Real worship for real kids.
Children can not only worship God, they want to worship God. Many of them have just never been given the chance. God's Backyard is a real worship service. We sing worship songs, have a prayer time, give an offering, listen to scripture and even have a sermon! Everything we do is guided by the principle that we desire children to have a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Kids can have a deep love for Jesus, and we want to nurture this in their elementary years so they will have a spiritual foundation when they enter Middle and High School.
What Is God's Backyard?
God's Backyard is the children's worship service at St.
Luke United Methodist Church in Lexington, KY. We gather to worship God with
contemporary worship songs, many of which are played on the local Christian
radio stations. While we use multimedia in worship, our desire is that it's only
a tool to lead kids to Christ. My sermons are just that - real sermons, just
geared for elementary-aged kids. 
One novel aspect of God's Backyard is that our weekly scripture focus is the same that the adults hear in their worship service. We do this so that parents and children can drive home with the same scripture message.
Each month we highlight a specific scripture as our "Verse of the
Month," and encourage the kids to memorize it.
Unlike the adult worship service, in which the congregation simply hears a message, the children at God's Backyard break into small groups following the sermon to talk in more detail about what I shared and how it applies to their lives at home and school.
On the first Sunday of every month, we share the Lord's Supper together. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, taught that the Lord's Supper is one of the means through which we experience God's grace, and appropriate for all persons who are seeking Christ (in addition to the Lord's Supper, other 'means of grace' include scripture reading, praying, fasting, etc.). The Lord's Supper in God's Backyard is a special time, and the children respond with amazing reverence to this holy meal.
Once a month we also have a special service called KIDMO. This is an interactive, multimedia curriculum that teaches the children how to incorporate their faith into their daily lives. KIDMO is a lot of fun, and at times I think the adults enjoy it more than the children!
Every once in awhile, typically when I feel it's appropriate, I invite the children to ask forgiveness for the ways they've broken God's rules and to invite Jesus into their lives. We don't believe children need to wait until they enroll in a Confirmation class to make an affirmation of faith. When God is speaking to them, I believe they're ready.
What Do You Do with the Older Children?
Backyard Buddies are 5th and 6th graders who agree to take part in the morning leadership at God's Backyard. They welcome children as they arrive, take their prayer requests for our prayer time, serve as our worship team, take the offering, and help facilitate the small groups.
I can't emphasize enough the importance of these Backyard Buddies. They serve as role models for the younger kids, but are also developing spiritual leadership skills for themselves. Each year both they and their parents sign a covenant stating their commitment to God's Backyard. Once a month I meet with the Backyard Buddies for discipleship and leadership training.
Do You Need Adults to Help?
Adults in God's Backyard are much more than supervisors for children. They're godly examples for all of the children who attend. Adults Provide focus to the small groups, leading the children through a series of questions based on my sermon message. No advance preparation is required for these adult helpers. They just sit with the kids during worship and lead the small groups.
St. Luke United Methodist Church 2351 Alumni Drive, Lexington, KY 40517 (859) 269-4687
This page was last updated on 03/04/07.