The unassuming egg plays no role in the true, Easter story but kids don’t care. Thousands of little ones wake up expecting a basket and eggs to hunt every year. As teachers, I think it’s a smart move to capitalize on popular culture. In my children’s church, Spongebob Squarepants got saved and declared, “I’m ready! I’m ready! I’m ready for … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Recently, I was looking for fundraising inspiration – we needed some new equipment and the church’s budget was tight. I wanted an idea that would excite the supporters of my ministry but that donors would like too. After attending my son’s school’s spring fling, I found holiday inspiration. Today, our kids’ church Easter auction is the talk of the church, … More Children’s Ministry Resources
This Easter lesson was created to focus on the importance of the resurrection and reviews what the students have learned from studying the Book of Acts. This lesson was prepared for older students but can be adapted to the needs of your ministry. Learning Goal: Students will learn that the resurrection is vitally important in sharing the Good News. Optional Activities: You … More Children’s Ministry Resources
During my 12 plus years of working in children’s ministry, I have to say this past year was a first! My track records includes teaching small children’s church, the “big” kids’ church, an all-girl praise dance class and Sidewalk Sunday School. When the opportunity arose to be a temporary teacher in a boys’ class, I didn’t hesitate. I’m a fool … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Christian teachers teach all the time, whether they know it or not. I think to keep teaching fun, God provides us the occassional “aha” or teaching moment. It’s our job to recognize those windows of opportunity to unite kids with their God and a greater understanding of the faith. Besides these golden moments, Christian teachers should expect a few other … More Children’s Ministry Resources
There’s no doubt that Easter is one of the most loved, holiest days in the Christian church. Even people who aren’t committed to church attendance suddenly appear at Easter. What a perfect time to expand your reach into the local community. Make soul-winning fun for volunteers and those you want to catch by using fun evangelism ideas. Kids and adults … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Spring is approaching and you probably have a big year planned for kids’ church. As someone once said, “No man is an island,” and you cannot achieve those plans all by yourself. For many kids’ ministries, this means finding fresh faces in areas like games, crafts and worshipping. Volunteer recruitment needs to go big and from experience, I have found … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Some people think it’s old-fashioned, but I still believe in crusades! The main reason why I love them is, by their very nature, they focus on salvation through Jesus. Crusades are like illustrated sermons, only with more games, object lessons and props. A crusade is a suitable ministry format for both children and adults. Vacation Bible School is a fun … More Children’s Ministry Resources
A healthy bus ministry consists of more than providing transportation between church and home. Volunteers and riders will flock to buses that offer programs that meet their needs. Volunteers need to know what to expect and how they can help. Riders are counting on you to set the tone, teach them how to behave, and introduce them to God’s kingdom. … More Children’s Ministry Resources
This lesson combines the Jerusalem council, Barnabas and Paul’s disagreement and Paul’s call to Macedonia. The focus on the lesson is how the Holy Spirit resolves conflict and directs believers in the way they should go. This Bible study was prepared for older elementary students and is only a guide to help you teach your students. Please adapt to the … More Children’s Ministry Resources
We created this lesson plan for a stuffed-animal theme night at our church. Each child was allowed to bring their favorite toy pet. The lesson began with puppet skit improvisation that to introduced the theme, Bible verses, and some random tips for safety with animals. The main lesson is contained in the PowerPoint below. Just for fun, I included about … More Children’s Ministry Resources
This simple lesson plan was prepared for our Pirate Theme night at church on a Wednesday evening. It could be useful for any children’s church or Sunday School lesson. I’ve included a few hints below, but would love to hear your ideas too. Simply leave a comment below to make suggestions for other readers. Downloads: PowerPoint Presentation (right-click to download) PDF … More Children’s Ministry Resources
The church bus ministry entails much more than finding new kids and loading them on the bus for Sunday. Transit time is valuable and perfect for ministering to kids with fun games. Bus games give kids a chance to get to know one another and you. An exciting game also engages the child’s attention and keeps busy hands out of … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Herding children in and out of classes becomes a bit tedious week after week but cool stations will have kids wanting to stay. Developing special points of interest in the class will help you direct kids into prayer and worship. Stations are also useful for directing volunteer assignments and giving workers a chance to lead in new areas. Use stations … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Teachers often face a number of obstacles when attempting to deliver life-changing Bible messages to their students. Some things teachers face regularly are limited budgets, difficult children and the ever-present, surprise element. (Surprise! I need you to teach this week!) A few times a year, students, parents and fellow teachers have the opportunity to shower these tireless workers with gifts … More Children’s Ministry Resources
This Bible lesson plan about freedom in Christ follows our new hassle-free format. The basic version makes it easy to teach with very little preparation or outside materials. We’ve also suggested more activities so you can expand the lesson to best fit your ministry setting. Lesson Title: The Tower of Babel Bible Reference: Genesis 11:1-9 Printer Friendly: [print_link] this lesson. … More Children’s Ministry Resources
How many times have you thought, “My pastor just doesn’t get it” or “my pastor just doesn’t care about kids’ ministry”? Do you struggle with feeling supported by your pastor? I think we all do from time to time, and some of us feel that way all the time. Most pastors are not wired in a way where kids are … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Do you need a sample job description for a children’s minister? Then check out our basic template below. It is easily customizable for your church or situation. For example, you might include more specific duties and lines of accountability. Please leave a comment below to share your own ideas for making it even better. Position: Children’s Pastor Qualifications: – Born … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Running a fast-paced Sunday School takes more than a willing heart. Preparation and organization are keys to keeping your class in order. Organization begins with the Sunday School storage closet. Keeping supplies in order will make them easier to find and will keep them from becoming damaged. Nothing is more infuriating then reaching for a last minute craft and finding … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Picture children running from all directions to climb aboard the church bus. No dragging kids to come to church, no begging or bribing. Real excitement that affects families, even neighborhoods. It can happen—it does happen in the bus ministry! If this doesn’t sound like your bus ministry, you can change that. Start here. 1. Reset the Standard The standard for … More Children’s Ministry Resources
A children’s ministry requires a constant supply of prizes, equipment and material – all these things cost money. Some churches don’t have flexible budgets and may not be able to keep up with the growth of their children’s ministry. These same ideas can help your group sponsor a child. This doesn’t have to be a ministry killer. If you need … More Children’s Ministry Resources
In the divided kingdom, none of the northern kings were recorded as righteous in God’s eyes. They were all wicked and led their people to sin. Ahab is usually taught when covering the study of God’s prophet Elijah. From this lesson about Ahab students discover that God’s word reveals His truth and instructs people how to live a life that … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Looking for a way to merge the fall season into your Sunday School lesson, Bible club, Christian classroom, or Awana meeting? Here are three age-appropriate Bible game ideas for preschoolers. They are sure to not only engage and entertain the youngest crowd, but also teach them an applicable Biblical truth. Get ready to get out of your seats, laugh, encourage, … More Children’s Ministry Resources
We threw a “Pickle Palooza” in our Wednesday night children’s program. From the moment we announced the schedule, this was one of the most anticipated nights. Here are some of the themed elements we tried. Please leave a comment and share your own creative ideas. >>> Bible Connection <<< God Made You Special: We used our pickle party along with … More Children’s Ministry Resources