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Are We Bribing Kids Into the Kingdom?

Membership Level› Members

Author/Source: Karl Bastian

Topic: Prize Incentives

A FRESH ANSWER TO THE ISSUE OF GIVING CANDY AND PRIZES TO KIDS AT CHURCH.

Do I give candy and prizes to the kids in my ministry? Most certainly, YES! Am I bribing them? Certainly not! For the sake of children everywhere, allow me to present a defense for this practice, before you take the kids’ candy away! Someone needs to stand up and protect the little plastic toys from extinction!

Are We Bribing Kids into the Kingdom?

A FRESH ANSWER TO THE ISSUE OF GIVING CANDY AND PRIZES TO KIDS AT CHURCH.

While there are some legitimate concerns with the liberal giving away of candy and prizes to children at church, the answer is not to stop completely, but to be wise and thoughtful in the way it is done. As with many things in the Christian life, the answer lies with balance, not in the two extremes. It is true that we should not overwhelm kids with 'treats.' Nor is it healthy to create an environment where the only way to motivate kids is to offer them candy.

However, the opposite is also not the answer. To attempt to eliminate candy and prizes from your children's ministry is not only harmful to your ministry, but also unrealistic. This concept is rarely proposed by those who are actively in the classroom, and if so, I would guess that their relationships with the children are not as close, nor their teaching as impacting as those who wisely use a balance between inner and external motivators.

Let's look at a few reasons why:

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