The Toolbox: Choosing a Curriculum for Ministry

Choosing a curriculum for any program in Children’s ministry is an increasing challenge and constant learning process, but also one of the primary responsibilities of the director. The challenge is that there is so much out there, and I hate to say it, but the majority of it ends up as moralistic teachings and character development, which is hardly worth the glossy paper it’s printed on. And the other challenge is that there is no perfect curriculum out there that will fit exactly what you need, and to be honest, I wouldn’t want one to exist anyway. If there was a perfect curriculum that fit every need, I have a feeling we would get pretty lazy and forget that it’s about the relationships we build, rather than the perfectly easy components of a quick lesson.
Above all we are to cloak our decisions in prayer, and move ahead in faith that the Holy Spirit is accomplishing his work in our weakness. Here are some of the questions I ask when choosing a curriculum:

1) What is the vision of the Children’s Ministry of Christ Church? (Worship, Discipleship, growth in grace, covenantal theology)
2) Are the lessons moral based (i.e. outward action) or heart based (inner transformation that leads to outward action)?
3) Doctrinal purity, in line with the Presbyterian faith. What is the publisher’s view of Scripture?
4) What are the social factors of our church? (how many kids, family backgrounds, age groups, special needs)
5) Year round curriculum? Thematic or topical?
6) Is the curriculum learner based, with an emphasis toward different learning styles?
7) How much of the activity is entertainment, media based (DVDs, etc.) rather than application, interaction (definitely my preference)? Is it fad-based?
8) Cost—what can our budget afford?

Curriculum, though very important, is simply a single tool to be used in a full toolbox of options. It is the teachers, the parents and the covenantal community of Christ Church that will make an everlasing difference in the lives of our children. Additional tools of music (hymns and worship songs), catechism, and bible memory are also necessary for the answer of why we believe the stories we learn on Sunday morning.

So, with all that fresh in your minds, here is the current list of curriculae we are using this Fall 2009 semester of the Christ Church PCA Children’s Ministry:

Nursery/Preschool Worship Hour: We are attempting to integrate more worship styles in the nursery and preschool times so that our children will know that Sundays are special, and are all about learning and worshipping our Lord and Savior. So, we use FaithWeavers and GCP's Show Me Jesus.

Children’s Worship: John Piper’s Children Desiring God mid-week curriculum, 26 weeks of worshipping the Creator through the first chapter of Genesis, called: He Has Been Clearly Seen!

Preschool Sunday School hour: Children’s Ministry International’s Catechism program.

K-5th Grade Sunday School: Group’s FaithWeavers 3 year rotational, through the Bible curriculum. Strengths: Solid Bible teaching that includes all 8 levels of learning, every age learns the same story at the same time, with a deeper understanding as the child matures in the faith. We separate the boys and girls during lesson time which is preceded by a half hour long conjoined age group for music and Bible memory.

4th-5th Grade boys: David C. Cook's Reformation Press upper elementary series.