Comments on: My Beef with Bible Bucks: How do I get rid of them? http://childrensministryonline.com/elementary/my-beef-with-bible-bucks-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/ Thu, 17 May 2012 14:24:00 -0400 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Marie http://childrensministryonline.com/elementary/my-beef-with-bible-bucks-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/comment-page-1/#comment-103022 Marie Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:31:26 +0000 http://childrensministryonline.com/blog/fresh-ideas/my-beef-with-bible-bucks-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/#comment-103022 I help with a youth program in our very small church. A few mothers asked that we begin giving bible bucks to encourage children to remember thier memory verses. I wrestled with this for several weeks, because I firmly believe that the reward is to know the Word Of God. To offer bucks and prizes only confuses children and brings a worldly association to the Word. Children neeed to experiencce the power of the simple and most important reward-a living loving God that is present in thier lives. So, then this idea came to me. Sure, I will give out the bible bucks (I call them Bible Rewards) and promise the kids they will be able to trade them in at the last session of the year (in June). The bible story for that meeting will be the parable of the Workers In The Vinyard. Perfect. They will all have a different amount of "bucks" but they willl ALL recieve the same reward. And the reward will be something like a hand made cross or something meaningfull from our church. A lasting gift to tell them how special each of them is to the church and to God. Bless God for the wizdom that He has given me in this situation. I help with a youth program in our very small church. A few mothers asked that we begin giving bible bucks to encourage children to remember thier memory verses. I wrestled with this for several weeks, because I firmly believe that the reward is to know the Word Of God. To offer bucks and prizes only confuses children and brings a worldly association to the Word. Children neeed to experiencce the power of the simple and most important reward-a living loving God that is present in thier lives.
So, then this idea came to me. Sure, I will give out the bible bucks (I call them Bible Rewards) and promise the kids they will be able to trade them in at the last session of the year (in June). The bible story for that meeting will be the parable of the Workers In The Vinyard. Perfect. They will all have a different amount of “bucks” but they willl ALL recieve the same reward. And the reward will be something like a hand made cross or something meaningfull from our church. A lasting gift to tell them how special each of them is to the church and to God. Bless God for the wizdom that He has given me in this situation.

]]> By: Jane http://childrensministryonline.com/elementary/my-beef-with-bible-bucks-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/comment-page-1/#comment-67280 Jane Fri, 11 Mar 2011 17:05:00 +0000 http://childrensministryonline.com/blog/fresh-ideas/my-beef-with-bible-bucks-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/#comment-67280 I respect your thoughts but we love our Bible Bucks Store. We use a little different concept. Bible Bucks are given for coming to Sunday school (and behaving), bringing their Bible, bringing a friend and donating items to our monthly mission projects. Our items in the store are strictly donated by the members of the congregation. No money is ever spent out of church funds to stock the store. The children shop only 4 times a year and those shopping trips are prior to Easter, Mother's/Father's Day, Back to School and Christmas. The children are taught to buy gifts for their family and friends before buying themselves a small gift if they wish. It has really caught on well and even the preschoolers get into it and understand the gift-giving concept. Parents have commented that it has really changed their children into being more giving and considerate of others before themselves. We've been doing this for 3 years now and I plan to continue with minor tweeking here and there to keep it fun and exciting! I respect your thoughts but we love our Bible Bucks Store. We use a little different concept. Bible Bucks are given for coming to Sunday school (and behaving), bringing their Bible, bringing a friend and donating items to our monthly mission projects. Our items in the store are strictly donated by the members of the congregation. No money is ever spent out of church funds to stock the store. The children shop only 4 times a year and those shopping trips are prior to Easter, Mother’s/Father’s Day, Back to School and Christmas. The children are taught to buy gifts for their family and friends before buying themselves a small gift if they wish. It has really caught on well and even the preschoolers get into it and understand the gift-giving concept. Parents have commented that it has really changed their children into being more giving and considerate of others before themselves. We’ve been doing this for 3 years now and I plan to continue with minor tweeking here and there to keep it fun and exciting!

]]> By: Norma Cook http://childrensministryonline.com/elementary/my-beef-with-bible-bucks-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/comment-page-1/#comment-62321 Norma Cook Thu, 17 Feb 2011 00:42:37 +0000 http://childrensministryonline.com/blog/fresh-ideas/my-beef-with-bible-bucks-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/#comment-62321 I don't do a Bible Bucks promotion on an ongoing basis. The prizes come out of my own pocket, not the church coffers, so the kids only get their prizes once every month or at the end of the quarter. I work with 3rd-5th graders, and last quarter they worked for an ice cream party. They'd rather get their favorite candy than prizes, for some reason. I always limit each promotion to about 3 months to keep things fresh, anyway. I do like the idea of working toward gifts for others and hope to try that some time. We've always had service projects done separately, and the kids always love participating in those as well... I don’t do a Bible Bucks promotion on an ongoing basis. The prizes come out of my own pocket, not the church coffers, so the kids only get their prizes once every month or at the end of the quarter. I work with 3rd-5th graders, and last quarter they worked for an ice cream party. They’d rather get their favorite candy than prizes, for some reason. I always limit each promotion to about 3 months to keep things fresh, anyway. I do like the idea of working toward gifts for others and hope to try that some time. We’ve always had service projects done separately, and the kids always love participating in those as well…

]]> By: andrea wise http://childrensministryonline.com/elementary/my-beef-with-bible-bucks-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/comment-page-1/#comment-22845 andrea wise Thu, 29 Apr 2010 19:51:49 +0000 http://childrensministryonline.com/blog/fresh-ideas/my-beef-with-bible-bucks-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/#comment-22845 im about a year late jumping on this band-wagon but I just had another idea. Having a GOAL to be reached. The kids have to hit 1000 "bible bucks", marbles, whatever you want to call them-to get to a party-so they cash them in at the end of the services and we give them "weekly" updates on the powerpoint. Maybe even have 2 options and whichever one the kid wants can cash in there-see which one gets to 1000 first? I didn't think about HOW MUCH it would cost to keep it going-that's such a waste of $-it just ends up in the washing machine or under the kids bed-neither one makes for a happy MOM!!! im about a year late jumping on this band-wagon but I just had another idea. Having a GOAL to be reached. The kids have to hit 1000 “bible bucks”, marbles, whatever you want to call them-to get to a party-so they cash them in at the end of the services and we give them “weekly” updates on the powerpoint. Maybe even have 2 options and whichever one the kid wants can cash in there-see which one gets to 1000 first? I didn’t think about HOW MUCH it would cost to keep it going-that’s such a waste of $-it just ends up in the washing machine or under the kids bed-neither one makes for a happy MOM!!!

]]> By: Jesse Smith http://childrensministryonline.com/elementary/my-beef-with-bible-bucks-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/comment-page-1/#comment-455 Jesse Smith Fri, 20 Feb 2009 18:55:36 +0000 http://childrensministryonline.com/blog/fresh-ideas/my-beef-with-bible-bucks-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/#comment-455 We have an Awana store...my last church had an Awana store...I dislike both og them and your post inspired me to plot their demise, even though Sam just posted about stickystreet.com But....I read Jan W.'s reply and I think that may be a new direction for us. We have an Awana store…my last church had an Awana store…I dislike both og them and your post inspired me to plot their demise, even though Sam just posted about stickystreet.com

But….I read Jan W.’s reply and I think that may be a new direction for us.

]]> By: Jill http://childrensministryonline.com/elementary/my-beef-with-bible-bucks-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/comment-page-1/#comment-461 Jill Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:45:48 +0000 http://childrensministryonline.com/blog/fresh-ideas/my-beef-with-bible-bucks-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/#comment-461 Could someone elaborate on how the Giving Store concept would work? How do the kids "buy" food for the pantry with their money? My husband and I help with the store at our church and the giving idea intrigues me. Could someone elaborate on how the Giving Store concept would work? How do the kids “buy” food for the pantry with their money? My husband and I help with the store at our church and the giving idea intrigues me.

]]> By: Deby http://childrensministryonline.com/elementary/my-beef-with-bible-bucks-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/comment-page-1/#comment-460 Deby Sun, 18 Jan 2009 00:59:40 +0000 http://childrensministryonline.com/blog/fresh-ideas/my-beef-with-bible-bucks-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/#comment-460 We had Bible Bucks years ago and they fizzled out. We were giving out prizes just for memorizing verses but the kids were getting tired of that. We decided to bring back Bible Bucks but with a giving, not receiving, theme. The younger kids will use their bucks to buy food for the church food pantry and the older kids will be using their money for a children's home in Haiti that we help sponsor. Our kids are so excited about the new program they can't wait. We had Bible Bucks years ago and they fizzled out. We were giving out prizes just for memorizing verses but the kids were getting tired of that. We decided to bring back Bible Bucks but with a giving, not receiving, theme. The younger kids will use their bucks to buy food for the church food pantry and the older kids will be using their money for a children’s home in Haiti that we help sponsor. Our kids are so excited about the new program they can’t wait.

]]> By: Sam http://childrensministryonline.com/elementary/my-beef-with-bible-bucks-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/comment-page-1/#comment-458 Sam Thu, 18 Sep 2008 19:36:02 +0000 http://childrensministryonline.com/blog/fresh-ideas/my-beef-with-bible-bucks-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/#comment-458 Jan great idea! Kenny great tips on getting rid of Bible Bucks. I have used some of those techniques and now have some new ones thanks. Jan great idea!

Kenny great tips on getting rid of Bible Bucks. I have used some of those techniques and now have some new ones thanks.

]]> By: jabberfrog http://childrensministryonline.com/elementary/my-beef-with-bible-bucks-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/comment-page-1/#comment-457 jabberfrog Thu, 18 Sep 2008 18:22:30 +0000 http://childrensministryonline.com/blog/fresh-ideas/my-beef-with-bible-bucks-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/#comment-457 i admit. i'm not sold yet. but still chewing your thoughts. we have a store filled with the popular toys kids loved to buy. earning them takes work. but i'm not trying to argue the validity. i'm really curious about jan's idea about the 'giving store'. i like it. i admit. i’m not sold yet. but still chewing your thoughts. we have a store filled with the popular toys kids loved to buy. earning them takes work. but i’m not trying to argue the validity. i’m really curious about jan’s idea about the ‘giving store’. i like it.

]]> By: Jan W. http://childrensministryonline.com/elementary/my-beef-with-bible-bucks-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/comment-page-1/#comment-456 Jan W. Thu, 18 Sep 2008 16:35:17 +0000 http://childrensministryonline.com/blog/fresh-ideas/my-beef-with-bible-bucks-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/#comment-456 Kenny: We converted our Prize Store this year to a 'Giving Store'. Instead of purchasing things for themselves, our kids are able to use their bucks to purchase items for Operation Shoebox, Give A Kid A Christmas (coming soon), our Christmas morning homeless outreach, and other missions efforts around the community and the world. This way, they still have that incentive of earning bucks, but can use the bucks to benefit others in a big way! They seem to really be getting it! Blessings, Jan Kenny: We converted our Prize Store this year to a ‘Giving Store’. Instead of purchasing things for themselves, our kids are able to use their bucks to purchase items for Operation Shoebox, Give A Kid A Christmas (coming soon), our Christmas morning homeless outreach, and other missions efforts around the community and the world. This way, they still have that incentive of earning bucks, but can use the bucks to benefit others in a big way! They seem to really be getting it! Blessings, Jan

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