Are You Willing to Put In the Time?

Sixteen years ago I walked in to teach my first morning in children’s church with a shopping bag full of props.  I was ministering part-time in a small, rural church outside of Indianapolis, but it might as well have been opening night on Broadway.  I thought I was going to wet my pants.  I had never taught kids before – ever.  I had read Lord of the Flies, though.  I knew this thing could turn bad really fast.

A couple of weeks ago, I taught over fifteen hundred people at our summer family experience.  When I stepped out on stage, I felt fully alive.  I was rehearsed, prepared and best of all, prayed up.  I was confident in the lesson, but even more confident in my God.  God had something to say that night, and it felt absolutely unstoppable.  I was just along for the ride.

So what changed over the last couple of decades teaching kids and families?  Was it the experience?  Am I just that much more spiritual?  No.  Even though I have gained a ton of experience, and I hope I am at least little more spiritually mature than I was all those years ago, something else happened.

What’s changed is that over time, through great teachers, through studying communication techniques and just trying a lot of stuff out, I’ve learned a set of skills that allow me to captivate kids’ attention while I bring the Bible to life.  Make no mistake about it.  It’s purely the Holy Spirit who does the life-change.  And I give Him all credit for any skills I’ve learned. 

But they can be learned.  Even by you. 

You don’t have to be born as a brilliant communicator.  You don’t have to be the life of the party.  You can learn to be a confident, competent teacher of the most incredible material on the planet, the very word of God. 

Like anything, though, to be really good at this, to become a Bible Story Ninja, it takes a lot of work.  So, today, ask yourself if you’re committed to putting in the time to master this stuff.  Because if you are, there’s no limit to what God can do through you. 

I’m writing this blog to help people like me and you - novices, veterans and anyone in between - take their teaching to the next level to learn to capture kids’ imaginations with the earth-shaking awesomeness of the Bible.  No matter where you are in your journey as a teacher, you’ve never arrived. 

But do you care enough to do something about it?  If so, I invite you to keep checking in over the following weeks and join me for the ride.