|
Archive
2008
30 Days of Prayer [Jan 08]
Letters to God [Feb 08]
Candy Prayers [Mar 08]
Scripture Prayers [Apr 08]
National Day of Prayer [May 08]
Comm. PrayerWalk [Jun 08]
Virtual Prayer Walks [Jul 08]
We Are All One Body [Aug 08]
Book Bag Prayers [Sep 08]
Missions Trips [Oct 08]
Prayer Habits [Nov 08]
Archive
2007
Prayer Tool Fun [Jan 07]
Prayer Mat ... [Feb 07]
Prayer Wall [Mar 07]
Incorporating Worship [Apr 07]
A Prayer Drive [May 07]
The New Prayer Cloths [Jun 07]
The Names of God [Jul 07]
Soul Tree [Aug 07]
10/40 Window [Sep 07]
Prayer Stations [Oct 07]
Adoration Alphabet [Nov 07]
MK Prayer Pals [Dec 07]
Archive
2006
Family Prayer [Jan 06]
Connecting to God [Feb 06]
Praise Banners [Mar 06]
Declarations [Apr 06]
Garments of Praise [May 06]
Children at Risk [Jun 06]
Crying Out [Jul 06]
Drumming Warfare [Aug 06]
"Key Ceremony" [Sep 06]
Revelation 4 & 5 [Oct 06]
LABB Prayer [Nov 06]
Archive
2005
Holy
Spirit Training, 1 [Jan 05]
Holy
Spirit Training, 2 [Feb 05]
Curriculum Reviews
[Mar 05]
A Little Bit of History [Apr 05]
Listening to God...[May 05]
...Filled w/Holy Spirit [Jun 05]
Prayer Trophies [Aug 05]
M&Ms for Missions
[Sep 05]
New Statistics [Oct 05]
Block Parties [Nov 05]
"Pickling" [Dec 05]
Archive
2004
Starting Out [Jan 04]
Daughters of Zion [Feb 04]
Virtual Prayer Walk [Mar 04]
Making Room [Apr 04]
Praying Light & Love [May 04]
"Inter-generational" [Jun 04]
The Next Level... [Aug 04]
Kids Prayer Camp [Sep 04]
Brainstorming [Oct 04]
Kids Connect! [Nov 04]
Christmas Spirit [Dec 04]
|
Jesus said,
“My house will be
called an house of prayer…”
Making room for kids in His house of prayer is not
only possible, but there is a simple plan your church
can follow.
Step One: Make room by changing
the way you pray.
There is a
dynamic that comes when children pray in earnest with
simple faith...and simple words. Kids prayers will not
be long, but direct and to the point unless they are
intercessors. Kids say they are intimidated at times by
long, boring prayers and the sounds of “cattle lowing in
the prayer barn.” They don’t need all the verbiage nor
the noise to touch Jesus. So to make room, begin praying
out loud in simple sentences to address specific needs.
Learn to become comfortable praying one at a time in
corporate settings. Kids will have an easier time
participating and fitting in if they don’t have to
compete with adults who “know how to touch God.” As you
make these changes, kids will notice and respond with a
little training and encouragement.
Step Two: Make room by making time for them.
For
those wanting to start a prayer class, there is a
relatively new curriculum available from
www.shekinahkids.com or the
UPCI General Sunday School Division that
will assist in teaching kids from grades 3-5 prayer
leadership skills and scripture prayer techniques. The
cost for everything needed is only $60. Regardless of
the curriculum, the class will require a few key
ingredients.
-
Commitment of the
mentor to be faithful to the class, even
when he is tired, uninspired, and unnoticed. It
is not necessary to be a “prayer warrior” to teach
kids to pray. It is going to be important however,
that the mentor is also an advocate for the
children’s prayer class.
-
Curriculum that
works. Ask anyone who has been brave
enough to begin teaching kids to pay their number
one frustration and it will be finding a good
curriculum. What to look for? Something that is low
maintenance, high motivation, lively, and FUN! The
best we’ve found so far is “The Shekinah Kids
Revolution.” Pepper whatever curriculum you use with
various emphasis praying (missions, neighborhood,
prayer walks, etc.).
-
Kids who want to
learn to pray. No matter the age grouping
or curriculum, only kids who want to learn to pray
should be involved. It is a good idea to do a
promotion for the class and have students sign up
once a year.
-
A sense of adventure and wonder.
This is an uncharted area in
many of our churches, isn’t it? There is adventure
in discovering a curriculum that actually works (or
making up a new one). There is a challenge in
“reprogramming” adults to think differently about
kids prayer (including the mentor). And oh, the
satisfaction of seeing results and the excitement of it
all when God starts answering their eight-word
wonders.
Step Three: Make room by giving kids
opportunities to pray.
All the teaching in the world and all the training they
can handle won’t mean much until they begin to use it.
Where could they use what they learn? At home, school,
church, class...even the car. One first grader, after
only 3 days of training, made up a game of praying for
people who passed her van on the road if their car was a
certain color. Here are a few good questions to
get you started.
How can children’s prayer be integrated into every
ministry of my church? Praying for offerings, nursery
kids and their parents, Sunday school classes,
children’s church meetings, altar services and special
events.
Where can children pray in a group? Playgrounds,
shopping malls, police and fire stations, hospitals
(outside) and a friend’s house.
In the area of “giving opportunities” please
be aware of something important. According to recent
studies, the generation known as “Millenials” (those
born after 1982) have a propensity toward involvement
and action. After 9-11 this was obvious to many who
noticed it was the young kids and teenagers who
organized prayer vigils and collected items for victims
in their neighborhoods. This same thirst for involvement
will go unquenched in the Body unless we begin making
room now for kids who can lead in prayer.
Make room...make a way.
It’s His house and
He wants it this way.
Submitted by: AC
(c) 2004 |
