KIDZ CLub Lessons
I have developed a program for children's ministry that I think you will find useful. We have our program on Wednesday night and reach quite a few KIDZ in our community. I have been in ministry for several years. I have taken some of my experience and ideas and developed something that I hope will help others reach KIDZ for Jesus!!
+++++Remember when you reach out to KIDZ you could be reaching them for eternity+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Every Lesson follows this format:
1. Registration
2. Welcome / Introduction
3. Praise & Worship
4. Announcements
5. Offering / Prayer
6. Memory Verse
7. Object Lesson / Key Idea
8. Teaching Time
9. Prayer / Wrap-up
10. Game
11. Snack / Fellowship
12. Close / Announcements
Here are some general pointers about each part of the lesson:
1. Registration
I found that the more KIDZ we had attending, the more time it took to get the important information we needed. I solved this by starting a few minutes earlier than announced and registering the KIDZ at the door. During registration I took down addresses, ages, phone numbers, and gave credit for attendance and other rewards. It has has also been beneficial to give the KIDZ name tags. Especially when younger children attend and are shy about communicating.
2. Welcome / Introduction
This time can set the tone of the evening. It is important to welcome the KIDZ, tell them how great they behaved the previous week, etc. I keep this part rather brief.
3. Praise & Worship
Here I keep the music to one song per evening. This might change in the future, but our time has been limited and the KIDZ attention seems to fit one song. I found a CD that is full of popular praise and worship choruses sung by KIDZ! There are many CD's available for children's praise. The KIDZ have responded very well to our music.
4. Announcements
This is the time to share important information. I remind the KIDZ of our rules, tell them about upcoming activities and so on.
5. Offering and Prayer
I have a partner who does this part of the service for me. The offering time has been a competition between the boys and girls. We have a wooden cut-out of a boy with his arms outstretched (The arms are attached so that they move like a teeter totter). We put some plastic pails on his "hands". The heaviest pail lowers and that side - boys or girls - wins. We happen to have a blue and pink pail to represent boys / girls. The wooden figure has been a part of the church for years and is called "Sam-Sam the Money Man". This competition could also be done by simply counting the money. My partner usually talks a little about what offering is about, prays, then has the offering "march". She sends the KIDZ to the back and they walk around to one side. Then they bring their money to the pails. I usually play one of our P&W songs during the march.
6. Memory Verse
Each month I choose a key verse that will fit the theme of the month. We learn the verse a variety of ways. The first month I chose a verse that was set to an old song. It did not work very well. Now I use simple hand motions and other methods like erasing words from the board each time we say it. This month they learned the verse pretty well by the second week.
7. Object Lesson /Key Idea
The Object lesson is a critical part of the whole program. It triggers ideas for the KIDZ and helps them better understand the teaching time. I have developed a wide variety of activities to do this. (See the website on Object Lessons)
8. Teaching Time
This is the most important time and the children should be taught to show reverence and listen. Limit bathroom breaks or other distractions. The teaching time should be kept simple and relevant to the KIDz needs. It is critical that the lessons be biblical and not just on how to be a good person. Children today are becoming more Bible illiterate. This is our opportunity to teach them the word using the stories and principles from the Word of God.
9. Prayer / Wrap up
This is equally important to the teaching time. KIDz should be given the opportunity to make a decision for Christ. T
(It is essential to have a reliable helper / partner. In this case my partner is my pastor's wife. She wanted to be a part of what was happening, but did not want full responsiblity. She has been an excellent sounding board and has helped me with many valuable ideas.)
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