 Children’s
Ministry is just what it says; “Ministry by children to children”.
Most of what we learn in life is caught, not taught.
At the Super Kids we have an opportunity to expose children to the Word of God at an early age.
The role of the Children's Ministry is to re-enforce Biblical value systems in the lives of children, but we can never replace the role of parents in training a child in the way he should go (Proverbs 22:6).
There is just one way to bring up a child in the way he should go, and that is to travel that way yourself. If our words say one thing and our actions another, our children ultimately follow our actions. We need to model our lifestyle and consistently and practically live the things we teach our children.
Modelling is the most lasting way of teaching our children. Perhaps the greatest challenge we will ever face as parents is discovering God's destiny and purpose for our children, and then guiding them towards its fulfilment. We cannot escape our God-ordained responsibility to raise our children to hear and obey His voice however difficult and demanding. The future of our children depends on our obedience to God as parents. As parents, we should work towards unlocking our children's potential. In the end, that is the greatest gift we can give them - to help them become the people God created them to be.
Why is it that most Christians seem to think that the bigger the stature or size of a person, the more important his ministry? Is it not the same Holy Spirit that dwells within every one of God's children, big or small?
We tend to sometimes forget that Jesus did not come to earth as a grown-up. He had a father and a mother and He knows what it is like to be a child. Perhaps because of this first hand knowledge He developed a love and genuine compassion for children.
We find references in all the Gospels that show that Jesus enjoyed children. He encountered them everywhere He travelled. What is also quite significant is that they heard His teachings and saw His miracles. They sought and as children sometimes, commanded His attention (Mark 10:13-16). In all the Gospel's, the Lord's response to them was one of love and acceptance. A look at Jesus' attitude during these encounters can help us learn how to relate to the children in our lives.
Jesus respected children, identified Himself with them, spent time with them, and took time to pay attention to them and used their behaviour to illustrate His teachings. He blessed them, fed them, healed them, let them help Him, and gladly received the praise of children affirming it as worthy, in God's sight. Jesus commended the children's childlike faith and called on adults to imitate them. He came to also give children salvation. He wants us to share His "Good News" with them. Jesus likens the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven as being childlike in their faith. God responds to the childlike faith, simple obedience, attitude and approach of people to life's situations.
Feeding the young of the flock is a high and significant calling. It is an honour and privilege to help lay foundations in the hearts of children, to teach them Biblical, Godly principals that will affect their lives for eternity.
As a Children's Ministry we are helping to lay the foundation stones that last for a lifetime. We must ask ourselves "Will the children in our care live strong, unshakable lives as a result of the foundation we helped lay?"
We need to realise that children are not the church of tomorrow, they are the church of today. As much as parents are members of the Body of Christ, so are children. They need training in "Body Life" and ministry so that when they become adults they recognise their place in the Body.
In the children's ministry we want to make sure that every child:
Has the opportunity to except the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Saviour
Gains Bible knowledge:
Know the Word
Believe the Word
Do the Word
Experiences a Spirit filled life:
Get the opportunity to be filled with the Holy Spirit
Learn to live a Spirit-filled life
Grow Spiritually
Learn to be a servant
Practice Christian living
Our aim is the following:
To raise up and equip children to know their identity in Christ.
To motivate children to recognise God's purpose for their lives and help them achieve it.
To develop future leaders.
To make disciples of them and teach them how to win souls for Christ.
The material we use includes exciting lessons, a quiz, object lessons, activities etc. around a central Bible truth, with memory verses to help children apply the Bible truths in their day by day experiences of life.
The children's church runs concurrently with the morning services throughout the year.
Bring your Children with you to Church and we will take good care fo them at Super Kids, every Sunday 8:00am and 10:00am.
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Our aim is to involve every child in the Children’s Ministry wherever possible. We do not just want to teach our children about God we want them to experience the Lord. Ministry, simply defined is meeting peoples needs and any child can do that. It is not just teaching them to serve the Lord, but showing them how and through this they are given opportunity to do the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4:11) in some or other area. At a young age they also discover their specfic gifting when ministering to other chidren and even adults.
To achieve this, teams can be formed where children can freely participate.
All our team helpers receives special team buttons with their team name on.
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Ministry Teams
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Welcome Team
These are children who have been identified through their spontaneous natures of having the gift of making other chidren feel welcome.
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Prayer Team
This team consists of children who have shown an active interest to pray regularly without the usual coaxing. At a young age we can already identify future intercessors. Together with the leaders they pray and minister to the children.
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Praise and Worship
Here we identify the little ‘David’s’ who have shown an active interest in helping to lead with music and who also have an ear for music. Once a week they practice the songs for the coming Sunday with the adult music leaders.
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In His Service
These are children who enthusiastically volunteer to help in some or other area of the Children’s Ministry, e.g. ushering, helping with sound, etc.
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The Super Kids are divided into 3 different age groups:
- Babies (age 18 months – 3 years)
- Pre-School Children (age 3 years – 6 years)
- School going Children (age 7 years – 13 Years)
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1. Babies (age 18 months – 3 years)
Characteristics
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Need warmth, safety and love.
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Are self-centered.
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Do not trust others.
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Start to learn right from wrong.
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Want to explore and discover their environment.
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Imitate actions.
Ministry Task
We strive to make the little ones welcome and secure. We build up trust and loving relationships weekly by guiding them to trust other children and help them discern and enjoy the presence of God.
Hints for the leader
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Patience is the key to successful interaction.
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Use games to inforce Bible principles.
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Create the opportunity for them to learn about their environment by exposing them to eg. flowers, bugs, pets etc.
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Be sensitive to basic needs.
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Develop a routine, it helps to create trust stability and securtiy.
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Help them to recognise the values of right and wrong thinking and doing.
The Following Curriculum is used:
Babies Bible Class
Operation Family Publishing
By Anne Robinson
Tel 011 792 1151
Fax 011 792 4548
Email: ncadmin@newcreation.co.za
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2. Pre-School Children (age 3 years – 6 years)
Characteristics
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Cannot identify with other’s feelings because they are still self-centered and tend to focus on their own feelings.
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Cannot reason logically because they are still literal thinkers.
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Energetic and seem to be constantly on the go.
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Ask “Why” and “How” questions.
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Their attention span is about 10 minutes.
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Have ability to memorize short verses.
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They easily relate to God in a personal way and can therefore be taught to trust God, and ask for help in their needs.
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Easily believe in and receive Christ as their Saviour.
Ministry Task
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Help the children to listen and respond to others.
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Help them to sympathize with and help others.
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The message of salvation must be clearly presented and always followed by an invitation to accept Jesus as their Lord as Saviour.
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Make them understand that God wants to be their Father and that He will never fail them or let them down, even though people will fail and let them down.
Hints for the leader
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Give simple, and easily understandable answers to questions.
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Use songs with actions.
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Create the opportunity to touch and examine things.
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Continuously change activities every 5-10 minutes.
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Encourage group playing and activity.
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Teach simple Bible verses.
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Use visual aids.
The Following Curriculum is used
Gospel Light Sunday School Curriculum
SANSA Educational Distributors
Contact Person: Yvonne Gibson
Tel 011 487 1840
Fax 011 6484278
E-mail: sanssa@iafrica.com
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3.School going Children (age 7 years – 13 Years)
A. Ages 7 years – 10 years
Characteristics
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Are quick and easy learners.
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Enjoy information and spiritual food.
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Explore their growing skills as Christians.
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Enjoy strenuous activity.
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Want to help and need to be taught “how”.
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Enjoy simple reading exercizes because they arelearning to read.
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Memorize words more easily.
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Relate to children their own age.
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Always seeking adult approval.
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Can discern between right and wrong.
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Can boldly learn to pray and live for the Lord.
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Need spiritually mature examples.
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Are quick to receive Jesus as Saviour.
Ministry Task
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Help them to become aware of how to care for other children.
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Provide help in exploring faith.
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Encourage them to reach out to others.
Hints for the leader
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Plan activities that include movement.
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Try to vary the program every 10-15 minutes.
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Encourage memory work.
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Use related testimonies of other children to challenge them to witness.
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Encourage them to give to the local church as well as missions, etc.
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Present God’s Word as true and trustworthy.
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Give a clear presentation of the message of salvation and invite them to receive Christ.
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Use family relationships when explaining salvation.
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Teach them how to find books, chapters, and verses in the Bible.
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Prefer non-competitive activities.
B. Ages 11 years – 13 years
Characteristics
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Start gaining independence. Want to go places and do things.
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Respond to adventure, camp and outdoor activities.
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Inquisitive and eager to learn.
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Have an excellent memory. This is the best time to memorise.
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Have increased concentration.
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Like to be recognised by their own peers. They compare themselves to others.
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Want to belong. Gang-spirited.
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Begin to practise effective Christian life.
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Aware of fair and unfair situations.
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Respond to teaching on spiritual growth.
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Can understand doctrinal truths.
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Ask questions about Christianity.
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Have an interest in people and can be good witnesses.
Ministry Task
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Encourage them to practise and develop a living relationship with God.
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Teach them to witness effectively.
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Equip them for future service in the kingdom.
Hints for the leader
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Encourage them to look to the Bible for solutions to their problems.
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Plan challenging projects and Bible games.
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Create friendly competition.
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Encourage high standards in every thing.
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Leaders must always point them to Christ who can forgive them and save from sin.
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Present Christ as King and Lord.
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Challenge them to have personal devotions daily.
The Following Curriculum is used
Safari Club (Children 6-12)
Jackson’s Ridge Children’s MinistryTraining Centre
Tel 014 597 3474
Fax 014 597 3474
E-mail: evanbrommel@jacksonsridge.org
www.jacksonsridge.org
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What happens on a Sunday? |
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Prayer meeting for all leaders 45 minutes before the time.
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Children’s church starts with prayer.
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Children are welcomed, the rules are explained to them and necessary announcements are made.
Rules:
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Be on time.
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Everyone must participate in praise and worship.
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No talking while one of the leaders are teaching.
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Participation is encouraged by raising hands and asking questions.
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No walking or running or causing unnecessary disturbances without permission.
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Keep facility clean by putting waste in trashcans.
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Do not interrupt main adult services, until main service is finished.
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Always bring your Bible to Super Kids.
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Visitors are welcomed and given a welcome card.
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Children who celebrated a birthday during the past week are called forward and given a birthday card.
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Offering is taken up by one of the leaders.
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Praise and worship takes place corporately.
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Lesson presentation follows praise and worship and lasts the duration of the adult church service.
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Altar calls are done and the children given the opportunity to respond to the Salvation call.
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| Welcoming visitors and fussing over them is very important at the Super Kids |
Every Child wants to feel welcome and belong
All visitors get a welcome card to the Super Kids as well as a sweet to make them feel extra welcome. |
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Every Child wants to feel special
All children who celebrated their birthday are given a Happy Birthday Card as well as a sweet and the whole group makes them feel extra SPECIAL. A special prayer is also prayed over them. |
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The Super Bucks are used to encourage the children to know their memory verses, to bring their Bibles and to bring their friends.
This is only a short-term reward.
Once a term the children will have the opportunity to put their savings to use. All the children who have saved their Super Bucks will have the opportunity to buy items from the cupboard. These are normally items that are connected to a spiritual theme. For example: a Bible, pencils and stationary with verses on, Christian cards bookmarks, etc. There are also sweets, toffees, chocolates, etc.
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Salvation Card
This card is given to each child who decides to follow Jesus. It gives them the opportunity to share their testimony. It serves as a certificate to remind them of the day they received salvation. It also encourages the parents to bring their children to Super Kids because they can see the fruit of salvation in the lives of their children. |
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Harvest Events |
Regular harvest events are planned to invite other children to the Super Kids and to make parents aware of the church.
The following activities are arranged in order to involve as many children as possible: |
Fun Sunday
This is a fun Sunday at the Super Kids where the focus is on new children and not just the lesson material.
Example:
Doughnut Sunday
Ice-cream Sunday
Games Sunday
Hot Dog Sunday
Pancake and Hot Chocolate Sunday
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Special Fun Day
This is a day of fun on a Saturday where an outing is organised for all children with their friends and parents.
Example:
Hiking day
Picnic
Roller-blade Day
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Outreach at shows and carnivals
This is an excellent way to reach out and it gives children the opportunity to share their personal testimony. It includes free face painting stints where the gospel is shared while faces are being painted.
The FREE TICKET is used to invite children to visit the Super Kids. This may be the only time where unsaved children and their parents will be exposed to the Word of God. Remember it may just change their lives forever.
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Super Kids Camp
This is a children’s camp which is held annualy. The children are taken away for the whole weekend to an exciting location. This creates the opportunity to minister to them, to speak into their lives, to lead them to the Lord and help them realise the value of good Christian friends.
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Always try to use any gathering of children as an event where they...
...can be reached.
...can be ministered to.
...can be saved.
...can be encouraged to visit or join the Children’s Ministry.
All leaders are required to help arrange such an event and it is compulsory for the leaders to attend. |
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