Our Programs Are repeated
Your Question:
“Instead of simply repeating what we do on Sunday morning for our midweek program, how can we make our midweek program more exciting, unusual, and fun for the children?”
The Issues:
It is easier to repeat what you do on Sunday for your midweek program, but it is not the best for the children who come to both programs. Creating a completely different program midweek can be costly; but could the midweek program expand on what was done Sunday, instead of doing something completely new?
Scripture Foundation:
“‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’” Jeremiah 33:3
Short Answer:
Rather than repeating what is done on Sunday during the midweek program, view the midweek program as an opportunity to “polish” or apply what was done on Sunday. We tend to shift our programming to satisfy those who weren’t able to attend Sunday by simply repeating the lesson. This could bore those children who were able to attend Sunday’s program, though. If we “count the cost” of this decision, we might easily see the possible negative side effect of bored children. You don’t have to purchase or create new curriculum just for the midweek program, though. You can build something new around the topic or lesson presented on Sunday. Ask God to help you view what you present to the children on Sunday morning as an “introduction” and your midweek (or Sunday night program) as “the next episode” in the same lesson. This will require you and your CM leadership to brainstorm experiences for the children to encounter each week. It might be easier for you to create a theme for the midweek program that would assist you in your creative ideas. Themes such as “I’ve never done that” or “Let me try that” might help you take Sunday’s lesson to a new level of active learning for the children. Your midweek programs could be messier, incorporate more movement, involve more guests, and be more unusual than your Sunday programs. Ask God to show you people in your church with unique abilities, possessions, or connections that could help you build an exciting program that connects to the Sunday introduction. Click on the links below to explore more ideas and to discover how to use the “Things I Can Do” survey in your church to discover people who can help you build a unique midweek experience for your children. For more help, click on the links below.
Visit other articles in the “Developing Programs APPENDIX“
