Welcome to another session of the Children’s Ministry Think Tank. The aim is to get different perspectives and help everyone to learn (including me). Please read through the responses and share your own ideas below. Evangelizing Children Without Manipulation How should children’s ministry offer an urgent Gospel invitation without emotionally manipulating children? When does child evangelism cross the line and … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Your church, like mine, is likely blessed with dedicated volunteers who gladly give their time and energy to children’s ministry. But have you ever known volunteers who serve so willingly they never seem to make it to “big church” on Sundays and Wednesdays? I’ve seen that happen at times in my church–a worker gradually falls into a pattern of rarely … More Children’s Ministry Resources
No one plants a tree and doesn’t expect it to grow. You cultivate it. You protect the tree from the blistering heat and the frigid blasts. You jealously guard it keeping pests away. When the tree was dry and thirsty you watered it. Lastly you pruned it as it grew, coaxing the sapling with your shears. You clipped sucker branches, … More Children’s Ministry Resources
There’s no doubt – if you want an effective children’s ministry, you have to build relationships. Though relationships take time, here are five simple ideas you can utilize to demonstrate Jesus’ love to your students. 1. Remember birthdays – Send out birthday cards/postcards to the children in your ministry. Get a silly birthday hat from a party store or Oriental … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Children learn through play. They’re naturals. It’s us adults that sometimes need help! We’ve forgotten how. Plus it’s difficult to know how much babies and toddlers understand anyway. Next time you serve in the nursery, play with your own little tikes, or take care of children this age, use these developmental ages and stages as a guide to know how … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Tony’s review got me thinking about singing in the church, especially regarding children. As the folks at Sovereign Grace Music demonstrate, there’s no better time to instruct our children in the doctrine of singing than when they are young. Ephesians 5:18-21 and Colossians 3:16-17 teach this doctrine. Too many times we give children simplistic and man-centered songs to sing, or … More Children’s Ministry Resources
One of the greatest responsibilities of a pastor is helping the people in his care to spiritually grow and reach for their personal destinies. Tapping into their spiritual gifts is often key to this long sometimes painful process. No matter how bumpy the road, it’s the shepherd’s duty to help the sheep discover what is unique about each of them. … More Children’s Ministry Resources
I grew up in the late 80’s and early 90’s as many of our readers have. My generation was known as “Generation X.” Those who grew up in the late 90’s and early 2000’s are part of what has been called the “ME Generation.” It is this generation that concerns me in this article. Most of our readers here at … More Children’s Ministry Resources
These are verses that we all know too well. So well that we might not even read them. “He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Libraries all over the nation conduct summer reading programs, so why shouldn’t we? There is a plethora of quality literature out there and children looking for something to do. All they need is a little encouragement! Goals: Summer reading allows children to maintain skills and develop a lifelong love for books. Reading also allows students to be engaged in learning, … More Children’s Ministry Resources
I think we’ve all been there. We’re finished with our prepared lesson and there is still a LOT of time remaining. There are also a LOT of children staring up at you, anxiously awaiting their next activity. Next time you’re caught with too much free time, here are some fun and easy activities to do with the students. Just make … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Children face a lot of fears. Some are afraid of the dark while others are afraid of trying new foods. Childhood fears are varied and diverse except for one common fear that has plagued childhood for generations, the fear of embarrassment. Let’s face it. It’s an embarrassing moment entering a room full of people for the first time. If you … More Children’s Ministry Resources
How do you teach your children in your ministry about missions? It seems that with the current “drop-out” rate of youth in the church, it is now more important than ever to cultivate a love for the gospel with our children. I try to discuss a significant missionary every now and then when discussion allows, but must confess that right … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Sam (not his real name) is a sixth grader who attends our Wednesday night AWANA club. He is a bit of a jokester, always coming up with witty remarks under his breath or pulling a prank on one of the other kids. But one night he surprised me by asking a serious question. He wanted to know why God allowed … More Children’s Ministry Resources
This children’s Bible lesson introduces the New Testament portion of the Big Picture Story Bible part 12. It covers the silent years waiting for God’s Promised King and the census of Caesar Augustus. This is one of many children’s church lessons based on The Big Picture Story Bible. These lesson plans should be adjusted to fit your ministry context. I … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Have you seen the video called “The Watchmaker,” produced by Kids4Truth? It is a nicely told parable illustrating the folly of believing that the human race sprang into being by random chance. Just as the intricate parts of a watch could not possibly come together by accident to create a sophisticated timepiece, so the even more intricate and detailed workings … More Children’s Ministry Resources
For Christian parents, few concerns are more pressing than the salvation of their children. I’ve know many parents who struggle to know if their kids are saved. In this post I want to share my best advice for parents. Please feel free to leave a comment and share your thoughts. How Can I Tell If A Child Is Saved? The … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Here is another great “backpocket” game to play with kids when you need them to settle down and/or kill time. The game is called Silent Football. Many of you have perhaps heard of this game. Here is how it works: – Have the kids sit in a tight circle – Explain that the point of the game is to pass … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Sunday School Revolutionary is a blog hosted by the Kentucky Baptist Convention on the topic {you guessed it} Sunday School. I just read the latest post and wanted to share it here. It’a full of practical help for turning your Sunday school attendance list into a ministry list. Here’s a great quote: Revolutionary Sunday School cares for people in class … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Sometimes it’s hard to get kids attention about global poverty. But once you can show them that American’s are super rich, it can really help them let go of the wealth idols in their life. So, let me point out a cool web calculator. You enter your annual income and it shows where you rank among the income earners in … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Finding children’s worship music that has biblical depth and musical excellence can be a challenge. That is one reason why I was excited to learn about the new CD for kids from Sovereign Grace Music. To Be Like Jesus contains 12 worship songs about the fruits of the Spirit. The album is inspired by Galatians 5:22-23, “The fruit of the … More Children’s Ministry Resources
One of my favorite new worship songs is called the Revelation Song. This may be a little off topics, but I wanted to share the the video and lyrics here on our site. This might be something to show in your children’s church or Sunday school if you have time. Or you can just enjoy the Revelation Song and have … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Sometimes I’m discouraged about how few children are really being taught the Bible at home. But as a parent, I need to think about my own home first. Am I an example for my children in memorizing the Bible? I ran across this very practical and encouraging blog post on memorizing the Bible with your kids. It gives day-by-day instructions … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Get creative – and – keep the congregation’s full attention. This can’t fail approach requires zero preparation and gets kids involved since they bring the object each week. I’m not certain who first coined the idea of “Sermons in a Sack,” but if you need a break from the usual children’s sermons, this is a good alternative for summer. These … More Children’s Ministry Resources