• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

CentriKid

  • About
    • About CentriKid
    • FAQ’s
    • Become a Staffer
    • Office Team
    • Parent Page
    • Group Leader Information
  • Camps
    • By Location
    • By Month
    • Day Camp
    • Typical 5-Day Schedule
    • Typical 3-Day Schedule
    • Typical Day Camp Schedule
  • Resources
    • Promotional Resources
    • Kids Ministry Resources
    • Camp Extras
    • Music & Videos
  • Contact
  • Show Search
Hide Search

Value of Having Lunch With Kids

August 22, 2012 By centrikid

 

Whether you are a parent, teacher, minister, small group leader, or just a friend to a child, there are exciting times to be had when you share a meal with them.

I recall my days in middle & high school when our Campus Life leader would come to visit at school.  I hoped he would talk to me, sit by me, and affirm my worth in front of my peers.  Maybe he would speak to my friends about Jesus in a way that I could not.  His presence would break up the routine of the day-to-day lunch rush in the school cafeteria.  He was just there to build relationships.

So I asked myself as an adult, how could I show these children they were important and deserved special attention? Their friends were worth meeting, and they had something to share.  How could we make it fun?  How could I make it memorable?  

 

For five years I had the privilege of going to 32 Elementary schools and home school gatherings to enjoy a meal with kids from our church.  Every Tuesday & Thursday I went to a different school and sat in a cafeteria from about 10:45am-1:00pm, moving around the room to visit with our kids.  I listen, ask questions, and use my presence as an opportunity to help the child be bold to share their faith.

You can learn a lot about your children over pizza and tater-tots.  It allowed me to poke around into a child’s spiritual life, home life, or listen for clues to what or who is important to this child.  When bigger issues arose and I was needed as a minster to help them with tough times or celebrate with their decisions, we had already built some rapport.

 

Use personal touches to help break the ice. I rode my motorcycle to visit them.  I wore my leather biker jacket and boots and brought in my helmet. This always started some kind of conversation. I brought my digital camera and obtained prior permission from the parents to visit their child and take their picture. At the end of each month, I would print out each picture of a child with me and mail it to them. Each photo said “Thanks for having lunch with Mr. Shane.”

Something amazing happens when you can be a little silly and have some fun with a kid over a meal.   I still have many good relationships with those kids who are now serving with me in ministry that are High School, College, and young adults.  Relationships over a meal can go farther than I ever dreamed.

This is a guest post from Shane Pass, Minister to Children, at Clearview Baptist Church in Franklin, TN. Shane is a great friend of CentriKid Camps! To connect with Shane, visit his blog HERE.

Primary Sidebar

Lifeway Registration Center

  • registration@lifeway.com
  • 1-877-CAMP-123
Manage Account Online
Contact the Office Team
2021-theme find-a-camp group-leader
  • About
    • About CentriKid
    • Office Team
    • Become a Staffer
    • Parent Page
    • FAQ
  • Info
    • Group Leader Page
    • OMC – Organized Mass Chaos
  • Camps
    • By Location
    • Day Camp
    • Typical 5-Day Schedule
    • Typical 3-Day Schedule
    • Typical Day Camp Schedule
  • Resources
    • Promotional Resources
    • Kids Ministry Resources
    • Camp Extras
    • Music & Videos
  • Questions? Contact Us!
    • 1-877-CAMP-123
    • Lifeway Kids
    • Manage Your Account
    • Registration Policy
Copyright © 2021 · Lifeway. All rights reserved.
New Deposit Deadline and COVID-19 Update
CLICK TO LEARN MORE