REACHING OUT TO CHILDREN
Where and how can you make contact with children, develop trusting relationships and begin the process of telling them about Jesus?
This section also covers the practicalities of holiday clubs, midweek clubs and one-off seasonal events, available materials and resources including booklets for children, and organisations for affiliation.
Top tips on reaching unchurched children
(Helen Franklin, Scripture Union)
2016, 2015 & 2014 conference recommendation by Sarah Smart
2012 & 2011 conference recommendation by Margaret Lilley
All children are open to spiritual things but how do we talk about God to those who know next to nothing about him? Be inspired by some Biblical principles on evangelism and find out how to build relationships through natural points of contact with children outside the church. Think through the implications of Sunday and midweek groups and pick up practical tips on language and ideas best suited to communicating the gospel in this context.
Top tips on running holiday clubs
(Vicki Brackpool, Helen Franklin and Steve Hutchinson, Scripture Union)
Reach out to children in your local community and in your church. Practical advice and real-life experience to help you run a Bible-based holiday club. Think about suggestions to inspire and help you grow your team.
Top tips on welcoming children of other faiths
(Andrew Smith and Gill Marchant, Scripture Union)
A short, readable guide to explore what the Bible says about those of other faiths and how we should live out our faith amongst them. It’s packed with practical, fun ideas to strengthen or even kick-start a ministry among those of other faiths, equipping you to build relationships with children and their families.
Friends with Jesus
(Scripture Union)
A booklet specifically designed for 5-8s who have heard the good news of Jesus and want to respond. The booklets clearly tells the story of Jesus’ life and death, explains what it means to be friends with him, and helps readers to respond for themselves.
Also available: Me + Jesus for 8-10s Jesus = friendship forever for 10-12s
Christmas wrapped up
(Scripture Union)
2016 & 2014 conference recommendation by Sarah Smart
Aimed at church, community and children’s leaders looking to make the most out of the opportunities they have over Christmas and Easter to reach people who might not normally come to church. The material is suitable for a variety of situations: churches (including all-age service outlines), children’s groups, after-school clubs, outreach events, assemblies.
Also available: More Christmas wrapped up Easter cracked More Easter cracked
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Kids united
(Jean Elliott, CURBS)
2013 conference recommendation by Kate Traynor & Jean Elliott
14 sessions for 4-7s for Christian groups serving mainly Muslim communities. For mid week or holiday clubs. Games, activities and a Bible story (with Qur’an references where there are links to the character or story).
Not Sunday, not school Bible heroes!
(Eleanor Zuercher, Barnabas)
Aimed at churches with small congregations and even smaller numbers of children attending on a Sunday morning, that want to put on something for children at an alternative time. Both contain monthly two-hour sessions plus a five-day holiday club programme. Each session includes suggestions for age related programmes for 3-8s and 7-12s.
Decathlon
(Scripture Union, Urban Saints and Youth for Christ)
Many young people love sport and it’s a great way to open up the gospel with young people from outside a church community. Using games derived from ten different sports, Decathlon takes young people through some of the essentials of the Christian faith. Each session of Decathlon provides material to use in an assembly, a youth group setting or a longer holiday-time programme with ideas split for 11-14s and 14-18s.
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ALF: About Life and Faith
(Arise Ministries)
ALF is aimed at children who have had no, or very little, previous exposure to the Christian message. Materials include the ALF Year of Outreach manual, providing information on running an effective outreach amongst children, and ALF and ALF 2 kits covering 6 sessions (each containing a DVD, leaders’ guides and resource book)
Also available: Journey to the centre of the Christmas pudding The great hot cross bun hunt
Two 2-hour events for 7-11s that are divided into four sections that can alternatively be incorporated into regular club sessions Designed for use in schools or church – particularly as special, outreach events in the lead up to Christmas and Easter.
Energize
(Urban Saints)
An online resource with programme outlines and ideas for clubs and Sunday groups for all ages of children. There is an annual subscription for access to the site.
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Friends forever!
(Friends and Heroes) Party Packs for churches and others involved in children’s ministry to use on 31 October – or any party occasion – based on the Friends and Heroes DVD series.
Also available: Bright sparks
Urban Saints
previously Crusaders
Aimed at young people (aged 5 to 18+), Urban Saints’ passion is to see young people come to faith, and then share that faith with others; experience the greatest hope, and then become bringers of that hope to their peers; respond to the love of God, and then become activists in their world through the practical demonstration of that love.
Girls’ Brigade
Primarily working among girls aged four upwards, GB provides a way for your church to connect with girls and young women on a regular basis and helps you to establish relationships with their wider family and friends. The interactive GB programme helps leaders providing an action-packed programme of national events to get involved with and a leadership and mentoring programme that enables girls and young women to grow.
The Boys’ Brigade
A balanced programme of activities for children from 5 to 18 years old. These resources have been developed to help volunteer youth leaders work in a relevant and creative way. Delivering Christian teaching in partnership with the church in which the company is based and encouraging the development of a personal Christian faith; and raising awareness of boys and young people to the needs of others (especially other young people) locally, nationally and globally and encouraging them to engage in activities and projects in which they can make a difference.
The Church Lads’ and Church Girls’ Brigade
The Anglican Church’s uniformed youth organisation: welcoming children and young people of all faiths and none (ages 5-21). Young people and children enjoy fun, faith, fellowship and, through The Brigade, learn to be better equipped to cope with the demands that society places upon them. They are encouraged to explore their spirituality and respond to the Christian faith, and to develop their moral values and a respect for the environment.
Sports mission
(Richard Witham, 2016 conference)
Sport is integral to the culture of UK. Come and explore why and how we can share faith through sport in our churches, schools and local communities.
Delegate rating 8/10
Developing year round mission
BASICS
(Sarah Smart, 2016 conference)
The calendar gives many opportunities to reach out, sharing the love of Jesus with children and families. Practical ideas for different times of the year and how one can follow another, forming a year-round outreach cycle.
Delegate rating 7/10
Hands On ways of engaging with unchurched kids
(Phil Moore, 2016 conference)
Accessible programmes, utilising space, reaching challenging kids, two fingered gospel, hula hoop verses and penalty prayers.
Delegate rating 7/10
Top tips on reaching unchurched children
(Sarah Smart, 2015 conference)
Less than 5% of children have any regular contact with church. Discussing ways in which your church can reach the unreached, and involve children in the process too!
Delegate rating 9/10
10 HANDS ON ways to reach more children
(Ed Jones and Kate Traynor, 2014 conference)
FREE 10 ideas PDFDelegate rating 8/10