You think S.M.A.L.L<\/span>!<\/h1>\n <\/p>\n
S<\/strong><\/span>: <\/span><\/span>Start with a Plan<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nTo create impact \u2013 in any size children\u2019s ministry \u2013 you must begin with a plan. Plan how you\u2019ll effectively reach children in your children\u2019s ministry. Recruit for the classes you\u2019ll offer \u2013 even if those classes are occasionally empty \u2013 based on your average weekly attendance (track attendance for three months to get a close average). Do the necessary volunteer screening and training to prepare volunteers. Prepare teaching materials, including curriculum and supplies. Prepare your space and be ready.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nNote:<\/span> Being ready doesn\u2019t mean having a healthy stack of word puzzles and coloring pages ready for children. It means being prepared with a full lesson plan that maximizes every moment your volunteers have with children.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nIt\u2019s easier to lower your preparedness standards when you think there might be just a few children. It\u2019s easy to slip into the mindset of \u201cwinging it.\u201d But remind yourself of this: Reality is just the opposite. With only a handful of children, you have greater opportunity than ever to make a deep and lasting impact. Prepare for it! Regardless of who or how many might show up, start with a plan.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
M<\/strong><\/span>: Move to Plan B<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nYour Plan A is in place: You\u2019re prepared for your average attendance and ready to go. But if drastically fewer children show up, or if children\u2019 age ranges are awkward (for instance, you have a 4 year old and a 12 year old sitting at the table staring blankly at you), then move to Plan B.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nPlan B is your plan for what you\u2019ll do if your number or ages vary dramatically from what you\u2019d normally expect. Determine beforehand how you\u2019ll handle such variances. Who\u2019ll lead? How will you organize your volunteers? Will you dismiss some volunteers, or use them in other ways? How will you mix age groups so older children interact with and mentor younger children? Is your curriculum geared to engage all ages? Where will children go? Think through all the troublesome scenarios you\u2019ve experience in the past year: Too many children, not enough children, major age gaps, group imbalances (10 preschoolers and one teen, for instance). If it\u2019s a possibility, plan for it. That doesn\u2019t mean you need to create a new plan every week, but have a plan prepared for the major scenarios you face. Typically, you can simply adjust Plan A, but you need Plan B for the big obstacles.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nNote:<\/span> Plan B isn\u2019t winging it. Making up Plan B as you go isn\u2019t acceptable; have it ready and your volunteers trained to adapt in advance.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
A<\/strong><\/span>: Always Focus on Relationships<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nMinistry happens best through relationships. This is true in mega churches, medium churches, and small churches. The difference (and your advantage) is when you have a very small number of children, you have an exponentially larger opportunity to invest in relationships with them.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nWhether you\u2019re in Plan A mode or resorting to Plan B, relationships must be at the center of your efforts. Curriculum and resources are important. Facilities and programs are important. But it\u2019s relationships \u2013 and almost nothing else \u2013 that greatly impact the life of a child for Jesus. Jesus Himself invested deeply in a small group aside from His wider ministry. Why? Because there\u2019s greater impact in small numbers. There\u2019s greater opportunity to teach, engage, guide, understand, befriend, and demonstrate your faith up close. So rather than bemoaning the fact that so few children came, celebrate the fact that you have more time and energy to pour yourself into the lives of a few \u2013 just as Jesus did.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
L<\/strong><\/span>: Let Children Engage<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nOne of the wonderful (and many would say most important) ways children learn is by becoming fully engaged in what you\u2019re teaching.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nWhen you have 100 children in children\u2019s church, engaged participation isn\u2019t always possible. Personal discovery isn\u2019t always easy. Guiding children in life-changing experiences may be watered down because there may be too many children and too few adults. But with a small group of children? What a blessing! There are so many ways to let children participate. Think about these for starters:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n- Teaching<\/strong><\/span> \u2013 Let children \u201cco-teach\u201d the lesson. Engage them in reading the Scripture or retelling or acting out the biblical events.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
- Mentoring<\/strong><\/span> \u2013 Allow older children to help younger children engage in all aspects of the lesson. Younger children are thrilled by an older child\u2019s attention, and older children love to take on leadership roles. You have the perfect opportunity to invest in children in a way that trains them to be leaders in children\u2019s ministry \u2013 today!<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
- Clarification<\/strong><\/span> \u2013 You can engage children deeply in what you\u2019re teaching with dialogue that gauges their understanding of the lesson and the principles you\u2019re teaching. As you talk with children and listen to their feedback, address their misunderstandings or clarify how what they\u2019re leaning applies to their lives. In a smaller setting, you have the ability to answer questions as children think through what they\u2019re learning.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
- Mobility<\/strong> <\/span>\u2013 With a small group of children, you\u2019re blessed with flexibility. A spur-of-the-moment jaunt outside with five children to enjoy the warm sunshine during a lesson on creation is totally doable. Not always so with a class of 25. Smaller groups offer mobility and open the door to creative ideas. Move to new locations \u2013 other rooms, outside, or in the pastor\u2019s office (or not!)- to stimulate children\u2019 interest and engagement.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
- Service<\/strong><\/span> \u2013 Service is a win-win for your children and your church. Work with other departments such as adult classes or auxiliaries to pinpoint ways your children can serve. Maybe it\u2019s taking offerings, passing out brochures, cleaning up, or any number of seemingly small ways to serve. Engage children in service projects for the community, too, and use these as a teaching tool.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/p>\n
L<\/strong><\/span>: Laugh!<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nOne of the key characteristics of any children\u2019s ministry is fun. When children and adults have fun together, everyone\u2019s engaged. And if what children are engaged in is meaningful and purposeful, then they\u2019re learning in a way that impacts their lives for the better.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nBut fun can be threatened. Don\u2019t allow your attitude to sour when you don\u2019t have many children show up. I remember feeling frustrated when the number I expected didn\u2019t materialize. Instead of focusing on the children who were there, I\u2019d focus on the children who weren\u2019t. That attitude took the fun out of the experience for everyone. Have fun with the children who are there. Don\u2019t minimize their attendance by thinking of those who didn\u2019t show.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
To create impact \u2013 in any size children\u2019s ministry \u2013 you must begin with a plan. Plan how you\u2019ll effectively reach children in your children\u2019s ministry. Recruit for the classes you\u2019ll offer \u2013 even if those classes are occasionally empty \u2013 based on your average weekly attendance (track attendance for three months to get a close average). Do the necessary volunteer screening and training to prepare volunteers. Prepare teaching materials, including curriculum and supplies. Prepare your space and be ready.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Note:<\/span> Being ready doesn\u2019t mean having a healthy stack of word puzzles and coloring pages ready for children. It means being prepared with a full lesson plan that maximizes every moment your volunteers have with children.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s easier to lower your preparedness standards when you think there might be just a few children. It\u2019s easy to slip into the mindset of \u201cwinging it.\u201d But remind yourself of this: Reality is just the opposite. With only a handful of children, you have greater opportunity than ever to make a deep and lasting impact. Prepare for it! Regardless of who or how many might show up, start with a plan.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n M<\/strong><\/span>: Move to Plan B<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Your Plan A is in place: You\u2019re prepared for your average attendance and ready to go. But if drastically fewer children show up, or if children\u2019 age ranges are awkward (for instance, you have a 4 year old and a 12 year old sitting at the table staring blankly at you), then move to Plan B.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Plan B is your plan for what you\u2019ll do if your number or ages vary dramatically from what you\u2019d normally expect. Determine beforehand how you\u2019ll handle such variances. Who\u2019ll lead? How will you organize your volunteers? Will you dismiss some volunteers, or use them in other ways? How will you mix age groups so older children interact with and mentor younger children? Is your curriculum geared to engage all ages? Where will children go? Think through all the troublesome scenarios you\u2019ve experience in the past year: Too many children, not enough children, major age gaps, group imbalances (10 preschoolers and one teen, for instance). If it\u2019s a possibility, plan for it. That doesn\u2019t mean you need to create a new plan every week, but have a plan prepared for the major scenarios you face. Typically, you can simply adjust Plan A, but you need Plan B for the big obstacles.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Note:<\/span> Plan B isn\u2019t winging it. Making up Plan B as you go isn\u2019t acceptable; have it ready and your volunteers trained to adapt in advance.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n A<\/strong><\/span>: Always Focus on Relationships<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Ministry happens best through relationships. This is true in mega churches, medium churches, and small churches. The difference (and your advantage) is when you have a very small number of children, you have an exponentially larger opportunity to invest in relationships with them.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Whether you\u2019re in Plan A mode or resorting to Plan B, relationships must be at the center of your efforts. Curriculum and resources are important. Facilities and programs are important. But it\u2019s relationships \u2013 and almost nothing else \u2013 that greatly impact the life of a child for Jesus. Jesus Himself invested deeply in a small group aside from His wider ministry. Why? Because there\u2019s greater impact in small numbers. There\u2019s greater opportunity to teach, engage, guide, understand, befriend, and demonstrate your faith up close. So rather than bemoaning the fact that so few children came, celebrate the fact that you have more time and energy to pour yourself into the lives of a few \u2013 just as Jesus did.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n L<\/strong><\/span>: Let Children Engage<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n One of the wonderful (and many would say most important) ways children learn is by becoming fully engaged in what you\u2019re teaching.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n When you have 100 children in children\u2019s church, engaged participation isn\u2019t always possible. Personal discovery isn\u2019t always easy. Guiding children in life-changing experiences may be watered down because there may be too many children and too few adults. But with a small group of children? What a blessing! There are so many ways to let children participate. Think about these for starters:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n L<\/strong><\/span>: Laugh!<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n One of the key characteristics of any children\u2019s ministry is fun. When children and adults have fun together, everyone\u2019s engaged. And if what children are engaged in is meaningful and purposeful, then they\u2019re learning in a way that impacts their lives for the better.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n But fun can be threatened. Don\u2019t allow your attitude to sour when you don\u2019t have many children show up. I remember feeling frustrated when the number I expected didn\u2019t materialize. Instead of focusing on the children who were there, I\u2019d focus on the children who weren\u2019t. That attitude took the fun out of the experience for everyone. Have fun with the children who are there. Don\u2019t minimize their attendance by thinking of those who didn\u2019t show.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n
![\"strategies\"](\"https:\/\/www.cogic.org\/childrensministry\/files\/2013\/01\/strategies.jpg\")
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