Awana Basics Online- What is ABO and how to use it.

Sample Schedule for Reaching Parents

Most of you have all have finished the club year, and now it's time for summer break, but also time to think about planning for next year. Here is a sample schedule that you might implement next year to reach out and involve parents.

August- Registration Night. Have your parents come and meet their child's club director. Provide a list of expectations to the parents of how they (the parents) can make the club year a success. Also, invite these parents to join your club Facebook Group (if you have one) and let them know they'll receive updates and information via Facebook.

September- Club has started. After two or three weeks, have your club directors send a letter, text, or email to your parents thanking them for bringing their children to Awana.

October- Host a parent open house where parents can come and shadow their children through club.

November- Host an Awana Grand Prix. This is a great parent outreach! If you don't have a track, find or borrow one. We have found a good time for this is the week before Thanksgiving break as it gives your leaders one extra week of no responsibility to help avoid any burnout.

December- Set aside a time, other than club time for a family night. This could be a potluck or other fun activity to build relationships between the families and leaders. It might also be a good idea to invite your pastor to welcome church members and meet any new families.

January- Schedule a "Family Movie Night" at the church. Invite clubbers with their parents and serve soda, popcorn, and other snacks.

February- Invite parents to either a local AwanaGames/ Sparks-A-Rama or host your own "Awana Wild-n-Wacky Games Night". This is a time either on a club night or on a Saturday, where your clubbers can just have fun and play games. Ask someone to share a short gospel message to all those in attendance.

March- Have your church do an "Awana Sunday" and highlight all the work that God is doing in your club. Request from your pastor 10 minutes during the service, ask all leaders and children to wear their uniform, then have your Awana Ministry Director or Awana Missionary share and let the clubbers play a short game during the service. This will be a great opportunity to connect your club with not only your parents but the entire church.

April- Have some sort of fundraiser for your club and ask parents to help. Have a burrito feed Sunday after church, sell cakes or coffee, or some other fundraiser activity. Use these funds to cover the costs of your club or to send clubbers to camp.

May- Invite all parents to an Awards celebration to recognize your clubbers achievements.

Why do Clubbers Quit- Part 2

My last blog post, I gave 5 reasons why clubbers quit, talked about the importance of consistent attendance and gave possible solutions to keep clubbers coming back. 

Here are 5 more reasons as well as ideas on heading off problems that may cause clubbers to quit.

1. "They didn't give me all the awards I earned". 

• Attitude- Awards are a great incentive for kids not only to attend club, but also to work in their handbooks. If it's important for kids to get their awards on time, it has to be important to us.
• Action-
• Use either the record keeping cards from the Awana Catalog  or third party software and stay current.
• Have a plan.
• Keep records not only to see who is progressing in their books, but also who is not progressing. Kids who are not getting awards may need extra help.
• Connect with parents of children who are not progressing and earning awards, find out why and offer help.

2. "Large Group Time was boring".

• Attitude- Awana should be fun and exciting, not only in game time, but in all segments of club.
• Action-
• Keep large group time "time appropriate". Recommended time is 1 minute of Bible lesson for every age of the child.
• Break large group time into smaller segments, and keep things moving. Not all of these segments can be done in one night...use two or three different ones each week to keep your Large Group time fun and exciting. 
• Bible Lesson
• Kids worship
• Youtube or other video content
• Special speakers, ie your pastor or a missionary
• Bible Review Games
• Object lessons
• AwanaGO Missions lessons
• Review Books of the Bible
• Talk about Bible Characters
• Review Sparks Code
• Review TT Characteristics of God

3. "Club was boring- we never did anything fun".

• Attitude- Make sure you give kids a reason to come back
• Action-
• Have something special every week as a reason to come back.
• Use theme nights every week. All theme nights bring extra fun and excitement to club, but not all theme nights have to be difficult to execute. Examples of theme nights that don't require a lot of preparation:
• Balloon Night- Play games with balloons.
• Shoe Fly Night- Kids play games with their shoes.
• Mustache Night- Kids wear mustaches. For those who forget, bring some electrical tape to help them make their 'stache. 
• Cookie Night- have cookies for clubbers at the end of club night.
• Backwards Night- Do club backwards, ie closing ceremony first, etc.
• Caution- Don't do too many dress up nights. Moms with 3 or 4 kids might not appreciate having to dress up 4 kids every week.

4. "I was bullied at club"

• Attitude- Your Awana Ministry should be a safe place for kids. Don't allow bullies to scare away kids who want to come and hear about Jesus.
• Action-
• Have regular leader meetings talking about the importance of club discipline.
• Use 5 count, 3 count and positive points consistently.
• Have a plan to handle bullies in your club.

5. "I was a baseball/ soccer/ dance practice and couldn't come", ie spiritual training was not a priority to parents. 

• Attitude- Some parents feel like their children can get a scholarship if they are a good athlete, or if good enough can go pro and earn a lot of money, or they see Awana as just "another activity" for their child to be involved in. As a result, they make their children's relationship with Jesus a lesser priority. 
• Action-
• Have a parent night at the beginning of the club year and in a gentle way, remind parents to make their child's relationship with Jesus a priority. 
• Ask your pastor to preach a sermon series on the importance of making their child's relationship with Jesus a priority.

Your discipleship of children can only happen when they are actually at club. Being aware of children who quit coming, finding out why and then looking for reasons to keep them coming back week after week will build a lasting and healthy ministry, and produce lasting results for the Kingdom. 

Why do Clubbers Quit- Part 1

Week after week kids come into our Awana clubs. Some kids stay, finish the year and earn our Awards. Alternatively, some kids quietly just fade away. Understanding why and finding ways to keep these kids coming back week after week is what this blogpost is all about. Here are some reasons why kids leave, what our attitude should be about these clubbers and some ideas on how we can prevent this from happening. 

1. “Nobody called to say they missed me.”

• Attitude- We should have a heart for these strays.
• Action-
• Secretaries take attendance to see who IS there so we can give our attendance awards. Attendance should also be taken to see who is NOT there so that we can follow up, find out why, let them know they were missed and invite them back. Secretaries can provide a list to the club leadership of who has not attended for a follow up phone call, text, email, postcard or home visit.

2. "All we ever did was memorize stuff"

• Attitude- We should be enthusiastically sold out on the importance of scripture engagement and memory and make sure our clubbers understand the value in memorizing scripture. However, we should also recognize that despite our best attempts, some kids do not want to memorize scripture and we should look for ways to help these kids succeed.
• Actions
• We should be constantly talking about the importance of knowing what God says.
• We should be memorizing scripture ourselves.
• Make scripture memory fun with scripture memory games.
• Find alternative ways to help kids pass sections who have learning disabilities or who don't want to memorize scripture.

3. "I don't like Dodge Ball" (playing the same games every week)

• Attitude- Variety is the spice of life. Not all kids like the same games or are capable of succeeding in all types of games.
• Actions
• Find games that all kids of differing abilities can win at. Mix running games, agility games and thinking games so that all kids have the ability to play and win. 
• Don't be predictable- keep kids guessing with what is coming next.

4. "The leaders were mean"

• Attitude- Be kind and patient
• Actions
• Be aware of how you come across to kids (your voice and manner may be misunderstood by sensitive children)
• Speak kindly and not loudly
• Smile

5. "My mom said I couldn't come back"

• Attitude- It is important for children to know and understand God's word, therefore it is vital to build a strong parent/ church partnership. 
• Actions
• Work with parents to help them understand the importance of developing their child's relationship with Jesus. 
• Have a good parent meeting at the beginning of the club year. Explain to these parents how they can best help their child succeed at club this year.
• Connect with parents throughout the club year by phone, email, text or personal visit.

I'll cover additional reasons why clubbers quit in my next blogpost.

12 Things you can do when your large group teacher doesn't show up

It’s one of those nights! Three minutes before club starts, your Large Group Teacher texts you to say he’s working late and can’t make it. After a few unChristian-like thoughts about people who wait until the last minute to call, you panic. You rush around the church searching...searching for someone (ANYONE) who can do something (ANYTHING) to fill in the time.

Relax. Here are a dozen solutions to something that doesn’t really need to be a problem.

1. Videos- Keep one or two children’s videos or youtube videos ready to show on such a night.

2. Interview other leaders- How did they come to accept Jesus as Savior? What is their favorite Bible verse? Who is their favorite Bible Character

3. Plan a Bible drill- When a clubber is the first to find a verse, he or she gets an Awana share.Make a rule that clubbers can only read one verse apiece, so two or three clubbers don’t end up with all the shares. However, clubbers could be encouraged to participate after they have received a share by silently standing when they find a verse.

4. Have a second Small Group time- help clubbers get caught up in their books.

5. Utilize fun Bible story books- keep several fun Bible story books on hand for a night like this. Examples of books: 

a. “Bible Wars and Weapons”

b. “Weird & Gross Bible Stuff”

c. “Bible Heroes and Bad Guys”

d. “Creepy Creatures & Bizarre Beasts from the Bible”

(all available from Amazon)

6. Acrostic- Provide markers and paper for each clubber. Instruct clubbers to create an acrostic by finding a verse of the Bible that begins with each letter of their name. As time allows, let clubbers share their acrostic. For example (Kim); K- Know that the LORD, He is God (Psalm 100:3)

b. I- It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD (Psalm 92:1)

c. M- Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands (Psalm 100:1)

7. Review the books of the Bible- See who can say them the fastest. Or print each book on a separate piece of paper or 3x5 card. Make two, three, or four sets, depending on the size of your group. Divide into teams and see which team can put the books in order the fastest. Make sure you mix “veteran” clubbers with the newer clubbers so the teams will be fair. Another option is to assign each clubber a different book and have all the clubbers line “themselves” up in order.

8. Quiz- Quiz the clubbers on their Bible knowledge. Options could be

a. Quiz from the handbooks

b. Keep a Bible quiz book or Bible Trivia game on hand.

c. Ask general Bible knowledge questions.

9.Bible Activity Book- Buy a reproducible Bible activities book with crossword puzzles, etc. Photo copy a supply and store them with your Awana supplies.

10.Sing- Talk about the meaning of the words in the songs.

11.Role Play- Divide the clubbers into four teams, each with a leader. Give the clubbers five minutes to develop a short role play concerning a particular subject: honesty, obedience, good attitude, etc. Then give each group opportunity to present its role play in front of the group.

12.Stump the leader- Ask each clubber to write down a question about the Bible. Then answer some of them. Save the others for future Large Group Times. 

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Recruiting Volunteers Part 2

In the last blog post I gave some ideas on how to create an environment in your ministry to attract volunteers. You can read about that here.

In this post, I will give some practical ideas on how and where to find volunteers.

1. Pray- As with everything else, start here. God knows your ministry needs, and is planting seeds in your future volunteers hearts. Ultimately, you want volunteers who are called to serve, not those who serve out of guilt.
Tip: Pray that the Lord will guide you to and create opportunities to connect with those He has already called to serve in your ministry.

2. Make a kick off announcement on Sunday morning- At the beginning of your club year, or whenever you start your ministry, ask your pastor for a few minutes to make an announcement that Awana is starting, where and how to register and that you'll need volunteers.
Tip: Either play one of Awana’s “You Belong” volunteer testimonies (here), or have a volunteer from your ministry provide this testimony of how they feel God using them to reach kids. After the service, set up a table in the foyer or lobby of the church for clubber registrations as well as volunteer signups.

3. Host a volunteer ministry fair- All ministries in the church require volunteers. By hosting a ministry fair, you can provide a venue for these ministries to attract volunteers. After a Sunday service, in your fellowship hall, set up tables and displays provided by each ministry in the church, then ask the leaders of these ministries to “man these tables”.  
Tip: Provide snacks and coffee so that potential volunteers can mingle with the leaders of these ministries. Have a signup sheet for each ministry to capture information about potential volunteers.

4. Preschool parents- Preschool parents are much more likely to serve in your Awana club as these parents may be a little more apprehensive to leave their little ones alone and these Cubbie clubbers may want their parents to stay with them as well.

Tip: Once you recruit these Cubbie parents, make sure to train them and serve them well; they may "catch the bug" and be with you as their children progress through Sparks, T&T, Trek and Journey.

5. Dads for gametime- Dad's love playing games. Getting them to lead games may be a great way to get them involved in your ministry.

Tip: Once they have served for awhile during games, you can ask them occasionally to give a large group message or fill in as a small group leader.

6. Student Leaders- Don’t overlook teenagers to serve in your club. In many clubs between half and two thirds of their leadership are teenagers. Teens can be a valuable asset for your club.

Tip: Give these teens real ministry, not just helping with coloring. Train them correctly, then ask them to lead small groups, lead a large group time and be game leaders.

7. Senior Saints- The senior saints in your church could be a great asset to your club. They have time and have a heart for children.

Tip: Many times senior saints are afraid to commit to the entire club year as they want to be free to travel to visit grandkids, vacation, etc. Asking them to lead a small group "part time" when they are available could be a good way to approach them.

8. On call volunteers- Some volunteers cannot commit to the entire club year because of work schedules, etc, But, may be available to help on a limited basis or for specific tasks, ie Awana Grand Prix workers, Bible Quiz, etc.

Tip: Develop a list of on call volunteers who you can call on to fill in when your regular leaders are sick, or have work/ family conflicts.

9. Empower others to recruit- You are not the only one who can recruit. Most likely, everyone in your ministry travels in a different social circle than you do. Asking them to tap into those contacts to fill roles in your club could be a great strategy.

Tip: Ask each one of your club directors to recruit for their clubs.

Recruiting is not a problem to be solved, but a tension that needs to be managed. Recruiting volunteers is an ongoing process; never stop recruiting. Use these ideas as well as develop your own to fill roles in your club. Many of us feel as though we are always on the edge of having enough volunteers. I believe this is the Lord's way of having us relying on Him. Develop the strategies necessary to fill the roles in your club, but always remember this is God's ministry; He will bring those needed to reach His children in your community.

Creating an environment to attract volunteers

As I travel around visiting Awana clubs, one of the most common things I'm asked by Awana Ministry Directors or Club Directors is “How do I get more volunteers?” Usually, these AMD’s are looking for the one silver bullet that will solve their volunteer recruiting problems, ie if they do XYZ, or if they have the perfect recruiting pitch, all will be good. My experience has shown something different. The Awana clubs that are successful with their recruiting strategy take a much more holistic approach to recruiting, training and developing volunteers. Potential volunteers usually are not interested in “helping out”, but are very interested in being part of a winning team. Here are some foundational things to think about related to developing the right kind of culture to attract volunteers to your ministry.

1. Is your club well disciplined? Are you successfully using the 5 count, 3 count and positive points to maintain order and discipline? Do potential volunteers view your ministry opportunity as something where they would have to wrangle unruly and troubled children, or would they view your ministry as something where they would be allowed to disciple and build lasting faith with these children. You, as AMD or club director are responsible for maintaining this discipline so that volunteers can thrive in your ministry.
2. Are you communicating your ministry successes to your church body, your parents and potential volunteers?  You'll be much more likely to recruit new volunteers if they are made aware of how God is using your ministry to reach kids for Christ. A facebook group or club newsletter sent home to parents, and/ or maybe inserted into your church bulletin (with your pastors permission), would be great ways to communicate how God is working in your ministry. An “Awana Sunday”,  It would be wise to not only use these communication tools to announce upcoming events and announcements, but also to share testimonies of new salvation decisions, disciple making events, missions opportunities
3. Are you clearly communicating what you want you’d want potential  volunteers to do?  If your volunteers don’t know what’s expected, they are less likely to raise their hand and step up. Having a written “job description” of what you’d like your volunteers to do is a great first step to this communication. Here are some resources Awana has prepared to help you communicate with potential volunteers. https://www.awana.org/you-belong-recruitment-tools
4. Are your leaders equipped to have a successful ministry?  Do you have a plan for how you will train and equip your new volunteers as well as ongoing training for your existing volunteers,  or is your training strategy simply “On the job”? Awana provides many training opportunities that you can use to equip your volunteers. Basic Training, annual Awana Ministry Conferences, leader training meetings, LEAD leadership development trainings are all opportunities provided by your local Awana Missionary. If you prefer to do the training yourself, Awana provides online Getting Started Training,  leader role books and a Getting Started Resource binder.

Bottom line, a successful recruiting strategy STARTS with creating an environment where your volunteers can survive and thrive. Serving God is not a burden, it is a discipleship opportunity for your volunteers. Are your volunteers moving closer to God or further away by serving in your ministry?

In my next blog post, I will give some very practical tips on where to look for volunteers for your ministry.

Reviving Your Small Group Time!

Using the summer break to set up your Awana club for success

Homestretch Handbook Time Help

Join Kelly Bullis and I for this 30 minute Google Hangout video workshop on how to help your clubbers finish their handbooks. Topics will include:

1. Why children should start memorizing scripture at a young age.
2. Teaching your clubbers how to work in their handbooks.
3. Connecting with your clubbers away from club.
4. The best way to organize the room to keep your clubbers attention
5. How to motivate your clubbers to finish.

Thoughts, tips and testimonies on how to reach more clubber parents and ...