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Growing an Effective

Children’s Sunday
School

By: Michael Gomulka and Bob Blank


Get volunteers!!!!!!!!!
Make a parent handbook
• Include:
• Mission statement and goal
• Parental guidelines
• Security procedures
• Security and medical alerts
• Health
• Diaper bag contents
• Gospel presentation
Stay in touch on regular
basis with the parents
Characteristics of a good
Sunday school curriculum
• Age suitable
• Bible based
• Child centered
• Doctrinally sound
• Educationally sound
• Foundationally firm
Job description for
childhood ministry
• One of the first steps in building a strong ministry to preschoolers and
children is to write a job description for your teachers and directors that
clearly defines what is expected of them. Good characteristics of Preschool
and Children's teachers include:
• Growing Christian
• Called by God to teach
• Church member
• Loves children
• Willing to plan
• Teachable
• Flexible
• Team player
• Understands child development
• Committed to the Sunday School Strategy
• Cooperative
• Sense of humor
• Likes being with children
Director
• Designs and is responsible for the budget in
Sunday School.
• Enlists all department directors.
• Provides training experiences for workers.
• Participates in regular planning meetings.
• Plans to meet regularly with all childhood Sunday
School workers.
• Organizes and maintains a resource system.
• Attends Sunday School Council meetings.
• Encourages all workers.
Department Director
• Leads teachers in all work of the department
including planning and evaluating.
• Guides large-group activities on Sunday morning.
• Secures literature and resources.
• Maintains department records.
• Determines training needs and provides
appropriate activities.
• Enlists all department workers.
• Represents the department on the Sunday School
council when necessary.
Teacher
• Teaches a small group of children during Bible-
study time.
• Reaches out to find and enroll children who need
to be in Sunday School.
• Contacts absentees weekly and all children in
assigned group regularly.
• Cares for and ministers to assigned children and
their families.
• Fellowships with children and their families.
• Participates in regular planning.
Secretary
• Maintains attendance records.
• Maintains department reaching
contact records.
• Orders literature and other supplies.
Screening Procedures for
Childhood Ministry
• Careful screening procedures are needed for all
volunteer and employed preschool and children's
leaders and teachers. When appropriate
procedures are consistently followed, your church
is in a position to protect children, safeguard
teachers and reduce the legal liability of your
church.
• Assure teachers and potential teachers that their
cooperation with the screening process helps your
church meet moral, spiritual and legal
responsibilities with loving diligence.
Screening Procedures
(continue)
• Getting Started
The completion of screening procedures is a large task and involves the
present and future well-being and reputation of children, teachers, and the
entire church. Therefore, screening procedures should include these
preparatory steps:
• Involve all ministerial staff, church leaders and appropriate committees in
researching and educating themselves regarding this matter.
• Consult your church's attorney for help in all aspects of the screening
process, including the questions you ask, the forms you use and the
confidential records you maintain.
• Consult with your insurance company.
• Build church awareness and support through presentations, printed
information and discussion groups.
• Document official church action regarding policies and procedures.
• Encourage all ministers and staff members to undergo the screening
process to set a positive example for others.
Screening Procedures
(continue)
• The Screening Process
Steps in the screening process include the use of screening forms,
personal interviews, and background checks.
• You will need release forms signed by all teachers permitting you
to conduct reference, background, and criminal checks.
• Contact all references and complete the background checks prior
to the personal interview. You will need written documentation of
contacts you make with references and information you discuss in
the personal interview.
• During the personal interview, document the person's responses
regarding his Christian testimony, special interests in working with
children, past teaching and volunteer experience, interest in
receiving training and other related information.
• All of this information is confidential and must be kept filed in a
secure area.
Characteristics of a good
children’s Sunday school
teacher
• A growing Christian
• Positive/active church member
• A calling to teach children
• Concern for children and family
• Committed to children’s Sunday school and its
mission
• A willingness to prepare
• A cooperative and enthusiastic team member
What is expected of a
children’s Sunday school
leader?
• Spiritual preparation and reliance on
the Holy Spirit
• Knowledge of the Bible content for
the session
• Knowledge of the children
• Love for the children
Enlistment Practices
• Prayer
• Start early
• Determine the needs
• Use a job description
• Commit to training
• Follow your church's guidelines for
enlistment
What is Sunday School?
• “Sunday School is the foundational
strategy of a local church for leading
people to faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ and for building on-mission
Christians through open Bible study
groups that engage people in
evangelism, discipleship, fellowship,
ministry, and worship.”
Basic Assumptions
• Bible is our
textbook
• Child is the learner
• Teacher is the
guide
• Parents are the
primary teachers
Concept area: Jesus
– • Grades 5-6
– Jesus’ crucifixion, burial, and resurrection were a necessary
part of God’s plan for the forgiveness of sin.
– • Grades 3-4
– Jesus died to pay the penalty for sin.
– Grades 1-2
– Jesus died on the cross, and God raised Jesus from the dead.
– Kindergarten
– Jesus died on the cross and is alive
– 3’s–Pre-K
– Jesus loves all people.
– Birth – 2
– Jesus loves me.
How to do Ministry in
Children’s Sunday School
• Care4Kids
• Contact 1-2-3
• Steps to Leading a Child to Christ
• Fellowships for Teachers
• Fellowships for Children
Care4Kids
• Reaching
• Praying
• Fellowshipping
• Ministering
contact 123
• contact 1 - Mail
• contact 2 - Telephone
• contact 3 - Visit
A B Cs of Becoming a
Christian
• Admit
• Believe
• Confess
Fellowships
• Fellowships for Teachers
• Fun and Fellowship
• Training
• Fellowships for Children
• Fall
• Winter
• Spring
• Summer
Spiritual Development of
Babies
• Respond to loving care at
church
• Learn to trust
• Begin to associate the names
of God and Jesus and the
Bible with good feelings
• Enjoy hearing simple songs
about God and Jesus
• Begin to experience affection
and love for other people
besides family members
Spiritual Development of
1s
• Develop attitudes toward
church
• Show strong attachments to
teacher
• Show interest in simple Bible
truths
in songs, stories, and pictures
• Can recognize the Bible as a
special book
• Can respond with pleasure to
the
names of God and Jesus
• Enjoy holding the Bible,
turning
pages, and looking at pictures
in the Bible
Spiritual Development of
2s
• Enjoy holding the Bible,
turning
pages, and looking at pictures
in
the Bible
• Recognize the Bible as a
special book
• Like to hear songs about God
and Jesus
• Respond to love and patience
shown by adults
• Experience delight in the
interesting things they see in
the natural world
Spiritual Development of
3s
• Listen with interest to Bible
stories;
can identify some Bible people
and stories
• Recognize the Bible as a
special book;
enjoy handling and using the
Bible
• Understand that Jesus is
special
and helped people
• Recognize church as a special
place
• Try to do what pleases adults
by
showing love and cooperation
Spiritual Development of
Pre-Kindergartners
• Listen to Bible stories and
like to retell
stories in their own words
• Enjoy games that allow them
to find
Bible verses and identify
Bible people
• Remember songs and make up
their
own songs
• Recognize that God and Jesus
love people and help people in
special ways
• Know that Jesus is special and
grew from a baby to a man
• Know that God wants family
members to love and to help
one another
Spiritual Development of
Kindergartners
• Remember and like to tell stories
• Sing songs about God, Jesus, and
church when alone and in a group
• Use the Bible and like to find
Bible
phrases located with Bible
markers
• Love God and Jesus
• Recognize church as a special
place where people learn about
God and Jesus
• Like to take care of things in
God’s world
Preparing to Teach
1. Gather your Bible and
the leader guide. Prepare
spiritually by using
Personal Bible Study.
2. Read the remaining Bible
content for the session,
the Bible Phrases, the
Bible Story, the Unit
Song, and Applying
Bible Truths.
Preparing for the Session
• Read and become familiar with the Bible Truth,
Bible Story/Passage, the Key Bible Phrase,
and the Life Application.
• Look at Getting Ready to Teach.
• Make a list of the items you need to purchase or
bring from home.
• Determine where you will place these materials in
the room.
• Prepare the learning environment.
Approaches to Learning–
Logical
A child may . . .
• Enjoy problem-solving
• See patterns in the world and be able to
reason through difficult situations
• Enjoy games and puzzles
Approaches to Learning–
Music
A child may . . .
• Enjoy musical experiences
• Be sensitive to rhythm and pitch
• Be a good listener
• Enjoy singing and moving to a variety of music
• Learn new songs quickly
• Make up his own songs
• Enjoy playing musical instruments and performing
for others
Approaches to Learning–
Natural
A child may . . .
• Enjoy the beauty of God’s creation
• Easily identify the elements of the natural
world
• Enjoy stories that refer to elements of
nature
• Like to explore and investigate God’s world
• Enjoy taking care of God’s world
Approaches to Learning–
Physical
A child may . . .
• Be very active and coordinated
• Enjoy playing out a story
• Learn through hands-on activities
• Like to use skills in games and
dramatic play
Approaches to Learning–
Reflective
A child may . . .
• Understand who he is and how he
feels
• Want to work alone at times
• Choose activities that allow for self-
expression
Approaches to Learning–
Verbal
A child may . . .
• Enjoy being read to, dictating, or writing
• Like to speak and listen
• Like the sounds of words
• Have a large vocabulary
• Enjoy stories, poems, and jokes
Approaches to Learning–
Visual
A child may . . .
• Enjoy creating her/his own pictures and
visual representations of her/his own
learning
• Enjoy picture reading books
• Hear stories and visualize the events
through word pictures
Approaches to Learning–
Relational
A child may . . .
• Be highly social
• Make friends easily
• Be a very good talker
• Recognize how others feel and be able to respond
accordingly
• Be drawn to activities that allow her/him to
cooperate and to interact with others.
Teaching the Bible Truth
• When and where will you use Bible phrases, songs,
and conversation about the biblical content?
• Where will the leader pack items be used?
• Are teachers assigned to a particular Bible-
learning center(s)?
• Are teachers prepared and ready to teach when
the first child arrives?
Teaching Tips
• Use the child’s name frequently when you
sing or talk to him/her.
• Be consistent as you model behavior.
• Provide a child opportunities to make
choices.
• Use Bible conversation, verses, and songs
throughout the session.
• Display and use the Bible.
• Reassure a child when he/she is anxious.
Teaching Tips
• Encourage the child who is trying something for
the first time.
• Give praise to a child when he/she does something
to help another child.
• Sing frequently and include the child’s name
in the song.
• Use prayer when appropriate.
• Share the Bible story in the learning centers.
Teaching Tips
• Relate Bible truths in each activity.
• Plan for success and satisfaction.
• Encourage boys and girls to work
together.
• Use Bible conversation often to
reinforce
Bible learning.
Books
• Rock Solid Kids, by: Larry Fowler
• Leadership Essentials for children’s
ministry, by: Craig Jutlia
• Volunteers that stick, by: Jim
Wideman
• Building a children’s ministry, by: Boe
Parrish
Books (continue)
• Church Nursery, by: Jennifer Rot
Wilger
• The top 10 mistakes leaders make,
by: Hans Finzel
• Shepherding a Child’s heart, by: Tedd
Trip
Bibliography
• www.Lifeway.com

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