Children

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Childrens Ministry 911

• Prepared by Teachable Heart Ministries

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Raising kids today is hard.

• When was it ever easy- even Adam and Eve had
  struggles
• What does the church have to offer in terms of
  parenting help that is different from Nanny
  911?
• We have a wonderful opportunity and a God-given
  responsibility to reach out to the family as we
  do childrens ministry.
• What are the trends affecting the family today?

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Current Trends

• too many choices and opportunities
• very busy families
• an instant generation- fast food, high speed
  internet
• parents have jobs and activities
• kids have their own activities, and rarely do the
  two coincide.
• Even in the car, cell phones, headphones, video
  games, portable dvds.
• To have consistent communication on any level
  within a family requires great effort

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Childrens Ministry is Family Ministry

• Have you ever seen an episode of Nanny 911
• the nanny is necessary, not so much for the kids,
  but for Mom and Dad.
• Parents are crying out for help, love their kids,
  want what is best for them, but they need skills
• At the end of the show the nanny goes home
• Each activity, each program and every curriculum,
  should be viewed through the lens of family
  ministry.
• How can we use our opportunities with kids to
  help their parents be the spiritual leaders God
  intended them to be?

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A Few Suggestions

• In the Car question. This is ONE question you
  send home with kids to discuss on the way home
  include a brief summary of your lesson and a
  reference for parents
• Make LOTS of devotional materials available to
  your families
• Give families ideas about how to help their kids
  participate in the worship services.
• Sunday night family meetings prepare for the
  week ahead and then spend a few quiet moments in
  prayer as they dedicate the week ahead to God.
• Prayer partners within the family. Make journals
  for prayer requests and praise reports.
• Provide opportunities for families to serve
  together
• brainstorm ministry expansion from the child
  alone to the child within the family.

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Dont Move in and Stay

• At the end of the show the nanny goes home!
• Equip the parent to continue in the training of
  their children
• It is always a foolish thing to assume all of the
  responsibility when you not there all of the time

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The Long and Short of it

• A child who attends every childrens program
  every week, spends approximately 1055 hours in
  the church over 5 years
• They are 42,720 hours old
• They have spent 3 of their life in the church
  being instructed
• We have to equip the parents!