Upcoming Tips for Children's Ministry

Thank God for Hong Teck for encouraging me to write these tips down as a series of blog posts... and even to publish them as books next time... =D

Well, here's an outline of my upcoming series for tips on builing an effective children's ministry.

3 Tips for Introverts in Children's Ministry
3. It's ok...
2. It's better...
1. It's the best!

10 tips for Children's Drama Ministry
10. Think like your audience
9. Always be more visual than aural.
8. Be DRAMATIC.
7. Song and Dance!
6. Use lighting well
5. Be Professional.
4. You're leading a rag-tag army of volunteers
3. Keep innovating
2. Be confident
1. Trust God's power

Clown Ministry

A Christian Clown Ministry. Great for skit ideas, especially for children. I know, this is a funny idea, but I'm not joking. :)

You Are Special by Max Lucado

Found on Yung's Facebook:

I love this story very much. Just a good reminder, as parents, we don't our children, don't compare with other children. As teachers, we don't compare this student with others. We are specially made by God. We are special.

cHiLdReN :-D

Delightfully whimsical.

Why Do Children's Ministry?

The World Congress on how not to mess up the Great Commission too much:

• Aim Lower,
• Think Smaller,
• Give Up,
• and go have a cup of coffee.

How coincidental... I was discussing with Joyce on MSN just now what workshops to go for the GoForth missions conference in July... And they have a few workshops on reaching out to children. Did you know that, according to the video below, 60%-80% of all responses to the Gospel are made by children? And that as the world population grows to 6,000,000 people, children are one of the largest pools of workers in the harvest field - if we can reach them before the world or Satan does.

So, for all who have a heart for missions, this is one video you die-die must watch!


Thank God for this video... found it from one of Hong Teck's websites. Really, if you just want to join children's ministry because you find them cute, then my dear friend, you are missing out on a HUGE potential to extend the Kingdom. They can be the best instruments to share the gospel with their own parents - we have our own examples here in our own church too.

So never, never, never, never, never, never, never dare ever look down on the little ones, and never ever hinder them from receiving the fullness of God's grace! For the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these! In fact, whoever won't receive the Kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it. Not I say one... the Lord Jesus Himself said it - and very plainly! Amen!

Don't be contented with impacting this generation... impact the next generation too, for they will be the ones who will take our place in impacting yet-unborn generations for the Lord!

Psalm 22:30-31
Posterity will serve Him;
future generations will be told about the Lord.

They will proclaim his righteousness
to a people yet unborn—
for He has done it.

Errata:
Sallah! I wrote 6,000,000 people... it's meant to be 6,000,000,000 people... Paiseh. I just accidentally wiped 5,994,000,000 people off the planet. :P

A Little Girl Sings Indescribable

Oh my God... it's so beautiful, both the song lyrics and the little girl's simple and sweet melody!



Edited to add:
From Hong Teck's take on this video - felt it's so meaningful I want to share this with everyone who reads this:

What I like about this video is that, she’s 4 years old who sings like a 4 year old. A song that is not dumb down but to her ability and expressed like a child, not an adult.

There’s more to kid’s spirituality that mets the eye because we can unconsciously impose adult-like spirituality as standards for kids. While we like what we see in this one, this video shows us just a glimpse of kids spirituality.

...

Outwardly they may jump around and appear distracted, but kids has their way of expressing it. It may not be the way we expect them to. We have a lot to learn about our spirituality as children of God. Lessons in authenticity, trust and a soft heart.

Seriously, we really must never look down at the childlike faith and simple-hearted trust of a little child. God knows that we have so much to learn from them. Literally.

If we think them as just cute but not really much to learn from, we are not seeing them as the Lord Himself sees them. And that is not right. Because the Lord Himself admonished the disciples - including you and me:

"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.

Something that touched me a lot last time, was when I was helping out in HopeTots one Sunday. Pastor Ben happened to be passing through the room to attend to other duties. As he made his way through the flock of children, I saw him quietly laying a hand on each one of their heads and whispering a silent prayer for each one of them. And that little act felt so much like what Jesus Himself would do. :D

As I was reading 1 Samuel, I saw how Samuel grew up, a little boy as the Bible notes, ministering before the Lord in his little ephod. Yes, he WAS cute in his little linen tunic, but he was ministering before the Lord too. Never, never, never ever underestimate the power of God to use a little child to teach us "grown-ups". For we are really all children before God.

Children are truly a great blessing from God - not only for parents, but for all who will stop to look and learn. May we always learn to grow more childlike in heart as we grow older in body each day.

Dear God, You really are very concerned about the world, and You really want the world to be blessed, especially in coming to know You, and Your one and only Son. Yet there are hearts that will not accept Your love or trust You or even hate and reject You.

And yet You send the rain upon both the righteous and the wicked, and even upon those who don't know You yet, you satisfy their desires with good things and fill their hearts with joy.

And for all those who desire to know who You truly are, regardless of race, language or religion... not what their cultures or religions have taught them... You have always promised that those who seek You with all their hearts will find You, and You WILL be found by them.

I'm so amazed at Your heartbeat for people... when You came down as a man, You didn't have to meet our physical needs, yet You came and turned water into wine... You healed the sick... You fed the multitudes... You came to give peace and healing to the mentally insane and spiritually tormented and the emotionally wrecked people... You came to teach us how life really works, about loving our neighbour as ourselves, be it friend or foe.

And You came to exercise justice for the downtrodden, the oppressed, the poor and the helpless. You are their Defender, and the Judge of all the earth.

I'm so amazed at Your sheer goodness and love for all peoples on the earth...

And just before You left this world to go back to the Father, You told us to spread the good news to all the peoples of the earth... to teach them to love You and love one another...

Dear Father, I pray in Jesus' name, please help me grow, that my love may increase in knowledge and depth of insight... a wiser love... a deeper understanding... that i can be good... and do good too, to bring glory and praise to You, Lord! :)

Mmm! People do want to help make this world a better place... but only You have the power to make the hearts of men a better place. And when the hearts of men are right, the world will become one heart brighter at a time... one less evil person, one more good person. =)

Thank You also for giving me this wonderful calling to minister to children, and the blessing of this job too as a software engineer. 'Cos through these skills and talents You have given me, I know that (maybe this is one way) I can help teach useful skills to children... to help train them in IT skills, which is now so important in any economy... and to tell them about the love of God the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

To be used by God to help fill people's stomachs, minds and souls. =) Isn't it so exciting to think of what the Lord can do through you and me, each in his/her unique way, to make this world a better place? :)

In Jesus' most precious name, amen!

Children of a Lesser God

Children of a Lesser God


For the offspring of a science deity, the legacy is more burden than blessing.

by Michele Zackheim

Cults of historians, scientists, and everyday people persist in idolizing Albert Einstein. For his family, though, the name Einstein has cast a long, complicated, and difficult shadow. Today the two living grandchildren and five living great-grandchildren are weary of being hounded by Einstein worshippers and weary of trying to live up to the unprecedented achievements of their ancestor. They struggle to live private lives, well distanced from his fame, and they have succeeded: The most notable aspect of the Einstein descendants is how nearly invisible they are.

Even in anonymity, though, there is no escaping the family legacy. Albert Einstein, a man of remarkable insights, was also a man of many serious flaws. His quixotic behavior and strained personal relationships loom menacingly over his descendants. Today the Einsteins are a fractured family. [read more...]

Very thought-provoking... a lot of people regard Einstein as a great, great man.... but in God's eyes, what does He consider as true greatness?

1. Psalm 37:25
   I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.
   
   
2. Psalm 103:17
   But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children-
   
   
3. Proverbs 13:22
   A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children, but a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous.
   
   
4. Proverbs 20:7
   The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him.
   
   

What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind when you die?

C.S. Lewis observed that in one of Shakespeare's plays, the main characters take up most of the plot, but their lines are rotten, filled with deceit, betrayal and murder. In comparison, there is a minor character with only one line - and he is an unnamed servant.

But what a line! When he witnesses the main characters mocking, shaming and ganging up upon his betrayed master, he will not stand for such injustice. He takes out his sword, jumps in to defend his lord, and is instantly stabbed to death. But that unnamed servant will forever stand out among his corrupt contemporaries for that one sole act of courage.

How it is with our own lives too. Our lives may be very ordinary and we may not be superheroes. Never mind. The true legacy of one's life is not what it has attained for itself, but rather, what it leaves behind in others.

As someone said, "One can tell the size of a ship by the kind of wake it leaves behind."

Just Be Available

He sat there broodingly by himself, his back to the wall.

We called him to come and join us, but wordlessly, he shook his head.

I looked at him, from where I was with the other children, and he looked back at me. So I went over and sat down next with him.

I asked him, "How was your Chinese New Year?"

He said, "Oh, I was tired."

(Tired? A five-year old boy is tired? But I was quite impressed - he seemed very mature for his age. He spoke more like an eight-year old.)

"Tired? How come? Did you go visiting a lot of places?"

"Oh, I was doing housework."

(Housework? A five-year old boy doing housework? Suddenly his age seemed to jump ten years. Housework...)

"Housework? Wow... what kind of housework did you do?"

"Oh, I washed the car..."

(Car? Dear God. Is it just me, or does this boy have a driver's licence already? Maybe he's got his own company already... a five-year old towkay (rich man). Not bad... not bad at all.)

"Car? WOW..."

"I helped my daddy to wash the car. Me and my brother. Splish-splash!"

He stood up and dramatically brandished an imaginary sponge, and started splashing an imaginary bucket of water onto his imaginary car, with imaginary soap flying all around.

"Sploosh!" he exclaimed.

"Wow! Tell me more..."

Hadn't seen him so animated in a long while. :)

Later, after the children's Sunday school class ended, Yung came over and said, "Thanks Yeu Ann! Nathan was so quiet before you went over to talk to him. But after you went over to talk to him, he started coming over and joinin the other kids! Sorry I couldn't take care of him - I really had to take care of the other kids. But thanks so much Yeu Ann."

Wow. Thank You Lord! I was so surprised, and also very blessed by her feedback. 'Cos that day, I was so tired that I really had to sneak off to a tiny corner (literally) to take a nap. Best 20-min nap I ever had - it felt like an hour's worth of sleep. And I thought I hadn't done anything much to help out in the children's class today except talk and sleep. :P

But it turns out... hee. God is so good indeed. Even lazy bums like me, He can still use. :) The only thing that He requires is a willing heart and an available attitude.

I wonder what would have happened that day if I had decided to sleep in instead of dragging my tired body to serve in Sunday school class that day.

Perhaps the Lord today is sweeping his eyes to and fro. He could be looking for anyone below - it doesn't matter who - He just wants to know: are you available to come work in My vineyard today?

Are you tired? Doesn't matter. Just come make yourselves available.
Are you busy? Just come anyway.
Are you hungry? Drop your Big Mac, you big glutton - I've got big work for you to do. :)

If I hadn't been there that day, I would have missed one more chance to impact a child for the Kingdom of God - for eternity, in fact.

So I learnt today, after reflecting, that sometimes I fret so much about being unable to do this or that for Him (or for myself). That discouragement makes me sometimes afraid and unwilling to take the necessary actions (e.g. get out of bed, make that phone call, make preparations, etc.). But that only makes me sink further into fear. And sometimes I end up not being where He wants me to be that day.

Don't be afraid anymore. Don't let your fears stop you from responding to His call, even if it means getting out of the boat - literally.

Just be where He wants you to be that day - just as you are.
Just be available for Him to use.
Just be willing today.
Just be there.
Just be.
Just be His.

"Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart..."

GCF: Thanksgiving Prayer

Thank God for childlike prayers! :D

My family traditionally begins the evening meal with a prayer of
thanks. When they were old enough, we began letting our children say
the meal prayer. Of course at first they would ask for a pony, a new
bike, etc. They soon learned the more important things which should
be included in the prayer.

At Thanksgiving we had the whole family over. My nine year old wanted
to say the prayer. It went like this:

"Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for the turkey, the rolls, the mashed
potatoes, the red jiggly stuff, and the bread stuff even though I
don't like it. We ask that You not let us choke on this food."

(Most of us nearly choked just trying not to laugh!)

HopeTots

What a beautiful time today. :)

Robert, Shunrong and Yufen all came today. Their help was priceless - it freed me a lot to focus on the more difficult children. We had a mini-skit (thank God for Robert and Shunrong!). And I did story-telling. Hee, praise God, it was fun! =) Got good feedback from Yung, shall keep in mind. Thank You Jesus for helping me!

But a more amazing thing. There's this boy, Emmanuel, who is very, very hyperactive. He was being very noisy, even during worship, so I decided to go and bring him to a corner so that he'd not disrupt the worship time. Was at my wits' ends how to keep him quiet and still. (Think of a wriggling fish - you get the idea. Except that the fish doesn't make so much noise.)

Then decided to pray. Just sat down, hugged him, put my hand on his head and prayed in the Spirit softly. Was reminded of this verse from the book of Zephaniah:

Zephaniah 3:17
"...he will quiet you with his love..."

And wonderfully, Emmanuel became so much more quiet and still, lying on my lap. "The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save." Amazing how God can work in ways we cannot see. :)

And while giving out Twisties to the kids, they were raising and cupping their hands in eager anticipation. Then one sister quipped, "They're praying to you!" Ertz... but it struck me how childlike they are in asking... and how they really look so much like they're praying...

Struck me that this is just an illustration of how we should come to the Father in eager and earnest expectation, raising and cupping our hands to our heavenly Daddy. He is a far, far, far better Father than any earthly man can be! Childlike faith in earnest prayer. Wow. The children taught me something new today. Love them so much. :)

And oh yes, the children. :) Hee... Really love them, I do! God knows I have done so little... but want to push on even more to give my best to take care of them.

Oh yes, want to thank God for this too: while we were doing colouring for the Bible verse Matthew 19:14, I took the opportunity to go the extra mile and ask the children about what they thought about the verse, and how do they know that Jesus loves them. :) Some of the answers were sweet, others surprising. But one of them struck me a lot:

"He answers my prayers."

Wow... out from the mouth of babes... yah! Jesus loves me, this I know...

And that is why I so love to work in HopeTots. :)

*sigh* I really miss my children. :)

Accepting Our Children: Putting the Person Before the Performance

Meaningful... this quote struck me especially:

"Young people need to know they are accepted as unique individuals. This is not a new concept... Too often, however, parents and teachers misunderstand... that as long we have daily family devotions and make sure our kids attend Sunday school and youth group, they will never depart from the faith."

And this too:

"We put such importance on acceptance because it seems to be God's first building block in developing His children. Much like earthly fathers and caring adults, our Heavenly Father wants to see His children change and be successful. But before He endeavors to change us, He first meets us right where we are - with acceptance and grace."

The Little Girl Who Was Forgotten By Almost Everyone (Even The Postman)

I watched this animation after following the link from mrbrown.com... and wow, I really wanted to cry after watching it. Watched it twice. It's very stirring, the story and the animation... because unfortunately it's so true - there are so many children forgotten even by their living parents - the orphans with living parents.

Like what Mother Teresa said, the greatest poverty is not that of food or water, but of the feeling of being utterly unloved, unwanted. That is the worst kind of poverty possible. The narrator didn't say why the girl was unloved, but upon watching it a second time, I saw perhaps it was because of her looks, or features... that's the beauty of the story - it suggests subtle clues in the pictures...

And also even her best friend loved her because he was SUPPOSED to love her, to do the nice thing... not because he truly loved her for her own sake.

Go watch the ending... it's heart-rending. http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/21423447/

Maybe I could ask Hong Teck to take a look at it too? :)

Mister, Are You God?

This is such a beautiful story - stirs my heart very much. Lord, I know my heart is not big enough - please make it bigger like Yours!

Weizhu commented that I've a privileged life, and I fully agree... and I know that to whom much is given, much is expected. God has given me so much, I want to give back... Feel ashamed when I think of how little love I've given - but encouraged by the fact that TODAY is the day that I can start. And not just today, but tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, I can start giving again... till Jesus comes back!

*******


Mister, Are You God?
This devotional was written by Jim Liebelt

Dear Children, let us not love with word or tongue, but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:18 (NIV)

A story has been told how shortly after World War II came to a close, Europeans began picking up the pieces. Much of the Old Country had been ravaged by the war and was in ruins. A common, yet sad sight was that of orphaned children starving in the streets of war-torn cities.

Early one morning, an American soldier was making his way back to his barracks in London. As he passed a doughnut shop, he saw a little boy staring into the window. The soldier turned the corner in his Jeep, got out and walked quietly over to where the little fellow was standing. Through the steamed-up window the boy could see the mouth-watering doughnuts as they were being prepared. The boy released a slight groan as he watched the cook place them into the glass-enclosed counter.

The soldier’s heart went out to the orphan standing beside him. “Son would you like some of those?” the soldier asked. The boy startled. “Oh yes, I would!” he exclaimed.

The soldier went inside the shop and bought a dozen doughnuts, put them in a bag and walked back to where the boy was standing. He smiled, held out the warm bag and said, “Here you are young man.”

As he turned to walk away, the soldier felt a tug on his coat. He turned around and the child asked quietly, “Mister, are you God?”

This is a great reminder that we are never more like God than when we lovingly give to others. The world, much like the boy in the story, will recognize you as a child of God when you show His love through your actions.

Today, will others see God in your life by how you love and how you give?

My first time at HopeTots! :D

Haha... just really want to thank God for such a wonderful time at HopeTots on Sunday...

But well, details, details! Some snapshots...

*******
Reached at 845 am. The children started coming in. Wasn't really sure how to start talking with them, so just hung around two little boys. I commented to one of the teachers, "Wah, they very quiet leh." She said, "They'll start warming up after the games."

Well, one of them was very quiet, the other one was more boisterious. I can't remember their names haha... so I'll call the more boisterious one "Boi". :)

So, Boi was playing with some colourful plastic balls by himself. Errm! How do I relate to him? Hmm... not sure... aha! maybe I can try juggling in front of him... wah, my juggling really ... it's two balls, and it's more like tossing from one hand to another, one at a time. Lame, right? :P

But thank God, Boi was really amused and started trying to imitate me. Whee! So we started playing a bit more, and I took a basket and got him to try chucking the balls into the basket. Basket + ball = basketball, geddit? ;)

*******

And then, another little boy came up to me, and with big innocent eyes, shyly asked me:


















"Excuse me, do I call you Teacher or Daddy?"

********

Then, it was time for the ice-breakers. We introduced ourselves in a way that only 3-5yrs can appreciate... for example, if you want them to remember your name is Hannah, you shake your hands and say, "HAND-nah! Get it?"

No prizes for guessing how they got the kids to remember my name...

********
After some games, we had toilet break. So I was tasked to bring nine little boys to the toilet. How we got them to go to the loo in a reasonably civilised manner was like this: "Boys/Girls, put your hands on the person in front of you...."

One of the little boys looked up at me and said, "'Cher...", and pointed at the boy behind him.

"Yes?"

"He holding my shoulder too tight."

********
Praise and worship was very energetic, enthusiastic and exhilarating!







And very exhausting.

I didn't know that these little kids could keep jumping and jumping!!! (Maybe it has something to do with momentum = mass * velocity...)

One reason why it's so physically exhausting is that these songs are action songs, and not just your normal action songs... they are FULL-body action songs. You don't just shake your hands or your legs... you have to shake your body, shake your head, and shake whatever else God gave them to shake. And I thought head-bangers were crazy...
********

Then during the Bible lesson, we roleplayed the ancient Bible characters Isaac, Jacob and Esau. During the scene where Esau went hunting for game, one of the little boys asked me:

"Esau go where?"

"Oh, he went hunting to get food."

"Oh..." Then he looked at me again and asked me,

























"So, Esau use big-big gun?"

********

And, near the end of the lesson, one of the little boys came up to me and hugged my leg to get my attention.

"Yes?"

*some indistinguishable mumuring*

"Sorry?"

*yet some more indistinguishable mumuring*

"Hah? Sorry can't hear you..."

*STILL yet some more indistinguishable mumuring*

(This kid's really patient with me.)


Then one of the sisters came up next to me and said, "I think he wants to go to the toilet."


"Oh okay..... *sudden burst of realization* Eh? TOILET???"

*scramble to bring the kid outside*

Tried to put the kid's shoes on.

"Hey, your shoes are very small... you must get a new pair..."

*more pushing and squeezing*

After a few more minutes...

Finally! That was difficult...

Then Guey Ming, one of the teachers in charge, looks down at his shoe and tells me,














"You put the left shoe on his right foot."

o_O'...







Guey Ming then adds helpfully, "Hurry up. I think he can't hold very long."

o_O'''...





After I get the shoes done correctly, the little kid runs off really really fast to the loo.






Thank God he got there in time!

*turns around*

"Hey! Don't dig your nose AFTER you've used the toilet!!!"

*******

Wow... thank God so much for this precious time with the children... it really is everything I've imagined it to be... and more!!!

Haha.. yes, the children are REALLY cute...

Yes, as Peter joked, the kids really did jump on me...

Yes, it really is such a joy working with them...

Yes, carrying them is such a wonder...

God... no wonder You love children... when the disciples tried to stop some little children from interrupting You, You ticked them off, saying, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these!"

Wow... when I had finished my first ever HopeTots2 session, I couldn't help beaming... felt like Moses after he'd met God - complete with glowing face... :)

Looking forwards to sharing life more with them!

---

PS: For more details, and if you love kids and you're in Hope Church, feel free to take a look at this: HopeKids Website