Fun – Page 7

Events, Fun, Kids Ministry, Leadership, Training

October 22, 2015

ETCH Family Ministry Conference

At Lifeway Kids, we love children and are dedicated to the ministry of resourcing the church to serve them well. For years KMC, Lifeway’s Kids Ministry Conference, has been the place for children’s pastors, leaders, teachers and volunteers to come for information, instruction and inspiration so they might be well equipped for the work of kids ministry.

We are very aware that kids do not stop being children when they leave the sixth grade, and that ministry to kids continues through middle school, junior high and high school. While kids and students do have different, specific needs, the child who grows through the programs within a church needs to feel a sense of consistency and continuity within that church. We at Lifeway Kids believe that we need to walk with kids and families to etch the Word of God onto the hearts and minds of children throughout their entire childhood. The church cannot afford to minister in silos. It is time for us to think beyond our departments with a larger view of the role of the church as we train up our children in the way they should go.

Many churches are moving to a family ministry model in how they structure their staffs. Some call it NextGen, others call it Family Ministry. Whatever you call it, there is a broad trend towards having a single pastor over all kids: birth through high school; and more and more ministry teams want to attend conferences together so they can strategize together.

We want to come alongside you as you equip families and minister to children. So, in order to serve you in the most effective ways possible, we are expanding the Lifeway Kids Ministry Conference to include middle school and high school ministry; to welcome in Next Gen, Student, and Family Ministry leaders & teams.

Next year we will unveil a brand new conference; one that includes everything that is currently KMC, but that also broadens its reach to serve anyone ministering to families. Next Fall, KMC becomes… ETCH.

ETCH stands for Equipping the Church and Home. This new Family Ministry Conference will excite, inspire, and engage your Kids, Student, Next Gen, and Family Ministry teams. We invite you to join us next fall, in Nashville, as we come together as one big, giant family, for ETCH.

See you there!

Events, Fun, Kids Ministry, Leadership

October 9, 2015

10 Steps to a Successful Event

By Bill Emeott

My observation: Most KidMin leaders are super creative but lack gifting in details or moving past the big idea. (My apologies to the other 2 people out there who don’t fit that stereotype… I love details).

So, allow me to offer a little advice and a few guidelines that I’ve found helpful in planning events in Kids Ministry:

Determine the Purpose for the Event: Ask the simple question, “Why are we even considering this event?” Too many times we do events that have no purpose and bring no real benefit to our ministry. It’s important to know the “why” before you get too deep into the planning.
Identify the Target Audience: Age appropriateness is important for events, too. Obviously, every event can’t be narrowly targeted for a specific age group but I think it’s valuable to recognize the audience that will be included and make sure you plan accordingly (generally speaking 4th graders don’t enjoy the same activities that 4 year olds do).
Develop Goals: It’s been said, “If you don’t know where you’re going, you won’t know if you get there” and that’s true for events. What do you hope to achieve? What would make the event considered a success? Are there attendance goals? Ministry Goals? Develop your goals and steps to achieve them.
Decide on a Date: Check the larger “church” calendar. Consider community events. Consider holidays, vacations, and other traditions. Ideally, major events take 4-6 months of planning.
Enlist a Team: Enlist folks who have varying skills. Be careful to not enlist folks “just like you.” Do that, and you’ll find yourself sinking at the end. Consider enlisting an “event director/manager” for major events like VBS, Camp, and Fall Festival. Remember, our work as KidMin leaders is to “equip the saints” (Ephesians 4:12) not do it all ourselves.
Plan the Event: Failure to plan is a plan to fail! This is the time to get detailed. Be creative and consider delegating specific details to your team:
Develop a Budget: Line item budgeting based on detailed planning is best. Don’t guess, that seldom works. Often this is where a good event goes bad, quickly.
Create a Timeline: Again, all the detail folks love this but the bulk of my friends would just as soon shoot themselves in the foot. Take the time to chart it all out. Include essential decisions and progress reports to reach the goals. Communicate to everyone involved the timeline and team members expectations.
Market the Event: If they don’t know about the event chances are they won’t attend (actually a very good chance). Identify effective methods for communicating the event and don’t forget social media (but don’t fully rely on it either). If you’re planning a really large event (like VBS) make sure a “save the date” has been announced 6-12 months before the actual event. Consider using the theme (if there is one) to help with promotion.
Evaluate the Event: Be honest with yourself and allow for honesty from team members and participants. If it didn’t work, admit it, remember it, and put it writing. Keep a record of the super great things too… especially if you plan to do the event again. If you’re like me there will be a lot of water flow under your bridge between now and “the next time” so keep good records. The definition of insanity it doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Don’t be insane. Evaluate and learn.

Since 2003 Bill Emeott has served as a Kids Ministry Specialist for Lifeway. His passions include childhood ministry leadership training and development, leading children’s Bible Study, and being an uncle! Bill has been teaching children at First Baptist Nashville for ten years.

Evangelism, Events, Fun, Kids Ministry, Leadership, Small Groups, Vacation Bible School

September 25, 2015

How Do You Measure Ministry Success?

By Jeff Land

For some reason this year, as my Facebook feed filled with posts from kidmin friends about VBS, I began noticing a common trend. It seemed that everyone was focused on the numbers. Post after post touted record breaking numbers. Kids coming in droves. Don’t get me wrong, lots of kids at your VBS is amazing, but is it most important? Are “enrollment” and “daily attendance” more important than the fact that kids came to church and heard the word of God taught?

As I traveled this summer, I met a kids ministry leader and I talked briefly with her about VBS. She said her church quit doing VBS because it was so expensive and not enough kids came. She said “we want to spend our money on helping the kids have fun.” Her words stung in my head, as I reflected on my observation of my friends’ facebook posts about VBS.

Sometimes I wonder if we, as church leaders, have become too consumed with number reporting and not concerned enough with life transformation. I’m certainly writing this post directly to me as I am definitely guilty of the “how many can we get” mentality. I teach in the preteen VBX area and this year, I was thinking, “I wonder how we can get more kids tomorrow.” I tended to focus on that more than I did the, “Wow, this lesson is awesome. This will change kids’ lives’ aspect.”

Toward the end of the summer, I helped a neighbor with a backyard Bible club. Despite signs, fliers, and facebook messages, we had a smaller number of kids. It would have been easy to get disappointed, but I didn’t. I loved the smaller crowd. I loved getting to know the kids. I loved knowing this was some of the kids’ first time to hear a Bible lesson. I loved that it provided connections with parents who have contacted me since then to ask for prayer. I chose to focus on the quality and not the quantity. How do you see the quality in what you do? I hope I can always remember to choose quality, not just quantity.

Jeff Land loves life! That’s pretty great, because his job here at Lifeway is the Team Leader for Bible Studies for Life: Kids. Jeff loves his life which is so blessed by his amazing wife, Abbey, and their four sons, Reed, Nash, Will, and Tuck. A natural encourager and fun-lover, look for Jeff’s posts about teacher appreciation and game ideas. When not serving at work, Jeff serves 2nd graders at his church, First Baptist Church, Joelton, TN.

Events, Fun, Kids Ministry, Leadership, Training

August 17, 2015

Imprint These Words on Your Hearts #KMC15

By Kids Ministry 101

The following blog post was written by Kelly Minter, one of the main stage speakers for the 2015 Kids Ministry Conference.

First off, I’m looking so forward to being part of Lifeway’s Kids Ministry Conference.

Are you coming?

If you’re involved in kids ministry of any kind I know you’ll be blessed by this experience. Plus, if you work with kids on a regular basis you probably need this experience.

Here’s what I’m looking forward to: The people speaking and singing at this event. Counselors like my dear friends Sissy Goff and David Thomas who have over forty years combined experience counseling children from a biblical foundation. The music and artistry of Cindy Morgan and Andrew Greer—just wait, I can’t possibly overstate how much they are going to blow us all away. The two of them sang on a record I just released and—I’m serious—they’re crazy good. Others like Ed Stetzer who bring a wealth of research and knowledge on the state of the church in America along with vetted ministry practices. And these are just a handful of those who will be sharing the platform—I know you will walk away with renewed vision. Lastly, I’ve been an author with Lifeway for almost ten years and am always grateful for their commitment to God’s Word and His renown. With Lifeway, you can be sure that what you’re in for will be quality.

All of that said, in conjunction with the theme of childrens ministry one of my favorite passages of Scripture is Deuteronomy 11:18-19:

“Imprint these words of mine on your hearts and minds, bind them as a sign on your hands, and let them be a symbol on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”

My Mom and Dad founded a church in Northern Virginia a year before I was born and are still ministering there. As I was growing up and still today the Word of God spills out of their lives and onto those around them. This wasn’t just for Sunday morning. As in this passage teaching God’s Word to our children is to be a habitual, continual, natural way of life that the younger generation can’t help but receive from us. I look forward to spending time in the Scriptures as we “walk along the road” together in October.

Kelly Minter speaks, writes, and sings around the world. She’s written a number of books, including a series of four Bible studies for women, and has recorded several albums. Kelly is deeply passionate about serving the poor and the forgotten through the work of Justice and Mercy International and particularly enjoys spending her free time with friends and family or in the large garden she has planted in her backyard in Nashville, Tenn.

CentriKid, Events, Fun, Games, Kids Ministry

August 14, 2015

Three Lessons I Learned at Kids Camp

By Jeff Land

This year I was blessed to be able to serve as camp pastor for CentriKid camps at Austin College in Sherman, TX. It was a fantastic experience. One Sunday afternoon, I loaded my family up in our rented minivan (along with one of our “mannies”) and we headed on the long drive. When we arrived in Texas we were greeted by the most awesome staffers and had the most wonderful time for two sessions of camp.

Being at camp for a couple of weeks taught me several things and I want to share those with you today:

The Gospel Matters, Even at Camp
- There are some who might say that kids should come to camp and have fun. Some might say kids just need to get away from life, and therefore, come to camp. One of the things that I was most impressed with at CentriKid was the focus on the Gospel. The kids were constantly busy and constantly having fun, but regardless of the activity, it always came back to Jesus. Through OMC, Weird Science, even Build It, kids were constantly being told about our Father and His precious Son, Jesus.
Seeing Your Ministry Multiply Is AMAZING
- Serving with Team CK6 was extra special for me, because I had the privilege of serving alongside one of my former kiddos, Kelsie. I got to see her as she taught kids, loved on the kids, and built relationships. It’s easy to get into the “does what I do matter?” rut; however, God has a way of always nudging us along and allowing us to see through His eyes. As a KidMin leader, your impact on the world is immeasurable.
CENTRIKID Is the Best Camp Ever
- As a kids minister, I took kids to CentriKid and was always amazed at how great of a camp it was. I was totally interested in learning about the “other side” of the camp. For months now, I have been on a CentriKid 6 Facebook group where the group got to know each other even before camp. While there, I was amazed at how “gelled” this group was. They loved each other, they prayed for each other, and they were constantly encouraging me and each other. I’ve said many times, I don’t know why anyone would not do CentriKid camp, and after having served on CK staff, I can promise you, it is legit. In my opinion, there is not a more Gospel-centric and kid-focused camp in existence. I so hope that I get to return to camp next year and am thrilled that my oldest son will be old enough to go to camp next year with our church.

Crafts, Encouraging, Fun, Kids Ministry, Training

August 7, 2015

Fall Appreciation: Thanks for “TEA”ching!

By Jeff Land

It’s that time of year when all the stores are offering great sales on school supplies. We’ve had a great summer, but I am really glad that it is time to get back to routine. Kids will start getting back to their regular bedtimes and families will be finished traveling. This marks an increase in church attendance and also a great time for you to tell teachers that you really care about them. Here are a couple of ideas for a new church year appreciation gift:

Water’d We Do Without You?

Print one label for each leader.
Buy one bottle of water per leader.
Use clear tape.

Trim all of the printed labels. Remove the original labels from each water bottle. Wrap the trimmed labels around each bottle and secure with clear tape. Personally, I prefer a cold bottle of water to room temperature, so I put mine in the fridge overnight (but don’t let them get too cold because they will sweat through the paper if you do!).

Thanks for TEAching!

Print one label for each leader.
Buy one bottle of tea per leader (I used Snapple.).
Use clear tape.

Trim all of the printed labels. Remove the original labels from each tea bottle. Wrap the trimmed labels around each bottle and secure with clear tape.

Fun

July 20, 2015

12 Ways to Sharpen Your Creativity

By Kids Ministry 101

Taken from “LifeLines” (September 2014) a publication of Lifeway Christian Resources

Written by Carol Pipes

Feel like you need to boost your creativity? Looming deadlines, uninspired projects, and overstuffed inboxes are enough to dull anyone’s creative edge. Here are 12 ways to sharpen your creativity.

Keep learning. Being a perpetual student is critical for creativity. Take a class online or at a local university. Learn a new language using a free app like Duolingo.

Try a different medium. If you’re a writer, take up photography. If you’re a painter, try cake decorating.

Read. Read for pleasure, general news, or industry news. Adam York, former content editor for Lifeway’s Threads, says he makes a point every day to read blogs, digital magazines, and websites that relate to writing or to his work with Millennials and young adults. Another way to keep the creativity flowing is to read beyond what you normally read. If you’re the type who only reads non-fiction, pick up a spy novel or book of short stories. Stretch your mind by reading something you don’t normally read.

Change your environment. Try moving your furniture around at home or rearrange the items on your desk. Drive a different route to work, to church, or to the store. You’ll be amazed at what you notice when you switch up your normal surroundings or routine.

Get moving. Bestselling author Seth Godin suggests taking regular 10-minute walks and coming back with at least five written ideas on how to improve what you offer the world.

Spend time with other creatives, thinkers, and visionaries. Bruce Nussbaum, author of Creative Intelligence refers to this as a creativity circle. I just call them friends. Try to find people who work outside your department or company and have diverse backgrounds and experiences. Meet on a regular basis over coffee, lunch, or dinner. Talk about projects you’re working on, share ideas and challenges. Surrounding yourself with smart, creative people will challenge you and spark new ideas.

Gather inspiration. Always be on the hunt for things that inspire you and move you to creativity. It can be images, headlines, book covers, articles, video clips, TV shows, anything. The idea is to have a stockpile of ideas you can go to for inspiration. I use Evernote to catalog the ideas and images I gather. The key is to revisit what you collect. Some of the things I’ve collected turn into concrete projects and other things get edited out. Student ministry’s Nate Farro says inspiration can be found anywhere, “you just have to be open to seeing it and in some cases open to it finding you. Keep an eye out for when that inspiration strikes.”

Manage your time. You need time to work, to create. If you’re going to do meaningful work, you need time to do it. Time is limited, so manage your time to its maximum potential. That means having to say no to some good things.

Unplug regularly. Allow time for thoughtful contemplation. Unplug from all your social media accounts, email, and phone, and enjoy a little solitude. It’s difficult for creative ideas to germinate and grow if you have constant distractions.

Listen to music. “There’s something about a melody, a lyric, a story in song that can nurture creative inspiration for me,” says Adam York. “One of my favorite new tools to expand my musical interests has been Spotify’s “Browse” feature. I’ve found some great new music by listening to some of Spotify’s pre-crafted stations throughout the day.”

Ignore your inner critic. You know, it’s that voice inside that says, “Oh, that’s a dumb idea, don’t tell anyone that. Everyone will hate it.” Try not to let your inner critic dampen your creativity. You never know when a dumb idea might turn into a great one.

Do something to serve someone else. Creative work can be all-consuming, and it’s easy to become so involved in our work that we forget about the world around us. Taking a break from our own concerns can help us tap into insights about the people around us.

Carol Pipes is Manager of Editorial Services at Lifeway Christian Resources.

Encouraging, Fun, Kids Ministry, kids101, Leadership, Preschool, Preteen, Small Groups, Training

July 13, 2015

Make the Most of Your KidMin Intern

By Kids Ministry 101

by Lana Sydenstricker

Let’s face it – what ministry leader couldn’t use an extra hand? Whether you’re able to recruit an intern for eight weeks of summer, a fall semester, or an entire year, there are tons of benefits to investing in young people passionate about your mission. Interns gain experience so they can one day become leaders in the church, but they also need guidance, encouragement, and mentoring along the way. Here are some ways that you can help your intern be the best that they can be:

1. Prepare for them

Take the time to lay out a foundation for the intern before they arrive. Once your intern arrives, set clear expectations and plan meetings with them every few weeks to discuss their performance.

2. Figure out their strengths and give them tasks accordingly, then let them fly

Interns like to feel like they are being helpful, so give them tasks that they can flourish at on their own. It’s essential to give ownership over projects in order to challenge and provide opportunities to grow in confidence.

3. Encourage them

It is important for your intern to hear what they are doing right. Encourage them and make sure they know they have potential that the church wants to use for God’s glory and kingdom advancement.

4. Engage in their lives

Ask how they are doing and build a personal relationship with your intern. Talk to them about prayer needs and create a relationship in which they are comfortable. This will open doors for easier communication should a conflict arise during the course of the internship.

At the end of the day, your interns can greatly impact the kids in your ministry, free up your busy schedule, and gain experience in the field of ministry. I hope you’ll prayerfully consider adding an intern to your team when the season is right.

Lana Sydenstricker serves as a Lifeway Kids Social Media and Marketing intern. A native Ohioan, she moved to Nashville in 2013 to pursue a degree in PR from Lipscomb University, where she participates in athletics and missions.

Fun

July 4, 2015

Happy 4th from Lifeway Kids!

By Kids Ministry 101

We’re so thankful for America, but we’re even more thankful for the freedom we have in Christ.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18

For you were called to be free, brothers; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. Galatians 5:13

Speak and act as those who will be judged by the law of freedom. For judgment is without mercy to the one who hasn’t shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:11-13

Thank you, Lord, for freedom!

Fun, Games, Kids Ministry, kids101, Small Groups

June 16, 2015

Game of the Week: Giant Game Floor Mat

By Bill Emeott

I LOVE THE GIANT GAME FLOOR MAT!

For sometime now I have effectively used Lifeway’s Giant Game Floor Mat to help kids in my Bible Study classes learn and review Bible content and Bible skills. The mat is versatile (even has grommets that allow it to be hung on the wall), durable, and the kids love how interactive it is.

It’s really very simple. Determine the game you want to play, create the 8 ½ x 11-inch inserts and there you go… an awesome interactive game. Here are three of my favorites:

This simple Bible Skill game is designed for younger kids who have just started using their Bibles. I use this game a lot as an “early arrival” activity and start when the first kid enters the room. It’s also a lot of fun to allow the kids to be the “game markers.” Simply roll a numbered cube and follow the directional signs on the mat. It’s especially fun when 2-3 kids land on the same space!

Teaching kids to understand how books of the Bible are in Testaments and Divisions can really encourage their Bible skills. In this game, kids take turns tossing a beanbag, “koush-ball,” or a “sock rocket” to the mat and naming a book of the Bible that is in the division that’s identified. Simplify the game by allowing kids to use the table of contents in their Bibles or a Books of the Bible poster. Offer more challenge by asking a second player to name the book before or the book after the book first named.

Get specific! In this game, specific skills and verses are being reviewed. Check out this week’s session that you’re teaching and create a game that is specific to what you’re teaching.

Sock Rockets are great tossing tools. Take an adult tube sock, insert a tennis ball, and secure the ball to the toe of the sock with a think rubber band. Use the open end of the “rocket” to spin and toss.

Sometimes variety really is the “spice of life” and that’s true when playing games. Think about different ways to make the “same ole thing” a little bit different. You’ll be surprised at how changing it up a little will give a game new life.

I’ve got a couple Giant Game Floor Mats that I’d like to give away. Tweet this post with #giantgamefloormat and I’ll randomly choose two folks to send one of these great teaching tools.

Since 2003 Bill Emeott has served as a Kids Ministry Specialist for Lifeway. His passions include childhood ministry leadership training and development, leading children’s Bible Study, and being an Uncle! Bill has been teaching children at First Baptist Nashville for ten years.

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ETCH Family Ministry Conference

10 Steps to a Successful Event

How Do You Measure Ministry Success?

Imprint These Words on Your Hearts #KMC15

Three Lessons I Learned at Kids Camp

Fall Appreciation: Thanks for “TEA”ching!

12 Ways to Sharpen Your Creativity

Make the Most of Your KidMin Intern

Happy 4th from Lifeway Kids!

Game of the Week: Giant Game Floor Mat

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