Articles about ministry situations or themes.
It’s been a few months since our last Think Tank discussion. These are occasional forum-type posts where I ask several Children’s Ministry leaders to respond to a difficult question. The responses are always helpful and bring insight from several different directions. For this session of the Think Tank, I posed a question that affects my own ministry. My congregation has … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Have you ever had “that moment?” The moment in kids’ ministry when you’re in front of a group of young children trying to explain the gospel to them, and God gives you words that you know must have come from him because you’re not smart enough to explain it that way? I had that moment this past weekend. In that … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Avoid the Read-Aloud Rut! Are you stuck in a read-aloud rut? Most of us have experienced it at one time or another. The read-aloud rut is when we get stuck presenting a Bible story to our class of children in the same way week after week. We find it is easier to prepare and present a lesson if we simply … More Children’s Ministry Resources
If you asked the people who know me best to describe me, I am not certain that “Passionate” would be at the top of the list. Heck, I’m not even sure it would make the list, but there are some things that I am passionate about. I am passionate about God. It took 30 years before he called me into … More Children’s Ministry Resources
For my husband and I, serving in the local church is a regular part of our lives. We’re integrated, involved, and intentional about our role in the body of Christ. God has impacted us that we might impact the next generation and we love it. However, sometimes we mostly I have a difficult time balancing family and ministry. It’s so … More Children’s Ministry Resources
For our children’s ministry, we use a curriculum from a well know national company who specializes in writing children’s curriculum for churches. Frankly, the stuff they put out is great! The large group teaching, small group activities and variety of “extras” you can buy to go along with the curriculum are all outstanding. Each month we review a new biblical … More Children’s Ministry Resources
The other night marked the end of our yearly AWANA program for the summer. We did our awards ceremony and had a cupcake banquet after. I had a great year coordinating games this year and getting to have fun with the kids. As game leader, I had the privilege of leading a couple of hundred Kindergartener through Sixth graders in … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Oftentimes as we grow older and become parents, we find ourselves repeating the things that our own parents have said to us. You know – those sayings that, as a kid, you promised yourself you would never use when you became a parent. Much like God’s blessings and curses travel from generation to generation, so too do our parents quips … More Children’s Ministry Resources
This weekend may very well be just another weekend for you – not so different than the one that came before or the ones to come. It may be a weekend just like any other in your life. Saturday, you’ll spend some time preparing for your Sunday lesson. You’ll get a good night’s sleep Saturday to be ready for the … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Fluff. Watered-down. Just a waste of time. About 5 years ago that was my opinion of any kids ministry that focused on fun. My thinking has changed a lot since then. I’ve learned some things from experience and now I wholeheartedly endorse FUN. No children’s ministry can ignore the role of fun. It should be an intentional value in your … More Children’s Ministry Resources
9 Steps to Launching a Kids Program at Your Church How do I organize my children’s ministry? Starting a children’s ministry from scratch can be a big challenge. You have to navigate parental expectations, curriculum options, and hundreds of little questions about how things should work. For this discussion, I’m assuming you are at a smaller church with no paid … More Children’s Ministry Resources
I was speaking earlier this week to a children’s pastor (who shall remain nameless for purposes of job security) who was talking about the problem of having a senior pastor who is boring and the impact that will have on the church. That conversation got me thinking about some fundamental characteristics that anyone working in children’s ministry should possess. Now, … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Five Ways to Make ANY Curriculum More Inclusive Including a child with special needs can present challenges inside a church’s programming. However, by planning ahead and incorporating easy changes into the existing curriculum’s lesson plan, the classroom setting can better include the child with cognitive or physical challenges. The key to making effective adaptations is in understanding the participating students’ strengths and weaknesses. Knowing the … More Children’s Ministry Resources
I teach with a co-teacher and we have been teaching 8-10 year olds (3rd/4th Grade U.S.A) in Sunday School for the past five years. I wanted to share with others something that the Lord has used in our class and has been a blessing to be a part of each week. In our class we have a prayer time each … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Do you ever have questions when someone talks about “the call” to children’s ministry? Maybe God is dealing with you about your ministry position. If so, then keep reading. This month’s Children’s Ministry Think Tank is all about God’s to minister to children. Here is the question as I posed it to our think tank members. “How do you understand … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Sharing the Gospel with kids can be a challenge. I struggle with getting all the basics covered without overwhelming children with too much information. That is where the “Who Will Be King?” booklet has really helped me. We were so excited about this approach that we created a Gospel Coloring Book that prompts kids to ask the question. “Who is my King?” … More Children’s Ministry Resources
There’s been a bizarre magnetic field around my Bible of late, mostly around John 15. Every day, I feel like I should read some other chapters, but John 15 gets me every time. It has to. I say that because we are entrenched in ministry. We serve in our home, in our church, in schools, and in the community. We … More Children’s Ministry Resources
This post is part 3 of 3 of our special interview with Ken Ham, the president of Answers in Genesis. Here are the links to read part one and part two. MtC: What do you believe is the solution to the mass exodus taking place with the younger generation? Ken: Churches need to do a better job of teaching young … More Children’s Ministry Resources
This post is part 2 of 3 of our special interview with Ken Ham, the president of Answers in Genesis. Here are the links to read part one and part three. MtC: You recently wrote a book entitled “Already Gone” with the help of research performed by Britt Beemer. While it is safe to say that many in the church are … More Children’s Ministry Resources
This post is part 1 of 3 of our special interview with Ken Ham, the president of Answers in Genesis. Here are the links to read part two and part three. Ministry to Children (MtC): Please tell our readers a little about yourself and your ministry. Ken Ham (Ken): I like to call myself “a missionary from Australia to America” – … More Children’s Ministry Resources
It happens almost every year. One kid comes to children’s church with a personal mission to prove Santa is not real. Besides the disruption, it creates a situation where one child is calling someone’s mom a liar. That’s why I’m calling to order a special Christmas edition of our Think Tank. How do you handle the whole issue of Santa … More Children’s Ministry Resources
It’s the cry of those of us who’ve been stuck in the volunteer wilderness, “Help!” Anyone who’s been there can tell you, it’s a lonely time for a Christian leader. There’s nothing like pouring your heart into the lap of a potential volunteer and having them dust your plea right off with a casual, “No thanks.” As a matter of … More Children’s Ministry Resources
As servants in children’s ministry, there are multiple demands placed on us. Some of those demands are external and include job responsibilities related to our position of leadership. They may include the need for more volunteers, restructuring Sunday School classes, preparing next week’s Bible lesson, or planning the upcoming Christmas drama. Some of those demands are internal and include anxieties that … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Welcome to another session of the Children’s Ministry Think Tank. This is a monthly feature where we discuss controversial or difficult topics related to children’s ministry. Our responses are just a starting point, we encourage you to share your views in the comment section below. What About the Age of Accountability? What do you teach about concerning a child’s condition … More Children’s Ministry Resources