Yearly Archives: 2009

Creating Your Own Object Lessons

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ideas

Books are expensive. Especially when you’re in a position where the church copier has a bigger budget than you do (and nobody expects the copier to sell candy bars). There are tons of books full of object lessons out there but even aside from the cost… how much time do we spend pouring through them looking for that one perfect illustration for the point we want to make? A lot!

What I’ve found is that an object lesson that I create myself, though it may not be as fancy and cool, takes less time, money and actually does the job much better… because it fits perfectly. I also believe God blesses such creative endeavors.

Before you convince yourself you could never be creative enough to come up with your own object lessons and quit reading… let me spill out the process I use to help illustrate a bible point or idea.

1. Make a Point

Simplify and distill your idea into a short phrase. Rather than, “God loved you so much that he sent his Son Jesus Christ to die for you on the cross to save you from you sins so you wouldn’t have to pay the price for your own sins and suffer eternal spiritual death” you might distill it down to, “Jesus took your place” and illustrate that.

2. Ask Yourself: What Does The Same Thing In Real Life?

Object lessons use objects to illustrate a point… so our next step after getting our point is to find an object that accomplishes a similar task or fulfills a similar function. Continuing with our “Jesus Took Your Place” point you might use two pieces of paper, damage one and start to throw it away. Then take a second sheet that is flawless and throw it away instead. It’s the same thing… but with objects. It’s not fancy… but it works.

3. Preach The Lesson Not The Object

The biggest mistake I see children’s ministers make with object lessons is they get so focused on the object that they forget about the lesson they’re actually teaching. That’s why I’m not a huge fan of spending a lot of money on pre-made props and illusions… it puts way to much emphasis on the wrong part of the lesson. Jesus used objects like nobody else… even if he didn’t happen to have them on hand… he was the master… but they were normal, obvious, everyday things. The focus was the message, not the story or illustration.

That’s how I do it! I’ll be honest. It’s not easy… but it’s the best investment of time you can make. Give it a shot this week. Ask God to help you… put yourself in a place where he must… and he will.

Questions? Input? Post them in the comments!

Viewing A Child’s Dual Potential

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happyangry

Kids, in a nutshell, are potential. An oversimplification yes… but still true. Everything a child does prepares them for their future. Even play is working to that end. My 4 year old daughter works harder at playing than I do at working sometimes.

When I look out at my group every Sunday morning I can’t help but see two future potentials for every child: The one God has planned and the version that Satan would have happen. With some children the God Version is easer to imagine. They seem like they’re going to end up that way almost automatically, though inside I know that is often far from true. Then there are kids who’s current behavior and/or situation make it easier to see the Fallen Version. They seem destined to become the back-row kid in the Youth Group.. mocking the kids who regularly fill the altar area during worship. Or even worse… they become involved in gangs, drugs, alcohol and start having destructive relationships with everyone they meet.

I value both of these views because both have value. One is a goal, the other is something to be avoided. Part of my job is to help one Version to win and the other to fail. If I can see each child through the eyes of my enemy, I can start to minister in a way that will minimize the chances of the Fallen Version to become reality.

If a child deals with anger chances are Satan plans to turn that child into a hateful, spiteful adult with a short fuse. The jails are full of men who were once children with attitudes and issues. But God has a different plan. A plan to help that child work through the anger, heal that heart, and help other people heal after being abused, injured or neglected. No jail time for helping others!

Same goes for kids who are the ‘good’ ones. We children’s workers can get a pretty twisted view of who’s ‘good’ and ‘bad’ because we typically only see them in the context of a large group… for only a couple of hours. We have no idea how they are at home, at school… and how they are inside their thought life where nobody sees them at all. The ‘good’ kids are just as much at risk as anyone. Even the ones who really are good… if you were the enemy of humanity… who would you go after the most? The kids who are already halfway there themselves or the kids who are truly pure in heart? Darn straight… I’d be going for the goodie-goodies. Those kids need you to see both sides of their potential as well.

I could keep going with this all day. Ask God to give you a dual view of your kids. Then ask him to help you minister to them and their families in a way that will draw them toward what He has for them. It’s not our job to do it all… but we can do our part better when we see our kid’s potential. Both potentials.

Announcing the launch of CleanCasts.com – The Clean Podcast Directory

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cleancasts

I’ve been hinting about a new project for a little while now… and today’s the day to let the world know!

CleanCasts is a directory dedicated to listing clean podcasts (G and PG)… and that’s about it.

If you’re a listener, head over and check out the growing list of shows and be sure to tell your favorite clean podcast so they can get listed.

If you’re a podcaster with a G or PG rated show, head over and add your site today!

CleanCasts.com

HUGE THANKS go out to Philip M. Hofer (Frumph) from WebComicPlanet.com for his amazing coding skill and willingness to give.

Inspired By A Beer Blaster [Resources]

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beer_blaster_blue

This thing is very cool. It will shoot ANY carbonated beverage (not just beer) up to 10 feet. This is a messy stage game waiting to happen!

The only unfortunate thing is that it’s shaped exactly like a real gun… which may or may not be an issue for your group… but with a little foam or other embellishments it could look just as harmless as a water pistol.

See it in action:

They come in several colors (including pink) and run between $22 and $33 bucks.

[Link]

5 Questions to Heed About Church Security

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church_shooting

I’m sure by now most of you have heard about the tragic shooting of a Baptist minister this past Sunday morning. I was directed to a great article addressing five areas churches need to be sure to address when it comes to security.

I took great pleasure in seeing that Children’s Ministry was at #2 on the list. It only makes sense that after security is beefed up in the “Big Church” that the mentally unstable among us will follow the path of least resistance. Let’s not let it be our Children’s Ministries.

Pastor Shot Dead in the Pulpit: 5 Questions to heed About Church Security [via TheResurgence.com]

I’d like to share my own set of 6 Questions concerning Children’s Ministry issues taken from an email to my own volunteers.

Door Security

Our doors need to be locked, manned or otherwise secured during service. A sign should be posted explaining the need for security and the requirements for admittance.

Secure Check-in System

Every child should be checked in through a security system. They should have an id badge/sticker. Teachers should have a roll sheet of every child in their care.

Restrict Access

No one should be allowed in any of our classrooms unless they are a screened volunteer wearing an easily identifiable lanyard, shirt, vest or badge (your choice) or an authorized parent/guardian who is checking out their child in keeping with procedure. (This unfortunately includes older siblings, worker’s own older children, relatives, family friends, etc).

Secure Pick-Up

At least one leader should be by classroom doors managing the flow of traffic. Children should be seated and away from the door until their name is called. Traffic should only move one direction during pick-up… out!

Volunteer Timeliness

Every volunteer needs to be on time to their post. The more adults we have, the more secure we are. Volunteers should shoot to be 10 to 15 minutes early every week.

Emergency Communication

Our leaders need a fast and effective way to communicate with you, your security team or on site officers in case of an incident or emergency. At minimum, give out your cell number. Install an intercom system or hand out walki-talkie’s of you can. Ask the nursery if they can assign you a pager so volunteers can page if they need you.

What are your security concerns? Post your thoughts, feedback or questions in the comments.

Remember when…

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80skids

I stumbled across this photo on Digg.com and wanted to share it with all of you.

It instantly took me back to my own childhood (though I was never as ‘cool’ as these guys). One of the greatest gifts God could give a children’s minister would be the ability to remember what childhood felt like.

I pray that God will help you remember yours, so you can minister more effectively to the children God has entrusted to you.

(Click the pic to make it great biggie.)