Harvest

Next Step for Kids

The Bible says, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."

The Next Step for Kids audio discipleship curriculum is a tool to help children who have accepted Jesus into their hearts to take the next step in building a strong foundation in their faith and in their relationship with Jesus as Lord and Savior.

They'll meet nine-year-old T.J.—who has just become a Christian—his friend Daniel, and their families.

There is always a need for additional help in the Children's Ministry. The more help we have, the greater and more effective our ministry can be.

You needn't worry about being trained; we have devised a training packet that you can take home. It contains a booklet of information and two training CDs that you can listen to and complete in the convenience of your home. There is a short quiz that you will need to fill out when you are finished. This will need to be turned in to the Children's Ministry Office with the CDs.

You only need to commit to serving for six months at a time. We rotate all of our workers every six months; this prevents burn-out, and gives you the opportunity to move to another area or take a break for a full rotation period.

There are many different departments or areas you can choose to serve in:

• Teacher: responsible for leading the class, teaching the lessons, and leading other activities unless designated to the assistant.
• Assistant: assists the teacher, disciplines the class (see section on discipline in Training Manual), manages restroom visits; and helps with preparing crafts, games, etc.
• MYT: serves as a junior assistant (see below).
• Ministry Arts: you can help in several areas: set-up, tear-down, acting, puppets, worship, etc.
• Extended Care: provides a safe, structured environment for those students who are here for more than one service (games, crafts, playground, etc.)
• R.O.C.K. (Reaching Out Challenging Kids) Puppeteers: being part of a small team that visits the toddlers in the classroom.
• Office Worker: serves the volunteers and public and runs the Children's Ministry Office Counter.
• Supply Room Worker: serves volunteers with copies, coupons, materials, and supplies for running the classroom.
• Security: maintains close vigilance of the Children's Ministry facilities and occupants, distributes flyers, greets new families and escorts them to class, enforces policies and procedures, etc. This position requires a more in-depth training and screening.
• Special Needs Assistant: works with children, one-on-one, allowing them to be a part of the classroom activities and learning.

There are just a couple of prerequisites to becoming involved in this ministry:

• You need to be a born-again Christian for at least six months to be an assistant. To be a teacher, you need to have been a Christian for at least a year.
• You need to be in regular weekly fellowship in at least one of our weekly services.
• You will need to fill out a Ministry Questionnaire and turn it in to the Children's Ministry Office. We will take a photograph and fingerprints for our files. Also, you will need to bring a driver's license with you.

Ministry Youth Trainee (MYT)

We found we had many areas of need in our classrooms and not enough adults to fill all the needs. What we did have were a lot of youth who wanted more in their walk with Jesus. That's when the Ministering Youth Trainee (MYT) Program was born.

As Christians, we are taught the importance of reading our Bibles, prayer, sharing our faith with others, and fellowship. However, we have found that service is not usually taught, especially to kids, as one of the things needed for spiritual growth. Through service, we learn to be an active member of the body of Christ and to put our faith into action. We also grow spiritually as we learn humility, dedication, commitment, and many other godly attributes.

Through the many years this program has been in existence here at Harvest, we have observed the positive effects it has had on those who have participated and the ministry as a whole.

MYTs also benefit by using their service time for the community service requirements in most schools. Being an MYT also helps prove you're goal-orientated, dedicated, and responsible for future college applications. You'll also learn many godly character traits that will carry you through your life. But most importantly, being an MYT allows you the joy and contentment of giving back to Jesus!

What is required?

You must be a born-again Christian and fellowship regularly at Harvest in an age-appropriate class/service. You must be between the ages of 11 and 15. You must also fill out an MYT Ministry Questionnaire and attend an MYT Training Meeting prior to beginning in the program. We would love to have you join our team of youth servants.

Check the calendar for upcoming training sessions.