10 reasons why ministers should do holiday bible clubs
I'm sitting in my study the morning after the week before. My study is a tip and there are books to be read and emails to be answered but I'm grateful. There are no children throwing wet sponges at me for warm up games and I'm not trying to think up a routine to reinforce yesterday's story. My memory isn't struggling with confusing the actions to the choruses and the memory verse. Yes, it's the Monday after Holiday Bible Club.
I live in fear of Holiday Bible Club for most of the year, it seems to come round quicker each time! My wife plays a major role in organising it and it is like a cloud on the horizon which gradually grows and breaks into a flurry of activity which involves me having to do things I don't want to do. However I have to admit I really enjoyed this year.
I know there'll be lots of reasons why ministers shouldn't do holiday bible clubs - they should be spending their time doing important things like Twitter and Blogs, (I understand there's going to be a couple of online round table forums, hosted by 9 marks ministries, on can you plant a church without being on twitter, and of course the obligatory twitter and church membership), but let me give you 10 big ones why I think ministers, despite most of us not being great with kids, should get involved.
1. You get to teach the bible to children
2. You get to see the church family at work and people using different gifts (pretty much all of them are more gifted at it than you are)
3. You get the opportunity to serve doing the menial stuff which often other people do. In Holiday Bible Club everyone has to muck in - it punctures our pomposity
4. You have to cram in a week's work around Holiday Bible Club like the rest of the church family do
5. You get more time with non Christians than you do in a usual week. This provides opportunities to build friendships with parents who come along
6. You get to know your church children better.
7. You get to see how hard life is for some children.
8. You are humbled when after your story the kids in the quiz think that the way to know God is by keeping the 10 commandments
9. You pray more than you usually do. At the start of the week my prayer is help this morning to go quickly, but as you begin to see the gospel taking root in children's lives you find yourself praying more intensely for the kids and those teaching God's word.
10. You realise how much you love a normal week preparing sermons, being in the study, visiting and not having to try and manage 70 kids!
