A Story Worth Teaching Well

At a church I was visiting, kids left for Sunday school about a quarter of the way into the worship service. On this particular Sunday, the kids program had been canceled, and instead of dismissing the kids, the worship leader announced, "There's no Sunday school for the kids today. Sorry, parents! I know you were looking forward to a break!" Ouch. In addition to making the kids feel pretty unwelcome, the speaker reduced the 45 minutes of learning that happens each week in Sunday school to a 45 minute kid-entertainment session offered as a "break" for parents. Sadly, although the worship leader was unaware of the fabulous children's ministry program that was happening each week at his church, in some churches his statement would have been fairly accurate.

Each month a wonderful children's ministry magazine comes across my desk. What I love about it are the helpful tips, inspirational stories, and encouragement that fill its pages. What makes me cringe are the ads for "quick and easy," "just pray to prepare your heart and start teaching" Sunday school curriculums that will "save you time and energy" and teach kids "basic virtues." Now imagine for a moment that your child's school teacher or your pastor told you that they actually don't prepare their lessons/messages--they just pop open a box that contains everything they need, pray to prepare their heart, and they're ready to go! I'm guessing you might want to pay a visit to the principal or review your pastor's salary! As children's ministry leaders we have the incredible opportunity to present and share God's story with kids. That requires time, energy, and preparation. It also requires well thought-out, theologically sound Bible story presentations and follow-up activities so that kids leave with a picture of God--not just a virtue of the week.

At Faith Alive Resources (the publisher who brings you Kid Connection), they feel so strongly about the what and how of teaching kids that they asked me to record a video about it. Watch the clip, show it at your next children's ministry meeting, or forward it to your teaching team and share it with anyone else you know that cares about connecting with kids through ministry. God's story is a story worth teaching well.