Topics in Ministry

Articles about ministry situations or themes.

Handling Conflict in Children’s Ministry: Biblical Principles and Practical Advice

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Raise your hand if you’ve ever received an angry complaint via email or text message. Now, think about that incident and imagine what the “conversation” may have sounded like if it had happened over the phone. What about in person? The fact of the matter is that when dealing with conflict or complaints a good rule of thumb is to deal with them in person, face-to-face. Here are some guidelines that I’ve learned (mostly by mistake) through

Why Children’s Ministry is Important in the Local Church Context

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Why Children’s Ministry is Important in the Local Church Context Children’s ministry plays a crucial role in young children’s spiritual development and overall well-being within the local church context. By investing in age-appropriate Bible teaching and fostering a supportive environment, churches can lay a strong foundation for children’s faith and spiritual journey. In this blog post, we will explore the importance of children’s ministry in the local church context and its numerous benefits. 1. Promotes Understanding and

The Importance of Age-Appropriate Bible Teaching for Children in Evangelical Churches

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Ensuring that children receive age-appropriate Bible teaching is crucial for their spiritual growth and development in evangelical churches. Sunday School and Kids Church programs play a vital role in creating spaces where children can engage with the Scriptures in a way suitable for their age and understanding. This blog post will explore why age-appropriate Bible teaching is important for children in evangelical churches and emphasize the value of Sunday School and Kids Church programs in nurturing the

The Pros and Cons of Sunday School: Exploring Different Approaches

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Sunday School is an essential part of many churches’ Christian education programs, providing opportunities for spiritual growth and community building. However, there are varying opinions on the best way to organize and teach Sunday School. In this blog post, we’ll explore the pros and cons of Sunday School by examining age-graded and intergenerational approaches, and the impact of class sizes, mentorship, and curriculum on the effectiveness of these programs. The Benefits of Sunday School Spiritual Growth and

Pray Authentically!  Bible Craft Ideas for the Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector Luke 18:9-14

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 God loves our prayers and wants to hear from us, but sometimes it can be challenging to know how to pray. We might worry about the way that we offer our prayers to God, or if we are in group settings, we might be concerned over how others perceive us. These crafts aim to focus on the benefits and blessings of prayer, and remind students to pray for others.  A pop-up poster presents a reminder of the

Classic Children Prayers

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When you were a child, do you remember saying model prayers? Prayers are a tradition that has been passed down for generations. This is the time when children can reflect on their day and ask for God’s protection during the night. In this blog post, we will share some of our favorite children’s prayers. Our hope is that these prayers will bring peace and comfort to your little ones as they fall asleep. Simple Prayers Have Spiritual

New: Big Bible Words 8-Lesson Children’s Ministry Curriculum on Salvation

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Looking for a way to teach kids the hard words in the Bible? Look no further than Big Bible Words Curriculum! This 8-lesson series is packed with fun activities to help make complicated truth simple for children. From lessons on faith and hope to salvation and redemption, this children’s ministry resource is sure to engage and educate your little ones. Download the free sample lesson today! Welcome to Big Bible Words, a children’s ministry teaching resource designed

Children’s Ministry is the Highest Calling

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Why is the children’s ministry so important? Children are a priority in the Bible and it’s our responsibility as Christians to make sure they’re not just being entertained. In this video, I share one simple reason why children’s ministry matters. 68 Reasons Why Children’s Ministry Matters Children’s Ministry is so important for so many reasons! We know how important children’s ministry is. That’s why we started writing down the benefits of kids church, Sunday school and all

Called to the Front: Joining Children at the Feet of Jesus

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This post continues Steve’s story about resisting God’s calling and finding spiritual purpose by becoming like a child. As Jesus says in Matthew 18:2 “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Why did I start sitting in the front of the church during worship? My three young daughters, my unencumbered smiling children, pulled me to the front.  They got used to going to the front

A Moment of Truth: When God Calls, Will You Answer?

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Have you ever been in a situation where God was calling you to do something, but you hesitated? Maybe you were worried about what others would think, or maybe you just weren’t sure if it was the right thing to do. In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of answering God’s call when he calls us. We will also share a personal story about how we failed to act when God called us. We hope

The Best Children’s Ministry Podcasts

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If you are a Kids Ministry leader, you know how important it is to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and resources. One great way to do this is by listening to the top podcasts. There are many great podcasts out there that can help you learn more about leading kids ministry, and keep your teaching fresh. In this blog post, we will share our picks for the best podcasts for Kids Ministry leaders! As we planned

Children’s Ministry Podcast: State of Kids Ministry in 2022

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It’s hard to believe that children’s ministry is already in 2022, but here we are! In this episode of the Children’s Ministry Podcast, we take a look at the state of kids ministry and what lies ahead. What trends are happening in churches today? What do kids need most from their ministry? And how can we make sure our ministry is future-proof? Tune in for all that and more! Church leaders, what is the state of your

St Patrick’s Object Lesson – Trusting God in Times of Doubt

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Kids need to know that God is in control – this children’s message object lesson makes that point with a fun reference to St. Patrick’s Day. Download the message script below and watch the demonstration video to help you prepare. “Trusting God in Times of Doubt” Children’s Sermon Object Lesson from John 4:5-42 Main Objective: This message is a reminder that God is in control, no matter what else might happen. We are not subject to the

Child Discipleship Forum: Summer Discount Ends Soon

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As children’s ministry leaders, you’ve been called to child discipleship. Every week you fill the critical need for a loving, caring adult to pass on a legacy of faith to the incoming generation of children. Hundreds of thousands of leaders around the world commit themselves to this high calling. Time only reveals more clearly that, now more than ever, we must come together for a strategic conversation about child discipleship to shape the future of the Church

How-To Guide to Prayer Journaling for Kids

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Prayer is such a powerful thing, especially for our children. In fact, prayer is one of the most important parts of their regular spiritual routine! From mealtimes to bedtimes, the act of praying can set the stage for lots of spiritual growth, even long after their prayers have been said. That’s why prayer journaling is one of the most effective ways to help your child stay grounded in their faith. What exactly is prayer journaling, and why

Bible Craft Ideas (John 17:6-19) Jesus Gives Us Tools for Prayer

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Prayer is a powerful and important thing to teach to young children, but can be a little tricky to impart or explain. These crafts are meant to provide children with simple but fun visual reminders of why and how we pray. A prayer chain allows kids to consider things to pray for. The “prayer telephone” is a creative craft that reminds students we talk to God and listen for His voice, too. Jesus prays for us and

3 Tips for Dealing with Disruptive Children During Your Ministry

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Every Children’s Ministry leader has a child in their class who is a ‘storyteller.’  Also known as the kid who talks too much.  Sure, all kid’s like to share, but I’m talking about the kid who feels prompted to tell you his whole life story with the class each time you pause to take a breath.  You know the one I’m talking about.  Yep, he’s the ‘storyteller’ of your class. We want the ‘storyteller’ to feel valued

55% of Churches Opened Sunday June 28 – Weekly Church Reopening Statistics

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How many churches are actually closing because of the Coronavirus pandemic? We are asking that question each week and sharing our research on this page. Weekly Percentage of Churches Closed, Modified, or Normal Schedule 3/15 3/22 3/29 4/5 4/12 4/19 4/26 5/3 5/10 5/17 5/24 5/31 Online Only 25.6 85.6 93.5 95.4 95.0 96.4 95.2 89.7 87.2 75.1 73.8 63.5 Modified 8.5 6.3 3.1 2.8 2.4 1.9 2.6 5.7 8.3 16.8 16.6 20.3 Normal Schedule 65.9 8.1

Teacher Devotion: Go Ahead and Rock the Boat… Jesus can Walk on Water

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We wish somehow that church could be “perfect” and grant us opportunity for beautiful fellowship, community, and outreach. Unfortunately, though, churches are made of people, and people are not perfect. We make mistakes and sometimes lose track of the truly important things in God’s service. There are times in our experience as church members, and even leaders, when we may need to go against the grain of typical tradition or popular opinion. Disagreements are bound to pop

Interview: Ministry to Kids with Disabilities, learning from 2020 with Stephen Grcevich MD

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The pandemic as an unexpected blessing to the disability community. What should churches learn from this remarkable time in our society. What can Coronavirus teach the church about offering the “least restrictive environment” for children? Dr. Stephen Grcevich serves as President and Founder of Key Ministry, a non-profit organization providing free training, consultation, resources and support to help churches serve families of children with disabilities. Key Ministry promotes meaningful connection between churches and families of kids with

How can the Children’s Ministry respond to the sin of racism?

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Prejudice and racial reconciliation are complex topics – but teaching the simple truths of God’s Word will help raise a new generation that can do better, even while we await the final healing to come when Christ returns. We must continue to be the church by making disciples for the transformation of the world. But the Hope of Christ speaks directly to issues of justice and racial reconciliation. This post is our collection of articles and teaching

3 Anti-Racism Sunday School Lessons for Kids

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Are you searching for a way to teach your children about empathy, culture, race, and prejudice? Are you feeling overwhelmed and unsure of where to begin? We can help. Deep Blue Life: Faith and Culture—Anti-Racism includes three sessions teaching about “Prejudice and Stereotypes,” “Curiosity and Empathy,” and “Colors and Cultures.” Download the free 3 lesson series from Cokesbury Kids Anti-Racism Lesson One: Prejudice and Stereotypes Main Idea: Understanding the truth beyond stereotypes can help us combat our

When to re-open church? What about the kids ministry? Let’s talk Coronavirus.

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COVID-19 has been closing churches since March 15th. Congregations are starting to come back. 20% of churches will open for in-person events this Sunday (5/17). That’s up from a low of 3.6% on 4/19. We’ve been polling our website readers every week: What is your church doing this Sunday? Full results at the link below. We went live on Facebook with Tom Bump from the Kids Ministry Collective to talk through all these issues (and more). Transcript

20 Fun “Virtual Games” for Kids using Zoom

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Children love games – online video conference games too! If you’re doing a virtual VBS or online kids ministry, these are some ideas you need in your toolkit. Thanks so much to Shawn M Howell for posting this video on YouTube. 20 Online Video Share Games for Kids Looking for fun games to play on zoom with kids and families? I have 20 easy virtual zoom games for you to play with kids of all ages. So