What's the point of lunchtime clubs?

[Dave Roberts]

Similar to Lillie’s discussion on the ‘why’ of the activities that we do, I’ve been evaluating some of my clubs which are dwindling in numbers and have come to a central question: ‘What’s the purpose?’

apologies to Lillie- I didn’t want to hijack your discussion so I started another one!

I would love to hear from all those out there who do lunch clubs- what’s your aim for a typical session? Is it:

• purely about building relationships and/or promoting values?
• to educate students about Christianity?
• discipleship for students who are already Christian?
• (dare I say it...) evangelism?
• or something else completely?

And how do you measure success?

Join the discussion here at schoolswork.co.uk or below

[Tim Blake]

I am part of 2 after school clubs at the moment. They are both about building relationships, sharing God's story and discipling some who are already Christian. When I ran lunchtime clubs in London, the aim was pretty much the same although we had less children with a church background. Success in children's ministry can be hard to define but if they come back, you are doing well and then listening carefully to what children say can help you see how their faith is progressing. Occasionally a child will ask to make a commitment or be baptised (we never ask in a school environment) and that is obviously a big marker....

[jennie fytche]

I am part of a lunch time club in a school. We have been in existance for 4 years. We have many aims.
1. We are present in a non-christian school, often after club, we end up having conversations with staff members both christian and non christian which are evangelistic, often invited to Re lessons or assemblies because we are there.
2. It is relationship building. The group is in a pressured private school often the children need to chill, and chat in a safe environment.
3. Sharing Gods story, to those who have never heard and discipling those who have. It about making that 40 minutes the best in the childs life that week.
4. Being Church.. pastoral care especially at exam time, family stress moments, listening ear..Hoping that the children and staff are catching what christianity is as well as being taught Gods story
Can we measure success, it depends what we are measuring..
asking the children what they think their lunchtime club is for would reveal loads are the adults perceptions of the group the same as the childrens and I guess for the school itself.
Asking why the children keep returning.
Asking what would happen if the lunch time group is not there, do they miss you if you aren't there for a week.
If you are teaching about Christianity, has their knowledge increased. Quizes etc.
Really stumped at how we measure whether a child has a relationship with God unless it is revealed through spiritual gifts and fruits and children feel able to tell there testimony

Hope this helps.

[Graeme]

It's often so difficult for us to critically examine stuff that was the bread and butter of children's ministry from the days we started out. I know that I've moved away from lunchtime groups and classic schools ministry to launch citizenship assemblies, high quality tech driven presentations that the schools book and pay for year after year in an attempt to build a more even church school relationship.

Otherwise I felt that we were always perceived as willing to come in at the drop of a hat, be shuffled in rooms, rebooked and not seen as serious about quality. I use the presentations as pump primers for the other fuzzy edges to church and identify success when we get great feedback from teachers and staff alike (using feedback packs we hand out) and then make connections with the kids in activities a step closer to church.

[jennie fytche]

Graeme, it sounds like you a doing great stuff that is having a great inpact. However I wouldn't want people to be mislead. The 40 minutes of a lunch time club can be high tech,and high quality too, and hugely relational. I am taken seriously by the school, interviewed before I could go in, have a volunteer contract and all resources are paid for by the school.Somehow don't the two forms of schools outreach compliment each other, God working through both effectively.

[Tim Blake]

I agree with you Jennie, plus we are there to serve and sometimes that means accepting being shuffled about but it may at times mean taking a stand on such issues. I also believe that everything we do in schools should be of high quality and in my experience, this has been recognised by the children and teachers

[Graeme]

Fair point and I obviously cannot comment on your situation, I was just reflecting that a lot of midweek lunch time schools activities, by the very nature of being squeezed into the middle of the school day in and around lunch, have little time for set up. Also from the ones I have experienced have lacked a spirit of excellence. I am a chair of governors at a local primary school and see the vast difference between the staff and children's response to the various church inputs into the school.

I'm sure that there are many midweek provisions that are amazing, but going back to the whole purpose of this thread it's worth thinking critically about what you are trying to achieve, how you measure success. For me it's getting the church known, building working relationships on a professional level with the staff and opening up opportunities to covert those relationships into opportunities for staff and pupils to experience a highly relevant modern church which presents the message of God in todays culture.

How about anyone else, don't want to end up dominating conversation!

[jennie fytche]

Ok Graeme I agree there is a need to critically reflect upon our practice and how we relate to the children and staff we meet. I agree it is very important that we evaluate the work we do and continually develop professional relationships with those around us, producing a good standard of childrens outreach and ministry. Measuring success is always a difficult subject to consider... what is success with in Christian ministry to children our expectation would be to convert all we meet, but I think great success is achieved if only 1 child turns to Christ. I may not think that is efficient use of resources and time, but for that 1 child it is amazing.
Thank-you Graeme and Tim for a thought provoking discussion today, its good to hear of others work. God bless you both in your ministry.