Getting our Bearings, Coordinates and Course Heading for Kids

Deuteronomy 6:5-7



"Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."



Bringing our faith, prayer and practice to our children within the church will impact their lives as well as the lives of others. But how we do this has certainly changed over the years. We now have the best technology along with the best teaching strategies based on children's learning styles than we have ever had in the past. Yet, there might be something missing.



Who really should be leading the children spiritually on a daily basis? A new (but probably very old) shift in children's ministry could very well impact the lives of every child and every family touched by a children's ministry based on feeding our children's hungry hearts each day at home with their families. Brian Haynes talks about this in his new book "Shift" where he speaks about bringing families together to spiritually equip this next generation. We could do this with our children in our families today.



"God Sightings" is one way. They can be easily explained by encouraging family members to develop a sense of God's loving presence in our every day lives. Examples may be looking for God's love at a sporting event or simply placing a fun treat and a note on a family member's pillow.





Also, planning time for intentional "Faith Talks" where a time is set aside for weekly conversations based on Scripture. It may be "family devotions" around the fireplace or a walk in the snowy woods, or other creative times...even a trip to Walmart. You can talk about your God Sightings on these journeys and pray and praise God for what He has done.



Through our Sunday evening programs, and studies, I hope to provide scripture and guidelines based on our evening Bible studies that will provide a plan and outline for God Sightings and Faith Talks.



Other events, such as our Fun Fest Survivor Night and Easter Caroling will provide many opportunities to have material for leading weekly Faith Talks with the family.



Our bearings-Scripture, our coordinates-God Sightings, and our Course-Faith Talks with prayer can be possible.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Faith Talks, Wiggles & Movements

{Read the Upper Room Devo for today)
So many of our Bible characters illustrate faith and determination. Most of us need to be shown something to believe it. But God, is always working in and through us to give us faith to believe that all is good even as we face obstacles each day.

God Sighting-Primary and Elementary Age
1. Play a game in the evening and tell about the "BEST". the "WORST" and the "FUNNIEST" part of your day (or days in the snow). (This can also be used as we ask children about their day at school-if they ever go back-they usually say that they did "nothing" at school.) Talk about how faith played a part in your own day and the children can tell how faith played a part in their day. Wonderful God moments will happen.

God Sightings-Toddlers
1. Use a rhythm instrument (a plastic egg with rice, beans, etc. and taped with electrical tape or duck tape would work well-or a zip lock bag filled with the same-be careful that little beans don't escape) Better yet, grab a small box of mac and cheese-it makes a great sound)
a. To the tune of "Wheels on the Bus"-both of you can hold shakers and use animal movements as you sing such as:
b. The snake in the jungle goes wiggle, wiggle, wiggle -hold shaker flat on floor)
b. The monkey in the jungle goes climb, climb, climb (hold shaker upright and make it climb an imaginary tree.
c. The frog in the jungle goes jump, jump, jump (make shaker jump on the floor)
d. The bird in the jungle goes fly, fly, fly (make shaker fly in the air)
Use many other animals, example-on the farm, in the circus, etc.

Talk with the toddler about how we can't see the animal, but we can imagine how God made it look and move. We can't see God, but we can see how he made us move ( You can talk about a new baby's movements if there is a new baby around the house or if you have a friend who had a new baby-I know one and the mom has a video on facebook that the children can look at)
This would be great to use after a story about Noah's ark also. Read a book together about animals after the activity.

Prayer: Thank you Lord for our days here with You. Give us faith to know you are always with us and will show us the way even though we can't see You. Amen.
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