7 minute read
KIDS
MINISTRY | KIDS
Using Digital Tools to Reach Kids
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How to bridge the gap from Sunday to Sunday
By MICHAEL LENAHAN
When our church closed amid the pandemic in March 2020, we had two days to put together a digital service for Sunday. Like churches across the nation, we had to adapt quickly as a kids’ ministry. Our adult service has been online for more than 12 years. However, our children’s service had never been online.
Suddenly, the only way to connect with our church family was online. But as we came together from a distance, we also gained new skills. We learned to minister in ways we previously had never even considered. COVID brought us out of our comfort zones and forced us to think creatively.
At least for a time, COVID changed the way we do church. At the start of the pandemic, I helped the Assemblies of God National Office put together a relaunch program for churches. One thing we stressed to children’s pastors was this: Don’t stop! Don’t stop your online presence. Don’t stop connecting with kids and families who can’t show up for in-person services. Don’t stop thinking outside the box when it comes to digitally connecting and discipling through online resources.
COVID helped children’s pastors answer a question that was always there: How do we connect with kids and families through the week, and how do we keep them connected when they miss a weekend service? The bigger picture is that churches need to bridge the gap between Sundays for all kids, and not just because of COVID. For a variety of reasons — divorced parents, vacations, transportation challenges, sports travel, illnesses, and more — many children can’t make it to our physical building every week.
Kids can become lost in the shuffle when we don’t have the opportunity to check in with them on a weekly basis. There are so many other things competing for kids’ attention, they can easily get out of the
habit of participating in church activities. There will also be families who choose to continue attending church online even after this season of COVID is over. So, what’s the answer? How do we bridge the gap from Sunday to Sunday? How do we connect with those kids and families who can’t be with us every week, and those whose parents choose to stay online only? The answer is through digital media.
We created a strategy for COVID, but we ended up with a sustainable plan for the future of our children’s ministry. This plan facilitates online interaction with the kids and families of our church every day. It reinforces discipleship with a variety of digital content, such as visual posts, videos, and livestreams. Most importantly, it makes kid-friendly gospel presentations accessible to any family with an internet connection.
The possibilities for online children’s ministry are endless for those who are willing to use their imaginations. Here are some things to keep in mind when putting together a plan:
Consistent Schedule
Create a schedule, but be sure it is something you can actually maintain. It’s easy to become overly ambitious and make big plans that are not realistic. Consistency is key.
You are building an audience that is taking time to interact with your content each week. People expect things to happen according to a schedule, whether it’s television programing, sporting events, or church services. Digital ministry must be consistent and dependable if we want to keep people engaged.
Posts
On Mondays, we post a Scripture verse or an inspirational quote on Instagram and Facebook. We create shareable images using Canva, a graphic design platform that offers both free and paid accounts.
This can be a way to interact with families on social media and even provide discipleship. For example, at the start of shutdowns, we created a series of posts teaching kids and parents about prayer. Each one had a Scripture verse and prayer starter that encouraged families to begin seeking God together.
Sneak Peek
Another resource we created during the pandemic is a video called the Midweek Download. It offers a sneak peek into what we will be talking about on Sunday so families can begin the conversation in advance. This is a great way to partner with parents. It shows them that discipleship starts at home.
Such a video is easy to create; no fancy equipment is needed. We just stand in front of a nice background and briefly preview what’s ahead for the upcoming kids’ service, including a synopsis of the Bible story and a reading of the key verse.
We also offer a short time of worship and a game. Each installment is no more than 15 minutes in length. Anything longer is unlikely to hold a child’s interest.
Livestreams
We wrap up the week with a livestream on YouTube and Facebook. This may be anything from a
Bible study to a fun activity. One of our most successful livestreams is our biweekly Family Game Night. We use a game show format that allows families to compete against other families. We then present an award to the winning family on Sunday.
Again, our tools are simple and inexpensive. We use a basic webcam and a free program called Open Broadcaster Software (OBS).
Weekend Services
Even as we reopened, we knew some families might not return to our building — at least not right away. So, we opted to keep providing an online service. Churches can do this in a couple of different ways. One approach is to prerecord a short version of the service to post online. This can be a 30- to 40-minute video highlighting everything you are covering that Sunday. This will keep kids who can’t attend the in-person service connected to your ministry.
A second option is to livestream your Sunday service. We do this and have seen great engagement with children watching online, even though we are back in-person.
Pulling off a livestream is not difficult. With a computer, a camera, and OBS, it’s possible to broadcast live to Facebook, YouTube, or even a church website.
Creative Connections
Digital ministry makes it possible to reach kids and families between Sundays, and when they can’t show up on Sunday. The key is tapping into your creativity and thinking of unconventional ways to make connections and grow relationships.
Find ways to participate in the things your kids are interested in. One thing I do is livestream myself playing video games. This has been a great way to connect with kids and their parents, and it has opened doors for sharing the love of Christ and the Word of God. I have even used this to raise money for Boys and Girls Missionary Challenge (BGMC).
Digital ministry is one more way to make young disciples for Jesus. Even as life returns to normal following the pandemic, I encourage you to keep using all the tools you have to engage your families and grow the Kingdom.
MICHAEL LENAHAN is children’s pastor at Winston-Salem First (AG) in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
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Samuel Rodriguez is a Christian, husband, father, “Trekkie,” Best-selling author, producer of the awardwinning “Breakthrough” movie and advisor to three U.S. Presidents. He serves as president of the largest Christian Hispanic organization, the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, with over 43,000 member churches in the U.S. and Latin America. Pastor Sam is recognized by both CNN and Fox News as America’s most influential Latino Evangelical leader, the recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr. award by the Congress of Racial Equality and by the grace of God has been an Assemblies of God credentialed minister since the age of 18. And we’re sorry to say, he’s also a die-hard Yankees fan.
