Leadership Leads

Leadership Leads

YOU AS THE LEADER

• Maintain your relationship with God – devotional life, quiet days, reading and prayer.
• Understand your leadership style and value it.
• Do things you are good at- find and develop others to do those things you find harder.
• Develop a support network – mentors, friends, parent support group, administrators, prayer team.
• Limit the number of programs and ministries you are involved in.

YOU AS THE LEADER TO LEADERS

• Know your vision, mission, values, strategy and goals
• Communicate these to the Church and your leaders -continually evaluate these with your teams -  reports to Church Board or Council. Newsletter items, reports to other staff members, meeting notes or email.
• Develop a structure of carers for your teams (80/20 principle)
• Encourage your volunteers – hold celebrations, write notes to them, phone-text email. Give them chocolate and lots of it!

FINDING, RECRUITING AND DEVELOPING LEADERS

When recruiting leaders -

• Pray for the right leaders.
• Some people have the gift of recruiting. Find them and use them well.
• Know the task you are asking them to do.
• Spend time getting to know your congregation well
• Work out whether you are a phone, letter, email or face to face recruiter.
• As you ask them to be involved remember you are doing them a favor not the other way around.
• Describe the task in way that appeals to them and is also truthful regarding time commitment, skills needed etc..
• Are the right people in the task already or is it hindering you finding volunteers?
• What is the environment like you are asking your leaders to work in?
• Have job descriptions
• Encourage leaders to fill out an application form and code of conduct form
• Provide training and support for your leaders
• Liase with other staff members so that you all have a balance of leaders.
• Put people in the right ministries
• Include your leaders in the decision making process.

Top Tips on Learning with Children

Top Tips on Learning with Children

1. Get passionate about the Bible yourself.

2. Explore the Bible as one big story that has many little stories included in it.

3. Arouse children’s curiosity in our mysterious, awesome and complex God.

4. Avoid trying to feed children simple, ‘pat’ answers about God.

5. Choose a range of activities that use different intelligences.

6. Organise a variety of activities, but make sure they all point in the same direction to the same truth.

7. Use learning dynamics other than just the leader or teacher talking to a group.

8. Encourage children to ask their honest questions of God.

Beatitudes for Children's Workers

Blessed are they who love children with all their heart, for they shall be rewarded with big smiles.

Blessed are they who have planned and prepared, for the children will be interested and pay attention.

Blessed are they that arrive early, for they shall be able to welcome the children have time to talk to them rather than rushing to get things in place.

Blessed are they that get to know the children, their children's parents, and the children's home situation; for they shall be able to minister more effectively.

Blessed are they who respect each child's personality and seek to meet that child on his or her own level of understanding, for young lives shall reap benefits from these efforts in years to come.

Blessed are they who bear witness to children week after week, for they shall see boys and girls grow in knowledge and love of God.

Blessed are they who spend time alone with God each day, for they shall grow spiritually and the Lord will use them as His instruments.

Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for the Lord will honour your commitment and give you pleasure and satisfaction in your ministry to children.

(author unknown)

The Teacher's Psalm

The Lord is my helper; I shall not fear in guiding these pupils.

He leads me to the heart of the truth and prepares the mind of the pupils for the truth.

He gives me a vision of the immortality of these lives.

He leads me to see the sacredness of teaching His book.

Yea, though I become discouraged and despair at times, yet shall I lift my head, for His promises cannot fail me.

His word will not return to Him void, and my faith undimmed shall burn through all the coming years.

You walk before me that the seed planted shall grow.

You shall stand by my side on Sunday and speak through these lips so that His children may feel that Father God is near them.

You shall cause each broken effort to gather sheaves through unnumbered years. My joy is full when I know that every effort in Your name shall abide forever.

Surely Your love and care shall be with me everyday of my life, and some day I shall live with those who turn many to righteousness for ever and ever.

Rosalee Mills Appleby (adapted)

New free resources for children's ministry

Scripture Union continues it's long tradition of producing high quality resources for bible reading and children's ministry. Scripture Union UK have just launched a new website which makes available thousands of resources from their "LIGHT" material archive. Fully searchable and free.

http://Lightlive.org

Children and Music

I was reminded recently of a helpful guide to choosing songs or music to use with children. This test (originally developed by Scripture Union) has been also a very useful tool in training music teams working with children in mission situations. The test is called the TRIM test.

T = Teaching Is the teaching true and suitable for the age group? Is there anything in the lyrics which the children will have to 'unlearn' later? Do the lyrics honor God and lead kids to respect him?

R= Relevance Are the lyrics relevant to the real experiences of children? There is no point teaching them songs which only adults will understand , or songs which do not deal with the things that crop up in their lives.

I= Interest Is the song enjoyable? Will they love to sing it and remember it?

M= Meaning Does the song make sense in language which is child oriented? Does the song help children understand a little more about God and about life?

The TRIM test is simple. If the tune and rhythm are winners, but the song fails the other test, DON'T USE IT!

7 Discipline Hints

What are some key elements in dealing with discipline problems?

Lay a good foundation of discipline through your positive relationships with the children. Get to know what makes them tick and what to expect from children of differing ages and stages of growth.

Discipline Hints-

1. Make expectations clear. Before a children's program, camp or retreat, outline what will be the expected behaviour and boundaries.

2. Be positive. When you go over the rules focus on what the kids can do rather than what they can't. Your 'do's' should largely outnumber your 'don'ts'. Be postive also in your tone of voice.Try not to sound "too heavy" when outlining rules.

3. Keep rules to a minimum. Decide what is really important and focus on those issues. If you expect the children to 'respect one another ' then that kind of encouragement covers a lot of different situations like using 'hurtful words' or physical intimidation.

4. Plan your program carefully. Keep a good balance between active and passive activities. Think about the different children that will take part in the program. Are there any children with special needs that should be catered for? Where are the times when the children's concentration and participation could lag? Where could distractions come from and what should be done to counter these?

5. Build mutual respect. Let your children know that you respect them. If possible select other leaders who also are good role models and who are not "power-hungry" or who have unrealistic expectations of children's behaviour. Look for leaders who readily show God's love and are willing to give, as well as learn from the children.

6. Aim high. Expect the best. Let the chidren know that you expect the program or activities to run smoothly and that everyone contributes to this community. Show the children that you have confidence in their ability to behave.

7. Process failure. When something goes wrong, talk to the group about it. Was the activity too hard or instructions unclear? Tell the children how you feel about the situation and listen to their views also. Use failure as a situation where God's grace and forgiveness can be exercised.