Why do people hate Bible bucks?
Colossians 3:23-24
23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Do rewards have a place in children’s ministry?
I believe there is a place but have found some well founded hatred of “Bible Bucks”. Bible bucks is the generic name in Christian sub-culture for child focused reward system.
I have been thinking a lot about how I want to revamp and fix our system. I stopped doing our “rockstore” about a year ago for a variety of reasons. Like most of our processes I have though long and hard about why we do what we do and have decided to make the following changes.
1. We will give wooden tokens out as an incentive. I chose wooden nickels over paper money because it goes along with our theme of a city, I feel it has a subway token feel. Also our web address is on each one so at the very worst they a promo piece.
2. We will give everyone 1 token for coming. We will not give tokens for bringing a friend.
3. We will give out 2 tokens for completing a bible study each day verified by their parents. We will not give tokens for bringing a bible to church.
4. We will give tokens occasionally for winning games. We will not give tokens for good behavior.
5. We will open our store each day after our kids worship experience. All items will be 1 token. That way every kid can get something
I believe doing this way will enhance our Uptown experience. I believe that a reward system done right can enhance what you do. The focus of everything you do must be a very hands on bible based experience. Anytime you are bribing kids to behave I believe you have much bigger problems than “Bible Bucks”.
Tomorrow I will share some of the views of my children’s ministry comrades.
I will end today with a quote from one of friends that is very applicable.
“What God blesses as a supplement, He curses as a substitute.”
No pictures of your tokens?
I think what you are doing with the tokens is a marvelous idea.
I began my own series blogging about my issues with Bible Bucks: http://www.childrensministryonline.com/blog/fresh-ideas/my-beef-with-bible-bucks-why-do-you-do-it/
However, I believe what you are doing is something I personally haven’t seen. It appears you are being very specific what the tokens are for, why they might get them. Completing a Bible Study at home to receive a token or two is good… I’m still not convinced I would do it… but then again, I don’t know. There is just too much idealist in me.
So, from what I see here, it looks like you’re one of the ministries that may be using an incentive program where it isn’t the backbone of the program, but just one of the things that adds to the overall experience. As I’ve told you before, I’d love to see it for myself one day… maybe the next time I’m in Utica…