Tour Guide for Life

Don't think of yourself as just a teacher. Think of yourself as life's tour guide. Your task is to plan the itinerary, show the children the places of learning, and then let them explore and discover God's Word for themselves.

Talk with your students like a tour guide. For example, while finger painting or sculpting clay, talk about the color and texture of the materials. Describe what you and the children are experiencing. Let your students share their own descriptions. Linking language with sight, sound, and activities teaches important pre-reading skills to your preschoolers and helps reach students of all ages who learn in different ways. In fact, the more senses students use to experience a lesson, the more likely they are to remember the lesson long after it's over.

Enthusiastic Teaching

Don't be afraid to share your enthusiasm with your Bible club students. The word enthusiasm means "of God." Excellent curriculum and a biblically accurate lesson may not make any substantial impact in the hearts of the children if the lesson is presented in a boring or disinterested way.

Get excited about the Lord, and let it show in your posture, your eyes, and your voice! Greet the children with joy as they enter your room. Your enthusiasm will prove to your students that you aren't just reading from a book of fiction. Rather, God's Word is real and life-changing, and He is worth getting to know!

The Peace of Christ

Jesus Christ brought peace to humankind when He came into this world, but it was a personal peace, not a political peace. "And on earth peace..." (Luke 2:14) was part of the angel's announcement of the birth of Christ.

Thirty-three years later, as Jesus prepared to leave His friends and followers, He said to them, "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid" (John 14:24).

When things are topsy-turvy in our lives, we can remember promises such as these:
"I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety" (Psalm 4:8).
"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You" (Isaiah 26:3).
"Great peace have they who love Your law, and nothing can  make them stumble." (Psalm 119:165).
"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7).

Even when the trials of the world seem overwhelming, we have a deep peace beyond anything we can understand through the love of our Savior, Jesus.

Make No Assumptions

By Becky Ussery

Your teacher training session is just around the corner, and you're staring at a list of volunteers—a mixture of people from various backgrounds. You have Rookies, Veterans, and Experts with a wide range of abilities and teaching experiences. How can you possibly meet all their needs?

Identify which category your volunteers fall into, and then customize training to meet their unique needs. Rather than having individual meetings for Rookies, Veterans, and Experts, sprinkle in a variety to meet all their needs. The following ideas will help you understand your volunteers and provide them with the basic skills needed for each experience level.

ROOKIES

Your new teachers and assistants come to training with preconceived ideas about what's going to take place in their classrooms. They're either eager to pitch in and make a difference—or terrified at the possibility of being asked to pitch in and make a difference! This is your opportunity to set their minds at ease, inform them about the basic ins and outs of their responsibilities, and let them know what's really going to take place in their classrooms.

Training Needs

Relationships—Introduce all new teachers to your team. Let your Rookies know that they're a welcome, valuable part of your team. Present each new teacher with a tote bag of supplies or a tub of materials as a welcome gift. Intentionally plug Rookies into relationships with Veterans and Experts by having them pair up for discussion and prayer times.

Mission Statement—Provide Rookies with the written mission statement for your ministry. Let them know that accomplishing this mission will be their motivation for all that takes place in their classrooms.

Job Descriptions—Develop job descriptions for the different positions within your ministry. By the way, these can be one paragraph long. Give each Rookie the appropriate job description.

Age-Level Characterisics—Provide age-specific information for the grade level each Rookie ministers to.

Curriculum—Review the curriculum you've chosen with your Rookies, focusing on each component of the lesson. Consider having a mock classroom to demonstrate teaching a lesson. (Your Experts can even teach this.) Include a suggested schedule that'll also be posted in the classroom as a backup reminder to keep things moving in class.

Safety—Review safety procedures and administrative policies regarding finding substitutes, chain of command, discipline methods, and confidentiality agreements.

Supplies—Tell Rookies about your resource area. Discuss your system for checking out resources, purchasing supplies, and adhering to classroom budgets.

Partners—Pair Rookies with Veterans or Experts in classrooms. Have partners evaluate the teaching sessions in four-week intervals. Encourage teaching teams to pray together for the children in their classes as well as for each other.

VETERANS

With one year in children's ministry under their belts, your Veterans can be a valuable resource. They've learned by trial and error how to run a classroom and have experienced success in making curriculum and schedules work. It's time to take your Veterans to a deeper level and further develop their skills and interests to make an even greater impact on children.

Training Needs

Mission Statement Review—Keep your mission statement and policies in front of your Veterans. Everyone needs a "refresher course" on these topics.

Job Description—Have your Veterans review their job descriptions to see if they've been taking on too much or if there are responsibilities they've let slip through the cracks.

Skill Development—Help Veterans pinpoint their "specialties" so you can help further develop those skills. Provide training from guest speakers or team members on worship, prayer, Bible teaching, and creativity geared toward children.

Growth Plan—Have Veterans identify personal areas for improvement. Connect your Veterans with other volunteers who have strengths in these areas.

Deeper Training—Provide in-depth training on teaching skills and understanding the needs of children. Discuss learning styles, involving the five senses in lessons, delegating responsibilities, in-home visitation, and outreach projects.

Veteran Stories—Have your Veterans share testimonials with Rookies about what they learned during their first year in the classroom. Use their enthusiasm to make announcements to the congregation about children's events and recruiting needs.

EXPERTS

Volunteers who've put in five or more years of service are unique in their own way. They've gained a great deal of experience in the classroom and have seen their assistants and other teachers come and go. They may've begun teaching out of guilt or just to fill a slot, but they've found a reason to stay. Your best way to provide continuing training for your Experts is to find out why they've stayed in the game and maximize on their desires. Show respect for the years of service your Experts have given to children's ministry. Help them stretch beyond their experiences by introducing them to new resources and strategies for ministry.

Training Needs

Ministry Reminders—Remind your Experts of nuts and bolts of your ministry, such as your mission statement, administrative policies, and procedures. Provide Experts with age-level characteristics, curriculum overviews, and administrative policies annually. Go over any changes to curriculum, schedules, classroom assignments, or teaching teams on paper and in person. Ask for Experts' feedback the first week after any changes have been implemented.

New job Descriptions—Have your Experts create or edit their job descriptions to fairly represent all they're doing. This will provide affirmation about the impact they're making on children. It'll also give them an opportunity for personal evaluation in areas where they may've started "coasting" through the preparation process out of familiarity with the curriculum or children.

Personal Touch—Spend one-on-one time with your Experts outside of your regular training sessions. Ask for their input on special events and additional programs for your ministry. Train them to handle responsibilities in these areas with less involvement from you. Ask these volunteers to tell you what's working in their classrooms. Affirm them for the work they're doing and ask how you can help. What areas of development would your Experts like to explore? Just ask them. Have them suggest possible topics to cover in future training sessions, and see if they'd be willing to serve on a question-and-answer panel or teach about a topic they've suggested.

Extended Training—Pay for your Experts to receive training at national and regional conferences where they can choose the seminars they want to attend. Have them report what they learn to your Rookies and Veterans.

Leadership Development—Help your Experts recognize their opportunity to make contributions to the teachers with whom they teach as well as the children in their classes. Pair these teachers with Rookies and Veterans. Your volunteers will learn from each other if you promote these relationships.

Feedback—Allow Experts to offer advice on problems in the classroom and share common experiences and struggles. Before making any dramatic changes in curriculum choices, teaching teams, or classroom assignments, ask for your Experts' feedback. Valuing their opinions and insights will make them stronger team players when changes are implemented.

Update—Some Experts may feel close to retiring from your team because they think children today have changed too much since their first classroom of kids. Other Experts are teaching in your children's ministry because they know it's what God created them to do, and they wouldn't consider doing anything else. Either way, Experts need to keep in touch with today's kids. Create a "What's Hot" list detailing the interests of kids in each age group. Include movies, books, hobbies, clothing trends, and other details, with a brief description or blurb about each topic. Give your Experts their own copies of Children's Ministry Magazine to keep them in the know. Better yet, encourage your Experts to survey kids about their interests. Although members of your ministry team have different levels of experience and talents, your training can level the field and help all of them, regardless of their years of service, feel confident and equipped to accomplish the mission the Lord has laid out for them and the children in your church. Your sensitivity to your volunteers' needs and understanding of how to effectively address their concerns and interests will lay the foundation for a strong and effective team that sticks together for the long haul.

Encouraging Long-Term Service

While many people are willing to volunteer for a year or so, long-term workers are harder to find. What can you do to turn your Rookies and Veterans into Experts? Make a strong start with the following steps.

Pray, pray, pray. When facing the challenge of recruiting volunteers and assigning teachers to classrooms, ask God to lead you to the specific people he wants ministering to children.

Make it personal. Approach each individual personally, focusing on gifts rather than availability. When you know the specific positions you need filled and the best types of people to fill them, seek out individuals who are good matches—not just warm bodies.

Connect consistently. You've only begun your job when your classes are staffed with equipped teachers. Your volunteers need to see your face and hear your voice weekly. Lend support verbally and physically. Offer to serve as an assistant from time to time. Volunteer to take over a class to give a teacher a non-vacation related break. Call, visit, and send notes.

Listen as you lead. Ask for input from your teachers about ideas, implementing as many as you can to give them ownership in children's ministry.

Offer timely training. Meet in large and small groups throughout the year. Hold weekly or monthly prayer times whenever possible.

Develop relationships outside of your roles. Take time to invest in the lives of your volunteers, not just in their ministries.

Practice what you preach. Demonstrate the level of commitment you expect from your workers. Treat your volunteers as if they were your class.

Be flexible. Keep in mind that children's ministry isn't the only area where your workers are involved. They need personal ministry, time with family, and occasional breaks from the grind. Keep the doors of communication open so you're approachable when your workers need to ask for getaways. Better yet, build into each person's job description a clause that provides for refueling and time off at the end of a yearly rotation. When people know they have a break coming, they're likely to be more consistent.

© 2001 Children's Ministry Magazine. Used by permission. To learn more about Children's Ministry Magazine and how to subscribe go to Children's Ministry Magazine. Use your browser's back button to return to ChristianEdWarehouse.com

Tips for Teaching Primaries

First and second graders are really developing their personalities and becoming more intellectual. Here are some tips for teaching your primaries. More hints and tips can be found on our website, ChristianEdWarehouse.com.

A Blooming Story
Here's a unique way for a story to unfold. Cut identical size circles, one for each element of your story plus one more. Use one circle as the center of your story plus one more. Use one circle as the center of a flower, glue an appropriate picture or print the title of the story on it. Use the other circles as flower petals. Attach them with staples. Print or put a picture of each story element on the petals so they are in order clockwise. Then beginning with the last element of the story and working toward the first element of the story, fold all the petals behind the center of the flower. Now you are ready to tell the story. Introduce the story with the center of the flower, and fold each petal forward as each story element is told. When the story is finished, the flower will be in full bloom.

Color Day
Help your students remember lessons better. Design the lesson around a color featured in the lesson. (For example, blue can be used for a lesson about the children of Israel crossing the sea or Jesus walking on the water.) On Blue Day (or whatever color you choose) everyone must wear something blue. (Have some blue ribbons or bandanas available for children who don't wear blue.) Snacks must be blue. Everything you do must have something to do with blue. What do you do as a follow-up to a color day? Why, have black and white day, of course!

Party TableclothHelp your students design their own party tablecloth. Use a flat, white, twin-size bed sheet. Place newspapers under it to prevent the colors from bleeding onto the floor. Use fabric dye markers for drawing or writing. Use acrylic paint in a shallow pan for hand prints. Personalize the tablecloth with everyone's signature. You can use the tablecloth again and again throughout the year for special events or to add interest to your room. If you wish, choose a central theme or make the tablecloth for a special occasion.

Look! Up in the sky! It's a lesson visual!
When setting up visual displays, don't limit yourself to bulletin boards. Other possible display areas include the classroom door, the sides of a desk, the sides of a file cabinet, or the back of a piano. You can use large cardboard boxes for movable stand-up room displays. If you feel adventurous, use the ceiling and have everyone lay on the floor for the lesson!

Primary humorOrdinary things out of place are funny to primaries. Mix things up. Do things backwards. For primaries, silly is fun. When you plant a seed, don't use a flower pot (that's too ordinary); plant your seeds in an old tennis shoe. That's something your students will talk about.

This week, shape the future
Most people only talk about making the world a better place, but you are doing something about it! In a series of experiments on the moral development of children, a significant discovery was made: children who are enrolled in Sunday school showed significantly better conduct in the areas of honesty, cooperation, persistence, and inhibition of undesirable behavior! How important is this week's lesson? You are making this world a better place. You are shaping the future!

Keep it concrete
Primaries are making tremendous intellectual progress. By this age they can manipulate data mentally, come to some logical conclusions, and define, compare, and contrast things. But they still do not understand symbolism. After touring the defense plant where her daddy worked, one first grader resisted when told it was time to go home. She cried, "But I haven't seen where Daddy makes the money yet!" When teaching primaries, say what you mean and mean what you say. Always teach them in literal concrete terms.

Teacher Appreciation Cards

Recognize your summer workers, teachers, and volunteers with handmade cards created by your students.

Give each child a half sheet of construction paper. Hand out markers, glitter glue, puff paints, scissors, and stickers. Talk about some of the people in your church who serve God on a regular basis or who have served during the summer months (missionaries, pastors, teachers, music leaders, custodians, volunteers, etc.) 


Explain that each child will make an appreciation card to give to some of these Christian servants, showing them they are appreciated. Print some Bible verses on the board for the children to include on their cards. As they work, have a volunteer read Mark 10:44 aloud. Explain that this verse teaches that the greatest people in the kingdom of God are those who serve. Say a prayer of thanks for each of the workers and their ministry.

Tell your students that Jesus is our best example. He came to give His life for us and to save us from sin. Invite any children who want to accept Jesus as Savior to talk with you afterward. Distribute the cards during the week along with a large candy bar, an All-Stars for Jesus Pin (item #14824), or a couple of balloons (item #14820) to each worker.

Good Question!

As a Bible Club leader or helper, you must rely heavily on questions to generate discussions. Your Leader’s Guide will provide some wonderful discussion starters and questions to get your group talking. You will need to do quite a bit of restating and condensing of your students/ comments and the ideas they give during discussions. You will also need to summarize and clarify what your students say so everyone understands. Your use of questions will be a helpful guide in the progress of your discussion.

Six questions—what, why, when, where, who, and how—can form the basis for many different kinds of discussion questions. Here are some forms of questions (in addition to those suggested in your curriculum) you may want to try:

•   Fact-finding questions help children learn information and data.

•   Ambiguous questions have several meanings (or answers) to help keep the discussion moving.

•   Leading questions seek or suggest answers and can be used when no one knows what to say next.

•   Provocative questions are designed to incite an argument or debate and wake up your group.

•   Direct questions are aimed at a specific person.

•   Relayed questions are used when someone asks you a question and you pass it on to another student to answer.

•   Reverse questions are used when someone asks you a question and you refer it back to the questioner.

•   Either/or questions force the group to make a choice.

•   Multiple-choice questions help to ascertain priorities.

To begin, ask simple questions–some with obvious answers. Try to use a variety of questions that do not have simple yes or no answers. Give the children time to think. It may help to ask the question two or three times. Pause after each question so the children have time to think it over before responding. Respect each answer, even if it is not exactly the one you were seeking. (See the post from February 18, “Leading Discussions with Kids,” for more helpful info.) Soon your questions and answers will develop into helpful discussions, and you will be on your way to helping your students really understand the lessons!

Leading a Child to Christ

When presenting the salvation message to kids in any setting—Sunday school, Bible club, kids camp, or children's church—be prepared for questions. Have an adult Christian talk individually with each child who responds to your invitation. Ask the child, “What decision do you want to make?” or ask, “What do you want Jesus to do for you?” Let the child say in his own words what decision he wants to make. Don’t put words in the child’s mouth.

Depend on the Holy Spirit to work within His own timetable to make the plan of salvation clear to the child. After ascertaining that the child does want to accept Jesus as his Savior, and answering any questions he has, share what the Bible teaches about salvation:

1. God loves you — John 3:16

2. You have done wrong things (sinned) — Romans 3:23

3. God says that those wrong things must be punished — Romans 6:23

4. God sent Jesus to take the punishment for us — Isaiah 53:5

5. Tell God you are sorry for the wrong things you have done — I John 1:9

6. Ask Jesus to be in charge of your life and be your Savior — John 3:16-17

Talk and pray individually with each child. Let the child pray his own prayer asking Jesus to be his Savior. Explain that the student is now God's child. Let him know that God promises to never leave him. Explain that God will help him do what's right, and God wants the child to get to know Him better. Clarify any questions the child may have. Help the child say a prayer of thanks for what Jesus has done for him. Then pray aloud, thanking God for the child.

Also talk with the child’s parents, informing them of the student’s response and sharing your views of their child's spiritual development. Encourage the parents to help the child pray, read the Bible, obey God, attend church and Sunday school, and tell others about Jesus. (This may be a good opportunity to tell the parents about Jesus.)

When presenting the plan of salvation, group invitations should usually be avoided for preschoolers and elementary children due to the “herd” instinct of small children. Rather, talk with the children individually to determine which children are ready to receive Christ as Savior of their lives. Keep the children in prayer, and trust God to do His work in each child’s life.

What Kind of Bible Club Leader Are You? (Part 2)

As a Bible Club leader or teacher,  it is important to nurture and develop in yourself the qualities and skills you need to relate to children in a helpful way. The first part of this article was posted on April 5. Here are six additional questions to ask yourself:

5. Am I innovative and creative?

Creative ideas are valuable only when they are actually implemented. A creative Bible Club leader must be able to dream up ideas as well as make those ideas happen. In addition, creative leaders must be able to take someone else’s idea and make it a reality in their own group.

There are many ways to get good ideas. Obviously the entire All-Stars for Jesus Bible Club program is designed to provide you with simple, easy-to-use ideas. Many Sunday school curricula contain helpful teaching suggestions. In addition, it is very important to listen. Listen to the students. Listen to the parents. Listen to other children’s ministry workers. And from what you hear, you should be able to adapt your teaching materials to work with your group.

Always be open to new ideas or new ways of doing things. Just because you haven’t seen something work, don’t assume it won’t work. Even if you tried something before and it didn’t work, be willing to give it a second chance.

6. Am I happy with myself?

Teachers and leaders who have committed their lives to Christ and are reasonably happy with themselves won’t be devastated when the first student acts up. And they won’t give up the first time something doesn’t go as planned. Furthermore, happy leaders and teachers won’t manipulate students to achieve “manufactured” results; they will minister to the students for Jesus’ sake.

Have fun with the students you’re trying to reach. Go to their homes. Go to their ball games and school plays. Play video and computer games with them. Be their friend.

7. Am I hungry for spiritual results?

The effective Bible Club leader or Sunday school teacher has a drive to accomplish and an urge to compete against the world for the attention of young students. You should have an insatiable hunger to see young people brought to a place of personal commitment to Jesus Christ. Develop a hunger for more spiritual growth in your own life as well as in the lives of those to whom you minister.

8. Do I use common sense?

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Nothing astonishes men so much as common sense and plain dealing.” Anyone who works with other people must realize that the key to success is not intelligence; the key to successful relationships is awareness of others, a willingness to learn, the ability to cope with the unexpected and genuine interest and caring for others.

These attributes are vital to successful leadership of students. Use common sense. Be flexible. Learn to respond to the needs and moods of your students, as well as to the situations they face and the environments in which they live. Help them cope with the situations in their homes and show them how to deal with the mistakes they make. One of your most important responsibilities as a teacher and leader is to minister to the everyday needs of your young students.

9. Am I tactful?

Effective Christian leadership calls for tact, persuasiveness and humor. You’ll need these attributes to overcome resistance to change and because you’ll work with many different people. Some teachers and leaders become so wrapped up in their “mission” that they become tactless, abrasive and disruptive, to the point they simply run over people in a rough-shod, uncaring manner. Your true goal and mission must be to respond to the needs of each individual student in kind, loving, tactful ways.

When you take the time to tactfully sell your ideas, to laugh a little (even at yourself, when necessary) and show you care, you will be more fun to be around, your students will notice and you will be able to accomplish a great deal for the kingdom of God.

10. Do I have courage?

Any role of leadership demands courage. To succeed as a leader or teacher, you have to take risks. Probably some of your meetings and lessons won’t be great successes. Some of your parties might flop. You might face some touchy situations you’ll wish you hadn’t gotten into.

It will take courage to go to a parent regarding his or her child. It will take courage to help your students deal with issues they might face: bullies, parent divorces, depression, cliques, broken relationships and more.

 Molding a child’s life is truly an awesome responsibility, but Jesus provided powerful encouragement when He said, “It is not the will of your Father…that one of these little ones should perish.” (Matthew 18:14) Although some of your students may not be so little anymore, this promise proves that the person who is committed to nurturing the spiritual life of a child or teenager is working in cooperation with the will of God! You can be assured then, that the Lord will direct you and guide you as you seek to guide children to love and serve Him.  

What Kind of Bible Club Leader Are You? (Part 1)

Most Bible club teachers agree that some students can be a real challenge to work with. Yet they also agree the middle school and junior high years are a critical time when it is important to help students get established in their faith, their church and their lifestyle.

Some of your Sunday school and Bible club students probably grew up in your church and are from Christian families. If they ever decide to leave the church or their Christian beliefs, many children’s workers feel the seeds of departure and of rebellion will be sown during the junior high and middle school years. One Christian educator said, “Kids walk in the front door of the church when they are four, and out the back door when they are 14!”

How can you, their Bible Club leader, catch those students before they get out the back door, or, better yet, how can you make the Christian life and fellowship in the church so meaningful and attractive to every student that they won’t even head for the exits?

To some extent, you have already answered that by your willingness to serve as a teacher, volunteer or leader. Yet it is important to nurture and develop in yourself the qualities and skills you need to relate in a helpful way to children. Here are ten questions to ask yourself. We'll look at the first four this week:

1. Do I love students?

People who minister successfully—to people of any age level—appear to have few behavioral, physical, educational or other kinds of characteristics in common. They are from many backgrounds and come in all shapes and sizes.

In fact, you don’t have to look young, own a sports car or be the best at video games to communicate with young students. It’s not necessary for you to like their music, their food or to keep up with them physically. People who minister effectively to students are of every age and every personality and the methods they use to achieve results are wide-ranging.

Yet they all have one thing in common: they love students. So ask yourself, Do I love young students? If you’re going to reach a young person for Christ, that’s a necessity!

2. Do I like students?

To some extent we can love someone and yet not like him. The Christian leader and teacher, however, must not only love the students he is trying to reach for Christ, but he needs to work hard at liking them too.

There might be students in your group who don’t smell very good, don’t talk very well, have bad habits and do things you don’t approve of—but you’re going to have to like them if you’re going to reach them—and keep them—for Jesus Christ.

In fact, friendship is one of the most important things you can offer. Your young students will respond to your friendship long before they will respond to what you try to teach them.

3. Do I expect something good to happen?

Are you excited and optimistic about your work with children? Do you have vision? Are you determined to accomplish something for Christ with your students? Do you realize your results may take a long time to happen?

If you’re after instant results, you’d better microwave some brownies or order a pizza; working with students requires a vision for the future and the willingness to trust God to bring about results in His timing.

4. Am I eager to take responsibility?

Being a Sunday school teacher or Bible club leader requires a willingness to take responsibility and get involved. Although they may never admit it, young students are looking to adults for leadership, guidance and caring; they will respond when adults show they care and want to be involved in the lives of the children.

Even when the going is rough, a Christian leader needs the ability to persevere and keep going. You can’t fall apart when no one shows up for a party—or when twice as many come as were expected! Make the best of the situation. When you do, the Lord will use your willingness and service to make something good out of the circumstances.

As a Bible Club leader or Sunday school teacher, you are influencing the students in many important ways—some of which you will never know. Don’t count on everything happening immediately; realize that some of the seeds you are sowing in the lives of your students may not bring about visible results for years!  

Using Directed Conversation in Your Bible Club

Combining words with actions in a relaxed Bible club atmosphere greatly increases a child’s ability to understand and respond to biblical truths. As you use Bible learning activities or interact with children as they play, color, make crafts, worship, sing, and have fun in learning centers, remember to talk with the children to help them focus on the Bible lesson and the memory verse you are teaching. 

Your Bible club teacher's guide will most likely include suggested conversation to help direct the children to the Bible theme. Be sure to include this "directed conversation" during each portion of your Bible club program. Here are a few tips for using directed conversation as you teach and play with children during your Bible club meeting:

• Use a natural tone of voice. Do not talk down to the child.
• Encourage Bible learning by talking with the child as he works and plays.
• Use your words to focus the child back to the Bible lesson or biblical truth.
• Relate what the child is doing to what the Bible says.
• When referring to the Bible, hold it open in front of you.
• Stoop down to her level and use eye contact when speaking with the child.
• Use the child’s name frequently, especially at the beginning of your sentences.
• Say the child’s name and make sure he is looking at you before giving instructions.
• Use non-verbal signals of touching (if it’s okay with the child) and smiling.
• Actively listen to how the child responds to your conversation.
• Repeat the child's words back to him or ask a question about what he said.
• Recognize and accept the child’s feelings. If she really does not like coloring, give her another activity to do.
• Use praise and encouragement, focusing on the child’s strengths.

As you play with children during your Bible club meeting, encourage them to talk about the lesson theme, the Bible story, or the memory verse. Keep the focus of each activity on God, Jesus, and the Bible. Smile as you talk about God's love for each person. After all, you're modeling the love of Jesus as you sing, play, pray, and worship with the children during your Bible club meeting!

Bible Club Crafts = Creative Learning

When selecting craft activities for your students, ask yourself these five questions:

1.   Does the craft help the children feel valuable and worthwhile?

2.   Can the children experience success with this craft or activity?

3.   Do the children do the work?

4.   Does the craft allow the children to express themselves?

5.   Does the craft encourage creativity?

When you turn your art projects and Bible club activities into learning experiences, you give the children worthwhile lessons that will be with them long after the project is gone. Here’s how: focus on what the children can learn rather than what they can make. As the children work, talk about the Bible lesson or theme of the day. Keep the focus on the Bible story or the memory verse. Tie the craft back into the day’s Scripture or Bible point.

Help the children have a fun time during your Bible club program. Don’t let them get frustrated. If a craft becomes too difficult, switch gears and adapt the craft to the child. For example, if threading yarn becomes tedious, stop the threading and let the child add stickers to the craft or decorate it with markers or jewels. Turn your time with the child back into a fun experience. If a child finishes early (or just gives up), let him move to a free play area or begin a coloring project or a pencil puzzle.

Let each child's creativity shine. As you keep the mood light and supportive, you allow each child to be the creative being God has made him or her! 

Storytelling Tips

By Barbara Mills

Everyone loves a story. Children move to the edge of their chairs when they hear, “Let’s have a story.” Use this method of teaching to reach young hearts with Christ’s love. It’s your responsibility to become the best storyteller you can.

Note that we said storyteller. Reading stories to children is an art in itself to be discussed later. First we’ll concentrate on the techniques of telling the story.

A GOOD BEGINNING

Prepare your introduction carefully. Begin your story smoothly. If you fumble through your first few statements, you’ll become frustrated and may lose your train of thought. If you stammer to a stop and have to start over you’ll want to leave the room and never return! Never memorize a story word for word. But if it makes you feel more comfortable, memorize the first few lines for a snappy opening.

An introduction with interest-catching appeal will capture your listeners from the first word. “Mac had been Peter’s dog for as long as Peter could remember, and they were real pals.” Doesn’t that sound like a lot more fun than ‘Peter had a dog named Mac?” Use your imagination and knowledge of the group to make your introduction sparkle.

PROCEED TO CLIMAX, CONCLUSION

Progress naturally from the introduction, building to the climax or most exciting or interesting portion of the story. Then finish the story with a brief conclusion. Don’t attempt to delay the conclusion, for once the climax of the story has been reached, listeners’ interest drops. A story is a unique teaching tool. Most contain a moral or teach a lesson. Let the story do it! Don’t attempt to tack on your own “sermonette” on the end of the story. Weave the moral into the plot in such a way that your hearers can’t miss it as you tell your story. When you’ve finished telling the story, stop!

BE NATURAL

Being yourself is important. Thorough preparation and practice will lead to naturalness in storytelling. You’ll probably feel most comfortable if you sit in a circle or semi-circle with your listeners. It suggests intimacy with the group and conversation at their level. If you must stand, due to a large group, stand naturally and relaxed. Never hide behind a podium.

A LITTLE ACTION, PLEASE

Use gestures such as the shrug of the shoulders, a raised hand, a finger over the lips to indicate quietness. But don’t force or overuse them. And by all means, use facial expression. Raise your eyebrow, smile, frown, show enthusiasm. Try to portray the feelings of the story characters.

Some storytellers show pictures while telling their stories. This is fine, but don’t show 27 pictures during a four-minute story! Have several attractive illustrations to use at the appropriate times. Display them so all can see, then put them aside.

Place your hands quietly in your lap when you aren’t holding a picture or gesturing. Avoid the “gymnastics” of too many hand motions. They only draw attention to yourself. Beware of distracting habits, such as playing with a string of beads or a button on a jacket. Remember, you are the means to help your listeners SEE the story in their minds. The less they see of you, the better! Thorough practice, perhaps in front of a mirror, will help you know where and when to use gestures effectively. If well used, they can add life to the story. If overused, they can distract and spoil the story.

LISTEN TO YOURSELF

Your voice tells the story. Use your natural voice. By all means avoid a whiny, monotonous, or honeyed tone. Practice to develop variety in inflection. Let your voice reflect wonder, strength, sadness, etc. Imitate noises and sounds indicated in the story, such as “Buzzzz — was the sound Kate kept hearing outside her bedroom window.” Practice these sounds beforehand so they resemble the natural sounds. Pause to impress or to increase suspense. Work on projecting your voice. Record your own voice — it may surprise you!

Use dialog or direct discourse frequently to bring your characters to life. Make them speak to your hearers , rather than always telling your hearers what the characters say. “Hi, Mom!” is much more realistic than, “Jerry greeted his mother when she entered the room.” Change the voice to indicate the different characters. Use action verbs and colorful adjectives to tell your story. Never use words your listeners may not know.

If you suddenly discover that you’ve left out an important point, don’t try to correct it by saying … “Oh, I forgot to say…” Continue on, and if it is an integral part, weave it in. But don’t interrupt your story to apologize for your goof!

When you’re telling a Bible story, hold your Bible so all can see it. This especially impresses little children with the fact that your story is from God’s Word.

“Let’s have a story.” Do your students’ eyes brighten at the sound of those words? Use these helps to make story-time an exciting high point in your class.

Be Prepared to Teach

A good leader is always thoroughly prepared. A concert pianist wouldn't dream of going into a recital without hours and hours of practice and preparation. Why should a Bible club teacher or Sunday school leader feel that his performance demands less practice?

Remember—when teaching from God's Word, we're dealing with the souls of children! How this should challenge us to be more diligent in our preparation of every Bible lesson, craft, project, or game time for  our Bible club program! Don't minimize the importance of your calling as a leader by a slothful attitude toward your preparation for the task of teaching and training children.

Here are a few tips to help you feel well prepared for your Bible club programs this year:

The week before your lesson or activity, read through the Scripture passage and/or memory verse. Start praying about what concepts God wants you to focus on with your students.

Ask God to continue to give you insight as you meditate on His Word. Jot down ideas as they come to you. You may even want to keep a pencil and pad of paper near your bed at night!

A few days before your lesson, decide which activities you will be using, and collect all the necessary supplies. Modify activities as needed for your students (or your location or your class time). Make any notes as reminders of the changes you're planning.

You may want to prepare a sample craft or try the activity ahead of time so you are able to help your students. Be sure to remove any stumbling blocks. (For example, if your preschoolers cannot yet draw faces, bring wiggle eyes and mouth shapes for them to glue onto a circle or head shape.)

Pray for each child, that God would open each heart to the lesson and to His Word. Ask God to guide you so that you model the love of Jesus throughout your time with your students.

Now that you’re prepared to lead your students, have fun. As you share God’s Word with your students, do it with a smile. After all, you’re serving the Lord!