Our CM Programs are Not fun
Your Question:
“Our kids are safe, and learning much about the Bible; but they are not having fun. How can we increase the ‘fun factor’ without sacrificing safety or Bible knowledge?”
The Issues:
Even though a CM program isn’t entirely focused on having fun, it is an important factor to build into every program. A balanced CM program should have equal amounts of fun and spiritual/biblical education. If a program is too much Bible and no fun, the children won’t want to come back next week. If a program is all fun and no biblical or spiritual inspiration, the parents may not bring their children back. Building a strong amount of both is a great goal.
Scripture Foundation:
“You who are young, be happy while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth.” Ecclesiastes 11:9
Short Answer:
Much of what we teach children is not contained in the printed lesson. They watch us. The “feel” the lesson. They make unspoken connections between what they see and feel “at church” and who they believe God to be. If our CM programs are dreary and somber. We may be teaching children that God is dreary and somber. Shouldn’t the gathering of God’s people, while they talk about God, be the most joyful and exciting gathering possible? It is an old-fashioned view that says, “Church should be serious and somber.” Yes, we must instill a sense of awe and worship in the children, but we need to create a balance between awe and fun. If you view your programs as a “sine wave” of energy, you can understand the balance needed. A “sine wave” represents a balanced energy flow between high and low energy. Jesus’ ministry represented a “sine wave.” He shared high-energy times with His disciples (fishing, feeding the thousands, dealing with storms), and He also let the disciples share in low-energy, thoughtful times of prayer, sharing a meal, and calm talks among themselves. Do your programs represent a healthy, balanced “sine wave” of energy? Are there times of outlandish fun and times of quiet contemplation? This “sine wave” of program energy doesn’t happen by itself; it is a product of planning and careful calculation. Studies have been conducted on what children determine to be “fun.” Not every child identifies “fun” in the same way, but there are definite commonalities. Children enjoy times of being silly, messy, and times of new experiences. Children will also define personal times of encouragement or success as “fun.” “Fun” might also be connected with satisfying personal needs. Obviously, we can’t do all of this in every program; but we must pray and talk about what today’s children identify as “fun” and inject as much of those things into our balanced programs that also contain quiet times of worship, prayer, or contemplation. For more help, click on the links below.
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