Three Steps to Upgrade Your Children’s Ministry Program
By Wendy Berghane, Hearts Alive Curriculum Specialist
Every Sunday School teacher has had that one Sunday morning where things just went off the rails in the blink of an eye. It can be frustrating when things don’t go the way you imagined. Here are three easy and practical tips that can help you create a fun and fulfilling Sunday School hour for you and your students!
Plan and Prepare The best way to make for a crazy and chaotic Sunday School hour is to not be prepared. Lack of preparation makes for a scattered, chaotic hour for you and the kids. Take the time to read over the lesson, read through any teacher tips or Bible background (They are there to help you!) and walk through the lesson in your mind to see if there are any obvious hiccups that may occur. Make sure you have all the supplies needed ready; you can lose the attention of your students if you are trying to cut things out or do other prep work during your Sunday School time. Preparing will be well worth your time as it definitely sets you up for a fun hour where you are ready to share the Gospel with enthusiasm and confidence!
Pray This seems so obvious, but often teachers forget to do this! Take the time to pray for the kids, for your time together, and for the lesson you will be leading, asking God to be present in your preparation and during your Sunday School hour. It’s also a great time to thank God for the opportunity to be a part of the children’s ministry team and to pray for the leaders of the church. Let God know if you are feeling anxious about a specific lesson or a specific child or anything else that may be burdening your mind. Ask for his wisdom, guidance, and peace. Talking to God about your time together will help settle your heart and focus your mind.
Choose a Positive Attitude Things will go haywire. Kids will have rough days. Technology won’t work. You will forget supplies. You’ll feel rushed for time. You can’t control a lot of things that will go wrong, but you can always control your attitude. Be ready to go with the flow and have fun in the process! Don’t overthink or try to micromanage the hour. Use your curriculum and try to move organically through the lesson. If you don’t hit every activity or if it moves in a different direction, that’s ok! You are there simply to love the kids God brings to you and talk to them about Jesus.
As a children’s ministry leader or volunteer, you are so incredibly important! Be prepared, pray, and arm yourself with God’s grace ready to move where the Spirit leads. Be ready to play, explore, and enjoy the beautiful opportunity you have to tell the children in your class about their awesome God. And thank you for all that you do to share the Gospel with the youngest hearts!
Suggested Resource:
Hearts Alive Sunday School and Children's Church provide liturgical congregations a highly-anticipated children’s curriculum that combines captivating content, lectionary alignment, and Gospel focus for children ages 3-12. For those seeking to engage children in a fun, age-appropriate application to the Revised Common Lectionary, Hearts Alive is a three-year course of study to give children a strong overview of the story of salvation and how it ties to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Hearts Alive supports and elevates liturgical traditions and the church calendar while using clear, contemporary learning techniques to present the Word of God. Learn more in our online community.
