How Do You Train?

Have you ever found yourself struggling to hang a picture or do some sort of trivial job around the house without the right tools at hand? It never seems to fail that I'm missing the right size nail, or discover I don't have the Phillips screwdriver when I need one at home. I'm prepping to finally decorate my new bedroom and decided to pull all the things that I need together in advance. It's making the jobs like hanging drapes so much easier! Imagine only drilling a hole once, because you actually had the right materials from the beginning.

I've been reading with great interest the forum on Kidology.org about how people involve teens/older students and adults in training for ministry. It's been terrific hearing how many different ways there are to provide individuals with the right tools for the job. One of the things that I thought about Children's Ministry before I became involved in it is that you get thrown into the proverbial lion's den with little training, a hunk of meat and 12 hungry lions all licking their lips! My impression came from the fact that in most of the churches that I have worked at there has been little training provided and even less encouragement. I've personally struggled with how to bring people up to speed with training or adding tools to their toolboxes. I'm still looking for ways that work with a group of volunteers whose lives are perpetually behind the wheel of a car, don't like to come out after dark and are beyond busy. What do you do to encourage this segment of your teachers?

Meanwhile, I also have a group of excited, dedicated young people in Middle School and High School. We started a new training group for them called Teens in Training or T-N-T. This group meets monthly to work on a new skills (this quarter it is on telling stories "Teaching Like Jesus") The goal is that this group will be learning and practicing their story telling skills through the Spring, and then will have a large role in our summer Children's Church services. Each month the kids will have one story to "practice" telling in front of the others using different techniques such as props, voice inflections, pictures, media and whatever other ideas pop into their little creative minds.

We're meeting tomorrow and I am excited to see what the response is from the kids - they are excited to be a part of the group and my goal is to pour into them now so that they will continue to grow in their gifts and ministry experience.


H