It’s almost time…time for our kids to head back to school. I spent the day yesterday at three different schools making sure everything was ready to go for three of my own children. That means it’s also time to start thinking about back to school time in our ministries. How are we going to take advantage of the natural “reboot” for all our kids? We can start by answering these questions:
What do we do to kick-off fall programming and how can we be intentional about the process? What works? What doesn’t work? How can we prep for success for the remainder of the year with our fall launch?
Here are a couple of suggestions:
Host a FUN event to kick off the school year. Encourage kids to invite their friends – this is an easy opportunity to get kids involved and excited. Kids inviting Kids is a major key to numerical growth…it builds enthusiasm and a sense of team. This event can set the tone for the rest of the year. Make it BIG – LOUD – FUN!
Back to Basics – Every year when my own children begin school each classroom begins with a “refresher course” that serves as reminder of what was learned last year. We should consider taking a similar approach with our kids about their faith. There are some basic, bottom-line things our kids need to stay connected to their faith: “Who wrote the Bible?” “Who is Jesus?”, “How to use your Bible.” “Quiet Time.” – make a list of the top 6 – 10 basic things our kids need to know and teach a short-term (6-8 week) refresher course.
Dealing with School Stuff – popularity, fear, bullies, self-image, friends, peer pressure and a host of other issues. What issues are our kids dealing with? What would they like help with? Ask them and really LISTEN to their responses. Create a topical series to address their issues.
The Back-to-School season is filled with opportunities to involve, coach and mentor our kids. Let’s be pro-active and intentional this fall! What are some of the key elements that you will incorporate this year? What is something that you feel is essential to your ministry this fall? Share your story!
