What could be better for our kids than intentional time focusing on the Lord? One hour, give or take, exclusively attentive to the lover of their soul. We call it a Date with God. I first heard of this concept while serving kids at a missions conference overseas. My friend Jenni had seen this done years prior, and adapted it for our conference. She introduced it to the kids like this:
Do your mom and dad ever go on a date? Every month or so, my husband and I try to carve out time for just each other. We might dress up, or not. We choose a restaurant, we put our phones away, and we spend time talking to each other. On those dates we talk about what’s going well, what we’re struggling with, and what we hope for the future. Here’s a little secret: we try to pick a restaurant where we think we won’t run into anyone we know. Do you know why? Because we don’t want to be distracted from each other! It’s just us, giving our full attention to each other.
Today we want each of you to have a Date with God. For the next 45 minutes or so, we want you to spend time just with Him. We won’t be talking to our friends, because we don’t want you to be distracted from what God might have for you today. You’ll be talking to God and listening to Him, and asking Him to show you His heart.
This idea may sound intimidating, but it’s quite the opposite, and it’s SO fruitful! You’ll set up simple stations and your kids will rotate through them as the Spirit leads. We’ve held these many times over the years and we’ve never had a child (or adult) who didn’t get something meaningful out of their time engaged with the Lord.
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. - Jeremiah 29:13
Each station will have instructions posted (download below). The overall rules are:
No running.
No talking unless you need to ask a question.
Don't go to a station twice until you have visited all of them once.
Participants do not have to visit all of the stations.
Ambiance is important. See tips on lighting and music below.
STATIONS
Below is a list of possible stations to use, but feel free to come up with new ideas. You can tweak them, add some, delete some - do whatever works best for you! Click below to get free downloads for all the stations listed here.
Prayer For The Nations
Place a tea light on a nation and pray for God's blessing over the people there. Ask for kingdom growth in that place.
Supplies: Large world map or area maps laid out on the floor, battery powered tea lights
Painting
Ask God for a picture in your imagination, and paint it. As you paint, ask God what it means.
Supplies: paper, tempera or watercolor paint and brushes, cups of water, pencils for child’s name
Sculpting
Pray and ask God for a sculpture. God, is the master creator. What does He want you to create?
Supplies: Model Magic or Playdoh, paper plates to sculpt on, pencils for child’s name
Prayer Wall
Write a prayer request on a post-it-note. Place it on the wall and when you do, pray for two other prayer requests that are on the wall.
Supplies: post-it notes and pens
Blessing and Scrolls
Assign an adult to speak a short blessing over each child who comes to this station. The person praying will ask the Lord to show them what to pray before speaking the blessing. Optional: give each child a scripture scroll (below) to take home.
Supplies: Praying adult, Scripture scrolls (optional)
Be Still Tent
Take time to lie down and relax and just soak in His presence.
Supplies: throw pillows or blankets for the floor, a canopy (fabric or sheet) above if possible
The Great Exchange
Write a regret, fear, or failure of yours on the paper. Fold it and pin it to the cross, leaving it there for good. In exchange pick up a scripture card and allow that truth to replace what you left at the cross. (Assure kids that no one will read their papers.)
Supplies: large cross, push pins, slips of paper, pens, scripture cards (included with instructional signs below)
Who I am in Christ
Trace your hand on the large paper. Look over the “Because of Jesus” list. Ask God which statement you should write in your handprint.
Supplies: one very large paper rolled out on a table or a couple poster boards, colored pencils, “Because of Jesus” list of I am statements (included with instructional signs below)
Scripture Projection
Project a slideshow of scripture verses on a computer monitor or projector. Have a few chairs set up for kids to rest in as they read the scriptures. Play any scripture videos without sound. Example video of James here.
Supplies: computer/flash drive with scriptures, chairs
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What if I don’t have all the resources for each station?
Adjust each station (or the list of stations) however you need to. Do as many or as few as will work for your kids, space, and resources. Each station will take around 5-8 mins, so adjust your overall time accordingly, keeping in mind that every child doesn’t have to do every station. The Date with God is really about inviting the Presence of the Lord and not as much about perfectly duplicating the stations. He is so faithful and their hunger to hear Him will be all that is necessary!
Is there a certain atmosphere you try to create during the Date with God?
Any changes to your space to add a contemplative ambiance will help kids focus - music, low lights, draped fabric, pillows on the floor. It is best if you can dim the lights and use candles (or strands of soft lights). You can make a playlist of about 50 minutes of music. Or use our Spotify playlist here. When the music ends, the Date concludes.
How do you arrange the stations in the space you have?
Look at the space you have and try to decide the best place for each station around the room. You might want to put your painting station where you have the most light. Spread stations out enough so kids are not distracted by what’s happening at another station.
How do the participants know what they are supposed to do at each station?
Print out the Date With God station sheets (below) once you have chosen which stations you will be using.
Do I need workers to man the different stations?
If possible, place one adult at each station - though one adult can oversee several stations. Also, depending on the number of children, a couple of helpers roaming the room is helpful. You will need a specified adult at the blessing station.
Where do the participants put their finished paintings and sculptures?
Designate a place for the kids to put their finished paintings and sculptures so there is room at each station for the next participants.
How do you know how much paint, paper, and Playdoh to have available at the stations?
Take the number of people expected and divide it by the number of stations. Then you’ll know how many people on average will be at each station at one time and to know how much to put at each station.
How long should the Date with God last?
About 45-60 minutes.
Are there any tips or rules besides the specific ones for each station?
The overall rules are:
No running.
No talking unless you need to ask a question.
Don't go to a station twice until you have visited all of them once.
Participants do not have to visit all of the stations.
What kind of an introduction should be given before it begins?
Explain that God is a very good Father. A good Father loves to talk to His children. As they work through the stations, God might put a picture or impression in their mind, or a Scripture, or they may sense His voice speaking into their spirit. He loves spending this special time with His kids. Take a minute to explain what they should try to do at each station, and your overall rules for the event.
Be sure to pray over this time, and recruit friends to pray during the event.