Missions

April 22, 2019

World Bean Game

The World Bean Game is an activity designed to provide kids an experience that makes the challenges of global hunger and the need for missions more tangible. Download the free PDF with game background, setup instructions, and rules for the kids.

This game was used at CentriKid Camps in 2007 during an evening “party” activity—but we still get requests for the instructions and content from church leaders, and it was over a decade ago since we used the game at camp.

QUICK DESCRIPTION:

Players must purchase supplies for their basic needs. By distributing different numbers of beans to players from different groups, you’ll create a situation where some players have plenty and many who don’t have nearly enough.

GOALS / OUTCOMES

After the game, plan for time to discuss the experience. You’ll see some kids who are competitive and frustrated by the experience, but hopefully, all kids realize the physical needs that exist around the world and opportunities missionaries have to help meet physical needs and share the gospel.

Ask questions like:

Was the game fair?
What made the game easy or difficult?
Was it easy to recognize the missionaries?
What if everyone had the same amount of beans?

SUPPLIES NEEDED

Supplies are pretty simple, but setup takes a little bit of preparation. You’ll need lots of beans, baggies for each player to hold their beans, and some cards and signs for gameplay. Everything you need for the game from background explanations, setup instructions, supplies, and rules for the kids can be found in the free PDF download of World Bean Game.

Surprisingly the clean-up after the game is not too crazy because kids are working hard to collect beans as currency, they tend to drop very few of them.

Jeremy Echols leads the camps area for Lifeway Kids. He, his wife Emily, and their precious daughter love their church, their neighborhood, and spending time together. Jeremy enjoys reading, watching sports, and all of his daughter’s after-school activities.

Kids Ministry, Leadership, Missions

May 28, 2018

Missions Moments in Kids Ministry

By Jeremy Carroll

With Vacation Bible School, camps, and mission trips during the summer, many of our ministries naturally include some sort of missions emphasis. And this is good. But if the generation of kids we serve is going to see themselves as being “on mission,” the missions strategy within our ministries needs to be more intentional and year-round, when possible.

Many KidMin leaders see value in educating and training the kids in their ministries about mission work, both locally and globally, and desire to equip kids to live on mission in their homes and schools, on their sports teams, and in their neighborhoods.

But the problem is that this needed information is not readily available to most children, and most children do not find this subject matter itself engaging enough to seek out on their own. So the question stands before us: How do we raise awareness about and equip kids for the kingdom work happening around us? The answer, at least in part, is for us to be intentional about looking for ways to create regular missions moments in our kids ministry flow.

Here are a few suggestions listed from most involved to least involved.

Implement a full missions education program. With this approach, you would allot one of your program times each week to a full missions education curriculum. Every week kids in your ministry will get a concentrated dose of seeing God’s mission at work all around the world.
Integrate a missions component as a part of your ongoing curriculum/program. In this strategy, you build a mission moment into the regular flow of your existing curriculum during one of your program times.
Continue to use summer events to emphasize missions. Summer events are a natural time to talk about missions with kids. If you do not have the ability to employ one of the two methods above due to time or structure limitations, strategically make the most of your summer emphases to raise awareness of God’s mission work.

As you consider how missions education or missions awareness fits into your ministry, remember that we, as Christians and even more so as church leaders, are called to be faithful “managers of the mysteries of God” (1 Corinthians 4:1-2). In other words, we have been entrusted with the gospel and commanded to “make disciples of all nations,” and we should work diligently to help the generation of kids we serve to see their role in God’s mission work. A question I have had to ask myself: if I don’t tell them, who will? As KidMin leaders we will serve the next generation well by strategically and intentionally encouraging kids to live on mission.

One of the key distinctives of The Gospel Project for Kids is that we hope, as kids learn about God’s one big story as told through Scripture, they will be saved and energized to actively join in God’s story as they live out their lives. With our new 3-year study plan launching this Fall, we have completely revamped our included missions awareness strategy. During each unit, preschoolers and kids will learn about a missionary or people group where mission work is being done. Each session will contain a “missions moment” that may include videos or activities related to that work. We have built this strategy directly into the flow of each session to equip church leaders with a method of helping children see what God is doing all around the world.

God’s one big story is still being told throughout the world. God’s mission is happening now and He invites us, and the kids we serve, to be part of it.

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.

Discipleship, Evangelism, Kids Ministry, Leadership, Missions

January 15, 2018

Teaching Kids to Serve

By Bill Emeott

Teaching Kids to Serve – Emeott

I believe that the Bible is for all people, not just adults but kids, too. And while we need to be sensitive to age-appropriate opportunities, James 1:22 says, “But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only.” Our role in Kids Ministry is not to simply teach but to help kids understand the importance of doing and becoming doers.

There are examples throughout Scripture of kids serving and ministering to others. First Samuel 16 tells of a shepherd boy ministering to a distraught king. Second Kings 5 documents a slave girl ministering to her skin diseased master. Second Kings 22 tells of the boy king who leads his people well and John 6 is a favorite Bible story about a boy who ministers to thousands of hungry people.

BIBLICAL MANDATE

The Great Commission tells believers (all believers) to be witnesses and go and minister. Consider ways kids can serve independently or with little supervision. Give assignments and let them serve. Other opportunities require supervision and lend best to service with peers and leaders. Don’t forget families. Families serving together create great opportunities for parents to teach missional living. Identify needs and share those needs with families.

Acts 1:8 gives some direction: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Most of you will realize the geography associated with this passage. Start where you are and move from there. Establish the three classifications mentioned above: Independent, Supervised Groups, and Families, and get started.

KIDS CAN MINISTER IN THEIR JERUSALEM (THE LOCAL COMMUNITY)

Pick up your local newspaper and you’ll be overwhelmed with ministry opportunities. From the front page through the sports section there are opportunities to show the love of God. Sympathy cards to the bereaved and congratulations to the newlywed and local heroes. From 5Ks and apple festivals to high school sports games and local first responders appreciation opportunities. Your church needs to be on mission in the mission field it’s been placed and your Kids Ministry needs to be a part.

KIDS CAN MINISTER IN THEIR JUDEA (THE REGION & STATE)
Move past your cities limits and the opportunities to lead kids to serve expands. How can kids be involved in ministering to Judea? How can kids be involved in taking God’s love to your state? What opportunities can you identify that gets outside the comfort zone of your community and ministers to those close-by but not next door? Check with your local association or your state convention of like-minded churches for ideas.

KIDS CAN MINISTER IN THEIR SAMARIA (NORTH AMERICA)

For those of us who live in the United States, opportunities for service across North America are advertised nightly on the evening news. Wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes just to mention a few. When you hear the nightly reports do you hear opportunities to involve your kids? What can they do individually? What could a Kids Bible Study class do? What might families join together to accomplish?

KIDS CAN MINISTER TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH (INTERNATIONALLY)

More and more our globe is getting smaller and smaller. Communicating with people halfway across the world is as easy as calling across town. Don’t limit your ministry reach to the US. Think globally and how you can lead kids to make a difference in Jesus’ name in Africa or Eastern Europe. What could kids do to share the love of Jesus in Asia? Start with international organizations like Operation Christmas Child, the International Mission Board, or other trusted agencies to find ways your Kids Ministry might serve.

If we want kids to grow up to serve and share the gospel we need to teach them how to serve and share. Lead kids to establish habits of service and sharing and we’ll see service and sharing as habits of the next generation of adult leaders. If you want to make a difference in 15 years? Start today with the kids in your ministry.

Bill Emeott serves as Lead Ministry Specialist for Lifeway Kids. A graduate of Mercer University and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Bill has served as a Kid’s Minister and currently teaches 2nd Grade Bible study.

Kids Ministry, Leadership, Ministry, Missions

August 16, 2017

Partnering with Local Schools

By Kids Ministry 101

Kids Ministry 101 welcomes guest blogger Eric Boswell. Eric serves as the Children’s Pastor at Tulip Grove Baptist Church in Old Hickory, TN.

“I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 (CSB)

“It’s impossible!” That’s what I thought when I heard other people talk about ministering in the public school setting. As we all know, over the years religious freedom in public schools in the United States have been limited and I was the biggest skeptic about ministering in a public school. Well folks, I am here to say that it is possible! Our church has been blessed to minister in a public elementary school in the Metro Nashville School System for the last five years.

So, you may be thinking How do you minister in a place like that? Here are few tips if you sense God is leading you to minister in a public school.

Pray—It should go without saying that anytime we consider a new ministry opportunity, we should bathe it in prayer. I prayed about ministering in a public school for over three years before I was able to directly do so. The ministry we started in an elementary school was a result of a campaign to pray for the teachers at the school.

Build Relationship and Serve—Find ways to build relationship with the school and its leaders. In our situation, it was pretty easy since the principal attended our church. From my experience, school leadership greatly appreciates community involvement. An easy way to build relationship is by serving. This could be as easy as taking treats for the teacher’s breakroom, collecting school supplies, or tutoring. If your budget allows, you may be able to become a community partner and provide financial support for the school.

For us, we began with a prayer ministry and then began tutoring students. After a couple of years of building relationship and serving, we were able to start an after-school program. We have on average 30 kids that come each week and hear the gospel presented. We have had families from our after-school program connect with our church by attending church services, VBS, CentriKid, and other family ministry events. We recently hosted a prayer-walking event at the school as they prepare for the start of the new school year.

Observe—As our ministry in the school has grown, we are constantly observing the needs of the students, parents, teachers, and faculty. We have developed a first response ministry called Father’s Heart, which allows our church to meet the needs of the school when unexpected situations come up. This could be providing food from our Food Pantry to a family in need or collecting items for a family in the school whose house burned down. Our goal is to be the hands and feet of Christ.

I believe that our responsibility as children’s ministry leaders is to minister to both children inside and outside the doors of our church. Building a relationship with your local school gives you the opportunity to reach children and their parents, who may never step inside the doors of a church.

WARNING: Ministering in the public schools is not easy. Sometimes school policy keeps you from ministering the way you would like to do it in the ideal world. The kids may act, think, and even speak differently than the kids at your church. However, I can truly say it is completely worth it when a child comes to know the Lord because of your willingness to minister in a difficult place.

“Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.” Galatians 6:9

Eric Boswell serves as the children’s minister at Tulip Grove Baptist Church in Old Hickory, Tennessee.

Encouragement, Evangelism, Kids Ministry, Leadership, Missions, Podcasts, Resources, Training

May 5, 2016

Reaching the Inner-City with the Gospel

By Andy Dukes

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In this week’s episode, we sit down with Dr. Eric Mason (@pastoremase) at our Kids Ministry Conference in 2015. Dr. Mason is the lead pastor at Epiphany Fellowship in Philadelphia, PA. He is also the founder and president of Thriving, which is an urban ministry organization committed to training leaders for ministry in cities locally, nationally, and internationally.

In this conversation, we talk about the greatest challenges in our culture to reaching kids and families, especially in the inner-city. Dr. Mason shares his insights on what churches can do to reach across ethnic, socioeconomic, cultural and other boundaries to win kids and families to Christ. Dr. Mason also expounds upon how his church has engaged their culture and some practical things they do to reach families and their community.

Evangelism, Kids Ministry, kids101, Leadership, Missions, Parenting, Podcasts

December 18, 2015

On a Mission for God. It’s Not a Calling for Some, it’s a Commission for All

By Kids Ministry 101

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Leaders in the church often talk about missional living. But how do we let this play out when it comes to our kids? Do we cast the vision of living missionally to the families in our churches?

It’s critical for KidMin leaders to lead their families in this calling from Jesus. We often relegate that sharing the gospel and serving our community is something that is left to adults. We also often make the assumption that “missions” refers to prayers and financial aid that we send to a foreign land. While these components are critical, we need to learn how to draw kids into establishing the habits of continually living under the call of the great commission.

In this podcast, we’re chatting with Jana Magruder, who grew up as a PK (pastor kid) and now leads one of the largest children’s ministry organization in the world, Lifeway Kids. You’ll hear us discuss the following…

Suggestions for churches to rethink ministry events and how to better connect with neighbors
The generational component of or our mission
Opportunities “on the way” for families to share their faith

Jana Magruder serves as the Director of Lifeway Kids. Jana brings a wealth of experience and passion for kids ministry, education, and curriculum writing. She and her husband, Michael, along with their three children attend Forest Hills Baptist Church where she teaches The Gospel Project to preteen girls.

Evangelism, Kids Ministry, Missions

October 23, 2014

40 Ways to Develop Kids Into “Doers”

By Bill Emeott

Recently I led a conference in Roseville, Michigan titled, “Involving Kids In Ministry!” I began to search scripture to see what the Bible says and the first thing that caught my eye was James 1:22, “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.”

If I truly believe that the Bible is for everyone (children, too… and I do!) then simply teaching boys and girls about ministry isn’t enough. As a KidMin leader I must help to equip kids to be DOERS, too!

So, I started looking for references of kids serving in the Bible and I was reminded of several: A shepherd BOY who ministered to the king (1 Samuel 16:14-23); a slave GIRL who ministered to her master’s husband (2 Kings 5:1-15); a BOY king who led his kingdom (2 Kings 22:1-2); and a BOY who ministered to thousands of hungry people (John 6:1-13).

Obviously, children are quite capable of ministering. In their own, appropriate ways, they are to be doers in their Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth!

My good friend and colleague, Vicki Hulsey shared some ideas that helped me as I prepared. One of the ideas she shared is this list of 40 possible ministry opportunities in which kids can be involved. What would you add to this list?

Create puppets and perform a puppet show for preschoolers or at a nursing home.
Interview the pastor to discover ways to pray for him and the church — create a Bible bookmark as a reminder to pray.
Prayer Drive (instead of Prayer Walking) — leave a note attached with a ribbon tied to the door of kids they know.
Clear ice and snow from the sidewalks of neighbors’ houses.
Donate dolls, board games, ball gloves, and sports equipment to a local shelter.
Volunteer to wash tables and collect trash at church sponsored meals.
Make a large appreciation card and deliver it to the local police department or other community leaders.
Create “Vacation Backpacks” by collecting used backpacks from school and filling them with activities kids can do while traveling. Use a check-out system.
Collect toothbrushes and toothpaste for homeless.
Adopt a local fire station to tour and pray for firefighters.
Wash car windows of elderly members after church.
Collect and donate grocery bags for local food distribution.
Conduct a litter pickup day.
Sing at a nursing home.
Paint a fence as a service project.
Create placemats for a nursing home.
Assemble manila envelopes of drawing paper, coloring book pages, and crayons for use by DHS office or the police department.
Serve or clean up following a community holiday food distribution dinner.
Rake leaves for neighbors.
Create a prayer book of community and national leaders.
Visit someone who is lonely.
Send a drawing and prayer to a local soldier serving away from home.
Create a bulletin board display in the church showing soldiers on active duty connected to members in the church.
Collect used and new Bibles for a local shelter.
Collect new toys for a holiday charity.
Ask for chores at home to earn money for an annual missions offering.
Create a class directory — call or email everyone who is absent from your class.
Create a nativity scene from craft materials and deliver it to a homebound member or neighbor.
Purchase a box fan and deliver it to someone without air conditioning.
Collect cans/bottles to redeem for annual mission offering.
Clean neighbors mailboxes — leave a note of prayer.
Plant flowers for homebound neighbors and friends to enjoy.
Provide a coffee and cake fellowship after church or before Sunday School for a senior adult class.
Ask a senior adult to be your prayer partner for one month.
Email community leaders notes of encouragement and thanks.
Collect soft drink can tabs for diabetics.
Become a penpal for a missionary kid.
Make invitations for kids in your neighborhood to attend VBS.
Create a valentine for nursing home residents and deliver.
Clean glass storm doors for a service project.

Evangelism, Events, Fun, Kids Ministry, Missions

October 16, 2014

Trick or Treats — Halloween Activities

By Jerry Vogel

As kids, many of us can remember the chant,

“Trick or treat, Smell my feet.
Give me something
Good to eat!” (much to the dismay of our parents!)

Each year as we reflect back on this and other memories as a kid, we will choose either to be a part of festivities and activities at Halloween time or not. This decision is unique to each family and its personal convictions. Some view the Halloween times as evil and are to be totally avoided and some view them as simply times of fun and fellowship with their family and friends.

Along with family decisions to be made about this time of year, each church must also choose as to whether or not it will take part in alternative activities. For example, some churches provide Fall Festivals and schedule them on the actual day of Halloween to provide a safe alternative to door to door trick or treating. Others also provide Fall Festivals but intentionally choose not to do them on Halloween night. Whichever you choose, plan to be strategic in looking at these events as times of outreach to the community. Some folks who will never walk into church on a Sunday will bring their kids to a fun, safe time of games and refreshments.

A few suggestions that have worked in various situations include:
Trunk or Treat – Church members line up their cars in a designated area and allow children to go from vehicle to vehicle to get prizes and treats.
A Full Blown Carnival – Some churches enlist Adult and Kids Bible Study classes to plan for and prepare various carnival type booths with simple games and candy/prizes for all.
A Family Movie Night with refreshments and treats for all.

Many churches are choosing to offer a “treat” or “gift” to visitors at these events that will prayerfully be an entry point in reaching that family. More churches are including a specific plan to get prospect information from each family who attends. But, whatever you do, make sure that some type of Christian witness is included!

Missions, Parenting

October 14, 2014

Missional Family, Missional Kids

By Jana Magruder

Even though spell check wants to correct me, the word “missional” has meaning and is important to understand. It may sound like a Christian or social-justice buzz word, but its meaning is rooted in scripture and modeled by Christ. To be missional is to be actively on mission to further the name of Jesus everywhere and anywhere one goes. How does this apply to the family? To kids?

Families can be missional in a variety of ways:

Know your neighbors: invite them for meals, plan neighborhood parties, host cook-outs and playgroups, help the elderly, new moms, and anyone else who may need to see the light of Christ through you and your family
Involve yourself in the schools your children attend: this goes beyond the obligatory volunteer duties. Know and pray for the teachers and administrators, host playdates for your children, even consider starting a Bible study or community group for kids! This will allow you to know more parents and widen your sphere of influence.
Participate in community activities: The more you know the culture of your community, the more you know how to live life with others. If you don’t know what is going on in your own community, you might not have anything in common with a fellow member of the community and therefore not earn the trust it takes to share the gospel with someone.
Help those in need both physically and spiritually in your city: Jesus calls us to care for the poor. Kids need to see this in action. There are numerous opportunities to do this regularly by supporting food banks, soup kitchens, and other networks that are safe for you to volunteer at with your children.
Pray actively for people groups around the world who have not heard the gospel and support missionaries financially. Involve kids in raising money.

Kids will follow this pattern as they grow in their own faith. They will naturally want to be on mission as they watch their parents be intentional with the spheres of influence given to them. This is why it is so important to not only live on mission for the gospel, but to involve children every step of the way. It starts with the family and it ends with kingdom-minded kids.

Evangelism, Missions, Vacation Bible School

September 10, 2014

6 Steps for Turning the Unchurched into the Churched

By Jerry Wooley

As kidmin leaders, we spend a lot of time and resources trying to find and attract unchurched families through VBS, carnivals, egg hunts, and countless other “y’all come” events. We often rush to the conclusion of one event just so we can get on with the next. Without realizing it, we have jumped on a hamster wheel of prospect gathering that never slows yet produces few results.

What if we stopped spinning long enough to take a good look at the prospects already discovered through this summer’s VBS?

Statistics tell us 10% of the people who attend VBS are not connected to a church. On average, that’s 10 people (mostly kids) per church, but when family members are added to the equation the number of prospects discovered grows to 35! Now that’s something to celebrate!

However, statistics also tell us we establish ongoing relationships with only 1% of the unchurched who participate in VBS. We have successfully found and attracted unchurched families, but we didn’t keep them.

So what’s the problem?

The biggest issue seems to be the lack of an intentional plan to build upon the relationships begun during VBS. While we planned how to find prospects, we haven’t planned how we will keep them.

Here are six steps that help us go beyond finders to become keepers.

Step 1: Create a follow-up plan that focuses on building intentional relationships not just assimilating information about the church.

Step 2: Intentionally connect with the entire family, not just the kids. Don’t become so focused on the kids you ignore the parents.

Step 3: Train volunteers to be connectors (relationship initiators) instead of greeters. Greeters welcome guests then leave them on their own. Connectors welcome guests and make sure they are connected to others.

Step 4: Work with ministry leaders to connect parents with church members through ongoing ministries such as women’s and men’s Bible studies and support groups.

Step 5: Work with adult ministry leaders to create connection opportunities such as a new Sunday morning Bible study group for unchurched parents to connect with each other.

Step 6: Stay focused on working to keep the unchurched families you have already found.