I am a ballet dancer — performed for years, taught for years, retired to begin a family, became a Montessori teacher while the kids were young, and finally decided to listen to God’s calling — placing me in ministry. My kids have all of the “benefits” of being a PK with no student loans without perfect credit score from years of seminary. Now, their Mom works at the church in the evening, on the weekend, and every
Planning a Serving Others Summer (SOS) can be a fun way to connect to the community, serve others, and bring the church family together. These are very simple ideas you can carry out quickly. Print water bottle labels with a bible verse and your church information and pass out at a local parade or little league game. Serve a free hot dog lunch in the parking lot at high school registration. Offer a morning story hour for moms
On the heels of her incredible book Spiritual Parenting, author Michelle Anthony has a new DVD resource series now available through David C. Cook Publishing. Dr. Michelle Anthony is Pastor of Family Ministries at ROCKHARBOR Church in Costa Mesa, California. A former professor at Biola University and Talbot School of Theology, Dr. Anthony has written over a dozen resources for Christian Education and Family / Youth Ministries. She is also the Family Ministry Architect for David C.
Recently, I had the opportunity to interview Jeffery Smith, author of Four Panels: A Prayer Pups Compilation and creator of the Prayer Pups, a Comic strip starring 5 adorable pups each sporting their own unique personality. This Christian comic is a fun way to introduce Bible truth to children. Several years ago, Jeff was working on a comic strip idea called “Stinky Shark.” But as he doodled, he felt the nudge of God to to use his
24 Hours That Changed the World is Adam Hamilton’s acclaimed study, taking us through Jesus last week on Earth. A church-wide study available for adults, youth, 9 – 12 year olds, and 4 – 8 year olds. In this review, we will take a look at the 7-lesson curriculum for the 4-8 year olds. The lessons are broken down into 7 separate lessons as follows. Palm Sunday, Jesus Washes Disciples’ Feet, The last Supper, The Garden of
Flyte, the new preteen curriculum from Lifeway is described by Lifeway’s Jeff Land on their website as “a curriculum to call their (preteens) own. If you ask them, preteens would tell you they’re not “in between” anything. They are facing puberty, drugs, sex, acceptance, and self-esteem issues every day. They do not need a “sophisticized” children’s curriculum, nor do they need a simplified teen curriculum. Flyte is a curriculum that’s all theirs, one that speaks to what
As I walked into the classroom, I noticed the simple white shelves that blended right into the walls. I was drawn like a magnet to the materials on these invisible shelves. The different hues of the natural woods, the heft of the brass, the richness of the velvet. Each material was placed on its own tray, organized and respected in their placement. As I walked the perimeter of the room, I realized that each of these were
9 Things They Didn’t teach Me in College about Children’s Ministry promises “practical advice, inspiring stories, and interesting interviews with others involved in children’s ministry.” This pocket-sized composition book look-alike is a cute little package, but inside, it’s spot on and sobering. Author, Ryan Frank, strikes a chord with statistics like “the probability of five-to-twelve-year-old children accepting Christ as Savior is 32 percent. That number drops to 4 percent between the ages of thirteen and eighteen.” He
Long Story Short is written to present a Biblical Gospel from cover to cover to aid parents in passing the Bible on to their children, day by day. To pass on a clear Gospel message showing children how every story in the bible points forward or back to the gospel of Jesus Christ and God’s story of salvation.” Author Marty Machowski delivers just that. Marty Machowski is a Family Life Pastor at Covenant Fellowship Church, a Sovereign
Group has new Outreach program for Easter that once again proves that “Group” is spelled “E-A-S-Y”. Churches enlist families to organize egg hunts in their own neighborhood, “becoming the arms and feet of the church”. The impact this could have on a community is endless, but, don’t underestimate what it could do for developing new leadership in the church! Families agree to host an Easter Egg hunt in their neighborhood, either in their backyard, local park or
Overview: Journey to the Cross is a powerfully moving, multisensory family event that guides people along the path that Jesus walked during his last days on Earth. Activities focused on Jesus’ love and forgiveness demonstrate the real meaning of Easter: our risen Christ’s victory over death! Designed specifically for parents and their children to experience together, this even teaches about the life-changing message of the cross in a way that everyone can understand and no one will
This story of a little girl who turns to God to clean her heart so she can see others through God’s eyes is the perfect gift for Valentine’s Day! What better way to say “I love you” to your kids than to give them insight into how to have their heart feel love and joy! Jackie Chirco Cogswell is a Family Physician and mother of three. While searching for entertaining Christian books, she was led by the
When I first received this book I immediately thought, “this could be the perfect holiday book.” Soon I discovered it was even better after the holidays. This is not just another Christmas book. It’s the story of a young man who understood how Jesus wanted us to reflect Him in our lives; to love others, to help others and to do it in “secret” to show who God is… Once in a while you come across a
This book begins with a personal invitation to the reader. “He is waiting… Not just for anyone, God is waiting for you!” Make no mistake, this book is about more than information. It’s about God and helping kids to know Him in their everyday lives. Ten Things Every Kid Should Know About God – Life Applications to Build Your Child’s Confidence in Salvation, by Tina V. Bryson and published by Leeway Artisans Inc. “presents foundational truths in language your
The Spark Story Bible, published by Augsburg Fortress is a hardcover 550 page Bible Story book for children ages 2 – 8. It is a great resource to consider for, not only the Sunday School classroom, but as a family treasure at home. The book contains 150 of the best-loved bible stories from both the new and old testament. Old testament favorites include Noah and Moses of course, but Deborah and Micah as well, stories you don’t
“The Big God Story” is a children’s picture book beautifully written by Dr. Michelle Anthony, and exquisitely illustrated by Cory Godbey. A great enrichment resource to “Spiritual Parenting,” or a stand alone story for children to see God at work through history. The text is very simple and focuses on the flow of the story as opposed to great detail. It is a fast-paced, descriptive narrative of God’s redemptive story and how we are a part of
“It’s hard enough to train kids to behave, but good behavior isn’t what Jesus calls for in the Bible.” In Spiritual Parenting, author Michelle Anthony calls us as parents to “depend upon God for our children’s spirtual and moral development, urging us toward a heart posture of surrender and faithfulness. The end goal is a vibrant faith that is passed on from one generation to another.” Spiritual Parenting is a transformational and refreshing how-to manual filled with
At this time of year, we begin trying to find the perfect way to say “thank you” to all of the women who faithfully serve in children’s ministry all year long. I wanted something that was not a “teaching” book or a “training” book. I even wanted to steer clear of the typical teacher’s gift books. I wanted to find a special book for our special volunteers. A Door County Christmas, by Barbour Publishing is a collection
Group Publishing has something new for families. Their Fun-for-the-Whole-Family Hour is exactly that – an hourlong event for families to interact, share, discover, laugh, and explore together. This particular theme includes clips from the upcoming Narnia film “Voyage of the Dawn Treader”. Not just cost effective at $19.99, it is extremely efficient, with just the essentials necessary to host a quality event. Group makes it very simple for leaders. I was able to read through and understand
OK – That titles a little stronger than our usual book review. But keep reading and you’ll find out why I’m so impressed with this one. “Crash Course,” by Daniel Darling, promises “that it guides you to know what you believe and why you believe it, to make good choices, to find direction, to stay true in a world of lies and to find joy in a tough world. Written in a 100 day devotional format, it
As an avid lover of fairy tales and lover of the Greatest Story Ever told, this book jumped off the shelf at me. A beautifully written, exquisitely illustrated childrens book, “This Is No Fairy Tale” wonderously invites children to be a part of the happily ever after Jesus offers. Authored by Dale Tolmasoff and illustrated by Corbert Gauthier, the combination of story and illustration is a match made in Heaven. The story uses the fairy tale genre
“If you’re a parent, you want your child to have a growing friendship with Jesus. And if you’re a Christian education leader, you want parents to be successful! But what do parents do? What do they say? Where do they start?” That’s where Passing the Baton steps in as a ten week church or parent devotional plan for leading your children to a life with Jesus. Written by Grant Edwards of First Steps Ministry, it is a step by
Once in a while you come across a book that you just have to tell everyone about, and Grandpa’s Box is one of these books. Written by Starr Meade, it is styled as a devotional, but seems to be the perfect read aloud bedtime story. In the book, Grandpa capitalizes on his grandson’s love of military strategy to introduce to his grandchildren, the greatest war of all time – that between God and Satan. The story is
How does a legendary pastor hand over his ministry to someone else? What are the secrets that saved his church from self destruction during the transition? How can this story help your kids ministry now and in the future? Keep reading to find out. Transition Plan, by Bob Russell and Bryan Bucher, is a very short, very succinct story of how to gracefully pass the baton of leadership. It is broken into 5 easy-to-read chapters, and 1
