Kids Ministry

Dedicated to helping Kids Ministry leaders in their mission of making disciples

Discipleship, Encouragement, Evangelism, Kids Ministry

Every Kid Longs to Belong

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At my church on Sunday mornings, I co-lead a class of 15-20 second graders. We are a fairly traditional “Sunday School” model environment. As I have taught over this past year and through some additional ministry conversations, a need rose to the surface that has heightened my sensitivity to the kids in my group and, in my opinion, strengthened our classroom experience. Regardless of what curriculum you use and what model your church is, there are ways we can help remove barriers to learning and feeling like an outsider by leading kids to feel like they belong, like they are not an outsider of your group

Tip #1 – Celebrate each child’s arrival

This may sound either obvious or outlandish to you, but this has proven to be a big deal for the kids in my class. I make great effort to ensure that I am in my room early enough to get any setup completed before kids arrive. I know that, in and of itself, may sound unattainable to some, but for me, it’s imperative that my attention can be focused on the door before my first 2nd grader arrives. 

Upon each child’s entry, I call her name with an excited tone “Gooooood morning, Emalyn! I am so glad you are here today!” as I give her a high-5 or fist bump or sometimes even a foot-5. One little guy likes to bust out in a short dance groove. 

This is a great first step to let each child know that I am genuinely excited to see her. 

If a visitor comes in that I don’t know, it is equally important that I celebrate him. This requires different intentionality. I first have to learn his name, so I’ll get down on a knee and introduce myself. After that, I’ll lead him into the room, introduce him to the others, and invite him to join the group, which is generally having free time or centers for the first 5ish minutes of our time. 

Tip #2 – Introduce names through a fun activity

Since we are generally having free time or free play as kids arrive, the first thing we do is gather in a quick huddle to introduce the day’s teaching point for 1-2 minutes. Any time we have a visitor, the first thing we do after this is a quick, fun “name game.” It might be “say your name and your favorite food” or “say your name and favorite color.” But everyone plays, every time. Even kids who are regular attenders start to realize they have things in common with the other kids in the group. And for visitors, this allows us to start helping them feel like they know the group and the group to know the visitors. They begin to feel like they belong.

Tip #3 – Begin your session with a game

Our first activity, regardless of whether we have visitors or not, is almost always a very active game, something that kids will have fun with. We try to play this for 7-10 minutes each week. Of course, kids love to play games, but playing large group games is another barrier-breaker that helps all kids feel part of the group. 

This is especially the case when we have visitors. Kids move from being an outsider and knowing no one, to starting to know a few names and the things others enjoy. With this active game, visitors are moving towards being part of the group through a shared goal. Maybe it’s a relay or Simon Says or Follow the Leader. Games have a unique way of removing barriers and helping kids feel like they belong to the group.

Tip #4 – Don’t overemphasize “what we learned last week”

This last tip is a little more general. Even though I am teaching through The Gospel Project for Kids and the chronology is important, I have begun to try not to overemphasize previous sessions. We often still talk about the timeline and things that happened before, but instead of saying “remember last week” or “who remembers who Jesus’ mother was?” I now try to phrase it more as “first time” information, such as “Earlier in the Bible we know that when Jesus was born, His mother was Mary and His earthly father was Joseph. At some point after Jesus was born, Mary had more kids so Jesus had siblings. Jude, who wrote the book of Jude was one of Jesus’ half-brothers.”

The reality I’ve seen with my second graders is that they don’t remember the details from week to week and month to month, so phrasing things this way helps me in at least 2 ways.

  1. Kids who are hearing it for the very first time do not feel like they missed out by this being their first time, and often consequentially, start feeling like the barriers are going back up pushing them outside. 
  2. Kids who were present on a previous Sunday when certain stories were taught do not feel shamed for not remembering specific details.  

In my experience this past year, this tip is a small one but makes a huge impact on helping all kids feel like they belong and are part of our group.

Every kid longs to belong. They all want to feel part of the group, like an insider rather than an outsider. As kids leaders we can help break down barriers allowing kids to move from outsiders to insiders. And when we do, their hearts begin to be more receptive to the gospel.

What are other ways you create an environment for kids to feel like they belong?

Jeremy Carroll  is the Lifeway Kids Ministry Publishing Manager for VBS and Discipleship resources. Before coming to Lifeway, he has been active in local church ministry for nearly 20 years in TN, TX, and AL. Jeremy earned a Master of Arts in Christian Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. A Middle Tennessee native, he and his family live in Murfreesboro, TN. 

Family, Family Ministry, Kids Ministry, Reaching

Parents and Kids Ministry

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What about parents? Should I try to minister directly to parents? Is there value in building relationships with the parents of the kids I serve? Is that really part of my responsibility? 

As a kids ministry leader, these questions may have crossed your mind at some point in your ministry. We would answer “Yes, there is great value to parents, their kids, our ministries, and our churches when we include ministering to and equipping parents as part of our strategy.”

Parents of the kids in our ministries need us to be strategic because they are often too busy to stop and think about parenting strategies. With bloated school, extracurricular, and church schedules, along with the rapid influx of technology threats and an ever-changing social culture, many parents are overly-stressed with their day-to-day responsibilities. This stress can lead to a fear that they are wandering through a completely unknown territory of family life. Too often this fear leads to frustration and spiritual stagnation in parents.

Parents are busy and stressed to the point of spiritual paralysis. We would be wise to come alongside them to help evaluate their role and responsibilities, being extra careful to take a “by your side” posture as we interact with parents. We have the opportunity to remind them of the Bible’s strategic commands related to parenting. For example, the Bible guides us to know that performance is not as important as a transformed heart. In the home, both discipline and teaching should aim at developing a child’s heart to honor both God and the parent. It’s not enough to teach kids to obey and simply feed them biblical facts. Merely gaining more information often only leads to arrogance. Our kids need gospel-transformed hearts to apply knowledge and biblical understanding to their lives through godly wisdom. 

Some parents may not realize they are in the middle of these challenges, but many do. The success of parents living out their God-ordained role should motivate us to help parents pause and evaluate their parenting responsibilities.

What might a strategy for parent ministry look like for kids leaders?

  1. Build relationships with parents.
    1. Create specific opportunities to meet and build relationships with parents.
    2. Invite parents to serve alongside you in ministry, so they can get to know you and see your heart for their kids, not just because you need to “fill a volunteer hole.”
  2. Train yourself to be a source of Biblical wisdom related to parenting.
    1. Research and study the Scriptures for specific parenting instructions. 
  3. Train parents to evaluate and lead in their homes.
    1. Research and provide parent training opportunities for parents to be discipled and to equip them with the skills they need to lead their families well. 

You may have heard it said that if we are going to effectively reach kids with the gospel, we must also reach their parents. There is great truth to this, especially thinking about long term impact. Parents will benefit and appreciate when others come alongside them to help chart the course and navigate family challenges. As church leaders, we are positioned to do just that, so that both parents and kids can hear and experience the transforming power of the gospel. 

For more of this conversation, check out the Kids Ministry 101 podcast: Parent Ministry.

Encouragement, Kids Ministry

A Little Goes a Long Way

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“A little goes a long way.” That statement could be the motto of every kids ministry, I think. It could apply to so many things. But today, let’s use it this way: A little encouragement and a little (or a lot) of prayer goes a long way. 

“And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25; emphasis added)

Let me start by trying to encourage you a little. You have faced many obstacles this year. You have faced changing ministry dynamics at an incredible rate. You have faced technological challenges. You have faced challenges to your ministry philosophy and strategy. You may have faced personal loss or job loss. You’ve faced a lot this year.

“But God…” This is one of my favorite transitional statements from Ephesians 2 because it reminds us that God makes dead things alive. So yes, you’ve faced many tough challenges this year. And we don’t know how many more will come our way. But God, who is rich in mercy, grace, and love, has sustained you and will sustain you through it all. There is a biblical truth that we must not forget: God is not finished with you yet (Philippians 1:6); He is producing in you “an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory.” (See 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.) So take heart. Whatever you face, do not give up because He is with you and will never leave you. Even though you walk through the dark and difficult times, you don’t have to fear churn, change, or challenges that come your way because God has been, is now, and always will be near. 

May God grant you whatever you need during this season of life. Peace. Comfort. Strength. Rest. He is able to do more than we can ever imagine. 

What about the parents and kids you serve? They’ve faced, and likely continue to face, huge hurdles in their family life. With work, school, extracurriculars, church, and more in a constant state of churn, all of these have the potential of putting strain on their relationships. With honorable intentions, during 2020 many kids ministries have sought out print and digital resources to provide to the families they serve in order to promote family discipleship. These are good efforts and should be pursued. As the Lord leads you, continue to do this.

But what about encouragement? Is this a normal part of your ministry rhythm with parents and kids?  

From what I am personally experiencing and observing in my community, one thing the families in our churches and communities need right now is encouragement. Let’s consider how we can encourage the families we serve this week. Here is one idea to help:

  1. Pull up a list of families in your ministry and maybe a prayer journal.
  2. Divide your list into smaller groups of maybe 3-4 or 5-10 kids/families. If you only have 5-10 families in your ministry, you can take one family per week to start.
  3. Get out your calendar and schedule uninterrupted time to pray weekly (or daily if you wish). Don’t let anything become a conflict with this prayer appointment. 
  4. Designate each grouping (above) to a specific weekly prayer appointment.
  5. A day or so before your prayer appointment, separately text or email each family you are committing to pray for this week to let them know you are praying for them. Ask if there are specific ways they can pray for you. As they respond, add these notes to your prayer journal.
  6. In this text/email, be sure to offer a word of encouragement such as sharing a Bible verse or a reminder that God is at work in them, even if they can’t see it now. He is near.
  7. Keep your appointment and begin to pray for the families in your ministry. Pray for them by name. Pray for them according to whatever specific details they’ve shared or that you know about their family life.
  8. Next week do the same with another family group from your list.

Remember: the work you are called to is first and foremost spiritual work. So whether you have resumed in-person meetings or not, this “little” rhythm of prayer and encouragement will go a long way both in the lives of the families you serve and in your own personal spiritual life.

Kids Ministry, Media, Technology

4 Ways to Utilize Tech Tools for Kids Ministry

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It’s 2020, and ministry leaders are facing some new challenges in maintaining community during a season of scattered gatherings. And utilizing technology in kids ministry poses unique hurdles because we must always be extremely sensitive in how we interact with minors.

Most of us, as a result, find that any social media and technological strategy in our kids ministries must primarily be directed toward parents and caretakers, but don’t feel as if you are limited to only interacting with the adults in a child’s life. There are some great ways to interact with kids, as well as their parents and caregivers.

What are some of the tech tools at our disposal? Like in most circumstances, we want to choose the best tool for the job. We wouldn’t grab a hammer if we were trying to saw a board into pieces, right? So let’s begin by talking about the goal we want to achieve and looking at which tech tools will fit those goals. 

A few notes before we open the “toolbox:” 

  • Always follow your church’s policies and guidelines when interacting with minors, even in a digital environment. 
  • Notify parents well in advance to share your plans and set proper expectations, even invite them to be part of the experience.
  • Encourage parents to talk with their kids ahead of time about respect in a digital world. i.e. don’t roam around the house, respect others, listen when others are talking, etc.
  • When interacting with kids online, remind them (maybe every time you meet) of good practices of digital interaction. i.e. don’t roam around the house, respect others, try not to talk when others are talking, try not to be distracted and leave the device unattended, etc.
  • Be sensitive, but be creative. Try something. If it doesn’t work, try something else. We are all trying to figure out how to hold onto community during this unusual time.
  • Be aware. Any meeting link you publicize openly is fully public. This may invite unwanted people to join your meeting who could cause major disruption.
  • There are way too many tools to cover them all or even to go in-depth on several, but we’ll cover a few of the big ones.
  • Remember how hard it is to keep kids attention in-person? It’s even harder in digital communication. Be prepared, be personal, be on point (concise).

Want to connect with all parents through written announcements or challenges (among other things)?

  • Facebook group or page (facebook.com/groups)
    • Pages are good for this type of communication; but groups are better for more private ministry information/interaction
  • Email (mailchimp.com or whatever your church uses for communication)
    • Your church may already have a way to do this. MailChimp has free accounts and you can create nice looking emails, and even embed video.
  • Mass text (remind.com, groupme.com, textinchurch.com)

Want to host a daily challenge or photo scavenger hunt?

  • Instagram
    • Use church account if possible or set an account up for your kids ministry
  • Facebook group or page 
    • Groups tend to be best if you are asking families to post pictures

Want to send out one-way teaching videos (non-interactive)?

  • Facebook live (while facebook live has interaction, interacting through comments only can be a bit clunky)
  • Youtube Premieres
    • The premiere feature allows you to schedule a “watch party.”

Want to host an interactive small group?

  • Zoom (more info below)
    • Up to 100 people
  • Skype
    • Up to 10 people
  • Facebook live
    • No people limit, but interaction is limited to comment interaction
  •  Google Hangout / Google Duo
    • Up to 25 / Up to 8 people

Zoom

  • zoom.us
  • Set up a free account or sign in with facebook or google
  • Benefits
    • Works on desktop, laptops, and mobile devices
    • Great for small or large groups within kids ministry
    • Kids will feel valued with face-to-face time with you
    • Initial setup can be very simple (or more complex if you want)
      • In “My Account / Meetings
      • Schedule a New Meeting 
      • Select time, duration, etc.
      • Click “Save”
      • Copy/paste the “Join URL” into an email, text, or facebook group.
      • At the time of your meeting, click “Start Meeting”
    • FREE
  • A few limitations:
    • If you have more than 2 additional people in your meeting, the meeting time will be limited to 40 minutes.
    • No more than 100 people in a meeting
    • Connections are sometimes unstable
  • Paid versions are also available
  • Be aware: If you make a link public, it is public. This means anyone, even someone who might be profane or disruptive, can join. Reports have been circulating of people “hacking” into public zoom meetings being vulgar. Read more here about keeping your Zoom meetings safe.

Facebook

  • facebook.com/groups
  • Create a closed group for parents
  • Pages are good for announcements and fully public info; closed groups are best for posting pictures, videos, and more private community info.

Skype

  • Free video call platform
  • Available on desktop, laptop, and mobile devices
  • Limited to 10 participants
  • Often more stable connection than Zoom

Disclaimer: Lifeway and Lifeway Kids are not affiliated with the resources listed above. Please familiarize yourself with their terms of agreement statements before employing them in your ministry.

Advent, Christmas, Family, Fun, Games, Kids Ministry, Parent Helps, Resources

Christmas Activities for Kids: Christmas Tree Bingo

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Looking for a fun activity for your Birthday Party for Jesus or Christmas session? How about Christmas Tree Bingo? This isn’t your normal sit-at-a-table Bingo game. This is more active and way more fun.

Download the Christmas Tree Bingo card here.

Object: Find every item and mark every square on your Christmas Bingo card.

Option if time is limited: Play traditional five-in-a-row or require two Bingos, one horizontal and one vertical.

Preparation and planning:

  • Print one copy of the Christmas Bingo card for each child. Printing two per sheet makes them roughly 5.5-by-8.5-inches and saves paper!
  • Choose 35-40 tree decorations to correspond with your Christmas Bingo card squares. 
  • Print icons or words on a sheet of address labels. Icons are best for younger kids but may be harder to find. Each word should correspond with an ornament on your tree. Using standard size address labels, printed two words on each label then cut them in half. This will be square stickers kids will use to create their Christmas Bingo cards. Click here to download a sample list of some ornaments you could include. 
  • Decorate a Christmas tree with your chosen Christmas Bingo ornaments. Add more ornaments, garland, lights, or other tree decorations for additional challenge and fun.

The last time I played this game, I set our Christmas tree in a place that the children could not touch it. This was for obvious reasons, like I didn’t want someone to knock the tree over, but also to add an additional challenge. Part of my instructions to the kids included “You may not get within reach of the Christmas tree.” Kids had to find the items from a short distance away without touching the tree. There are 24 empty squares on each Christmas Bingo card so my goal was to have 35-40 ornaments, some represented by stickers and some not, and have at least 30 different words/icons on stickers to add variety.

Instructions:

  • As kids arrive, guide them select one blank Christmas Bingo card. 
  • Kids select a different sticker (from the cut address labels) for each square and place it on his/her Christmas Bingo card. Stickers may not be on a card more than once. This allows each child’s Christmas Bingo card to be different, adding challenge and creativity.
  • After each square has a sticker, kids are guided the Christmas tree to look for each item on their Christmas Bingo card. When an item is found, kids should mark that item off on their card. You can use stamps, pencil, or marker to mark off found items.
  • If a kids finishes quickly, she can color her Christmas Bingo card to decorate a border or draw a picture on the back.
  • If desired, have a prize for the first child who gets a “bingo,” or a prize for each child as he completes a “bingo.”

Download the Christmas Tree Bingo card here.

Christmas, Family, Fun, Games, Kids Ministry, Large Group, Parent Helps, Resources, Teaching Kids

Happy Birthday Jesus! 3 Tips for Throwing a Birthday Party for Jesus.

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Kids love birthday parties. At least, every kid I have ever met does. 

Download the free Take the Fun Home card for parents.

Jesus’ birth into the world is one of the most important events in all of history. Even the way we number our years is related to Jesus’ birth. For example,  AD 2020 is “in the year of the Lord 2020.” Jesus’ birth is also, of course, one of the most important events in salvation history. With Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, all the history of the Old Testament would begin to come into focus. Jesus’ birth can also be seen as the launching pad for everything that followed this pivotal moment in time. If this isn’t enough reason to throw a party, I don’t know what would be!

So why not celebrate during the month of December with a birthday party for Jesus? Here are three tips for throwing a Birthday Party for Jesus.

Tip #1 – Make it a PARTY!

  • Celebrate with decorations. Inflate balloons, hang streamers, give out party hats, and so forth. Decorations can be elaborate without being a burden on your budget and will give your space an instant face-lift. 
  • Celebrate with a one-day schedule change. If your kids ministry typically meets in separate classrooms, explore the option to bring everyone together for the party. 
  • Celebrate with invitations. Mail postcard invitations to every child on your roll. Provide additional invitations to each child and challenge kids to invite a friend. Everyone loves being invited to a party!
  • Celebrate with singing. Not just “Happy Birthday,” though I would recommend singing this one too. Sing other Christmas carols that share the joy of Christmas.

Tip #2 – Make it FUN!

  • Make it delicious. Have cake or cupcakes and juice boxes. Few things will raise the fun factor the way passing out cake will. Don’t forget to post an allergy alert and have a quick standby option for those with food allergies. 
  • Make it engage. Wearing party hats and providing noise makers can be an instant hit.
  • Make it memorable. Give out party favors when kids leave. Have a small bag of goodies for each child to take with them. Bonus if each goodie bag item points kids to the gospel (i.e. glow-in-the-dark necklace for “Jesus is the Light of the World”)
  • Make it active. Playing games will likely be a bullseye on the fun target. 
    • Assign kids to teams and play for points.
    • Collect large scraps of paper or buy a pack of colored construction paper, mark a line down the center of your space dividing kids into two teams, and have a “snowball fight”
    • Minute-to-Win It type games are usually easy to prepare and can be a huge hit.
    • Check out Kid Min Toolbox: Great Games that Teach for a great source of quick games

Tip #3 – Make it about JESUS!

  • Don’t forget to tell the Christmas story. Keep it short. Read the Bible passages or show a video, but be sure to include the reason for the party.
  • Keep Jesus at the center. Don’t lose Him in the fun and games.
    • Debrief each game with a gospel connection.
    • Connect each party favor to a Bible truth.
  • When choosing songs to sing, choose songs about Jesus’ birth and other worship songs to focus kids voices and hearts on Jesus.

Bonus tip—Provide this Take the Fun Home card with some suggested ideas for parents to have a Birthday Party for Jesus in their home and invite other families to join together. 

With a little creativity and preparation, kids in your church and community will be engaged in a fresh way with the joy Jesus brings this Christmas season.

Discipleship

Crossing Life’s Checkpoints – Growing in Faith

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Back in the summer, a brief overview of Crossing Life’s CheckPoints was posted here on Kids Ministry 101. Partnering with families during some of these checkpoints of life provides natural opportunities to help parents recoup, reevaluate and realign strategies, and be refreshed for moving forward in family life. We’ve dug into Checkpoints #1 and #2 a little more. Now let’s take a closer look at Checkpoint #3: Growing in Faith.

Checkpoint #3—Growing in Faith

“What Is a Christian?” class—Kids who regularly attend church will often start asking questions about salvation and/or baptism, and parents will immediately jump to trying to schedule a child’s baptism. There is wisdom in listening to a child’s parents in determining whether their child is ready for baptism, but having a checkpoint in your ministry to equip parents to ask good questions of their child will give them greater confidence in not rushing to baptism. 

  • A “What Is a Christian” or Discovering Faith class gives you a strategic, concentrated opportunity to address these questions.
  • This class could be child-only, parent-only, or parent-child together. 
  • The goal is to help answer questions both kids and parents have about following Jesus and ultimately give parents the vocabulary to to have at-home conversations.
  • A great at-home resource for parents to work through with their kids is Lifeway Kids “What Is a Christian?” workbook.

Baptism and Lord’s Supper—Develop a strategy to help parents celebrate this checkpoint. Here are a few ideas.

  • Provide a one-sheet overview of your church’s theology of believer’s baptism and Lord’s Supper to parents. 
  • Consider providing an online video for parents to watch that talks through this overview.
  • Create a “baptism checklist” to help guide families through the details. Include items like meeting with you or your pastor (according to the practices of your church), mail/email invitations, plan a family meal, provide a Growing in My Faith devotional to each child to guide them in developing healthy spiritual habits.
  • Some churches allow dads to baptize children or have a parent stand with her child in the baptismal waters. However your church handles these situations, be sure to effectively communicate with families in what to expect during the baptism.
  • If your budget allows, develop invitation templates your families can mail/email to extended family members to attend a child’s baptism. 
  • Encourage families to gather for a family meal and a special time of prayer to encourage the child being baptized. Creating a family event around a child’s baptism helps to communicate the importance of this step of obedience.
  • Help parents anticipate their child’s first opportunity to observe with a dedicated family conversation using the one-sheet which might include who is allowed to participate and why, how often it is observed in your church, etc. 
  • This time allows all family members to review this importance of this public expression of corporate worship.

New Christian Class—Effective New Christian classes give each child an opportunity to not only validate her decision to become a follower of Jesus but it also gives each child and parent confidence they are on a path that is firmly rooted in Scripture. 

  • Provide a follow-up class for kids after they have made a profession of faith through baptism.
  • Similar to the previous class mentioned, a Growing in My Faith class is a good opportunity to talk with children about healthy spiritual habits like personal Bible study, prayer, giving, and so forth.
  • Lifeway Kids “I’m a Christian Now” resources provide a great framework for a class for your ministry and at-home discipleship for parents.

There are other checkpoints that you may choose to include, but hopefully this post has helped you start or continue thinking about ways you can partner and celebrate with parents as the kids in your ministry pass through this important checkpoint. I encourage you to “run with endurance the race that lies before [you], keeping [your] eyes on Jesus… ” as you “pursue as [your] goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.” (Hebrews 12:1-2; Philippians 3:13-14)

Click here for a downloadable Checkpoints PDF. There are 2 pages in this document. One with the checkpoints we’ve listed in the original post (found here) and one with some blank boxes for your to write in your own.

Jeremy Carroll is the team leader for Lifeway Kids Discipleship Resources. Before coming to Lifeway, he has been active in local church ministry for nearly 20 years in TN, TX, and AL. Jeremy earned a Master of Arts in Christian Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. A Middle Tennessee native, he and his family live in Murfreesboro, TN.

Discipleship

Crossing Life’s Checkpoints – First Steps

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Earlier this year, we shared an overview of Crossing Life’s CheckPoints here on Kids Ministry 101. We know that many churches are looking for ways to strengthen their partnership with parents. Thinking about some of the “checkpoints” that most children and families pass through, we want to continue to expand our conversation about these checkpoints. As you partner with families during some of these checkpoints, you will be able to provide opportunities to help parents recoup, reevaluate and realign strategies, and be refreshed for family life. We’ve already dug into Checkpoints #1 a little more. Let’s turn our attention to Checkpoint #2: First Steps.

Checkpoint #2 – First Steps

Moving up to “Big Church”—Moving from an activity-based preschool classroom to a stand-sit routine of congregational, corporate worship can be a difficult checkpoint for young children to pass through, not to mention for parents to navigate. 

  • Consider preparing “welcome to worship” bags for preschoolers who are transitioning into big church. This bag may contain “quiet” items for the child to use during worship such as blank paper, crayons, washable markers, chenille stems, and so forth. 
  • Some churches create a activity-based listening guide that connects to the sermon or worship theme each Sunday to help engage older preschoolers and younger kids.
  • Strategically train and encourage parents and caregivers as you remind them that children learn by observation, so they will learn how to worship by watching adults participate in worship. Also encourage parents that it is OK if their children do not sit perfectly silent during worship. Guide them in ways to create a family environment where kids can ask questions about what is happening in worship.

Learning to Read—Sometimes parents do not naturally make the connection between their child learning to read and reading the Bible. This could be because the Bible is sometimes viewed as a difficult book to read. But what better story to capture the hearts of children than God’s story as little ones are beginning to read?

  • Partner with parents to celebrate this checkpoint.
  • Consider celebrating this checkpoint with a meaningful Bible presentation. If your budget allows, your church may purchase an age-appropriate Bible for each kindergartner or first grader. If your budget doesn’t allow or if you prefer to help parents choose their own Bible, guide parents in knowing what kind of Bible would be most appropriate to choose for their child. Lifeway offers several options of age-appropriate Bibles at lifeway.com/bibles.

Discovering Faith class—This one could be part of this checkpoint or the Checkpoint #3 or even both. It is fairly common for parents to quickly ask a Kids Pastor or Lead Pastor to baptize their child as soon as he or she begins asking questions about salvation or baptism. As we run alongside parents, encourage them to be discerning in these conversations. Being careful to not fall into either trap of “she’s too young” or  “can we baptize her tomorrow?” There is wisdom in listening to a child’s parents in determining whether their child is ready for baptism, but having a checkpoint in your ministry to equip parents to ask good questions of their child will give them greater confidence in not rushing to baptism. 

  • Provide a discovering faith class to allow children and/or parents to learn more about becoming a Christian. This class could be child-only, parent-only, or parent-child together. The goal is to help answer questions both kids and parents have about following Jesus.

Other checkpoints may fit into this category too. Maybe this has helped you start or continue thinking about ways you can partner with parents during this transitional checkpoint. I encourage you to “run with endurance the race that lies before [you], keeping [your] eyes on Jesus… ” as you “pursue as [your] goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.” (Hebrews 12:1-2; Philippians 3:13-14)

Click here for a downloadable Checkpoints PDF. There are two pages in this document. One with the checkpoints we’ve listed in the original post (found here) and one with some blank boxes for your to write in your own.

Of course, this is not a comprehensive list of ways to partner with parents during this phase of life. What other partnerships you would add to this checkpoint?

Jeremy Carroll is the team leader for Lifeway Kids Discipleship Resources. Before coming to Lifeway, he has been active in local church ministry for nearly 20 years in TN, TX, and AL. Jeremy earned a Master of Arts in Christian Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. A Middle Tennessee native, he and his family live in Murfreesboro, TN.

Advent, Christmas, Devotional, Family, Kids Ministry, Parent Helps

2019 Family Advent Guide

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In the opening verses of the Gospel of Luke he writes:

“Many have undertaken to compile a narrative about the events that have been fulfilled among us… It also seemed good to me, since I have carefully investigated everything from the very first, to write to you in an orderly sequence, most honorable Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things about which you have been instructed” (Luke 1:1-4, emphasis added).

Luke wrote an orderly sequence of Jesus’ life so that Theophilus and all other readers could have confidence in the gospel message. During the Advent season, we have the opportunity to encourage the parents we serve to guide their children toward a similar goal of having a confident hope in Jesus’ birth. 

Hope, love, joy, and peace are a few of the good gifts God has given to us. During this Christmas season, let’s remember and celebrate Jesus’ coming to earth as a baby, making a way for us to experience these gifts. Our prayer is that families will spend time each week celebrating Jesus’ birth and the hope and joy He offers.

Click here for the free Family Advent Guide.

Share this resource with families in your community to help them focus on the hope, love, peace, and joy that only Jesus can bring. He is the gift we proclaim. Let’s celebrate!

Preteen

3 Keys for Equipping Preteens in Your Ministry

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Can we just agree that working with preteens can be challenging? OK, OK, that was a bit tongue-in-cheek. But seriously, preteens are facing issues today that previous generations didn’t face until they were in their mid- to late- teenage years. On top of that, this generation of preteens faces a unique challenge from previous generations with their instant access to information and social circles. This “always-on” pressure adds a layer of challenge to preteens’ lives that can, in turn, make engaging and equipping preteens for the future challenging for ministry leaders and parents.

As kids move into their preteen years, their faith is going to be tested. Not all that long ago, for example, a child who was being bullied may only have faced that bully while at school or in the neighborhood. Now with ever-present, always-on devices at their fingertips, preteens may find themselves with the inability to escape a bully. Constant stressors like this from life’s circumstances, peers, and the culture at-large are pressing in and straining the faith of many preteens. For me, this sparks a mental image of gold being refined by fire. Preteens are often caught in and shaped by the flames of life’s circumstances and relationships, but preteens need the church to be strategic in equipping them for what they are facing, to help them refine their faith according to God’s Word, and to prepare them to understand and interact with the world around them with a biblical worldview. 

“You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials so that the proven character of your faith—more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6-7 CSB).

Preteens are facing many trials, yet they may not know how to stand firm in those trials so their faith may result in honoring God. Part of our responsibility as ministry leaders and parents is to show them how to stand firm. Here are three keys to help strengthen your ministry to preteens through Bible study.

Key 1: Deeper Study

Preteens have the ability and desire to move from Bible stories to Bible study. As church leaders, we can help move them toward opening their Bibles and exploring longer passages. Challenge them to think critically about what the Bible is saying, seeing more of the context of each test within a chapter, a book, and the Bible as a whole. Help them see that it is OK to ask hard questions humbly as they study God’s Word. 

Key 2: Engaging Conversations

After seeing what the Bible says, engage preteens in meaningful conversations about what the biblical text says. Help them think through “Since the Bible says ______, but my friends say _______, how can I understand what my friends say through the filter of what I know the Bible teaches.” Preteens, despite the stereotype, do enjoy talking. They may struggle as they move from “kid-friendly” vocabulary toward “student” vocabulary, but give them the opportunity to express their thoughts and engage them in dialogue.

Key 3: Life Action

In light of the deeper Bible study and honest dialogue, help preteens consider “What’s next?” How does what I read in the Bible change my response to my friends? How does what I read in the Bible change the way I pray for those at my school? These types of life action questions can help move preteens toward a renewed mind and living out their faith.

Lifeway Kids is excited to introduce Forged: Faith Refined, a brand new preteen study built on these 3 key principles for preteen ministry. Forged: Faith Refined is a low-tech, 8-volume resource released quarterly over two years. Each volume includes 13 weeks of age-appropriate study to help preteens understand biblical answers to questions they may be asking and leading them to engage the culture around them through a biblical worldview. Volume 1 explores the question “What is truth?” through sessions like “Who defines truth?” and “Why should I care what the Bible says?” Upcoming volumes will discuss themes of identity, authority, relationships, and more.

Join us as we set out to equip preteens to face their world with strengthened faith through Forged: Faith Refined. Learn more at lifeway.com/forged.

Jeremy Carroll is the team leader for Lifeway Kids Discipleship Resources. Before coming to Lifeway, he has been active in local church ministry for nearly 20 years in TN, TX, and AL. Jeremy earned a Master of Arts in Christian Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. A Middle Tennessee native, he and his family live in Murfreesboro, TN.

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