CHILDREN'S MINISTRY
God Bless Us Every One
by Brandy Hines
As teachers in the church, we are uniquely situated to provide education, guidance, love, and example to children who enter our classroom. We have a brief period of time each week to identify the needs of these children and address them to the best of our abilities.
If we spend any length of time teaching children’s Sunday school, we will undoubtedly encounter children with special needs, be them physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual. How do we identify these children and what do we do once we recognize that God has provided us with the privilege of being the presence of Christ to a child in need?
First, we must approach teaching children as a privilege and opportunity, rather than one more thing that we have to do or a burden that we accepted under undue pressure from someone in our church or family.
We must also pay attention to each child. In the whirlwind of lesson preparation, classroom management, activities, stories, watching our time, etc., we easily can find ourselves too distracted to notice the subtle signs indicating that a child might require particular assistance. Ministry often occurs in the spontaneous conversations and activities that happen in our lives. “Teachable moments” abound where children are concerned, and if we are diligent and careful, we can make use of these moments to both guide children in “the way that they should go” (Proverbs 22:6) and identify additional areas of ministry with them.
Inasmuch as you are able, communicate with the child’s parent or guardian regarding your area(s) of concern. Keep in mind that parenting a differently-abled child can be very difficult, so offer the parents support as well. Also, try to provide parents with encouraging words about their children’s work that is completely separate from their challenges.
In addition to having the opportunity to care for the child with special needs, we also have the opportunity to teach other children how to treat those who may look or behave differently from them. By valuing each child ourselves and by refusing to tolerate behavior that might hurt those with special needs, we can help create spirits of tolerance and justice in the children in our class. Also, every child needs love and attention, so avoid the tendency to focus on the child with special needs to the detriment of other children.
In addition to some basic principles as to identifying and caring for children with special needs, there are also some specific identifiers and approaches, depending on the need itself.
For those children with physical disabilities, try to examine each activity you have planned for a particular day and take what steps necessary to ensure that physically-challenged children can still participate. This might involve preparing art activities in a bit more detail for a particular child or planning out how a game might be played to accommodate a child’s specific challenge.
Caring for children with mental disabilities will likely also require some advance preparation. As you have gotten to know the differently-abled child in your class, you will get a sense of what might help the child participate fully.
Providing for children with attention/behavioral challenges can be a little less concrete. Talk with parents to ensure consistency with the approach they have already developed at home and with teachers at school. Remind yourself that many attention/behavioral challenges stem from chemical or environmental sources rather than mean-spiritedness or spite.
If you suspect abuse of any kind, you are legally bound to report it to the authorities. This reporting can (and probably should) be done in conjunction with the ministerial staff at your church. If you have the opportunity, take a course on signs of abuse and be aware when those signs are present. You are also required to file a report if you believe that a child is a danger to him/herself or another.
Familiarize yourself with resources in your community that might provide additional assistance to families of children with special needs and be prepared to offer referrals when necessary.
Recognize when you are involved in a situation for which you are not trained or prepared. Discuss with your ministerial staff the best way to handle a circumstance that is outside your area of ability. Willingness to hand a situation to someone who is trained to address it is often the best thing you can do for a child with special need, although you are not required to then abandon the situation all together – you can still provide a supportive presence.
Working with children is a challenge and a privilege and with dedication, perseverance and God’s loving guidance, you can ensure that each child’s time with you is filled with love and the presence of Christ.
Brandy Hines, originally from Mississippi, is currently a CPE resident at Baptist Hospital East in Louisville, Kentucky. She received her B.S. in Microbiology from Mississippi University for Women and her M.Div. from Baptist Seminary of Kentucky. Over the years, she has served as a youth minister, a children’s minister, and a hospital chaplain.
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