LifeWay

Kids Ministry

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

Bible Skills, Bible Study, Kids Devotions, Kids Ministry

Foundations for Kids: New Testament

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Kayla Stevens is the Content Editor for LifeWay Kids Discipleship. She is a graduate of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and William Carey University. Kayla lives in Nashville, Tennessee and has served in Kids ministry for over 10 years.

“Look, Ms. Kayla!” I often heard as little feet darted down the hallways. “I brought my Bible today!” As a KidMin leader, these were words I loved to hear each Sunday. “I am so glad,” I smiled in return, “because today we are going to open it and use it!”

As parents and ministry leaders, we long for the Word of God to be treasured and transformative in the lives and hearts of our kids. We pray for their salvation. We work to disciple not only spiritually healthy kids but healthy adults who continue to grow and make more disciples of King Jesus. Yet, where do we start in this huge task of disciple-making? I think the answer may be simpler than we sometimes imagine.

We start by opening the Bible.

According to LifeWay Research and Nothing Less, the single greatest spiritual influencer of healthy Christian adults is that they read their Bibles as children. Yet, regular Bible reading is one of the lowest spiritual activities kids are engaging in today (28-29%). If we want to engage kids and families with healthy habits of discipleship, we must begin by leading our kids to open their Bibles regularly.

That is why I am so excited about the release of a new resource to help your kids do just that. Foundations for Kids: New Testament is a one-year—260-day Bible reading plan that engages the hearts and minds of kids in God’s Word. This plan highlights 260 foundational passages of the New Testament to encourage kids to read and understand their Bibles in a way that is interactive, accessible, and fun!

Here are 4 ways this resource implements healthy spiritual habits to help kids and families on their discipleship journey.

#1- Kids open their Bibles. This resource encourages kids to regularly read the truths found in God’s Word. They reflect on how it changes their hearts to look more like Jesus. It provides daily Scripture references that are age-appropriate and accessible to both younger and older kids. Through this plan, kids develop the habit of opening their Bibles on their own and discovering more about who God is and who He created them to be.

#2- Kids interact with what they read. They learn what the Bible verses they study mean within its given context. Foundations for Kids: New Testament follows the H.E.A.R. method to help kids interact with and apply the truths of God’s Word. The acronym H.E.A.R. stands for Highlight, Explain, Apply, and Respond. Each day, kids read a New Testament passage and interact with what they read through explanations, fun activities, discussion questions, and prayer.

#3- Kids apply God’s Word to their lives. The daily devotionals found within these pages encourage kids to act on what they read and study. Kids learn to live out their faith in tangible ways. They learn how the Word of God changes them to grow in their faith, acting on the truths of God’s Word in active obedience to Him.  

#4- Kids engage with the whole family. Discipleship doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Both the church and the family link together to invest in the spiritual health of kids. Robby and Kandi Gallaty get this. That is why this Bible reading plan expands beyond kids to students and adults as well. The whole family can join the discipleship journey together, walking through the same passages of scripture all year long. This resource also includes a church plan that provides ideas and opportunities for your entire church family to walk through the New Testament together.

Foundations for Kids: New Testament is a great tool for helping you to champion discipleship in your ministry to kids and families this coming year. Lead them to open their Bibles together and discover the transforming power of their Savior through His Word.  

Bible Skills, Bible Study, Bibles, Kids Ministry, Leadership

Don’t Take My Word for It

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Ironic, isn’t it? We have access to more information than the generations that came before us, yet we distrust that information with increasing cynicism. There was a time when we believed what we read or heard until the information was proven false. Now, we assume most of the things we read on the Internet are suspect until authenticated.

This is the world in which our kids are living. However, there is one source of information that is absolutely true all the time—God’s Word. Our challenge is to teach kids the Bible is authoritative. It’s the one book we can trust and not question. Congruous to that challenge, is the need to guide children to accept as truth only that which they can verify for themselves in Scripture. Such was the case for people from Josiah to Timothy.

  • Kids need their own copy of the Bible. During a dark period of church history, common people were denied access to the Scriptures. What they knew of God’s Word was limited to whatever the professional clergy chose to tell them. People were not allowed to question what they heard, and they had no personal access to the Bible. This, however, was never God’s plan, as illustrated by both Josiah and Ezra’s public reading of the Scriptures. (See 2 Kings 23 and Nehemiah 8.) God intends for kids to hear and read the actual words of the Bible for themselves.
  • Kids can trust the historicity of the Bible. If you are like I am, you often may skip over the introductory matter of some Bible books. Doing so when reading the gospel of Luke can cause you to miss an important insight. God inspired Luke to write his gospel based on “carefully investigated” truth, in order for Theophilus to “know the certainty of the things about which” he had “been instructed.” (Luke 1:3-4) Every historical fact in the Bible is true, and many are based on eyewitness accounts.
  • Kids should learn Bible skills. One of my favorite, obscure Bible stories is the one of the Bereans in Acts 17. These synagogue-goers did not accept at face value what Paul and his companions taught. They refused to be gullible. Instead, the Bereans “examined the Scriptures daily” to make sure Paul’s teachings were true. (Acts 17:11) When we provide kids with practical Bible skills, they will be equipped for the rest of their lives to test what they hear against the truth of God’s Word.
  • We must teach kids the Bible. Paul gives a clear, yet indirect, mandate to teach kids the Bible while they are still young. What a gracious reminder Paul provides Timothy when he says, “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who taught you, and you know that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim 3:14-15) Don’t miss that last part. God’s Word points us to Jesus. The same Jesus who wants to rescue the kids you teach.

Ultimately, the reason you and I are called to guide kids to explore the Bible and understand the truths of God’s Word for themselves is so that they can meet and know the God of the Bible through His Son Jesus. We can and must accept this challenge. But, as in the closing words of that children’s television program, Reading Rainbow, “You don’t have to take my word for it.”

Landry Holmes is the Manager of LifeWay Kids Ministry Publishing, Nashville, TN. A graduate of Howard Payne University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Landry served on church staffs before coming to LifeWay. He is a church leader, writer, workshop facilitator, and publisher.  Landry also teaches children at his church in Middle Tennessee. He and his wife Janetta are the grandparents of two adorable grandbabies.

Bible Skills, Kids Ministry, Leadership, Preschoolers

Bible Teaching Activity: Craft Stick Bible Verse

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As teachers, we’ve all experienced the need for an additional activity during a teaching session. Maybe you needed an additional early arrival activity, the children finished the other activities faster than you had planned, a child preferred to work alone for an activity, or the class was longer than usual. Bible verse activities can fill that need. Prepare the activity below to teach or review any Bible verse any time you teach preschoolers.

Supplies Needed:

  • Bible
  • Craft sticks
  • Washable markers
  • Plastic ziplock bag

Prepare:

  1. Gather craft sticks. Consider the age of children you teach when deciding how many craft sticks to use. For instance, with older preschoolers, use 4-6 craft sticks. Additionally, larger craft sticks will be easier for the child to handle.
  2. Write the Bible phrase/verse for the teaching session on the craft sticks horizontally, writing one or two words on each craft stick.
  3. Place the craft sticks in order of the Bible verse horizontally.
  4. Beginning with the first stick, use a marker to make a circle on the right end of the stick. Then, using the same color of marker make a circle on the left end of the next stick.  
  5. Continue this process for each of the sticks, using a different color for each pair of
    matching circles. Remember to select colors a preschooler can easily recognize and distinguish from other colors. 
  6. Then, write the Bible phrase/verse on a blank craft stick to use as a Bible marker. Place it in the Bible at the reference.

Teach:

  1. Place the Bible with Bible marker on a table.
  2. As you talk about the Bible story for the day, encourage the child to put the verse in order side-by-side by matching the colored circles on the end of the craft sticks.
  3. When the child has placed the verse in order, say the verse aloud, pointing to each word of the Bible verse.
  4. Invite the preschooler to open the Bible to the Bible marker and read the verse from the Bible.
  5. Store the puzzle in a ziplock bag.

Optional Activity: For older preschoolers that need a more challenging activity, place blank craft sticks next to each other, side-by-side. Place a small piece of tape joining each craft stick.

Then, turn the group of taped craft sticks over and write the Bible verse using a washable marker. Next, remove the tape from the craft sticks. Encourage the children to put together the Bible verse puzzle. It may be helpful to write the verse on a notecard and place beside the puzzle for some children. This will allow the child to refer to the verse as he puts it together.

Delanee Williams serves as a Ministry Specialist with LifeWay Kids. She is a graduate of Baylor University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.  Delanee has served in kids ministry for over twenty years and is passionate about developing, equipping and encouraging leaders.

Apologetics, Bible Skills, Discipleship, Kids Ministry, Leadership, Resources

3 Ways Q&A Format Encourages Learning

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Many KidMin leaders agree that it is critical for us (adults) to begin now helping lay a solid theological foundation in the kids we serve. We want kids to have a right understanding of who God is, what He has done, and what He is doing according to solid biblical truths. But how?

One approach to systematically teaching theology that has seen renewed interest over the last several years is a return to a question-answer format. In this approach, kids are taught to respond to a specific question with a formulated, concise answer. For example, when prompted with the question “Who is God?” Kids would respond with “God is our Creator and King of everything.”

Is a question-answer format the right approach for you? Here are three reasons a question-answer format encourages theological learning.

  1. A Q&A format leans into a child’s inquisitive nature. Children are naturally inquisitive, curious, and are passionate pursuers of answers. Many children seem to ask questions incessantly and feel a great sense of accomplishment once they’ve run through their gambit of questions to get their answers. A question-answer format draws kids in by feeding this part of their nature.
  2. Memorization and repetition are bridges to understanding. When we commit biblical truths to memory, they become a resource for the Holy Spirit to use in our lives for real-life transformation. Few ideas will truly change us if they are not deep in our hearts. A systematic Q&A approach is built on children memorizing answers. As children mature, these memorized statements can be fleshed out with deeper understanding and application. “I have treasured your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11)
  3. A Q&A approach gives a systematic framework for processing both simple and hard-to-understand ideas. Our Bibles contain so much information that it can be overwhelming to figure out where to start and how teach it. Though a Q&A approach is not intended to teach the Bible comprehensively, using a simple question-answer format, like Big Picture Questions and Answers for Kids (see below), provides both a starting point and a structure that become manageable for adults and kids.

Bonus: Employing a Q&A approach can be fun for kids. With just a little bit of effort, a Q&A format can quickly:

  • Be made into various games.
  • Be made into a rhythmic beat.
  • Be used in creative call/response ways like using different voices, volumes, and so forth.

Bonus +

  • Adding hand motions for kids to do while saying the answers can add another layer of fun while further helping memorization by including physical activity.

To equip church leaders and parents who want to implement a question-answer format for teaching theological truths, the team behind The Gospel Project for Kids has developed Big Picture Questions and Answers for Kids. This resource contains over 70 big picture questions and answers organized into six categories: God, People, Jesus, The Bible, The Church, and The Christian Life. Click here to learn more about Big Picture Questions and Answers for Kids.

Jeremy Carroll is the team leader for The Gospel Project for Kids. 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.

Bible Skills, Bible Study, Bibles, Kids Ministry, Leadership

Top Indicators of Spiritual Health in Kids (Part One)

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The “Nothing Less” Research was conducted to answer the question: “What can parents do now to affect their children’s spiritual health when they become adults?” In partnership with LifeWay Research, I set out to find the answer to this question. Secretly, I was hoping for a ‘magical’ formula that I as a mom could mix up and produce, making sure my kids would be faithful servants of Christ as adults. What the research discovered was something more profound, yet very simple.

By far the number one thing we as parents can do is to incorporate Bible reading often. Statistically, this was way far above and beyond the other indicators (we will discuss those in parts 2 and 3). Bible reading may sound like the obvious church answer, but if it’s so clear—why aren’t we doing more of it?

Statistically, we know that Americans on average own seven Bibles—but rarely open them. The numbers don’t change much even when you segment evangelicals. It’s no wonder we have a biblical literacy crisis in the church today. Therefore, we cannot ignore this new study that tells us reading the Bible is the number one thing kids can do to grow up spiritually healthy. The question is, what can we as adults (parents and church leaders) do to encourage them to love God’s word? Here are three ideas I discuss in the book, Nothing Less that unveils the research.

  1. Choose an age-appropriate Bible: There are many choices of translations, designs, and covers for families to choose from. It’s important to find one that fits the child’s life stage. For example, a toddler and preschooler may enjoy being read to from a storybook Bible with colorful pictures and easy language that communicates the biblical truth. An older child may enjoy something they can write in or that has devotionals inside that help them understand what they are reading.
  2. Use a Bible Reading Plan: Find something that works for your child and your family. Stick to succinct passages that kids can read in 10-15 minutes. This will lead to creating a consistent habit.
  3. Commit to Just Do It: I recommend making the commitment along with your child so that you can both get in the habit. Just recently, I started Bible and Tea with my kids in the evening before bed. We sip on chamomile tea and read from the Bible. Sometimes we take turns reading aloud and sometimes we read quietly. It’s working now, but I suspect that will change—and that’s ok. The most important thing is just to keep at it.

I am on this journey as a mom and as a leader in Kids Ministry. Join me and let’s dig in together because only God’s word transforms hearts! Nothing Less!

Find Nothing Less at Lifeway.com

Jana Magruder serves as the Director of LifeWay Kids. She is a Baylor graduate and offers a wealth of experience and passion for kids ministry, education, and publishing. She is the author of Kids Ministry that Nourishes and Life Verse Creative Journal, which she co-authored with her teenage daughter. She and her husband, Michael, along with their three children reside in Nashville.

Bible Drill, Bible Skills, Kids Ministry, Leadership

Bible Drill (Part 2)

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Yesterday we looked at the purpose and history of Bible Drill. Today we will look at what Bible Drill will look like in 2017-18, but first, let’s talk about how Bible Drill has changed.

How has Bible Drill changed?

Ask experienced Bible Drill leaders about the biggest changes, and they will say the versions of the Bible have changed over the years. Currently, we are entering another time of transition as Bible Drill changes from the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) version to the new 2017 Christian Standard Bible (CSB). HCSB Drill Bibles are set to go out of print when current stock runs out, and the new CSB Drill Bibles will release on August 1. The King James Version of the Bible has remained a consistent option through the years and will continue to be offered.

Bible Drill 2017-18

LifeWay recommends that churches finish the 2017-18 Red Cycle Drill year with the HCSB. You can see all the Red Cycle products HERE. New resources featuring the CSB will release with an updated Blue Cycle in May 2018 and Green Cycle in May 2019. Check with your local state convention to see their plans for the 2018 Drills.

What products does LifeWay offer?

LifeWay offers the following resources to help churches prepare for Bible Drill:

  • Bible Skills for Kids — LifeWay’s curriculum for Bible Drill is part of a larger approach to Bible Skills. You can learn about our approach to Bible Skills with the Bible Skills for Kids booklet and poster (sold in packs of 10): Bible Skills for Kids.
  • Bible Skills, Drills, and Thrills (BSDT) — BSDT includes a 6-year program (Grades 1-6) containing 36 weeks of Bible Skills essentials per year, bringing together the Bible story context and application for each of the Bible Drill verses and key passages. For churches who want a comprehensive approach to teaching the context for everything learned in Bible Drill and putting those truths into action, this curriculum is the way to go: Bible Skills, Drills, and Thrills.

The BSDT Leader Guide comes with a helpful CD filled with printables to make your teaching easier. You also have the option to purchase Verse Cards, Activity Books, and a Digital Leader Pack with extra printables to support each volume. Although children in Grades 1-3 don’t formally drill in association and state drills, they will learn foundational Bible skills and 12 of the 25 Bible Drill verses.

Bible Drill Competition Guide — For churches who start Bible Drill later in the year or want to focus only on the books and divisions of the Bible and the 25 verses each year, we have the Bible Drill Competition Guide. All three years of Bible Drill activities are together in this one volume.

King James Version Verse Cards

Holman Christian Standard Bible Verse Cards

Verse cards are a must for kids studying for Children’s Bible Drill! Verse Cards contain all 25 verses that children will memorize and locate in their Bibles, including the portion of the verse they will be given in the completion portion of the Drill. (Children are given the underlined portion of the verse and must complete the remainder of the verse from memory). Verse Cards also contain the 10 Key Passages for which children must learn titles and references and be able to locate in their Bibles. 

Getting Started

No matter the size of your group, you can start a Bible Drill program! For more information, contact your association or state convention so that you know the rules in your area. Your kids will be forever blessed by this opportunity to hide God’s Word in their hearts!

William Summey is the Publishing Team Leader for ParentLife, kids devotionals, and short-term products. He is a graduate of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Vanderbilt University. William lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife, Christy, and two boys.

Bible Drill, Bible Skills, Kids Ministry, Leadership

Bible Drill (Part 1)

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Bible Drill is a tradition in my family. Not only did my wife and I grow up competing in Bible Drill, our two sons also participated. Bible Drill is an important part of our churches and state conventions, and at LifeWay, we are proud to contribute by providing resources that churches can use to prepare for their state drills. Read on for a closer look at the history and future of this time-honored tradition!

What is the purpose of Children’s Bible Drill?

Children’s Bible Drill is a discipleship program for children (grades 4-6) with a long history of helping churches be intentional about developing Bible skills to aid in turning our kids into passionate followers of Christ. The goal of Bible Drill is to help children increase in their knowledge of the Bible by

  • developing skills in locating Bible books and key passages of Scripture
  • memorizing the names of the books of the Bible in order
  • memorizing core Bible verses
  • learning  to apply the Bible to their lives

Getting children excited about and comfortable with using the Bible lays a foundation for the study of God’s Word as they continue to grow. The techniques used in Bible Drill will stay with children for the rest of their lives.

How did Children’s Bible Drill begin?

Bible Drill has a long history. In fact, we don’t know exactly when it started In the earliest days of our country, children learned to read in order to read the Bible, so it only makes sense that kids were taught to quickly find passages in the Bible. Through personal correspondence, we have written evidence of what were often referred to as “Sword Drills” as early as the 1890s!

By the mid-twentieth century, Baptist churches, and then state conventions, organized what we now call Bible Drill. I have talked personally with people who were involved in youth Bible Drills in Texas and North Carolina in the 1950s. Children’s Bible Drill seemed to arise naturally out of youth drill and became commonplace in the 1960s. Church and state convention Bible Drill leaders brought the need for standardized materials to LifeWay, and we started producing curriculum at their request as part of Discipleship Training in the 1970’s and Children’s Bible Drill products in the 1980’s.

Today each state has its own guidelines for Children’s Bible Drill. LifeWay tries to meet the needs of these churches and states with products preparing children for drill. You can find your local association and state convention by searching here: http://www.sbc.net/stateconventionsearch.

What about middle school and high school youth?

Many states also have a youth Bible Drill and a high school Bible Drill that go deeper into Scripture knowledge and Bible skills and offer a speakers’ tournament, where entrants write and deliver 4-6 minute speeches on selected topics. Each year, these age groups also have a tournament, where state winners from across the USA compete for a national title. You can find out more about this competition annually at https://nationalbibledrill.wordpress.com.

What will 2017-18 Bible Drill look like? Great question! Check out Bible Drill Part 2 on Wednesday for the latest information!

William Summey is the Publishing Team Leader for ParentLife, kids devotionals, and short-term products. He is a graduate of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Vanderbilt University. William lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife, Christy, and two boys.

Bible Skills, Kids Ministry, Leadership

The Impact of 10 Seconds

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Ten seconds. What can be done in ten seconds? Can you make a bed? Can you wash the dishes? Can you pay bills? Is there anything you can do in ten seconds that will impact the rest of your life? The ministry of Bible Drill helps children memorize Scripture and learn Bible skills. Over a span of three years, children learn seventy-five verses, sixty-six books of the Bible, and the location of thirty key passages Then, they are able to recite the Scripture and locate the books of the Bible and key passages all within ten seconds.

As I reflect over the years I’ve been involved in Bible Drill (as a child and an adult), I’m reminded of four ways the Lord has used this ministry in my life.

  • Bible Drill provided an opportunity to spend time with my parents learning Scripture and using my Bible. My parents used teachable moments while we were in the car, while dinner was being cooked, and other times to help me learn and apply Scripture in my life.
  • Bible Drill enabled me to become familiar with my Bible. Not only did I memorize Scripture; I was able to find books of the Bible, specific verses, and key passages. I believe the skills I learned during my time in Bible Drill have helped me even as an adult using my Bible in daily life.
  • Bible Drill has allowed me to serve in the local church. I’ve been able to serve in various churches through the ministry of Bible Drill. During these times, I’ve been able to invest in children’s lives just as other adults invested in my life.
  • Bible Drill is a way children can worship God. By memorizing, understanding, and applying Scripture to their lives, they worship God. Additionally, they demonstrate honesty and integrity by raising their hand if they make a mistake during a drill.

I’m thankful for the ministry of Bible drill. The impact in my life has been far greater than ten seconds. Scripture teaches us “The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of our God remains forever.” Isaiah 40:8 (CSB)

Delanee Williams serves as a Ministry Specialist with LifeWay Kids. She is a graduate of Baylor University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.  Delanee has served in kids ministry for over twenty years and is passionate about developing, equipping and encouraging leaders.

Bible Skills, Bible Study, Family, Fun, Games, Kids Bible Study, Kids Devotions, Kids Ministry, Parent Helps, Parenting, Resources, Small Groups

Free Bible Skills Activity Guide

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We believe it’s essential to begin teaching Bible skills from a very young age. As kids learn the different divisions and structure of the Bible, they will understand God’s Word more clearly, providing a foundation for heart transformation.

We’ve developed a free Bible Skills Activity Guide for families and groups. Fill out the form below to download the guide and make copies for every family in your ministry. Parents will love the help as they seek to disciple their kids this summer.

By signing up for this Bible Skills Activity Guide, you will also receive free access to preview sessions of Explore the Bible. Every session of Explore the Bible: Kids brings the Bible to life through rich study and engaging objects, equips kids with foundational Bible knowledge and skills, and encourages them to live what they learn everywhere they go. Try sessions out with your kids, and watch the Word come alive.

Bible Skills, Kids Ministry, Leadership

Connecting the Dots: A Bible Skills Online Training Video

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For quite some time I’ve been thinking about the importance and value of teaching Bible skills to kids. In a previous blog titled “Why Bible Skills,” I shared why I think we need to be actively teaching Bible skills in order to change the trend of biblical illiteracy that has engulfed the current generation. I’m sure that understanding how to use the Bible is key to having a desire to read the Bible.

Recently, I had the opportunity to lead a training session titled Connecting the Dots: Bible Skills for Kids.  We were fortunate to have that session recorded and edited for folks to view, reference, and use as part of their ministry’s on-going training.

Go online HERE and register to receive access to the free training then download the Bible Skills for Kids document to use while viewing the session. You’ll also find a listening sheet that goes along with the training that can be downloaded.

I hope you’ll join me in this crusade to change the trend. Together we can equip kids with the skills necessary to seek God daily through His written Word.

Connecting the Dots: Bible Skills for Kids

Bill Emeott serves as Lead Ministry Specialist for LifeWay Kids. A graduate of Mercer University and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Bill has served as a Kid’s Minister and currently teaches 2nd Grade Bible study.

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