, and I hemmed and hawed about whether we should take a day to go to a conference from which we believed we could benefit little.  KidTrek does not benefit from Faith Based monies because we flow spiritual truths through every aspect of the ministry.  In fact when I shared KidTrek with the young man at the White House he agreed that we probably wouldn’t be able to receive monies.

The White House caller also told me, “I heard my boss, Jim Touhy (Director of White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives), just last week tell a group to not compromise their faith just to take money.”  This young man urged me in the same way.

After pondering and praying we decided we should go anyway.  We e-mailed our reservations and soon after began receiving daily e-mails (sometimes two a day) about security procedures for the day.

We arrived yesterday morning and soon realized our name tags were a different color from the majority of people.  When the doors were opened and we found a table to sit at in the back of the room someone came up to us and asked, “Why are you sitting back here, you have yellow name tags, you get to sit in the VIP section.”  Joe and I looked at each other in wonderment; we got up and went to the “VIP section” in the front of the auditorium.

Sitting at a table I asked the others sitting there, “Were you called by the White House?” “No” was the answer from everyone. I wondered, why was I called, how did they get KidTrek’s name?

The young woman who introduced the day to us also shared that not only would her boss Jim Touhy be joining us in the afternoon but also the President of the United States.

After the morning sessions we were to pick up a box lunch and go back into the auditorium.  By the time Joe and I got into the auditorium almost all the seats in the “VIP section” were taken.  We were about ready to go to the back section when Joe noticed a table in the front corner that maybe had a couple of places.  He walked over and those already seated moved closer and made room for us.  As I sat down and looked at the name tags I realized we were sitting at a table of White House staff.

The next thing I knew the morning’s presenter sat down next to me and engaged me in a conversation.

Then “Hail to the Chief” blared and the words, “Welcome the President of the United States.”

Response to his entry was amazing.  It was such a mixed group of people, but everyone rose to their feet and cheered.  His words were powerful.  Mainly he was one human, sharing his own failings, his own hopes with a group of other humans full of failings and hopes.  He challenged us to not give up on the visions that God has given us.

At the end we realized we were in the section that was allowed to go and speak to the President. I hung back, the gentleman next to me said, “Don’t you want to speak to the President?” I smiled and said, “No, this day isn’t about him. My Heavenly Father is showing me He can open any door He wants.”

I wiped away tears, my feeling of overwhelmedness was not over standing in the presence of the President of the United States, it was my awe of how the Sovereign God of the Universe had opened doors to bring me into the presence of the most powerful human in the world. God had opened doors so that I had permission to approach the President and speak with him.

The last speaker was Jim Touhy.  In his earlier life He had served with Mother Teresa and he quoted her,

“I am not called to success,
I am called to faithfulness.”

For me, that is what yesterday was all about.

As I stood there with the tears running down my face I knew beyond a doubt that God was in control. If we did lose everything God had a purpose and a plan in it. My task was to submit to God almighty and accept what was best for me – not what I wanted.

When you walk with God He opens and closes the doors that will bring you to the best place possible for you.

Your children are watching how you handle the opening and closing of those doors.

---

[1] Parenting Tips are written by Wanda Parker, Founder/Director of KidTrek, from her experience as a Children’s/Family Pastor, but more importantly from raising three children who today have their own families all of whom walk with the Lord.

Child Discipleship – What About Santa Claus?

By Wanda Parker

Honesty within your family begins with you.

Do you tell your child that she is the greatest soccer player in the world when you both know she isn’t? What will your child think, or at least wonder about, when she deserves a compliment that you give?

Does Aunt Mildred call and you tell your child to tell Aunt Mildred that you aren’t home? What have you now given him permission to lie about to you?

Do you hear your child bragging about something that he has done when you know that is a lie? Do you later talk to him about what was said? Or do you pass it off that he needs to be able to feel good about something – maybe because that is what you do yourself? What is the consequence going to be when the truth comes out?

What is important to you?

• That your kids win the soccer game or that they play fairly.
• That your kids get all A’s or that they study hard and do their best – regardless of the outcome?
• That your kids are popular or that they are known for having an upstanding character?

What is your family tradition in regard to Santa Claus?

A young mother revealed to her 10 year old daughter that Santa Claus was all pretend. The child looked at her mother in shock and asked, “Now are you going to tell me that Jesus is pretend?”

Her mother assured her that Jesus was real – but could there be a doubt that persists in the child’s mind?

There is a strong emotional attachment to Santa Claus for children who believe that he is leaving them their gifts – not unlike feelings towards Jesus. Imagine what goes through their minds when they learn the truth of Santa Claus. If you have been lying to them about Santa Claus what else have you been lying about?

Santa Claus is a fun tradition; it’s okay to have fun, to “pretend” about Santa Claus, the fictitious character based on the historical St. Nicholas, but be clear with your kids about him from the beginning. Always distinguish truth (Jesus) from pretend (Santa Claus). Kids can enjoy Santa Claus and all that goes with him even though they know that he no longer lives. Tell your kids the history of St Nicholas. Explain that Santa Claus is a way we remember St. Nicholas and the good things he did in serving the poor. He did those things because of his love for Jesus. Search for St Nicholas on the internet to discover the history of this generous man who lived in the fourth century.

What should you do in regard to the tradition of Santa Claus? Ask the Lord what His will is for your family in regard to this tradition.

For more on Child Dsicipleship check out my new Blog KidTrek: Sunday Plus

Child Discipleship – Why It Takes A Church To Raise A Child

(I am now Blogging on Children’s Ministry issues at http://www.kidtrek-sundayplus.org. If you are interested in the topic below you may be interested in reading one step we use to make this happen DISCIPLERS AND SPECIALISTS)

IT TAKES A CHURCH TO RAISE A CHILD

Years ago I was told of study where they took adult siblings who had grown up in Christian homes and one had walked away from the Lord while the other continued to walk with the Lord.  The question they were asking was “Why?”

I think that when they began they thought they would learn that it was something that happened within the home.

BUT!  What they learned was that the sibling who walked away from the Lord had never felt connected to the local church growing up.

The sibling who continued to walk with the Lord into adulthood had close connections with adults within the local body of Christ other than mom and dad. She had experienced child discipleship.

In other words he was discipled by members of the church other than mom and dad.  He felt he was ESSENTIAL TO THE CHURCH because of these intentional relationships.

Discipled means involvement with the kid in and out of church. It means commitment and intentionality on the parts of adults.

Why is this connection to the local church as a child so important?

Statistics today show that we are losing 70% of our church raised kids. That means your child(ren) is at risk of walking away from the Lord.

Kids need to hear the gospel message from you, but also from other adults with whom they have a trusting relationship. Each time they hear the truth from someone else with whom they have a relationship it builds a lasting credibility. By the time kids are in their teens it is already too late.

A medical student told her mother, “It would be easy to accept what I am being taught, though it is against Biblical teaching. But then I stop and realize that everyone I respect believes the Bible, not what is being taught at the University.”  Today she has her own family and not only disciples her own children, but pours herself into the lives of others’ children.

This is the challenge – if you want your children to be discipled by others then you must be willing to disciple someone else’s child.

You have the opportunity to add yourself to the team at your church, be determined that not one child within your church is going to slip through the cracks.

 

IT TAKES A CHURCH TO RAISE A CHILD TO WALK WITH GOD INTO ADULTHOOD.

KidTrek’s Sunday Plus Children’s Ministry Curriculum is aimed at getting the whole church involved in the Discipleship of Children. Explanation of Curriculum via the Curriculum Guide here

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[2] Essential Church?, Thom S. Rainer and Sam S. Rainer III, B&H Publishing Group, page 3

Child Discipleship – Do We Over Protect Our Children?

By Wanda Parker

Just after my third child, in a little over three years, was born I felt so overwhelmed I couldn’t think straight. It was then that I began begging Jesus to teach me how to raise my children so they would walk with Him forever.

I was terrified they would walk away from Him one day.

The Lord took my husband and I on quite a journey as He taught us and led us. Following is one of those experiences. It became an important plumb line as I raised my own children – but also as He led me to lead several different Children’s Ministries.

Joe, my husband, was on staff with Open Doors with Brother Andrew when our children were in early elementary school.  As part of Joe’s ministry, we were part of a team sent to take Bibles into China.  While in Hong Kong, we met a family who had only recently escaped from China.

The mother of the family told us the story of her family while her eldest surviving son translated for her.  In the mid-1960’s during the Cultural Revolution, the Red Guard had come to their home and wrenched their four children from the home.  The Red Guard had set up a bench in front of their home and made the four children, ages 11, 10, 6 and 3, sit on the bench.  They called all the neighbors to come watch what was about to take place.

Then the soldiers went from child to child asking if he loved Jesus.  When the child responded, “Yes, I love Jesus,” the soldier would hit the child in the face, knocking him to the ground.  The soldiers went to each child several times, but the oldest, Steven, got beaten over and over because he refused to renounce Jesus.

Finally the soldiers turned from the children to attack the parents.  Stephen crawled into their home and lay down on his mat.  Daniel, the 10-year-old followed him in and knelt beside him.

“Don’t tell mama but I’m dying Daniel I’m dying.” The 11–year-old declared.

Just then Mama came and knelt beside her son her head had been shaved.    “Mama, mama, I’m dying. Mama, I’m dying.  Mama, you have to forgive them. Mama, you have to forgive them.”  Then lifting his hand toward heaven, he cried out, “I see Jesus, Mama. I see Jesus.” And he was gone.

I looked at this woman who had just told me the story of her eleven year old son whom she had watched be beaten to death and there was a peace on her face.  “Mama, how do you raise a child so that at the age of 11, he will not renounce Jesus, though he be beaten to death?” I quietly asked.

She looked me in the eye and she said, “There are three things you must do.”

“From the time your child is born, you must teach him that he must never renounce Jesus nor another Christian.  Your life might be dependent on that other believer.”

“Secondly, you must pray sacrificially for your children.  That means you are praying so much for your children that you are giving up things you want to do for yourself because you are praying for your children.”

I will never forget the little chuckle she gave before she continued, “Thirdly, and this is hardest for you in the West.  You must let your children suffer. They will never grow strong if they don’t suffer.  If there is nothing natural that causes suffering in their life, then create a reason for them to suffer.”

I was so excited when I got home.  These sounded like such good sound principles to follow.  I could hardly wait to share these principles with my friends.  The first person with whom I shared was a close friend and she wept as I shared Mama’s story.

When I was finished, my friend looked at me and said, “But Wanda, if my children suffer, then I will suffer and I don’t want to suffer.

It was one of those “ah-ha” moments of life.  How much of our parenting, how much of our nurturing of children is about what makes me feel good rather than what the child really needs?

This made me realize that as adults we must constantly look at what each child’s real need is. We must be careful to not do what makes us feel good, nor what makes him feel good today, but is harmful for his future.

As I pray over and work on the Sunday Plus Curriculum, as I train ministries to walk through life with children this is always on my heart.

(We now have two Blogs – this one pertains to out-reach. Raising church kids to follow after God is now being discussed at
www.kidtrek-sundayplus.org )

Child Discipleship – My Priorities for Children’s Ministry

(I am now writing in regard to Children’s Ministry at www.kidtrek-sundayplus.org  I will continue writing in regard to Christian After School Programs here http://www.kidtrekasp.wordpress.com)

Whether we’ve thought about it or not every Children’s Ministry has priorities. A visitor might be able to tell you what the priorities are faster than the Children’s Pastor/Director.

My Priorities

JESUS CHRIST

Jesus is the reason for having a Children’s Ministry. He is the umbrella over everything we do.

The umbrella over the entire ministry also includes continual, intentional, organized prayer – for if the triune God is not a part of everything we do our ministry is useless.

Every portion of the Children’s ministry shall individualistically and intentionally point to the Gospel message…

• So that kids “will come to the crucified King in repentance and faith, relying on him alone as the perfect sacrifice for their sin and their only hope for salvation” What’s in the Gospel Greg Gilbert
• So that kids will continually grow in their walk with God as they grow to internally (heart knowledge) know Him more fully.

The below order is based on what I believe kids need – not what they want, nor what will make adults feel good.

ATTITUDE

For the above to happen kids must come to Children’s Ministry gatherings with excitement and openness of heart. They may not know why they are there but they want to be there.

Thus every adult involved in the children’s ministry asks over and over, “Will “this” be fun, challenging, relational, and is there potential for life transformation to happen?”

Is the Body of Christ becoming essential to “this” child so he will want to continue to be a part of the Church for his entire life?

Are we running programs or ministry?

ENVIRONMENT

Leadership encourages an environment which kids long to be a part of – not just for today but on into adulthood. The Body of Christ becomes an essential part of the kids’ lives forever.

Leadership is aware of each child that comes into their ministry – they are unwilling that any shall fall through the cracks.

Leadership is aware of Jesus’ warning of Matthew 18:1-14 and takes it seriously.

The adults who serve the children are the ones who create the environment where kids love to be.

• Adults want to be there too.
• Adults are teachable – they want to be trained, they see the need for training.
• Adults have a passion to see children grow into fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
• Adults know and understand child development so they know how children learn.
• Each kid receives individualistic and intentional discipleship.
• Adults are willing to make sacrifices so the kids will receive the most excellent ministry possible.
• Adults and kids have fun.
• Adults understand that though kids are having fun it doesn’t mean they are internally connecting to Jesus Christ.
• The facility itself is kid friendly – adults don’t have to continually be fearful in case the kids “mar the room.”
• Every single kid is welcomed with a love that can be felt, but also is concrete.
• The need of each individual kid is accepted and addressed.

BIBLE KNOWLEDGE

If the above is happening in your children’s ministry then the kids will have hearts that are open to hear the truth – to study Bible.

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15

Every teaching points to the Gospel – The Truth, The Way, The Life.

The Bible is presented to concrete thinking children so they can understand and internalize the truth in the scripture. I’m passionate about this – so much of what we present to the kids flies over their heads – will address this in weeks to come.

It is understood that knowledge does not save; knowledge is a tool that leads to A relationship. However, knowledge is vital for kids to grow in their relationship of God Almighty. Knowledge helps in their not accepting man made gods.

MEMORY VERSES

We don’t know how long we will have access to the written Word of God.

I will never forget the day I stood with a friend in the square in Havana waiting for a bus. We began talking to a woman in front us when I felt the nudge of the Holy Spirit and I asked her, “Do you have a Bible?”

“A Bible, a Bible in Cuba? No, no Bibles in Cuba.”

I knew my friend had a Spanish Bible in her purse so I asked, “Would you like to have a Bible?”

She began to cry, “Si, Si” she said over and over.

It was as if we were in a bubble as we quickly took the Bible from one purse and transferred it to another purse.

Just because you live in a free country today we know not what tomorrow will bring. We must equip our children so they will be prepared. We must make sure they are memorizing the scriptures so they will never be with out them.

Let me know what you think of my priorities.

I’m now writing in regard to Children’s Ministry at KidTrek: Sunday Plus  I will continue to write about After School Ministries here.