Leadership Archives - Kids Ministry

Encouragement, Kids Ministry, Leadership

August 15, 2018

When Church Work is Hard

It was one of those Sundays. Actually, it was one of a series of those Sundays. You know what I’m talking about. You arrived at church extra early, and you stayed late. While everyone else was eating pancakes for breakfast or ordering lunch at a restaurant, you were setting up or cleaning up so their preschoolers and elementary kids could have a positive experience at church. However, the experience didn’t feel positive to you. In fact, you dragged your weary self out to your car in the empty church parking lot, thinking that all your work was for naught. But, was it?

Well, that depends. Whose work was it and why did you do it? If your Sunday toiling is your work and you do it out of extrinsic or selfish motivation (guilt, pride, ego, etc.), then maybe it is for naught. However, if you show up every week because of what Jesus did for you on the cross and because the work is not yours but God’s, then you do not labor in vain.

I have been part of kids ministry all my adult life as either a volunteer, a paid church staff member, or the spouse of a staff member. In each of those roles, I have found church work to be challenging and downright hard. There are days I want to quit. As a volunteer sometimes I’m tempted to say, “I’m just a volunteer; why do I put up with this mess?”

Sure, the 10-year-old girl hurt your feelings or the 3-year-old boy punched you in the face, and some kids didn’t show up because their parents had “something better” to do; however, Jesus experienced far worse. And, Christians all over the world are persecuted every day for their faith. I say that not to induce guilt, but to remind you to place your misery in perspective.

Satan wants you to quit. The more you show love to children in Jesus’ name and point them to our Heavenly Father, the more Satan tries to tempt you to quit with thoughts of despair. What do those thoughts do? They distract you from focusing on Jesus and the kids He loves, and they cause you to doubt your Kingdom effectiveness.

What should you do when your body, mind, and spirit are exhausted and screaming for you to give up? Scripture is quite clear. “Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:9-10)

Church work is hard. Kids ministry is hard. We are living in a fallen world inhabited by sinful people, including you and me. By God’s grace, we can get out of bed before daylight on Sunday morning and stay until the last child is out the door. And maybe, just maybe, we can go home, take a nap, and start all over the next week.

Landry Holmes is the Manager of LifeWay Kids Ministry Publishing, Nashville, TN. A graduate of Howard Payne University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Landry served on church staffs before coming to LifeWay. He is a church leader, writer, workshop facilitator, and publisher. Landry also teaches children at his church in Middle Tennessee. He and his wife Janetta are the grandparents of two adorable grandbabies.

Kids Ministry, kids101, Leadership, Training

August 13, 2018

KidsMinistry101.com: LifeWay Kids Free Training & Equipping Content Portal

By Chuck Peters

The genuine heartbeat and ultimate motivation behind the LifeWay Kids team is to equip the church for more effective ministry to kids and families. One of the most obvious ways we seek to accomplish this is by writing and publishing teaching resources for leading kids in Bible study and discipleship. We know that what churches teach matters—a lot—so we are committed to using Bible college and seminary trained writers and editors to write, edit, and review every resource we provide. We are fully committed to providing doctrinally-sound materials that communicate content you can trust. From this value, we will never waiver. You can take confidence knowing that everything we publish has gone through a stringent approval process. We know that what we teach matters. That’s what makes LifeWay LifeWay. We also know that providing teaching resources is only one aspect of equipping the church. In order to be good teachers and leaders, people need training, inspiration, and encouragement. That’s why we have created Kidsministry101.com.

Kidsministry101.com is your destination for training and equipping resources from the LifeWay Kids team. There you will find our blog, podcast, gospel presentation videos, training links, and a place to subscribe to the free Kids Ministry 101 quarterly print magazine. Our goal is to provide you with articles, interviews, and resources that inform, instruct, and inspire you as you teach God’s Word to kids, recruit and lead volunteers, manage the administrative side of your ministry, and connect with families. The content here is based on the best practices and practical experience that the LifeWay Kids team has amassed over decades of service in ministry. As we share ideas and insights with you, you can share some, or all, of the posts and resources with your team members, leaders, and even the parents of kids in your church.

Kidsministry101.com is your one-stop destination for a wide array of free ministry equipping resources to help you do what you do well. You can visit the URL directly by entering kidsministry101.com in the browser of your desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone, where you can subscribe to have new blog and podcast episodes pushed to you, or you can “Like” LifeWay Kids on Facebook to receive new blog posts and podcast episodes in your facebook feed.

Chuck Peters is Director of Operations for LifeWay Kids. A graduate of Columbia Bible College, Chuck has served vocationally & voluntarily in Student and Children’s Ministry for many years.

ETCH Family Ministry Conference, Family Ministry, Kids Ministry, Leadership

August 10, 2018

ETCH Spotlight: Meet Shelly Melia

By Bill Emeott

Meet my friend, Dr. Shelly Melia!

Dr. Melia is the Program Director for the Master of Arts in Children’s Ministry and the Master of Arts in Family Ministry at Dallas Baptist University. Prior to serving at DBU, Shelly served in full-time children’s ministry for over 25 years. She is also a Licensed Professional Counselor specializing in grief and resilience.

We are very excited that Dr. Melia will be joining our faculty again this year for ETCH 2018. Shelly will be leading these important sessions:

Generation Z: Who are they and how are they different from me?

This break-out will give an overview of the rising generation in our churches: Generation Z. Ministry myths and implications will be discussed in order to best position the church for reaching Gen Z.

Understanding Children and Salvation:

This conference will provide foundational information related to understanding children and salvation. Participants will learn key principles in sharing the gospel with children. In addition, follow-up methods for lifelong discipleship will be outlined.

Trendy or Transformational?

It is easy to get overwhelmed with all the new trends in children’s ministry. How do you know whether a method or curriculum is just trendy or truly transformational? This conference will emphasize three key essentials to creating a transformational children’s ministry.

Don’t miss your opportunity to hear Dr. Shelly Melia and many other great breakout presentations. Check out ETCHConference.com and register HERE.

ETCH Family Ministry Conference, Kids Ministry, Leadership

August 7, 2018

ETCH Spotlight: Meet Mark Jones!

By Bill Emeott

Meet my friend, Mark Jones!

Mark is the Children’s Pastor at Quail Springs Baptist Church in Oklahoma City where he loves and teaches preschoolers, children, and their parents. He enjoys speaking all around the nation to train children’s ministry leaders and parents. He is the founder of Mr. Mark’s Classroom, an online leadership development and teacher resource company. He helps overwhelmed children’s ministry leaders get clarity, confidence, and the resources they need to win at reaching kids for Jesus, equipping kids with Bible skills, and teaching kids to serve others.

We are very excited to welcome Mark back to our faculty for ETCH 2018. Mark will be leading these important sessions:

The Parent Training Blueprint:

What kind of training does Mark offer parents and when? This conference will map out a simple plan your church can use to educate and encourage parents regularly. As a bonus, Mark will throw in some Parent/ Child events that can be a huge success in ministry.

Building an Effective Children’s Ministry:

Do you wonder if your children’s ministry is really effective? Is there something you’re missing? This conference will explore how your teachers can provide for Bible literacy in fun and creative ways while intentionally providing evangelism, discipleship and serving others.

Don’t miss your opportunity to hear Mark and many other great breakout presentations. Check out ETCHConference.com and register HERE.

Kids Ministry, Leadership, Vacation Bible School

August 6, 2018

The Heartbeat Behind VBS: And How to Keep it Thriving!

By Jana Magruder

Churches across the world have embraced Vacation Bible School as a ministry strategy for over a century. The rich history of VBS points to why many churches continue to put the work and effort into what it takes to swing open the doors and invite an entire community to hear the gospel. Simply put, the opportunity for evangelism is the number one motivating factor and heartbeat behind VBS.

Millions of children participate in VBS every year—and while we only know what churches report—the number of decisions to follow Christ, go into ministry, and pursue a life in missions are staggering:

2.5 million participants enrolled in VBS (2017)
65,000 professions of faith (2017)
835 decisions for vocational ministry (2017)

These statistics alone are evidence of the value and heartbeat behind VBS.

From its beginning, we can see the “why” behind VBS. Some of the first “schools” began for the sole purpose of Bible teaching. Dedicated teachers felt they did not have enough time with children to teach them the Bible only on Sundays, so they created summer programming built on an intensive time in God’s Word.

Some of the earliest daily schedules on record show the school activities as:

Memory Work
Bible Work
Calisthenics
General Assembly
Mission Work
Recess
Stories from Church History

I dare say that VBS has morphed into a more fun and exciting version of this historical schedule, but you can still see the thumbprints and motivation behind the “why.”

Most of us would agree that teaching the Bible is what VBS is all about—including memory verses. We might also agree that VBS should have a missions component. In fact, the most current numbers say that over $7 million was given to mission organizations last year alone. And though “recess” is usually more organized into games and crafts, the idea that kids need to move and have fun is still baked into a typical VBS day. This allows for friendships to develop and strengthen, creating an environment where church community can develop and grow.

Whether in 1919 or 2019, a worthwhile VBS experience requires an “all hands on deck” mentality from the broader church congregation. This starts with the senior pastor and trickles down to the individual members. When everyone throws in their time and gifts to create something with the potential for such a large impact, the Lord will knit hearts together as the body of Christ works together for His glory. This too is the heartbeat behind VBS.

By looking back at the history of VBS while taking the time to evaluate why VBS is worth doing today, it’s important to recognize that the original heartbeat has not changed.

How do we keep it thriving? Keep doing what has stood the test of time:
Share the gospel with kids and families in the community
Teach the Bible in an intentional way
Foster friendships and memories that last a lifetime
Build a stronger church community

Together, let’s acknowledge that from a kingdom perspective, VBS is worth it because the souls of our kids and families are worth it.

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, Kids Ministry that Nourishes, 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.

Leadership, Podcasts

August 2, 2018

Keeping Your Pastor Engaged in Your Ministry

By Chuck Peters

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Some kids ministers struggle with keeping their pastor engaged in kids ministry. They may not recognize how he can champion the ministry. Tim Pollard shares the importance of pastor strategies to keep your pastor involved in kids ministry.

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.

Kids Ministry, Leadership

July 30, 2018

4 Tips for the New Ministry Year

By Delanee Williams

It seems the summer months are busy, filled with meaningful events like Vacation Bible School and camp. At the same time, as a kids ministry leader, you’re planning and preparing for the new ministry year. Below are four tips to help you as you prepare:

Pray. Make prayer a priority and be spiritually prepared. As kids ministry leaders, we can’t neglect our prayer life and spiritual growth. It helps us set our priorities in our lives and the ministry we lead. It helps us focus on His will and direction. When you pray, do you pray “believing” God hears your prayers and will answer them? Pray with confidence. Involve others in praying for the kids ministry. Consider enlisting a prayer team. Ask them to prayer walk the kids space on Sunday mornings. There may be members of your church who are unable to serve in the kids ministry but would be honored to pray. Ask them to be a part of this team.

Invite current teachers to help enlist potential teachers. When it comes to enlisting volunteers, you may reach the point where you no longer have names of people to ask. Your current volunteer team knows other church members you may not know. Why not include them in the process of enlisting teachers? Ask teachers to pray about someone who can teach with them in the upcoming year. When you talk with the potential volunteers, make sure to communicate the church’s criteria for teachers.

Refresh and restock supplies in the classrooms and resource room. With all the different responsibilities of the summer and beginning a new ministry year, ordering supplies may not be a priority. Take time or enlist someone to find out what supplies need to be restocked in the classrooms and resource rooms. Are the markers and glue sticks dried out? Is there enough construction paper? The list goes on and on. This may seem not important to some, but I’ve found it’s the little things like making sure resources are ready and available for teachers that make a difference. We want teachers to be able to focus on teaching and connecting with families.

Plan trainings for the year. Update and communicate safety and security plans. Make training an integral part of the ministry. Plan how your teachers will receive training during the year. Consider offering live or video trainings, sharing blog articles, and podcasts. Kidsministry101.com is a great resource to find information for these trainings. Additionally, review your policies and procedures for the kids ministry. Update any if needed. Communicate to the volunteers any changes made.

As you begin the new ministry year, celebrate what the Lord is doing. Be intentional to take time each week to thank the Lord for His faithfulness and the many ways He’s working in and through the kids ministry leaders. Share the stories with the church staff and other leaders in the ministry. We all need to be encouraged and remember what a blessing it is to serve the Lord through kids ministry.

Delanee Williams serves as a Ministry Specialist with LifeWay Kids. She is a graduate of Baylor University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Delanee has served in kids ministry for over twenty years and is passionate about developing, equipping and encouraging leaders.

Bible Study, Kids Ministry, Leadership

July 30, 2018

I Don’t Want To: How to Deal with Obstinate Children

By Tim Pollard

We’ve probably all heard this statement whether from our own kids at home, or from the kids we teach in Bible study. As a third grade Bible study teacher this is a common statement I hear quite often. Kids this age sometimes just don’t feel like they are engaged in the learning and when we ask them to participate we often get the response, “I don’t want to.” Sometimes our inclination is to answer with a quick retort that likely won’t solve the situation and in reality might just make it worse. Here are a few things that you might consider the next time you are faced with an “I don’t want to” kind of day.

Offer choices. One thing we have learned to do in our classroom is to offer choices. Now that doesn’t mean that we are constantly offering choices because some of the activities we do have to be done by everyone. Our kids know that sometimes there is an opportunity to choose and sometimes there isn’t. I think that having them know that there are times they can choose helps them to navigate the times they don’t have a choice. Simple statements such as, “Now is the time we will all participate together. Later you will have a chance to choose something you like to do.”
Be consistent. Offering choices isn’t always going to work with a child who might not want to participate so to make the choices more effective you need to consistently enforce the rules. Consistent classroom management is always the easiest way to gain buy-in from the kids in your classroom. Consistency also gives kids a sense of belonging and security. If they know you aren’t going to waver then they are more apt to follow along.
Make sure the rules apply to everyone. This really goes hand in hand with the statement above, but evaluate your session each week and make sure that the rules you have in your classroom were applied across the board. If we overlook a discretion by one who typically doesn’t cause issues, the other kids notice this oversight and might tend to push back more.
Be flexible. Every now and then I run into an “I don’t want to” situation and an activity that just isn’t engaging anyone. If that happens, be flexible, and end the activity even if you have to fill that time with something else. There are always plenty of options so be aware of how your kids are engaging and if they aren’t learning shift to something that will get their attention.

Know the kids you teach and make sure you have consistent rules that apply to everyone. Having effective classroom techniques will go a long way to help you get out of the “I don’t want to” rut.

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.

Kids Ministry, Leadership, Reaching

July 27, 2018

The ABCs of Salvation is not the Gospel

By Kids Ministry 101

Kids Ministry 101 welcomes guest blogger Aaron Wilson. This article was originally published in Facts & Trends.

School may be out for the summer, but many kids will still be learning their ABCs over the break.

The ABCs of salvation, that is.

This popular children’s ministry acronym stands for admit, believe, and confess. It’s a simple way churches teach parents and volunteers to share the gospel with kids—especially during the week of Vacation Bible School.

A quick Google search of the ABCs of salvation reveals the phrase has become established church jargon. Numerous Christian websites, YouTube videos, and Pinterest boards strive to teach kids the gospel through this simple structure.

But as ministry leaders and parents prepare to use this evangelistic framework, they should be aware of the propensity to confuse the ABCs of salvation with the gospel itself.

AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION

In its simplest form, the ABCs of salvation is not the gospel; rather, the acts of admitting, believing, and confessing (and you might tack on, repenting) are all biblical responses to the gospel.

This distinction is important. As essential as it is for kids to learn how to glorify God in responding to the gospel, they cannot do so unless they first rightly hear the message that prompts a response.

For this reason, LifeWay includes the following in its VBS gospel presentation tools to supplement the ABCs of salvation:

God rules—The Bible tells us God created everything, including you and me, and He is in charge of everything. (Genesis 1:1; Revelation 4:11; Colossians 1:16-17)
We sinned—We all choose to disobey God. The Bible calls this sin. Sin separates us from God and deserves God’s punishment of death. (Romans 3:23; 6:23)
God provided—God sent Jesus, the perfect solution to our sin problem, to rescue us from the punishment we deserve. It’s something we, as sinners, could never earn on our own. Jesus alone saves us. (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9)
Jesus gives—Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again. Because Jesus gave up His life for us, we can be welcomed into God’s family for eternity. This is the best gift ever! (Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 3:18)
We respond—We can respond to Jesus. The ABCs of Becoming a Christian is a simple tool that helps us remember how to respond when prompted by the Holy Spirit to receive the gift Jesus offers.

NOT RUSHING THE GOSPEL

When children’s ministry leaders are presenting the gospel, it can be tempting to rush to the last point and seek what may be a premature response from kids by inviting them to admit, believe, and confess before kids have an adequate understanding of what the gospel really is.

This can be especially true during VBS when leaders are understandably eager to share how many decisions were made that week for Christ.

But it serves children best when adults slow down the pace of gospel presentations to ensure that kids clearly understand the full message of God’s redemption—which includes the story of creation, the Fall, and God’s restoration through Jesus Christ.

Elaborating on the full gospel helps protect children from growing up to trust in an experience in which they prayed a prayer, walked an aisle, or signed a card. It shifts their spiritual security from a one-time personal event to the actual substance of the gospel, which is centered on Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection.

So how can churches help prepare leaders and parents to share the full gospel with kids during VBS? Here are four suggestions:

PROVIDE TRAINING

It’s easy to fill VBS training sessions with information about crafts, snacks, and bathroom policies. While all of these things are important, churches should also make sure to reserve time to train volunteers on how to share the gospel with kids.

Crafts made at VBS won’t likely make it through the week. However, a proper presentation of the gospel can have an eternal impact on a child’s life. You can help make sure your training majors on what’s most important with resources like “Leading a Child to Christ” and the booklet “The Gospel: God’s Plan for Me.”

TELL A STORY, NOT A FORMULA

At its core, the gospel is a story about good news. Children are captivated by stories, but for the sake of time, it can be tempting to shorten gospel presentations into a formula in which A+B+C=salvation.

While it’s true salvation is by grace through faith, that formula won’t lead to conversions if children don’t understand why grace is needed in the first place and how it is provided through the cross. As you train your VBS volunteers, encourage them to present the gospel as a story rather than as an evangelistic equation.

STRIKE THIS PHRASE

Well-meaning Christians sometimes try to seal the deal of a gospel presentation with the following phrase: “Now, all you have to do to become a Christian is…”

The problem is, Jesus never talked like this. Salvation is a free gift of grace that is not given on the merit of works. However, Christ often challenged people who brought a casual attitude to discipleship (Matthew 8:18-22).

Jesus encouraged people to count the cost before they decided to follow Him said anyone wanting to come after Him must be willing to die daily to his or her sinful life (Luke 14:25-33; Luke 9:23). He also told the parable of a man who was willing to give up everything he had for the sake of gaining a treasure that represents the kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 13:44).

Have your volunteers teach free grace as they go through the ABCs of salvation, but encourage them to guard against using phrases that might understate the significance of what it means to follow Christ.

ESTABLISH AN ONGOING GOSPEL CULTURE

Some parents sweat over the idea of having “the gospel talk” with their kid.

These parents—who might be serving as VBS volunteers at your church—tend to view the act of sharing the gospel as a one-time event. With only one chance to get it right, it’s no wonder they’re nervous!

You can alleviate this pressure by helping parents and leaders grow comfortable sharing the gospel every week. This happens by helping kids make connections between individual Bible stories and Scripture’s overarching redemptive narrative.

For more practical suggestions on how to establish this kind of culture in your children’s ministry, check out the eight-week activity book What is a Christian, releasing this July, and the book Gospel-Centered Kids Ministry by Brian Dembowczyk

THE GOAL OF VBS: PREACHING THE GOSPEL

Even if they don’t go to church, most Americans recall attending VBS and report positive memories of the event. Your church can help attendees remember that VBS wasn’t a just fun summer distraction, but that it was also a setting in which they clearly heard the gospel proclaimed.

Take time to train your volunteers on how to point kids to Christ. But instead of starting with the ABCs of salvation—the response to the gospel—you might consider ending with it.

Aaron Wilson is husband to Jennifer, father to Abel and Belle (7-year-old twins), and serves as an associate editor in LifeWay Corporate Communications. He enjoys spending time with his family and writing about God’s glory. Follow him on Twitter at @AaronBWilson26 and at FactsAndTrends.net.