Initially eye level clubs might be about simply making contacts and building quality friendships, with an intention of talking about Jesus in time, so that the children or young people meet Jesus through God’s people. They will focus on activities or on developing skills, such as drama, chess, music, football, astronomy, cookery or other hobbies. They could be homework clubs for children whose parents work late.
There are potential openings for churches and Christians to run clubs if the government goes ahead with suggested plans for ‘wrap around childcare’ in schools, whereby children could arrive for a breakfast club and stay late after school until their parents have finished work.
But if the group is at the right stage, the club could focus on Bible-based activities that help those who come to meet Jesus through the God’s word as well as through the leaders. As the key aim is to make the clubs suitable for those who are unconnected with church the leaders will make no assumptions about any Christian knowledge among those who come. eye level clubs are therefore appropriate as school Christian clubs.
All eye level clubs will have certain features about the way that they ‘feel’:
- eye level clubs emphasise times when children or young people and adults can talk together, allowing everyone to ask questions and discover answers.
- Leaders of an eye level club do not make assumptions about the religious knowledge or spiritual experience of those who come.
- eye level clubs are often low key, low tech events which may happen midweek or at a weekend; weekly, monthly or as a short series.
- Friendships developed in an eye level club are respectful, supportive and non-exploitative. Leaders show Jesus to those who come.
Eye to eye
eye level clubs are opportunities to build quality friendships with children to enable them to build friendships with Jesus. eye level clubs place a strong emphasis on interaction between children and adults. eye level clubs will:
- Allow the children or young people and adults to build friendships as they talk together about their lives, hopes and fears and where God fits into all this
- Allow the young people or children to ask questions and to discover answers
- Have an emphasis on times when the children or young people and adults talk together, especially about Jesus and where he, and Bible truths, fit into our lives.
Lives to live
The lives of leaders should reflect Jesus. Leaders need to be committed to working with the children or young people for as long as the opportunity allows, modelling Jesus’ ongoing love and care for them. eye level club leaders will be people who are:
- Growing with God
- Committed to following Jesus
- Committed to the work and to those who come for more than just the time of the club each week
Truths to tell
In Bible-based clubs all the activities work towards communicating truths from the Bible. Where possible this includes small group work so that everyone can be involved in discussion and activity at an appropriate level in ways that help them to belong and to be involved. These clubs will:
- Have a clear Bible focus for each session
- Encourage and enable the children to become familiar with the Bible
- Help children to interact with the Bible so that God can apply its message to their lives
Activity or skill-based clubs will work towards talking about Jesus in natural ways, making the most of the opportunities that arise.
What Scripture Union is doing
Firstly we are publishing a series of resources designed to help you fulfil these aims.
Target Challenge contains eight sessions for a mid-week club. This can be used on its own but has strong links with the Champion's Challenge holiday club material so would be ideal as a follow up for Champion's Challenge. This web site also contains downloadable resources intended to go with the book.
High Five! contains eight sessions for a mid-week club. This can be used on its own but has strong links with the Wastewatchers holiday club material so would be ideal as a follow up for Wastewatchers. This web site also contains downloadable resources intended to go with the book.
So, Why God? features twelve sessions (in two blocks of six) for a mid-week club or special event for children. It takes genuine questions children have asked about God and Christianity and helps them find the answers through the Bible and through the testimony of their leaders.
Rocky Road contains ten sessions for a mid-week club. Join Moses on the Rocky Road to make the dramatic escape from Egypt and then wander with God's people in the desert. Children will discover how we too can become God's people and how he wants us to live. There are accompanying downloadable resources to go with this book.
Clues2Use contains eight sessions for a mid-week club. This can be used on its own but has strong links with the Landlubbers holiday club material so would be ideal as a follow up for Landlubbers. It uses a special edition of the Jesus Quest film (a development of the world-renowned JESUS film) on DVD to present the Bible stories. This web site again has downloadable resources to go with the book.
Awesome! provides a further eight sessions for a mid-week club. There is a leaders manual and the Awesome DVD to help you (or you could use the Signposts video). This web site also contains downloadable resources to go with the book.
Streetwise was our first resource, and provides eight sessions for a mid-week club or special event for children. There is a leaders manual and a Streetwise DVD to help you in this work. As usual, this web site has downloadable resources to go with the book.
There are also some examples of eye level clubs which might give you some ideas. These are documents for you to print out (you'll need Adobe Reader for this, available free from www.adobe.com/downloads).
Secondly, we intend to use this web site as a means of developing our thinking on reaching children who are beyond the church. You can be involved by registering your club, and by contributing to the discussion on our eye level bulletin board.