iPad in Kidmin: Notability

i've been looking for ways to put the ipad to work in the context of kids ministry, and haven't found much in the way of resources online. so, when i come up with a good use, i'll post about it in hopes that others will find it useful.

last night, we did a bible study community group with the kids as we finished up our unit on community. we took the passage that was taught sunday morning, john 14, and developed a set of related questions to discuss.

but as i was writing the questions, i knew that i wanted it to be more than just sitting and talking. that wasn't exciting, and i want the kids to see that talking about God is exciting. enter ipad.

last week, i picked up an app called Notability which allows you to draw, type, highlight, erase or just write with your fingertip. so the group discussion questions transformed into "discuss and draw your answer". we discussed each question as a group, but took turns drawing out our answer so that everyone got to participate.

here are a few of my favorite drawings from the kids.

 

Aidyn drew a picture of Jesus talking to the Disciples.

 

Brynn thought about the day children were walking to their school and miraculously were unharmed when a car crash happened right in front of them, leaving debris five feet away from the kids. She described this as "He protects us."

 

Ava drew a picture of "people who love Jesus" (aka, "disciples").

 

Taylor imagines the Holy Spirit as a little like us, but with gleaming light surrounding Him.

 

Elle said that the Holy Spirit helps us by "talking to our brains". (Yes, that's a brain, though afterwards she said "It looks like a piece of meat!")

it was great fun to see the kids play with the technology, and to see them eagerly answer the questions, helping one another develop their theology. but i won't lie - every time the ipad changed hands, my heart jumped a bit...

Shema, Pt 5: Family Rules

What's your attitude about rules? Some love them. Some hate them. The truth is: we all need them. Rules provide the structure and consistency that kids rely on to feel safe, to explore the world, and to learn about what is works in life.

In our NEXTgeneration Kids Ministry, we've just begin transitioning every gathering to using the same set of expectations:

• Be kind.
• Be responsible.
• Be respectful.
• Be safe.

These rules apply to every age group, because every child can meet these expectations according to his or her development.

You probably have some family rules, whether they are visible or invisible, spoken or unspoken. Whether you have official family rules or not, let me encourage you to make time this week to sit down as a family and talk about what your family's rules should look like.

Why do we need rules?
Rules have existed from the beginning of time. When God put Adam and Eve in the garden, there was one rule: "Don't eat that." Under Moses' leadership, the 10 commandments were established, and soon after, the law of the Old Testament (Leviticus, Numbers & Deuteronomy).

The Shema is all about our attitude toward God's rules. If we love God with our whole being, we will want to obey him. The Shema commands us to know these rules, and to pass them onto our children. Not casually, but intentionally. The Shema tells us: Talk about them every day. All day. Whenever the opportunity (or teaching moment!) arises. Keep them visible. Don't forsake God's commands!

Jesus made clear to us what God's commands look like for us as His followers, when He said that all of the law could be summed up in these two: Love God. Love others.

Why did God create these rules?
We teach the kids that rules serve to protect us and help us get along with one another.

That rule about stopping when the light's red? It protects us (so we don't get hit by another car), and it helps us get along with one another (so we don't make others mad). How about that biggie about not murdering? It protects us (so others don't do the same to us...) and it helps us get along with others (so we don't do stupid stuff when we're mad). At the swimming pool, we don't run because we'll probably slip and fall (no explanation needed).

Consider this: Obeying the rules is like using an umbrella. When we obey, we're under the umbrella, while the rain (life?) falls all around us. We stay dry, protected. When we disobey, we step out from under the umbrella. Is it still raining? Yep. Are we protected from the rain? Nope.

Tips for creating family rules:

• Let your kids have as much "say so" as you do in this venture. You might be surprised at the rules they want to have in place.
  
• Rules shouldn't be all about "don't". Use positive language wherever you can.
  
• Family rules should always be up for review by the whole family, at the right time and place - but on a day to day basis, we all (parents, you too!) follow the rules. (See below.)
  
• If you want your kids to follow the rules, be the example. If you don't tell the truth all the time, why should they? And if you lose your temper and say something unkind, humble yourself, apologize in a full sentence, ask their forgiveness, and patch it up. It's biblical.
  
• Expect kids to say they're sorry when they break a rule, and to right a wrong against someone else. If one rule is "Be kind", and your son is constantly antagonizing his sister, it's time to let him think up his consequence, and to make things right with her!
  
• Keep it simple. There are some REALLY elaborate lists out there that include some really odd rules. ("Smile"? What about when I'm sad? Should I hide it? How about "Have a good attitude" instead.) Avoid too many rules - your 8 year old can not memorize a list of 15 rules!
  
• Make sure your consequences are fair, consistent, and that you follow through. Rules with no consequences are not rules at all.

How to start the conversation with your family...
Ask some questions:

• Why do we need rules?
• What are some rules you have at school? At church?
• What are some of the rules you think we have at home?
• What rules should we have at home?

Make it visible:

• Do something creative together to write out your rules.
  
• Keep them visible. Hang them up. Post them on the fridge. Tattoo them on their forearms. Leave stickies on the bathroom mirror. Out of sight? Out of mind.

Need some ideas? Here are a few of my favorites from around the interwebz:









On a related note, if you need a little help making dinner an enjoyable family time, check out this great blog post called "Rules of Dinner".

What rules do you have for your family? Leave me a comment, or post to our Parents of NEXTgeneration Kids Facebook page.

This is a continuation of a series I'm posting during our study of the book of Romans at Creekside, as we encourage families to memorize the "Shema" together. Previous posts here:

• Intro
  
• What is the Shema?
  
• Why memorize?
  
• Making Memorization Fun
  
• Making a Mezuzah

Shema, Pt 4: Making a Mezuzah

"...Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." (Deuteronomy 6:9, the last verse of the Shema)

The Israelites took literally Moses' instruction to write the commands of God on their doorposts, enclosing a scroll of parchment in a decorative box, and attaching it to their door frame. On the parchment is written a part of the Shema, and when installed, the mezuzah is both a blessing to the home and a reminder, as the Shema instructs of God's commands.

Since we're learning the Shema together, and keeping it visual is the best way to help us memorize, work together as a family this week to create a mezuzah for your home. It doesn't have to be elaborate - I've seen them made from an empty matchbox, lego, an empty glue stick - but you could even make them from a toilet paper core, or an origami box. Want to go all out? Make several and hang them on the different door frames around your home.

Most mezuzahs have the Hebrew letter "shin" on the outside, which is the first letter of one of the names of God: Shaddai.

Have your child write out the Shema passage, Deuteronomy 6:4-9, on a small piece of paper and roll it up to fit it inside. If your mezuzah is too small, you could just write the word "shema" in Hebrew and talk about that that means.

Show me your mezuzah! Leave me a comment, email me, or post to our Parents of NEXTgeneration Kids Facebook page.

This is a continuation of a series I'm posting during our study of the book of Romans at Creekside, as we encourage families to memorize the "Shema" together. Previous posts here:

• Intro
  
• What is the Shema?
  
• Why memorize?
  
• Making Memorization Fun

Sources: Red & blue lego mezuzah, posted on Flickr. Mezuzah photo above, found here.

Shema, Pt 2: Why memorize?

This is a continuation of a series I'm posting during our study of the book of Romans at Creekside, as we encourage families to memorize the "Shema" together. Previous posts here:

• Intro
  
• What is the Shema?

I struggled with closed-book tests in school because studying was hard for me. I always appreciated the teachers who were more interested in evaluating your ability to locate the information over your ability to memorize it. In other words, I like open-book tests.

Today, we have the internet, the Bible, and useful Bible tools readily available. We can find what the Bible says about any topic, in a snap. We might be tempted to dismiss scripture memorization as an old-school (old-church?) practice.

But there's value in memorizing God's Word - regardless of how many tools you have at your disposal. When we internalize God's Word, God's Spirit uses it to speak to our hearts.

When I am afraid, God whispers to me "I did not give You a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self-control..." (2 Timothy 1:7)

When I am distracted and frustrated, God says "I will keep you in perfect peace, if you keep your mind focused on me..." (Isaiah 26:3)

When I am ready to give up, God says "Consider it joy that you are being tested, because testing develops perseverance..." (James 1:2-3)

And when I am tempted to think that we don't need to help our kids memorize scripture, God says "hide My Word in your heart, so that you will not sin against Me..." (Psalm 119:11)

I did all of those from memory - not to show off, but to tell you that memorizing scripture helps me live my life guided by the Spirit.

And in case you think teaching kids to memorize scripture is a fruitless effort, let me tell you my own experience: when I was 5, I was very briefly involved in a kids program that emphasized scripture memory. The very first verse I learned was John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever shall believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

That's the King James Version. I don't read the King James Version. My family didn't attend church, and we never talked about Jesus at home. But that verse stuck. When I was 17, I came to Christ. I still didn't know what "begotten" meant. In my early 20s, the words really clicked, and it all made sense. This is why I memorize scripture now, and this is why I encourage you and your family to do the same.

Kids are sponges. What would you like yours to absorb?

Thursday, I'll post a few ideas for making memorization fun at home.

Have you memorized a verse that God keeps bringing back to you? Tell me about it! Leave me a comment below.

Shema, Pt 1: What is Shema?

(This is a continuation of a series I'm posting during our study of the book of Romans at Creekside, as we encourage families to memorize the "Shema" together. Even though this is primarily focused on elementary-aged kids, there's no reason why you couldn't begin teaching your preschoolers. Learn more here.)

"Listen, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." (Deuteronomy 6:4-9*)

This is the statement of faith, from the Old Testament, known as the "Shema". The word "Shema" comes from the first word of the passage, literally meaning "to hear". But the implication is that we are not just to hear, we are also to act. So "shema" could mean "listen and obey".

You know that joy you experience, when you have a teaching moment with a child and they receive and understand what you say? That's shema.

I think God must feel the same joy every time we listen to Him - His Word, His voice in our hearts, and do what He says. Shema.

The trouble is this: as sinful humans, we are not inclined toward shema. We are inclined to do the opposite. To ignore. To disobey. I bet you've experienced that with your kids too.

We can only truly shema with God's help, and we can only live out the commands of the Shema with God's help.

So, as you begin your own look at the Shema, ask God's help in this journey: to guide you, as you live out the commands - to love God with all of your being, to commit yourself to His Word, to teach His Word to your children, all day, every day. I'm praying for you too.

As a family:

• Once this week, open up your Bibles together. Locate Deuteronomy 6:4-9, and show it to your kids. Remind them that the Bible is God's Word, like a letter for us. Highlight or underline the words. Tell your kids that we call this part the "Shema"; tell them what "Shema" means. Read the Shema out loud, and talk about each part. What does it mean to love God with all your heart? Your soul? Your strength? What does it mean to write them on the doorposts and gates?
  
  
• Make something together to go on your table, so you remember to read it and talk about it throughout the week. I made this "table-sitter" out of a few scraps of paper I had lying around - taping the edges of 3 pieces together to form a triangle. It doesn't have to be elaborate! Let your child write out the words, or decorate it with stickers. Make it fun. Do it together.
  
  
• Put your table-sitter on the dining room table, the bathroom counter, or your child's nightstand - wherever you'll see it and have a moment to say it together or talk about it. Try to say the Shema together a few times throughout the week to get comfortable with the words.

(*This is the NLT version, which we use with kids in 1st-6th grades at Creekside. It's a paraphrased translation. Check out the NIV version here.)

New Blog Series Coming this Week!

Yesterday, we began our study of Romans at Creekside: for the next several months, our adults and elementary-aged kids will be working their way through the book of Romans, investigating God, Jesus and a whole host of topics that Paul, it's author, wrote about to the church in Rome, about 56 A.D.

During the next 8 weeks (maybe longer!?), we're encouraging kids and their parents to memorize a passage of scripture together, as a family. We'll be looking at Deuteronomy 6:4-9 - called the "Shema" (pronounced "shi-MA").

Studying Romans, memorizing Shema... Why?
Romans is a foundational book in the Bible. Paul teaches us the gospel with a simplicity - and also a complexity - that few authors could pull off.

The Shema is a foundational statement of faith. For thousands of years, this confession of faith is how God's people acknowledged the one true God and His commandments for them.

You can't believe in Jesus and not follow the Shema. You can't follow the Shema without believing in Jesus.

Does the Shema still apply to us today?
When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, He answered by quoting the Shema. Yes, it still applies to us.

About this series...
We want to equip families with ideas and opportunities to grow together in faith. So on Monday or Tuesday of each week, I'll be posting a few thoughts or an activity you can do with your kids to learn more about the Shema, and about Jesus. I hope you'll follow along.

Building our team, as a team.

[This is part 1 of a series highlighting each goal of our NEXTgeneration Kids Ministry Leadership team for 2011-2012. See part 2 and part 3.]

Backstory: In March 2011, my Kids Ministry Executive team suggested we have a dinner for our entire Kids Ministry team (about 70 people). I agreed, reluctantly (the details daunted me). In April, I had no idea what that dinner would look like, except a bunch of people eating. In May, I went on an amazing trip to learn about leadership in some model churches, and a few days later, God gave me very clear instructions about our goals for the coming year. So when the dinner came around in June, I was ready, and I was pumped.

Goal 1: Build our team, as a team.

Over the last few months, we've identified 35 openings on our team, because of the rate at which our ministry is growing. Filling these roles will help us make sure we're ministering to families at our best.

I love inviting people to serve with me! It's exciting to know that I'm making a difference - why wouldn't others want to make a difference too? But if only one person is inviting others to serve, that person will become the bottleneck.

So instead of one person doing all the inviting, what would happen if all 70 of us were doing the inviting?

Here's how:

1. Identify two friends who aren't already serving on a ministry team at Creekside. (But what if all my friends are already serving?)

2. Tell your friends about why you serve on the NEXTgeneration Kids Leadership team. What do you get out of it? How are you blessed? How has obeying Jesus' call to serve others affected your life? Tell them a story from your experience with the kids - funny, sweet, cute, whatever. (If you're just doing this out of obligation, we should talk.)

3. Ask them if they'd like to serve alongside you. In most cases, we can rearrange things to allow your friend to serve WITH you. And serving with friends is so fun!

4. When they say yes (and experience tells me that 4 out of 5 will), grab them a Leadership Application from the Hosts Station OR give me their name and I'll mail one to them.

5. If they say no, keep sharing those stories about your experiences with the kids. It's good for them to hear that you love what you're doing.

leaders lead in morale

recently, i posted about getting back my vision for ministry after a season of hard but passionless work. this got me thinking: leaders need to lead in every area. you can't ask someone to do something you're not willing to do. leaders set the example in everything.

and that includes morale. i, as a leader, must manage my own morale. good attitudes and sunny dispositions are contagious. so are bad attitudes and crankiness.

leaders, (whether you lead children or adults, employees or volunteers) don't fool yourselves. if you're frustrated, exhausted, tired, cranky, angry, bitter or dried up, the people you lead can sense it. if your morale is low, theirs is too. the team morale will never be higher than your own morale. so, lead.

getting my vision back

an exciting thing happened last month: i got my vision back. not my eyesight - that's fine (mostly), but my vision for ministry - the long-distance heartsight that can see the future and knows where we're going.

and i have to say, it feels really good.

i've been on staff at creekside for four and a half years. at first, it seemed like an easy kind of hard. i knew what needed to be done, we did it, and ministry was amazing. but over time, especially within the last couple of years, it just became a hard kind of hard - like slogging through jello (not that i've ever tried that). i still loved ministry, but i wasn't "in love with" ministry. ("it's not you, it's me.")

it took a while to put my finger on why i felt passionless for so long, and then last month, just a day into my trip to california, i realized it: i wasn't on fire for anything. nothing was burning inside me. and that realization haunted me all weekend long...

so i began to pray specifically for vision: God's direction for our ministry, our team, and my leadership. i asked God to confirm that i was still the right person for the job. and i asked Him to tell me what the heck i was supposed to be doing.

and He did. not long after i returned home, i woke very early on a thursday morning. all attempts to return to sleep were in vain, and my brain was moving at lightning speed. suddenly, i could see where we were going. i grabbed my iphone, laid in bed, and took notes. as i wrote it down, it became clearer and clearer, and before long, i had a complete picture of what our kids ministry team would be focusing on for the next year.

proverbs 29:18 says "where there is no vision, the people perish."

you could say i was perishing in that time when i had lost my passion. i had lost my vision. and i know that if i was passionless and perishing, those on my team - those that stuck by me, that kept slogging - they must've felt it and had their own drink of it too. i regret that - not discovering it earlier... or maybe God allowed for that, i don't know. but i do know, He won't waste the experience in how He builds our character - mine or anyone else on our team. and i do know, now He has given us vision again. i am ready and raring to go, and incredibly thankful for the team of people who are going with me!

Kids Ministry Team Dinner

For the last several weeks, we've been busy with preparation for a big event - a dinner, celebration and training gathering for our entire Kids Ministry team. Our team includes 70 volunteer leaders who give their time and their hearts to ministering to kids at Creekside. They're an outstanding team, I feel enormously blessed to work with them.

I have to admit, when I was sitting around a table with a handful of other team leaders from our Kids Ministry, and they brought up this idea, it struck fear into my heart... All I could see was how much work it would be, and all I could picture was me doing it alone.

But truthfully, the end result was anything but that! These ladies saw the vision for the dinner (perhaps better than I, at first), and we ran with it - together. They shared the burden, they had brilliant ideas, and in the end, I know I couldn't have done it without them. I'm so proud to serve with them!

The event was a hit. Well-decorated, colorful tables, balloons, sidewalk chalk artwork created by kids to welcome the leaders to dinner, even a cheer team of kids who waved pompoms and thanked every person who walked in the door. Dinner was catered by Red Onion Burgers, one of my fav local restaurants, who went above and beyond to provide an excellent meal - they really outdid themselves! We enjoyed each other's company over dinner, then I shared on how God has refreshed my vision for our kids ministry, and where He is guiding us for this next year. We gave away raffle prizes, and handed out coffee cards and cute little appreciation candies to everyone. Then our teams split into break out sessions to go over training stuff. What a night!