I love a good plan. Even if I don’t always stick to the original plan, I feel a calmness in my soul if I at least start a journey with a plan. I started this year with a solid Bible reading plan. It helps keep me on track and keeps me accountable. But the challenge for me about this particular “Read the Bible in 90 days plan” is that it estimated that it would take someone approximately 30 minutes a day to read through the Bible. For folks like me who can read fast but who like to take time to process things… it has actually taken me more like an hour a day thus far. Sometimes I like to read things more than once. And then sometimes I come across a verse like Joshua 5:12 and I just pause there for a while:

And the manna ceased the day after they ate of the produce of the land. And there was no longer manna for the people of Israel, but they ate the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

I don’t know why this particular one was the verse that halted my reading rhythm today but it sure did make me stop and think. I read it several times and had to take some time to ponder. I’m still working through it in my heart and mind as I jot down these thoughts.

The Israelites had grumbled and complained, doubted and rebelled and often wished they had never left Egypt. They had some royal temper tantrums along the way. At one point Moses said they were too great a burden to carry (Numbers 11:14) and they angered God so bad that he threatened to make them go along their way without him lest he destroy them along the way (Exodus 33:3). Yet every single morning of their journey, God provided manna for them to eat. The Israelites were thrilled with this food at first but they eventually started to complain about it too. But because of the manna, they were sustained throughout their initial trek to Canaan and then on into their forty years of wandering in the wilderness.

The manna only stopped coming after they crossed the Jordan River and stepped foot into the Promised Land. Then they were able to eat the fruit of the land of Canaan. Only after God delivered them all the way to end of the journey and made sure they were in the land he had sworn to their fathers, only then did the manna stop.

This is just so fascinating to me. That one simple verse is so comforting. I don’t even fully understand all the parallels and symbolism here but I do know that I, just like the Israelites, can cling to God’s promises even though I rebel against him daily. I know way more of the story than the Israelites did and I still doubt and question. Perhaps it has even been to the point that he’s thought “this girl is too great a burden for me. (or maybe just too plain obnoxious)” But my God is long-suffering and faithful and so good to me even though I fail him.

God provides for us every single day of our earthly journey, even though we are prone to complain and want something more, different, better. He will be with us and He will give us our daily bread until we step foot into eternity. Then we will feast on every good thing heaven has to offer and worship our Lord forever. I can’t wait!

There is no arguing the fact that kid small group leaders are invaluable. It is kingdom work at it’s finest. It is a privilege and a great responsibility to point young ones to Jesus each week. Yet, most churches find it to be a yearly struggle to find enough volunteers to fill these positions. One of the biggest reasons seems to be, that people don’t want to give up their adult small group time. Fellowship and connection with other believers is so important in our walks of faith and for most, it’s deeply missed when it is absent.

So how can churches help their Kid’s Ministry teachers feel like they still have that needed adult support and fellowship?

Maintaining connection to an adult small group inside the church is a key part of helping kids teachers feel like they are still connected to the larger church as a whole. Part of this is the responsibility of the teachers. I highly recommend that churches only allow people to teach kids classes who are already established in the church and who have already connected to an adult group. This is for several reasons. Child safety and security is a huge reason. You should absolutely get to know people before you entrust them to teach your children’s classes. A background check alone should never be the only deciding factor in who you allow to be with your kids. However, it’s also important for adults to build relationships with other adults in the church before they step out and teach a kid’s class. When they maintain connection with an adult group, they are able to be cared for, prayed for and attend regular fellowship times with the group. I have seen people who were never connected to an adult group or people who have just joined a church and immediately got plugged into teaching a kids class. People who are willing to jump in and serve immediately are great, however without a committed deep connection before they start teaching, it’s much harder to make it happen later on. It’s a sad reality when you see teachers who were never connected to an adult group before they started teaching and when it came time for them to take a break from teaching, they felt they had no other real connection to the church. Some of them leave the church and some of them never really do connect to other adults. As a kids pastor or director, it’s also partly your responsibility to make sure each of your kids teachers is still assigned to an adult small group. Many churches offer alternative times for adult life groups. That is a great opportunity for teachers to still have an adult group of their own. Either way, pastors and leaders can encourage the adult life group leaders to keep kids teachers on the class email list, reach out to them occasionally for prayer requests, invite them to class events, etc. Being a kid’s teacher can so isolating and lonely. Making the effort to keep them connected to adult groups could play a huge role in maintaining your kids teachers year after year.

Teachers should also be encouraged to participate in other events and times of fellowship that the church offers. Every teacher, whether they teach kids, students or adults, should be attending corporate worship. That’s a biblical command. But many churches have mid-week adult bible studies, prayer meetings or fellowships. There’s women’s Bible studies, men’s group and plenty of other opportunities to fellowship with other adults. Kids teachers should be visible and present at things beyond Sunday morning. It’s an important part of being connected with your church.

Kids pastors can also get creative as to how they can develop fellowship and friendship among their teachers. Offering regular times of connection, fellowship and prayer time for your teachers is a great way to provide opportunities for teachers to interact, exchange ideas and have fellowship. Everyone is busy and no one has a ton of extra time to give these days. A big breakfast or lunch kick-off at the beginning of each year with time to decorate and prepare classrooms, give an overview of the year and get to know the other teachers is a great way to start. Offering early Sunday morning breakfast before class, lunch after the service or other times to meet, train and interact are great ideas. Make the most of those times, make it worth it for your teachers to attend these fellowship times and make sure they leave these times feeling encouraged and supported. Another easy way to develop fellowship among your teams of leaders could look like a Facebook group where they can weekly share ideas for the coming Sunday, share supplies or just post encouragements! Or send a group text once in a while to let your teachers know you just prayed for them. There’s so many great ways to help your teachers stay connected to each other.

Kids directors and pastors need to keep up with their leaders. They should be regularly communicating with teachers, know what’s going on in their lives and how they can be specifically praying for their leaders. Weekly emailing or calling all the kids teachers giving them encouragement for the week, making sure they are prepared with what they need for Sunday morning and sharing prayer requests can go a long way in reminding them they are seen and not forgotten each week. Teachers that feel alone, forgotten or unappreciated can easily get discouraged and quit.

If you are a kid’s leader, you are some of the most valuable servants in your church. We need you. I hope this encourages you to stay plugged in to adult groups at your church. You will be a better teacher who is less likely to burn out because of it. If you are a kid’s pastor or director, step up to plate and make sure your teachers are cared for. You may be pleasantly surprised at the end of the year how many decide to stay and teach if they are consistently connected in fellowship with other adults.