u MEET THE PLURALS!
by rev . larry r . morris ... 2
SEPTEM BER
2013
u WHAT WILL IT TAKE?
by rev . john comstock .... 4
u WHAT EFFECTIVE TEACHERS
KNOW
by beula postlewait ........6
Connection
Sunday School & Discipleship
MinistrieS International
church of the nazarene
SDMI
INVESTING IN YOUR MOST VALUABLE RESOURCE
Your Ministry to Children Matters
by Dr. Woodie J. Stevens
You may be thinking, “Have summers always been this short? I
was just beginning to breathe easy after VBS! Now school has
started, fall is here, and I have to start planning the Christmas
program!”
they were born. Each child comes with his or her own story.
Some are fighting illness in their family; some are grieving over
the loss of a loved one; some are reeling from the impact of a
home split apart by divorce.
Our ministries for, to, and with children never end. Kids and
their families keep coming, and the need for making them a
priority is relentless. Why must we keep pursuing the mission of
discipling children? Because Jesus and the power of the Good
News means changed lives.
These precious children desperately need to know Jesus and His
love. Every Sunday morning, they arrive with unspoken stories,
seeking help and hope from an adult who can show them the
way to Jesus. You are a valuable tool God can use to help them
understand how He is at work in their lives.
Picture the faces of the kids you know. Some you
met for the first time at VBS; others you’ve
known since
All over the world God is using faithful men and women just
like you to lead children to Jesus and His transforming grace. In
the midst of loss and hopelessness, God’s grace completes the
story, filling a child with joy and peace. Your commitment
to invest in these kids is not only powerful in their lives
but becomes an eternal investment in the Kingdom of God.
For Jesus said, “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold
water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple,
I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward”
(Matthew 10:42).
Each week thousands of kids meet Jesus in Sunday
School, children’s church, Caravan, and other discipleship
groups. Thank you for the investment you are making in
seeing Jesus change lives.
Keep up the good work.
REACHING HURTING KIDS
adapted from Facing Down the Tough Stuff by Karen Dockrey
chronic illness, divorce, damaged friendships, and
death. Face these things with the hurting child, and
you can become the vehicle through whom God
shows His love and care.
If you are involved with children’s ministry in any
form – whether teaching a Sunday School class
every week or volunteering occasionally in the
children’s department – you’ve met hurting kids.
You can see it in their eyes, in the slope of their
shoulders, in the too infrequent smile. The last
thing you should do is try to erase their pain with
words like, “Everything will be okay.” So what’s
the answer? Show the child you care by walking
with him or her in the pain and by equipping the
child to manage the tough stuff.
Start by recognizing that the world of childhood
is far from trouble-free. The world children live
in includes learning disabilities, cancer and other
MEET THE PLURALS!
How can you help? Make certain you hear rather
than assume what the child is thinking or feeling by
asking questions such as these:
Will you tell me about it?
What’s school like this year?
What do you think about what’s happening to you?
What makes you mad?
What makes you happy and sad these days?
How would you change things if you could?
When you are closer to understanding what the
child needs, be Jesus in that child’s life. Instead of
just quoting Scripture, get “real.” Help with homework, deliver kid-friendly meals, teach friendship
skills, send caring notes when you are away from
the child, and encourage others in your church circle to help, as well. Do everything you can to make
a difference for each child you work with.
Last, trust God to equip you to help kids face difficult situations. One day He Himself will wipe
away all their tears (Revelation 21:4).
by Rev. Larry R. Morris
anyone.” The internet and media shape their understanding of the
world and themselves, making this the major gateway to communicating with them.
• Plural girls are more optimistic than Plural boys about earning
good grades, going to college, and changing the world for the better.
• Plurals are less optimistic about the American dream; they do not
believe they will do better than their parents economically.
They are also known as the iGeneration, Generation We, or
Generation Z. Typically “Plurals” include all children born in 1997
and later. This generation is showing itself to be different from their
predecessors in significant ways. Here are but a few of their unique
characteristics:
• Plurals are 67 million strong, and 55 percent are non-Hispanic
white, making them the last North American generation with a
Caucasian majority. Growing up in a multicultural, pluralistic
society will have a major impact on their lives.
• Plurals, true to their name, typically embrace the pluralistic features of society. This plurality extends from race and ethnicity to
gender roles, sexual orientation, religion, family life, communication, politics, and media. Tolerance is practiced and viewed as an
essential virtue.
• Plurals, in increasing numbers, grew up in single or blended families. Therefore, they tend to have blurred views of family gender
roles with the expectation that both parents will develop careers.
With this expectation, employers who wish to attract top talent
will have to accommodate demands for telecommuting, flexible
hours, child care, and access to technology to create a seamless
blend between working and raising a family.
• Plurals are the first generation born into a truly digital world. The
cell phone is considered a necessity, a birthright. According to
Forrester analyst Tracy Stokes, “The only world they know is a
digital one – where they can connect anytime, anywhere, and to
Plurals need Jesus. As every
generation before
them, these
boys, girls,
teenagers need
to make the
connection
with a real
disciple of
Christ. Will
you be that
disciple?
For more on
Plurals, go to
w w w. m a d i d .
com.
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HOW DO I DISCIPLE A CHILD?
from www.max7.org, anonymous author
talk and pray with the
child before or after the
group meeting. Never
show favoritism within the
group.
9. Be worthy of the trust the
child has in you. If you
are not trustworthy
with young people,
you should not lead a
group of children or
disciple individual
children.
When you are discipling a child one on one, keep these in
mind:
1. Always be within view of other people. There must
not be even a hint of improper behavior, so never be
alone with a child.
2. Be a disciple yourself. Be accountable to someone
who is a mature Christian.
3. Make friends with the child and the child’s family.
Build relationships; find out about their lives.
4. Be yourself. See what you and the child have in common. An interest in sports, music, art, animals, books,
or biking, for example, can all be great springboards for
a friendship with the child.
5. Meet regularly. Always meet in a safe place where
others can see you and the child.
6. Encourage the child to read the Bible and pray regularly. Model these activities for the child, doing these
activities with the child while explaining what you are
doing and why you are doing it.
7. Encourage the child to disciple another child. Teach
the child how to tell others about their friendship with
Jesus.
8. If you are discipling a child as part of a large group,
A child who is being discipled authentically will develop
a deeper love for God and others, which will show as they
value and spend more time doing these things:
• Talking to God
• Reading and studying the Bible
• Going to church to spend time with other Christians
• Telling others about Jesus
• Becoming more Christlike
• Serving others with good works
THE 10 COMMANDMENTS OF TEACHING CHILDREN
by Andrea Simms Talley
1. Always come to class with a plan,
prepared, and prayed up. Allow God
to guide you as you plan your lesson,
and make sure you have everything
you need for the class session.
2. Dress appropriately. You may end up
sitting on the floor, wearing the morning snack, or redesigning your outfit
3.
4.
5.
6.
with paint, markers, or glue. Dress in a
manner appropriate for church and the
classroom.
Remember that kids are people too.
They have bad days. They get tired,
hungry, frustrated, anxious, and angry.
Trying to understand a child’s feelings
will help you better deal with sticky
situations.
Have a child-focused attitude. Always focus on the children. Choose
equipment and activities that allow
them to do as much of the task as possible by themselves.
Build relationships with the children
in your class and with their families.
Send cards, write notes, make phone
calls, connect with email to help each
child feel loved.
Always think safety. Adhere to your
church’s safety policies and procedures. Maintain a proper adult-to3
child ratio. Be familiar with emergency exits, disaster plans, and first aid
techniques. Use common sense in all
situations.
7. Maintain a Christlike demeanor at all
times. When discipline is necessary,
take the appropriate action in a loving
manner. Help children learn from their
mistakes. Be willing to apologize if
you make a mistake in judgment.
8. Take teaching seriously. It’s more
than filling a position. Pour your full
energy into preparing and teaching
each lesson.
9. Think about what you say before you
say it. Always use loving, age-appropriate words. Say what you mean and
mean what you say.
10.Never stop praying. Pray for each
child and each child’s family weekly.
Remember to pray for yourself, as
well.
WHAT WILL IT TAKE?
by Rev. John Comstock
When I got home from work, I peeked in the living
room to find 8-year-old Landon creatively working on another Lego masterpiece. I then headed for
the kitchen, where my wife was cooking dinner.
Knowing our older daughter, Kennedy, was five
houses up babysitting, I inquired about our 6-yearold daughter, asking, “Where’s Addison?”
if Christians had this same kind of perspective for
the children in our churches? Do we fear losing a
generation to a culture of sin? Do we love children
enough to motivate us to help them become followers of Jesus Christ? Have we developed intentional
strategies that will ensure we lead them to the foot
of the cross?
After calling her name a few times and getting
no answer, we looked out the window into an
empty backyard. Our heart rates started picking
up, and we had a visceral reaction of instant panic.
Running out the front door, my wife and I began
calling, “Addison!” Receiving no response, our
fear stirred a sense of urgency that would have
given us the strength to lift an elephant.
Pray that God will give us eyes to see the real dangers of sin and a love for others that will create a
sense of urgency. May we use our imaginations
redemptively to help our children become disciples
of Jesus Christ. May we come to grips with the
degree of love our Father has for us that moved
Him to save us from the dangers of sin. When
we truly understand this reality in our hearts and
minds, we will develop an urgency to do all we can
to steward the faith of our children.
Moving up the street, our eyes finally locked on
Addison, and we were flooded with relief. Sitting
on the front porch of the house where Kennedy
was babysitting, Addison was busy making childhood memories with her friend.
The intense fear of losing Addison, a child we
deeply love, had moved us to action. Our imaginations had created worst-case scenarios we wanted
to make sure would never become reality. What
HELPING CHILDREN GROW IN FAITH
by Donna Fillmore
Children are born with a sinful nature that inclines them toward
sin. However, before they are born, God’s prevenient grace is
already at work in their lives. It is this grace that helps children
be receptive and open to God.
their lives. The same principle operates at the spiritual level.
Before children hear much about sin, salvation, and Christian living, they need to develop trust in God. They do this
as they hear about His love and experience it from those in
their lives who represent God to them. Later, after children
know that sin exists and separates them from God, the message of grace needs to surround them with love and hope.
• Relate to all of life. Children absorb much from the things
they see and experience. Homes, churches, and classrooms
filled with symbols of faith – Bibles, pictures, music, rituals,
and conversations about these things – create an environment that helps children grasp the importance of knowing,
loving, and serving God.
• Involve a community of believers who value children.
Every Christian reflects Christ in a unique way. While we
want to minister to children in an age-appropriate way, it’s a
mistake to segregate them by age groups all the time. When
children take part in congregational worship and in social
and service activities, they witness adults sharing and living
out their faith.
When parenting or teaching children, the doctrine of prevenient
grace provides our
commission to work
with children. Appropriate Christian
nurture, teaching, and
training can make a significant impact on the
life of a child. Christian nurture should:
• Focus on God’s love
and grace. One of the
first tasks a young child
faces is developing a
sense of trust. They do
this as they experience
warmth, love, and consistent care from the adults in
Helping children know and love God and grow in faith is a
privilege and responsibility. Are you giving the children in your
sphere of influence appropriate Christian training and nurture?
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HOW
TO DISCIPLE YOUR CHILD
by Mark Steiner
I. Serve the King
J. Model Christ’s Character
K. Abide in Christ
L. Count the Cost
M. Transform the World
N. Love Christ’s Bride
O. Establish Good Friendships
P. Support World Missions
Q. Follow the Faithful
R. Choose Righteous Role Models
S. Remember Your Roots
T. Prepare for Eternity
U. Walk with God
V. Pray with Power
W. Make Wise Decisions
X. Celebrate Your Uniqueness
Mark Steiner has served as president of Through the Bible Publishers
since 1995, and he is the founder of
DiscipleLand, started in 1999 to champion children’s discipleship around the
globe. DiscipleLand partners with parents and teachers to build lifelong disciples who know God intimately, love
God passionately, and serve God selflessly.
From DiscipleLand.com “Parent Resources”
comes this list of ideas for parents to disciple
their children.
A. Celebrate God’s Greatness
B. Know God Intimately
C. Love God Passionately
D. Serve God Selflessly
E. Treasure the Bible
F. Read Your Bible
G. Live God’s Word
H. Memorize Bible Verses
At www.discipleland.com, you can read the expanded explanation of each of these 24 points. In the parent resources section,
you will also find a Bible reading planner adaptable to each
family’s needs.
DISCIPLING CHILDREN - THE PROVERBS 2
METAMODEL
by Rev. G. Daniel Harris
When Christ commanded Christians to go
and make disciples in Matthew 28:19-20,
He included the command to “teach them
everything I have commanded you.” This
revealed to Christians that the discipleship
process includes both the willingness of the
discipler to teach and the willingness of the
discipled to accept and obey what is being
taught.
An example of this teaching and obeying model is displayed in how Solomon
addressed his son in Proverbs, Chapter
2. Dr. Michael Mitchell has labeled this
the “Proverbs 2 Metamodel for Teaching
and Learning.” Mitchell contends that “the
strategy Solomon employed with his son
contains transferrable ancient wisdom…
[that] still resonates… nearly 3000 years
later.”
The Metamodel includes 5 attitudes and
applications from Proverbs 2:1-20 that children’s workers can employ in their discipleship efforts.
First (v.1), pupils choose to participate
in the learning and “accept my words.”
active participants in the process.
Second (v. 2a), each learner engages in
“turning your ear” and welcomes the
intended message.
According to
Daniel Estes, “The
teacher is responTeach m
sible for guiding
e
the learner…
about
but the learner
Jesus.
himself must
respond in accordance… to find the path
of wisdom and stay on
it.”
Third (v. 2b), each student participates
in critically reflective listening, thinking, emoting, and making choices by
“applying your heart.”
Fourth (vv. 5, 9), the scholar will
“then… understand” and raises learning levels beyond knowledge to understanding and wisdom. (vv. 5, 6, 9, 10, 12).
Fifth (v. 20), the educated follower
experiences life change and “walk[s]
in the ways of good men.” Learning
has occurred when the disciple is a “doer of
the word.”
The key aspect of this Meta-model is that
both the discipler and the disciple must be
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A disciple is first and foremost a learner of
Christ. As you disciple children, teach them
to accept and obey all that Christ has taught.
Michael Mitchell, Leading, Teaching, and
Making Disciples. (Bloomington: Crossbooks,
2013) 178. Ibid., 179.
Daniel J. Estes, Hear, my Son. (Downers Grove:
Intervarsity, 1997), 143.
DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?
by Rev. Allison Southerland
Children desperately need disciples to guide them
into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. But you
don’t need a teacher’s voice or a Christian formula
to fulfill this vital role. You don’t need to be jolly or
zany or creative with popsicle sticks. First and foremost, the Spirit of Christ is recognizable above any
persona you could portray. So what does it mean to
be a guide in this process? What does it take to help
build young disciples in our families, churches, and
communities?
Jesus taught His disciples to pray by praying, to live
by living, and to love by loving. And this teaching
rarely happened in ways they expected. When Jesus spoke to crowds, He called upon them to think,
to ponder, to wonder. And then He inevitably asked
them to test their faith through practice. If we can
manage to put aside our own ideas about what discipleship looks like, we are ready to be discipled. When
we walk with Jesus, walking with others of all ages
will be inevitable.
Relationship is at the core of discipleship. True discipleship requires mutual trust, commitment, and
honesty with who we are. These key elements are
foundational in all healthy relationships, and they
should be modeled by Christlike disciples. If you say
you’ll stop for ice cream, do it. If you say you won’t
answer the phone during dinner, mean it. If you say
you’ll stop yelling, stop. If you break your word,
make it right. You may think such a thing would
be painfully obvious. However, it is all too easy to
forget that our character forms another’s perception
of God. Character is found not just in what we say,
but also in how we say it; not just in what we do, but
in how we do it. Character is the stuff of life oozing
out of how we live. It is the right action applied with
the right attitude upheld by the right intent.
How about you? Do you have what it takes to be real?
To be committed? To be people of action? To cultivate young people with genuine faith?
WHAT EFFECTIVE TEACHERS KNOW
by Beula Postlewait
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your
strength. These commandments I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them
on your children. Talk about them when you
sit at home and when you walk along the road,
when you lie down and when you get up”
(Deuteronomy 6:5-7).
These words are directed to parents but
many children are not taught the Scriptures at home. What they learn about
God’s Word is learned at church.The main
goal of Sunday School teachers is not to
impart knowledge but to bring students
into a loving relationship with God.
Children learn best when:
• They enjoy themselves.
• The material is related to what they
already know.
• They can be involved in something
that interests them.
• They see the example of others.
•
•
•
They can use two or more senses.
The teacher provides a variety of
methods and experiences.
The information is repeated and used
frequently.
Effective teachers show these qualities:
• They recognize the uniqueness of
each student and are prepared to interact with each in a manner that addresses their needs and learning style.
• They make a commitment of time and
energy, prioritizing activities to give
teaching the time it requires.
• They model love in action. Admittedly, some children are easier to love
than others. It may require time
in prayer asking God to help
them love some students.
• They never give up! When
discouragement sets in,
they seek out the source of
all wisdom. “If any of you
lacks wisdom, he should
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ask God, who gives generously to all
without finding fault, and it will be
given to him” (James 1:5).
Sunday School teachers are special people because they are channels through
which God can touch the lives of children.
The teacher’s greatest responsibility is to
know the needs of the students, to love the
students, and to help them
grow in their spiritual
maturity.
TAKING CHURCH TO THE CHILDREN
by Pastor Julie Stevens
Ever notice how
many kids and families are outside the
walls of the church?
Do you believe God
wants us to have
a “do whatever it
takes” attitude to
intentionally make
connections
with
kids and families in our neighborhoods? To build relationships… and ultimately grow disciples?
in neighborhood apartment complexes to play games with
kids, paint faces, draw with street chalk, throw footballs,
and more. After playing together for a while, the kids enter
the bus for high-energy worship and creative Bible story
teaching. The goal is to not only teach God’s story on the
bus, but to further connect children and their families to
nurturing congregations. The result is that at each of the
three Columbus Heaventrain locations, intentional partnerships have been made with nearby church congregations
who are warmly welcoming families first touched by the
Heaventrain ministry.
The vision God was calling us to was way too big for any
Three churches in Columbus, Ohio, have partnered to bring one church to do on its own, so God called three churches
Heaventrain to town. They have become an extension of to team up in this effort to bring children to Jesus. In adLighthouse, Inc., the umbrella organization of Cleveland’s dition, volunteer teams are coming in from other churches
Heaventrain, which has been ministering in urban commu- to serve. All those involved have been blown away by the
transparency of those they meet, and they consider it a
nities for the past 33 years.
privilege to share in the journey together.
The Heaventrain bus is painted brightly, equipped with a
train whistle, and renovated inside to be a chapel on wheels. For further information, email [email protected] or
Each Saturday, April through November, the bus pulls up log onto www.HeaventrainColumbus.org.
WHOEVER WELCOMES A CHILD...
by Andrea Simms Talley
“Whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name
welcomes me” (Matthew 18:5).
A is for admire. Let children know they are loved and appreciated.
The memory is the soul’s scrapbook, harboring
many emotions and thoughts. It is in our memories that every thought, person, place, or thing
of value is treasured forever. There is no
limit to its contents. The story of life is
illustrated in the memory, with each
item narrating only a piece of the
story.
Preschoolers and kindergarteners, while they are still
very young, are filling their
mental museums through each
person, place, and idea they encounter. What goes into a child’s
memory museum is influenced by parents, teachers, caregivers,
and the environmental triggers that child experiences.
Christian leaders and teachers must place a high priority on
building loving relationships with the children they encounter.
They must strive to ADORN the walls of these young children’s
memories with warm, caring images that count for eternity.
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D is for delight. Be joyful when they are near; offer them open
arms and a receptive heart.
O is for optimize. Look for their potential, challenge them to
dream big, and liberally praise their successes.
R is for reinforce. By affirming
what children do right, those
actions are more likely to be
repeated.
N is for notice. Praise their
progress as they grow physically, mentally, emotionally,
and spiritually.
Above all, adorn children with
the love of God. Let His love
be your motivation
for every word,
thought, and deed
in your contact
with every child.
THE CULTURAL CONTEXT
by Rev. John Comstock
When Jesus called the disciples to follow Him,
there were specific cultural issues He had to deal
with. The Jews were oppressed by the Roman government, and the mindset of the 12 disciples was
that their Messiah would deliver them from that
oppression. Jesus had to speak to this issue and
shape their understanding with a worldview that
was countercultural to the world they lived in, yet
more accurately reflected the Kingdom of God.
Likewise, when we disciple children, it is essential that we understand the cultural context so we
can shape their thinking with a Christian worldview. Technology is advancing at lightning speed.
It presents us with both great opportunities and
potential dangers. Our job as Christians is to help
children understand the dangers while encouraging
them to engage technology in ways that advance
the Kingdom.
Think about these stats: In 2005, 11.9% of children
between the ages of 6 and 11 had cell phones. By
2010 that number had grown to 20% according to
Mercedes Cardona. The Kaiser Family Foundation
has revealed that 8-18 year-olds spend an average
of 7 hours and 38 minutes a day using entertainment media. What these stats tell us is that technol-
ogy is a reality we cannot ignore. We must learn
how to manage it.
According to Google analysts, searches for terms such
as “porn,” “XXX,” and “sex”
have grown from 70 million
hits per month in 2007 to 68
million hits per day by 2011.
In 2014 it is projected there
will be 84 million hits per
hour. According to “Top Ten
Reviews,” the average age for
first internet exposure to pornography is 11 years old.
While not wanting to create a
state of panic or fear, it is clear
we must come up with creative
solutions for engaging technology to build the Kingdom of
God. Contact us at [email protected] if you
have an interest in exploring
this subject further. Let’s begin
to work together to make a difference.
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Sunday School & Discipleship Ministries International
MEET THE CONTRIBUTORS
DR. WOODIE J. STEVENS, “Your Ministry to Children Matters,” page 1: Director of Sunday School & Discipleship Ministries International.
KAREN DOCKREY, “Reaching Hurting Kids,” page 2: Author, Facing Down the Tough Stuff.
REV. LARRY R. MORRIS, “Meet the Plurals!,” page 2: SDMI Mission Strategy Director.
AUTHOR UNKNOWN, “How Do I Disciple a Child?” page 3: Taken from www.max7.org.
ANDREA SIMMS TALLEY,“The 10 Commandments of Teaching Children,” page 3, and “Whoever Welcomes a Child...,” page 7: Former Children’s Curriculum Editor for WordAction, Nazarene Publishing House.
REV. JOHN COMSTOCK, “What Will It Take?” page 4, and “The Cultural Context,” page 8: Ministry Coordinator for SDMI.
DONNA FILLMORE, “Helping Children Grow in Faith,’” page 4: Former Senior Editor for WordAction, Nazarene Publishing House.
MARK STEINER, “How to Disciple Your Child,” page 5: Founder of DiscipleshipLand (see www.discipleshipland.com).
REV. G. DANIEL HARRIS, “Discipling Children - the Proverbs 2 Metamodel,” page 5: Ministry Coordinator for SDMI.
REV. ALLISON SOUTHERLAND, “Do You Have What It Takes?” page 6: Quizzing Coordinator for SDMI.
BEULA POSTLEWAIT, “What Effective Teachers Know,” page 6: Former Children’s Executive Editor, WordAction, Nazarene Publishing House
PASTOR JULIE STEVENS, “Taking Church to the Children,” page 7: Children’s pastor, Shepherd Church of the Nazarene, Gahanna, Ohio.
SUNDAY SCHOOL & DISCIPLESHIP MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL
CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE
800-221-6317
913-577-2800
Nazarene Global Ministry Center
17001 Prairie Star Pkwy
Lenexa, KS 66220
FAX: 913-577-0841
Email: [email protected]
Website: sdmi.nazarene.org
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