Andy Dukes

Kids Ministry, kids101, Leadership, Levels of Biblical Learning, Podcasts, Resources, Training

May 12, 2016

Developing A Philosophy in Children’s Ministry

In this week’s episode of the Lifeway Kids Podcast, Chuck Peters, Lifeway Kids Director of Operations, sits down with Dr. Shelly Melia at last year’s Kids Ministry Conference (now called ETCH Family Ministry Conference) to discuss how important is it that we have a distinct philosophy behind what we do in children’s ministry. Having a philosophy helps provide clarity and focus in our ministry and that focus helps us to know what to say yes to and what to say no to. In other words, it’s a critical aspect as a children’s ministry leader, to help build and develop a philosophy for how you do what you do.

Many start out in children’s ministry in reactive mode. To develop a philosophy, you are getting to the 30,000 foot level where you can think about the big picture and become more proactive to your approach. Dr. Melia helps us think about practical steps for how we can start to develop a philosophy of ministry.

Dr. Melia has been in children’s ministry for over 20 years and currently serves as the Director of the Master of Arts in Children’s Ministry program at Dallas Baptist University.

Encouragement, Evangelism, Kids Ministry, Leadership, Missions, Podcasts, Resources, Training

May 5, 2016

Reaching the Inner-City with the Gospel

By Andy Dukes

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS

In this week’s episode, we sit down with Dr. Eric Mason (@pastoremase) at our Kids Ministry Conference in 2015. Dr. Mason is the lead pastor at Epiphany Fellowship in Philadelphia, PA. He is also the founder and president of Thriving, which is an urban ministry organization committed to training leaders for ministry in cities locally, nationally, and internationally.

In this conversation, we talk about the greatest challenges in our culture to reaching kids and families, especially in the inner-city. Dr. Mason shares his insights on what churches can do to reach across ethnic, socioeconomic, cultural and other boundaries to win kids and families to Christ. Dr. Mason also expounds upon how his church has engaged their culture and some practical things they do to reach families and their community.

Events, Fun, Kids Bible Study, Kids Ministry, Leadership, Podcasts, Preschoolers, Resources, Small Groups, Training

April 28, 2016

How Do You Setup Your Classroom?

By Andy Dukes

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS

In this week’s episode of the Lifeway Kids podcast, our lead kids ministry specialist, Bill Emeott, sits down to discuss the importance of setting up a classroom. This is an element of kids ministry that has evolved over the years. Setting up a classroom in today’s culture can mean very different things because a classroom setting looks different at every church. For this conversation, we are simply defining a classroom as a physical place where kids will gather. The classroom environment starts with what kind of person is leading that small group, but then it moves to all the physical attributes of the space you are in. Bill and Jeffrey discuss the different types of environments and how that environment impacts the type of setup you need.

Bible Study, Devotional, Kids Bible Study, Kids Ministry, Leadership, Levels of Biblical Learning, Podcasts, Resources, Training

April 21, 2016

Growing in God’s Word: Teaching the Bible the Way Kids Learn

By Andy Dukes

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS

As kids grow, their understanding of foundational truth grows with them. In this episode of the Lifeway Kids podcast, Chuck Peters, Jana Magruder, and Bill Emeott discuss the importance of having a framework as we teach the Bible to kids. It’s vital that we understand how God made kids and how they learn at each stage of development. That’s why Lifeway Kids developed a framework called the Levels of Biblical Learning to help kids ministry leaders through this process. We introduce this framework in this episode of the podcast. To go even deeper, Lifeway Kids is also hosting a free, live webinar on Monday, May 9 at 11:30am (CST) that will fully unpack the Levels of Biblical Learning and how this framework can be applied in your church. You can register for free at live.lifewaykids.com.

Evangelism, Events, Leadership, Resources, Vacation Bible School

April 14, 2016

The Balance of “Outreach” and “In-Reach” in VBS

By Andy Dukes

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS

VBS is a milestone event in a kids life. We also know from research, that VBS is the #1 evangelistic outreach tool in churches today. Anyone that has helped to lead, plan, and execute a VBS event knows that there is a ton of work involved to pull it off. With all of that work, it’s extremely easy to get caught up in the details, to put more emphasis on the things that have a tendency to distract us from the main goal of introducing kids to life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ. So how can we maintain a level of excellence in our execution of VBS, while keeping evangelism at the center of what we do? In this episode, Melita Thomas, a member of our VBS team, joins us to talk about this delicate balance.

Melita Thomas serves as a Content Editor for Lifeway’s VBS and Zip for Kids resources. Melita holds a masters degree in Christian Education/Childhood Ministry which accompanies her passion and expertise as a leader in kids ministry—both in her role at Lifeway Kids and in the local church. Melita is a member of First Baptist Nashville, where she enjoys teaching kindergartners and preteens.

CentriKid, Events, Kids Ministry, Leadership, Podcasts, Resources

April 8, 2016

5 Great Tips for a Great Camp

By Andy Dukes

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS

Here at Lifeway Kids, we consider the camp experience to be a mile-marker event in the life of a kid! We love camp at Lifeway Kids and if you are looking for a life-changing experience for your own kids, we strongly consider you check out CentriKid Camps. But whether you do your own camp, or come to ours, we want to give you five things you should do to make it a great experience for your kids and leaders.

In this podcast episode, Jeremy Echols, who leads the @CentriKid team, unpacks these 5 great tips for a great camp:

Secure The Date
Prepare in Advance
Go All In When You Are At Camp
Seek Out Intentional Conversations
Follow Up

JE (@coachechols) leads the @centrikid camps team for Lifeway Kids. He met his wife Emily working summer camp, they serve in the kids area on Sunday’s at church, and they are blessed with their daughter #BabyMadison who was born in 2011.

Kids Ministry, Training

May 28, 2014

Who’s Coming To Kids Ministry Conference?

By Andy Dukes

If what you are doing in your ministry isn’t transforming the hearts of kids and expanding the Kingdom, is what you’re doing really worth pursuing? That is the question we are going to tackle together at this year’s Kids Ministry Conference. We have some amazing speakers lined up to help us with these issues and speak directly to the transforming effect of how you lead your kids ministry. Here is our current main stage lineup:

Sally Lloyd Jones, author of The Jesus Storybook Bible
Pete Wilson, pastor of Cross Point Church in Nashville, TN
Lisa Harper, Bible teacher and speaker, and currently on the Women of Faith Tour
Michael Chanley, former Executive Director of International Network of Children’s Ministry
Jeffrey Reed, Director of Lifeway Kids
Eric Geiger, Vice President of Lifeway Church Resources Division
Michael Jr., stand-up comedian

We also have Michael Bleecker and his band coming to lead us in worship. Michael currently serves as Worship Pastor for the Village Church, located in Dallas, TX, where Matt Chandler serves as lead teaching pastor.

Additionally, for the first time ever, we will also have a house-band during Kids Ministry Conference 2014! That’s right, we are going to jam out and have a blast during our main sessions this year!

So if you can’t tell, an amazing conference is being planned just for you! Come be a part and experience how God can use you to transform the hearts and minds of kids within your sphere of influence. Come be a part of experiencing what it means to lead your ministry in a way that shapes the culture of kids today. It’s going to be simply awesome! Are you ready to register? Simply visit Kids Ministry Conference for more details. See you in October!

Andy Dukes serves as Event Coordinator for Lifeway Kids. He graduated from Murray State University in KY in 2008. He served on summer staff (Crosspoint and CentriKid) for 7 summers and moved full-time at Lifeway in December 2008. Andy’s wife, Meghan, is a 1st grade teacher and they attend and serve at Redeemer Church in Hendersonville, TN.

Kids Ministry, Training

April 29, 2014

Where Does Transformation Come From?

By Andy Dukes

As Christians, we know that by believing in Jesus Christ and confessing Him to be our Savior, He saves us from our sin and we get to live in eternity with Him. Praise God! That is biblical transformation in its greatest form. This gospel message is one we should proclaim to the ends of the earth. It should also drive everything we do in our kids ministry, both theologically and practically. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.” Wow, a new creation. This is more than just I was lost, and now I’m found. This passage speaks much more significance than that. We are no longer our old selves. We have been reconciled to God and no longer carry the burdens we might have once carried. We aren’t just carrying a new banner that says Christian, we are completely transformed into a new creation!

Do you want your kids to be transformed from the inside out? I’m certain you do. Do you long to see your kids to be culture-shakers in your community as they live out this transformation? Of course!

A practical next step to learn how to begin guiding and leading your ministry in this way is by attending our annual Kids Ministry Conference. “Transformation” is the theme for this year’s conference. We hope this event will cause you to think differently regarding your vision, approach and understanding of how to lead your teachers, volunteers, and kids!

This year’s conference is back in Nashville, TN at Lifeway’s downtown world headquarters. The dates are October 6-8, 2014. Make plans to join us! Visit Kids Ministry Conference Website website for more details and registration information.

Encouragement, Events

March 12, 2014

Where Do You Go for Inspiration?

By Andy Dukes

We’ve all had those days — even weeks — when it seems no matter how hard we try to make a difference in kids ministry, we feel alone, tired, and worn out. By the time you wake up, get ready for the day, and make it to the office, you feel like there is no more gas left in the tank. And that’s only Monday!

We’ve all been there. It’s in those moments we need to find inspiration and encouragement in our life. In those moments, it’s vital that we remember and dwell on the words of Scripture. In John 15:16 Jesus says, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you. I appointed you that you should go out and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you” (HCSB).

Wow! What an amazing thought — that God would choose people like us and desire that we bear fruit abundantly! As we seek after God’s desires and as He reveals Himself in the Scriptures, we begin to understand our purpose and rekindle the hope that we have in Christ. Those are the things we should remember to give us the inspiration and encouragement we need.

Coming together as brothers and sisters in Christ — and partners in kids ministry — is another way to find inspiration. When we come together, we get to share one another’s burdens, laugh together, and know that our struggles are not ours alone. That is exactly why we highly encourage you to join us for KMC (Kids Ministry Conference) this October in Nashville!

If you register before March 15, you get to bring a volunteer with you for 50% off — that’s over $100 in savings! It will be a great experience to share with your entire kids ministry team. What if you have 3 on your staff that want to come to KMC? Register all 3 and get 3 spots for volunteers at 50% off. It’s that easy! Take advantage of this limited time offer by visiting the KMC Web site and register today! Use the Promo Code: KMCVOLUNTEER14 to receive this special, limited time offer.

Find the inspiration you need from following Jesus and from gathering together with other kids ministers!

Evangelism, Leadership, Training, Vacation Bible School

November 21, 2013

Take Your VBS to the Next Level

By Andy Dukes

A great way to minister to your community continues to be through the ministry of Vacation Bible School. VBS has been around for over a century, but God continues to use it to bring people of all ages into His kingdom.

While religious education might have been it’s original purpose, God has bigger plans for VBS than just a summer opportunity for young believers to learn more about Him. While this original purpose is absolutely essential, God also uses VBS as a bridge — a bridge to the spiritual orphans. It is absolutely possible to take all the fun and excitement that VBS brings and use it to build those bridges.

Are you interested in knowing how to do that? Have you ever wanted to take VBS at your church and do more than you thought possible? Why not join us at one of our VBS Preview events? We host several around the country and we help you unpack almost every element of VBS. These affordable events really can help you take your VBS to another level.

And if you are someone who can’t take off work on a Thursday or Friday, we have a brand-new one-day event that takes place on Saturday! We try to pack everything into an 8-hour experience that will give you excitement and encouragement as you begin making your plans to host your VBS in your community. In 2014, we will offer this new one-day experience at our Nashville and Florida locations only. Visit our website for location info and to register today! www.lifeway.com/vbspreview

Developing A Philosophy in Children’s Ministry

Reaching the Inner-City with the Gospel

How Do You Setup Your Classroom?

Growing in God’s Word: Teaching the Bible the Way Kids Learn

The Balance of “Outreach” and “In-Reach” in VBS

5 Great Tips for a Great Camp

Who’s Coming To Kids Ministry Conference?

Where Does Transformation Come From?

Where Do You Go for Inspiration?

Take Your VBS to the Next Level

All Ministry Sites

Digital Resources

Lifeway Network