{"id":6832,"date":"2019-08-13T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-08-13T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/teaching-children\/"},"modified":"2024-12-10T18:41:00","modified_gmt":"2024-12-10T18:41:00","slug":"teaching-children","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/en\/stories\/teaching-children\/","title":{"rendered":"Teaching children"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this issue, we have examples of how members of the Anabaptist Mennonite family are making a place for children in their local churches around the world.<\/em><\/p>\n

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\u201cImpress them upon your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up\u201d<\/span> (<\/span>Deuteronomy<\/span>?6:7<\/span>)<\/span>. <\/span> <\/em><\/p>\n

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This was a direct command to the Israelites from God <\/span>to teach children <\/span>God\u2019s Wo<\/span>rd <\/span>thousand<\/span>s of years ago, because children are important to God<\/span>. <\/span>God created children, loves them <\/span>and<\/span>,<\/span> most importantly, <\/span>does not want them to perish. <\/span>This command <\/span>t<\/span>o teach <\/span>applies to us even today<\/span> in the <\/span>21<\/span>st<\/span>–<\/span>century.<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Many churches realize this and involve children in different ways. <\/span>Some <\/span>have Sunday <\/span>s<\/span>chool for the children. Others involve children in their regular Sunday services through giving them responsibility<\/span>:<\/span> take up the offering, read Scripture, help in leading worship, play a musical instrument, distribut<\/span>e<\/span> and pick up song books. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Sunday <\/span>school teachers\u2019 training<\/span> <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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One of the important aspects of conducting Sunday <\/span>s<\/span>chool is training teachers. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Often, individuals begin teaching Sunday <\/span>s<\/span>chool because of their love for children, even though they may not be particularly trained for it. Also, <\/span>after <\/span>many years, there is a need to upgrade oneself as the world is changing. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Children are becoming more advanced than they were earlier. <\/span>Technology has taken up almost every aspect of our lives.<\/span> So, churches organize trainings\/capac<\/span>ity building workshops for them, or send them for trainings\/workshops elsewhere. <\/span>It is a blessing to learn <\/span>new, creative <\/span>teaching <\/span>innovations and <\/span>uses of <\/span>technology to reach out to children.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Our <\/span>Mennonite church <\/span>conference has realized <\/span>the importance of this<\/span> and has begun organizing Sunday School teacher trainings in different areas. Two trainings in two areas were conducted this fiscal year<\/span> with external resource persons<\/span>, and two more will be conducted in the following year. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Challenges in Sunday <\/span>s<\/span>chool<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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One of the challenges in conducting\/organizing Sunday <\/span>s<\/span>chool is the lack of individuals to take up the responsibility. <\/span>Reasons include <\/span>not <\/span>feeling <\/span>equipped, <\/span>not being <\/span>confident enough to handle children, <\/span>or not having the time <\/span>to prepare <\/span>and deliver <\/span>lessons. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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When there are not enough teachers, <\/span>children cannot be divided <\/span>according t<\/span>o age groups. <\/span>T<\/span>hus<\/span>,<\/span> the Sunday <\/span>s<\/span>chool is not able to cater to the needs of <\/span>each age<\/span>. One or the other group invariably gets neglected. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Additional activities <\/span>for children <\/span>in the church<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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In 2015, our church joined with <\/span>two<\/span> other churches to have a combined VBS, where the theme was \u201cJesus is our Friend\u201d. It was a great opportunity for the children to interact and get to know each other. <\/span>We taught<\/span> stories from the Bible that emphasized this <\/span>theme, and<\/span> encouraged <\/span>the children <\/span>to forge new friendships. On the last day, children made friendship bracelets for each other. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Here are some other ways children can participate <\/span>in church community life:<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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