Ministry-To-Children.com » Teacher Tips

Should You Write Your Own Kids’ Ministry Curriculum?

Mimi Bullock — Tue, 22 May 2012 13:21:49 +0000

An easy-to-follow, power-packed curriculum helps teachers reach the kids they teach but finding lessons that fulfills a specific criteria challenges many. Every children’s church is different and factors like church doctrine, time and volunteer constraints make selecting a curriculum even more of a task. According to some estimates, up to 18% of churches do write their own kids ministry curriculum. Is that a viable option for you? Before setting pen to paper, consider the pros and cons.

Pros of Writing Your Own Curriculum

You can create unique messages tailored to your group’s ages and interests. By writing your own lessons with your audience in mind, you can excite kids with specific references to their favorite hobbies and games. You could even use kids’ names in skits and puppet plays — with parents’ permission of course.
You can address specific issues in the group. When family or community tragedies strike, you can write lessons that kids will appreciate and understand. Target a sin that the group seems to struggle with like lying or disobedience to parents. By writing your own curriculum, you can teach in real-time about immediate issues.
Teach lessons from verses that “speak to your spirit” during your own Bible studies. Sometimes the best lessons we teach come from the oil that God presses out of us during our personal devotion time. (For example, recently, God spoke privately to me about forgiving a friend who had wronged me. I took that lesson to my kids and we experienced a powerful move of His Spirit. He knew what we all needed!)
You get to collaborate with others. By writing your own lessons, you could work with other teachers, pooling your best ideas to make one solid work.

Cons of Writing a Curriculum

Writing a curriculum takes lots of time – probably more than you think. Even if your proposed book only contains 12 lessons, enough for a quarter, you will need dozens maybe even a hundred hours of writing time.
You won’t have the advantages of a professional publishing house like editors and proofreaders. Typos can’t be avoided and everyone makes reference mistakes. When you write your own work, you might not end up with a clean copy that you could be proud of. It takes several drafts to catch all the mistakes.
Your writing may not match your teachers’ styles. When you write a curriculum from your teaching perspective not everyone will get it. Teaching styles vary and it’s hard to inspire everyone.
You could infringe on copyrights unknowingly. Referring to a beloved cartoon character or using a song title in your lesson could break copyright laws. You need to understand basic copyright infringement issues before setting pen to paper.

If you are considering writing your own curriculum, weigh the pros and cons. Test the creative waters by writing an outline first. If you find this difficult, you might feel that writing an entire curriculum is a waste of your time. However, if you have the fortitude and spare time, this project could be fulfilling and useful.

Read Mimi’s children’s parable, “The Young Boy and the Great Mountain,” or visit her blog at Encouragement for Christians.

The K-W-L Chart: A Great Bible Teaching Tool

Kristin Charles — Sat, 19 May 2012 03:04:41 +0000

If you’re looking for a different teaching approach on a Sunday morning, The K-W-L Chart just may be the way to go. The K-W-L Chart is a traditional teaching strategy that is effective in determining a student’s current knowledge, generating an interest in subject matter, and recalling valuable lessons learned. It can be utilized to teach any type of Biblical content.

The K-W-L Chart is a visual tool that can be easily drawn up on a blackboard, white board, or a poster for later reference purposes. It is a simple chart made up of three columns. On the left, a column is designated as “K” for KNOW. The middle column is “W” for WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN. On the right, a column is designated as “L” for WHAT YOU LEARNED.

Before a lesson is presented, students brainstorm what they KNOW about a subject or Biblical account. This is a good preliminary assessment tool of your students’ basic knowledge of the subject. All of these facts would be compiled into the first column under “K,” WHAT WE KNOW. For example, if you are studying the life of Esther, the students might say:

She was a queen
She helped save people
She starred in a Veggie Tales movie
She is a book in the Old Testament
She was brave
There was someone named Haman involved with her life.

Following the brainstorming session, students ask questions about the topic or account. These questions will be written under the “W” column and include “WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO LEARN.” This column, in particular, generates interest in the subject because students are inherently inquisitive. In addition, it gives them a framework for the lesson and allows them to be active listeners, engaged in finding their own answers.

If we follow along with our example, student questions may include:

How did Esther save her people? Was what she did dangerous?
Was she really in a beauty pageant?
Who is Haman after all?
What does this have to do with our lives today?

At this point, the teacher would teach the bulk of the lesson. He or she could use any manner of teaching and may choose to read an account out loud, utilize reading circles, act it out, perform a readers’ theatre, use puppets, watch a movie or clip, etc.

Once the lesson is presented, the “L” component of the chart is composed and students brainstorm “WHAT WE LEARNED.” This is a great way to reinforce concepts taught and provides for meaningful discussion. It may be helpful to write down the answers in very brief statements next to the corresponding questions. Answers, in this case, may include:

The Jewish people were going to be killed. Esther foiled the plan by bravely going before the King.
Yes, she was in a beauty contest. The King had to find a replacement Queen and she was selected.
Haman was the Prime Minister of Persia. He wanted all of the Jews to be killed.
Sometimes we have to speak up for what we believe in; having faith in Jesus takes courage; our age doesn’t matter – God uses anyone who is willing and humble to accomplish His will.

And there you have it! The K-W-L Chart, which can be easily adapted for any Bible lesson. Let us know if you have incorporated this particular teaching strategy into your ministries and how.

Tips for Teaching a Boys’ Class

Mimi Bullock — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 15:41:47 +0000

During my 12 plus years of working in children’s ministry, I have to say this past year was a first! My track records includes teaching small children’s church, the “big” kids’ church, an all-girl praise dance class and Sidewalk Sunday School. When the opportunity arose to be a temporary teacher in a boys’ class, I didn’t hesitate. I’m a fool for ministry!

I knew there would be challenges but I was up to the task, I thought. (Instant in season and out, right?) Connecting with little girls was a no-brainer – I was one! However, connecting with little boys was a bit different, but surprisingly, easy. I tapped into their natural curiosity for how things worked and their more matter-of-fact approach to their faith. Obstacles did arise like handling discipline and connecting with a few that didn’t like the idea of a female teacher. Here are my tips for teaching a boys’ class.

Structure the class from beginning to end. At my church, I’m never sure how long the service will last. We have a variety of speakers and singers that visit frequently. The kids’ service could be over in an hour or last up to two hours, according to who’s on the agenda.As one of my ministry instructors once told me, “If you don’t put on a program for kids, they will put one on for you.” Amen! Have a plan.

Follow a timeline. Assign blocks of time to each section for example, 10 minutes for an object lesson or 30 minutes for the main lesson. Leave room for extra activities at the end. Show up early. Lock the door and prepare the classroom.

I never let kids in too early. While I’m preparing I don’t have time to babysit. I put on a sign on a door letting boys know the class is open 15 minutes before church. Bus kids are kept in a playroom and regular attendees know the drill. When it’s time to start, the music is pumping and everything is in the right place. Boys can’t take over if I’m in charge right from the beginning.

Boys that show out regularly get to hold my hand and be my helper. The idea of holding my hand is pretty repugnant to a boy. I rarely have to hold a hand. I settle disputes quickly by immediately expelling kids that fight.

I don’t interrupt my class for counseling sessions. Volunteers remove kids that refuse to cooperate and have them sit in the holding area until parents retrieve them. When I took this class, we had a high number of temper flare ups, even on the bus. Our immediate action plan deters a lot of it. If a child is pulled out of class once, I meet with parents after. Twice and the child meets with senior pastor. Three times and the child is on a one month probation from the class.

I love teaching boys with short object lessons and segments of activity. We’ll stop the lesson for a spirited game of Simon Says or Bible Trivia, long enough to capture their attention. Teaching a boys’ class means keeping the program structured but you also have to be willing to throw away the schedule, at least for a few minutes, when the kids get restless!

Read more from Mimi by visiting her blog Encouragement for Christians.

Tips for Teaching to Toddlers

Kristin Charles — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 13:49:19 +0000

When you think of toddlers what comes to mind? Is it their tantrums? Could it be their innocent mischief – like when they unraveled all of the toilet paper rolls they could find? Is it their fascination with simple joys – big belly giggles, wide opened wonder, and squeals over common life?

It would appear that teaching to toddlers would be a no-brainer, right? I mean, we’re talking children from between 12 months and 36 months of age. They’ve graduated from the baby stage, so how hard could it be? It only takes one hour to find out.

Upon closer inspection (on the job training!), teachers may find toddlers to be busy, fiercely independent, unable to communicate articulately, emotional, curious, active, and messy. One toddler is usually exhausting, never mind a room of them! So how does one keep a toddler aged child happy and safe and engaged and learning?

Here are some tips for teaching to one of the most unique developmental brackets of childhood:

1. Create or Adapt the Environment

A safe, age-appropriate classroom that encourages exploration and learning is the foundation from which to begin. Toddler environments should include: a central group area, a quiet cozy “safe corner” with board books, a gross motor area with mats and wide open spaces for ride on toys and push toys, a block area with large blocks and trucks, a dramatic play center including pretend play items and mirrors, and a sensory station with a rotating sensory table (filled with containers, measuring cups, and rice, pasta, scarves, water, sand, instruments, etc.). Use pictures in each center to facilitate learning. Ensure that all of the toys are age-appropriate (and not choking hazards) and swap out toys on a regular basis. In a perfect setting, younger toddlers (12-24 months) should be separated from older toddlers (24-36 months) because there is such a wide variance of developmental abilities between the two.

In addition, consider the layout of the furniture to include organizational cubbies or bins and hooks for individual storage, low child sized tables and chairs, a diaper changing station, gliders for rocking, snack and drink storage, and an art supply and display area. As always, check with state guidelines to ensure that your church classroom is meeting the minimum guidelines for toddler spaces. Ensure that your toddler room meets the designated ratio of adults to children. Have an immediate way to contact the parent in case of emergency. Ensure that you have up to date records on each child in your care. Also, have a regular plan (checklist) for cleaning the facility, equipment, and toys to ensure that the environment is sanitary.

2. Provide Age-Appropriate Lesson Plans

When writing lesson plans for toddlers, find a classroom routine that works for you and stick with it. Toddlers thrive on routines! Incorporate a considerable amount of “free play” into your lesson. Remember that children learn through play, so begin and end your time spent together with it. Stick to a simple lesson such as “God Made Me” or “Jesus Loves” or “Right and Wrong.” Include elements of your lesson around the room in each center, if applicable. Be present during free play, observing students and engaging them in learning, asking questions, and problem solving.

In your planning, include songs and finger plays, simple books with little text and rich images, common everyday pictures as visuals, simple adapted games (Ring Around the Rosy, Red Light Green Light, Head Shoulders, Knees and Toes, Hide and Seek with items, etc.), movements to music, creative role-playing and imaginative play (for the older toddlers), and art exploration.

3. Interact with Toddlers at Their Level

Speak with a toddler at their eye level. Be clear and concise in your language and directions. Help them to verbalize what they are doing, as if you are narrating a scene or commentating for a sporting event. Be prepared with a tantrum response plan. Toddlers crave a sense of independence, so give them occasional choices, but limit them to two. (Would you like green or red paint?) Empower older toddlers by giving them small helping roles. (Pass out the napkins.) Help toddlers feel secure with your kindness, presence, consistency, and prayer.

When speaking to a group of toddlers, be on stage! Be as expressive as an actor or actress. Move around and allow them to do the same – a lot! Teach using a variety of methods to appeal to their senses and unique learning modes. Vary the sound of your own voice. Dress up, be silly, laugh a lot, and love! Have fun with your toddlers! Allow them to teach you how to be a child again.

4. Get to Know their Caregivers

Caregivers already have a measure of trust in you, otherwise they would not be willing to leave their child in your care. However, make connections with them. Ask questions and listen carefully. Provide them with ways that they can help in the classroom, so they feel connected. Create a simple take home handout for them, summarizing the lesson and giving them opportunities to extend the learning at home. Specifically write in what their child did in class that day. Observe developmental changes in the child and communicate your excitement and observations. (When did Alex learn to walk? I love how Sophia is using her words to communicate! Adam and Ben were playing side by side today in the block center.) Encourage the parent at every opportunity. Be available and humble. Allow them ways to express feedback. Make it a point to individually pray for each toddler and parent in your ministry.

Clearly, this list is not all encompassing! What are some of your favorite tips and techniques for working with toddlers?

10 Teaching Tips for Preteen Leaders

Guest Writer — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:59:45 +0000

**This is a guest post from Nick Diliberto from PreteenMinistry.net

1. Customize curriculum

Give up the idea of a cookie cutter approach to preteen curriculum. Preteens respond best when lessons are customized. Use examples of real life situations where you struggled or had a success with the given topic. Take into consideration your specific community, church and preteens when editing lessons. Yes, curriculum is good. But it is most effective when leaders make it their own.

2. Add the fun factor

Preteens love to have fun. So, why not have fun in church? If you bore them, you’ll lose them. But when church is a fun place, they’ll wake up with excitement on Sunday mornings eagerly anticipating what’s in store for them

3. Use active learning
Gone are the days when preteens sit in a chair and just listen to a children’s sermon. Inject active learning elements that get preteens moving around (they have a lot of energy) and experiencing the lesson using all five senses.

4. Ask lots of questions

Preteens learn a lot by discussing questions about life, God, Jesus and the Bible. Help them use critical thinking by asking open-ended questions. Allow them to process the day’s topic by asking their own questions. Train small group leaders to facilitate discussion. Encourage students to give their thoughts on a question of a peer. Create a culture of asking questions.

5. Be relevant to their world
Gone are the days of flannel graphs and puppets when reaching preteens. Instead, communicate the timeless message of the Bible using methods that are relevant to their world. Use media, narrative, popular video game illustrations and anything else that comes to mind. Know the world preteens live in and meet them there. Speak their language.

6. Infuse media

Media is a powerful tool. Use video clips from current movies (stick to PG), YouTube videos, TV show clips, music videos and anything else you can think of to help drive home the point. Stay up to date on all the current media your preteens are engaged with and use it to your advantage. Media has the power to instantly grab the attention of preteens.

7. Be prepared

You might be able to get away with being unprepared when teaching younger age groups, but not preteens. They’ll sense you’re not on your game and eat your lunch. Avoid reading from a script as well (it’s a turn off). Use notes as a guideline and always be prepared for the unexpected.

8. Mix It Up

As often as possible, mix up the order & method of your weekend service. If you normally do a game at the beginning of a lesson, do a game at the end every so often. Routine is good, but too much predictability and preteens will disengage.

9. Be creative

Spice it up and try something new every once in awhile. If you’ve never done a drama, try it. If you’ve always wanted to decorate your room and have it relate to the theme your teaching, go for it. As always, recruit a team to help.

10. Keep it simple

Simplicity focuses a lesson. No need for 3-4 main points. Instead focus on one main point and use a few creative elements to reinforce it. You’re not teaching systematic theology, so break down big Biblical ideas into bit size chunks.

Nick Diliberto is creator of PreteenMinistry.net, which provides creative curriculum and resources for preteen ministry. He is also the preteen columnist for Children’s Ministry Magazine and Children’s Pastor at Seven San Diego Church.

Harnessing the High Energy Level of Preteens

Guest Writer — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:29:38 +0000

**This is a guest post from Nick Diliberto from PreteenMinistry.net

Preteens have a high energy level. If you’ve worked with them for five minutes, you know this to be true. They can’t sit still for very long, get easily distracted like to move around a lot. Especially the boys. The body of a preteen is rapidly changing and the brain is undergoing a tremendous amount of change. Because of these changes, preteens are naturally hyper.

The dilemma is that I, like many other leaders, have a significantly lower energy level. I’m 36 years old and married with three kids. My life, like yours, is busy and often energy draining. My idea of a good time is sitting down to read a good book in peace and quiet. Many of the leaders on my team, except High School students, are the same way. As a result, the typical leader is a bit freaked out by preteens’ high energy level. Often it becomes a roadblock to learning and a point of frustration for many.

The key is to harness their energy and use it constructively. How? Here’s one way: provide energy releases. My friend Patrick Snow, director of SuperStart, came up with this terminology. I like it.

Preteens are in a continual state of building up energy screaming to be released. It’s a part of their physical development. I’ve actually read research that says the brain of a preteen learns best after bursts of energy releases. It clears the mind and opens it up to learning. Preteens are going to release energy, so you can either fight against it or use it to your advantage.

I’ve found it effective to play an active large group game at the beginning of the service. That way, we hit the ground running and any pint up energy is immediately released. Often times the game is related to the day’s topic, and often it isn’t. The key is to keep them moving, setting them up for the next element, which for us is usually a large group message or worship.

Another energy release is worship. Make worship interactive and experiential. Encourage them to let loose and move around.

Lastly, small groups are an opportunity for an energy release. We usually do small groups after a large group message. Since students have now been sitting for some time at this point, we start with some sort of activity that gets them moving. We then move into reading the Bible or discussion time.

Preteens have way more energy than us leaders. Instead of it being a source of frustration, learn to harness that energy into a positive direction. Experiment with your group and discover what works best.

How to Make Sunday School More Fun

Jenny Funderburke — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:41:28 +0000

One of my favorite quotes of all time is “It is a sin to bore a kid with the Bible“. I don’t know who originally said it, but I saw it long ago used in an ad for curriculum. I completely agree.

We have the most exciting story of all time to tell, yet Sunday School does not generally have the reputation for being fun. How can we change that? Here are six steps to help bring more fun into your Sunday School.

1. Be prepared. Let’s be honest, listening to someone read straight from the teacher’s guide and watching them have their nose buried in the book is not very exciting. The better you can know your lesson ahead of time, the more freedom you have to lead the fun. You can’t make the class the very best experience for the kids if you aren’t ready when you walk in.

2. Have fun yourself. Remember the old Jerry Maguire quote from that little kid, “Did you know dogs and bees smell fear?” Kids can smell fear and can also smell out if you don’t want to be there. Ask God to renew your joy for being in the classroom. Model for your kids what it looks like to truly live Psalm 122:1… “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.”

3. Laugh a lot. Along the same lines, your classroom should be a place of lots of laughs. Laughter is the language of fun for kids. Yes, the Bible is serious, but God is a God of great joy. Kids are attracted to laughter, so seek out ways to get them giggling.

4. Keep it active and moving. Kids are kids and sitting still is not fun for them. Use lots of variety in your lessons. There are appropriate times for kids to sit still and listen, but they just can’t do it for an hour. Look for ways to incorporate games, movement, drama, and other activities that get them out of their chairs. Remember, kids’ attention spans are about one minute for each age of their lives. So for six year olds, you should aim to change up what you are doing every six minutes or so.

5. Make sure it is relevant. Help your kids connect what they are learning to their real lives. When kids can’t see why what you are teaching is important, they will quickly label it as “important”. Help them see that God’s Word is “living and active” and help them specifically see how your lesson can impact their lives.

6. Connect kids. Kids have a need to feel like they belong. Use their names, include each one in activities, and get everyone involved. Some kids are more reserved than others, but the more you can get everyone involved, the more they will have fun. Also, concentrate on connecting kids to one another. The fun factor greatly increases when kids make friends.

Learning Stations for Children’s Ministry

Mimi Bullock — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 15:11:30 +0000

Herding children in and out of classes becomes a bit tedious week after week but cool stations will have kids wanting to stay. Developing special points of interest in the class will help you direct kids into prayer and worship. Stations are also useful for directing volunteer assignments and giving workers a chance to lead in new areas. Use stations to reinforce a Bible lesson or a special verse of scripture. Put your creative team to work customizing these center ideas.

Meet the Missionaries: Place a large globe at the station along with pictures of missionaries associated with your church. Kids especially like seeing pictures of children from other nations and cultures. Have dried food samples and other artifacts that are relative to the mission for kids to touch and feel.

Prayer Station: It’s good to teach kids the importance of prayer while they are young. Place a picture of the president and local leaders at this station. Ask kids to pray for their leaders, pastoral staff, friends and family. Post easy to read prayers or the Lord’s prayer above the area, at kid eye level, of course.

Bible Art: Keep this spot stocked with Bible arts and crafts supplies. Leave one example of the craft on the table so kids can work independently if you’re short on volunteers. Only place supplies out that will be used with the current craft. Remember to choose age appropriate activities.

Worship Station: This is a good station idea if you want to focus teaching on the importance of worship. Place a CD player at this table and play worship music softly. Have ribbons, streamers and musical instruments on hand for kids. Also, encourage aspiring singers by providing printed lyrics so they can sing along.

Puppet Players: Puppet play allows children to act out what they’ve learned. Provide a cardboard box puppet stage along with puppets. Decorate the stage colorfully and a few Bible props. Encourage children at this station to put on plays about their Bible lessons or their favorite characters.

Dress Up Center: A dress up center is exciting for kids of all ages. Shop second hand stores and buy clothing like robes, tunics and costumes. Wash the materials then place them in a large tub at this station. Hang a mirror so kids can see themselves dressed as the characters from the Bible.

Friendship Table: Fellowship and friendship are important for growing a church. Kids love making new friends but sometimes they need encouragement to do so. Place two or multiple player games at the friendship table. Hang a bulletin board with pictures of each child and his favorite things.

Stations are fun for teachers and for children. Mix up stations seasonally and add stations as you need them.

Read more from Mimi by following her blog, “Encouragement for Christians.”

How To Encourage Sunday School Attendance

Jenny Funderburke — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:37:05 +0000

Do you notice the trend that many families are choosing to attend Sunday School every other week? For most churches, kids’ attendance is more and more sporadic as their lives get busier and busier. There are a few strategies that we can use to encourage kids to attend Sunday School. Click here to share your own ideas with other readers.

1. Notice when they are NOT there. I’m always amazed by the response by kids and families to a simple “We missed you” card. People want to know that you care. When they know that you care whether they are there or not, kids are more likely to come. Train teachers to send notes, make calls, or follow up in other ways when their kiddos are missing. We use our attendance software to track absences. After missing four weeks a child gets a postcard. If they have missed 5-7 they get a call from our staff, then another postcard after 8 weeks.

2. Make it fun. If kids feel like they are going to miss something, they are going to do their best not to miss. Make it your goal to have kids dragging their parents to church.

3. Regularly schedule “high attendance” events. People show up for special occasions, especially if there is food involved. Pick one Sunday a quarter to be your “high attendance” day. Create a fun theme. Encourage all teachers to contact everyone on their rolls.

4. Help kids feel connected with each other. One of the top reasons I hear of why kids don’t want to go to Sunday School is that they “don’t know anyone”. Each week include a “get to know you” ice breaker in every class.

5. Have fun social events outside of class. This relates to the point above about helping kids connect with each other. If they can have fun together outside of Sunday morning, they will feel more comfortable in class, and then they will be more likely to come..

6. Follow up with visitors. Make sure you have a great plan for following up with new families who attend your church. Help them feel welcome, answer their questions, and encourage them to come back. Consider also sending out welcome packets with information about your ministry and maybe even a small gift card or coupon.

For more ideas, read our post about making families and children feel welcome in your church. You might also enjoy our bulletin insert that lists 10 Reasons To Bring Your Child To Sunday School.

10 Tips for Reaching the Hard to Reach Child

Mimi Bullock — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:21:40 +0000

I love children so much. I look forward to scooping each one of them up and holding them in my arms as long as they’ll let me. Like you, God has blessed me with the capability of loving and accepting children, seeing them for who they are in God.

What about children who shrink back from this attention. Some children close themselves off and become difficult to reach. No hugs can be administered because I am kept at a safe, untrusting distance. But like the Good Shepherd, I’m determined to gather them in. It’s this one lost sheep that I feel compelled to bring into the fold.

Reaching the hard to reach child requires patience and a holy determination. You have to be willing to go the distance. You must! Take heart Christian minister—it can be done!

So how do you begin? How can you do it? These steps will help you minister to these children. Keep in mind, these steps aren’t written in stone and there’s no timeline associated that I can give. Each child is different. You may have to repeat several steps for a long period of time.

1. Minister to yourself. Remind yourself that you aren’t personally being rejected. This isn’t about you—it’s war for a precious soul. Aloofness is evidence of a struggle.

2. Focus on Jesus. Teach about Him, talk about Him. His words in red, as my children call them, can work miracles on the hearers.

3. Pray in private for the child. Bring him before the Lord every day. Ask for wisdom and insight on reaching the child.

4. Assign someone. Children that have been abused by adults or are extremely timid may not warm up to a grown up. Assign a younger minister to befriend the child. A teen helper or young adult would make the perfect match for a hard to reach child.

5. Counter anger with love. The hard to reach child will likely exhibit anger. Do the unexpected and counter every angry act with love. Love disarms, love heals.

6. Respect the child’s boundaries. Don’t touch, if he doesn’t want to be touched. If she shrinks away from your hugs, respect the distance. Not everyone has to hug us. (Sad but true.)

7. Wait for opportunities. When Christ is involved, miracles will happen! Be prepared for opportunities. Don’t be surprised if the hard to reach child finally confides in you or asks you to pray. Be immediate in your response and don’t make them wait. You may not get another opportunity.

8. Go to them. Take your ministry outside the four walls. Pay a visit! Bring cookies or the child’s favorite snack and make an in-home visit. Always call ahead for approval.

9. Be sincere. Kids can spot a fake easily. Always be honest. Never fake answers and laugh at your own mistakes.

10. Don’t make promises you can’t keep. The quickest way to undo all your hard work is to break a promise. To the hard to reach child, broken promises are “proof” that you don’t really care. Be careful about promising things.

The hard to reach child needs you. Follow the child’s lead as you lead him to the cross.