Do you ever volunteer in the environments that you normally lead?
As a multi-campus director, I try to spend time on Sundays at each of the campuses, and in the different environments throughout the month. I like to fill gaps, support the teams, and learn all that I can. Whether telling the story, leading worship, checking kids in, or leading a small group, I always learn something!
Today I was asked to lead a small group of first graders. I loved it!
Here’s what I learned:
Small groups are still the most important thing we do. If you really want to invest in the life of a child, then you must really know that child, and you must be able to talk things through and help them learn.
Today we introduced the Big Idea of Faith: Believing in a God you cannot see, because you can see what He has made.
I can not imagine how the six - first graders in my group would have really understood the idea of believing in a God you cannot see without having someone talk it through with them, keep explaining it in different ways, and help them understand.
First graders have a really hard time finding Hebrews in the Bible. It took a while for me to help all of the kids find their memory verse, Hebrews 11:1. I tried a few tricks to help them, but I’m wondering if they are ready to find the more complicated books in the Bible at six years old.
Group size matters. I would love to say that none of our groups are larger than eight kids, but that wouldn’t be true. We honestly try to limit their size from 8-10. Today I had six - first graders in my group and I struggled to help all of them, talk to all of them, and really be able to listen to them. Can’t imagine having twice as many!
We need to work on our music for this age. It was really evident to me today that our kindergartners and first graders are struggling to engage in worship with us because the music is too complicated. Too many big words. Too many words, period!
First graders worry about things. They are worried about their house catching on fire, about someone breaking into their house at night, about their pets, about football, and that they will get locked into their room at night. They have worries, but they are willing to trust in a God they cannot see. They just need great leaders to help them remember – to help them believe.
Most of these things are things that I already know. I know that small groups are important. I know that great leaders make a difference. I know that teaching our kids about faith matters.
But now I have six little faces in mind as I lead, create, critique, and plan. When I go to work each morning, I will be motivated in a whole new way.
What have you learned lately about your environments?
Post written by: Kendra Fleming - Multi-Campus Children’s Ministry Director
September 16th, 2009 at 11:54 am
Kendra,
Great article. I love doing Small Group time. I love having that personal interaction with the kids and getting to know what is on their minds. I agree with all of your points with exception of one.
And, of course, that’s the one I want to comment on because it is a personal quest of mine to get kids to actually open up their Bibles.
There are lots of great kids bibles out there with cool covers (I have several), great pictures inside (have some of those too), and great summaries geared towards kids (love ‘em), but like a study Bible for adults the meat is not in those things, it is in the words of God.
When I started working in the Kindergarten-First Grade room at my church last fall, I asked if we could get some Bibles. I encourage kids to bring there own, but I wanted some on hand that they could use as well. I absolutely agree with you that it takes time to show them how to find a particular verse. It’s even more time consuming with kindergartners. But, that is not wasted time! That time is like a mother showing her daughters how to bake or a father teaching his kids how to rake the leaves. Those things take a lot more time, and they may not get done the way we would like, but the kids are learning a valuable skill.
The same is true with having the kids open up the Bible and navigate through it. There is wisdom in showing them how it is set up (multiple books), the different parts (Old and New Testament), how to find a book, how to use the table of contents, what the big numbers mean (chapters) and what the little numbers mean (verses). They may not get it. You may have to help them every week, but the more they actually open up the book and touch the pages and get a feel for how it is laid out, the more prepared they will be to actually use their Bibles. What good does it do to tell a child that you are reading from the book of Proverbs if they have no idea what that means? Even more so, think about what it must mean to a child when we say John 3:16 if they have never seen the inside of a Bible? Is that a math problem for John?
I know when my own kids were in first grade, they were excited to find out “how it worked.” Now, we did start with things that were easier to spell. I picked “John” instead of “Ecclesiastes.” But, they had great fun just flipping through and trying to find John.
I would love to take a class or two and just teach the kids about the Bible. It is the B-I-B-L-E, but I don’t want that song to be the extent of their knowledge. I want them to understand that it is God’s Word. I want them to know that God had a bunch of different people write it. I want them to know how long it took to write it. I want them to understand that, despite all that, it is one story - the story of God. I want them to understand that it all points to or emanates from the Cross of Christ. And, I want them to open it - see it - discover it. I don’t want it to be some abstract concept or just something that their teacher holds while they’re telling stories. I want them to experience it and trust in what it says. Even if they graduate out of the first grade class and can’t find a single verse, I want them to see me help them find it tens and hundreds of times. Even if they don’t know how, I want them to realize that they can learn to do it on there own.
Now, I am going to climb back down off my soap box (I warned you it was something I was passionate about :)). Keep up the great work.
Take care and God Bless You!
Wayne
aka “Dad in the Middle” (http://blog.stocksohio.com)
September 16th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Great post Kendra! So right on. It’s a great practice that I implement as well (and need to do more) - volunteering in different roles in environments I usually lead. I usually walk away with a list like yours of very helpful insights and observations. Encouraging things and stuff we need to do better!
These are all really great reminders for us all!
September 18th, 2009 at 12:06 am
Hi Wayne,
I completely agree with you that we need to focus on teaching our kids how to navigate the Bible. We write a segment teaching our kid about the Bible every week!
My only thought on Sunday was that since our time was limited, I’m not sure that it was a good use of our time to teach 6-year-olds how to find Hebrews. I’m honestly pretty doubtful that any of them could find it again!
I think we should focus the “Navigate the Bible” activities a little more age appropriate and make the most of our time together!
But I completely agree with you that one of our primary jobs as small group leaders is to teach our kids to love God’s word and to teach them to turn to His word for wisdom, direction, and a closer relationship with their Heavenly Father.
Thank you so much for commenting. I’ll be checking out your blog for sure!
Kendra
September 18th, 2009 at 10:56 am
Awesome post, K. Keep it up!!