LifeWay

Kids Ministry

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

CentriKid, Kids Ministry, StudentLife for Kids

3 Things You Could Be Missing if you Skip Summer Camp

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Loading up a bus full of sugar-and-soda-filled kids to go away from home to summer camp for a few nights is no small commitment. But if you’ve been to summer camp, you know that the late nights and hot days are worth it. Today’s post explains why by considering three things you could be missing if you skip summer camp.

Mentorship Moments

When it comes to building discipling relationships with the kids in your church, there’s no replacement for quality time. Summer camp is a unique experience because it takes place over several days. Summer camp can be a chance for your all-star volunteers to build mentoring relationships with kids that will last.  It’s impossible to duplicate the effect of spending time together as a group.

Spiritual Moments

Lots of people think of summer camp as a milestone experience. It’s no surprise that this is the case because summer camp is a chance to retreat from our normal routines for the purpose of spiritual growth. Many times summer camp is the place where God causes kids to have “lightbulb” moments about the concepts you’ve been teaching them all year. These spiritual moments can become markers in our faith that we look back to for the rest of our lives.

Shared Memories

Where else will you have the chance for kids to cheer you on while you win the belly-flop contest while wearing a rainbow wig? How many times have you seen a more timid kid become the hero for your group when they decide to play a game on stage? What traditions does your group have that you can’t wait to return to every year? Summer camp builds relationships that go home with you, and that only increases your platform for discipleship.

Summer camp definitely isn’t just another thing to check off of a “must do” list. It can be the most transformative discipleship tool in your ministry. So if you think camp isn’t for you, think twice, because there’s a lot you could be missing.

To find out more about LifeWay Kids Summer Camps, check out centrikid.com or studentlifeforkids.com

Logan Meek leads the Student Life for Kids team. Logan joined the Student Life For Kids team in 2014 after spending two years as a Sixth Grade teacher with Teach For America. He believes in the importance of strong kids ministry to help kids build strong spiritual foundations..

CentriKid, Kids Ministry, Leadership, StudentLife for Kids

How about a summer resolution?

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Now that the ideals, attempts, failures, and frustrations of New Year resolutions are behind us, how are you realistically planning to grow and learn this year?  

Consider studying NOW in your personal time around where your kids will be studying this summer. You can lead THEM to spiritual growth if YOU are already pursuing it in your personal walk with the Lord. Summer kids camp is always a milestone event for spiritual growth, so get a head-start!

LifeWay Kids provides camp experiences for church groups that place you in a key role for discipling your kids. Our summer camp staffers will lead the programming and set the stage to make the message of Christ clear in the lives of kids, but you are the one going home with kids after camp and your influence is so important.

At CentriKid 2019, our theme is “All Access” God wants Himself to be known. He has given you an “all-access pass” by revealing His name, the way to Him through Jesus, and His power as an expression of His love for you. God has revealed that He is the only true God, He’s not hidden, and He wants a relationship with you.  The key verse is John 17:3—start memorizing that now! If you take your kids to CentriKid Camps this summer, a resource to consider is “Remember God” by Annie F. Downs where she reminds us that God is who He says He is.

At Student Life for Kids 2019, we have designed our theme to help your kids understand that without Jesus we are broken. When we believe in Jesus, God transforms us, and God uses us to help transform the world. We filter everything your kids experience through our theme, from dramas and games to sermons and Bible studies. The key verse is 2 Corinthians 5:17, so commit that to memory!  If you are taking kids to Student Life For Kids this summer, a resource to consider is a book our camp team is reading right now! “Spiritual Leadership” by J. Oswald Sanders will challenge you to grow as a leader and also spur you along your faith journey.

Jeremy Echols leads the CentriKid Camps team and manages the LifeWay Kids events.  He, his wife Emily, and their precious daughter love their church, their neighborhood, and spending time together.  Jeremy loves to read, watch sports, and grill burgers.

CentriKid, Kids Ministry, Podcasts, StudentLife for Kids, Volunteers

Recruiting Adults for Camp

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Google Podcasts | RSS

Lydia McMillan and Logan Meek share about the benefits of bringing adults with you to camp. You’ll also get some tips to recruit adults to go with your group.

 

Lydia McMillan works on the CentriKid Camps team. She manages social media, produces videos, works with actors, and leads production elements. She is married to Joshua and they have two kiddos who keep them very busy.

Logan Meek leads the Student Life for Kids team. Logan joined the Student Life For Kids team in 2014 after spending two years as a Sixth Grade teacher with Teach For America. He believes in the importance of strong kids ministry to help kids build strong spiritual foundations.

 

CentriKid, Christmas, Kids Ministry, Leadership

Large Group Games and the Gospel

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Tis the season for Christmas get-togethers and New Year parties. If you have a couple of kids or A LOT OF KIDS all in one place, then we have a game for you! Organized Mass Chaos! (or as we call it at CentriKid Camps, OMC!)

CentriKid is known as the HOME OF OMC! It is our large-group recreation game that takes place on the last full day of camp. If you have never experienced OMC before here are the basics you need to know:

  • OMC stands for Organized Mass Chaos.
  • Split your kids into different groups. At CentriKid we split our groups up by color teams corresponding with the grade the kids have completed.
  • The object of the game is for your team to collectively complete the most individual tasks.
  • Each kid is given a task card and whenever they complete it they put it in their team’s bucket only to retrieve another task to complete.
  • The game lasts anywhere from 10-20 minutes based on supplies and the location, and weather. (I would cut the game short if it is really hot or really cold.)

Even in the middle of all this fun, we are intentional about sharing the gospel with kids at camp.

Since you know that kids learn in different ways, it is important to take the time to unpack the games that you play in your Kids Ministry. This will help those hands-on learners grasp in a more solid way the connection between everyday life and their relationship with Jesus.

Here is a way you may connect OMC with God’s word:

We have a lot in common with OMC. We all played OMC together, but we are also special and uniquely created.  Every player at OMC is dressed differently and had different tasks to do during the game, but God knows each of us individually. Psalm 139:13-14 says “For it was you who created my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will praise you because I have been remarkably and wondrously made. Your works are wondrous, and I know this very well.”

God has created us and formed us into the people we are. He has given us our eye color, our personalities, our dreams, and made us different from anyone else on earth. God put in so much more effort into making you special and He loves you so much more. We are God’s creation and He wants us to have a personal relationship with Him.  **Now you have a great run-way into sharing the gospel with your kids after playing a game of OMC!

Are you interested in playing OMC with your kids? Check out the Official OMC Game Messy Edition and Yellow Edition to purchase OMC for your ministry!

Once you have the digital version of the OMC game cards, you can access the special bonus editions with additional tasks for all the different seasons and holidays. With these combined versions, you will be good to go create your own Organized Mass Chaos!

View and download all the free special editions at CentriKid.com/OMC!

Lydia McMillan works on the CentriKid Camps team. She manages social media, produces videos, works with actors, and leads production elements. She is married to Joshua and they have two kiddos who keep them very busy.

CentriKid, StudentLife for Kids, Thanksgiving

Thankful Turkeys

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HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM CENTRIKID!

Here in the CentriKid office, we have so much to be thankful for!

  • We are thankful to serve in camp ministry.
  • We are thankful for ministry leaders who dedicate so much time, energy, and heart into the lives of kids.
  • Above all else, we are thankful for Christ!

Check out some of our Thankful Turkeys from CentriKid and Student Life for Kids:

This week we are celebrating #CKThanks with our annual Hand Turkeys. All you have to do is post your Hand Turkey on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) and include the #CKThanks. We may even repost some of our favorites!

Thank you for taking the time to celebrate Thanksgiving with us as we take time out to be grateful this holiday season. Want to know more about the camps provided by LifeWay Kids? Check out Student Life for Kids and CentriKid today!

Lydia McMillan works on the CentriKid Camps team. She manages social media, produces videos, works with actors, and leads production elements. She is married to Joshua and they have two kiddos who keep them very busy.

CentriKid, Kids Ministry, Leadership

Check Out the New CentriKid.com

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We are so excited to have launched the brand new centrikid.com!

The new CentriKid website includes freshly designed pages, fun new ways to filter and search camp locations, updated information for church leaders, parents, and staffers, AND our new site is mobile friendly!

Check out this video to see a few highlights of the update:  The New CENTRIKID.COM.

Interested in signing up for camp? Check out centrikid.com/camps/ or contact centrikid@lifeway.com for more information!

CentriKid, Kids Ministry, Leadership, StudentLife for Kids

5 Not-So-Hidden Benefits of Serving on Camp Staff

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Summer camps begin recruiting for their summer staffing roles every year in the fall. Who do you know that would do an awesome job serving at a camp? Take an opportunity to recommend someone you know, and their life will be changed forever!   

Any former camp staffer knows about the hard work and the blessing of working camp and we want everyone to know these five not-so-hidden benefits of serving on camp staff:

  1. Character-Building, Not Just Resume-Building – when students work at a camp, they gain work experience by having to get up on time, show up prepared, and do a job. This is great work experience early in their career.   
  2. Eternal Impact, Plus Get Paid – serving at a Christian summer camp makes a kingdom impact and it is way more than just a job. Every role at camp has a purpose that goes way beyond just flipping burgers or mopping floors.
  3. Growth as a Leader – so many camp staffers enter the summer and expect to grow in their work ethic, but one of the most amazing things is when a Camp Director sees leadership potential in a a staffer with less experience and begins to invest. This doesn’t happen by accident, it is part of the design!
  4. Ministry Experience Beyond What is on Paper – a two month summer job doesn’t look amazing on paper, but serving churches at camp gives a ton of exposure to a variety of ministry contexts. The opportunity to connect with church leaders from so many different settings really does provide “seasoning” that goes beyond the tasks.
  5. Life-Long Relationships – the bonds formed by working in close proximity all summer will create incredible friendships and lasting relationships. There were camp friends who were in my wedding and whose kids play with my child even today!

The summer will be here before you know it, so who do you know that would be an asset to a camp team and would benefit from serving in this way? For all the LifeWay Camps, the summer staff applications can be found here. But of course, we recommend serving at Kids Camp!  

Please share this post with someone who serves in your ministry and offers to be a reference. Help them get started with applying for CentriKid Camps or Student Life For Kids.

Jeremy Echols leads the CentriKid Camps team and manages the LifeWay Kids events. He, his wife Emily, and their precious daughter love their church, their neighborhood, and spending time together. Jeremy loves to read, watch sports, and grill burgers.

CentriKid, Kids Ministry, Leadership

CentriKid: Taking the Summer Key Verse Into the Fall

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Every year at CentriKid we have a key verse. This verse guides the spiritual direction for our time together. Our key verse from this summer was Ephesians 2:10: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.” Each day, we focused on how we are God’s design and how we can learn more about who we are in Jesus.

  • Day 1: We are His workmanship.
  • Day 2: We are created in His image.
  • Day 3: We are truly loved.
  • Day 4: We are completely forgiven.
  • Day 5: We are prepared for a purpose.

I was able to talk to one staffer, Holly Wade, who unpacked how Ephesians 2:10 is still making a difference in her life after camp:  “Ephesians 2:10 has become one of my favorite verses because of what it taught me this summer. As I came back home and back to school, this verse gave me more confidence because of who I am in Christ. Being a triplet, I have always compared myself to my siblings, especially in college. This semester I have a different mindset because I am reminded that I am God’s workmanship and created for a different purpose from my twins, I am unique and special to God. He has a different blueprint for my life compared to my twins and that’s okay. I had the opportunity to meet many twins and triplets at camp over the summer, and I got to portray this message to them. I reminded them of their uniqueness and their individual talents and traits gifted by God. I ended up teaching myself the same thing, I carry that mindset into this school year as I look at my future, instead of comparing or worrying what someone else is doing, I trust that God has a purpose for my life, because He already knew it before I was born and He is faithful to His promises.”

It is so exciting to see how, not just kids, but staff as well, are able to apply the key verse in everyday life.

Next summer the CentriKid Camps theme is “All Access” and our key verse is John 17:3. “This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and the One You have sent-Jesus Christ.” Take a look HERE to see our 2019 theme teaser!

We are so excited to see how God will change lives not only in the lives of the kids but also in the adults and even the CentriKid staff as well. Looking forward to seeing what God does at camp in 2019. Contact us with any questions about camp at centrikid@lifeway.com!

Lydia McMillan works on the CentriKid Camps team. She manages social media, produces videos, works with actors, and leads production elements. She is married to Joshua and they have two kiddos who keep them very busy.

CentriKid, Evangelism, Kids Ministry, Leadership

Share the Gospel with Kids – Training Session from CentriKid

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At CentriKid Camps, we are clear about our purpose—we serve the church in her mission of making disciples. One of the best ways we can do that is by using every activity at camp to intentionally make the message of Christ clear in the lives of kids.  

Bible Study and Worship are obviously times when we share the gospel and unpack what it means to live a life that is committed to God. We also train our staff to share the gospel through Recreation, Track Time activities, and even Hang Time.  

We aim to help kids grow in their relationship with Christ and to present the message clearly for those who don’t have a relationship with Christ. Our staffers are faithful to share clearly in every programmed activity of the day—never with the intent of pressuring children, but always with the heart of making it easy to talk about the things of God and ask questions.

Download the free Training Plan and prepare for your next training session:

With this training session, we are opening up the playbook and equipping kids ministry leaders to train their volunteers with the same materials and plan that we use to train CentriKid staffers. Thousands of adult leaders experienced this training session at camp in 2018 and we hope this resource is valuable for many more to be trained for sharing the gospel with kids.

Jeremy Echols leads the CentriKid Camps team and manages the LifeWay Kids events.  He, his wife Emily, and their precious daughter love their church, their neighborhood, and spending time together.  Jeremy loves to read, watch sports, and grill burgers.

CentriKid, Kids Ministry, Leadership

Celebrating CentriKid’s 2018 Ministry Results!

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After we return from a fun summer at camp, the CentriKid office team designates time in the office called “Evaluation Week,” where we celebrate what God did throughout the summer and discuss ways (from your feedback!) that we can make next summer even better.

Before we ever jumped in to details and discussion, we spent time as a team praying over the decisions that were made and seeds that were planted at camp. Because of how God worked through CentriKid’s “Blueprint: God’s Design,” hundreds of kids now have a relationship with Christ and many others are continuing to grow in their faith.

We are excited to officially announce our 2018 Ministry Results!

Wow! Please join us in taking time to say a quick prayer thanking God for how He has moved this summer and how He continues to work through CentriKid Camps to impact the kingdom.

Thanks for joining us for “Blueprint: God’s Design,” and we hope to see you next year for CentriKid 2019, “All Access!” You can check out all of our dates, locations, and how to register HERE or by calling 1-877-CAMP-123. If you have any questions, please email centrikid@lifeway.com.

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