Angeline preparing a DK1 lesson with the help of her daughter.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, KKMC’s Children’s Ministry has had to be creative in teaching children from their homes. Find out from Angeline, our DiscipleKids1 teacher, on how the DK1 Youtube channel was born.
Angeline preparing a DK1 lesson with the help of her daughter.
When Sunday School ceased in late March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, DiscipleKids (DK) teachers had to think of a way for the children to continue learning about God from home. For DK1, lesson outlines were sent out regularly to the parents of our DK1 children.
With time, however, it seemed that those weekly messages were becoming more a burden than a blessing – an added “to do” for our young parents already juggling the new normal of working from home while guiding their children with home-based learning. Clearly, we were not connecting with either parents or children.
By May, while the older DK classes had readily transitioned to meeting on virtual platforms, it still seemed too great a leap to take. Finding myself unable to function in traditional Sunday School teacher mode, yet unable to envisage our usually lively DK1 class effectively going virtual, I stalled and was contemplating withdrawing from Children’s Ministry all together.
But praise be to God, He is faithful even when we are faithless (2 Timothy 2:13)! The Lord dealt with me – correcting, comforting, and challenging me. He seeded a wonderful idea through a children’s ministry channel and cooking videos on YouTube. He inspired and encouraged through DK2 teachers Claire and Jae who generously offered their help. And He sent practical onsite help through the timely return home of my daughter.
So in late May, by God’s grace, our DK1 limited YouTube channel (with tech savvy daughter as producer and tech dinosaur mother as presenter) was born! The children now receive access to a fresh video each week that includes an illustrated Bible lesson and the explanation of a Bible verse. Simple acapella worship songs were added in July.
As parents gave us feedback, we attempted improvements to our amateur production values –especially to get clearer sound quality in these videos.
Angeline transporting the children to Egypt during a YouTube DK lesson.
In this new normal for teaching, the children can receive the weekly Bible lesson at a time that works with their family schedule. The children can send in video clips, drawings, or written responses to the lesson and be encouraged as they “see” each other on screen. The parents are getting better support and their feedback has been encouraging.
DK1 student Anya shows Angeline and the teachers her responses to the lesson through drawings.
This teacher is so thankful that the Lord has provided all that is needed for His Word to continue to reach these six- and seven-year-olds whom He dearly loves. Each week’s lesson preparation and presentation is a fresh reminder that every opportunity He gives us in His Word is to be treasured and not lightly given up.
His mercies are indeed new every morning! Great is His faithfulness! (Lamentations 3:23)
