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The Keyboards for Christ Music Program/Keyboards for Christ Music Ministry
What about ME? by Dan Wheeler
 
In our churches today to Often as leaders we want the programs given to us, to save hard work. We have established food pantries, soup kitchens, and other assistance to adults. But what about the spiritual needs of the children? Yes, we have Sunday School, and Vacations Bible School, but what about the reason for which we all were created?
What about the place our children take in our WORSHIP. How much do we really teach them about true worship?
Perhaps some churches do, only you know that answer and this program and article is available to you free to bring to your church a new and refreshing, an exciting program filled with energy for your youth education and most of all an OUTREACH from your church to the community, not just the children but their parents. Yes, the parents.
You see today with the cost of living in many countries including the United States is so high parents cant afford to give their children music lessons. Music lessons run between $10.00, 15.00 dollars and up. In some Countries the parents have a struggle just to feed, cloth, and house their children. Music lessons becomes something that children 'dream' about. As we know many thousands of children simply die everyday around the world from sickness and hunger.
This program is not to take away from the trained music teacher, nor to replace the music teacher, and this program is for ALL children, but to give to the community a means to meet the needs of children and parents that would normally not be exposed to music in any way due to many reason's, one being expense.
Many children including those who come from upper class American have never been exposed to the Bible in any way or form. So "expect the unexpected" children of all walks of life will be present in your program, not just the ones of the parents that cannot afford to give their children lessons, you will have children who even already take music lessons. So in general the mix for the lesson will be both. For this is the purpose of this program....to make a difference one child at a time.
You now can make a difference in both their spiritual needs and fill that gap of offering these little ones music. Both working hand in hand. Music through the use of God's Word.....The Bible.
Several things are very important about any program we have to understand children in general, understand the unique pressures and needs they have, before we can effectively operate any program we must come down to the childrens level and then and only then we will understand the children's needs and the program will be effective.
For after all we are all to become as little children?
The Church and this program?
RELATION CENTERED
Any ministry to children will be most effective if one will seek to relate and listen to the children and not speak at them. In our society today where home relationships are failing at 50% the brokeness of the family is effecting the well being of children emotionally and spiritually as they reach out for that understanding love and warmth which a normal family brings. As a church (Family) we must reach out to these children where children can find warm relationships to help them develop in a healthy way. The Keyboards for Christ Music Program brings children together in such a setting where they learn God's love while learning to play music from more then just the notes but from the expression of the differences of each child yet bonded together as one in Christ Jesus. They make new friends, while being creative without the need to excel or be the best, number One as the world outside the church takes such a journey. For it is said that MUSIC calms the very soul. For as one King was troubled David and his music calmed such a soul.
The Keyboards for Christ Music Program understands the needs of the child
As we develop relationships with children we will begin to understand their needs. The question, “What are the needs of the children we are targeting, and of children in general?” In the Keyboards for Christ Music Program we try to meet the needs of children. The aim of a program is to bring children to Christ and to build them up, according to their needs, as we are all Gods children. Through a balance of scriptures and music the children are allowed to be simply who they are children. We are all created equal and have the right to choose. By teaching God's Word in the light of music it is neither done forcefully or drilled into their minds.
We are told to aim high today, the Keyboards for Christ Music Program has a goal....to make a difference if it is in just one child's life. At Wurlitzer when I worked as A concert Artist one year they came out with a new product line and slogan " Expect the Unexpected" you and your church should expected great things from God.
If we aim at nothing we will probably hit nothing. To evaluate our ministry to children, we must know what we are trying to achieve. While most leaders have good intentions, this is not the same as good goals. Programs such as VBS are always well attended because of the excitement driven behind the themes. The excitement behind the Keyboards for Christ Music Program is that children handcraft the instruments and learn about them and how to play them. You will see a sense of well being and pride among them as they take their instruments home, they have accomplished a great thing.
This program is proven to work and the tools you need to make it successful are provided for you free. I recommend that before your church starts this program that you get together for a dedication service and prayer to offer the harvest to the Lord for it bears his name, Keyboards for Christ. You should also consider what goals you might want to achieve by asking these questions?
* What are we hoping to achieve in conduction this program?
The theme of the Keyboards for Christ Music Program is one to balance both the scriptures with music together.
By Having a theme the Keyboards for Christ Music Program will ensure that each time the children come to the lesson this communicates one vocal point, that the class time has unity and progression and that children will go away having “got the message.” By the excitement of the children handcrafting biblical musical instrument by themselves, taking them home and showing them off to friends and their families that will arouse the interest of other children and get them talking about it.
A Child is a Child but must be taken seriously
Children need to be treated seriously. In order to do that we must come down to a child's level in these areas. They are not either spiritual or physical beings. They are a combination of spiritual, physical, emotional and intellectual dimensions. In the Keyboards for Christ program we must try to show signs that we are meeting the child as an individual who needs to be, think and do in order to develop as a healthy person. This is by no means a “starched shirt,” “Holy then thou,” or “just fun” approach for they are not sufficient. This program should help the child to release energy, stimulate them intellectually, and touch them emotionally and spiritually.
A Creative approach to teaching the Word of GOD
The system of learning that the children are used to at school is an experiential approach. The “sit-and-listen-to-my-program” approach will not bring children back the following week. The task of the leader is to discover creative ways to teach children while they are having fun. The use of games, role-play, story telling and visual aids will encourage the children to learn through discovery. An active audience will learn more than a passive one! While children need some form of order and tradition in each meeting, the form of the meeting should contain variety and great surprise.
Children learn about Worship and to express themselves from within
Give children an opportunity to sing songs that express their gratitude to Jesus for being their friend and Savior and an opportunity for them to speak to Him in prayer even if it is just a word or two. They are able to have a meaningful relationship with the Lord and this should be encouraged to take on a corporate dimension. The songs chosen should center on the program theme. I like to take the children in the the church and show them the instruments and even I have had a time when they sat at the instruments and played them. It is important to teach them respect for the instruments and the place of worship. I like to add this time at the end of the class before the prayer and them entering into the UNWIND time of fellowship and refreshment. Sometimes you can ask a church musician to come and show the instruments and play a short song for them.
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