{"id":1142,"date":"2016-06-03T16:08:15","date_gmt":"2016-06-03T22:08:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/?p=1142"},"modified":"2017-02-07T11:31:58","modified_gmt":"2017-02-07T18:31:58","slug":"groups-new-sunday-school-curriculum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wwv.group.com\/childrens-ministry\/blog\/sunday-school\/groups-new-sunday-school-curriculum\/","title":{"rendered":"How VBS Success Inspired Group\u2019s Newest Sunday School Curriculum"},"content":{"rendered":"

Years ago, Group developed a teaching approach that transformed VBS. In fact, it propelled Group to the top selling VBS in the world. How did we do it? Well, let me share a part of the secret\u2026<\/p>\n

Children\u2019s ministry is not just for kids. Your ministry also<\/em> touches the lives of adult volunteers\u2014and keeping them a priority strengthens your ministry to children. This is<\/strong> one of the many things that makes Group\u2019s VBS so impactful.<\/strong> The approach is simple and logical…with a station-based program, we allow teachers to teach in their areas of natural strength and giftedness. This, my friends, was a fundamental change in how VBS was done. By allowing teachers to teach in their areas of natural strength and giftedness, they will be more successful and the lucky kids in their class will benefit.<\/strong> Now, you might be thinking that we are taking our eye off the ball here. But, I beg to differ, and here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m a volunteer.<\/strong>\u00a0I\u2019ve served in numerous ministries. I\u2019ve served under leaders who knew me, and those who didn\u2019t. The leaders who tried to get me to lead worship because I took piano lessons once in high school (LOL, no thanks!) and the leaders who put crafts in my lap (I am of the Pinterest generation, indeed!) Any attempt I\u2019d make at leading music is mostly awkward. It\u2019s just not my favorite. When it comes to crafts though, the kids and I have a BLAST. I love being creative, working with my hands, and seeing Jesus in the art of it all \u2013 and because the kids can see that I thrive here, they love it and thrive as well.<\/p>\n

Is it about me? No, it\u2019s absolutely not. It\u2019s simply a means to a very happy ending. It\u2019s about Jesus, and kids getting to know Him. It\u2019s about the fact that when I love what I\u2019m doing, the kids love it too. This is why children\u2019s ministry isn\u2019t just about children<\/strong>. Volunteers <\/em>are the ones who actually huddle with kids. In the midst of any given activity, they<\/em> are the ones helping the kids to make the Jesus connections.\u00a0Your volunteers are your frontline troops so doesn\u2019t it make sense that when a volunteer is engaged and loving what they\u2019re leading\u2014kids perk up and get excited, too?<\/strong> The thrill is infectious.\u00a0So there it was. We came up with a formula that resulted in happy, satisfied, sign-up again volunteers. Resulting in happy, fulfilled kids!<\/p>\n

How this approach inspired DIG IN<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0– This same teaching approach guides Group’s new Sunday school curriculum, DIG IN! The online, interactive lesson builder allows teachers to simply drag-n-drop activities into their lesson. One teacher may be skilled at crafts…another may not. One teacher may be musically inclined…another may not (remember my piano story?).<\/p>\n

Getting practical.<\/strong>\u00a0In VBS, it looks like stations. In DIG IN<\/a>, it\u2019s activity blocks.<\/strong> The important thing is that teachers have choice…<\/strong>each lesson has 11 activity blocks to choose from.<\/p>\n