As you know, if you’ve been reading, for quite some time, I’ve occasionally been running little installments called “Mama’s K.I.S.S.” I know that lots of readers could give many more and far more creative ideas than I can offer, but these installments are just a few tried and true and mostly old-fashioned ideas for putting service hearts in our kids. This is number 81 of a list of one hundred ways we train our kids to serve. K.I.S.S. is an acronym for “Kids In Service Suggestions”.
This one’s being done in many places. A one-stop online place for the teens of your congregation to learn about the activities and area-wide opportunities for spiritual growth. A place where they can learn times and communicate about car-pooling, how much money to bring for pizza, deadlines for Lads to Leaders or even who is sick and could use a card.
But usually the sites are created and maintained by adults. Why? Our kids are using their tech skills in robotics and for social connections and gaming and education. Let’s put them to use in the kingdom. Let them create and maintain the teen sites for His glory. Oh yes, you do need a mature Christian who is willing to oversee and keep them on track, but what a great way to let them learn to lead and serve together.
Lots of congregations have adult web designers who are already maintaining the church sites. Usually these people would be willing to sit down with a teen or two and help them learn to create, even allowing them to use resources for images and imbedding audio, etc…that have already been purchased by the church.
And…while they do this, they are learning all sorts of peripheral things that are useful in being in and not of the world. Who gets to see this page? How do we protect privacy of families and still inform? How do the images reflect godliness and modesty? Do we want to advertise this event or is there a speaker who is not teaching Biblical truth at this event?
I’m all in about this one!
I love the era of podcasts, internet archives, and youtube. I know, in the theological sense, I am never walking alone in this lifetime. We are kind of like Enoch; we walk with God. But, with the ease of hearing great teachers through my earbuds and Shokz–I can literally walk through my neighborhood, getting my two miles in, with great women of God. The best part is, they are not just conversing about the weather. While we walk, they are teaching me; giving me their best wisdom about the matters of eternal importance. I get to hear them DO Titus 2. In this significant way, they literally are walking with me.