{"id":5708,"date":"2019-09-20T14:35:44","date_gmt":"2019-09-20T19:35:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/?p=5708"},"modified":"2019-10-22T16:08:11","modified_gmt":"2019-10-22T21:08:11","slug":"teaching-prayer-in-childrens-ministry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/2019\/09\/20\/teaching-prayer-in-childrens-ministry\/","title":{"rendered":"Teaching Prayer in Children’s Ministry"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In a typical children\u2019s ministry, prayer is often an afterthought tagged onto the end of a Bible lesson or forgotten entirely. It seems we have given prayer a backseat in children\u2019s ministry. In doing so, we have shown our children, either intentionally or unintentionally, that prayer is not a priority. Maybe it is because our own lives are not marked by prayer and intercession. Maybe it is because we do not see the benefit and power of prayer. Maybe it is simply because we do not know how to pray ourselves.<\/p>\n

I am willing to bet most of us fall into that last category of not knowing how to pray ourselves. For me, prayer was complicated. I grew up never knowing how to start my prayers, what to ask God for, if I was allowed to ask for ANYTHING, or what special words I had to say to be heard by God. I had heard thousands of prayers in my lifetime, yet I still did not know how to pray. Why? Because no one taught me how<\/em> to pray. No one explained what prayer should look or sound like. I was expected to learn through osmosis.<\/p>\n

We need to shift our mindset on prayer and begin to make it a priority for our children\u2019s ministries. We cannot expect our children to absorb how to pray without explicit modeling, teaching, and practice. The common \u201cI do, we do, you do\u201d teaching principle is especially helpful. The \u201cI do\u201d is the teacher modeling, the \u201cwe do\u201d is the teacher guiding and coming alongside the children, and the \u201cyou do\u201d is releasing children to practice a skill independently. We can utilize this methodology to teach our children how to pray.<\/p>\n

What Does Prayer Look Like?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Children oftentimes think they must be in a certain posture or position to pray. The truth we must communicate is that God hears our prayers no matter how we look while praying. There is no \u201csecret formula\u201d to prayer. When you have your daily classroom prayer time, take 2-3 minutes before<\/em> you pray to teach about what prayer could<\/em> look like. Explain to the children that their bodies do not have to be in any certain position to pray to God. Show the children by modeling it. Children can sit down, stand up, lay on their backs, lay on their stomachs, kneel, or rest in any other position they want while praying. It is all about how they want to pray to God that day. Let the children practice these positions and get comfortable with them. If they always pray sitting down, ask them to choose a different position to pray in for that day to see how they like it.<\/p>\n

Similar to body positioning, teach children they do not have to do anything special with their hands to be heard better by God. Model how you can set your hands to your side, place them on your lap, lift your hands up, hold out your hands in front of you, fold your hands together, put your hands behind your back, or any other position that feels comfortable to them. The way we position our hands in prayer does not make our prayers any better or any worse in God\u2019s eyes. God hears all our prayers no matter how we look! Give time and space for children to become more comfortable with these positions by trying them out. You will be surprised how engaged the children are in prayer when they have the option to choose how they want to pray.<\/p>\n

What Does Prayer Sound Like? <\/strong><\/p>\n

Children oftentimes do not know how to begin praying out loud. Teach the children in your ministry how they could start<\/em> a conversation with God. Model how to start praying by calling out a name of God: Father, God, Jesus, Lord, etc. Teach the children you can call out God\u2019s name before praying just like you would call out a friend\u2019s name before having a conversation with them. This is not a requirement for prayer but can help orient a child\u2019s mind before engaging in prayer. Emphasize that God is always ready to listen to our prayers whether we say His name before our prayers or not. He already knows we are talking to Him.<\/p>\n

Sometimes children believe their prayers need to sound a specific way for them to \u201cwork.\u201d Too often, we believe the lie that we need to pray using big, eloquent words with long drawn out sentences. Jesus teaches the exact opposite (Matthew 6:5-8). He is unimpressed by those who pray purposely using many words hoping they will be better heard by God. In reality, God does not care how perfect or long his children\u2019s prayers sound; He cares that they are talking to him and wanting to engage Him in a conversation. Teach your children in your ministry that their prayers can be short or long. Their prayers do not have to be perfectly rehearsed. God is not concerned about the length of our prayers to Him. He is concerned with our heart behind our words. God loves when we come to Him in prayer with authenticity and humility.<\/p>\n

Implementing Prayer Today<\/strong><\/p>\n

Prayer may seem intimidating at times, but nothing compares to the joy and love you feel when being in a close relationship with God, the creator of the universe. Prayer can become a beautiful practice in your children\u2019s ministry if you choose to prioritize it. If you do not have a meaningful and intentional prayer time each day in your children\u2019s ministry classes, it\u2019s never too late to implement one. Start today and watch your children\u2019s ministry transform!<\/p>\n

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Tiffany has a passion to see all children transformed by an authentic encounter with Jesus. She graduated from Regent University with a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies (Elementary Education), and later with a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction. She served as the Children\u2019s Service Coordinator for a year in a large multi-site church where she analyzed curriculum and oversaw 150-200 children each weekend. She currently resides in Oklahoma City with her husband, Benjamin Crisp. Benjamin now serves as the lead pastor of Reflection Church in Oklahoma City while Tiffany serves alongside him as the Children\u2019s Director. She currently serves as a Curriculum Specialist in Discipleship Ministries.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"excerpt","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":5713,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,4],"tags":[216,16,1200,1124,1122,82,1199],"class_list":{"0":"post-5708","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-childrens-ministries","8":"category-discipleship-ministries","9":"tag-children","10":"tag-discipleship","11":"tag-iphc-kids","12":"tag-quarter-3","13":"tag-steadfast-in-prayer","14":"tag-teaching","15":"tag-tiffany-crisp","16":"entry"},"title_es":"Oraci\u00f3n Docente en el Ministerio de Ni\u00f1os","content_es":"

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\r\n\r\nEn el t\u00edpico ministerio de ni\u00f1os, la oraci\u00f3n es a menudo una idea tard\u00eda etiquetada al final de una lecci\u00f3n b\u00edblica u olvidada por completo. Parece que le hemos dado a la oraci\u00f3n un asiento secundario en el ministerio de ni\u00f1os. Al hacerlo, hemos demostrado a nuestros hijos, ya sea intencionalmente o no, que la oraci\u00f3n no es una prioridad. Tal vez sea porque nuestras propias vidas no est\u00e1n marcadas por la oraci\u00f3n y la intercesi\u00f3n. Tal vez sea porque no vemos el beneficio y el poder de la oraci\u00f3n. Quiz\u00e1s es simplemente porque no sabemos c\u00f3mo rezar.\r\n\r\nEstoy dispuesto a apostar que la mayor\u00eda de nosotros caemos en esa \u00faltima categor\u00eda de no saber c\u00f3mo rezar. Para m\u00ed, la oraci\u00f3n fue complicada. Crec\u00ed sin saber c\u00f3mo comenzar mis oraciones, qu\u00e9 pedirle a Dios, si se me permit\u00eda pedir NADA, o qu\u00e9 palabras especiales ten\u00eda que decir para que Dios me escuchara. Hab\u00eda escuchado miles de oraciones en mi vida, pero a\u00fan no sab\u00eda c\u00f3mo orar. \u00bfPor qu\u00e9? Debido a que nadie me ense\u00f1\u00f3<\/em> a orar. Nadie explic\u00f3 c\u00f3mo deber\u00eda verse o sonar la oraci\u00f3n. Se esperaba que aprendiera a trav\u00e9s de la \u00f3smosis.\r\n\r\nNecesitamos cambiar nuestra mentalidad sobre la oraci\u00f3n y comenzar a hacer que sea una prioridad para los ministerios de nuestros hijos. No podemos esperar que nuestros hijos absorban c\u00f3mo orar sin un modelo expl\u00edcito, ense\u00f1anza y pr\u00e1ctica. El principio de ense\u00f1anza com\u00fan \"Yo hago, hacemos, t\u00fa haces\" es especialmente \u00fatil. El \"yo hago\" es el modelo del maestro, el \"nosotros hacemos\" es el maestro que gu\u00eda y acompa\u00f1a a los ni\u00f1os, y el \"t\u00fa haces\" libera a los ni\u00f1os para practicar una habilidad de forma independiente. Podemos utilizar esta metodolog\u00eda para ense\u00f1ar a nuestros hijos a orar.\r\n\r\n\u00bfC\u00f3mo es la oraci\u00f3n?<\/strong>\r\n\r\nLos ni\u00f1os a menudo piensan que deben estar en una determinada postura o posici\u00f3n para rezar. La verdad que debemos comunicar es que Dios escucha nuestras oraciones sin importar c\u00f3mo nos veamos mientras oramos. No existe una \"f\u00f3rmula secreta\" para la oraci\u00f3n. Cuando tenga su tiempo de oraci\u00f3n diario en el aula, t\u00f3mese 2-3 minutos antes de<\/em> orar para ense\u00f1ar c\u00f3mo podr\u00eda<\/em> ser la oraci\u00f3n. Explique a los ni\u00f1os que sus cuerpos no tienen que estar en una posici\u00f3n determinada para rezarle a Dios. Muestre a los ni\u00f1os modelando. Los ni\u00f1os pueden sentarse, pararse, acostarse boca arriba, boca abajo, arrodillarse o descansar en cualquier otra posici\u00f3n que quieran mientras rezan. Se trata de c\u00f3mo quieren orar a Dios ese d\u00eda. Deje que los ni\u00f1os practiquen estas posiciones y se sientan c\u00f3modos con ellas. Si siempre rezan sentados, p\u00eddales que elijan una posici\u00f3n diferente para rezar ese d\u00eda y ver c\u00f3mo les gusta.\r\n\r\nSimilar al posicionamiento del cuerpo, ense\u00f1e a los ni\u00f1os que no tienen que hacer nada especial con sus manos para que Dios los escuche mejor. Demuestre c\u00f3mo puede poner las manos a un lado, colocarlas en su regazo, levantar las manos, extender las manos frente a usted, juntar las manos, poner las manos detr\u00e1s de la espalda o cualquier otra posici\u00f3n que se sienta c\u00f3moda a ellos La forma en que colocamos nuestras manos en la oraci\u00f3n no hace que nuestras oraciones sean mejores o peores a los ojos de Dios. \u00a1Dios escucha todas nuestras oraciones sin importar c\u00f3mo nos veamos! Deles tiempo y espacio para que los ni\u00f1os se sientan m\u00e1s c\u00f3modos con estas posiciones prob\u00e1ndolas. Se sorprender\u00e1 de lo comprometidos que est\u00e1n los ni\u00f1os en la oraci\u00f3n cuando tienen la opci\u00f3n de elegir c\u00f3mo quieren orar.\r\n\r\n\u00bfC\u00f3mo suena la oraci\u00f3n?<\/strong>\r\n\r\nLos ni\u00f1os a menudo no saben c\u00f3mo comenzar a rezar en voz alta. Ense\u00f1e a los ni\u00f1os en su ministerio c\u00f3mo pueden comenzar<\/em> una conversaci\u00f3n con Dios. Demuestre c\u00f3mo comenzar a orar llamando a Dios: Padre, Dios, Jes\u00fas, Se\u00f1or, etc. Ense\u00f1e a los ni\u00f1os que pueden gritar el nombre de Dios antes de orar, tal como llamar\u00edan el nombre de un amigo antes de conversar con ellos. Este no es un requisito para la oraci\u00f3n, pero puede ayudar a orientar la mente de un ni\u00f1o antes de participar en la oraci\u00f3n. Haga hincapi\u00e9 en que Dios siempre est\u00e1 listo para escuchar nuestras oraciones, ya sea que digamos Su nombre antes de nuestras oraciones o no. \u00c9l ya sabe que estamos hablando con \u00e9l.\r\n\r\nA veces, los ni\u00f1os creen que sus oraciones deben sonar de una manera espec\u00edfica para que \"trabajen\". Con demasiada frecuencia, creemos la mentira de que debemos orar usando palabras grandes y elocuentes con oraciones largas y largas. Jes\u00fas ense\u00f1a exactamente lo contrario (Mateo 6: 5-8). No le impresionan aquellos que oran a prop\u00f3sito usando muchas palabras con la esperanza de que Dios los escuche mejor. En realidad, a Dios no le importa cu\u00e1n perfectas o largas sean las oraciones de sus hijos; Le importa que est\u00e9n hablando con \u00e9l y que quieran entablar una conversaci\u00f3n con \u00e9l. Ense\u00f1e a sus hijos en su ministerio que sus oraciones pueden ser cortas o largas. Sus oraciones no tienen que ser perfectamente ensayadas. Dios no est\u00e1 preocupado por la duraci\u00f3n de nuestras oraciones a \u00e9l. Est\u00e1 preocupado con nuestro coraz\u00f3n detr\u00e1s de nuestras palabras. Dios ama cuando venimos a \u00c9l en oraci\u00f3n con autenticidad y humildad.\r\n\r\nImplementando la oraci\u00f3n hoy<\/strong>\r\n\r\nLa oraci\u00f3n puede parecer intimidante a veces, pero nada se compara con la alegr\u00eda y el amor que sientes cuando est\u00e1s en una relaci\u00f3n cercana con Dios, el creador del universo. La oraci\u00f3n puede convertirse en una pr\u00e1ctica hermosa en el ministerio de sus hijos si elige priorizarla. Si no tiene un tiempo de oraci\u00f3n significativo e intencional cada d\u00eda en las clases de ministerio de sus hijos, nunca es demasiado tarde para implementar uno. \u00a1Comience hoy y vea c\u00f3mo se transforma el ministerio de sus hijos!\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","author_name":"Tiffany Crisp","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/09\/KM-Q3.3-Article-Graphic-Crisp-e1569246794799.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4T9u2-1u4","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5708","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/26"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5708"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5708\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5708"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5708"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/discipleship\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5708"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}