This ministry idea shared by one of our readers, Linda M Howard from First Baptist Church Tyrone, GA. I do have something I would like to share with you so you can share it with others. I wanted my class to learn the disciples but couldn’t find any ‘help’ when searching the internet. So I decided to put them in … More Children’s Ministry Resources
I was looking in our toy and game cabinet at church this weekend and that got me thinking about the games that every children’s ministry ought to have. It also got me thinking about the advantages of some games over others. Sure, Rock ‘Em / Sock ‘Em Robots is fun, but is there really a way to “use it” in … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Previously, I wrote about several ways that being a school teacher prepared me for being a children’s minister. There were also a few things that did not transition well. What follows are some ways that my previous job did not prepare me for ministry. These are a few surprises I quickly discovered. Click here to leave a comment. 1. Ministry takes over your life. I … More Children’s Ministry Resources
It feels like a hundred years ago, but before I came on staff at Westwood I taught public school for two years. It was undoubtedly two of the hardest years of my life. I knew God had called me to ministry, but for two years that was my ministry. They were pretty intense days and I have both fond and … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Recently, my church hosted a conference which was open to our children’s ministry volunteers, as well as other local churches in the area. The conference was intended to not only encourage volunteers, but to train them as well. The Friday night through Saturday morning trainings focused on material entitled, CM:21, Children’s Ministry in the Twenty First Century. CM:21 was lead … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Anyone who thinks school teachers don’t deserve an award at the end of the school year has obviously not recently visited one! School teachers face mounds of paperwork, challenging children and an unforgiving schedule—all while caring for a class of young minds. As Christian teachers and leaders, we know how tough ministering to kids can be. What better way to … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Among other things, summer time is prime time for service projects and missions trips. Often, those trips will include working with children through Vacation Bible Schools, summer camps, outreach programs, orphanages, etc. Whether you’ve got trips planned for the inner city, a different place in the US, or an international mission trip planned, an essential component of that trip is … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Safety is non-negotiable in children’s ministry. You can have the very best curriculum, most creative activities, and dynamic decor, but if you have not made safety a priority, you could be headed for potential disaster. We can never fully protect our ministries or our kids from all impending harm, but it is our responsibility to be proactive when it comes to … More Children’s Ministry Resources
I love preschoolers. They’re just a whole lot of fun, and they provide a mostly blank canvas. I love their energy. I love their excitement. I love their thirst and hunger for knowledge. I love their innocent view of the world. Spend the morning with a room full of preschoolers, and you will get a much better understanding why Jesus … More Children’s Ministry Resources
OK. Confession time. All smart kids ministry people monitor the mom blogs for ideas. 5 Minutes for Mom is one of the best mommy blog sites out there. So, this year I’m crashing their Ultimate Blog Party. Just click here to browse the guest list. They’ll have thousands of bloggers visiting around and making new friends. Attn Guests: Ministry-To-Children is … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Bible memorization helps to give kids a foundation for their spiritual journey that will take a life time. As they grow older, it gives them the ability to have God’s Word on the tip of their tongue when they face trials and temptations. As the enemy attacks them, having those words written on their hearts can be their line of … More Children’s Ministry Resources
K-Love Radio may have started something a few years back when they called for Christians to celebrate John 3:16 Day. The basic idea was to use March 16th (3/16) to share the message of Jesus with others. The challenge was simple – Tell someone about God’s love today. I’ve already noticed a jump in people printing out out our John 3:16 … More Children’s Ministry Resources
It is important in teaching God’s kids that we constantly strive to improve. Equally important is networking with like-minded and passionate children’s ministry servant. Fortunately, there are a ton of great conferences out there to accomplish both of these goal. We are striving to pull together one comprehensive resource listing children’s ministry conferences around the globe. With that goal in … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Admit it! I got your attention with that title. Who says that sort of thing when they work in children’s ministry? That answer is – no one says it, but I am willing to venture a guess that most of us have thought it at one point or another. So, here are five simple things you can do to keep … More Children’s Ministry Resources
I love spring! Whenever it rolls around I get excited about ministry. Spring is God’s reminder of the new start I have with Him every day, a truth I love sharing with the children that my ministry touches. The coming of spring also renews my commitment to my local church and the children in my area. To help me rebuild … More Children’s Ministry Resources
I’ve always been interested in cultural trends and how they effect ministry to children & families. One way researchers study culture is by demographic or birth-year cohorts. Some new research is just emerging from Thom Rainer about the Millennial generation. Here are some quick facts and statistics, you can read more here. The Millennial (aka Generation Y) are those born … More Children’s Ministry Resources
My husband and I have two children with big dreams. Our daughter speaks of becoming a doctor one day. She takes our blood pressure and assesses our symptoms daily. Her tender heart beats with compassion for those who are ill, especially in poverty stricken countries. I love the heart that God has given her. Our son speaks of becoming a … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Super cute white pants with red hearts ALL over them; that’s what I remember most about Valentine’s Day growing up. They were a genius gift from my parents in the fifth grade. How they got a fifth grader’s style right, I’ll never know. (I am currently struggling with a three year old boy’s style.) If you dug up old photos, you … More Children’s Ministry Resources
I think one of the biggest challenges anyone faces in ministry is recruiting (and keeping) volunteers. Particularly as a children’s director, it sometimes feels like pulling teeth to get church members to even consider stepping foot into the children’s department! I think there are several things we can do as preschool and elementary directors to remove people’s preconceived ideas about … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Holiday parties make the perfect venue for kids to socialize with Christian teachers and kids. Chances are the local school and some families will already host many of these love-related parties. If plan to hold a Valentine’s Day party, make your event stand out with these 5 ideas for a Christian Valentine party. Use this fun event to demonstrate to … More Children’s Ministry Resources
The children gathered excitedly in front of me, sitting on their little red or blue plastic chairs. There were about thirty kids, ranging in age from three to seven years old. I sat my large dalmation Firedog puppet from Amaze Healing Wings on my right knee. A previous generation of kids I pastored long ago had named him “Scruffy.” As the children quieted down, I began … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Conducting exit interviews and issuing each child an “exit ticket” at the end of a ministry period is a great exercise for reinforcing Bible lessons and communicating with parents. Dr. Alyssa Barnes, an education faculty member at North Georgia College & State University, gave me the idea for creating daily exit tickets inside a children’s ministry setting. Barnes explained that … More Children’s Ministry Resources
This learning method is one I discovered one day when the kids were feeling rowdy in kids church. Instead of my normal methods of group memory verse work, I asked the kids to do something different. I never use this as a stand-alone memory exercise, but it’s a good supplement that brings some variety by promoting active listening. Supplies: A … More Children’s Ministry Resources
This is the 4th lesson of a 5-part series based on the life of Moses. This free Children’s Church lesson plan was first written for elementary aged students. It covers the story of the Israelites and how they kept grumbling. This material could also be used as the Bible lesson for children’s Sunday school. Be sure to consider your own … More Children’s Ministry Resources