Seek Thee is a family devotional designed to connect God’s creation to the Bible. This devotional would be perfect for summer and/ or a camping trip. It focuses on one verse and helps the kids put it into action. Activity One: As a family wake up early enough to watch the sunrise. The kids would find it fun to sit outside in the pajamas with blankets and pillows. As a family talk about what you see, talk
This post is very different from any I have previously written. I have been privileged so far to be used by God to write two VBS programs and dozens of Sunday school lessons. My passion, my calling, is to write Christian curriculum. But today I need to share something different. I have to be honest, I have put off writing this post for some time. It is quite far out of my comfort zone, but I know
This free devotional is designed to prepare the heart of the kids for “yet another” year of school. The whole family is invited to join in on this devotional so that you can learn together about God and His heart for wisdom! Devotional Reinforcements: Give each child a backpack and a Bible. Pre-Devotional Questions: Why do you go to school? What types of things do you learn at school? Does God want you to be in school?
This devotional is designed for the whole family; it is a way to learn about giving together. The objective of this devotional is to teach kids that God wants us to enjoy giving and that it can be a gift to share what we have with others. If you are looking for a concrete way to put this into action, consider one of the excellent child sponsorship charities. Preparation: For each member of your family have a
There’s been quite a bit of bruhaha lately about whether to send your kids to children’s church or keep them with their parents in the larger congregation. As a long time children’s minister, (twenty years now) I’ve seen the “big church, little church” debate arise numerous times. It’s healthy to talk about these things but for those of you who choose to keep your children involved children’s ministry on Sundays, you may experience some “shaming” from parents
It can be a bit of a challenge to minister to neighborhood families due to today’s incredible busyness and cultural distractions. Nonetheless, our communities need the love of Christ more than ever, so a continued effort for outward ministry is absolutely necessary. But how do we get our own families involved? Here are five family-friendly ideas for outreach. Host a family craft night. Everyone loves crafts! Set up different crafts throughout the church and ask members to
[polldaddy poll=9470964] After lots of good conversation about Pokémon Go in our parent’s guide, I thought it would be helpful to poll our readers for their opinions. Feel free to sound off in the comments as well. Let’s just be respectful to one another in Christ.
Pokémon are everywhere…. The latest reinvention of this gaming phenomenon is going viral. It’s called Pokémon Go and it’s the biggest trend in kid culture this summer (and probably this year). In this article, I’m trying to explain the game and offer a basic guide to what parents need to know about Pokémon Go. It’s the classic capture-train-battle imaginary animals game with a twist. This version exists on smartphones and is taking “augmented reality” mainstream. Basically, the game uses your
“Well, maybe you should write this homework assignment yourself!” The back-talking student retorts to a teacher’s request… “I’d like to see you run this work-out!” Says the athlete to coach (which probably earns extra laps). Kids crave validity. They want adults who demonstrate and lead by example, rather than simply lecturing. As teachers, mentors, and ministers, we are called to show our children how we want them to live. It is one thing to talk through a
As teachers of any type will vehemently attest, family support is a HUGE and critical element in the upbringing of a child. True, to a certain extent kids will do whatever they will and not all elements can be controlled; however, parents and guardians make such a difference in how children develop and what they learn. The home environment shapes and influences the school and church atmosphere for better or worse. The level of parental involvement, communication,
In this modern age of electronic emphasis and technological advance, we have grown somewhat dependent on our gadgets and appliances. Anyone who has had the misfortune of going without a phone or temporarily losing power can understand the frustrated feeling of detachment that comes with not being able to instantly access the usual contacts and keep up with friends. And having a cell phone is quite pointless if it has not been plugged in to charge the
Summer is the season for travel. Countless hours are spent by families in cars traveling to visit families or to see the sights. Here are some ideas you can share with the families in your church to help them put Deuteronomy 6:6-7 into practice on road trips. “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along
Ruth is a great book of the Bible for kids to read. It’s written as a story, it’s short, and it has great lessons like humility, loyalty, faithfulness, and working hard. I put this chart together to have my children, at home as well as at church, work through the book of Ruth. They can read just a few verses a day, mark off what they read, and soon they will have read the entire book. Click
Well, it’s that time again. It’s summer. We are taking a well-deserved break from school and enjoying the nice weather. It’s also the time when my boys start saying, “There’s nothing to do!” Translated, this means, “Entertain us, Mom!” I’m prepared this year! I’ve made up a list of 60 items that they can do alone and with me. I will be making 2 jars for them. One jar will be a “Do Alone or With Your
It’s summer time and I’m looking for ways to get my own children, as well as the children in my classes at church, into the Bible. I want them be encouraged by what the Word of God says. I want them to love the Word! Click here to download the printable PDF I just love the book of Philippians! It’s such an encouraging book of the Bible to me. So I put together my yearning for my
Having trouble getting the children in your ministry to talk with the older generations at your church? Here’s a wonderful project to get multiple generations talking together. Give each of the children in your ministry a copy of this interview (there are 2 per page). Have them interview someone in your congregation, trying to have them all interview someone different. Encourage them to not just interview their parents or someone they know well. After they have completed
Yeah! It’s that time again–back to school. With all the uncertainty in the world, it’s easy to see why parents would be a little fearful about sending them to school. As children’s ministers we have the opportunity to help parents send their children back to school safely. Feel free to share these practical tips in your weekly bulletin, monthly newsletter or on the church Facebook page. Build stronger ties with families by providing them with the tools
Kids have such soft hearts and squishy spirits. Why would you ever want to intentionally embarrass them? That doesn’t stop some parents from humiliating their little ones and not accidentally. Let’s face it—we all embarrass our kids eventually but that’s usually because we dress too trendy or too dated or say something that makes us sound “lame.” I’m not a psychologist, nor do I claim to be one, but I am an experienced children’s worker and a
Inspiring kids to hone their bible-studying skills is a dream we all have, isn’t it? My kids are pretty good about showing up to church with a bible (I do offer incentives) but I notice that sometimes the books don’t make it home. That tells me that during the week, kids aren’t opening the bible at all. That’s not good. You know me–I’ve developed a plan to encourage kids to read the bible at home! I’m implementing
You have to agree that cell phones are everywhere! Not only do parents have them “glued” to their hands but so do teens and now kids. I can’t tell you the number of birthday parties I’ve attended recently (and that’s quite a few—I’m a children’s pastor) where kids are receiving cell phones as gifts. I won’t go into all my thoughts about cell phones in kids’ church but you can catch up with that in my recent
Make disciples! That was the command of Jesus to his disciples. What better way to fulfill this command then to disciple your own children and empower others to do the same. Biblical discipleship wasn’t in the classroom, it was demonstrated through daily interaction with others — letting them see Christ-like living. Even parents who are new Christians can disciple their kids. Try these discipling tips and pass them on to your parents. (It is the perfect content
Pastor’s kids are prone to rebel against the church. The problem is so common it’s become a stereotype. The same dangers affect MKs (missionary kids) and SKs (staff kids) and DKs (deacon’s kids). Every ministry volunteer should take this seriously. After all — What does it profit if gain all the kids for Jesus, but lose our own children. Ed Stetzer wrote a helpful blog post about this very issue. He lists 5 reasons why pastor’s kids are prone
A strong church focuses on the family–in whatever form that family takes. Whether a family is a single parent or a large blended family, chances are parents will face challenges they didn’t plan on. An angry tween who can’t seem to move past a divorce, a toddler with severe separation anxiety, a frazzled parent who has no idea what to do. These are real scenarios playing out in your community each day. If you have a heart
The Lord’s prayer is simple but perhaps that’s what makes it so powerful. The words of Jesus have resonated with humanity for 2000 years–long after he first spoke them. What better prayer example can we ask for? If you have a heart to get your families praying this prayer at home, give them some inspiration. Put some suggestions in your next bulletin or newsletter. By giving them some ideas, you’ll empower parents and grandparents to teach this
