Just got off the phone with Tammy Melchien. Tammy currently serves as the Executive Director of Kids’ City, the Children’s Ministry of Community Christian Church. CCC is a multi-site church with 8 locations in the Chicagoland area.
Her pastor wrote the book “The Big Idea”. It is a fantastic book that basically cast vision for the youth, children and adults to take home 1 thought that week instead of multiple different thoughts. It is the power of one consistent message to walk out that week.
Here are some of the main point Tammy said that stuck in my mind that further explain how the Big Idea works for kids.
– All series’ are hashed out between the children, adults, and student teams. If the series doesn’t work for one of the three age groups it is rarely done.
– The kids team takes the adult message content and comes up with a one sentence take away.
– Small Group leaders serve weekly, Kids communicators serve once a month.
– Tammy said that in writing the curriculum it is important to base the lesson that week in a tangible story in the bible. For example when talking about love with students or adults using 1 Cor. 13. With kids you would talk more about Ruth and Naomi or David and Jonathan.
– When writing curriculum for the Big Idea they generally write with the smallest campus in mind so that everything is reproducible on every level.
– When they don’t match the adult service they do something fun and creative.
Tammy was very gracious and is doing great things in Chicago area. Hopefully someday I’ll be able to make it over to the big yellow box and check it out for myself. Check out their church site. Make sure you tell Jeff I said hi.