Kid Connections

Wonderful week ...

So it's been anther busy week!  Last Saturday we had a wonderful Fischy music concert at church.  Awesome!  Then the launch of our first Growing Leaders course with many young people who have signed up to pursue the course and develop their leadership skills.  The week was filled with planning, re-organising, sorting and storing as we prepare for the building work at church to commence.  Then today a trip to the beautiful St Andrews to lead a training workshop with a dear friend on 'Encountering God' followed by a scrummy lunch!  On the way there we had to sit in traffic for almost 2 hours though -due to the air show!!  But all in all a great week.  Looking forward to our 'Together' service at church tomorrow!

He is ... down to earth

My weekend has been drenched in the latest songs from Fischy music at a workshop Saturday afternoon, a concert on Saturday night and then more on Sunday at church.   Becasue the tunes are so catchy the kids in our house are singing them when they they go to bed and still when they wake in the morning.  The latest album has more amazing songs, some of which I introduced to the children at church on Sunday.  They love them! 

Apart from the title track my favourites so far are 'Even Before You Were Born' and 'God Beside' but they are all wonderful - some very funny, some very praisy and some very contemplative but all that help children and adults make a connection between their everyday lives and our awesome loving and gracious God.  

The launch concert is on Sat 2nd May, 2.30pm, at The Kings Hall, South Clerk Street, Edinburgh. 

Don't miss it!   

Best Hour...

So I've just finished reading the first three chapters of the book "Making your children's ministry the best hour of every kid's week".  To be honest, I was put off with the introduction but I'm pleased I persevered.  The intro spoke of 'salvation weekends' and the focus on 'saying a salvation prayer' so children can start to have a relationship with Jesus.  What about the relationship before the prayer?  Was God at work?  If so in what way?  Did children think they had a relationship with Jesus before 'saying the prayer'?  And where in scripture does it say anything about a salvation prayer?  Does God not know our heart?  Is it we, adults, who try to impose an appropriate measure by which to judge someones motives, desires and commitment to submit to the Lord and follow His ways?  Do children need to verbalise their understanding of sin, atonement, forgiveness, reconciliation, etc in order to be in? ............  It throws up too many questions and I really can't buy in to the fact that our focus on children's ministry, or any ministry for that matter, is one hour on a Sunday.  It may be a major focus in a church that has so many people attending on a Sunday but what about midweek cell groups, fellowship groups, social action groups, schools groups, visitation groups, discipleship groups, explorers groups, 1-1 mentoring, etc, etc, etc?  All areas of ministry are important, and while what we do as a corporate group is key when we have an open opportunity to welcome people in to our gathering and tease out something of our own faith, testimony and relationship with God and with others, an hour on a Sunday should not be the primary focus for our evangelistic or discipleship efforts.  Personally, moments of transformation for me don't come in a 'church' situation.  1-1 conversations, prayer ministry, conferences, worship events and academic study have all impacted me - but mostly it's two things:- my desire to earnestly pursue a deeper experience of God and the accountability I share in my walk with those wha are closest to me. 

Children's ministry IS NOT an hour in a child's week!!!  However, when we do have the privilege in meeting children for an hour, two hours or whatever in a week, whether on a Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, or any day, or in a church building, homes, schools or community centres, it should be an awesome time where God is powerfully at work and where children can be facilitated by envisioned, inspired, creative, energetic and passionate leaders who want more than anything to see God working in and through them and the children they are regularly in contact with.  And that ... is what the book goes on to talk about.  It talks of how ministry was birthed, developed, overcame obstacles, and how ministry grew into and from a God given vision that leaders embraced and pursued.  It talks of communicating your vision, hitting problems with senior leaders who don't get it, recognising the difference that volunteers make when they are envisioned and enthusiastic and when they are disillusioned and burnt out. 

I talk to children's and youth workers up and down the country and burn out is a big issue.  Many years ago someone said to me, "Youth workers last 3 years and then they burn out".  This shouldn't be the case and I think this book speaks powerfully to the areas of grasping vision for your ministry and steering the body with you towards a mighty goal.  Part of that steering is communicating why children's ministry is so key to any local church - as well as nationally and internationally. 

I look forward to reading the next few chapters!