First Impressions

I've been catching up on my http://www.childrensministrytalk.com/ podcasts lately, and I came across one about First Impressions that caught my eye.  One of the speakers was saying that you have 10 minutes, when a family first walks onto your campus to make them go "Wow!"  If they don't, you've already lost them.  10 minutes!  It's got to be about 2 minutes for a child, and even less than that for a preschool or toddler.  Here's what he had to say about his experience:

"When my son Tim was 3 years old, we walked into a church and checked him into the 3-year-old class, and boy, the lady at the door was friendly, welcoming, used his name several times when she opened the door to let him in. He looked in the room and saw the kids having fun, playing with play dough, building with blocks, playing with cars on the floor, he ran in, no problem!

"I went to a friend of mine's church the next weekend, a large church, church with a brand new facility, we went to check him into the 3-year-old classroom, and the lady didn't talk to him at all, she only talked to us (my wife and I), he looked in, and grabbed my leg and starting crying.  Why?  Because kids were sitting on a tape line on the floor. They were waiting for class to begin.  There were bins full of fun toys to play with, but they didn't have any of them out yet.  Kids that age, boy, if you don't impress them in the first 5-10 seconds, you have a problem with a kid crying the whole service, wanting his parents.  With elementary kids, you can have up to a couple minutes, when they walk in to check out Children's Church. You gotta have kids welcoming kids, something for them to do! Appeal to the child, to that culture, IMMEDIATELY when they walk in the room."

Good word for all of us to get a hold of!  Please help make families and children feel comfortable and happy! I can only do so much with the environment and classrooms, I need your help, FV Kids Staff, to do the welcoming!

Prophecy = Easy Recruiting

I just read a list of the top ten obstacles to recruiting for a Christian Education Ministry.  Number one was obvious, a lack of prayer!  We don't have because we don't ask!  

But it was the last one that really got me: "People's lack of confidence in themselves."  Recently, we've had a few different people join our church (I didn't ask them if I could share this, so I'll leave their names out), and when asked why they they joined, why they decided to keep coming, they said that it was because of the encouragement they felt when they were around!  They had never been encouraged like that in their entire lives!  They said that it was no one person in particular, but that it came from every side, all the time.  They got addicted to it!  They loved being around the church and started to get really involved, because for the first time in their lives, people weren't condemning them all the time, telling them everything they were doing wrong, being negative about their lives!  They were surrounded by people who built them up, and told them what a great job they were doing!  Therefore, they got more involved, and more involved.

That's called Prophecy!! 1 Corinthians 14:1-3, says that prophecy is "strengthening, encouragement, comfort"!!  When the American church gets a hold of that concept, the church will explode!  What a contrast between God's people and the world!   If we become a ministry that can prophecy over everyone that walks through our doors, we will never lack for volunteers.

I need your help to do this!  I need you to see your job as a Children's Ministry worker, not only to minister to the children in your care, but to every parent, every helper, everyone you come into contact with.  Prophecy over them by strengthening, encouraging, comforting.  People won't be able to stay away!

Note to Self:

Really great article from March/April 2010 K! Magainze by Dr. Tim Elmore:


Three kinds of kids (leaders):

1. Drivers. These are strong-willed students. They're often stubborn. They want to be in charge. They are natural leaders, but they must learn specific qualities that are not intuitive for them, like patience, people skills and planning. As an adult, you must be direct with a "driver" since they have strong ideas of their own.

2. Diplomats. They are the opposites of the drivers. Diplomats are harmonious, cooperative, and value peacemaking. They're relational and make marvelous leaders as everyone loves them. However, they must learn to stand for their convictions and gain their own vision. To lead them, simply seek cooperation.

3. Dreamers. These are the most misunderstood students. They are creative, reflective and imaginative, and often are quickly diagnosed as ADHD if they can't sit still. They will lead as visionaries, but must harness their own energy and ideas. To lead them well, offer them as many options as possible.


CULTIVATE HEALTHY HABITUDES INSIDE OF THEM:

1. Play chess not checkers. Checkers all look alike and move alike, so you treat the pieces all alike. In chess, however, the only way you can win is to know the strengths of each piece. Mediocre leaders play checkers with their people and get average results. Great leaders play chess and connect with others at the point of their uniqueness.

2. Build thermostats not thermometers. Both of these instruments have to do with temperature. One merely reflects the climate; the other sets the climate. We must cultivate kids who don't just mirror culture, but who set the spiritual tone for their peers.

3. Be a river not a flood. Floods are water going in every direction. Rivers flow in one direction. You must flow, not flood. You must become focused, not fuzzy. You can do anything in your ministry bu you can't do everything. Narrow and clarify your focus.

Social Media Advertising!

Social Media is no doubt rising in influence in our daily lives.  Some of you may not feel it, but in the world of ministry, it is necessary that we take steps to get involved in the conversation. Children and teens ARE spending an increasing amount of time on the internet and in front of the tv, and we need to be a part!  The following articles may help you understand this point of view, I know they did for me!

Facebook Approaching World Dominance

Media in the lives of 8- to 18-year olds

Cool church with a Facebook service!