It Sticks With the Kids
Last Sunday evening, we restarted Pew Packers. Well, we actually started what we are calling “Pew UNPackers,” in an attempt to remind the young people to not crowd up on the seats as we continue to do what we can, but to do so safely.
For just 10 minutes before services, our younger children meet down front. We spend about 5-6 minutes singing Bible songs (some more “fun,” but some more “informational,” such as the books of the Bible), and the remainder of the time is spent learning Bible facts. (More about that in a moment.)
I hadn’t realized how much I missed Pew Packers until we were involved in it last week. Though we only had a handful of children, it was a joy to sing with them again and see them start to learn our new list of Bible facts!
But here’s what I noticed: this has stuck with them for a long time. We have not had Pew Packers for about a year. Also, we did not have VBS or church camp in 2020, and other youth meetings were sporadic at best. So, while I know they sometimes sing these songs in Bible class (or at home), it has not been anywhere near as constant as usual.
Yet, when I was the one who was forgetting the words, they just went right on! They knew those songs and just sang them, despite “Mr. Adam” getting old and forgetful. I was so proud of them.
It also made me want to get to the Bible facts even faster, because it reminded me that these young people are learning so quickly and will retain a great deal of what they learn. Currently, we are learning a chart that is called “Where to Find 20 Things in the Bible.” Based on the KidSing cards from the West Huntsville Church of Christ, we simply go through this list of where 20 “famous” things are in the Bible (creation, the Red Sea, “the Lord is my Shepherd,” Daniel and the lion’s den, and the Sermon on the Mount are a few of them).
I can’t wait to see just how quickly these young people learn these. Each time we do one of these charts, it’s remarkable how much they retain from just a few minutes each week! I pray our parents see the value in this short slice of time and will have their children present.
But I wanted to share this to encourage parents, Bible school teachers, youth ministers…anyone who works with children. You may think that what you are doing is making no difference. But if you love those children and are putting God’s Word in their hearts, they are “getting” a lot of it. It’s there and that’s a glorious thing!
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AUTHOR: Adam Faughn
