greenhouse kids ministry manual, sections 1-3

---

2015 EDITION

SAY YES TO THE NEXT GENERATION GREENHOUSE KIDS

Leadership Development Resource

Helping Ordinary Kids Become Passionate Followers of Jesus Christ.

CONTENTS Chapter 1: Start Here

4

SECTION 01: Getting Started and Next Steps

6

Greenhouse Kids: Leadership Development Resource

SECTION 02: Rules and Discipline

12

This resource is designed for the training of volunteers and staff for Greenhouse Kids in Gainesville, Florida and all of it’s affiliated campuses and ministries.

SECTION 03: Safety Policies

14

Chapter 2: Why We Exist

22

We pray that God will bless you as you begin your journey towards ministry with children. Anyone is free to use this resource for the purpose of gospel-centered children’s ministry, but editing or altering the content without authorized written consent is forbidden. Greenhouse Kids is an affiliated ministry of The Greenhouse Church in Gainesville Florida. greenhousechurch.org greenhousekids.net facebook.com/greenhousechurchkids

SECTION 01: Why We Exist: Mission, Vision, and Values

24

SECTION 02: Our Strategy and What It Looks Like

28

Chapter 3: Expectations For Our Team

32

SECTION 01: Disciples Who Make Disciples, Responsibilities of “Being” and “Doing”

34

SECTION 02: The Art of Preparation

38

SECTION 03: Roles and Wins

40

Chapter 4: Small Group Basics

44

SECTION 01: Shepherding Kids Through Small Groups

46

Editor: Jason Dressel, Director of Student Ministries

SECTION 02: Tips For Leading Group Discussion

48

First Edition, 2015.

SECTION 03: Leading Prayer In Small Groups

52

This is a compilation of various materials - both original and copied from other resources. Due to the nature of this resource - which has been compiled over several years - we are unaware of all of the original source material and thus are unable to give proper citation. Please note that this resource should not be sold under any circumstances.

SECTION 04: Ministry To Kids Outside Of Small Group

54

SECTION 05: 5 Principles of Life-Changing Small Groups

56

Chapter 5: Additional Training Articles

68

ARTICLE 01: Altar Ministry With Kids

70

ARTICLE 02: Ministry To Kids In Crisis

74

ARTICLE 03: Discipline As A Discipleship Tool

76

ARTICLE 04: Serving Kids With Special Needs

80

ARTICLE 05: Stages Of Child Development

84

Start Here

1

We are thankful that you are considering being a part of the Greenhouse Kids ministry team. Inside of this resource you will find important information to help you take your next steps towards joining this DreamTeam.

SECTION 01

GETTING STARTED IN GREENHOUSE KIDS 1. 2. 3. 4.

Our Thoughts on Leadership What We Are Looking For in Our Leaders How We Communicate As A Team Next Steps To Get Involved a.

Background Check

b.

Volunteer Application

c.

Volunteer Orientation and Basic Training

Our Thoughts on Leadership

We are committed to building a ministry Dream Team: a group of disciples who love God and are committed to give every child someone who knows and cares for them and someplace where they feel safe and at home. We are looking for excellent individuals - full of love, creativity, and wisdom - who are going to change the world through their ministry to kids. If we are recruiting you, it is because we feel you could make a major impact on this team.   That said, it is also our desire in GHKids to help EVERY person interested in ministry in The Greenhouse Church to find their place: where their availability, passion, and skills intersect with opportunity and need. Whether your fit is with GHKids or with another area of ministry - you can know that we are looking out for YOUR best interest so that you can find the area of ministry that is the best fit for you. 6

What We Are Looking For in Our Leaders

It is our joy to pray for, scout, and recruit the BEST volunteer leaders to staff our ministry. Rather than looking for warm bodies to fill spots or people who can mindlessly work as cogs in our minsitry wheel, we are looking for people who are called of God to make a difference and who will serve out of an overflow of passion for Jesus and love for people. As we prayerfully recruit leaders for our team, we look closely at 3 C’s - Character, Competency, and Chemistry, to ensure that each person is a good fit for ministry in Greenhouse Kids. CHARACTER We want leaders who we trust. Leaders who love Jesus with a growing and maturing faith and who represent our ministry and our church well. The question we are asking is this: “Is this person a good F.I.T. for our team?”Are they: • Faithful, • Intentional, and • Teachable? COMPETENCY We want to make sure that the job is a good fit for you and you are a good fit for the job. What is your experience in this area? What skills do you have? What hobbies or passions do you possess that will serve you well in your ministry role? No previous experience? No worries. One of our greatest passions is to help develop and grow leaders. It is all a part of building a DreamTeam. CHEMISTRY Do you fit well with the other leaders, the team captain, and the kids you are working with? Chemistry describes the relational fit that you have in the group. We want to make sure that working with us makes you feel alive and that you have the same effect. 7

HOW WE COMMUNICATE AS A TEAM Accessing Weekly Lesson Materials

SAVE THIS WEBSITE (you will use it a lot):

> > > > greenhousekids.net/hub We spend a lot of time going through the RAW curriculum to edit and make it very accessible and easy to implement in your role for Greenhouse Kids. ALL lesson materials will be accessed from the greenhousekids.net/hub page. Other information we will post there include ongoing training articles, information regarding upcoming events, and access to our worship files (music and choreography) Typically speaking, we post new lessons/units one month in advance; however, if you ever notice that we are missing lessons or materials, please contact the Greenhouse Kids office immediately. Materials you can expect to see posted for each unit include: • • • • •

8

Small Group lessons (lessons are labeled by date and sometime grade-level) Small Group activity pages that will be mentioned in your lesson Large Groups scripts (for worship leaders, stage hosts, and teachers) Large Group video and image resources that will be used during the on-stage lesson Copies of the take home pages for both parents and kids

TEAM COMMUNICATION GroupMe Chat Application

We use a APP/service called GroupMe to communicate as a team. Think of it as a group chat or group texting service. If you do not download the app, these will come in to you as text messages, but if you own a smartphone, we encourage you to download the app. This is a easy way for us to share prayer requests, availability updates, and ministry reminders.

COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR LEADER Text Messages

If your site director or team leader needs to contact you directly (or you need to contact them), we encourage use of text message rather than GroupMe.

MINISTRY UPDATES AND TRAINING: Regularly Scheduled Emails

During the school year, you will receive an email every week that will connect your to the focus for the upcoming weekend and well as inform/remind you of any important events, meetings, or ministry changes coming up. Please make sure to read and follow-up with these as often as you receive them.

Weekly Pre-Service V.I.P. Meetings

Here is the truth: Vision leaks and passion fades. The longer we do something, the easier it is to forget why we do it. That is why we consider it mandatory for everyone serving in Greenhouse Kids to attend our weekly pre-service VIP meeting. The easy way to plan for this is to discipline yourself to show up to church 30 minutes before the service starts. We will pray together, fill you in on important information you need to know, and remind you of why what we are doing is so important.

Monthly Team Gatherings

Every 1-2 months we will gather as a team for ongoing training and team-building fun time. There is never a perfect time for everyone’s schedule, but we encourage every-one in Greenhouse Kids to make sure to do everything possible to attend these gatherings, so we are always on the same page moving forward in our ministry.

9

Greenhouse Kids NEXT STEPS The Process For Becoming a Part of the Greenhouse Kids Dream Team

All of these materials can be accessed online at:

> > > > greenhousekids.net/nextsteps

NOTICE: Restricted Access to Volunteering with Minors Any and all individuals serving with minors at Greenhouse Church must pass a national criminal and sex offender record check, submit references of character, and complete a personal background interview. Under no circumstances may individuals charged with or convicted of abuse or neglect of children or minors work with minors at Greenhouse Church. Additionally, individuals may be restricted based on other criminal records or negative referrals. STEP 1 - COMPLETE YOUR BACKGROUND CHECK TIMELINE TO COMPLETE: Immediately One of our Core Values at Greenhouse Kids is SAFETY. As a step to ensure the safety of all children at Greenhouse Church, we require a national criminal and sex offender background check for every potential volunteer who might serve with children. These checks are to be completed, via the link below, BEFORE the beginning of service in any student ministry at Greenhouse Church. This background check, which is completed online and forwarded to our offices, carries a cost of $10 per check, which each volunteer is responsible to pay online at the time you complete your background check.

The Background Check can be accessed directly at: www.ministryopportunities.org/greenhousechurch

10

STEP 2 - COMPLETE YOUR LEADERSHIP APPLICATION TIMELINE TO COMPLETE: 2-3 Weeks The distinct parts of this application are designed to give us insight into your personality, your passions, your history working with children, and any potential areas of concern in regard to working with children. We know this is lengthy and will take some time for you to complete; however, it is important for us to know those who are laboring among us. Because of the length of this application, we’ve divided the web form into several parts, which can be completed at different times, if necessary. However, you are responsible to track your completion through this application and to make sure you finish it in a timely fashion. For the sake of our children’s safety and spiritual well-being, we ask that you truthfully answer the following questions so that we may prayerfully evaluate your qualifications for being a Children’s Ministry Leader at Greenhouse Church. PART 1 - Personal Information PART 2 - Desired Involvement PART 3 - Personal References PART 4 - Prior Church Experience PART 5 - Spiritual Background PART 6 - Personal & Lifestyle Information PART 7 - Personal Interests STEP 3 - COMPLETE THE VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION and BASIC TRAINING TIMELINE TO COMPLETE: 3-5 Weeks Upon completing your background check, you will be forwarded a link to access and complete your volunteer orientation online. Through a series of videos you will learn the heartbeat and purpose of Greenhouse Kids as well as become familiar with our ministry policies and procedures. NOTE: You may complete this at your convenience; however, due to the length of the training, we encourage you to complete this during the Large Group portion of Greenhouse Kids while you are serving weekly.

11

SECTION 02

RULES and DISCIPLINE Greenhouse Kids Rules and Discipline Policy

Paul writes in Ephesians 6:1-4, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’—which is the first commandment with a promise—’that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.’ Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. “ These are important verses to keep in mind when we consider the topic of rules and discipline in our Small Groups. Kids do best when they know what to expect and know what we expect. We do a disservice to our kids both when we do not have a set of clear expectations with a system to enforce them and when we have so many varying systems between us that they don’t know what they will get with whom. When we all uphold the same expectations and enforce them in a consistent manner we are setting the stage for children to obey while, at the same time, we are not exasperating them.

General Guidelines

Always keep a controlled environment so that it is easy for the kids to focus on what is going on during the service. Keep your eyes open at all times during the service to look for potential problems (talking, distracting behavior, etc). Remember, it is every leader’s job to enforce these important rules of behavior: NAMETAGS Each child must wear a name tag at all times during the service. Children are not permitted to be on stage, in the Tech Booth, behind the Registration Desk, in the Workers’ Lounge, or in either Prop Room, unless they are accompanied by a leader. BATHROOM TRIPS If children need to go to the bathroom or get a drink of water, they must be accompanied by an adult leader. If there is no adult leader available to take the child, then he or she may be accompanied by another (responsible) child. Regarding bathroom trips, we encourage you to avoid taking children to the restroom during worship or preaching segments

12

of Large Group, as often this can be disruptive and encourage other children to ask to go. Many times we can discern whether a child actually needs to go or is simply bored by saying something like, “this is a really important part right now and I don’t want you to miss it; could you wait 5 minutes?” However, if a child actually has to use the restroom, we MUST TAKE THEM. DISCIPLINE BY PROXIMITY Further, the best discipline is often that which prevents disruptive behavior. Stay near your kids. If you notice them getting distracted and potentially disruptive, go and sit next to them or tap them on the shoulder and remind them to pay attention quietly. This can help kids stay focused without distracting other children. We call this “Discipline By Proximity.”

Greenhouse Kids’ Rules: “OKAY?”

We also have a set of rules that we emphasize to the kids every week during Greenhouse Kids. These rules spell the word OKAY: O -- Obey your leaders K -- Keep your arms and legs to yourself A -- Always pay attention Y -- You are special to Jesus! (so we want you to treat other people that way, too)

Greenhouse Kids Discipline Procedure: “3 Strikes”

Children are very aware of what they can and cannot get away with. They respond to discipline that is consistent. Therefore, we follow a discipline procedure that the children know very well in order to remove any confusion and let them concentrate on what is being taught: STRIKE 1: Warn Them. Leaders are to warn the child of their inappropriate behavior and encourage them to obey. STRIKE 2: Move Them. If the child disobeys again, leaders are to move the child to another location and sit next to them. STRIKE 3: Remove Them. If the child disobeys again, small group leaders are to inform the coordinator and complete an incident report to be given to the parent/guardian at pickup. In case of extreme behavior, we encourage you to have the team leader contact the child’s parent even during the service for early pickup if necessary.

Key Tip: At every step of the discipline procedure, the child needs to understand what they did wrong, even if they don’t agree.

13

SECTION 03

Safety Policies CONTENT IN THIS SECTION 1. Preventing Child Sexual Abuse Through Best Practices 2. Careful Doorways 3. Volunteer Care and Attentiveness 4. Well-Child Policy 5. Accidents Involving Bleeding/Body Fluids 6. Medications 7. Snacks and Allergies 8. Emergency Evacuation Plan 9. Incident Reports

14

PREVENTING CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE THROUGH BEST PRACTICES Ensuring the safety of all of our kids starts with BEST practices. The purpose of this section to to provide a quick glance at our basic policies and procedures to keep ALL of our kids SAFE and growing in our environment. This article will focus specifically on safety regarding the prevention of physical abuse. It is a combination of purposeful practice (doing the right things) and purposeful awareness (making sure others are doing the right things) 1) ADULTS VISITING GREENHOUSE KIDS HAVE LIMITED ACCESS

1. Adults do not need to be in our building unless they are part of our volunteer team or they are with children who are in our ministry. Please discourage adults “just checking out” or cutting through the kids building. Be kind, be patient, but be ready to be firm. 2. Anyone planning to stay for a service to observe MUST check in at Registration. • A current driver’s license is required. • They MUST wear their Red “guest” lanyard at all times. • They MAY NOT take kids to the bathroom or otherwise be with children in a private or non-visible environment. Everything they do with children must be in public, visible areas with other adult volunteers present

2) YOU MUST BE APPROVED TO WORK WITH KIDS.

We allow all potential volunteers and parents limited access to visit Greenhouse Kids or Sprouts (see above), but anyone planning to serve with children long-term must complete entirely a thorough background check and interview process, including (but not limited to): • A personal history questionnaire • Personal and professional references • A national background and criminal records screening • A sit-down interview with a staff member for final approval and assignment • Fingerprinting and further reference may be requested on a case-by-case basis.

15

3) NEVER ALONE AND APPROPRIATE TOUCH Adults and teenagers never should be alone with children. All classrooms and environments require at least 2 adults present at all times. If bathroom trips will be required (see bathroom procedures below), then you want to plan to have 3 adults in the classroom so that there will never be less than 2 adults present. If you see someone alone with a child, please address it and report it to a team leader immediately! So far as touch goes, be wise and exercise discretion. Touch is an important tool to communicate that someone is loved, safe, and valued; but, it can also cause extreme discomfort and feeling of vulnerability. INAPPROPRIATE INTERACTION INCLUDES • Full hugs initiated by either the child or the volunteer (side hugs only) • You should not allow children to sit on your lap. • Picking kids up • Swinging kids by their arms • Holding kids hands • Kids holding onto your leg as you drag them around • Tickling, poking, or massaging • Hitting, spanking, or firmly grabbing APPROPRIATE INTERACTION INCLUDES • High fives, fist pounds • Pats on the back • Side hugs 4) THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS MEN SIMPLY CANNOT DO. Hate to be the harbinger of hard truths, but men working with children is treated with a certain amount of skepticism and caution. There is tighter scrutiny. Certainly, this is in large part due to a history in the church-atlarge of molestation and sexual abuse from men in authority positions over children.

• enter a bathroom a child is in (this is recommended for all volunteers, not just men) • have a child in his lap • full-frontal hugs with a child 5) RULES FOR KIDS’ USE OF BATHROOMS There must be at least 3 people for every bathroom trip - 2 leaders + 1 kids, or 1 leader + 2 kids. The principle here is visibility and accountability. For single-stall bathrooms (as in the kids’ hall at NW campus), only 1 child may be in the bathroom at a time; for multi-stall bathroom, the adult should stand in the door way, propping the door open so that they are visible to anyone passing by in the hallway and they are able to be aware of activity in the bathroom (we do not just need to protect kids from adults, but also from other kids). Leaders should not enter the bathrooms with kids. In the event of an emergency (i.e. a potty-training child is having issues and needs help), a FEMALE volunteer may enter to help, but only with another adult present (in the hallway) for the sake of accountability and awareness of all activity occurring in the bathroom. Leaders should not personally use the restrooms in the kids’ area, but should use adult bathrooms in the area. 6) PLEASE ADDRESS SUSPICIOUS OR INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR IMMEDIATELY The way we are going to make sure all of our kids are safe at all times is if we assume it is OUR reponsibility. Don’t assume someone else saw what you see and will take care of it so you do not have to. If you see someone doing something inappropriate or suspicious ADDRESS IT IMMEDIATELY and REPORT IT IMMEDIATELY. Working together, we will be able to prevent even the most malicious intentions.

While we must be aware of such dangerous patterns, we are also mindful that children and youth REQUIRE healthy male influence and authority figures in their discipleship process. Therefore, we must proceed, but with caution. So, here are some things that men may not do: • pick up a child • change diapers or assist with bathroom issues (unbuckling pants, wiping, etc)

16

17

CAREFUL DOORWAYS CAREFUL DOORWAYS IN Children should enter our classrooms with a parent and only after they’ve checked-in and received a name tag. As a child enters the classroom, verify the child has a name tag and is entering the correct classroom (Greenhouse Kids is for kids in 1st-5th grades; Sprouts classrooms are available for infants through Kindergarten). If a child approaches without a parent and without a name tag, bring them through the doors. DO NOT leave your post. Direct the child to the Information Desk and the Service Coordinator or Room Coordinator will notify Staff. If a child approaches without a name tag kindly direct the parents to check-in the child before entering the classroom. If a child tries to enter the classroom with food or drink, kindly notify the parent that the child can finish eating in the hallway before entering. If there is no accompanying parent, kindly direct the child to the nearest trash can in the room to discard any and all food and drink. If the child is visibly upset by this, notify the Service Coordinator for further assistance. Once a child is in our care, he or she is NEVER to leave the classroom for any reason. CAREFUL DOORWAYS OUT A child is only approved to exit when accompanied by a parent who has turned in the child’s name tag with a matching claim check. If a name tag or claim check is missing, the family must check-out at the Information Desk. The Information Desk volunteer will gather the needed information (usually a photo ID matched to a registered guardian on the family’s account) and give the parent a replacement ticket for pickup.

VOLUNTEER CARE and ATTENTIVENESS

CELL PHONE No phone calls, texting, or picture taking inside the classroom. NO FOOD OR DRINK ABSOLUTELY NO OUTSIDE FOOD OR DRINKS are allowed in the classrooms. Please finish and discard them before entering the classroom.

18

WELL-CHILD POLICY

To ensure the health of children and staff, we ask that sick children not attend Greenhouse Kids. Upon the recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics, please keep your child at home when any of the following exist: • Fever 100° or above within previous 24 hours • Vomiting or diarrhea • Any symptoms of childhood disease such as scarlet fever, German measles, mumps, chicken pox or whooping cough • Sore throat or croup • Any unexplained rash, cold or flu symptoms, including runny nose and red watery eyes • Any skin infections as boils, ringworm, impetigo, pink eye or other eye infection

ACCIDENTS: BLEEDING & BODY FLUIDS

• Remove all children from the contaminated area. • Follow normal first aid procedures and wash hands after contact. • Spills of body fluids (blood, urine, feces, nasal and eye discharges, saliva and vomit) must be cleaned up immediately. • Wear disposable gloves on both hands. Be careful not to get any of the fluid you are cleaning up in your eyes, nose, mouth, or any open sores you may have. • Clean and disinfect any surfaces on which body fluids have been spilled. An effective disinfectant solution is Lysol disinfectant spray or our household bleach solution which is diluted 1 in 10, but it must be used carefully. Bleach must not contact skin. • Discard contaminated material in a plastic bag along with the disposable gloves and any cloth, paper towel used to clean it up. The plastic bag must be securely sealed and disposed of in a garbage can outside of the contaminated classroom. • If child needs to a change of clothes, please notify either the parent or Team Leader on duty. Ensure parents know that all contaminated clothing needs to be hot laundered (minimum 60ºC) after an initial sluice in cold water. • Record and report the incident using the incident report form (located at the registration desk). • Never share items that are potentially contaminated with blood or body fluids. For example, if a sponge or cloth is used to mop up blood from a child – as at a sports event, perhaps – it must be disposed of in a plastic bag. It must never be returned to the bucket of clean water or used on another child. • If you have any questions about any of these things, please contact the Children’s Director or Team Leader.

19

MEDICATION

NO MEDICATION is to be administered to a child inside the classroom, even with a parent’s permission. Volunteers must leave the classroom to take any medication and wash their hands before returning to the classroom. NO medicine of any kind is allowed in the classroom.

INCIDENT REPORTS

When a child has an injury in Greenhouse Kids, it is very important that the group leader or assistant report this to the Team Leader and parents. The group leader/assistant also need to fill out an injury report form that is located with the First Aid kit at the registration desk. A copy of this should go to the parent.

SNACKS AND ALLERGIES

Our classrooms sometime serve basic snacks like Cheerios or graham crackers. Before you give a snack to the kids in your group, check their name tag for listed allergies. Also, ask the parents in advance if you know you will serve a snack that contains common allergens.

EMERGENCY EVACUATION PLAN

In the event of an emergency involving a fire alarm or a scenario where you are otherwise instructed to evacuate the building: • Group leaders quickly gather and count kids. • Bring your attendance sheet (if you have one) with you to verify accurate count. • Be sure to keep your kids in an orderly line so as not to add to the confusion. • Quickly but safely lead out the nearest exit. • Lead them to a clear, safe area outside and far enough away from the building. • Have your kids sit in a circle and establish that your count is accurate. • Play a game, pray, or talk with your kids until their parents arrive to pick them up. • If we are unable to safely return to our building, parents will be informed from the stage after everyone is safely evacuated and will be asked to immediately come and pick up their children. Once safely out of building, additional staff (not primarily assigned to a small group) will return (if safety permits) to look for any remaining children and to assist with safely removing infants from nursery.

INCIDENT REPORT Greenhouse Kids

Name of Child Involved________________________________________________________ Parent’s Name_____________________________ Phone #___________________________ Date____________________ Time __________ Group Leader_________________________ Description of Incident_________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Describe intervention or treatment administered_____________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Administered By _____________________________________________________________ Person who notified parents ____________________________________________________ Person reporting incident and home phone ________________________________________ Name of coordinator/staff notified _______________________________________________

For Office Use: Followed up by___________________________________ Date_______________________ Time__________________ Talked with___________________________________________ Was any treatment needed after leaving event? ____________________________________ Doctor and/or hospital_________________________________________________________ NOTE: PLEASE MAKE A COPY OF THIS FORM AND GIVE TO PARENT UPON PICK-UP

20

21

Why We Exist

2

We care very deeply about the ministry we are doing. But before you answer the questions, “what do you do?” or “how do you do it?,” we need to be clear about this question. “Why do we do this?” The answer is simple. We believe children can know God, love God, and follow Him as disciples of Jesus.

SECTION 01

Why We Exist We have a divine drive, burden, and passion to do something in ministry with children that matters.

I mean, that REALLY matters. Something … …that lasts more than a week …that transforms the way they see themselves and the world     …that persists through trial and loss         …that will remain through adolescence and into adulthood             …that still lingers and affects them long after they’ve forgotten us That is why we want to be FOCUSED and INTENTIONAL about WHY we do WHAT we do, and HOW we plan to do it.

This document should be considered our modus operandi, our game plan, our ethos as a team. If you are joining GHKids or have been with us a while, we desire and expect that this document is not something we read and toss aside.     It is lived...       Breathed...          Bled...     A part of who we are... 24

Imagine The Best Hour of Every Kid’s Week

When the best hour of the week is at stake, kids will drag their parents out of bed on Sunday morning and say, “Get up, we’re going to church. I don’t want to miss Greenhouse Kids today!” Gifted communicators will creatively teach Bible lessons in a way that intrigues and engages children of all ages. Kids will hang on every word of stories, then talk about how to apply a biblical truth to their everyday lives. The learning experience will include drama, video, storyboards, fun activities, music children think is cool, and other creative components to help the Bible make sense. When kids walk into the best hour, they see decor that is colorful, interesting, and bright. It’s a place they know right away is just for them and where they belong—even if they’ve never been to church before. A place they want to invite their friends to. Yet no matter how many friends they have or don’t have, it’s a place where they will feel accepted and welcomed. The best hour has a small group of kids for every child to be part of, where it’s safe to talk about absolutely anything. And regardless of how the rest of the world treats them, they will hear encouraging words—never any comments that devalue or discourage. Yes, kids will taste biblical community and find it so delicious that they’ll ask for more! And best of all, this hour will make a profound difference in their lives. This hour will reach lost kids—those who don’t know Jesus as their Savior. This hour will also teach all kids about how to become more Christ-like—in child-appropriate ways. If done well, the best hour will impact the way they live the other 167 hours each week—and even change the rest of their lives. The best hour will appeal to the volunteers too. They will serve in teams so each person owns only a small, very doable piece of the hour, and builds caring relationships with fellow servants along the way. Their responsibilities will align with how they are gifted by God, so the hour will give them life, not drain their energy. Every one of them will understand how their role fits in the big picture of the church, and believe that reaching lost kids and teaching all kids makes a difference. Maybe volunteers will receive more than they give, making this the best hour of their week, too! The questions that are birthed in the vision of “The Best Hour” are: How would this type of children’s ministry impact the rest of the church? Is the best hour too lofty a goal, can we really pull this off? What would Jesus expect from a children’s ministry?

25

We see a generation of kids who ...

are defined by the presence of God, the power of His Spirit, the truth of His Word, and the reality of the world to come rather than being conformed to the patterns of this world. We see a generation of kids full of joy and full of faith, living bold lives of discipleship where fear, shame, and failure are covered with grace. We see a group of kids who know God’s voice, who seek His will, and rely on His strength to making wise choices. We see a generation of kids, who LIVE IN THE GREEN (this is the discipleship framework from which the name of our church comes), GROWING IN LOVE for GOD, those INSIDE the church, and those OUTSIDE the church. Practically speaking, we see kids who: GROW IN LOVE for God and people. RESPOND to God’s grace by spending time in His Word and in prayer ENGAGE in meaningful, Christ-centered relationships where God’s love and grace are the standard. EXPAND the influence of that love beyond the church by sharing it with others and to (i)NVOLVE themselves in giving and serving to meet others’ needs.

We see kids leading, worshipping, praying, teaching, and serving - not just among other kids - but as a part of Jesus’ church. Because they are not junior disciples, they are themselves passionate followers of Jesus Christ.

26

27

SECTION 02

Our Strategy Small Groups Are Everything To Us

We want to see kids develop a BIG, authentic kind of faith. It’s a BIG challenge, but we believe it can happen through something SMALL… the small group leader. But the only way you can help kids cultivate authentic faith is through leading small. When we lead small we realize that what we do for a few will always have more potential than what we do for many. When we lead small we simply make a choice to invest strategically in the lives of a few over time so we can help them build an authentic faith. That’s what being a small group leader is all about! What exactly IS a small group leader? A friend? A parent? A coach? A teacher?

Here’s how we define a small group leader:

A small group leader is anyone who chooses to invest in the lives of a few to encourage authentic faith. Every SGL should do five things:

Be Present: Connect their faith to a community by showing up predictably, mentally, and randomly. Create a Safe Place: Clarify their faith as they grow by leading the group, respecting the process, and guarding the heart. Partner With Parents: Nurture an everyday faith by cueing the parent, honoring the parent, and reinforcing the family. Make It Personal: Inspire their faith by your example by living in community, setting priorities, and being real. Move Them Out: Engage their faith in a bigger story by moving them to someone else, moving them to be the church, and moving them to what’s next.

28

THE WIN As a small group leader, we need you to invest in the lives of a few to encourage authentic faith. You win when kids have meaningful interactions, both inside and outside of small group, that influence their faith in Jesus and deepen their relationships with others. QUALIFICATIONS To be a small group leader, you don’t have to be a Bible scholar, pass a theological aptitude test, or display a particular set of special spiritual gifts. You don’t even need to be that cool Here’s all you need to do: • Love God. • Care about kids. • Be committed to consistently investing in and caring for your few over a period of time. • Complete and pass the application, background check, and interview process. EXPECTATIONS • Serve weekly. • Show up on time. • Come prepared with the question and materials you need for group. • Connect with your coach monthly and meet with them every six months. • Attend the appropriate training events and meetings whenever possible.

29

What It Looks Like Our Basic Service Structure 0:25 min prior -- VIP Huddle VIP stands for Vision, Information, and Prayer. This is mandatory meeting for all Small Group leaders and large group teachers that is held 25 minutes prior to the start time of each service. The service coordinator will conduct this meeting. This gathering time is critical to ensure we are on the same page and ready to serve. 0:15 min prior -- Treasure Time As kids arrive, we take advantage of every opportunity we have to connect with them. We get down on their level, we play games, we ask about their week, and we look out for those 1st-time visitors. We get kids ready to connect in small groups. 0:00-0:10 min -- Small Group: Social/Connection Time Small Groups are typically divided by age and gender. Small Group: Social/Connection Time is where kids connect relationally in the group with their leader and with other kids. The Small Group leader helps the kids develop relationships with one another, encouraging them to share what is happening in their lives and teaching them to pray for one another. 0:10-0:50 min -- Large Group: Fun, Worship, and the Word All the Greenhouse Kids (1st-5th grade) gather with their small groups together to worship God and to hear the day’s lesson creatively taught. This time gives everyone an opportunity to hear from and respond to God. It is in our Large Group time where the principles which will be discussed in the kids’ Small Groups are introduced and reinforced. 0:50-1:30 min -- Small Group: Application Time Small Group: Connection Time is where leaders engage kids in discussion of the Large Group lesson through a variety of hands-on, creative, age-appropriate activities. The purpose of the Small Group: Application Time is to apply the day’s BOTTOM LINE, to practice the month’s MEMORY VERSE, to give kids guided practice in NAVIGATING and APPLYING SCRIPTURE, and to encourage them to TRUST GOD NO MATTER WHAT, to MAKE THE WISE CHOICE, and to TREAT OTHERS THE WAY I WANT TO BE TREATED.

30

Why We Teach What We Teach Weekend Services

We want to produce kids who learn how to “hide God’s Word in their hearts” (Psalm 119:11) so that it is not simply something they know, but how they live. Still, since we do not have time to teach everything in Scripture, we want to be deliberate about teaching kids the most important things they need to know. The core of our ministry strategy comes from Luke 2:52, which shows what Jesus looked like as a boy: “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” Because of this verse, we emphasize THREE BASIC TRUTHS every week: I need to make the wise choice (“Jesus grew in wisdom”), I can trust God no matter what (“Jesus grew… in favor with God”), and I should treat others the way I want to be treated (“Jesus grew… in favor with men”). So, each week during every Greenhouse Kids service, our kids will hear those three phrases – “I need to make the wise choice,” “I can trust God no matter what,” and “I should treat others the way I want to be treated” – even when the lesson does not specifically focus on these ideas. So what do our lessons focus on? Discipleship, growth, fruitfulness. Every month we take a close look at one LIFE APPLICATION. Life apps reflect the character of God. We see them as the way that we grow to be more like Him and how He works trough us to change the world around us. In order to help kids retain what they are learning, each week we summarize the lesson into a big idea, or BOTTOM LINE, that kids can easily remember. All 4 bible lessons, with their bottom lines, work together to help define and apply the month’s Life App to kids’ everyday lives. Although we may focus from season to season on a different topic, our end-game with the kids is seeing them grow and mature as disciples of Jesus. We may be focusing on biblical Life Apps, core truths, prayer & worship, the gospel, or evangelism, but, more than increasing a child’s knowledge of a topic, our deep desire is to see them grow in love for God and people, becoming more and more like Jesus.

Wednesday Night Service

Our mid-week lessons are particularly selected to complement what kids are learning on the weekend. Wednesday nights are designed to be fun and emotionally engaging for kids who have been in school all day. Currently we utilize a curriculum called High Voltage Kids, focusing topically on various issues of life and faith in 6-week series’.

31

Expectations for Our Team

3

We see ourselves as a select group of disciples called to reach a group that speaks a different language and who has a different culture than we do, and who will not be able to pay us back ... because we believe that even children can be disciples of Jesus. This is what it takes to be a part of this Dream Team.

SECTION 01

Who We Are:

Disciples who make disciples. The reason why we do what we do is to make disciples: children who become passionate followers of Jesus. But there is a catch. Disciples are not produced, like a widget; they are reproduced, like a seed from a plant that grows to become a new plant. What this means is, to make disciples, you first have to be a disciple. This is why Greenhouse Kids is not just looking for warm bodies or “whoever is willing” to come and “run our ministry program.” We are prayerfully picky about getting the absolute best disciple-making disciples to be a part of our Dream Team to help us make disciples of children who will one day change the world. This is why we humbly submit to you our responsibilities of BEING and responsibilities of DOING that define the type of leadership we are looking for in Greenhouse Kids. Because we will only reproduce who we are.

Responsibilities of “BEING”

I do not suggest these from a heart of legalism or demand. I am putting them in written form to make things easier for everybody. There are few things worse that uncommunicated expectations. Let me be quick to say that none of us are “all of these things...all the time.” We all continue to be Christians under construction. It is with deep and sincere respect for you that I present these responsibilities. 1. Be a God-lover. By this I mean a passionate disciple of the Lord. A disciple is one who imitates the mannerisms, thoughts, words, and actions of his master. More than all else our leadership team needs people that are desperately pursuing their relationship with the Lord. Please do not give this first responsibly a quick, “Yeah, yeah – I’m already there” attitude; ask yourself, am I passionately in love with Jesus? 34

2. Be somebody that loves children. Kids are starving for love; they must feel God loving them through us. 3. There must be a serious priority placed upon your personal spiritual growth. 4. Greenhouse Kids leaders must be servants at heart. 5. We want our leaders to be frog-kissers, loving all kids even the most troublesome or difficult to love - because we are able to see the prince or princess behind the frog. 6. Small Group Leader’s must have faithfully walked with the lord at least 1 year, making them “proven”. 7. Leaders must be teachable. This includes an attitude of being able to receive both instruction and correction when needed. A person who is still highly defensive or who has to be “carried a pillow” has no place in leadership. 8. Leaders must pursue personal holiness and “abstain from every appearance of evil.” There must be a sincere desire to shun compromising situations. For the unmarried, we go by 1 Tim 5. 9. Leaders should be positive and encouraging, not negative and discouraging or sarcastic. 10. Gossip and backbiting have no place in the Greenhouse Kids DreamTeam. Problems should never go underground. Leaders are never to bad-mouth Greenhouse Kids, our church, or any other church of Jesus. Loyalty is a CORE VALUE of our leadership team. 11. We will esteem people who are able to make mistakes and quickly admit it. 12. Finally we covet attitudes of unselfishness, gratitude, teamwork, faith, vision, humility, and loyalty (not just to Greenhouse Kids, but to Greenhouse Church as well).

35

Responsibilities of “DOING”

Even though the responsibilities of “being” will always have priority over “doing”, the work of the ministry is exactly that – WORK! Thus, I submit these actions to you, which are requested as part of the ministry team: • Maintain consistent attendance in: • Sunday adult service • The microchurch of your choice • Your assigned Greenhouse Kids service and role

• Faithfully watch over the spiritual development of your small group • Pray through the lesson during the week, let God speak to you regarding what your kids need to hear • Stay aware of any needs in their lives • Give your team leader feedback about needs, events, and victories. • Pray over every member of your small group weekly.

• Help staff the Greenhouse Kids services • Attend weekly pre-service VIP meetings, 25 minutes prior to your service time • Prepare during the week for your small group • Sit with your kids during Large Group time. (Discipline by proximity!) • Be a THERMOSTAT, not a THERMOMETER! • Thermometers “GAUGE” the spiritual temperature of a room. (example: “Look at all of these kids not worshipping.”)

• Take one day per week as your assigned day of intense prayer and fasting for Greenhouse Kids. • FYI the church staff has extended times of prayer every Wednesday, with the sanctuary open for prayer as early as 7am (Gainesville NW Campus only).

• Limit your absences and make sure you are covered while gone. • We are convinced the most life-changing discipleship ministry happens through relationships, therefore we encourage our small group leaders in particular to do everything in their ability to plan ahead to limit absences, to communicate with their small group team to make sure they are covered when they are absent, and to inform their team leader with due notice.

• Faithfully support the church through your tithes and missions • Being consistently involved in a microchurch of our church. • Be, or be in the act of becoming, a church member. • Cover your ministry director or team leader – both naturally (encouragement, help, attitude) and supernaturally (pray for them and their family).

• Thermostats “SET” the spiritual temperature of a room. (example: “I am going to lead the way.”) • Pray with kids during ministry time • Stay about 15 minutes after service. Good relation building time!

36

37

SECTION 02

The Art of Preparation One of the things we’ve discovered is that your level of preparation corresponds to how much you enjoy your ministry and how effective you feel doing it. We encourage everyone in Greenhouse Kids to take time to prepare well each week - because we want you to be as blessed for being part of this ministry as we feel blessed to have you.

Download and Study The Lesson Early In The Week

Make sure you download and study the lesson several days in advance of your service. To download the lesson, go to greenhousekids.net/hub . Here you can access the available Small Group lessons, Large Group curriculum, videos and other resources. It is beneficial to set aside a specific time each week to prepare by studying the scriptures related to the lesson, praying for your kids specifically in regards to the lesson content, reading the activity instructions to be sure you understand them, and to make any special preparations necessary that week. Read through the lesson and make sure you understand the Biblical content and its connection to our Bottom Line/Application. Pray through it and MAKE IT PERSONAL so you can teach with authority. You also want to focus on memorizing the Bottom Line and the main points of the Bible Story for each week. Having these memorized will help you to repeat them during your Small Group time or Large Group script with ease, aiding your kids’ ability to retain what we are teaching each week. Typically, we will prepare all of the supplies you will need for the recommended activities. However, if you want to do an optional activity with your kids, you may have to gather your own supplies for it.

38

Preparing Yourself For Ministry (mentally, spiritually)

Preparing for the lesson is only a portion of what makes a great Small Group time. You must also prepare yourself. This is done on both the natural and spiritual sides. Naturally, make sure you plan your week so that your material is prepared well in advance and you get plenty of rest the night before your group meets. Schedule 30 minutes early in the week to pre-read the lesson, and another 30 minutes the day or two before service to re-read the lesson. Guard your schedule so that you don’t walk into your service feeling overwhelmed or distracted. Spiritually, make sure to spend time daily with God in reading the bible and in praying (I recommend at least 30 minutes daily). Spend time praying for your kids (split them up through the week so that you can concentrate prayer on a couple of them each day), and spend time loving on God and letting Him love on you. Additionally, keep your team leaders updated regularly on how to pray for you and the state of your spiritual well-being.

Absentee Policy

We build the effectiveness of our ministry on the ability to build long-term relationships with kids. At the same time, we value the sacrifice you are making and want you to feel the freedom to be out as needed without feeling that you are a burden. With the above in mind, we encourage every volunteer to consider serving weekly (or bi-weekly if your campus has only one available service time) and to plan accordingly the weekends you will be away to maximize your presence in Greenhouse Kids. That said, we structure our ministry so that every Small Group has 2-3 leaders assigned to it. We encourage these Small Group teams to communicate and work together when taking off weekends so that at least one of them (preferably 2) is available to lead the group each week. In the case that all regularly assigned group leaders will be out, we request you inform your team leader with two-weeks notice which will give enough time to secure a substitute for you,

39

SECTION 03

Greenhouse Kids

Many Roles = One Team Volunteer Opportunities

We are so glad that you want to serve in Greenhouse Kids, a ministry that helps children have meaningful and life changing encounters with God. Listed below are the areas in which you can serve as a volunteer. The majority of people considering volunteering in GHKids have a desire to work hands on with children, developing meaningful relationships with them. The best role for this would be Small Group Leader. However, depending on your personality and passions, we have a wide variety of opportunities to meaningfully impact and serve children and families.

Weekly Services - SMALL GROUP STAFF ROLES Small Group Leader

Interaction with kids: Preparation Needed: As a small group leader, you’ll be investing in the lives of a few children to encourage authentic faith. You win when kids have meaningful interactions during small group that influence their faith in Jesus and deepen their relationships with others. This is the most hands-on role when it comes to interacting with and discipling children.

Small Group Assistant

Interaction with kids: Preparation Needed: As a small group assistant, you enable the small group leader to focus on the instruction and discipleship of the ENTIRE GROUP while you focus on the opportunities provided to FOCUS IN and serve individual children in the group. You are a general-purpose player, grabbing supplies, running bathroom trips, handling discipline opportunities, and filling in as needed. You win when kids have meaningful interactions during small group that influence their faith in Jesus and deepen their relationships with others.

40

Weekly Services - LARGE GROUP ROLES Production and Technical Team

Interaction with kids: Preparation Needed: As the managers of lights, video, and sound, you create an engaging large group environment that is distraction-free and where kids are inspired so the message is more likely to stick.

Teaching, Acting and Worship Team

Interaction with kids: Preparation Needed: As part of the large group experience team, you can take part in leading games, pretending to be a hilariously inspirational character, leading worship, or teaching what the Bible says and why it matters. In each of these roles, you’ll be creating a fun, interactive environment that engages kids’ heart and minds and helps connect them with the reality of a really big God who knows and loves them.

Ministry Support Staff Hospitality/Greeter

Interaction with kids: Preparation Needed: The hospitality team welcomes kids at the door with a big smile and are on the lookout for new families who need help finding their way around. You enforce systems that make Greenhouse Kids and Sprouts a safe place and help kids and parents feel welcomed and cared for.

Ministry Support: Supplies and Administration

Interaction with kids: Preparation Needed: The ministry support team serves Greenhouse Kids volunteers and families by assisting with administrative tasks and leadership support behind-the-scenes. This role would be great for volunteers who are free during the week to come into the office and work alongside staff.

Family Matters Staff Resource Development and Event planning

Interaction with kids: Preparation Needed: These roles help facilitate meaningful connections between our ministry and the families we serve. You win when families are engaged, informed and growing together in their faith. Opportunities include helping us plan and run our quarterly “Family Matters” event, writing monthly newsletters, or administering our social media pages.

FX (Family Experience) Production Staff

Interaction with kids: Preparation Needed: Actors, worship leaders, and behind-the scenes staff who create a oneof-a-kind whole-family experience where parents and kids together can laugh, cry, spin, and discover who God is and who he made us to be in. This is a show (featured quarterly or more often) that is so excellently produced that the parents forget it is run by volunteers and is so good at bringing “something for everyone” that they forget that it is run by the kids’ ministry. This is where kids bring their parents to church.

41

The Win For Every Role

THE WIN FOR STAGE HOSTS As a host on stage, we need you to champion Small Groups from the platform. You win when you inspire and motivate kids to make their time in groups meaningful.

WHAT IS A WIN and WHY IS IT IMPORTANT

THE WIN FOR THE WORSHIP TEAM As a worship leader, we need you to create an environment that breaks down walls and prepares kids to be open to hear what is said during large group, as well as engage in the conversation during small group. Your win happens when kids are moved to participate together in collective worship.

in Greenhouse Kids

“Making small groups win is a team sport. Just like your staff structure should support small groups, all other volunteer teams exist to support groups. . . . It’s easy for everyone to be so hyper-focused on what they do that they miss the bigger picture. That’s why it’s important to clarify the primary win.”      - Creating a Lead Small Culture, p. 70

Let’s take a moment to be clear about what we are aiming for so that we can be sure to hit it more consistently, to know when we are winning, and to celebrate victories together as a team.

THE WIN FOR THE TECH TEAM As the managers of lights, video, and sound, we need you to help us create an engaging large group environment that sets up small groups for success. You win when kids experience an inspiring and distraction-free large group environment so the message is more likely to stick.

THE WIN for Greenhouse Kids

THE WIN FOR COMMUNICATORS As a communicator, we need you to position the message to set up small groups to win. You win when what you say becomes a springboard for dynamic and meaningful conversation during group.

Wins for EVERY ROLE in Greenhouse Kids

THE WIN FOR TEAM CAPTAINS As a team captain (aka service coordinator, aka site director), we need you to oversee, manage and shepherd leaders, kids, and parents that attend your service. You win when people (children, parents leaders) attending your service have life-changing interactions with each other and with God.

We win when kids have meaningful interactions during group that influence their faith in Jesus and deepen their relationships with others.

THE WIN FOR GREETERS As a greeter, we need you to welcome kids at the door with a big smile and to be on the lookout for new families who need help finding their way around. You win when kids feel welcomed and cared for as soon as they walk through the doors so they’ll be more likely to connect with others in a small group. THE WIN FOR THE SECURITY TEAM As a member of the security team, we need you to make sure kids are safe, secure, and not fleeing the building or hid- ing in dark corners. You win when you maintain a physically safe place for kids so small group leaders can better focus on creating a different kind of safe place for them in groups. THE WIN FOR THE SMALL GROUP SET-UP TEAM As a member of the Small Group set-up team, we need you to set up small groups for success—literally. You win when you take care of the details of setting up rooms and resources so Small Group leaders can better focus on kids.

42

THE WIN FOR SMALL GROUP ASSISTANTS As a Small Group assistant, we need you to facilitate the development of life-changing relationship in small group by overseeing support functions in a group - bathroom trips, discipline, and supplies. You win when your Small Group leader is able to focus on meaningful interactions with kids during group that influence their faith in Jesus and deepen their relationships with others.

And oh, yeah . . . THE WIN FOR SMALL GROUP LEADERS As a Small Group leader, we need you to invest in the lives of a few to encourage authentic faith. You win when kids have meaningful interactions during group that influence their faith in Jesus and deepen their relationships with others.

43