We were introduced to our keynote speaker, Karl Bastien of www.kidology.org and right away he captivated the group. As he prayed he asked God to help each person there to become a change agent in the lives of the kids that we shepherd, and he closed his prayer saying, “and all God’s children who love children say…” where he waited for the “Amen!” from the group.
He gave us a bit of background as to where he came from, and how he came to choose to follow Jesus. He began by talking about a man named Edward Kimball that was a faithful worker in the Inner City of Chicago. During his ministry a young man Dwight caught Edward’s eye, and he was able to lead this young man to Christ. The young man was Dwight L. Moody.
D.L. got into ministry during a time when people had to rent their pew in church. He would rent an entire pew, go out into the streets and find the kids that people would classify as street urchins. People didn’t take too kindly to this practice, and some in leadership began to ask him not to bring the kids into the church. He argued that he had paid for the seats, but this wasn’t good enough for them. D.L. Moody begun his own kid’s church where he was faithful. Kids came from all over the city because they knew that D.L.’s church knew how to love kids. Eventually, out of this ministry, grew a full church, and even a Bible school (Moody Bible Institute). The church was of such great success in the time that the President of the United States (Abraham Lincoln) took note and visited during a trip to Chicago.
As a result of D.L.’s ministry, a man named Jerry came to know Christ. Jerry wasn’t a big name person, but just a man faithful to his Sunday School class. After one session, the church administrator came to him and asked him if, since there was just one child in his class, if he would like them to just put that girl into another class and allow him to do something else. The little girl named Patti overheard what they were saying and hoped and prayed that this was not going to happen. She loved the way Jerry was teaching her. Jerry, true to his calling told the administrator that he would continue to work with Patti, and because of what he was able to teach her, Patti became a Christian. Year later Patti married and gave birth to a boy named Karl.
As a young boy Karl loved to go to Sunday School because of Candy. Most kids go because they like to get Candy too. But this turned out to be the name of Karl’s Sunday School teacher. She was not a woman of large following each week, but she loved kids and wanted each of them to learn of Jesus’ love for them, and that they needed to follow him. She was known for her butterscotch candy. Karl was staying at Candy’s house because his younger sibling was going to be born, and some older boys were picking on him. He asked Candy why they were so mean. She replied by telling him that she didn’t know why. She saw an opportunity, and she told Karl that if he didn’t want to behave that way that he needed to know Jesus, and at a young age Candy brought Karl Bastien to a point of deciding to follow Jesus.
I was just amazed hearing this, how you never know how far your influence will carry. Following the spiritual lineage, I’m sure that Edward Kimball never thought about his impact on a group of people sitting and learning about how to disciple kids in 2012. His faithfulness continues to reach on well after he has gone to be with Jesus.
The story served to teach us a few things:
What does growing up have to do with anything? If God has called you to something, get to doing it NOW!
I can be the missing piece in your child’s spiritual journey.
10 practical things that Karl Bastien shared with us that we can learn to do are:
- Notice each child. Make eye contact. Learn their names. Find the things that make them unique.
- Surprise them with fun, and notes and encouragement. Be the teacher that they remember years from now. We all have some… which reminds me that I have just located some that I wanted to send a thank you note to.
- Believe in them and what they can do. Who they are now is fantastic!
- Invest in them. Sometimes there are needs that I can meet. I have noticed a young person’s interest in something and bought them something to encourage them in it. A young person told me that they didn’t have a Bible at their other parent’s house. I bought them a simple bible that they could store there.
- Play with them, and Create memories. Note what things you can learn about them.
- Value them. Give them nicknames. Stick up for them. See things from the perspective of the young person so you can really understand where they are coming from.
- Dream with them, and help them reach their dreams.
- Disciple them. Teach them. Lead them to Jesus as you follow him yourself.
- Pray with them.
- Remember them forever.
You never know who is in your class. Make an impact now.
My first workshop was about having a Generational Approach to Children’s Ministry. It was being given by an old friend of mine, Jason Courteau.
The main point of what he was speaking to was how when you have kids of your own, you don’t stop parenting them as they go through the different stages of life. In Sunday School, the same kind of thing should apply. He had everyone pretend to take off glasses, and to put on this idea of transcending the generations.
Traditionally churches have done Nursery, 2-3’s, 4-5’s, 6-… and on the list goes. Sometimes the attitude is that as kids went through each area they would be taught be certain people, but then when their time there was done they would have no real contact with them. It was the Silo effect… Think several tall barns that contain lots, but never mix.
That is more how God sees it. There is no Holy Spirit that ministers just to the Junior youth, and then another Holy Spirit that is for the adult service. It is all one Spirit. (I think I have heard that somewhere before)
He shared a Barna study of a group of young people over a 5 year period in the 18-29 year old range. 60% of young people disconnect from the church after the age of 15 year of age. Some may come back. Many will not. Basically 4 in 10 stay in the church during those years. Is that all? Really? As someone that ministers to young people, those numbers are not good! What could be done to provide some longevity in the church?
Jason first surveyed the crowd to see how many of them had left the church in that timeframe of their lives, and most of the people in the room had been faithful in church. SO the next question was, “What is it that kept you in church?” Someone said that they were involved with the music drama (I thought to myself drama). Someone says it was because they had developed relationships with people in the church. Some pointed to strong mentors that took them under their wing and guided them along. Some pointed to a parent that was a strong motivator to get out and be disciplined with going to church. One man said that his family was broken, and his pastor became like a second father to him.
People that had a reason to be there, were in church. People that were involved, and people that connected with others, were in church. (I have to say it all sounded very familiar.)
People are the reason that someone stays for the most part. All of those that go to church, need to be THAT person to someone… the one that loves them and guides them and builds the relationship. As you develop relationships in various point along their spiritual journey, don’t give them up when they move on to another class or section. Love them. Be there for them. Maintain the relationship.
People that get into children’s ministry, are really getting into it for the long haul. It is time that people begin to see that, and to think about the lives they impact, and less on their own inconveniences. Will it be easy? No. But just as a parent is in it for 20 years and beyond, so should the leaders in the church.
The heart of God comes through the family. Why else would the family be under such attack? People are coming to the church from all kinds of situations, and we have the opportunity to be there for them. We can ministry to all the generations.
He shared Psalm 78:1-7.
And he gave us some practical ways to make the generational model work:
1 – See young people as part of the whole not as a piece of the puzzle to be solved and then moved on from.
2 – See it as being with them until they are well-planted as a young adult in the church family.
3 – Join forces and become one ministry with the other leaders.
4 – Invest in the family: Newsletters, groups, family events, FB, Twitter
5 – Intentionally help with the transition: Follow-up, Interaction at special events.
6 – Make graduation from the children’s program a BIG deal. Pray for them. Release them. Speak into each child their God-given call.
He reminisced about his years in LCA where he told the kids every day that they were “Destined for Greatness”.
Part 2 is HERE.
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