What is a Children's Pastor Part 2

Feed the Flock

“Feed the flock of God which is among you” 1 Peter 5:2

The first thing Peter tells pastors to do is to “feed the flock”. This is the primary responsibility of a pastor. If you are going to feed the flock you need to feed yourself. Never stand up in front of a group of kids and read the curriculum.

I tell my volunteers they should minister out of their overflow. If you are preaching on prayer then look up scriptures on prayer and meditate on them. Find some good books on prayer and read them during the week. The more time you spend in the Word of God the better your preaching will be.

One trend that that really concerns me today is that many of today’s curriculums do not teach the deep things of the Word. The world is getting bolder with their message and the church seems to be more timid. Kids have to fight the same devil that we have to fight. Children don’t need less of God’s Word today - they need more. Jesus commanded us to “preach the gospel to every creature.” If it’s in the Bible you can preach it to kids.

Another thing we need to think about is that most children under the age of eight cannot read yet, so they are totally dependent on someone else to feed them. This is why what you do is so precious to the Lord. For many of the kids in your class the only meal they get is what you are preaching. Make sure you give them some meat and potatoes and not just the desert.

Here are ten practical steps for feeding your flock:    kids the Word of God:

1. FOCUS on one message per week. What is the one thing you want your kids to do with the message you are preaching?
2. THINK LIKE A CHILD – If you are teaching on prayer, what types of things would a child pray for?
3. TEACH IN A SERIES – This will help your flock know where you are going.
4. BE VISUAL – Preaching to kids without something visual does not work. Use short films, power points, object lessons, games and dramas.
5. TELL STORIES – The best preachers are good storytellers.
6. KEEP IT MOVING – One child who breaks the rules is a discipline problem. If the group is not paying attention it’s a leadership problem. Change what you are doing every five minutes or so.
7. STAY CURRENT – If you package an eternal message in an old wrapper it seems like an old message.
8. BUILD A TEAM – Don’t be a lone ranger.
9. BE FUNNY – When people laugh it opens up their heart. Use the sandwich method. Funny, Serious, Funny.
10. REVIEW AND REPETITION – Kids don’t get it if you just say it one time. (Neither do adults)

Don’t miss tomorrow’s blog, what is a CP? part #3

What is a Children's Pastor Part 1