More than a Story
As I write this newsletter, I have just finished Day 1 of intensive training and sessions at The Kidzmatter Conference in Evansville, Indiana. This year, the theme is “More Than a Story”, a reminder that what we share with the next generation, our kids, isn’t just a story—it’s the powerful truth of the Gospel that shapes lives!
This conference is an amazing place where over 3000 Kids Ministry leaders have congregated to be inspired, grown, and transformed by the Word of God. With 6 mainstage speakers and over 200 specialized breakout sessions dealing from Early Childhood to Preteens, from Volunteers to Leadership, from Discipleship to Teaching, from Parents to Technology, my cup is overflowing with great teaching and great ideas and great worship times.
Let me share just a few of the breakout sessions that I have attended today and plan to attend over the next few days. Without volunteers, our own Steamboat Rock Baptist Church Kids Ministry would be a failure. Our effectiveness as a church in reaching our children is in direct relationship to my success as Children’s Ministry Director at recruiting volunteers and supporting them in their unique gifts as Children’s Ministry volunteers. I am learning some out-of-the-box strategies to effectively recruit, train, and keep our volunteers.
First Impressions That Last: 4 Questions to Ask about Welcoming and Serving New Families that enter our church was quite insightful. Did you know that most families decide if they’ll return to a church within seven minutes of their first visit? Using these questions, we can determine how well we serve our new families. Do people know where to go? From parking to nursery to classrooms, restrooms, auditorium, etc—can they find their way or know what to do? The second and third questions I believe we do very well here at SRBC—do people feel welcome and do they know how to get connected? The fourth question is Will they want to return? Let’s all do our part so the answer to that question is a resounding YES!
I attended one session and will attend several more in the next few days regarding some creative teaching techniques and teaching principles that can liven up any children’s event or teaching time.
I’m looking forward to the session that is about helping kids see themselves in the story of the Scripture. Bible literacy and Bible fluency are two different things. Helping kids see the big picture of God’s story and how they fit within it is the focus on this breakout session.
One session will deal and equip volunteers and leaders, through compassionate guidance and scriptural wisdom, to provide essential support and comfort to children facing pain and adversity. Another session has to do with Law and Order: Kidmin Edition! This deals with behavioral problems of kids that can wear down volunteers and distract others from hearing the Gospel story.
Another session that will be held tomorrow is how to equip families with tools and routines for everyday life at home and on the go in order to disciple their own children and ensure that our kids better understand God’s story.
There are so many great nuggets of truth and ideas that I am eager to incorporate into my own position as Children’s Ministry Director and also to pass on to our lead volunteers. Thank you, Church, for sending me to this conference as part of my continuing education for this ministry role in our church. God’s story is “more than just an ordinary story” and deserves our very best-for both leaders and volunteers!
Written by Shari Coelho, Children’s Ministry Director