Unless they’re twins, school teachers don’t often have siblings in their classrooms. In the case of children’s ministry, most churches don’t segregate classes by age. For example, in the church I serve at, there are three children’s churches: 0 to 2; 3 to 5 and 6 to 11 years of age. If you’ve got siblings close in age, your children’s … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Teaching a Preschool Sunday School class seems like a daunting task to undertake. But, with a little guidance and a simple plan, you are able to do it! Here’s a simple plan that might be useful if you are going to teach a preschool class. Don’t miss our free printable preschool Bible lessons and preschool coloring pages. Beginner’s Guide to … More Children’s Ministry Resources
When I was growing up, the word “retarded” didn’t seem like a big deal. If a friend was being foolish we might say, “Stop being a retard.” If a school policy didn’t make sense we might say, “That’s just retarded.” It was one of many hurtful words they crept into adolescent vocabulary. We were wrong. I’m ashamed now to even … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Bible games are a valuable tool in teaching children about God. Here are some principles to keep in mind when selecting and using games: 1. Bible games should reinforce important ideas. The emphasis should be on the concepts, not on winning the game. Bingo games, for example, use repetition to help the children learn. So that the object is not … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Ten years ago, I would have scoffed at the idea of a cacophony of cell phones ringing randomly in kids’ church! Cell phones were for parents or texting teens but kids? My, how times have changed! In our children’s church, kids arrive with bibles, offerings and cell phones. I won’t go into all the reasons why handing kids phones are … More Children’s Ministry Resources
When you have the same group of little faces looking at you each week remembering kids’ names is a cinch. However, what happens when you have a large group or a growing class? Yikes! It has happened to me. I’ll picture a child’s face all week long, pray for him and then fail to recall his name when I see … More Children’s Ministry Resources
At a recent children’s ministry workshop, a volunteer asked me who inspired me to work in kids’ ministry. My answer was two-fold, Jesus Christ and Willy Wonka. Not two role models that usually go together but it’s true! If I had my choice, I’d totally focus on finding creative ways to reach kids for Jesus; however, by not having a … More Children’s Ministry Resources
One of my two favorite times of the week both happen on Sunday—at the beginning and end of children’s church. I can’t wait to get in there and teach but by the time the service is over, I’m ready to crawl to my couch and hope a kind family member will bring me a glass of iced tea. I’ve noticed … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Noah’s ark is quite possibly the most taught Bible lesson in children’s ministry and for good reason. It has it all, animals, and a boat, an interesting and inspiring hero and of course a rainbow, and undeniable evidence of God’s love. What great lessons we can learn from Noah and his ark; lessons like obedience to God saves us from … More Children’s Ministry Resources
No matter how good you are at planning your children’s church schedule sometimes things do not go as planned. A teaching went quicker than you realized, the service in the main sanctuary is taking longer than usual. You’ve got a crowd of kids who look bored and may end up in mischief. It’s always a good idea to keep some … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Holding a 1 to 2-hour main event each week in kids’ church can build excitement but it’s not much of a vehicle for building relationships. I admit I love the high-energy, atmosphere of heart-pumping praise music and the sounds of happy children more than anything in the world. However, maintaining that upbeat experience every week can wear you down (especially … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Praying for your kids seems so easy when they are small, sweet and perfect. However, if your child gets sick, or appears to lose interest in God or strays from the recommended path, it’s not as simple. As children’s ministry leaders, we also have the responsibility to pray for all the sheep in our care, still many leaders don’t know … More Children’s Ministry Resources
When I first began working in Christian ministry fifteen years ago, I had never worked with puppets before. Our small church had a rickety plywood puppet stand and a few worn puppets but honestly, I didn’t really use them. As a matter of fact, I promptly got rid of them and introduced some other ministry tools like a DVD player. … More Children’s Ministry Resources
One wise minister once said, “If you don’t put on a program for kids, they will put on one for you.” Those words are so true! From beginning to end, I plan almost every detail of our weekly meeting but I used to fall short with pre-church activities. Many of our children arrive early on one of our vans or … More Children’s Ministry Resources
So you arrive at church and the Children’s Minister asks you to teach a class for a teacher who got sick just this morning. No problem, right? Just follow the lesson that they had prepared and it’ll be smooth sailing. Wait! If the teacher is home sick, then, most likely, the lesson is home with them. Ok, you can do … More Children’s Ministry Resources
One Sunday, (not so long ago) I stood in the front of the kids’ church, totally ignored by my kids, despite the fact that lights flashed around me and I held a microphone in my hands. It had been quite a week. I had felt under-the-weather all week and by the time Sunday rolled around, I was ill-prepared for teaching. … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Teaching kids the Bible is one thing but teaching them to read, understand and use it correctly is another. I’m constantly amazed at how little our children do know about using a Bible and I accept part of the blame. At the first of every year, I teach a series of “classes” that introduces kids that are new to scripture … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Storytelling immerses the listener into the panorama of the Bible with an enormous effect if it’s done right. You don’t have to be a natural-born ham or a professional to tell an unforgettable story. Before your next class or session, review these storytelling tips. You can bring the Bible to life with a few adjustments! 1. Know the story backwards … More Children’s Ministry Resources
The average children’s pastor has a child for a few hours a week, the rest of his time is divided between school, family and probably video games. Kids, like little sponges, pick up a lot from their surroundings like words they should not hear, actions you wish they wouldn’t see and the list goes on and on. While we only … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Poll a group of ministry leaders and they will all tell you that teaching kids Bible stories is an important bullet point in their vision. That’s awesome and I agree! But with so many kids (and families) unfamiliar with the Bible, we have to go a step further today. We must teach kids to use the Bible themselves too. I … More Children’s Ministry Resources
What do you do when a dozen kids show up 30 minutes early for kids’ church and you have just one volunteer? Shut the door and post a sign that reads, “Come back in 30 minutes?” Of course not! You never want to turn away kids but you do have to consider handling crowd control correctly. I can’t speak for … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Romans 2:11 says, “For God does not show favoritism.” (NIV) Despite of His holy example, it is so easy to migrate to some children but ask yourself this question, “Am I playing favorites?” Let’s face it, some kids have sparkle. They show up; they participate with all their hearts. Perhaps they have parents that go the extra mile to support … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Week after week, you plan a brilliant hour (or two) of kids’ ministry then hope and pray that they get it. You go home covered in glitter and abandoned artwork and pass out while you pray for your kids. It is so easy for the kid’s pastor to get stuck in a rut. All you need Lord, (you pray) is … More Children’s Ministry Resources
How important is reading the Bible? I say that it’s imperative to a good relationship with Jesus Christ. It’s a book written by our Heavenly Father, so wouldn’t we want to read it? In order to know about our Creator, we should read His book. It tells of Jesus’ coming, Jesus here on earth, and Jesus’ 2nd coming. It tells … More Children’s Ministry Resources