Start how you want to go on

Two days ago I was running a training event for a church that's about to start new children's groups at a morning service that currently doesn't have any. They are in the unusual situation of starting something brand new but with known numbers of children (rather a lot of them!). I was encouraging them to see this as a strength, and to START AS THEY WANT TO GO ON by thinking strategically about the principles on which their groups will run.

Most of us aren't in this situation. It's far more likely that we have 'inherited' our groups - along with an interesting collection of traditions. (I once worked for a church which set up a kind of altar at the front of their 5-7s group - with a framed painting of Jesus and several candles - because they'd 'always done it that way'.) Even so, it's good to reassess our principles now and then, and see if we need to do a rethink.

Just two suggestions to get that process going:

ONE—we are in a partnership with parents (since the Bible tells us that parents have the primary responsibility for the spiritual eduction of children). We have their children for an hour or so - they have them for life. So ask whether your group is set up to develop that partnership, and support parents in their role. A simple starting point is to review how you communicate with parents, and whether you encourage them to follow up at home what you've been doing with their child this week.

TWO-what are your team commiting themselves to (and do they know?). I encouraged these new leaders to commit themselves to always arriving early enough to be completely prepared before any of the young people turn up, to praying together as a team before a session starts, and to meet up regularly as a team to encourage each other and do some team training together.

Our role as children's and youth leaders is to be Bible teachers. Thinking through these kind of issues strategically, and being intentional about how we lead our groups and work together, will support us in that Bible-teaching role.

Quality control

Once a year, my parents like to visit the Scottish island of Islay. My dad is a whisky connoisseur - and particularly fond of the Islay single malts - so he jokes that it is their annual quality control visit! Of course, one visit a year makes no real difference to the quality. But it's a fun excuse to visit a gorgeous island, and enjoy its produce!

As children's and youth workers, we have a concern for quality, too. We teach God's living Word. It's a fantastic privilege - but also a responsibility. We want to teach it faithfully and effectively - and put together the best sessions we possibly can. (If you're not sure about this, check out the blog from August 6th on 'excellence' - and the helpful comments people have added to it.)

While I was in Sydney, I met a children's worker who was particularly stimulating to talk to, because she is so intentional about the way she works. What is the single most effective thing she has done to make a difference to the quality of the sessions her team leads? She pulled back from weekly teaching herself - and instead became a non-teaching co-ordinator.

I must admit that I blinked when she said that. It felt more like a retrograde step. But it turned out that she is very specific in her purpose. She is still with a group every week, but now she is there to train and develop her leaders. Some weeks she will sit in on their session, and then give feedback afterwards. At other times, she leads the session herself, with the intention of modelling good practise. Alternatively, she might help a new leader with their preparation, and then join in to give support and help.

She told me that this decision to become a non-teaching co-ordinator made a huge difference to the quality of the sessions being run in the various groups. She already did regular training with her team - and hosted team meetings - but it was this intentional approach to improving what happens week by week that made the big difference. Not so much 'quality control' as a huge quality boost. If that's the kind of boost you've been looking to see in your own groups, maybe this is a model that's worth considering?