Help!! What Works on Sunday does NOT work on Wednesday!

My “To Be Continued Approach”

If you are involved in Children’s ministry at a church that has multiple Children’s services the challenge to meet the needs of groups with different dynamics can be a real challenge.

I currently run three services a week, two Sunday morning services and one Wednesday night. The energy and preparation it takes to do two Sunday services does not compare to the energy and preparation it takes to run one Wednesday night service! The difference in the dynamics of the two is night and day. Perhaps you are in the same boat.

A typical Sunday Worship Kid’s Experience for us looks something like this: Welcome, Prayer, Upbeat Worship Music (3 songs), Missions moment, Video clip, Worship music (1 or 2), Game with a purpose (Does not usually involve the entire group), Object Lesson or skit, Prayer, Bible and life changing Message (20/25 minutes using creative storytelling, visuals, engaging students), Closing Song of commitment, Dismissal. This service runs like clockwork and is kept moving with very little down time.

What I have learned about Wednesday is it a completely different dynamic and it must be more interactive! The children have sat in school, ridden a bus, done homework and now are being brought for Spiritual instruction. It is my calling to provide them with a solid, spiritually fulfilling moment that will have eternal impact. I have to find a way to do it without them feeling like they are sitting through “school” again. Many of my Wednesday children are not “church” kids with parents that speak spiritual truth into their lives throughout the week. This is the only moment they get to hear the gospel.

A Wednesday night Worship experience might look more like this: Group game, Snack (a must as no child will listen when their stomach is growling), Welcome and Meet new friends, Upbeat Worship Music (2), Bible Lesson part 1, Upbeat music (1), Game with a purpose, Continued Bible Lesson part 2, Video or object lesson, Worship Song (1), Continued Bible lesson part 3 Conclusion and Commitment. Dismissal.

Sometimes breaking the “sermon” up into three continued parts with group interaction in between can really help keep the Wednesday night kid’s attention and give them truth without them feeling like they are sitting through another lecture. Bible stories can be really exciting and like a TV series that is continued from week to week, I look for breaks in the story that will leave the kids wanting more.

Let’s look at one of the most popular Bible stories Noah and the Ark. The first great breaking point would be “the rain began and Noah and his family went into the Ark and God Shut the door.” Part two will pick up with the water rising and the people pounding on the boat. End part two with “and Noah sent out a second Dove and he waited and waited.” Break right there and the kids are saying, “what happened to it!!?” Say; "you will find out right after we break to do this". When you are ready to finish the lesson in part three, the children are on the edge of their seats! The simple act of breaking a story into a “to be Continued” experience will really hold an antsy mid-week groups attention.

Change your format up on Wednesdays and tell the story in a “to be continued” format and see what God can do! Finally remember “It’s all about relationships”! Your time and attention to each child is the greatest sermon you could ever preach!