October 2006

Welcome to WWM Talk, the e-newsletter for Walk With Me coordinators and teachers. If you have any questions about information in this issue (or anything else), give us a call at 1-800-333-8300 or e-mail us.

In This Issue

Preparing for the Unpredictable
Several Sundays into the church school season and things are running smoothly. The supply cupboard is stocked, teachers are trained, and classrooms are filled with smiling kids. Or not. When you’re in charge of a children’s ministry program, you have to be prepared for the unpredictable—everything from disappearing scissors to AWOL volunteers to church services that go into sudden overtime! Everyone looks to you for answers, but where do you go when you have questions?

First of all, go to God. Talk. Listen. Dive into the Bible. Ask God for wisdom to make decisions, patience when things don’t go as planned, and joy to make the journey easier.

Go to Your Bookshelf. In the Walk With Me Coordinator’s Handbook you’ll find answers to coordinators’ questions, charts, checklists, workshops and more! If you don’t own, a copy, order one today! Click here for more information.

A book to put on your “must read” list is Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions by George Barna. According to evangelist Steve Russo, this book “reveals how we can be a vital part of the single most strategic ministry in God’s kingdom.” WOW! The work you are doing matters—it has life-changing potential and eternal significance. Isn’t that exciting? Click here for more information.

Go to Your Computer. We’ve found some wonderful websites to encourage you in your ministry and give you guidance. Check them out!

Pick Up the Phone. Our WWM editors and friendly customer service representatives are just a phone call away and they are happy to help! Give us a call at 1-800-333-8300.

Give Yourself a Pat on the Back from Us! Okay, so back-patting doesn’t really answer questions—but it’s our way of saying thanks because we believe that what you do matters. It matters to us, it matters to God, and it matters to the lives of the kids and volunteers you are leading. Remember that the next time a teacher tells you that the markers are missing!

P.S. Looking for a way to give your teaching team a pat on the back? Download and encourage them with a list of Top Ten Reasons to Walk WithMe—just one of the many inspiring devotions from Trail Mix by Jessie Schut.

What do you do? We’d love to hear about the places you go for support and inspiration! E-mail us and let us know what helps you!

Top Ten Reasons to Walk With Me

    1. God said so. “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on 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” (Deut. 6:6-7). God’s plan for passing on the good news of salvation has always been to tell the story person to person, from generation to generation. You’re part of God’s grand plan.
    2. It’s what Jesus would do. Jesus picked out a small ragtag group of followers and taught them the Way. And they went out and did the same . . . and so on and son on. If each one reaches some and teaches some, the kingdom of God will spread on earth.
    3. The church needs you. In fact, the church needs all its members to do what God has gifted them to do, from stoking the furnace to preaching the Word. If you have been gifted with a love of children and an ability to communicate with them, the church needs you to do your job of ministering to its youngest members.
    4. The kids need you. Today’s kids have such busy, stimulating lives that there’s hardly room for God. Can God compete with exciting stuff like computer games and videos, basketball and marching band? But you know a secret: our God is so big, so strong, and so mighty, there’s nothing our God cannot do. That’s your story, and you’re sticking to it. That’s the story kids need to hear.
    5. You need this experience. Oh yeah? you may ask. True, nobody said the job would be easy. Neither is backpacking around Europe or trekking in the Himalayas. Anyone who’s traveled, however, knows that such challenges broaden your horizons, strengthen your backbone, and create lifelong memories. The experience of teaching children will enrich you in ways that you can’t imagine right now.
    6. Society needs you. “You are the salt of the world,” said Jesus to his followers. And what the world desperately needs right now is a liberal sprinkling of salt to preserve what’s good and keep it from spoiling. God’s message of love and forgiveness is that kind of salt. The more Christians spread that message, the stronger and healthier our society will be.
    7. You’re part of a very big picture. You’re not just a drudge on the Sunday school assembly line. One person being used by God can change the world . . . just think of godly leaders like Tony Campolo and Dwight Moody. A good Sunday school teacher led each one of them to the Lord, and they in turn taught thousands more. You may never know what a difference your words and love made, but God knows the big picture.
    8. To teach is to learn twice. Wondering if you’re really “spiritual” enough to teach others? God has a funny cure for that: if you want to grow spiritually, don’t run away from teaching, commit yourself to it. As you prepare your lessons and then speak of what you learned, God will do a number on you. You’re going to be blessed.
    9. Childhood is the teachable time. Tobacco companies know if they can get kids hooked on cigarettes early, there’s a huge chance they’ll stay hooked. Statistics for church use are similar. A study by Barna Research Institute shows that most decisions to follow Christ are made before age twelve. After age eighteen, there is only a 4 percent chance that a person will become a committed Christian. Childhood is the teachable time, and you have the privilege of being there!
    10. You will make a whole lot of new friends. The Sunday school coordinator/superintendent will think you’re the best thing going because you said yes. Parents will love you because you’re showing an interest in their kids. The church will appreciate you because you’re using your gifts. Kids you never knew before will grin and wave at you in church. And it can’t get a lot better than that!

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