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Do You Have the Courage to Go Out There?

Cartoon of two boys talking. One says, "There's an excessive pollen warning for this area, and they're taking us outdoors. Don't they care about severe weather warnings?"
Previously published in "K! Kidzmatter Magazine"

There are warning signs that are legitimate. As I write this, we are experiencing the beginnings of the Coronavirus/COVID-19 spread in the United States. It would be foolish to ignore the warnings such as those broadcast by the World Health Organization:

  • Wash your hands frequently
  • Cough into your bent elbow
  • Don’t travel to places that are in the midst of the outbreak

At the same time, there can be a lot of misinformation out there. And if you spend enough time on the Internet, you will find warnings that are overly cautious or just plain wrong.

When I drew this cartoon, I thought about how we can get overly cautious. It’s true that pollen can really mess with people. I’ve had hay fever over the years and I am not a fan of the time of year when goldenrod is in full bloom. Still, for most people, it’s not a severe weather event.

There are times when it takes courage to go out there into the world. It remains to be seen if all the conferences that are getting canceled due to COVID-19 are legitimate or overkill. We won’t know the full impact until much later. But in the meantime, we need to keep living and do the activities that make life full.

How are you handling this outbreak and all the warnings? Let us know in the comments.

Cartoon of two boys talking. One says, "There's an excessive pollen warning for this area, and they're taking us outdoors. Don't they care about severe weather warnings?"
Previously published in “K! Kidzmatter Magazine”
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Have You Ever Regretted Your Timing?

Cartoon of a teacher watching hyper kids. The caption reads, "Eric was SO close to get a spiritual truth across... then the sugary snacks kicked in."
Previously published in K! Kidzmatter Magazine

When I lead a large group of kids on a Sunday morning, there is a huge difference between the first and second hours.

The first hour brings in the zombie kids. They may or may not realize where they are. Some of their shoes are untied. The eyelids are half-opened. You may see a little drool at the corner of their mouths. Some are able to muster the strength to participate in the game or song.

The second hour brings in the kids that have had a chance to digest their breakfast. Their small group leaders probably gave them a treat. Yes, they have a little jump in their step. They are hyped and ready to go. The sugar has kicked in.

Timing can be really important whether you are teaching kids or have a presentation in front of a group. For adults, mornings may be the best time while you need to avoid the time just after lunch. For kids, mid-morning may be the best time to get your lesson across.

Have you ever had a time where you realized the timing of your lesson or presentation was off? Share your experience and what you learned from it in the comments.

Cartoon of a teacher watching hyper kids. The caption reads, "Eric was SO close to get a spiritual truth across... then the sugary snacks kicked in."
Previously published in K! Kidzmatter Magazine
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children's ministry children's ministry cartoons K! Magazine Kidzmatter Magazine Magazine

Activities, Coloring Pages, and Faith

Cartoon of a Sunday school teacher and a boy. The boy is coloring. He says, "How will my faith be enhanced by this coloring page?"
Previously printed in K: Kidzmatter Magazine

When I created this cartoon, I was poking fun at myself and the work I was doing. For about ten years, I had the privilege to create activity and coloring books for a publisher. I loved doing it and miss it even today.

I have spent scores of hours making activities, coloring pages and books. I have also spent a lot of time in classrooms relying on activity pages for kids. I have even posted some of my creations on this blog and they continue to get traffic because Sunday school teachers are always needing a resource, especially when they have kids to teach and entertain.

Have I ever heard of a child coming to salvation through a word search or a maze? No, and I suppose we would be hard-pressed to find such stories, though anything is possible. See Luke 1:37.

Yet, I may never know how an activity pages may have helped reinforce a Bible story that may contribute to a future decision. Perhaps it is a bit of seed-sowing that will produce a harvest later.

At any rate, if I do more activity pages in the future, I know they may not the crucial puzzle piece to a testimony. I’ll walk a fine line between not being too serious about the endeavor and yet know it could be one tiny puzzle piece in a big picture.

Do you have any stories of activity pages or books that benefited you as a teacher or student? Let’s hear about it in the comments.

Cartoon of a Sunday school teacher and a boy. The boy is coloring. He says, "How will my faith be enhanced by this coloring page?"
Previously printed in K: Kidzmatter Magazine
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How do you keep change relevant?

Cartoon of two men staring a a church steeple with a windmill attached. One says, "It may be more 'green,' but I prefer the older steeple."
Copyright 2017 Kidzmatter Magazine

Often, churches and church people get a reputation for being resistant to change. “Worship Wars” continue as those who love traditional hymns duke it out with lovers of contemporary styles of worship. Changing an old chair in the lobby can be controversial if it was dedicated in memory of a dearly departed saint during the Eisenhower Administration. Adding a little fresh paint and new carpet to a classroom can cause consternation along with a little weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Continue reading “How do you keep change relevant?”
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children's ministry cartoons creativity Kidzmatter Magazine Magazine

Creativity Can Get Noisy

Cartoon of two girls looking at two boisterous boys. One girl says, "When it comes to boys, it isn't creativity until they make some rude noises."
Copyright ©2017 Kevin Spear & Kidzmatter Magazine

Creativity can come unexpectedly and in some amazing varieties. Sometimes, it takes some cutting up and a little obnoxious behavior to get the creative juices flowing. 

When I saw my three-year-old niece the other day, she was expressing some “noisy boy” creativity in the form of some rude noises. Perhaps rude noises aren’t limited by gender anymore. And it may do us good to act as carefree as a preschooler or preteen friends when it comes to creativity. May we all have a chance to express a little creativity with some friends today.

I drew this for Kidzmatter Magazine.

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