“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NASB For the month of November, in my Wednesday night Bible study, we will be focusing on being thankful. Being thankful seems to get easier the more that we do it, so I want my students to be on the look-out for things they are thankful for. I came up with this “Thankfulness Chart” to
Looking for another way to get families involved in your events or ministry? Why not host a poster contest? Schools use these contests to spread awareness about a cause and bring attention to aspiring artists. You can do that too! You could make the fall festival the deadline or extend your poster contest deadline to Thanksgiving. Parents and grandparents will line up to see their children’s posters on display in your classroom or children’s church. Before you
Use these free printable illustrations to teach children about taming the tongue. They are a powerful discussion starter about the dangers that talking can bring into our lives. These pictures will get the attention of older kids and help them talk about the importance of what we say. See James 3:1-12 for a good scripture to discuss along with this activity. Download both black/white coloring pages in one PDF document Download both full coloring cartoons in one PDF
We, Americans as a whole, are a privileged people. We have homes, cars, food, clothes, and toys. Why, then, do we not find our joy? The simple reason is because we are trying to find joy in the wrong place. Joy is not found in the store, it is found in a relationship with Jesus Christ. Psalm 51:12 (NASB) states, “Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit.” Do you
As you all may know, October is Preacher Appreciation Month. This is the time of the year set aside that we, as members of our churches, should remember our preachers. But why? Why should we show appreciation to our preachers? I’ve heard it all: “They’re just doing their jobs, right?” “That’s what they get paid for.” “They only work one day a week, so what’s the big deal?” “They don’t have a ‘real’ job.” “We pay them,
The free Bible lesson is based on the events surrounding David being chosen as King for Israel. It was adapted for older elementary students and helps them discover that God’s power helps believers defeat their enemies. Please modify it to best serve the children you are teaching. Bible Passage: 1 Samuel 16-17 Bible Story Title: Samuel anoints a shepherd boy Target Age Group: Ages 9-11 (3rd-5th Grade U.S.A.) Target Time Frame: 60 Minutes Original Teaching Context: Sunday School Image
For my Wednesday night class this summer, I wanted to go through the Fruit of the Spirit in order to work on some character qualities that I noticed were starting to be lacking in my class. I knew that the Ministry-to-Children has a grand array of lessons to choose from and so I did a search in order to see what they had on the subject. I quickly found Kara Jenkins’ lessons on each of the Fruit
Lots of people love Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups! This candy is so popular that it shows up in new incarnations every holiday as the Reese’s Peanut Butter Egg or the Christmas Tree. If you break out peanut butter cups in kids church, I can promise you, you will grab their attention. It’s a good idea to bring some mini cups for kids to snack on afterwards. The Sweet Covering: For this object lesson, you’ll need an unwrapped
I believe you can teach Bible principles with just about any everyday object, including a plain hand mirror. I’m sure there are hundreds of ways to use a mirror in your lesson plan but I have had some success with these two mirror object lessons. Feel free to tweak them to fit your needs. Using these Bible verses and a mirror, you can teach a child a positive message that could help transform some aspect of his
This free Bible lesson for children teaches children about being close to God. It’s based on passages in John 8:32, Deuteronomy 11:18, and Romans 12:9-10. Lesson Title: In God’s Hands Bible Reference: John 8:32, Deuteronomy 11:18, Romans 12:9-10 Target Age Group: Elementary School Learning Context: Sunday School Target Time Frame: One Hour Memory Verse: “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.”
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 calamity and that God has made us many precious promises. If you want to revisit this lesson
Who doesn’t love a cupcake? This delectable treat is inexpensive and it’s the perfect item to use as an object lesson for kids ministry. Cupcakes are great for a holiday lesson or any time of the year. Prepare a batch of cupcakes or if you don’t enjoy baking (like me) you can cheat and purchase some from your local bakery. Of course, if you’re going to use a cupcake object lesson, you need to have enough to
This free Bible lesson is part 5 of 10 in our Lord’s Prayer study. Children will learn to pray for God’s Kingdom to spread here on Earth. Click here to browse all the lessons in this teaching series. You can share your teaching tips and suggestions for other readers by leaving a comment at the bottom of this page. Main idea: God’s kingdom is where we go if we love God and follow him. Teacher preparation: Read Scripture references,
This free Bible lesson is part 4 of 10 in our Lord’s Prayer study. The theme of God’s name and holy character is introduced. All proper prayer is deeply respectful to God. Click here to browse all the lessons and related ideas. Don’t miss our printable Lord’s Prayer coloring book, use it as an additional activity while teaching this unit. Main idea: God is perfect, and as Christians, we must act in such a way that keeps his reputation
We created this free printable as a tool to help children learn about the book of Esther. You can also search our website and find lesson plans another ideas related to this Bible story. We are in the early stages of creating a coloring sheet for each book in the Bible. The project is just beginning and may take most of 2013 before they are posted online. Click on the image to download a print-friendly PDF version. You can also
Everyone has a Facebook page. I knew when my Dad, retired Navy Seal and lovable curmudgeon, created a personal Facebook account that social networking could work miracles (not literally, of course). In a practical sense, connecting to families through a social networking site just makes sense when you operate a children’s ministry. You can send reminders, make announcements and interact with families with just a few clicks. That’s helpful when you want to build stronger ties and
Here are two different cartoon caricature illustrations of David and Goliath from 1 Samuel 17. They could be used as a teaching illustration or coloring page for your Sunday School lessons. Use the empty dialogue boxes for the children to write out what David said from the Bible story. Use the links below to download these free printable pictures. PDF is the easiest to print, while PNG allows for custom editing with photo editing software, i.e. resizing
Like yours, my local church provides families with Halloween alternatives like trunk or treat and pumpkin prayer activities in kids church. But there’s always a bunch that likes going door-to-door for trick or treating, hoping to score big on candy and prizes. Even kids that don’t trick or treat understand the concept. Ring doorbell. Demand candy or deliver a trick. Leave with candy. Why not use this Halloween activity as an object lesson? Here’s what I mean…
Kids ministry can be one of the most exciting ministries but it can challenge you, too. It’s easy to feel isolated, unappreciated and well, misunderstood even in a supportive environment. Sometimes, the kids ministry leader just needs to hear a kind word. If you’re wondering what to say, try one of these 9 things a kids min leader needs to hear. Thank you. Kids don’t always remember to say it, parents can forget it but these two
I’m crazy about themes, props and the Bible! I love creating new ways to present Bible principles and verses to kids. Like many children’s pastors, I’m not a big fan of Halloween but I do recognize the incredible evangelistic opportunity I am presented with every year. Since kids love to dress up, each October I fill the kids’ church calendar with opportunities for kids (and moi) to dress up. What’s on deck this week? Ninja warrior Sunday!
This free Bible lesson for children teaches the value of telling others about Jesus. It’s based on the passage in Matthew 9 that talks about the great harvest waiting for workers. Leave us a comment with your feedback or suggestions for other readers. Lesson Title: The Harvest Bible Reference: Matthew 9:35-38 Target Age Group: Elementary School Learning Context: Sunday School Target Time Frame: One Hour Memory Verse: “Ask the Lord of the Harvest, therefore, to send out
I’ve been doing children’s ministry for a long time. The last 8 years I’ve been a full time children’s pastor, leading at least two Bible lessons each week. That’s a lot of talking… I hope some has been helpful, fun, and honoring to God. Too much has been confusing, boring, and not-so-helpful. So, here’s the question I’m asking myself. What will the kids in your ministry remember most in 10 years – the details of the lesson
This free cartoon illustration of “Daniel in the Lion’s Den” could be used as a teaching illustration for your Bible Lesson. You can download the print friendly PDF version or PNG image of the full colored picture. We’ve also created a free coloring page based on this same file, pictured below. You can the printable black/white coloring sheet in either PDF format or as a PNG image file.
It’s fall! Who’s planning a pumpkin party? I love this fall, un-scary theme for fall. We have a pumpkin party every year for all our kids. Besides pumpkin garland and cutesy decorations, you need some pumpkin theme games for kids to play. Put on some cheap grillz for authenticity! These fun ideas are perfect for a party or to add as an activity for a kids church service. Pumpkin golf: Carve out a pumpkin and make a
