New Testament in Short

For those of you who don't have the time to watch the full version, here' the overview of the song on the New Testament. It pinpoints the four sections--The Gospels, History, Letters and Prophecy.

The New Testament

Two weeks ago, Lord Maestro Alfanzo Caballero III made another appearance in Bridge 45, this time teaching on the New Testament. If you have a half hour to spare, enjoy his presentation!


The New Testament in Four Acts from Morning Star Church on Vimeo.

Open for Business!

This past Sunday was the launch of Bridge 45 in our new classroom! We passed our final inspection Thursday--just in time to move our things in on Friday and Saturday! The weekend in the new room went well. The kids were excited to finally have their own space and adults from the church walked through and were amazed by how nice and big the room was. We couldn't have asked for a better kick-off Sunday!

We still have a few things to do in the room, but for the most part it's done. It was great to be able to hang the projects the students have been working on over the past few months, and the TVs (we heard) were what made the room look cool.

Below are several pictures from the weekend. Rather than write captions under each one, here's a rundown of what they're of:
-Views from different corners in the room as we put it together (7 photos)
-Kids checking in as they enter the room for the first time
-Earning points at the Bible Verse Station for saying the memory verse, bringing their Bibles and notebooks... we've found that it takes some rewards to help build habits!
-Girls sitting in the corner talking. We'll have a futon for this space delivered soon
-Playing DDR
-Playing Mario Kart on the Game Cube
-Justine and Alan, two of our worship leaders. They were VERY excited for the new sound system. We found that the kids engaged in worship MUCH MORE in the new space. I think it helps to have them so close to the band.
-The band leading worship
-Worship (2 photos)
-Small group time--notice the kids using their notebooks!

View of the Room

View of the Room

Pictures

More Pictures

More Pictures

This past Sunday we launched our first week in the new classroom for Bridge 45!

Move-In Week!

This week we're moving into our new Bridge 45 classroom! I still don't feel like it's really happening. It'll be a little rushed at the last minute--I waited until last week to order the major items because we didn't have the room to store them until the locks were working on the doors to the modular. I know there'll be a lot of details to work out the first few weeks in the new classroom (Like we realized today--how are we going to do dismissal? Normally we have the parents line up at the doors to the room and dismiss the kids one by one. But this new space has outside access with no roof covering, and with the weather what it is in Oregon, I have a feeling we'd end up with some very cranky, and wet, parents!), but for now, we're hoping to think of as many things as possible!
Here's a list of what we still have left to do:
-The folding chairs are scheduled to be delivered Wednesday (tomorrow)
-The two flat-screen TVs will be delivered Thursday
-Purchase the wall-mounts for the TVs
-Have the wall mounts hung and the TVs attached
-Hook up the laptop with Media Shout to the TVs and make sure they work together
-The sound system (we're getting an incredible system from Bose... check it out here will be delivered Thursday or Friday
-Set up the sound system
-Pick up two Foosball tables and a futon from families in the church
-Install temporary window coverings (we'll later get permanent ones for all the units)
-Purchase trash cans, water and cups (no plumbing in the unit)
-Move remaining supplies and materials from the old room
-Pass the final inspection (we had one yesterday and we just need to fix a few things)

All in all, with some great volunteers, it's very doable!

The Whole Thing

If you have the time, be sure and watch this (it's 30 minutes). I can guarantee you'll be entertained! The post before this one goes into a little more detail describing it. This unit in our curriculum is about understanding the Old and New Testaments. The objective is that the students will be able to give a one or two sentence description of each testament and how they fit together. Our hope with this song is that we'll be able to record it and then use it from week to week to help the kids get it down. What I love about the song Rocky created is that he used so many songs that are relevant to the kids for the tunes... Sponge Bob Square Pants, Dora the Explorer, The Little Mermaid, and so many more. Not to mention several only the adults would recognize!


The Old Testament in Song from Morning Star Church on Vimeo.

The Old Testament in Song--Short Version

This Sunday was a large group week. We asked Rocky Wing (who was once the 2nd-5th grade director and now is one of our worship pastors) to teach the entire Old Testament. Jared had already done all the research and gave him an outline. We thought a song would be a good method for teaching, so the kids would retain it well. We also gave him the Animaniac's song about the presidents for inspiration. This is the short version of what he came up with. I'll post the full version a little later (as soon as it's done uploading). Enjoy!

In Their Own Words

This weekend and next our church is taking an offering to help pay for the installation costs for our new modular units. Our executive staff thought a good way to help people understand what their money was supporting would be to show some testimonies of our fourth and fifth graders. I had a blast interviewing the kids--I wish we could have used every clip!


Bridge 45 - In Their Own Words from Morning Star Church on Vimeo.

Crunching the Numbers

I just finished analyzing the attendance of our fourth and fifth graders--comparing this year's numbers to last year. Looking at the attendance of this group of fourth and fifth graders as third and fourth graders, we found that last year in September we averaged 42 kids a week in these two classes. This year in September we saw an average of 56 kids a week. In October of last year we averaged 41 kids per week, and this year in October we averaged 57 kids per week. That's an increase of 25% in September and 28% in October!!! As a whole, our entire Children's Ministries saw a 9% increase in September from '07 to '08 and a .8% decrease in October from '07 to '08.
So all in all, I'd say that we've seen some growth because of Bridge 45!

Unit 2 is Done!

I finished formatting Unit 2 for the curriculum today. Good timing considering the unit starts in 2 weeks. The majority of the work was done back in August when we did all our planning. I held off on finalizing it, though, until now because we wanted to make sure the format actually worked in Unit 1.

It's been an interesting process for me. I've spent the last few weeks analyzing, watching, talking with my husband about what he observes, questioning kids, finding feedback wherever I can get it. The problem with this, I've found, is I've focused so much on each individual lesson that I forgot about our big picture. While I heard stories about how our kids were starting to really think about what the Bible says, that they were reading their Bibles at home, and that our lessons were sticking, I felt discouraged that we weren't being relevant enough to a child's everyday life. Our lessons felt very academic.

But today, as I typed in the final lesson for Unit 2, I was reminded of the grand scheme of things... the over all picture... how it all fits together. The first half of our curriculum has been laying a foundation for what the rest of the year will bring. Unit 1 was necessary to the implementation of Unit 2. We needed to tell them why we study the Bible before we taught them how to study the Bible. They needed to know the layout of the Bible to understand that the Old Testament looks forward to the promise God made about bringing a savior for the world while the New Testament shows the fulfillment of God's promise.

As I typed the conclusion of Unit 2, and an invitation to salvation, I realized what an incredible experience this could be for our kids. So many of them accepted Jesus as their forever friend years ago. Some even have made a point to "see how many times they can do it" (despite being reminded that you only have to accept Jesus once). The majority of our kids accepted salvation with beautiful, innocent faith. Through the lessons in Unit 2, they'll get to see more of the why behind their acceptance. They're finally at an age where the wages of sin are real to them... death is something they understand. For once, the separation between them and God is tangible.

My hope through this unit is that not only will they gain the intellectual knowledge to distinguish between the Old and New Testaments and be able to explain how they fit together, but to also grasp a deeper understanding of what salvation is and why it is so important. Once this is achieved, then we can truly look (in unit 3) at the personal side of their relationship with the Lord. We can look at what sins they're struggling with and that God forgives them, as well as provide them with tools for resistance. We can understand the purpose of worship. See the need for fellowship. And finally, in Unit 4 we'll be able to help them take a deeper look at who they are in Christ--develop testimonies, learn about spiritual gifts and find out how we fit into the church.

I find myself even more excited for this curriculum than I was back in August when we initially prayed over and developed it. Last week, as I walked around our new modular unit, tears came to my eyes. What we're doing in teaching these students is so much bigger than lesson plans. It's greater than a new classroom building. It surpasses any personal achievement our team may have in the writing of it. Young hearts are maturing in their love for the Lord. Young minds are gaining insight, intelligence and information to withstand opposition as they grow older. I feel so much hope for these kids--they can be the future leaders of our church, our community, our country. They will grow up someday and teach their children the ways of the Lord. We're impacting generations.

This is so much bigger than just one lesson at a time. There is a big picture, and isn't it grand?

The Final Unit has been Delivered!

From a nice grassy lawn to a modular unit site!

The Modulars are Here & Clips from Unit 1

On Monday the excavating began for the modular units, and today the first of the two adult units arrived. Tomorrow the other adult unit will be delivered and on Friday our Bridge 45 unit will arrive! It's so exciting to have the use of our new room get closer and closer!

Also, here's a video from the past 6 weeks in Bridge 45.

Having fun with a video camera

This past Sunday was a response-project week. The small groups were each given the task of writing and producing a newscast, or some other form of video that covered what they've learned about how to study the Bible. We got a variety of videos! Posted below is what we'll be showing the kids over the next three weeks. Only two groups had sound quality enough to understand what they were saying, as well as stayed on target. The third video is a collection of clips from all the groups.

The point that was taught by each group was to use the SPECS method when studying the Bible. This is when you look at a passage and find...
S-Sin to Avoid
P-Promise to Claim
E-Example to Follow
C-Command to Obey
S-Stubling Block to Avoid

Enjoy!

Training for parents - late October

One of the primary goals of family life education and a underlying facet of Bridge 45 is to impart skills and information for parents benefit. Knowledge of certain trends and theories applicable to children will give parents tools for day to day living. Here are a few topics I would like to familiarize parents with in a class that will be given in late October.

Tweenagers are in the transitory period of life Erik Erikson identified as a crisis of competence. This is a struggle to determine whether an individual will display industry or inferiority when approaching life skills and issues of competence. What the child has to discover for themselves is “am I good at what I do?” Not that any one role in life will be permanently established, but when new skills are tackled, does the child have the wherewithal to master them? During this time the child compares their self worth to other peers. The classroom environment is critical to self understanding. Teachers and parents wield tremendous power and must ensure children do not feel inferior. Expect children at this age to become infatuated with learning, perhaps not school, but some subject, hobby or other passion will manifest.

In addition to this key developmental data I would like parents to know what their children face in the world. I want them to see the host of social forces and personal challenges that tweens will encounter. God cares deeply about what each person faces in their daily life, not just what happens on Sunday morning. I hope to impart views of parenting and youth as vocations.

The class will be short. My message to parents is get involved, be aware, take action, and raise children in a Godly home. Often the simple messages are what we need to hear most.

Just a little story

One of the biggest blessings to me with Bridge 45 is found in a fourth grade boy named "John". He's come to our church for years, always brought by his aunt. At one point in time, his mom's new boyfriend objected to "John" and his sister coming to church purely because their aunt took them. But after a few weeks of complaining and sadness from the kids over not going to church, the boyfriend started driving them! That was about a year ago.

One day during VBS I took "John" home, and spent the car ride telling him about Bridge 45. He was quiet and seemed only semi-interested. Then, the week we announced Bridge 45 to the kids, he perked up, and in front of everyone (which he never does) said, "Oh! You told me about that!"

The first week of Bridge 45 "John" attended church on Saturday with his mom (which to me is so wonderful to see that she's coming now). I apologetically told him that Bridge 45 would only be on Sundays. The next morning as I walked through the lobby, I saw "John" walking into Bridge 45.

Each week his mom brings him on Saturday, and then he returns with his aunt on Sunday. God must have great plans for this little boy, and I feel blessed to be able to watch it unfold.

1 Section Down, 11 to Go!

This past Sunday we completed Unit 1, Section 1! We're three weeks into Bridge 45. Over the past three weeks our students learned about why we study the Bible. They learned background information, and that the Bible is trustworthy and error-free. The final project on week three was making a timeline that represented the whole Bible. It was so neat to see how completely differently the two services made their time lines.

The response we're getting from the kids is great! I think they're really enjoying the way the program changes from week to week. Here are some discoveries/celebrations/things to work on:

-The 4th & 5th graders LOVE not having younger kids in the class with them. When you ask what their favorite part of Bridge 45 is, the most common answer is "No little kids".

-Dance, Dance Revolution: Disney Channel Edition is a HUGE hit--with both the boys and the girls. There's nothing like getting to play Kim Possible, Hannah Montana or Zach Efron!

-While a live worship band is a hit, some kids are struggling with saying goodbye to the CDs. Who'd have thought that after all the requests to have the band back, they'd miss track-led worship! We're working on finding ways to build a little more energy into the fast worship time since the room is so large (can't wait for the modular) with so few kids.

-Having the small group leaders play the role of facilitator rather than teacher is essential. The groups who have more freedom to talk with one another and discuss the topics amongst themselves are the ones enjoying Bridge 45 the most. The kids who's leaders tend to just talk about the material instead of allowing them to discuss it feel like they're in school. We're working on furthering the facilitator concept.

-Now that we're three weeks into it, we're looking for some new ways to add fun into the program. We're confident in the elements we have in the curriculum, we just need to raise the energy level in the room. One thing we're doing to help this is we'll start showing a video welcome that signals the kids to come in. It has high energy music in the background and has the kids participate in small groups for a competition. The winning small group will get a "trophy" to carry around for the day. The next week it'll be handed back and passed onto the new winning team (think: immunity idol from Survivor). This competition time will lead into worship, so hopefully this will help our lack of energy there!

So, that's where we're at! It's so exciting to start something brand-new. We've been video taping as well, so as soon as I'm able, I'll post some highlights.

Also, installation of the modular is a little delayed-- gotta love the permits process! But at least this'll make us appreciate it so much more when we finally do get it!

A bit of an intro

Here's the introductory pages for our Bridge 45 curriculum book. Hope you enjoy it, and feel free to give feedback.

Introduction to Bridge 45

Why Bridge 45?
We’ve been watching our fourth and fifth graders very closely, and agree with the experts in ministry and secular fields, who are finding that these students aren’t what they used to be. They’re learning at a faster rate and being exposed to things that just five years ago would have been considered more appropriate for teenagers. Not only that, the learning curve between a third- and a fourth-grade mind is dramatically different. Our late-elementary kids are able to reason and make connections that the younger kids can’t. They’re starting to ask tough questions. And when they aren’t challenged, they get bored.

We realize that this is a key time in these students’ spiritual development. And with this realization comes an awareness that if we want them to be challenged and excited to grow in their relationships with the Lord, we need to adapt our methods of ministry. Our fourth and fifth graders are preteens and need to be treated exactly as that. The puppets and “silly” story-telling that the younger kids love no longer hold their attention. Yet, they aren’t quite ready to get too serious or talk too much about “teen issues.” They still like to have fun and get messy, but they also want to learn lessons and discover truth themselves (with a little guidance, of course).

Bridge 45 will be the bridge between our children’s and youth ministries. Our goal is to give the students the desire and the tools they need to study the Bible for themselves. It’ll be a ministry that fits them—their likes, lives, and learning styles. By separating the older from the younger students, we’ll be able to challenge them to think more deeply, guide them in studying the Bible, and better prepare them for life in these “bridge” years.

Format & Objectives
Core Objective
Give the students the skills they need to study the Bible.

Children’s Ministries Vision Statement
Equipping children and families to love the Lord for a lifetime with their head, heart and hands.

Our Core Objective will fit into the vision in this way
Head
By the end of the year, the kids will be able to
· Navigate the Bible
· Give 2-3 sentence overviews of the Old and New Testaments and how they relate to each other · Know key people and events of both the Old and New Testaments, as well as be able to define words such as apostle, prophet, disciple, etc.
· Define and explain salvation, sin, repentance, grace, fellowship, etc.
Heart
We’ll see their head knowledge influence their hearts through
· Growing in their love for God and others
· Their prayer life
· Their desire to study the Bible
Hands
They’ll demonstrate their knowledge and understanding through
· Service opportunities
· Giving because of the biblical basis
· Verse memorization

Bridge 45 will be structured differently than the Children’s Ministries we’re used to. Our school year is divided up into four nine-week units. Each unit is made up of three three-week sections. The unit will cover an overall theme, and the sections are intended to focus in on specific points of that theme.

Week one of each section will be large-group based. The kids will participate in activity stations and worship as they’re used to in previous years, but it will be followed by a longer large group teaching. Our goal is to give an in-depth introduction to the point studied in the following two weeks. It’s also our hope that the fifth graders will be better prepared for middle school when the style is so different from what they’re used to. While small groups aren’t our focus in this week, the kids will still huddle up at the end to check in with their leader.

Week two of each section will be small-group intensive. After activity stations and worship, the students will join their small groups and spend the rest of the time diving into the Bible to find the answers related to that section’s point. They’ll have discussion time where peer interaction is the focus. The small group leader will act more as a guide during this time—encouraging discussion and redirecting when needed.

Week three is a responsive week; an opportunity for the groups to gather together and see how they can implement or apply the section’s points. Often times this will be displayed in a creative and collaborative project.

By spending three weeks on each point, the students will be able to apply a variety of learning styles and see the Bible from different angles. They’ll hear, say and do.

Objectives
Large Group
· The students will gain a deeper knowledge of the Bible—what it is about and what went into it.
· The students will engage in active learning.
· The students will gain the skills to define, understand and defend their faith.
· The students will be excited to learn and be at church.
Small Group
· The students will interact with one another and their leader.
· The students will discover answers for themselves and be redirected, if needed, by their leader.
· The students will share life experiences and pray for one another.
Large Group Response Project
· The students will participate in a creative or outreach oriented project.
· The students will participate in an active application of the previous two weeks.

Schedule
Week 1:
8:30-8:45 / 10:30-10:45 Leaders Meeting
8:45-9:10 / 10:45-11:10 Activity Stations
9:10-9:15 / 11:10-11:15 Announcements
9:15-9:35 / 11:15-11:35 Worship
9:35-10:10 / 11:35-12:10 Large Group Teaching
10:10-10:15 / 12:10-12:15 Small Group Review

Week 2:
8:30-8:45 / 10:30-10:45 Leaders Meeting
8:45-9:10 / 10:45-11:10 Activity Stations
9:10-9:15 / 11:10-11:15 Announcements
9:15-9:35 / 11:15-11:35 Worship
9:35-10:10 / 11:35-12:10 Small Group
10:10-10:15 / 12:10-12:15 Small Group Review

Week 3:
8:30-8:45 / 10:30-10:45 Leaders Meeting
8:45-9:10 / 10:45-11:10 Activity Stations
9:10-9:15 / 11:10-11:15 Announcements
9:15-9:35 / 11:15-11:35 Worship
9:35-10:15 / 11:35-12:15 Large Group Response Project

Roles
Volunteers are essential in making Bridge 45 work.
The Division Leader oversees the class throughout the service. They run the leaders meeting and then assist the small group leaders and large group teachers as needed. The Division leader can also assist with escorting children to the restroom or drinking fountain when needed.

The Large Group Teacher teaches the lesson on week 1 of every section. They are responsible for giving a Bible-based, creative presentation of that section’s main points.

The Small Group Leader oversees a group of students throughout the school year. He/she is responsible for knowing their students and guiding them through learning about the Bible. The participate in activity stations with the kids and sit among them for worship and large group. On week 1 of a section they lead a review time a the end in which they check on how their students are doing, review the teaching points, and remind of weekly assignments. On week 2 of a section, they guide their group in discussion and activities related to the teaching points. On week 3 they assist their group in a responsive or service project.

Unit 1 is Done!

I just finished putting all our notes and outlines into an actual curriculum format! I'll post a sample week tomorrow when I go to the office. Now, it's time for bed :)

Here Comes our Modular Unit!

I was able to visit the construction site for our modular unit that will house Bridge 45. We made a video to help the church see what it is we're looking forward to. This weekend we'll show the video, as well as provide a list of items needing to be financially sponsored or donated in order to make Bridge 45 possible.
Enjoy our video!

Thoughts about Bridge 45:

In all of our studies of children ministries, what has struck us most profoundly was the task of imparting what we hold dear, to who we hold most dear. Children are our future, the Bible makes clear the responsibility we bear, and that our inheritance is incumbent on it.

The Lord has a message for everyone in this journey we are on. He cares very deeply for the spiritual training of our children. (Deu 6:5-9 ESV) “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” This is but one commandment, there are dozens! The role of spiritual leader falls directly on the parent. That leaders in children’s ministry may come along side and bless these kids is awesome, but tertiary in usefulness to the mission. Parents in the modern church have abdicated their responsibility for spiritual nourishment hoping that youth leaders will fill the gap. This will not stand if we take the whole council of God.

The physical, ideological, and personal battles our children will win or lose start at home, and in the classroom. The spiritual skirmishes we are engaged in now will affect our children’s ultimate dispositions. The stakes are very high. The enemy is engaged. Why are we not engaged in running the good race? Schedule is part of the problem; the busy modern life makes spiritual leadership almost impossible. Apathy exists as well. The biggest problem might be fear; fear steeped in ignorance leading to inaction. Fear is overcome by exercising courage, and the judicious application of knowledge.

We need something useful, a tool (a weapon) we could give educators and parents. Our target group is fourth and fifth graders, something is missing. We see them more mature, yet less prepared. We see them more advanced, yet less resilient. We see them more afflicted and less naive. What drives the trends for the “tween” set? The post 9-11 world? Living in an age of deception, or is it bovine growth hormone? In the end it doesn’t matter. The question becomes, what are we going to do?

After searching hundreds of articles, and lengthy tomes we toyed around with many theories. Would Kohlberg’s moral development make good application to the problem? How about Fowler’s theory of faith? It all lacked substance; it was so much chasing after the wind…

We need to teach them the Bible. Who? The children! Who else? Growing up in a post-modern, technology driven society, our kids lack belonging, community, culture, pride, and meaning. Christian faith offers all these things and much more: a relationship with a loving savior. Christianity is our culture.

The Bible curriculum Jared is developing looks world class; Jill’s ability to craft dynamic learning would remind a poet of Arachne’s loom. What would I offer? At the midnight hour I stumbled upon it, dog eared, and stained with coffee. One of my more esoteric books, Newton Riddell, bore the secret. Everyone knows God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; three in one. What many people forget is that man is a reflection of Him. We are trichotomous, consisting of body, spirit, and soul. Our development is measurable. “Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.” (Luk 2:52 ESV) Do you see that? He was fully man and fully God. What do we observe? He increased in wisdom, he was educated. He increased in stature, he grew tall! He increased in favor with God; He developed spiritually. Finally, He increased in favor with man; He developed psycho-socially.

At this point the light bulb clicked on. Erik Erikson had detailed human psychosocial development in eight stages of life. His theory was excellent for describing the crisis periods each individual faced in western culture. What if we applied this developmental perspective to those born again? We owe a debt of gratitude to Yvonne Bisonette from Regent University whose doctoral work made this program possible. Her research indicates that when born again an individual must navigate each life crisis again, but in the spiritual sphere. Here we have something to give small group leaders and parents; a theory of spiritual development. We are going to impress on young minds the living word of God. We will give their guardians a tool for assessing and assisting development. Bridge 45 is off to an exciting start.

Someone once said: “the journey of a thousand miles starts with one step, and a lot of griping.” I have to admit I did not want to enter into a children’s ministry project. I was afraid. I thought: what could I offer? Can I really make a difference? Shouldn’t I leave this to the professionals? Worst of all; what if I mess this up? (Matt 19:4 ESV) “Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.’” Like Moses on the back side of the desert I argued with God a bit, I needed some prompting from Him to get me moving. I am sure glad I decided to follow His word. As this program grows, and gains a life all its own. I covet your prayers. I know Jill and Jared do as well. Thank you.

Jesse

It's all coming together...

For the past two Thursdays, Jared Boltman (our elementary director), Jesse Eastes (the guy working on his degree bringing a psych perspective) and I have met at a coffee shop to detail out the curriculum for Bridge 45. We've already completed Units 1 & 2 and will do Unit 3 tomorrow. It's amazing how all the thoughts come together. I'm realizing that God speaks to me through creativity. I love watching Him work! Ideas come to mind and I know they're only from God. Concepts fit together and are of the biblical soundness we seek. We're so excited that we know the 4th and 5th graders will love it too!

I'll post elements of the curriculum once I get it all typed and formatted. But for now, here are some of the elements we have:

-The 4 units are broken up into three three-week sections. In week 1 the lesson on what the Bible is (where it came from, who wrote it, why it's important, etc.) will be presented through a creative large group teaching that lasts 35-40 minutes. Each kid will be given a Bridge 45 notebook in which to take notes, write down questions, etc. The notebooks are to go home with them and be brought back each week (it'll take a little while to set that pattern). The notebooks will also have a homework section (which won't actually be called homework) that gives them a couple of verses to look up throughout the week, and space to write 3 questions that they have while reading the passages.
-In week 2, we'll have worship and then go straight to small groups (no large group teaching). The small group leader will review what was taught the week before, the group will go over their questions from the homework, and then they'll start working on a timeline project. 3 sheets will be given to people in the group. One will detail the languages the Bible is written in. Another the authors of the Bible. The third the I can't remember off the top of my head. As a group, they'll compare the info and start to create a timeline.
-In week 3 each group will be assigned a section of the Bible, and the entire class will make a large, color coded timeline on butcher paper which we'll hang on the long wall in our new modular unit.

Each of the three weeks builds on the others. Other times in week two their group will script a newscast and in week three produce and tape their newscast. Our hope is that while they'll still learn even if they miss a week, they won't want to miss a week.

More to come soon!

Bridge 45 is Still Happening!

So while it may not look like it, we are working on our new curriculum for fourth & fifth graders. In fact, things have taken some incredible turns!!! Just to back up a little bit...

After attending Conspire and deciding that a new ministry for our fourth & fifth graders could happen, we realized that it was going to take some money! We planned to turn an upstairs multi purpose room into Bridge 45. It would just take some work to make it look cool--dividers to hide the extra stacks of chairs and storage for other ministries, an improved sound system so we could have live worship, and new activity stations just to name a few. On top of that we'd need to do a lot of work to make our old auditorium feel less-big for our kindergarten-third graders.

We also wanted to give our overall ministry a new name (or an actual name for that matter... "Children's Ministries" doesn't seem to cut it). With a new name we'd want to do new branding--logos, signs, etc. Once again, this would take money.

Conspire was at the end of April. At the beginning of May our church announced large budget cuts, and cut some staff positions as well. The possibility of money being available became slim. We began to pray, thinking that God would need to provide through VBS. Maybe we'd have 100 more kids than we expected sign up... maybe we'd actually profit... Maybe VBS would make Bridge 45 financially possible!

At staff meeting on June 4 our senior pastor mentioned that a team of men in our church was trying to figure out options for bringing our youth on campus (since we built our building in 1996 our youth have had to meet at local schools on Sunday mornings). He suggested sprung structures, large module units, etc. I thought all of them sounded expensive. Especially since we had an auditorium with a light board that we don't use to its fullest, band equipment sitting unused, and a sound system that was used only to play CDs. Not to mention space beyond what you'd desire for kindergarten-third graders. But that's what children's ministries uses (which I'm thankful for, since I wouldn't want to have to use local schools each week). But wouldn't it make more sense if we just got a modular unit for Bridge 45? Then put K-3rd in the multi-purpose room, and let the youth have the old auditorium (which they use mid-week anyways)? I mentioned it to my executive pastor and he liked the idea.

VBS was the last week of June and registration was down by 40 and more kids needed scholarships than normal. Through some great budget cuts and donations, we were able to pull the event off under budget and come out in the black (as well as raise 1600 for missionaries in Hong Kong!). Clearly, VBS would not back Bridge 45.

Some time just after VBS, my executive pastor mentioned my modular unit idea to our senior pastor. I guess he loved the idea because at staff meeting on July 2 we were all told that a modular unit would be purchased for Bridge 45. And money would be raised to outfit it.

Two weeks ago the entire church was told about the modular unit. They were told that for the first time in 12 years our entire church would be able to meet on campus. They were told we're starting a new ministry designed just for our fourth and fifth graders. The announcement was met with cheers and shouts of "praise God!"

I turned in a list of everything we want--flat screen TVs, folding chairs, video game systems, foos ball table, laptops for computerized check-in (for our entire ministry), a sound system, etc. And it's all going to happen. It won't be until October, but we're getting a new facility just for our fourth and fifth graders, our kindergarten-third graders get a class that reflects their size and ability. Our youth will be on campus.... oh, and we have a name, and a graphic designer in our church is donating his time to create logos.

GOD IS GOOD!

The Why & What of What We're Doing

Below is what I started writing a month ago... and kept meaning to finish the post, and obviously didn't. So I'm just going to post it now!

No, we haven't abandoned our plans for Bridge 45! I've just been compiling thoughts, creating lesson plans and doing lots and lots of research. We'll be having a creative brainstorming session to get the final details on paper for the first quarter of our curriculum. But for now, here are some quotes I've found about why the need for a specialized 4th & 5th grade ministry is so great, and how people have gone about meeting that need.

"In order to reach kids, we must know kids. Not only must we show them what God's Word has to say, but also show them that we know the world they live in, and God's Word is applicable." -Aaron Reynolds, Conspire Conference

"You cannont reach kids if you do not know them." -Aaron Reynolds, Conspire Conference

"The stakes are higher for us [children's ministers] because the stories we tell will transform eternities. When we focus on teaching them to transform, they will do just that." -Aaron Reynolds, Conspire Conference

Fourth and fifth graders behave in ways that contrast with the younger grades. "They are switching from pleasing parents and teachers to pleasing peers. They no longer accept anything an adult says as true... As their teacher, you need street credibility." -David Rausch, Conspire Conference

"Our values for ministry to fourth and fifth grades are: relationships, to know and love Jesus more, self discovery (They are tired of people talking at them. Lessons should be interactive adn experiential. Let them do the thinking.), skills, and fun."
-David Rausch & Mindy Stoms, Conspire Conference

"Preteens need to be treated as exactly what they are: PRE-TEENS. They are not young children anymore... But they are not teenagers either... They need something designed just for them... They want to think for themselves and make their own decisions, but they don't mind you guiding the way." -Carl Bastian, Kidology

The Making of our Scope & Sequence Part 2

Once we knew our objectives, we needed to figure out how we'd achieve it. Our program will run 36 weeks (9 months with a few weeks off here and there). The 36 weeks will be divided into four 9-week units. The units will cover the four head-oriented goals that we came up with. One of the points made at Conspire was about how 4th & 5th graders no longer listen to teachers just because they're tall... they need to discover biblical truths for themselves. Another element to address has been stated by our middle school pastor many times. When our 5th graders become 6th graders and move up to the middle school ministry, they haven't experienced sitting through a longer message. We want to be sure that we're not only teaching to where they are now, but also preparing them for the next ministry they'll transition into.

Our Bridge 45 format will include large group teaching and small groups, but not in the same traditional way of our kindergarten through 3rd graders. Rather than using the same method from week to week, we'll mix it up a bit. One week we'll have a primarily large group lesson with rotating teachers--our elementary director, the middle school pastor, the student ministries worship pastor, etc. The next week will be small group focused--where they take what was introduced the week before and discover it for themselves in the Bible. The following week will provide a service opportunity or a chance to apply the topic as a whole group. In the end, three weeks will be spent applying one central point.

Here's what we've come up with so far for our 36-week program:

Unit 1—Navigating the Bible
Weeks 1-3: Why we study the Bible. In this section we’ll look at what makes the Bible true, who wrote it, why it’s accurate, the inerrancy, etc.
Weeks 4-6: How to study the Bible. They’ll learn tools for looking up passages, how to read and understand passages, cross referencing, etc.
Weeks 7-9: Who has studied the Bible. We’ll look at missionaries and current-life examples of people who spend their lives to spread the gospel.

Unit 2—Key People and Events of the Old and New
Weeks 1-3: The Old Testament. How it’s structured with the Pentateuch, Judges and Prophets. What those sections are all about.
Weeks 4-6: The New Testament. How it’s structured with the Gospels, Acts, and Letters. What those sections are all about.
Weeks 7-9: How it all fits together. Understanding that the two sections make the Bible as a whole.

Unit 3—Defining Key Terms: Understanding the Spiritual Journey
Weeks 1-3: Sin, repentance, salvation.
Weeks 4-6: Grace, Love and Faith
Weeks 7-9: Fellowship (what the Bible says about the body of Christ)

Unit 4—Who I am in Christ
Weeks 1-3: Testimony—hearing that of others and developing your own.
Weeks 4-6: The Church—how each of us fits within the church.
Weeks 7-9: Gifts and Service—the roles we each play in the church.

The Making of our Scope & Sequence Part 1

While I know that most readers of this blog are familiar with the term "Scope and Sequence," I thought I'd explain it real quick for those who may not have heard it before. The scope and sequence is the overview of what all will be covered in a curriculum and in what order.

In making our scope and sequence for Bridge 45, we first went to our Children's Ministries mission statement: Equipping children and families to love the Lord for a lifetime with their head, heart and hands. Our core objective is to give our kids the skills they need to study the Bible. In order to accomplish this in a well-rounded way we needed to cover the three areas of our mission statement (head, heart, hands) in the implementation of the curriculum. So we came up with what we'd like our kids to know/achieve by the time they graduate out of our program. Here's what we came up with:

Head- What they should know or be able to do by the end of the year
-Navigate the Bible
-Give 2-3 sentence overviews of the Old and New Testaments and how they relate to each other
-Know key people and events of both the Old and New Testaments, as well as be able to define words such as apostle, prophet, disciple, etc.
-Define and explain salvation, sin, repentance, grace, fellowship, etc.

Heart- We'll see their head knowledge influence their heart
-Growing in their love for God and others
-Their prayer life
-Their desire to study the Bible

Hands- How their knowledge and understanding plays out
-Service opportunities
-Giving because of the biblical basis
-Verse memorization

We've started experimenting...

In the past, our fourth and fifth graders have been in a learning environment that spanned from kindergarten to fifth grade. For years we've felt like we weren't reaching our oldest elementary kids in the way they needed, but haven't known how to make a change. One year we had the fifth graders leave the room after worship and spend the rest of the service in small groups. The teaching came completely from their small group leader. While our leaders were amazing and did a great job with the kids, something was still missing for the fourth graders. This year we had the fourth and fifth graders be apart of worship and large group, but went to a different room for small group time (that way they'd feel recognized for their age and maturity). It's worked well on the small group side of things, but in regards to the teaching--in order to reach the kindergartners we miss the fourth and fifth graders, and in order to reach the fourth and fifth graders, we miss the kindergarten and first graders.

At the Conspire Conference this year, Aaron Reynolds talked about what it really means to know your audience while teaching, and to enter the world of your kids. It was convicting to be reminded of how much we're not doing for our older kids. But we knew we didn't have the resources or the people to pull off another program. I went to the workshop titled, "The Fourth Fifth Experiment." They talked about doing things differently--to really think out of the box when approaching the older elementary kids. David Rausch said, "The answer is not more, but different. Break our current thinking and look at it differently." He talked about how fourth and fifth graders are in an age of self discovery. They are tired of people talking at them and want to discover truth for themselves.

Mindy Stohms explained their new approach to our "tweeners," "What if, instead of stories, we taught them skills for reading the Bible? We don't want to give them a fish, we want to teach them to fish."

We left Chicago knowing we can create a ministry just for our fourth and fifth graders, and we can do it this fall. Jared Boltman (our Elementary Director), Jesse Eastes (working on completing a degree through Corban College and is doing this as his major project) and I have begun the process of creating Bridge 45--our late elementary ministry. We'll be posting what we learn, what we try and the details of our experiment. We're excited! We hope you'll join us on the journey!