{"id":7758,"date":"2024-06-13T08:54:00","date_gmt":"2024-06-13T14:54:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wonderink.org\/?p=7758"},"modified":"2024-09-24T13:57:41","modified_gmt":"2024-09-24T19:57:41","slug":"sharing-gods-love-kids-in-ministry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wonderink.org\/sharing-gods-love-kids-in-ministry\/","title":{"rendered":"Actions Speak Louder than Lessons: Sharing God’s Love with the Kids in Your Ministry"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Back in the day, Willow Creek Community Church put the \u201cmega\u201d in \u201cmega-church.\u201d Nearly 25,000 worshippers showed up weekly and Willow\u2019s children\u2019s ministry, Promiseland, shaped thousands of those lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the time Sue Miller was directing Promiseland and, early one fall morning, I visited Willow Creek to meet her for an interview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The hike to Sue\u2019s office was a long one. Promiseland\u2019s main hallway alone was bigger than my church\u2019s entire Children\u2019s Ministry area. Colorful murals and Disney-quality play areas stretched off in every direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Intimidated? You bet I was. You\u2019d have been, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But sitting in her office, Sue told me something that\u2019s stuck with me. \u201cHalf the challenge of a church this size is for us to feel small, to get people connected,\u201d she said. \u201cWe don\u2019t want kids to just hear about God\u2019s love at Promiseland. We want kids to experience<\/em> it\u2014and that means we need for each child to be in a relationship with an adult who can model it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sue\u2019s insight has shaped my ministry with kids for decades\u2014because she was right. Children\u2019s ministry is all about relationships with God and others<\/a>. That means we need to connect with kids, not just teach at them. And it\u2019s not enough to simply tell kids about God\u2019s love\u2014they need to see and experience it, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But how do we do that? Through relationship, yes, but how precisely<\/em> do we go about it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Never let a week go by without stating clearly your kids are loved by God\u2014and you.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

6 Ways to Help Kids Experience God’s Love<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019d like to suggest six practical ways kids in your care can experience the love of God through you\u2014because you\u2019ll be loving those kids in the very ways God loves you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. God tells you He loves you\u2014so tell your kids He loves them, too<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Good news: your Wonder Ink lessons mention God\u2019s love often, so you\u2019ll frequently reassure kids of that truth. But other words you share\u2014and how you share them\u2014will either reinforce or undermine that message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On days kids are bouncing off the walls it\u2019s easy to let frustration creep in. About the sixth time a fifth-grade boy interrupts me I can get snippy\u2014and that\u2019s a mistake. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s be in the habit of relentlessly encouraging and affirming kids\u2014even while correcting their behavior. Speak to your kids the way God speaks to you: patiently and with love. And never let a week go by without stating clearly your kids are loved by God\u2014and you<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"smiling
Credit:Unsplash\/Tim Mossholder<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

2. God knows your name\u2014so greet your kids by their names<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Greeting a child by name is relational gold. It signals the child is seen and valued\u2014and what you say next carries far greater weight. I\u2019m terrible at recalling names but have a safety net: in my children\u2019s ministry we use name tags. If name tags aren\u2019t part of your check-in procedure<\/a>, consider adding them if only for this reason. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When kids know you care about them, they\u2019ll care about what you say. Greeting kids by name is an excellent start to showing you care.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTry for Free<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Wonder Ink\u2019s 3-year, 52-week children\u2019s ministry curriculum offers kids space to fully find their place in God\u2019s Big Story. Children discover they are Known by God, Loved by Jesus, and Led by the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n

3. God connects with you in many ways\u2014so do the same with your kids<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

God is ever and always reaching out to show you His love. Affirming words in Scripture, the sacrifice of Jesus, spiritual gifts, the indwelling of his presence through the Holy Spirit, the warm and nurturing hugs of other believers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

God\u2019s love speaks your language, no matter what love language you speak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gary Chapman, in his book The 5 Love Languages<\/em>, lays out ways God has wired your kids to give and receive love. Most show up often in children\u2019s ministry\u2026except for touch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You likely have a policy regarding when and how it\u2019s appropriate to touch children\u2014know and follow it.  But if you\u2019re allowed to give high fives and fist bumps, or to place a hand lightly on a child\u2019s shoulder, do it<\/em>. If touch is a child\u2019s love language, we want them to experience it on Sunday mornings. Jesus wasn\u2019t above touching others\u2014lepers included.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the way, consider The 5 Love Languages<\/em> required reading for every children\u2019s ministry volunteer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. God responds to your immediate needs, so pray for kids right on the spot.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Jesus often prayed for situations and people in the moment. Praying for your kids as they share needs and concerns gives them a sense of their importance to you\u2014and to God. They experience God\u2019s love when you pause to pray for them, asking God to be with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should you pray for kids between Sundays, too? Absolutely. And when you do, let kids know it when you\u2019re next together. You\u2019ll be modeling trust in God that they can experience, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. God listens to you\u2014so listen to your kids<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Some say listening is how love shows up in relationships\u2026and that\u2019s true. So become an excellent listener, focused and attentive. Sit or kneel to get eye-to-eye with kids and don\u2019t be afraid to ask follow up questions when kids share with you. Digging a little deeper shows you\u2019re interested and often opens up deep sharing. Now and then repeat what you\u2019ve heard to make sure you\u2019ve got it right\u2014kids will correct you if you\u2019ve missed something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you listen well, you\u2019re modeling God\u2019s love. You\u2019re giving your kids a glimpse of what God is eager to do in a friendship with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. God invites your interruptions\u2014so you be okay with them, too.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The lessons you find in Wonder Ink<\/a> are prayerfully, carefully created. But we aren\u2019t offended if a particular question prompts such a deep dive conversation with your kids that you decide to ditch the rest of your lesson and camp out there. That\u2019s great!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you listen well, you\u2019re modeling God\u2019s love. <\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve invited the Holy Spirit to be with you<\/a> as you lead, so don\u2019t be surprised when the Spirit hijacks a lesson now and then. As you\u2019re attentive to what\u2019s happening in your room, and sensitive to the needs of your kids, the Spirit might lead you to interrupt your plans. Consider those interruptions opportunities and embrace them\u2014they can lead to lifechanging moments in a child\u2019s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep a keen eye on kids as you lead. Does a specific point ignite their imaginations? Do they seem to be especially attentive to a Scripture verse<\/a>? As you lead be constantly asking the Holy Spirit to reveal ways you can encourage discovery and wonder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if it derails your schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m still grateful Sue Miller gave me that hour so long ago. God spoke through her and it changed me. And God is speaking through you to your kids, too. His love for them is boundless, His passion for their hearts without measure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He loves them so deeply that He\u2019s given them Jesus \u2026 and you.       <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Get 6 practical ways kids can experience the love of God through you\u2014because you\u2019ll be loving those kids in the very ways God loves you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":9675,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"Share God's Love with the Kids in Your Ministry | Wonder Ink","_seopress_titles_desc":"Get 6 practical ways kids can experience the love of God through you\u2014because you\u2019ll be loving those kids in the very ways God loves you.","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"blog_topic":[27,26],"blog_type":[13],"ppma_author":[41],"class_list":["post-7758","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","blog_topic-faith-formation","blog_topic-leadership","blog_type-blog"],"authors":[{"term_id":41,"user_id":0,"is_guest":1,"slug":"mikal-keefer","display_name":"Mikal Keefer","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/mlzai04amy7e.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:80\/f:best\/https:\/\/wonderink.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fixed-04889-Mikal-Keefer-vs-2-scaled.jpg","url2x":"https:\/\/mlzai04amy7e.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:80\/f:best\/https:\/\/wonderink.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Fixed-04889-Mikal-Keefer-vs-2-scaled.jpg"},"author_category":"","user_url":"","last_name":"","first_name":"","job_title":"","description":"Mikal Keefer is an over-sized volunteer at Good Shepherd Church in Loveland, Colorado, and the author of the best-selling Notes From Jesus. "}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wonderink.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7758","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wonderink.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wonderink.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wonderink.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wonderink.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7758"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wonderink.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7758\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wonderink.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9675"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wonderink.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7758"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"blog_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wonderink.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog_topic?post=7758"},{"taxonomy":"blog_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wonderink.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog_type?post=7758"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wonderink.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=7758"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}