Encouraging leaders to teach Large Group

At the Awana club where I serve, most of my Sparks leaders are in high school or college. Many of them are still uncomfortable when speaking to a crowd — a circumstance they will likely face many times not only in school, but also once they enter the workforce.

So to help them gain more confidence, I encourage them to give Large Group presentations to the Sparks. Below are four reasons why encouraging leaders to teach Large Group is beneficial.

Practice with less pressure

Sparks are between the ages of 5 and 8. They’re still learning both Biblical and social basics and won’t care if leaders get a bit tongue-tied or forgetful. Because Sparks don’t care about the quality of the presentation, leaders can make mistakes with no fear of being graded or scored. Leaders may also find standing in front of a bunch of kindergartners is a bit less intimidating than standing in front of a bunch of peers or adults.

Practice clarity

Sparks don't understand big words like sanctification or atonement, so leaders need to learn how to fit their presentation to their audience. I encourage beginning presenters to use canned lessons so they experience what a well-organized, age-appropriate lesson is like.

Leaders who have presented more than twice before have an option to challenge themselves to create their own lesson to present God’s truth in a clear, age-appropriate way.

In school and at work, teens and adults need to be able to present ideas in a clear manner, often to people who know nothing about a topic or the topic’s jargon. An English teacher may require a student to give a presentation about an author to the class, or an employee may need to articulate an idea to a committee or project team. So why not practice now by presenting a lesson to a group of kids?

Practice precision

Sparks not only have a limited vocabulary, but they also have a limited attention span of about 5 to 8 minutes. So leaders have to both speak clearly and prepare and present a lesson that is engaging and to-the-point. Again, this is a good skill to have for school and other areas when there are time or attention-span constraints.

Practice presenting the Gospel

The purpose of Awana, or of any kids’ ministry for that matter, is to teach children to know, love, and serve the Lord. To fulfill this purpose, Awana volunteers need to understand the core of the program — the Gospel.

But knowing the Gospel and sharing the Gospel can be two very different things, and unless the leaders get opportunities to practice clear Gospel presentations, they may not be as confident, clear, or precise when children ask questions. An unprepared leader could actually make for a more confused child. By giving the leaders a chance to present the Gospel in Large Group, not only do they gain more confidence in sharing, but the clubbers get to hear God’s salvation plan frequently.

And maybe, as leaders gain more confidence speaking to a crowd, a Spark in that crowd may take to heart the leader’s message and make the decision to trust Christ.

For more information about Awana, visit the Awana Homepage.
To find a club in your area visit the Club Locator.

4 tools for presenting the Gospel

The Gospel is at the core of everything Awana does, and it’s important to be able to share the salvation message in different ways to reach different people. It’s also important to find a presentation method that makes the presenter comfortable, confident, and clear when sharing.

A high school student from West Coast Honor Camp explains the
Gospel Bracelet to two children in Redding, Calif.

Discovering new tools and figuring out which ones work for you can be daunting. So at West Coast Honor Camp, we help Journey students get started in their search. Each year, the high school campers receive and learn how to use a different tool to share the Gospel. Then on Wednesday of the camp week, they use the tools to share the Gospel with people around Redding, Calif. After camp, they take the tools home to share in their own communities. Some may even use them as Large Group messages at their Awana clubs.

But these resources aren’t restricted to the high school campers; below are four of the tools provided by West Coast Honor Camp over the years. And if any of your Journey students (or former Journey students) attended camp, maybe they can teach you how to use theirs.

EvangeCube – This is a cube made of eight smaller cubes. The cubes are joined together in a specific way so they can be unfolded to show 7 different images that illustrate the salvation message. Cubes come in different sizes depending on the desired presentation.

Gospel Bracelet – This is a leather or rope bracelet containing colored pony beads. Each color represents a part of the Gospel. The bracelet is so easy to make that the presenter can have the audience members make their own as they talk about the meanings of the colors.

Gospel Glove – This is a two-sided plastic glove. One side presents the Gospel with verses, images and symbolic colors; the other presents a message about obedience and growth for those already saved.

U-Turn Cards – This set follows the Roman Road. The tool uses 9 double-sided road sign-themed cards with letters and images that allow for an interactive, fast-paced presentation.

For more information about Awana, visit the Awana Homepage.
To find a club in your area visit the Club Locator.

Past, Present, and School Year

I AM

I was regretting the past
and fearing the future.
Suddenly my Lord was speaking:
"My name is I AM"

He paused.
I waited. He continued,
"When you live in the past
with its mistakes and regrets,
it is hard. I am not there.
My name is not I WAS.

When you live in the future,
with its problems and fears,
it is hard. I am not there.
My name is not I WILL BE.

When you live in this moment
it is not hard. I am here,
My name is I AM."

                    - Helen Mallicoat

I first heard this poem, inspired by Exodus 3:14, when I was a high school student. At the time, I was trying to juggle studies, family, tennis, Awana, and community band, while maintaining a social life. The poem recently resurfaced as I contemplated the lack of things I accomplished over the past few days, as well as all the things I still needed to do for home, work, and the new Awana year.

I imagine there are many new and returning students from kindergarten to college feeling overwhelmed by the daunting task of balancing academia with family and extracurricular activities, now that school is starting. I’m also sure that parents, teachers, coaches, and many others are nervous about their preparations as everyone gets ready for a fresh start in a new school year.

With so much going on, it can be easy to feel overburdened and underprepared. But as the poem states, and as God says in Matthew 6:34, we don’t need to worry about the future until it arrives. And even then, God tells us in Philippians 4:6-7 that we shouldn’t be anxious at all, but instead “let your requests be made known to God.” He then promises that when we let Him take care of our anxieties, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

May God grant you all peace as the busy season begins, and may all your kids have a fun and amazing school year!

For more information about Awana, visit the Awana Homepage.
To find a club in your area visit the Club Locator.

Which 3rd John role model are you?

“Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.” – 3rd John 11

The book of 3rd John is a letter John wrote to a man named Gaius. Gaius was a Christian who gladly welcomed traveling believers into his home, giving them food and a place to stay on their journey. John was glad that Gaius ministered to fellow believers in this way, but there were some in Gaius’s community who weren’t as happy.

In fact, there was a man named Diotrephes who was a leader within the local church, and he despised what both Gaius and John were trying to do. Even though Diotrephes was supposed to be a fellow believer and a religious leader, he relished in his power and shunned anyone who threatened his authoritative position. John wrote in verse 10 that Diotrephes slandered them, working to estrange John and Gaius from his small faction of followers. In addition, “he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church.” John also goes on to say that this supposedly pious man’s evildoing prevents him from even seeing God.

Apparently, John felt that Diotrephes’s influence was great enough that he needed to warn Gaius not to turn a wicked man into a role model simply because of his title or position. Instead, John recommends another man to follow — a man named Demetrius, who “has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself. And we also bear witness, and you know that our testimony is true.”

As believers and kidmin volunteers, we need to consider what kind of example we set. Are we being good role models for those in our ministry? Are we being like Diotrephes or like Demetrius?

We also need to be like John. Pop culture, our neighborhoods, our schools, and even our churches are full of people who can be easily seen and imitated. We need to help guide our kids away from the Diotrepheses and toward the Demetriuses, teaching them to “not imitate what is evil, but what is good.”

For more information about Awana, visit the Awana Homepage.
To find a club in your area visit the Club Locator.

Unusual Game Equipment Spotlight: Donuts

Sometimes it’s fun to break away from the traditional and try something different. Unusual game equipment switches up the Game Time routine and adds something fresh to keep the kids excited and wanting to come back.

In a previous post, I discussed some ways to use car sponges, ping pong balls, and combats. But sometimes unusual game equipment can include food items*, as is the case with this week’s article. Today, I want to share a couple games using donuts.

Donuts come in many shapes, sizes, and levels of messiness, which makes them fairly versatile. Also, many kids (and leaders — make sure you have enough for them, too!) love the treats, often covered in glaze, chocolate and/or sprinkles. Donuts can make any game time sweeter!

Here are two donut game ideas to start your creative brain train. Do you have any other donutty games? Share in the comments!

Blind Donut

Materials needed:

• Several 3-foot pieces of string (1 piece per team of 3)
• Several messy ring donuts (1 donut per team of 3)
• Powdered mini donuts work for younger kids
• Glazed regular sized donuts are great for older kids and adults

Pre-game prep: Tie a donut onto the end of each string.

How to Play: Break players into groups of 3. Each group must decide who gets blindfolded and holds the string, who gives directions, and who eats the donut. Eaters lie flat on their back with their arms resting comfortably — they are not allowed to use their arms or hands for the duration of the game. Nor are they allowed to sit up or lean forward. String holders are blindfolded and placed at the heads of the eaters, dangling the donuts at least a foot above the eaters’ mouths. Direction givers stand next to the string holders.

At the whistle, direction givers must tell the string holders how to move the string so the eaters can eat the donut. First team with a completely swallowed donut wins.

Jelly Donut Feed

Materials needed:

• Jelly Donuts
• Bowls (1 bowl per player, disposable are recommended – easy clean-up)
• Optional: Whipped cream and/or chocolate syrup

Pre-game prep: Slice the donuts into sizes appropriate for the ages of the players (quartered, halved, etc.). Put one slice into each bowl. Optional: add whipped cream and/or chocolate syrup to each bowl.

How to Play: At the whistle, players must eat the donut slices out of the bowls using only their mouths. First player with a completely swallowed donut slice wins.

Variations:

• Make it a team event — all team members eat at the same time. First team to have all players swallow their donut slices wins.
• Make it a relay — one player from each team eats a donut piece, then tags the next player.
• Make it a relay race station — team chooses a representative to eat the donut piece. When the representative swallows, team can move to the next station.

*With any food game, please be conscious of the allergies of the participants and the possibility of staining clothes or carpets.

For more information about Awana, visit the Awana Homepage.
To find a club in your area visit the Club Locator.