| So You want to Host a Kids' Krusade? |
| Kids' Krusade (purposefully spelled that way) Offers a lot of advantages with few disadvantages. Advantages: 1) The Children's Pastor or the Pastor of the church gives the devotions 2) The workers will enjoy the event 3) You don't need other teachers. Each worker is given one simple task. Disadvantages: 1) No Craft time; 2)Usually at night; 3) All levels of kids in 1 room |
| Planning Questions you need to ask yourself: 1) What is the theme? 2) What are the Devotions 3) What are the games? 4) What's my advertising budget? 5)Who will help me decorate? 6) What staff do I have? |
| Theme: Can be anything! But...will it get the kids' attention, their interest? Here are a few of the themes we have used over the years: Medical First Aid station in the jungle; What's under the bed?; The Pyramids; The Rock Slide (Jesus is the Rock); The Wonder Laboratory; Mr Majestik's Game Shop; The Amazon Expedition; The Extreme Junction.... So you can have ANY theme... I don't usually use curriculum other than the Word of God, but there are some great ones out there, such as Mega Sports Camp which can be used as VBS or Kid's Krusade. If I write my own, I ask myself: who will be in the Congregation? Here's some of the answers to that: 1) The kids from my church, AND their parents. 2) Friends of kids from my church 3) Visitors from Other churches who don't offer kids' krusades 4) The unchurched |
| Ideas to teach or lead your children's church into a prayer ministry |
| Here's a few ideas to help build a prayer ministry within your children's church, and/ or to get your adult congregation thinking about your children: 1) Never underestimate your kids' ability to pray. Get excited about, and begin to set aside a prayer time in your children's church. Have them pray for: their needs, teachers, missionaries, your church staff. 2) Bring a newspaper in and hand several sections to kids and have them find something to pray about. 3) By a globe ball, and pass it from kid to kid, playing music. When the music stops, have the child holding the ball pick a country to pray for. Here's an idea for your adults: Encourage your church to give the children in your ministry a Prayer Valentine. Around the 15th of January, write each child's name and age on a red cut-out heart. On the back, write Ephesians 4:14-15-the Scripture written out in words. Punch a hole in the top of each heart and pull white yarn through the hole. Tie the yarn and hang these hearts somewhere in your church foyer. Post a sign in the foyer with them and place an announcement in your church bulletin (for several weeks), explaining that church members can take one or more hearts and pray the Scripture for children until Valentine’s Day. |
| Advertising: Now many of us do not have a lot of money for this, so let's look at free advertising. Craigslist.org has a free community event section. Your local TV station usually has a community bulletin board. Gospel radio stations do too (Joy fm in Tampa). Local newspapers will run a story in the religious section. AND (this takes planning ahead) You can place a flyer in school classrooms as long as the Board of Education approves the flyer first. Key: pick one or two schools nearest your church, or you might get more kids than you can handle! |
| Devotions: Based on those questions, I know the devotions must include a salvation message. Usually my 4 devotions (because the services run Sunday night thru Wednesday night) include some of the following topics: Salvation, The Comforter, The fruits of the Spirit, We have a home in heaven; Sharing Jesus at School, God sees the heart, Each of us has a part.... see there's lots of things these kids need! Let God lead you as you pray,,, Because PRAYER is your best tool in preparing for kids' events! |
| Games: Kids learn thru games, so you NEED games to drive home your points. Guidelines for using games: 1) Does the game bring out the point of the devotion? 2) Is this a game that won't cause problems for you? 3)Can I assign workers to run this game (you can't do everything) 4) Can I involve the parents (YOU NEED TO, or they will get bored) 5) How do I pick the kids that will play (Involve every kid in ONE game at least during the krusade if possible) 6) Make sure it's fun! Try the game out in your children' church first and work out the kinks |
| Staff: Make a list of EVERY POSITION you think you will need. Suggestions, Sign in table - 2 people; Offering persons - 2-4 depending on how much is involved in your offering time; Game hosts - 2 to 6; Prize People (always have prizes from Oriental trading, or IParty, and have Grand Prizes for most visitors) - 1to 2: Altar workers (you won't be able to do this yourself, so pick Sunday School teachers, Royal ranger and Mpact leaders) Sound and video people, puppet leaders (those who can either do puppets or can direct the team... can you think of others? Can you think of other things you might need to a great kids Krusade event? Email me at the link below or send it directly to me at: alg31951@aol.com |
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