Dedicated to helping Kids Ministry leaders in their mission of making disciples
This year, why not help kids start the new year off developing the discipline of daily Bible reading!
One of the easiest ways to help kids develop the spiritual discipline of Bible reading is to allow them to create a Bible Reading Journal. Check out the instructions below, as well as the Bible Reading Prompts PDF.
While Explore the Bible: Kids is a great tool for kids and teachers alike, sometimes it’s time for a bit of a change. With our unwavering emphasis on Bible skills and the familiar book by book approach to teaching the Bible, kids are still encouraged to dig deep into God’s Word. You might be wondering what Explore the Bible: Kids in Fall 2020 will look like. Here are a few of the updates coming that might pique your interest:
Though much of what you love about Explore the Bible: Kids will remain the same we hope that these updates will enhance your teaching of Explore the Bible: Kids and give the kids you teach a deep desire to know God’s Word. Thanks for praying for our team as we seek to provide resources that meet the needs of your unique ministries.
Click here to view a free preview of Explore the Bible: Kids.
Prioritizing ministry goals and decisions is of utmost importance – especially in Kids Ministry. There are hundreds of decisions to make almost on a daily basis. Everything from programming Wednesday nights (or not), to which craft supplies are needed this month! Big decisions, medium and small decisions, optional decisions and mandatory decisions. In children’s ministry, I like to refer to these decisions as open and closed-hands decisions. Many if not most of the daily decisions we make are open-handed – meaning, there is not just one answer. You have choices (and sometimes that makes it harder!) These could include: how to set up classrooms, do we separate girls and boys in small groups?, which songs to sing in large group, should we do a mission project this year?, and so forth.
However, there are decisions we make that are bigger and more consequential. I put these in a different category – the closed-handed decisions. They are non-negotiable. One of these in the KidMin world is that you MUST have a wise plan of discipleship in place for your children. Cherry-picking content for Sunday mornings based on personal preferences could be detrimental to the spiritual health of the flock you are shepherding. I challenge you as a colleague in ministry to have a plan that helps keep you and your leaders on track in a way that acknowledges what children learn and when. This is beyond a study plan or a curriculum. This is a framework that guides and ensures that by the time kids leave your ministry and head to the Student ministry, they are ready.
In order to stay on track with a wise plan of discipleship, you need just that – a PLAN! Preschoolers, kids, preteens (all the way until adulthood) need to understand biblical concepts that help them engage and grow in God’s word. A plan that our team developed and freely give away in multiple formats is called The Levels of Biblical Learning. This framework centers around eight different age groups beginning with babies all the way through high school – yes, you can get your student minister on board with these! Each age group teaches children and teens ten biblical concepts in a way that makes sense for their developmental abilities. It’s a helpful tool to train volunteers and equip families. You can learn more about The Levels of Biblical Learning and even download free copies and train your team using our free videos by going to lifeway.com/lobl
I’d like to give away a package of 10 Levels of Biblical Learning, Growing In God’s Word booklets. Simply complete the form below to be a candidate. Look for more GIVEAWAYS each month.
Levels of Biblical Learning Booklet Giveaway (GIVEAWAY CLOSED 7/24/19)
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 Nothing Less: Engaging Kids in a Lifetime of Faith, Kids Ministry that Nourishes: Three Essential Nutrients of a Healthy Kids Ministry, 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.
I have had a great opportunity to work in a variety of churches. Some churches were small, some churches were large, but no matter the size of the church, I love small group teaching. I love the cozy environment of a small group. I love the almost individualized training that can happen when sometimes you are one-on-one. What happens though when only one or two kids show up? What are you to do when your small group is a SMALL group? Here are a few ways to adapt when making your plans.
No matter what your situation, you can think through these suggestions beforehand and prepare for the eventual SMALL group of kids. The key, obviously, is to prepare. Be ready when you arrive to meet the needs of whatever group you have. Also, remember that you do count too. Kids love learning alongside adults and when you participate in an activity it engages parts of their brains that might not have been engaged with purely peer engagement. Never forget that God placed you where you are so you can guide boys and girls to know Him. You can do that no matter the size of the group you are teaching.
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.
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.
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
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
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¬if_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.
We all know that it is disheartening to send home take-home pages, devotionals, letters, or announcements with kids after class on Sunday—only to find them in the pews or even trash cans soon afterwards. So the question is, how do we actually get the take-home pages home?
Unfortunately, this is the wrong question! The better question is, how do we connect with parents and equip them to lead their kids deeper into the Bible, life application, and theological discussion during the week? After all, just getting that take-home piece home isn’t a magic formula for success. Parents need to see the value of conversations that follow up with what you are learning on Sunday.
While many teachers report increased success by also using tactics to keep the kids on task with reading materials sent home, most kids need a gentle nudge—or more—to lead them into the Bible. Try the following to speed up success:
No matter how you connect with parents, it will be worth it to get resources in their hands to help them grow their kids during the week!
William Summey is the team leader for Bible Studies for Life: Kids. Each week Bible Studies for Life: Kids not only provides a take home-page on the back of Kids Activity Pages but also provides social media and other digital resources HERE.
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In Fall 2018, The Gospel Project for Kids begins a new 3 year cycle. Jeremy Carroll, team leader of The Gospel Project for Kids, and Landry Holmes, Manager of Lifeway Kids Publishing, sit down with Chuck Peters to discuss new features and updates to The Gospel Project for Kids,. Listen and hear what you can expect to see beginning in Fall 2018.
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.
Landry Holmes is the Manager of Lifeway Kids Ministry Publishing. A graduate of Howard Payne University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Landry served on church staffs before joining Lifeway Kids. 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 parents of two adult sons and two daughters-in-law.
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At Explore the Bible we have a great resource called Explore the Bible On Location. These videos are hosted videos and from time to time we hear from churches who want to know a little bit more about our hosts. We are going to give you a little glimpse behind the scenes of Explore the Bible On Location and let you meet our hosts. We’ve asked them a few questions and thought you might enjoy getting to know them a little bit more. Meet Joel!
ETB: Tell us about yourself.
Joel: I was born April 21st, 1987 in Thousand Oaks, CA. I moved to Nashville when I was 6-years-old. My mom’s name is Joan. My dad’s name is Dale. They’ve been pastors for the past 40 years. I have two older sisters: Gwen and Janelle. My wife’s name is Lauren and we’ve been married for 7 years. I have a 5-year-old daughter named Zoe Sophia and a 3-year-old son named Asher Daniel. My hobbies are exercise and cooking. I love to play sports, weight train, and hike. I love to grocery shop and cook my own food. I also love studying the Bible, theology, and church history. I can’t get enough.
ETB: If you could travel anywhere you wanted, where would you go?
Joel: Jerusalem.
ETB: What is your favorite childhood memory?
Joel: My first Christmas in Nashville. Growing up in southern California, we didn’t get any snow (or cold weather). In December 1993, Nashville got a huge ice storm and heavy snow. My first Christmas in Nashville was my first white Christmas. We had a steep hill in our backyard and I got to sled down a snowy hill for the first time in my life.
ETB: As a kid, who was someone in your church/in the faith you looked up to?
Joel: There were a lot of people I looked up to; but I looked up to my dad the most. He loves Jesus and loves serving the Church more than anyone I know. He loves the Word of God and patterns his life after the Scriptures with more intentionality than just about anyone I know.
ETB: How did you come to know the Lord?
Joel: I grew up in a home where the gospel was preached constantly. I grew up with biblical discipline and the training and admonition of the Lord. When I was almost 7-years-old, I knew three things without a doubt. 1. There’s something wrong with me; I can’t stop sinning. 2. There’s nothing wrong with Jesus; He’s perfect and the only One who can help me. 3. There’s a storm coming for my life; I’m going to be judged for my sin. This was a true work of the Holy Spirit! He was convicting me of sin, righteousness, and coming judgment. He spoke to me in a way I could understand as a rowdy 6-year-old boy. I told my mom and dad that I wanted to follow Jesus, be forgiven of my sin, and start a new life. From that day—April 25th, 1994—I was changed. I’ve been following Jesus ever since.
ETB: Tell us about your church and how you serve there.
Joel: New Song was planted in September of 1993. This year, we’ll celebrate our 25th year as a church. Our mission statement is, “Reaching neighbors, nations, and generations with the Good News of Jesus Christ’s love and power.” I’ve been serving in student ministries for almost 13 years. I’ve been a youth pastor at New Song for 8 years.
ETB: What is your favorite Bible verse? Why?
Joel: Hebrews 11:6. It shows me that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Diligently seeking God is my deepest passion. As I constantly pursue a deeper knowledge and understanding of His Word, His will, and His ways, He’ll reward me with deeper revelations of Himself so I can more deeply reveal Him to a world in need.
ETB: Tell us about a recent “lightbulb moment” you had while studying Scripture
Joel: Most recently, it was a far deeper revelation of the word Shalom in Hebrew. In the past, I’ve understand Shalom to simply be an inner sense of peace, a comprehensive well-being, an absence of spiritual conflict. But as I studied the word more deeply in Hebrew, I realized that Shalom (the noun for “peace”) comes from the Hebrew verb Shalam which means to bring something to completion or make something whole. I began to see that the most basic idea behind Shalom is completeness. Shalom is the absence of absence. Shalom is the presence of fullness. And like we see in Judges 6, Yahweh IS Shalom. Jesus is the Prince of Shalom according to Isaiah 9. But Micah takes it further by saying the One born in Bethlehem shall BE peace. Jesus IS peace. What does He come to do? To seek and save that which is lost, to bind that which is broken, and bring to completion that which is lacking.
ETB: What is God teaching you right now?
Joel: To live a life of deeper meditation and holy contemplation. Psalm 1:2 says, “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.” I live a loud life. I’m a music teacher, I have two small kids, I predominately pastor teenagers and college students, I sit in lots of meetings, and I love movies, music, and sports—not to mention I constantly yell into a camera for Explore The Bible! The longer I walk with the Lord, the more I realize my need to hear Him speak to me and lead me. The Lord is teaching me to turn off the media and delight in the law of the LORD. He’s teaching me to develop a love for silence so I can more deeply contemplate who He is and what He’s saying for these days. By grace through faith, I’m trying to obey.
ETB: What’s something about God that amazes you and draws your heart to worship?
Joel: The God of the cosmos is the God of the details of our lives. The God who gives breath to billions of creatures is working to change my own heart to look more like Jesus. How could a God so great be so intimately aware of a man, like me, so small and insignificant? Like David says in Psalm 139:6, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it.” All I can do is lift my hands and praise His name!
ETB: Why do you enjoy helping kids explore the Bible?
Joel: I always think of Jesus’ words when He says, “Let the little children come to me and do not forbid them; for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.” Jesus wants children as His disciples. He wants kids to follow Him. That’s amazing! I want to do whatever I can to help kids follow Jesus. Explore the Bible is such a great tool that helps kids see Jesus in the Word. I love hosting Explore the Bible because I basically get to be face-to-face with a bunch of new disciples. Teaching kids to follow Jesus is one of my greatest joys.
ETB: What’s your funniest or favorite ETB moment?
Joel: I think it was when I got licked by a bear. The bear was so old and gentle. He barely had enough energy to move around to get his food. He’d basically turned into an old lap-dog who was always trying to get more food from his caretakers. His name was Gideon. I went up to his fence, he got up slowly and moved towards me. He weighed over 800 pounds! He came up to the fence, leaned his body up against it, tilted his head back, and began licking my arm. I was like, “Whoah, I just got licked by a bear and lived.”
ETB: Have you met any ETB kids? What was that like?
Joel: I’ve had the privilege of meeting lots of ETB kids and I’ve gotten to go to at least three different ETB kids’ classes. It’s the best! At first, they’re like, “Umm … is this for real? Why is Joel here? He’s so strange. I’m not sure I’m comfortable with Him being in my presence.” Then they warm up to me as I constantly joke with them and sing silly songs about whatever activity we’re doing. By the end, I’m the ETB Kids’ jungle gym! I’ve got kids hanging on my arms and my back, singing the silly songs we made up, and trying to get me to laugh. It’s one of my favorite things to do!
ETB: What’s your biggest hope for the kids watching OR If you could say one thing to the kids watching, what would it be?
Joel: That they’ll develop the daily devotion of Bible study! There’s nothing more life-giving than 365 solid days of Scripture study, journaling, and prayer. If I could say one thing to these kids it would undoubtedly be, “Explore the Bible!”
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.
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.
At Explore the Bible we have a great resource called Explore the Bible On Location. These videos are hosted videos and from time to time we hear from churches who want to know a little bit more about our hosts. Over the next few months, we are going to give you a little glimpse behind the scenes of Explore the Bible On Location and let you meet our hosts. We’ve asked them a few questions and thought you might enjoy getting to know them a little bit more.
ETB: Tell us about yourself.
Kaileigh: I was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma and grew up in the small town of Wagoner, Oklahoma. I have one younger brother, Kolton. My family and I moved to Nashville when I graduated from high school and I attended Belmont University where I majored in Music Business. I love to sing, tap and clog dance, act, and play fiddle. I also LOVE to read. My favorite book is Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers.
ETB: If you could travel anywhere you wanted, where would you go?
Kaileigh: I would love to visit Italy!
ETB: What is your favorite childhood memory?
Kaileigh: When I was 4 years old, my parents and I took a trip to Florida. We got to our hotel pretty late and I asked if I could go swimming. I must have known the answer would be “no,” but, to my surprise, my mom not only said I could go swimming but that I could go swimming in my regular clothes! I thought that was just about the coolest thing in the world and I’ve never forgotten it.
ETB: As a kid, who was someone in your church/in the faith you looked up to?
Kaileigh: I have always really looked up to my mom, Gayle. She is such a Godly woman and has been such a rock for our family my whole life. She’s the biggest reason I know Jesus as my Savior. I have also always looked up to a lady named Jo Musser from Hulbert, OK. She has one of the kindest hearts of anyone I’ve ever known. She loves people unconditionally and always was so encouraging to me. She recently reached out to me to share that her church in Tahlequah, OK uses the Explore the Bible curriculum and has been so encouraging about my involvement with Explore the Bible.
ETB: How did you come to know the Lord?
Kaileigh: I grew up in the church learning about Jesus, but when I was 8 years old, I remember talking to my mom and dad on their bed one Sunday morning and feeling like something was missing. We were in between churches at the time, so my dad was leading us in our own Bible study that morning. I started crying because I felt this void that I didn’t fully understand. My mom explained again what it meant to put my faith in Jesus and it was as if I was hearing it for the first time. I knew He was what I was missing. I accepted Christ that day sitting on my mom and dad’s bed and I’ve never been the same since!
ETB: Tell us about your church and how you serve there.
Kaileigh: I am a member of a church in Hendersonville, TN. I have been involved with the music there for several years and love it. I teach 5th-grade Children’s Choir on Wednesday nights and enjoy singing on the Praise & Worship Team or in the Adult Choir on Sunday mornings. I love getting to praise the Lord through song and teaching kids how to do the same!
ETB: What is your favorite Bible verse? Why?
Kaileigh: Philippians 4:6-7. One thing I struggle with a lot is fear and I worry about things way more than I should sometimes. This is not what the Lord wants for us because He has not given us a spirit of fear. These verses are such a beautiful reminder that God cares about everything in our lives and I can talk to Him about anything and everything. The God of the Universe knows me and cares about the smallest details of my life! These verses remind me how loved I am by my Savior.
ETB: Tell us about a recent “lightbulb moment” you had while studying Scripture.
Kaileigh: I’ve always been a little confused by Luke 14:26-27. How could I ever ‘hate’ my mom!? My dad!? The last couple of years, the Lord has really been teaching me the meaning of these verses. I think if I’m being completely honest, I have spent a lot of my life caring more about what my mom thought than what the Lord thought (even though I believe many times those went hand-in-hand). The Lord has been showing me that I am His child. As an adult, I answer only to Him. Although I love and respect my mom more than anyone else in this world, I know that if there is something I feel the Lord is leading me to do that she maybe doesn’t understand or approve of, I have to follow what the Lord wants over what she wants. My love for God should make the love for my mom look like hate. He must come first in my life, even over the family I love dearly. For a family as close as mine is, sometimes that’s hard, but that’s part of what He’s teaching me right now and I’m thankful.
ETB: What is God teaching you right now?
Kaileigh: Lately, God has been reminding me that He can redeem anything. All of my mistakes, my family’s mistakes, our heartache, missed opportunities, expectations, “wasted” time, fear, etc. My family and I have been going through a lot over the past year and it’s easy to feel like things will never be right again or that things are “ruined” forever. While I believe there are consequences for our actions, I also believe in the power of redemption. The Lord really DOES work all things together for the good of those who love Him. I believe He can use anything to achieve His will.
ETB: What’s something about God that amazes you and draws your heart to worship?
Kaileigh: One thing that amazes me is that the God of the Universe knows my name. Not only does He know my name, He knows the number of hairs on my head! I think sometimes we take that knowledge for granted. That always draws my heart to worship!
ETB: Why do you enjoy helping kids explore the Bible?
Kaileigh: Kids have always held such a special place in my heart. Their innocence and ability to learn make them so precious and it has always been incredibly important to me to teach children about Jesus and to encourage them in this life.
ETB: What’s your funniest or favorite ETB moment?
Kaileigh: Probably the funniest ETB moment was watching Joel try to clog and watching him interact with my clogging students. I love getting to do sessions with Joel! I get a good ab workout from laughing so hard! Ha!
As far as my favorite ETB moment goes, I really enjoyed getting to sing “My Jesus I Love Thee” during the recording studio session. That really is one of my all-time favorite songs!
ETB: Have you met any ETB kids? What was that like?
Kaileigh: Yes! My home church in Muskogee, OK uses the Explore the Bible curriculum and I had the opportunity to visit with them when I was home this past summer. We watched that week’s session and they had the chance to ask me anything they wanted, from things about Explore the Bible and Joel to personal questions. It was so special getting to talk directly to the kids I talk to on camera each session and to hear how much they enjoy the videos.
ETB: What’s your biggest hope for the kids watching OR If you could say one thing to the kids watching, what would it be?
Kaileigh: My biggest hope for the kids watching is that they will hear and take to heart the message we share. I want them to know that following Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior was the best decision I’ve ever made and it will be the best, most important decision they will ever make as well. I want them to know how loved they are by God and how much I believe they will be used for the good of the Kingdom of God!
Check out Explore the Bible for Kids HERE!
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.
