Kids Ministry

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

Christmas, Devotional, Discipleship, Family, Family Ministry, Kids Devotions

2021 Family Advent Guide—Free

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I love Christmas and can hardly wait to hang Christmas lights outside my home and put up our Christmas tree and other inside decorations. It’s definitely one of my favorite times of the year! 

But the Christmas season often carries a wide range of emotions for many people. Some people look forward to it all year long, while some struggle throughout the season due to loss, weariness, and loneliness. It is important to me to be sympathetic and sensitive to those who grieve or struggle during the Christmas season. We have all experienced seasons of weariness, and it is important during Christmas that we walk alongside those who are weary or hurting. But, we don’t walk with others in an effort simply to lift their spirits for a season. We walk with purpose. We walk with hope and joy. When we gather together at Christmas, we do so rejoicing, not in our circumstances, but that the Lord has come!

During the Christmas season, hope, joy, peace, and love are almost tangible, aren’t they? Even those who are non-religious seem to be more open to being more kind and joyful during the Christmas season. We sing together. We exchange gifts. We smile more. And as Christians, we have a great opportunity to share the true meaning of Christmas along with the hope, joy, peace, and love that Jesus brings with those in our families, neighborhoods, and communities. 

As church leaders, many of us are looking for ways to minister to families, both those who experience joy and sadness, and equip them to have meaningful conversations about Jesus in their homes as they celebrate and create new memories during the Christmas season. The 2021 Family Advent Guide is a great way to encourage families to discuss, read, pray, and do family activities that are centered around Jesus’ birth this Christmas season. 

Sign up for your free Family Advent Guide here!

Tips for next steps:

  • Download and print copies for the families in your church.
  • Distribute family connection cards each week.
  • Email the PDF and/or connection cards out to families.
  • Post the link to this page or a page on your church’s website on your social media pages to encourage families to utilize the devotional guide.
  • Consider ways during each week of Advent to encourage families to spend time together this Christmas learning about the hope, love, joy, and peace that Jesus brings to us.
Kids Bible Study, Kids Devotions, Kids Ministry, Parent Helps, Teaching Kids, What We're Reading

Back-to-Sunday-School Books

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By Anna Sargeant

Many churches are back to Sunday gatherings this fall in some form or fashion, and children’s ministries are up and running. Whether you’re teaching kids the Bible in a Sunday school classroom, on the lawn, or in your home, adding a great book to the day’s schedule is always a good idea! 

So stock your Sunday shelves! Each of the following book recommendations from the Lifeway children’s imprint, B&H Kids, is a biblically-based, trustworthy resource—an excellent supplement to Sunday worship and Bible teaching.  

Recommendations for Classrooms

Elementary School

Cornerstones: 200 Questions and Answers to Learn Truth by Brian Dembowczyk 

Do your elementary students ask deep questions about God and faith? Using a question-and-answer structure, Cornerstones provides helpful answers that serve as a foundation for spiritual truth and spark hunger in kids (and parents) to know and love God more. Topics include the Trinity, sin, redemption, the church, prayer, restoration, and more! The whole family might dive into this book together, or children can use it by themselves since each question and answer is written in a kid-friendly way. 

Preschool

There Are Lions in This Book! by Dandi Daley Mackall

In this clever take on the story of Daniel in the lions’ den, a narrator mouse continually warns readers not to turn the page. If they do, they’ll be one step closer to what put Daniel from the Bible in danger—those terrifying, hungry lions! As this intriguing story unfolds, preschool and younger elementary children will learn what truly happened to Daniel in the Bible, while being entertained in the process. Based on feedback, this book is particularly interesting to boys! 

Nursery

The Moon Speaks by Jason Duesing

The Moon Speaks is a poetic board book for children, ages 0-4, which shows that behind the creation kids love so much, is the God who loves them even more. The steady sounds of the words combine with the gentle artwork to provide a calming experience for young children. The Moon Speaks helps little ones understand that all of creation is telling us something: God is there, He made the world around us, and He wants us to know Him. 

Recommendations for Families

Elementary School

The Promises of God Storybook Bible by Jennifer Lyell

The Bible is rich with stories for our children to hear and enjoy! And when those stories uncover the thread of God’s promises, young readers learn so much more. They discover how God has demonstrated His unstoppable love for us—from the first promise in the garden to the promise of the new heavens and earth.

The Promises of God Storybook Bible is a whimsical, biblically rich retelling of more than fifty key Bible stories. Children will see how a specific promise of God is connected to each story and be reminded that God never breaks a promise He has made to His people.

Preschool

Easy for Me Bible Verses by B&H Editorial

A delightfully illustrated board book, Easy for Me Bible Verses includes twenty-four Scriptures that are fundamental to the Christian faith and easy to memorize for preschoolers! Examples include:

  • In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.—Genesis 1:1
  • The Lord is good to everyone.—Psalm 145:9
  • God, create a clean heart for me.—Psalm 51:10
  • Love your neighbor as yourself.—Matthew 22:39

The sooner kids start hiding God’s Word in their hearts, the better! Easy for Me Bible Verses is a simple way to help them do just that. 

Nursery

When I Hold You by Ashley Huffstutler

When I Hold You captures the universal experience of the mother-child bond. As young readers, ages 0-4, listen to the rhyme and see the diverse illustrations, they will better understand how God reveals His love to us through our relationships with one another. With Scriptures woven throughout every image, both mother and child will be encouraged to worship the God whose love lasts forever!

For more biblically based, trustworthy resources for your Sunday school classroom or family, visit BHKids.com.

Anna served on the children’s ministry team at The Austin Stone Community Church in Austin, Texas from 2009-2017, first as a volunteer, then as full-time staff. She also wrote for six years for The Gospel Project for Kids curriculum. Anna currently works as an acquisitions editor for B&H Kids in Nashville. When she’s not writing or editing, you can find her reading a book, sipping tea, chatting with loved ones, attempting to record a podcast, or walking in the woods.

Devotional, Discipleship, Family, Kids Bible Study, Kids Devotions, Parent Helps

SOAP for kids!

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By Sarah Humphrey

We have spent the last year of our lives practicing one habit in particular.  Can you guess what it is? It involves water, soap, rubbing two hands together, and sometimes singing “Jesus loves you” three times in a row.

With COVID, school closings, and social distancing, everyone was sure to hear the phrase “Wash your hands” way more than one time a day.  In fact, it was a sentence we saw on billboards, TV screens, signs on storefronts, and sometimes even in our very own homes.  Washing our hands never seemed to become quite so commonly discussed, even though it’s an age-old habit that most of us have (hopefully) been doing for years.

Handwashing is a practice that usually takes just thirty seconds at a time but also can take longer if we need it to.  That’s often how I look at studying the Bible alongside kids. As an adult, we can hear something and then rush through it to either: move onto something else, pass over the information quickly, or even think that we’ve caught it all.  But most of the time, if we’re honest, it’s easy to miss a lot of information and thoughts about what we read, see, think, and pray about.

This is one of the reasons I love teaching children.  They ask great questions, and they ask a lot of them.  They think literally and love details.  And they also love to learn and process stories.  Throughout my last few years of talking through the Bible with our own kids, I’ve learned the beautiful art of slowing down to dissect different pieces and parts of Scripture.  Most commonly, the prayer method called “SOAP” has been a great model for adults to learn how to navigate through the Bible while also bringing a practical application for what they are learning. 

I’ve found that it also works quite well with kids, just like reminding them to wash their hands.  It’s simple, practical, and doesn’t take up too much time in their day, but it’s extremely effective. If you’ve never heard of the SOAP model, it’s simply this:

S- Scripture

O-Observation
A-Application

P-Prayer

When you’ve identified one Scripture that you want your kids or ministry kids to learn, you simply write it out. This Scripture can come from a Bible story you’re reading about, a daily devotional, or simply one that means something special to you.  Next comes the Observation portion, which means to think through what you see, hear, or observe about the Scripture.  Is it comforting or correcting? About bravery or peace? Is it a command or a question? Kids come up with all kinds of wonderful questions during this portion of the exercise, so take your time and enjoy their thought processes here.  Next, you come up with an Application to your verse, so that you can walk out what you’re learning in a practical way.  Following this, a simple Prayer of confession, gratitude, or help is a great closing place for what everyone has learned.

We’ve all been reminded to wash our hands well this year.  It’s just as beneficial to make sure we use SOAP in our daily lives as well.  Give it a try, and enjoy the conversations it sparks between you and the children in your life!

Sarah is a wife and homeschool mom to three kids while also working as an artist, author, and voice actor.  Her writing and doodling can be found in her devotional, “40 Days to a Joyful Motherhood” and her voice in several commercials, children’s books, and audiobooks. She loves encouraging women and kids to embrace self-care, utilize their gifts, and become leaders in the community around them. 

Bible Skills, Bible Study, Kids Devotions, Kids Ministry

Foundations for Kids: New Testament

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

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

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

We start by opening the Bible.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Free Bible Skills Activity Guide

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

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

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

Devotional, Easter, Family, Kids Devotions, Kids Ministry, Parent Helps, Parenting

Free Easter Devotional Guide

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Last year, we shared a free downloadable Easter devotional guide for kids ministers to pass out to families in their ministry. As parents and kids ministers tagged Lifeway Kids in Instagram pictures, Facebook posts, and Tweets, we were so encouraged by families’ commitments to celebrate the Easter story together. We hope our resources help you lead family discipleship throughout your entire church.

Click the image below to download the 2017 version of the Lifeway Kids Easter Devotional Guide. Post the link on your kids ministry social media page or print out copies of the guide to hand out next Sunday. May we truly celebrate our Savior’s resurrection this Easter and beyond. Happy Easter!

Click here to download your free Easter Devotional Guide.

Kids Devotions, Kids Ministry, Leadership, Resources

10-Minute Devotions for Kids

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SummeyMy grandmother was a first grade teacher for 39 years. She taught classes as large as 40 kids how to read. Amazing! In her free time, my grandmother also loved to collect samples of different primers that had been used through the years. She proudly showed me these readers one day and explained how the first source of reading for school children was the Bible itself. Many children learned to read for the sole purpose of reading the Bible.

I’ve thought about this fact through the years and love the idea of beginners starting to read with the Bible. But how do you pick the right passages? How can they understand it? And how can you build consistency? These are all valid questions.

Many of the guidelines for great kids’ devotions start with a level of simplicity that we as adults sometimes take for granted. Ten minutes is a great goal for a beginner’s devotion time. Consider the following 4 basics when encouraging kids toward establishing a 10-minute devotion time.

Basic 1: Kids can read the Bible. We take this fact for granted. The fact is that for centuries people did not own Bibles. Now we have Bibles in a variety of formats for all ages and kinds of people. Kids should primarily read the biblical text, not just commentary or stories.

Basic 2: Kids can learn to apply Bible teaching to their lives. God will use the Holy Spirit to draw kids to God, convict them of sin, and affirm the truth. This is where explanation and devotion—which makes the Bible real and applicable to the everyday life of your child—is crucial.

Basic 3: Kids can learn truths about God and Jesus. In other words, our children can also be little theologians. They can talk about God, learn what the Bible teaches, and share the gospel message with others. They can build faith as they spend time with God each day.

Basic 4: Kids can pray to God (talking and listening). Think about it. The Supreme God of the Universe wants to keep an open line of communication with our kids. Teach kids to talk to God and listen.

For additional helps, we recommend our line of kids’ devotionals, featuring 10-minute devotions for your children each day: a Scripture passage, devotion, prayer, and Bible-learning activity or fun fact. Just right for your kids and their daily time with God! There are three monthly magazines:

More for kids ages 4 to 7—Perfect to use together to model personal devotion time until your child is ready to have a devotion time on her own each day.

Adventure for kids ages 7 to 10—For your confident reader to read on his own each day or part of family devotions.

Bible Express for preteens 10 & up—In a flip-book format, one set of devotions for girls, and the other for boys, plus feature articles that will speak directly to your preteen’s daily life.

You can order or learn more at lifeway.com/devotionals.

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

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