Kids Ministry

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

Bible Skills, Bible Study, Discipleship, Leadership

Teaching God’s Word to Impact Young Lives

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Hebrews 4:12 says that God’s Word is living and effective. When you hear these two words, what comes to mind? Do they seem foreign as they apply to an inanimate object like the Bible? When the writer of Hebrews called the Bible living what did he mean and how can we take the living Word and help it shape the lives of boys and girls?

Obviously, the writer’s intent is not to imply that the Bible itself breathes, thinks, or in our understanding of life, is alive, but the Bible indeed is living. The end of Hebrews 4:12 shows how life comes from the Bible when the author says that God’s Word “is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” When leading conferences I like to ask conferees why they continue to read the Bible. Why not just read it once and be done with it? The reason is clear—because God’s Word means something new to us each time we read it. The Spirit of God highlights for our souls what we need to hear from God as we read His living Word! Experiencing God’s Word in such a way should guide our teaching as we help kids allow the Bible to impact their lives. Here are a few ways you can help guide kids to understand and appreciate God’s living Word.

  • Teach kids that God’s Word is inspired. Help them understand what this means. God’s Word came by human pen through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. As such, God’s Word represents the actual words God intended for people to read. God inspired the words that kids can read as they open their Bibles.
  • Teach kids what a daily discipline of Bible study looks like. Encourage girls and boys to begin a simple daily time of Bible reading. Once kids understand the importance of daily Bible reading, challenge them to begin deeper study into God’s Word.
  • Teach kids the wonderful things that the Bible teaches about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and daily life. As you are excited to share the truths of the Bible, kids can learn to be excited to open God’s Word and dig deeper into its pages.
  • Provide resources that help kids know what God’s Word teaches. As a living Word, the Bible speaks to many issues or circumstances kids are faced with. Guide kids to find how God’s Word teaches about issues they are challenged by and help them remember how to use the Bible to guide them in their daily walk.

God’s Word is living and effective. As kids begin to understand how God’s living Word affects their lives they will desire deeper understanding and see the impact of the Bible on their lives. Take seriously the role you play in guiding girls and boys to cherish God’s Word.

Tim Pollard is passionate about helping kids dig deep into Scripture, which he pursues through his daily work as leader of the Explore the Bible: Kids team. Tim lives with his wife and daughters in Mount Juliet, TN.

Bible Study, Kids Ministry, Leadership

Should KidMin Leaders Focus on People or Results?

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According to Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson in their ground-breaking work, The One Minute Manager, “Effective managers manage themselves and the people they work with so that both the organization and the people profit from their presence.” Some leaders seem more interested in results than people, while other leaders focus on people over results. As in most situations, what is needed is balance. Leaders would do well to focus on both people and results.

As ministry-minded people, I think we often err on the side of caring for people rather than focusing on results. However, the Bible teaches that both are important. Look at Moses, for example. When Moses’ father-in-law Jethro came for a visit, he decided to go to the office with Moses to see what his son-in-law did all day. What Jethro observed prompted him to give Moses some management advice.

Moses was trying to take care of the people all by himself, giving the impression that he placed people over results. Jethro said, as only a good father-in-law could, “What you’re doing is not good . . . You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people.” (Exodus 18:17-18) Jethro proceeded to instruct Moses on a better way to do his job, and Jethro predicted that the results would be endurance for Moses as the leader and satisfaction for the people. (See Exodus 18:23.)

In his attempt to put people ahead of results, Moses ultimately put both people and results at risk. Jethro’s solution, on the other hand, provided for the needs of people while achieving a desirable outcome—the resolution of the people’s disputes.

Another biblical example is that of Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark. Paul was ticked that John Mark had abandoned him on the annual church mission trip, so it was one-and-done as far as Paul was concerned. Barnabas, however, wanted to give John Mark a second chance. In His sovereignty, God used Paul and Barnabas’ dispute to spread the gospel, while redeeming John Mark. Again, we see results and people in balance. (See Acts 15:36–41.)

As KidMin leaders we want to strive for that kind of balance. A word of warning though. When we invest in people sometimes they will let us down, just as John Mark disappointed Paul. Furthermore, like Moses, Jethro, Paul, and Barnabas can attest, investing in people takes emotional energy.

No one knew this better than Jesus. Jesus declared that He came “to seek and save the lost.” (Luke 19:10) However, not everyone welcomed Jesus. He was “despised and rejected.” (Isaiah 53:3) Jesus performed miracles for God’s glory and showed people He cared while focusing on His mission to the point of exhaustion.

Jesus’s love for people drove the intended result of redemption. (See John 3:16; 15:13; Romans 5:8.) And, as KidMin leaders, isn’t Jesus’s love for us and others what drives us to serve Him to the glory of God? When we do that, God will use us to accomplish His results.

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 three adorable grandbabies.

Bible Study, Kids Ministry, Leadership

6 Things Kids Leaders Should Know about Curriculum: Part 3

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When people ask me what I do for a living, I tell them that I help produce Bible study curriculum. But, of course, it is so much more than the way I feed my family—it is a passion and a privilege, one I seek to steward well. With that deep care for curriculum in mind, I want to share six things that I wish every kids leader knew about curriculum. Knowing these things, I believe, can transform a ministry, which more importantly, can transform lives.

So far we have covered:

  1. Every curriculum is crafted around a set of core values.
  2. The goal is to teach the Bible, not the curriculum.

Next up…

  1. There is no perfect curriculum.

Building off of the previous point, we need to recognize that the perfect curriculum simply does not exist. Nor can it exist. Every curriculum is produced by finite people. I tend to be a Type A kind of guy—a perfectionist in many ways. And this is a struggle for me. No matter how hard we try and how many eyes are placed on it, there has never been a single volume of curriculum printed without a typo. The amazing thing is that they seem to jump off the page immediately as soon as we open our preview copies from the printer!

But there is one more nuance to flesh out here, the most important one. The perfect curriculum does not exist, cannot exist, but more than that, it should not exist. That might sound strange from a guy who works on producing curriculum and who is a Type A perfectionist, but hear me out. The reason that there should not be a perfect curriculum is because each church is unique, as is every group, as is every teacher, and as is every kid. While we share the same mandate to teach the same unchanging, uncompromising Scriptures, the unique context of each group demands that what is shared and how it is shared differs. That is why no curriculum can be, nor should be, plug-and-play. And that is why it is called a Leader Guide and not a Leader Mandate.

So if you are a leader, be patient and gracious with us when you come across a typo! Know that it pains us that it is there and our goal is to provide you with a resource free of all typos. But more than that, follow the Spirit’s guidance as you prepare as we addressed in the prior post. And be patient and gracious with us here too. That main idea or activity that doesn’t help you, might just be the most important one for the church down the street from you. Know that our goal is to get as close to the ideal curriculum for as many churches and groups as we can. We want to make preparing as easy as possible for you, which will take us to the next point covered in the next post.

Questions for reflection

  • What is unique about your context? What needs and opportunities should you be aware of as you lead your group?
  • What is unique about you as a leader? What strengths, weaknesses, and biases might you bring to your group as you lead that you need to be aware of?

Next time: Teaching God’s Word takes work.

Brian Dembowczyk is the managing editor for The Gospel Project. He served in local church ministry for over 16 years before coming to Lifeway. Brian earned an M.Div. from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a D.Min. from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his family live in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Bible Study, Kids Ministry, Leadership

6 Things Kids Leaders Should Know about Curriculum: Part 2

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When people ask me what I do for a living, I tell them that I help produce Bible study curriculum. But of course, it is so much more than the way I feed my family—it is a passion and a privilege, one I seek to steward well. With that deep care for curriculum in mind, I want to share six things that I wish every kids leader knew about curriculum. Knowing these things, I believe, can transform a ministry, which more importantly, can transform lives.

So far we have covered:

  1. Every curriculum is crafted around a set of core values.  

Next up…

  1. The goal is to teach the Bible, not the curriculum.

If this list were in the order of importance, this one might be at the top. If you are a teacher, your goal is not to teach the curriculum you use. I know that sounds odd, but it’s true. Curriculum is a tool to teach something else of far greater importance: the Bible.

Do you see how critical of a distinction this is? No curriculum is the inspired Word of God; only the Bible is. No curriculum is infallible; only the Bible is. No curriculum reveals God’s plan to redeem people to Himself through Christ Jesus; only the Bible does. Hear this clearly as coming from someone who helps produce curriculum: We don’t want anyone leaving a gathering saying how great the curriculum is; we want them leaving saying how great the Bible is, and even more so how great the Author of the Bible is.

Practically, this means that a teacher’s focus, from start to finish, must fall squarely on the Scriptures. If it is any good, the curriculum a teacher uses will be a great help for him or her to do this. But it is just that: a help.

My suggestion is that kids leaders begin preparing each week by reading the Scripture from the Bible, not the leader guide. And don’t just read the main text of the session—what is often called the focal passage. Many curriculums will provide a suggested background passage which gives fuller context. Read that at least. The goal should be to be conversant in the surrounding context of what you will be studying and sharing that week. And you will want to do this early in the week, allowing time for what you read to seep down deep into your mind and heart.

Then it is time to dive into the leader guide and see how the curriculum presents the Bible passage. If an important point you discovered in your reading of Scripture is not emphasized strongly enough or missing altogether in the curriculum, build that into what you plan on covering with your kids. You know your kids better than whoever developed your curriculum. Follow the Spirit’s leading as you prepare.   

Then, when you gather, be sure to have your Bible out and make it your goal to use it more than your leader guide. Your kids need to see you drawing deeply from the life-giving waters of God’s Word. Tangentially, this is why it is so critical that you encourage your kids to bring their Bibles too. The best Bible study does just that—studies the Bible, not a curriculum.

Questions for reflection

  • What habits and practices might you need to develop or strengthen as you prepare for and lead Bible study sessions?
  • Do your kids all have Bibles? Do you have a few Bibles on hand for guests or for when kids forget theirs? If not, how can that be addressed?

Next time: There is no perfect curriculum.

Brian Dembowczyk is the managing editor for The Gospel Project. He served in local church ministry for over 16 years before coming to Lifeway. Brian earned an M.Div. from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a D.Min. from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his family live in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Bible Study, Sunday School, Teaching Kids

Why Prepare? Is it really all that important?

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In 1 Corinthians 14:40 we read, “Everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.” I’m convinced that the time we have with kids at church should be fitting and orderly. That certainly includes Bible study. After all, if it’s worth doing (and teaching kids the Bible is definitely worth doing) then it’s worth doing right! Preparation is the key. Here are five reasons why weekly preparation is important and vital to your success.

  1. Preparation allows you the opportunity to hear from God. I’ve often said that God wants to speak to the kids in your class from the overflow of what He’s teaching you in your heart. Spiritual and biblical preparation allows God to use your “comings and goings” to bring the biblical text you’re teaching to life. No prep equals no opportunity for God to teach you. You’ll teach better when you’ve prepared the biblical content and taken the time to pray and meditate on the passage you’re teaching. Then, you’ll be teaching from the overflow.
  2. Preparation ensures that you’ll accomplish your goals. It’s been said, (and I agree), “If you don’t know where you’re going, you won’t know if you get there.” Preparation helps you understand your session goals and gives you a path for which to teach toward and meet those goals.
  3. Preparation says, “This is important.” We give time (or make time) for what we believe is important. What could be more important than teaching kids God’s story for them? We all live busy lives but giving prep time for your weekly Bible teaching needs to be a priority. Kids will notice, parents will notice, and you will notice.
  4. Preparation cuts down on behavior problems. Benjamin Franklin is quoted as saying, “A failure to plan is a plan to fail.” I would elaborate on that by saying a failure to plan almost always is a recipe for disaster. If you don’t have a plan, kids do… and it usually doesn’t include a biblical application.
  5. Preparation reduces stress and allows you to sense the work of the Holy Spirit and join Him during your session. When you adequately prepare and are ready for the kids the minute they enter the room, you’ll be open and sensitive to the Holy Spirit at work around you. Often times God is at work around us but we’re too distracted by our lack of preparation to notice. Don’t miss the “still small voice” because you failed to prepare.

The best session is a prepared session. The best teacher is a prepared teacher. Be the best you can be. Offer to your kids the best you can give and they deserve. Practice the gift of preparation.

Here’s a prayer I dare you to pray: “Lord, bless me according to my preparation.”

Bill Emeott serves as Lead Ministry Specialist for Lifeway Kids. He is a graduate of Mercer University and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Bill has served in Kids Ministry for almost 30 years and currently teaches 3rd Grade Bible study at his home church in Nashville, TN.

Bible Study, Kids Ministry, Leadership, Sunday School

See, Show, Share, and Compare Lifeway Kids Curriculum

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Comparing Lifeway Kids curriculum resources is easier than ever thanks to a brand new collection of easy-access resource guides available online now at teachkids.lifeway.com. The new TeachKids webpage lets you quickly and easily see, show, share, and compare leader guide samples, scope-and-sequence study plans, and the underlying philosophy-of-ministry frameworks for Bible Studies for Life: Kids, Explore the Bible Kids and The Gospel Project for Kids. These fast and simple samples are formatted as digital flipbooks that you can instantly review, reference, compare, and share using your smartphone or computer without filling out a form or downloading files.

Curriculum Sampler

Each resource includes a digital flipbook that lets you instantly flip through curriculum samples for Kids and Preschool versions, including teacher guides, activity pages, family resources, and worship options so you can examine and evaluate each resource on-demand. Pages inside each flipbook contain embedded links that connect you directly to product pages on lifeway.com where you can see product details and prices.

Study Plan

Quick access to Study Plan flipbooks allows you to quickly assess the scope and sequence of each resource so you can know exactly what kids and preschoolers will study throughout each three-year study cycle. Here you’ll find suggested use dates, the key Scripture passages for each session, and volume, unit and Bible story titles.

Framework

Each Lifeway Kids curriculum resource is informed by an underlying philosophical framework that influences the writing and editing of every session. These frameworks are not curriculum; they are foundational approaches to teaching biblical truth to kids that are designed to inform teachers and parents of the learning strategies upon which each resource is built. Once you determine which of these three distinct approaches to teaching you prefer, you will have an easy time choosing the curriculum resource that aligns with your preferred philosophy. Details on each of these frameworks as well as printables, apps, and training videos are available free from Lifeway Kids.

Bible Studies for Life: Kids is based on the Levels of Biblical Learning®; a scholarly guide based on the idea that kids learn and comprehend concepts differently as they grow in maturity, therefore, we must teach biblical truths in well informed age-appropriate ways. The Levels of Biblical Learning outlines how children can best understand 10 different biblical concepts at different age levels.

Check out the Levels of Biblical Learning flipbook now at http://teachkids.lifeway.com/bsfl-framework/ or view the Levels of Biblical Learning details page at http://LifeWay.com/LOBL

Bible Skills for Kids is all about the promotion of biblical literacy and Bible familiarity and informs the Explore the Bible Kids resource. Bible Skills for Kids identifies various Bible skills that children can grasp and master at various stages of development, such as identifying Old and New Testament books, memorizing the books of the Bible, matching people in the Bible to the book in which they appear, and memorizing a wide range of scripture verses.

Check out the Bible Skills for Kids flipbook now at http://teachkids.lifeway.com/etb-framework/ or view the Bible Skills for Kids details page at http://LifeWay.com/bibleskillsforkids

Big Picture Questions and Answers for Kids undergirds the Gospel Project for Kids. It outlines 76 theological concepts in six overarching categories formatted using a systematic easy-to-understand question-and-answer approach and includes a “Seeing Jesus in the Bible” section that explains how the whole Bible is one big story that’s all about Jesus and the Gospel. Check out the Big Picture Questions and Answers for Kids flipbook now at http://teachkids.lifeway.com/tgp-framework/ or view the Big Picture Questions and Answers details page at http://LifeWay.com/BPQA

The Quiz

If you want help determining which resource best matches your personal study style you can take the What Kind of Kids Minister Are You? quiz. This 5-question quiz helps direct you to the resource that teaches the way you like to teach.

The new TeachKids webpage was designed with you in mind, making it easier than ever to compare curriculum samples, study plans and foundational frameworks for Bible Studies for Life: Kids, Explore the Bible Kids, and The Gospel Project for Kids. Now you can see, show, share and compare these trustworthy resources from one easy-to-find place: TeachKids.LifeWay.com. Check it out today and share the link with your teachers, volunteers and partners in ministry as you evaluate which Lifeway Kids curriculum you’ll choose to use.  

Bible Study, Kids Ministry, Leadership

6 Things Kids Leaders Should Know about Curriculum

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When people ask me what I do for a living, I tell them that I help produce Bible study curriculum. But of course it is so much more than the way I feed my family—it is a passion and a privilege, one I seek to steward well. With that deep care for curriculum in mind, I want to share six things that I wish every kids leader knew about curriculum. Knowing these things, I believe, can transform a ministry, which more importantly, can transform lives.

First up…

#1 – Every curriculum is crafted around a set of core values.  

From time to time, kids ministry leaders who are launching a new curriculum ask me to come and train their teachers. Often, these kids leaders want me to use the time to explain how the curriculum works—to get into the nuts and bolts and logistics of how to actually use the resource. Of course, that makes sense; using a resource well matters. But there is a bigger question that often goes unanswered at trainings like that: Why the curriculum exists.

Every curriculum is crafted around a set of core values: beliefs and goals that drive its content. Knowing what these values are, and ensuring that they connect with your kids ministry and church, is critical. A properly executed curriculum with the wrong values will not be effective in your ministry. This is a leading reason we see some groups struggle. It’s not a matter of them using curriculum incorrectly, but rather them using the incorrect curriculum. Or, what might be more likely, they do not know the DNA of the curriculum to understand where it is taking them and the win for every group time.

For example, The Gospel Project’s core values are Story, Culture, and Mission. This curriculum seeks to help kids, students, and adults grasp the one story of Scripture—God’s plan to redeem people through Jesus—and for that story to transform them and compel them to step into the ongoing gospel story and play their role as missionaries in their context. These three values inform all The Gospel Project does from what passages are covered and what vocabulary is used to what application is encouraged. Understanding this gospel-centric approach is essential.

For example, a story that is covered in all ages of The Gospel Project is David’s sin with Bathsheba (2 Sam. 11). This is certainly a challenging story to cover for adults, and even more so for students and kids, and especially for preschoolers. So why include it? Why not skip it for a more “kid-friendly” story? The reason is rooted in the curriculum’s values. This session is important to The Gospel Project because it reminds us that David was not the perfect hero we should emulate. Yes, we can and should learn good things from David, but ultimately we need to see that David was a sinner in need of a Savior just like us. And David points us to that greater hero we should strive to emulate: Jesus. Furthermore, this story reminds us that no one is beyond God’s grace. David did terrible things, yet God’s grace was sufficient. In His mercy, God showered David with His love and forgiveness and God does that for us too. Knowing those goals, which are related to that resource’s values, is essential for leaders to teach that session. If they miss that, no matter how well they might execute the logistics of the session, they will miss its win.

Questions for reflection

  • What are the core values of your church and kids ministry?
  • What are the core values of the curriculum that you use?

Next time: The goal is to teach the Bible, not the curriculum.

Brian Dembowczyk is the managing editor for The Gospel Project. He served in local church ministry for over 16 years before coming to Lifeway. Brian earned an M.Div. from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a D.Min. from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his family live in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Bible Skills, Bible Study, Leadership

Introducing the Bible Timeline for Kids

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The makers of Explore the Bible would like to introduce to you a brand new resource that will provide fun and exciting ways to help leaders guide boys and girls to engage with God’s Word. While this timeline comes from the makers of Explore the Bible it is not unique to just those users. We hear from leaders from time to time who ask us to provide help for kids who struggle with understanding how all of God’s Word fits together. We have always tried to help kids understand the different types of literature God’s Word is written in and give them a glimpse into each of these genres of Scripture. This resource will do just that and … you can purchase it today! The Bible Timeline for Kids will help guide your kids explorations and maybe answer questions they might have about people and places in Scripture.

The Bible Timeline for Kids is a useful resource that is filled with colorful, engaging visuals built across a timeline of history. Each pack contains 12 posters that, when hung side-by-side, display the full timeline of history. The top of the chart clearly labels the time period in history and each of the 66 books of the Bible are highlighted along the timeline so you can help kids see when the events they are studying actually happened. The events of each book can be compared to other events in history that kids could be familiar with. A leaders ability to highlight where a particular Scripture passage happened, and shift to another time period in subsequent weeks, will guide kids to be able to swiftly understand how God spoke to people through all of history.

If you have used this resource already, we would love to hear from you. Please leave us a comment and let us know what you think!

Tim Pollard teaches 3rd graders at Tulip Grove Baptist Church. He’s passionate about helping kids dig deep into Scripture, which he pursues through his daily work as leader of the Explore the Bible: Kids team. Tim lives with his wife and daughters in Mount Juliet, TN.

Looking for a last minute gift for your Bible study teachers? The Bible Timeline for Kids would be an excellent choice!

Bible Study, Kids Bible Study, Kids Ministry Curriculum

Where Are My Extras Helps?

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If you are like most people, you love the idea of getting a little extra for your money. That principle is true whether you are shopping for groceries or Bible Study materials. You have the Lifeway Bible Study resources, but do you know about our extra online helps, supporting content, and interactive communities we provide? These are all extras worth knowing about. Check out the following links and share them with fellow teachers, directors, ministers, and other leaders in your ministry and church.

Bible Studies for Life

Product Page: http://biblestudiesforlife.com/kids

Blog: https://blog.lifeway.com/biblestudiesforlife/category/age/kids/

Facebook Group: http://facebook.com/biblestudiesforlifekids

Facebook Community:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/560190337752194/

Ministry Grid Training Videos: http://ministrygrid.com/biblestudiesforlife

One Conversation: http://biblestudiesforlife.com/oneconversation

Levels of Biblical Learning: http://www.lifeway.com/LOBL

 

Explore the Bible

Product Page: https://www.lifeway.com/en/shop/explore-the-bible/kids/

Blog: https://blog.lifeway.com/explorethebible/category/blog/kids/

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExploreTheBibleKids/

Ministry Grid Training Videos: www.ministrygrid.com/web/explorethebible

Bible Skills for Kids: https://www.lifeway.com/en/product-family/bible-skills-for-kids


The Gospel Project

Product Page: https://www.lifeway.com/en/shop/the-gospel-project/kids

Blog: gospelproject.com/blog

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/thegospelprojectforkids/

Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/gospelprojectforkidscommunity/requests/?notif_id=1541422957027297&notif_t=group_r2j

Ministry Grid Training Videos: minstrygrid.com/gospelproject

Big Picture Questions and Answers: https://www.lifeway.com/en/special-emphasis/big-picture-questions-and-answers

Please let us know other ways we can support your ministry through our resources or the extras that we offer!

William Summey is the Publishing Team Leader for Bible Studies for Life: Kids. He is a graduate of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Vanderbilt University. William lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife, Christy, and their two sons.

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.  

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