Kids Ministry

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

Kids Ministry, kids101, Leadership, Training

Why Showing Up is Only One Layer of Discipleship

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rp_Jana3-150x150.jpgWe get asked the same set of questions at virtually every event, camp, conference, and training session.

How can I do a better job of recruiting volunteers? How can I keep my volunteers once I get them? We could probably give you a formula that would help you in both areas. There are some very creative ways to recruit volunteers and incredible ways to honor them once they serve in your ministry area.

But what if, instead of considering your volunteers as merely servants in your church, which they are, you looked at them as opportunities for discipleship? Looking through this lens might change your leaders, and your KidMin forever.

Listen in as we discuss the “layers” of discipleship that go way beyond the point that volunteers just show up. We’ll touch on some of these points…

  • What it means to be a discipled-volunteer
  • Casting a vision that will compel leaders to want to volunteer in your KidMin
  • Moving beyond the recruitment to the development of leaders
  • The Payoff of investing in your volunteers

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.

 

Encouragement, Kids Ministry, kids101, Leadership, Small Groups, Sunday School, Training

Best Podcast from 2015.

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Although we only launched a few months ago, thousands have tuned in to the Lifeway Kids podcast. By far, the most popular podcast of the year focuses on the essence of kids ministry. It’s called “The Top Three Things a Kid Needs To Hear Their Small Group Leader Say.”

You can click here to go to the original posting. (and we recommend it!)

Thanks for being a part of 2015 as we serve you in your ministry of making disciples. We have great things in store and hope that you’ll continue to tune in to our weekly podcasts.

Happy New Year from the Lifeway Kids team!

 

Events, Fun, Kids Ministry, Leadership, Training

ETCH Family Ministry Conference

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

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

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

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

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

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

See you there!

Kids Ministry, kids101, Leadership, Parenting, Podcasts, Spiritual Disciplines, Training, Uncategorized

30 Seconds – A Critical Interaction With Parents

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Jeffrey Reed Headshot

We know that we’ve got to lead parents into understanding that they are to be the primary spiritual influences in their kids lives. In fact, practically every Christian publisher gives “take-homes” to give to the parents when they pick their kids up. And yet, kids ministry leaders still find that many of the parents are not picking up the mantle of discipleship. In many cases, we find that the papers and items intended to be tools for parents are left on the floors of our churches.

It’s critical that we communicate clearly and consistently to parents as we encourage them to take the disciple-making lead in their kids’ lives.

This podcast features an interview with Jeffrey Reed and provides practical tips on how to make the 30-second hand-off an effective time for your ministry. At recent conferences, this has been a standing-room-only session. Today, however, you can sit down and listen to “30-seconds.”

30 seconds

Jeffrey Reed serves on the leadership team for Lifeway Kids. He came to Lifeway with a wide variety of ministry experiences including worship leader, director of children’s ministry, and executive leadership in several growing congregations. He, his wife Katherine, and their four kids attend The Church at Spring Hill.

Kids Ministry, Leadership, Training

Did You Ask Anyone?

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Jeff Land-150x150It seems every day we are bombarded by more and more fundraising requests on social media. I have seen people using fundraising sites to help pay for funeral expenses, adoption expenses, and in some cases, even vacations! If there’s one thing I’m super uncomfortable with, it’s asking people for money.

While I am definitely not going to light the world on fire with my record for fundraising, there is one question that I am not afraid to ask. I’m not afraid to ask someone to help in the kids ministry area. When I was on church staff, I work with my children’s committee to recruit workers for different areas. Our method: ASK PEOPLE.

It was a little more complicated than that, but it really is the general idea. In my line of work, I hear children’s minister lament frequently about how hard it is to recruit volunteers. Generally, if you ask them what they have done to recruit they will give you some of the following answers:

  • “I put it in the church bulletin”
  • “It’s all over my Facebook page.”
  • “It’s on the church website”
  • “The pastor preached about it.”

Friends, let me be real with you for a moment. Those recruitment methods are not really effective. In fact, they are ALMOST pointless. People can hide behind the veil of anonymity in each of these methods. They can placate themselves into believing that because everyone saw this request, someone will respond and there is no need for them to respond. It’s just not personal.

If you really want to recruit volunteers you are going to have to ask people. Here are a few recruiting tips I’ve found to be helpful.

  • Pray for God to show you or give you several names of people you have found to be children’s ministry champions. Ask those people to serve on a volunteer recruiting committee.
  • Meet with your committee and make a list of names of people known to be growing, solid Christians in the church. Use the adult Sunday School roles to see names of consistent Sunday School attendees.
  • Assign each committee member 3-4 names to pray over and determine areas where those people might fit as great volunteers.
  • Assign a date in which each committee member will complete his or her task of personally meeting with or calling that person and asking him or her to serve.
  • Come back together and celebrate the successes. Thank your committee and remind them that you will help them follow-up with each new volunteer. Follow ALL church policies and procedures for volunteer background checks.

Remember that recruiting volunteers is personal. You can’t rely on a bulletin notification of a need in the 3-year-old class to be your recruitment method. You won’t know if a person is going to say “no” unless you ask him!

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

Events, Leadership, Training

KMC Presents Trillia Newbell

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We interviewed Trillia Newbell, Director of Community Outreach for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, about her experience and influences in ministry. We’re excited to hear Trillia speak at this year’s Kids Ministry Conference!

What excites you the most about the upcoming Kids Ministry Conference?

Kids ministry is an important aspect of many churches. I’ve always served in some capacity with my church’s children’s ministry. There are some members of our churches who go a full month without hearing a sermon in the context of the Sunday morning service because they are serving and loving the children week after week with little to no recognition. They don’t need recognition because God sees and delights in their service, but so often they are the unsung heroes of the church. What I’m most excited about for this conference is the chance to encourage the faith of children’s ministry workers. I’m praying they would be stirred, refreshed, and energized for the tasks ahead in the next year.

If there is one lesson you could pass on to ministry leaders, what would it be?

I have two things (making up one lesson!) that I continually preach to myself. First, you can’t do it all and do it all well. I’m always tempted to take on more than I can actually do. Unfortunately, when I do this something is neglected or it’s all done half-way. Not that the tasks don’t get done, it’s that they don’t get done as well as they would have if I hadn’t taken on more. It’s been freeing over the past year to say no to many things and know that God will be more glorified in my no than my yes—even when serving seems like a great thing to do.

Secondly, the results aren’t up to me. In other words, whether you are teaching children’s ministry or speaking to a group of women, whatever it is you are doing, how the hearer responds is all dependent on the Spirit’s work and not based on me. That frees me to serve, love, and speak for the glory of God and without concern of myself. I want to be, as pastor Tim Keller says, self-forgetful. As I think less of myself, I can think more about those I’m serving and about Jesus who I love to proclaim! 

Who was a big influence early in your ministry?

 This is tough to narrow down. There are possibly a number of people I can say, so instead I’ll share a few people and a few ministries.

Desiring God, The Gospel Coalition, and The Reformed African American Network were hands-down the three most influential ministries in my life (and remain so). The staff of each organization has helped to encourage my faith, develop my writing, and challenge my thinking. They were incredibly supportive. I’m thankful to God for those ministries. (I can now add the ERLC, which I have the joy of working for.)

I signed a contract with Erik Wolgemuth of Wolgemuth & Associates about three years ago. As my literary agent, he’s probably been the most influential voice (and ear!) in my ministry. He’s wise and helpful, grounded in the gospel and Word of God, and dedicated to seeing God glorified in what I do. He has helped me think biblically about what I’m writing and sharing. In many ways, I wouldn’t have a ministry if he hadn’t seen the potential, and I’m forever grateful for him.

Books, books, and more books. The Lord has graciously given us books. There are many books that helped shape my ministry and thinking, from Future Grace and Bloodlines by John Piper to The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good by Peter Greer. I’ve been blessed to be encouraged by books and writers.

 Finally, my family is the biggest influence. I have an incredibly supportive and caring husband who helps direct me and lead me as I serve others. He reminds me that God is good, sovereign, and for me. He reminds me of the gospel when I forget it. He also helps me say no when I need to.

Trillia Newbell is the author of United: Captured by God’s Vision for Diversity and Fear and Faith: Finding the Peace Your Heart Craves. Her writings on issues of faith, family, and Christian living have been published in the Knoxville News-Sentinel, Desiring God, Christianity Today, Relevant Magazine, The Gospel Coalition, and more. She currently serves as Director of Community Outreach for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission for the Southern Baptist Convention. Trillia is married to her best friend, Thern, and they reside with their two children near Nashville, TN. 

Events, Fun, Kids Ministry, Leadership, Training

Imprint These Words on Your Hearts #KMC15

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

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

Are you coming?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kids Ministry, kids101, Training

Protection Is a Must!

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emeott-150x150Reports of abusive conduct toward children by adults are shocking. One doesn’t have to look far to see how widespread such accounts have become. It is estimated that one out of every three girls and one out of five boys will experience some form of sexual abuse by age 18. Churches cannot expect to remain unaffected by this problem.

So, what’s a church to do? The answer is: everything possible to screen and monitor those working with minors at church!

Implementing safety and security policies is no longer an option. Standard policies, including the “6/2” rule, are a must. This simple policy states that anyone working with children or youth must be an active member of your church for at least six months before assuming a position of leadership and that there will always be at least two adults in the room with minors at all times. These easy to implement policies will go far in discouraging predators.

Next, include a volunteer worker application and follow-up interview as part of your policies. Having current and prospective leaders complete an application form and conduct formal interviews with each will show your church, your community, and possible predators that your church is watching and concerned for the safety of children.

Protection policies are incomplete without an official criminal background check. Many insurance companies are requiring churches to have complete checks as a prerequisite to coverage. Completing background checks on every adult working directly with minors demonstrates a desire and intent to protect children.

Here’s the bottom line: It is our responsibility to protect minors at church. Yes, it may be a difficult transition and sometimes uncomfortable, but protection in not an option. The mental, emotional, and spiritual development of children is at stake. Don’t ignore the possibilities. Ensure that your church is a loving and safe environment for children to grow in their relationship with their Lord and His church.

Discounted background screenings are available through Lifeway OneSource’s relationship with backgroundchecks.com

For a deeper dive into this subject check out www.ministrysafe.com.

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

Crafts, Encouraging, Fun, Kids Ministry, Training

Fall Appreciation: Thanks for “TEA”ching!

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Jeff Land-150x150It’s that time of year when all the stores are offering great sales on school supplies. We’ve had a great summer, but I am really glad that it is time to get back to routine. Kids will start getting back to their regular bedtimes and families will be finished traveling. This marks an increase in church attendance and also a great time for you to tell teachers that you really care about them. Here are a couple of ideas for a new church year appreciation gift:

Water’d We Do Without You?

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

Thanks for TEAching!

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

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

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

Make the Most of Your KidMin Intern

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by Lana Sydenstricker

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

1. Prepare for them

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

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

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

3. Encourage them

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

4. Engage in their lives

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

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

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

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