"Dear Vonnie" Sunday School

Each Saturday, I will do my best to answer any questions you may throw at me. I don't even pretend to be an expert, but I know it's not easy being a wife and mother. It can be frustrating and discouraging, yet very rewarding. I'd be glad to listen to you , pray for you, and share some of my thoughts with you.

So, ask me something... anything... **Contact Me**







How do you as a teacher engage boys in a Sunday School environment when nothing in their life encourages or supports them and they are only there because someone dragged them there?

Signed,
Frustrated





Dear Frustrated,

I’m not sure of the age of these boys.
So for convenience sake, I’ll say they are around ten years old.

Boys like to look tough in front of their buddies. To comply to the wishes of the teacher is a sign of weakness. There is usually one that is the leader. His opinion becomes the opinion of the others. A bad attitude can be more contagious than the chicken pox. Incorporate the ‘assistance’ of the leader, with an object lesson or some demonstration. Once you have his attention, you have the attention of the others.

Be firm and consistent. Have the students be a part of deciding the rules and fair punishments. Then stick to them. If you make a rule about interrupting or foul language or such, don’t just scold or give unlimited warnings. Kids respect fairness, even when they are the ones who are disciplined.

Teach stories with lots of action and suspense; such as Gideon, Daniel, Joshua, Elijah, Peter. Even Ruth can be exciting and funny when they see how Haman was caught in his own scheme. Show them that the Bible is filled with amazing stories of God’s power and providence.

Tell the stories with excitement in your voice. Use illustrations that will teach them how God can be real in their lives too. Find object lessons that will emphasize the theme of your story. Teaching children is more than just reading a story to them. Make them ‘see’ the setting, know the characters, and sometimes let them act out the plot. Making the Bible real to them is your goal.

Challenge them to earning points for learning their verse, bringing a friend or a Bible. When they have jointly earned the required number of points, reward them with an outing or party. Although they love comptetition, working together to achieve a goal will teach them to encourage each other.

Find someone in the church that needs help. Maybe an older person needs their leaves raked, or firewood stacked, or garage cleaned, or something like that. Let the boys see that helping others brings its own reward.

Lastly, (but certainly before, during, and continually) pray for them. Love them. Listen to them. Kids want someone to love them and care about them.

"But Jesus called them unto him and said, Suffer (Allow) little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God." Luke 18:16

Dear Lord, I pray for these boys. Help them to see Your love through the life of this teacher. May they see Your power in their lives. Change them into young men that desire to serve You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.