Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Even though the Sunday January 1^st is in reality just the next day after Saturday it feels like a fresh new start.  Make sure that you map out your goals for this next year.  After you have you goals, write them down and post them somewhere you will see them and remember them. Tell someone else your goals and ask them to check back to see how you are doing. Let’s make 2012 a year of completions.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I want to take a moment to brag on a two teachers. I am so proud to be serving alongside Minerva and Veronica. Both of these teachers are so willing to help. There are few Sundays that go by when at least one of these two are not asking if all of the shifts are covered. Minerva and Veronica are two people that see the value in service and not only serve, but do it with joy. I know that they walk out of shifts encouraged, as well as, having encouraged the people around them. I want to encourage all staff to be service minded; joyfully serving others and in the process growing and developing your Christ-like heart. I appreciate all the staff that work so hard to make eight:sixteen kids a success. Thank You!

Got Gas?

I hate to drive with my gas light on. Not that anyone enjoys it, but I have been with people who calmly disregard the glaring signal of impending doom. To say it stresses me out is an understatement. Images of of lonely highways, 20-car-pileups, and the look on my wife's face when I call for a ride, begin to haunt my thoughts. For me, when the light comes on, I know I have already gone too far without refueling. If I run out of gas, at least, I have inconvenienced myself or someone else. At most, I have put myself and possibly others in danger. Could you imagine if there were no gas light or fuel gauge at all in your car? How would you know when you needed to refuel? You would probably make a habit of regularly filling up so that you wouldn't risk the possibility of reaching empty. It makes sense. 

Wouldn't it be nice to have a warning light that came on to let you know you were running on spiritual fumes? Something that said, "Hey! You need some quality time with God before you run out of fuel and have a pileup!". Although we don't have a light that comes on, we do have signs that warn us. Have you been quick to get upset? Have your thoughts wandered to a bad place? Have you felt discouraged? Have you compromised your values a little? Is your passion or creativity dwindling? Is your faith waning? All of these are examples of times when we need to fill up with the word of God and recharge with prayer and worship. If we don't make a habit of regularly refueling, chances are these warnings will pop up again and again. The danger in allowing ourselves to get too close to empty is, that we don't know what we are about to face and if the fuel we have will get us through undamaged.

My wife lived in Northridge, California in 1994. That may not mean anything to you. For those in Northridge and the surrounding area, there was an unforgettable event. There was a strong earthquake that caused many people to be without power, gas or water for over a week or longer. All of the stores that were open for business, were immediately cleared out of useful stock, especially water. The county began giving away jugs of water that would be distributed at various pickup locations. You would have to listen to the radio to find out where the water would be, then try to get there before it was gone. To do this, you needed a car because the locations were far and water is heavy. But, your car was no good if you didn't have gasoline. Unfortunately, most gas stations were not operating. You had to rely on the fuel that was in your car prior to the earthquake. For this reason, my wife usually does not allow her fuel gauge to dip below one fourth of a tank. She never knows when there will be an earthquake.

The same is true in our spiritual lives. We never know when the unexpected will strike. When it happens, will we be filled enough with the things of God to help us come through without damage? Maybe the unexpected is that a child disobeys or makes a huge mess? Or maybe the unexpected is that you lose your job or you find out that someone who is not your spouse, thinks you are the greatest thing that ever happened? How we handle these situations will depend greatly on whether or not we filled ourselves with the love and truth of God. 

As teachers and leaders, we are often giving out to others. And, we have people who are looking to us and up to us. For these reasons, as well as the well being of ourselves and our families, it is so important for us to stay filled with God's word and love. You want to make sure that what you are giving out is good and you don't want to find yourself in a situation where you are on empty and disaster strikes. 

Here are some suggestions if you find yourself running low on spiritual fuel:

Push through and pray

     If disconnecting from God is the problem then the first change needs to be a reconnect. The reality is that we walked away from time with God not the other way around. We need to come back to the relationship and the best way is to start talking again. God is always available to talk. Spend “real talk” times with God. David’s language in his prayers and songs to God show his intimate relationship with God. Even if it feels like an awakard reaquantiance at first, push through and pray. Make quiet time for listening as well.
Set up reading goals
     Be realistic in your goals. Deciding to go from no reading to 5 chapters a night seems great, but when you start getting behind it can become a hurdle that keeps you from reading at all. Choose a modest start and as you develop a habit and a passion for the word, naturally you will increase the amount you read and the frequency.

Connect with other believers and talk about God

     Spending time with other believers and talking about God not only can help encourage you, it can also help keep you accountable. The same theory applies for good habits rubbing off as it does for bad habits. When the people you are around love God and whole heartedly serve and worship Him, it will be easier for the good habits to rub off. One of the best ways to connect with other believers is at church. Attending services, bible studies, and events can help keep  you grounded and connected with others.

Bring God into your living room

     Your home is your primary mission field. Make sure that you keep the health and spirituality of your home a high priority.  Bring home the lessons and ideas and apply them to your family, your workplace, or your school. Take the time to live like a Christ Follower everywhere and model it to everyone.

 “Taste and see that the LORD is good” Psalm 34:8

     When you begin to develop a hunger for God you will know when you are dry. The more time you taste what a real relationship and life with God is, the more you will want it and the more you will know when you don’t have it. The best way to develop a better “gas light” is to keep developing your relationship with God.

The Name Game

Have you ever felt nameless? It's the feeling you get when you think no one at a given place and time cares about you or even knows who you are. It can often happen in large group settings such as classrooms, churches, DMV's, airports, and the like. Sometimes anonymity can work to your advantage. It can help you to not get called on to conjugate verbs in Spanish class or to easily slip out of a Weight Watchers meeting because you know you haven't been counting your points. Often times, being just one of the many anonymous bodies can be the ultimate source of frustration. Imagine your last trip to the DMV. How amazing would it be if you walked in and you were greeted by name instead of becoming J35? If the bouncer (I don't know what they are really called) who hands out the numbers said,

"Good morning Mrs. Smith. I'm so glad to see you today. I have everything ready because you had an appointment and I knew you were coming. How is your son's arm? I heard he broke it and couldn't play for the season. I really hope you are enjoying your new car. This license plate you came up with is so clever!"

Later you told your friend that you went to the DMV today and she said, 

"They are so nice there. I haven't been in months; maybe I'll stop by to say hi. I can’t wait to take my new driver’s license photo. They always make me look so good!" 

In this alternate universe where people want to go to the DMV, only one thing has changed. It’s the same paperwork, the same boring subject matter, the same fees, but a different feeling. At this DMV you feel like a person of value and not just a number. They know who you are and they care about your life.

Now, I’m not saying that going to kids church is like going to the DMV. I hope kids church is more fun than filling out form SR 19C, but the part about feeling like a valued person still applies. Children want to be known, especially by people who are older then them. Think about a time when someone you looked up to knew your name when you didn’t expect it? Or, remember the devastation you felt when someone didn’t know who you were? One time a child came into class and asked me, “Do you know my name?” It was the fourth time the child had attended, so I told him of course I knew it (I really did). He smiled with surprise. The simple fact of remembering his name helped him to connect to me and connect to the class and want to continue coming back. When someone knows your name you can be remembered and missed, praised and encouraged, as well as held accountable. Remembering a child’s name not only helps them to feel loved and like they belong, it also helps the teacher. Calling children by name cuts down on the chaos of shouting “hey you” and makes for a smoother class time.

For those of us without the strongest memories, here are 3 tips for remembering names:

1.    Repeat: When a child tells you his or her name, repeat it as many times as you can without seeming crazy.

Example: What’s your name? Did you say your name is James? Hi, James. I’m glad you came this morning. Hey everyone, this is James. Introduce yourselves to James and tell him how to play the game too.

2.    Associate: Try to find something you already know that you can associate with the name.

Example: Your name is James? My Grandpa’s name is James. Your name is Summer? Summer is my favorite season.

3.    Ask: Don’t be afraid to ask a child to repeat his or her name. Even if it has been four weeks and is now a little awkward. Start by saying something nice and then asking for a reminder. Then try tips 1 and 2 so you can remember.

Example: I’m so happy to see you again. You did such a great job with the Bible verse today. Will you remind me again of what your name is, I want to make sure I remember?

Have you had a good or bad experience with remembering a name or being remembered yourself? What do you do to remember names?

Video Tutorial HOW TO SUBSCRIBE

816 Kids EQUIP Blog Video Tutorial from Sunset Community Church on Vimeo.
A tutorial of how to subscribe to the 816Kids Blog.

Parents Are Not The Enemy

     Picture this scenario: You are finishing up yourpreparations for class when a child, who is undoubtedly wearing some kind of jet pack, zooms into the room. Of course he’s the first one there. And guess what? He brought his usual Sunday morning donut and Frappucino with extra chocolate. He proceeds to pull Skittles from he pocket as he asks the first of many questions pertaining to when you will be going outside. Mom and dad comein and say, "Good luck, he’s a bit active this morning."  At this point your mind may go to a bad place. And hopefully, those thoughts don’t make it to your lips. You can begin to see parents as the saboteurs of all you are trying to accomplish. You wonder, “Why do they load their child full of sugar and then wonder why he can’t stop moving?”or “They can’t even control their own child, but they expect me to miraculously tame him and teach a class.”
Bitterness toward parents can set in as we judge their choices and blame them for making our jobs more difficult. Parents become the enemy of children’s ministry when we forget that our purpose is to love people and share the truth of Christ. Building up walls of resentment puts us in a position where we can't see opportunity to love- to offer encouragement, pray for a need, or develop a relationship.
Children's ministry done correctly is actually family ministry. Children cannot control when they come to church or what time they arrive. They don't always have a choice for breakfast or get breakfast at all. They can't make their parents participate in take home lessons or family Bible studies. They can't force their parents to pray or trust God. To effectively reach children, we need to reach the parents.
The children's staff has the opportunity to engage with the whole family. Honestly, we have a unique view into people's lives. We see how children behave, how families interact, and we often hear more than we expected. We can take the information we gather and turn it against people by judging and gossiping or we can offer love and encouragement. We can pray for wisdom, opportunity, and boldness to speak into the lives of children and parents. We can ask God to give us his eyes and his heart for people so that we can see where healing is needed, where potential can be encouraged, and where love and kindness just need to be expressed.
To have a more effective family ministry:

     Make time with God a priority in your own life- You will know God's word and truth and be able to share it, as well as having a better, happier attitude.

     Pray- Before going to class, ask God to help you be bold and insightful in loving others-Sometimes loving and doing what's right can put you in a difficult situation. Don't get in over your head, ask a pastor for help.

     Greet every parent and child who comes to your class- Have something encouraging to say at drop off and pick up. Learning and remembering names can mean a lot.

     Ask questions without prying- Ask what parents took away from the service, how their child is doing in sports or if their is something they need prayer for.

     Listen and follow-up- If a child or parent told you something about their lives, let them know you care. Try to remember to ask how the situation turned out or let them know that you prayed.


What ideas do you have for reaching parents and the whole family? What do you do to encourage parents? Have you seen your relationships with parents make a difference?

Safe and Sound

  One of the main things parents look for in a children's ministry is a safe environment. It doesn't matter how many Bible verses your child learned if your child is missing at pick up. As children's staff members, safety needs to be our first concern. A safe place is loving and creates a good learning environment. I remember having lost a child once. Pick up time came and I was alone in a class with 30 kids. I tried to monitor all of the children, but was unsuccessful. A parent came to pick up a child and she was notthere. I panicked and did not know what to do. Two minutes later, the young girlopens the door and my heart slowed. She had walked herself to the bathroomwithout asking. The parents were happy, but I was not. I kept asking myself how Icould let that happen. What if it was worse? In a mid-sized church, where we tend to identify most of the people, we can get lax and make a lot of assumptions. It only takes one safety mistake to change the lives of a child and his or her family. The truth is, if we don’t have a safe environment, we will not be able to reach kids.

Here are a few safety procedures to follow:

TakeRoll Often-

     Keeping track of the kids is key. Make sure to take one formal roll call at least oncein the class. The rest of the time just in your head compare the list to thekids in your class. If your class moves from one location to another then makesure to retake roll to ensure that all kids are still present. Finally checkout all of the kids using your roll sheet as a check off.

Get To Know Allergies and Special Conditions-
     Makesure to check the roll sheet for allergies and special conditions that childrencould have. Don’t let kids share food or drinks.

WalkKids To Bathrooms-

     Neversend a child any where alone and never go alone with a child. If you have achild who needs to go to the bathroom, take 2 or more kids and walk them. Youdon’t need to go in the bathroom, but just walk them to the bathroom and wait outside. If there is any kind of bathroom emergency or accident, call a pastor or director for help.

CollectCheck Out Slips-

     If aparent doesn’t have a check out slip make sure to write down on the roll sheetwho picked them up. If you do not recognize them ask to see and ID first. Don'tlet kids run off. Kids cannot check other kids out.

KeepYour Eye Out For Hazards And People-

     Let apastor or director know if you see any hazards. Let a pastor or director knowif you see any suspicious people hanging around. If you ever feel unsafe call aPastor immediately. Do not allow people who are not on the schedule to hangaround. If a parent want to stay please contact a pastor or director. They willneed to fill out an information card.

Use Crosswalks And Have Leaders At The front Of A Line-

     Make sure to travel safely to and fromlocations in lines. Have a leader in front and in back especially when travellingthrough the parking lot.

Team Teach-

     Whenever possible have at least 2 teachers in aclass. It is so important to come if you are scheduled to teach. Being understaffed creates a chaotic environment and opens the door for disasters.

Pay Attention-

     Most dangerous situations can be caughtbefore they even start. Watch kids carefully and pay attention to where they are playing and what they are doing.Don't get so caught up in a conversation with a child, staff member or  parent that your attention is not on the kids. Having structured activities helps to control the environment.

Use Playground And Equipment Correctly-

     Make sure to watch kids on the play groundand not allow kids to use the equipment unsafely.

If you ever have any questions or concerns donot hesitate to talk to a pastor or director.

I want to take a moment to brag on a teaching team. I am so proud to be serving alongside of Ray and Kristine Jones.  Both of them think so creatively in teaching and disciplining. They always have fun games and projects to do with their students. They also have effective techniques for creating a good learning environment. Ray had an opportunity arise in a very energetic student. Instead of sending the student to time out, he had the student burn off energy. This wise insight solved the energy problem that was causing distraction and keeping the child from properly participating. I want to encourage all of the staff to think creatively and let me know if you have any ideas. One brain can only come up with so many solutions. By putting our heads together, we can create more successful plans. I appreciate all the staff that work so hard to make eight:sixteen kids a success. Thank You!

Welcome to the first of  many training notes, videos, and articles designed specifically for eight:sixteen kids staff! Check in often for great, new content. My goal is for you to be equipped to handle any classroom or small/large group situation. This blog will be a combination of ideas that my wife and I worked through, as well as resources from friends and other children's pastors. I am excited to provide you with helpful tools that will better your teaching experience and the impact you have on children.