How Do I Have a Home Bible Study That Includes Children?

[pandd06]

Small groups (home Bible studies) are an essential enviornment at our church, and as a staff member I have to be in one. Our current group will adjourn in the fall and I am contemplating if having an AP-style group is possible. Right now, DS (13mo) comes with us, but he is the only child who does so. The other 4 kids in the group are sleeping at home with babysitters.

The small groups staff at church has never seen a parent/child group work successfully on both the teaching and deep-sharing front, but I hoping to brainstorm a new model that could work. Any ideas or experiences?

There are two areas I'd need to address:

Content: I know how to do child-friendly content (I am a children's minsiter), but something that is both child-friendly and adult-learning-level worthy is whole different thing for me. I don't have the time to create something from scratch long-term.

Sharing: I don't know how to create a setting that allows adults to share as deeply as they need to about their lives while still being child-friendly.

Thanks!

Edited by pandd06 - 2/8/12 at 6:21pm

[Nazsmum]

I don't know about this....I have always wanted to do a bible study like a LLL meeting. To me it can be done. I have a few questions...

Day/night?

Does the church tell you what you are studing?

Do you feel like you can teach adults? (My mother will only teach children. I think that it is better that way) for her

Sharing...how old are the children.....young children don't really understand...older may understand more....

[Mom31]

I would take turns- a adult member of the group is in charge of a mini bible study play date each week for the kids in another room while the rest of you try to have group-

I would keep the lesson short and have lots of time for sharing parents would be able to get up and go to check on their kids etc so it would have to be very informal and relaxed.

Maybe at the beginning everyone including kids could meet in the main room for a prayer then kids could go to do something fun and entertaining but relevant and rest of adults could talk.

Thats what my church did growing up basically during church- one mom took turns watching kids in nursery and they rotated.

[pandd06]

Originally Posted by Nazsmum 

I don't know about this....I have always wanted to do a bible study like a LLL meeting. To me it can be done. I have a few questions...That was my inspiration, too!

Day/night? Nights so dads can be involved, too

Does the church tell you what you are studing? No. Each group drives their own plan.

Do you feel like you can teach adults? (My mother will only teach children. I think that it is better that way) for her Yes, I am comfortable teaching adults. The thing is that I would prefer not to lead this group. I would like to devise the plan, help equip a leader, and then let them run with it. But, maybe I do have to run it since it is my pilot group and then figure out how to equip a new leader later on down the line.

Sharing...how old are the children.....young children don't really understand...older may understand more.... Our kids will be 1.5 and NB. We would be open to families with kids of any age (or no kids at all).

[pandd06]

Originally Posted by Mom31 

I would take turns- a adult member of the group is in charge of a mini bible study play date each week for the kids in another room while the rest of you try to have group-

I would keep the lesson short and have lots of time for sharing parents would be able to get up and go to check on their kids etc so it would have to be very informal and relaxed.

Maybe at the beginning everyone including kids could meet in the main room for a prayer then kids could go to do something fun and entertaining but relevant and rest of adults could talk.

Thats what my church did growing up basically during church- one mom took turns watching kids in nursery and they rotated.

Thanks for sharing. Parents rotating into childcare is a model that some groups in our church have, and it works well. Optimally, we would like something where families stay together the whole time.  But, I will say that I had not considered a compromise option like you suggest of some family time and some seperated time. There may be something to that!

Edited by pandd06 - 2/9/12 at 8:12am

[Nazsmum]

The nights can be hard for mom/baby or toddler. I would try to have quiet toys, actives and books for the kids. Maybe an adult could  "just keep an eye on" the kids. Giving children a lesson in this setting might be to much. If it is about the adults studing then leave it that way. (maybe 2 moms that would switch nights) But this does not have to be out of the room. But I would try to play around with this. Their is no real right or wrong it is just trying.

As far as content I would be open see how things go. I mean the subject should be centered on the study and Jesus. If someone REALLY need something more it might be better to speak one on one with the person anyway.

If you are all parents then you will understand how hard it can be to do things with child and be forgiving. So I would stay with parents.

Hope that helps.

[lilyka]

Do you want the kids to get anything out of it other than seeing how the adults interact?  I don't think you will be able to hit something that is meaningful to the kids and still get deep sharing with the adults.  however, I do not think kids need to be directly taught in situations like this.  They will listen in and pick up bits and pieces.  They will see adults living out their faith.   

This worked for us in LLL.  We did not directly entertain the kids.  we sat in a circle or in someones living room and carried on with our discussion/business.  The kids played in the center of the room.  Older kids usually went off to play by themselves.  Do not underestimate the value of kids building relationships.   Good relationships are the foundation of christian witness. :)  and if they are where they can see you or at least interact freely with you they will see you and hear you and learn from your example while you study/discuss/pray/worship.