About the Children's Department

30 Dr. Seuss Quotes . . . Today you are You . . .

2012-03-02T11:22:00.003-05:00

Today is Dr. Seuss' birthday . . . I found 30 Dr. Seuss Quotes that Can Change Your Life and thought I'd share it with you today! Enjoy!

I also thought it would be fun to focus on one quote a day for the entire month . . . so, today's Dr. Seuss quote is . . . "Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You!" I love this quote and it is truer than true! As you go through this day remember, God created you to be the amazing, incredible person you are. Psalm 139:16 says, "but with your own eyes you saw my body being formed. Even before I was born, you had written in your book everything I would do." Most importantly, you are of infinite value to God . . . so much so He sent Jesus to die for you so you could live with Him forever! Just look at Ephesians 1:4-6 - "Before the world was created, God had Christ choose us to live with him and to be his holy and innocent and loving people. God was kind and decided that Christ would choose us to be God's own adopted children. God was very kind to us because of the Son he dearly loves, and so we should praise God." God created you with your own fingerprint, your own eye color, hair color and smile, so take a moment to think about the person God created you to be and thank God for creating you!

Be sure to point these things out to the children in your ministry, too! You could have them make handprints on paper or fabric and then talk about how God created them to be the unique, amazing, special and greatly loved people they are! Spend time in your small groups with small group shepherds affirming each child - "Thank You God for creating ___________! Please help him/her know before his/her body was formed, You saw him/her! Please help him/her know before the world was created, You chose him/her to live with you and be Your adopted child!"
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I'm Giving Away - the Berenstain Bears and the Easter Story

2012-03-02T09:12:00.003-05:00

Since 1962 the Berenstain Bears have helped our little ones learn Bible stories and how to treat others. I'm happy to share with you a new book . . . the Berenstain Bears and the Easter Story!
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Let's Plan a Volunteer Recruitment Month! - Recruit With Enthusiasm!

2012-03-02T08:35:00.001-05:00

As I said yesterday, I personally find recruiting volunteers fun and exciting and while I realize most people think I must be totally nuts to enjoy recruiting, I look at it as a treasure hunt rather than a chore to dread. After all, treasure hunts are fun! You see, I believe the church belongs to God and He places people in the church to do all the things which need to be done for genuinely effective ministry to take place. Now, some people may not realize they are the ones God has placed to be involved in ministry, but I believe the people are there – we just have to find them! Recruiting allows you to look for and find the treasure/unknown volunteers God has given you; and volunteers truly are a treasure, a gift from God!

Safety - Develop Child Safety Policies and Train Your Volunteers!

2012-03-02T08:19:00.000-05:00

What are your child safety policies for your children's ministry? Are they written down? Do you train your volunteers so they know these policies and procedures? Do the parents know what your child safety policies are? Do those in leadership positions in your church know them? Along with being completely committed to doing all you can to ensure the safety of your children's ministry and screening all of your volunteers, you need to have a written child safety policy which you and all your volunteers follow each and every week.

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Recruiting = Going on a Treasure Hunt!

2012-03-01T09:18:00.002-05:00

Call me crazy, but I love recruiting volunteers for children’s ministry! It’s exciting and so much fun . . . like being on a treasure hunt! What’s not to love about being on a treasure hunt, particularly when you’re sure to find the treasure?!! I’m absolutely convinced God cares more than anyone if we have the volunteers we need for the most effective ministry possible. This is why I believe He has placed in every church the people who are needed for each ministry to be truly effective. Some of these people have volunteered so we know who they are! That’s enough to put a smile on any recruiters face! Others just do not know yet they are people God has placed in their church to serve in the children’s ministry. Recruiting allows you to look for and find the treasure/unknown volunteers God has given you; and volunteers truly are a treasure, a gift from God!

Safety - Our Top Priority!

2012-03-01T08:47:00.000-05:00

This month we will take a look at a very important topic . . . Safety in our Children's ministries. While our top mission is to reach children for Jesus and then disciple them so they know how to walk with Him their entire lives; our top priority must be safety. If we do not provide the safest environment possible for the children we are entrusted with, then we do not deserve the opportunity to share the news of Jesus with these children. We must be absolutely committed to doing all we possibly can to make our children's ministry a safe place for children.

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Free Resurrection Sunday Lesson!

2012-02-29T09:14:00.001-05:00

I originally posted this lesson last year . . . but, thought since you all may be looking for ideas for Resurrection Sunday 2012, I'd share it with you again! April 8, 2012 is Resurrection Sunday . . . the most important day in the history of man! If Jesus didn't rise from the dead then our faith would be in vain. But He did rise from the dead! This is one of the things which sets Him apart from all the other religious leaders throughout time! I Corinthians 1512-22 . . . "We have preached that Christ has been raised from the dead. So how can some of you say that no one rises from the dead? If no one rises from the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, what we preach doesn't mean anything. Your faith doesn't mean anything either. More than that, we would be lying about God. We have given witness that God raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if the dead are not raised. If the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith doesn't mean anything. Your sins have not been forgiven. Those who have died believing in Christ are also lost. Do we have hope in Christ only for this life? Then people should pity us more than anyone else.But Christ really has been raised from the dead. He is the first of all those who will rise. Death came because of what a man did. Rising from the dead also comes because of what a man did. Because of Adam, all people die. So because of Christ, all will be made alive." (NIrV)

I Have Two Winners . . .

2012-02-29T08:46:00.001-05:00

I'm happy to announce Kathy King is the winner of Group's Baby Blessings (you'll find the review at this link) and Misti Rowcliffe is the winner of 150 Quick Questions to Get Your Kids Talking (you'll find the review at this link) Thank you Kathy and Misti for reading About the Children's Department (please message me your addresses so I can send these to you) and thank you Group and Harvest House for sending these for my review and for me to give away!

Parent Resources . . . Parenting Point - Courage

2012-02-28T09:21:00.001-05:00

I thought I'd share one more Character Matters video clip with you today . . . this one is on courage - helping our children learn, "it takes courage to say no to ourselves and mean it!" Follow Dr Scheibner's advice and share with children the example of Esther and how she showed courage - even when her actions did not benefit her directly! It does take courage to really live as a Christian in this day and age. We need to equip parents so they are able to help their children learn to be courageous.
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I'm Giving Away an American Girl Doll on My Other Blog . . .

2012-02-27T11:37:00.004-05:00

Two weeks from tomorrow I will be drawing one name for my American Girl McKenna Doll give-away! Yes, the give-away is only two weeks away!!!! McKenna will be the third American Girl doll I will have been able to give away on grandma's cookie jar . . . I look forward to giving more dolls away in the future!
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Parenting Resource - Character Matters . . . Consideration!

2012-02-27T10:22:00.001-05:00

I really like the website Character Health as a resource for parents. Consider highlighting one of their "Character Points" each week - or at least each month - in your church and involve parents, children - and everyone - in learning to live Christlike lives! If everyone in your church learned about - and focused on showing - these traits, just imagine what your families and church would be like!
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Put Feet to Their Faith . . . Operation Baby Rescue from WorldHelp

2012-02-27T09:40:00.002-05:00

In the country of Guatemala, half of the children under the age of 5 suffer from malnutrition. "In rural areas, 80 percent of children suffer from chronic malnutrition. Most malnutrition is caused by water-borne illnesses.

Operation Baby Rescue is an initiative which provides life-saving treatment to thousands of children battling the effects of malnutrition in impoverished communities. Oftentimes the children are brought directly to the Baby Rescue Center where they are treated for malnutrition, parasites, or other life-threatening illnesses. In some cases, the need is so severe the child must be rushed to a nearby medical facility for extensive care. Over 4,000 children have been restored to full health through Operation Baby Rescue."

March's Focus . . . Recruiting Volunteers and Safe Classrooms!

2012-02-26T11:02:00.001-05:00

If you have been reading About the Children's Department because of the VBS reviews and for the information on Family Ministry which you've found for the past two months . . . please plan to continue to come back all through March as I post about recruiting volunteers and cover a variety of topics related to how to be sure you have a safe children's ministry!

And a peek forward . . . the month of April I'll be looking at Sunday School curriculum, so please plan to join in the conversation in the coming months!

Resource for Parents . . . Character Matters - Generosity

2012-02-26T09:21:00.000-05:00

I'm delighted to share another resource with you which you could use with the parents in your ministry . . . Character Health! As they say on their website, "Character health is what Christlikeness looks like in practice! Stated simply, character health is the balance which characterizes Christlike believers as they consistently elevate virtues above feelings when faced with a moral dilemma. Character healthy people put God's Word first. Character health (Christlikeness) should be what we are seeking when we look for happiness or satisfaction. The reason most of us do not live character healthy lives is because we are taught to approach character as a means to an end, rather than a Biblically and morally satisfying end in itself."

I Have Two Winners . . .

2012-02-25T09:14:00.001-05:00

I'm happy to announce Dawn Erven is the winner of the new VeggieTales Robin Good DVD (You'll find the review at this link) and Jack Igel is the winner of the Three Hearts DVD from Samaritan's Purse (You'll find the review at this link) Thank you Dawn and Jack for reading About the Children's Department (please message me your addresses so I can have them sent to you) and thank you Big Idea and Samaritan's Purse for making these available for me to review and give away!

Family Ministry on a Shoe-String - Summer Minute to Win It!

2012-02-24T08:47:00.001-05:00

I love Lindsey Whitney's ideas for "Minute to Win It" for church and her Summer Edition gives even more ideas to help you hold your own "Minute to Win It" at your church! Thank you Lindsey for allowing me to re-post these articles from your site - Growing Kids Ministry. Please be sure to take a minute to check her site for more excellent ideas for your ministry!

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Family Ministry on a Shoe-String - More Minute to Win It!

2012-02-24T08:14:00.000-05:00

Again, I'd like to thank Lindsey Whitney for allowing me to re-post her "Minute to Win It" articles from her site - Growing Kids Ministry. This post goes on to build on the first with more ideas for games!
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Family Ministry on a Shoe-String - Minute to Win It!

2012-02-24T08:06:00.002-05:00

First of all I want to thank Lindsey Whitney for graciously allowing me to re-post her article on "Minute to Win It for Church!" Lindsey writes Growing Kids Ministry - be sure to take a minute to check her site for all the great ideas, articles and resources you will find there! As you think about the ministry opportunities you want to offer the children and families from your church and community, think about having your own "Minute to Win It!"

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Family Ministry on a Shoe-String - We Have Talent!

2012-02-24T07:20:00.001-05:00

All this week I've been talking about some family ministry possibilities you could offer the children and families in your church . . . all on a shoe-string! I have one more idea for you . . . you could plan a "(your church's name) got talent" show and involve children and families in sharing their "talents" . . . you could even do this in conjunction with your picnic in the park for "entertainment" at your picnic!
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Discipline and Children

2012-02-23T15:21:00.001-05:00

Child discipline can be such a difficult topic . . . there are those who believe in spanking and those who do not. I think there are a great many who are just confused and not sure what the best "plan of action" is when it comes to child discipline. If we are serious about equipping the parents in our ministries so they are able to confidently raise their children to know, love and walk with God, then we need to address the area of child discipline. Certainly we all want our children and grandchildren to grow up as people who are able to show self-control and make wise decisions, but how do we best accomplish this. And what does the Bible teach about it?

I found an excellent article on this topic - I won't quote all of it here, but will provide the link and give a "condensed" version . . . this article presented three "interpretations" of child discipline/spanking and looked at three views of "the rod" mentioned in Proverbs.
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Discipline with the Gospel in View - Guest Post by Nate Wagner

2012-02-23T15:04:00.000-05:00

I recently asked Nate Wagner, the pastor at Sparta Baptist Church, to write a guest post for me about parenting and discipline and am delighted for the opportunity to share it with you . . .
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Family Ministry on a Shoe-String - Family Picnics in the Park!

2012-02-23T08:13:00.001-05:00

If you are looking for something you could do to engage children and families in your church and reach out to your community at the same time . . . all on a shoe-string budget, think about offering Family Picnics in the Park! Think about the following -

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Family Ministry on a Shoe-String - Family Service Squads!

2012-02-22T07:57:00.000-05:00

When we think about family ministry we most often tend to think about providing ministry opportunities for the children and families in our church and community, and while we certainly want to do this, family ministry can also - and should also - include opportunities for our children and families to serve others! We can serve others "on a shoe-string" . . . consider the following ideas -

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Family Ministry on a Shoestring - Family Amazing Race!

2012-02-21T08:31:00.001-05:00

Last year I asked people on CM Connect what they were planning to do during the summer with the families in their church and community. Derek Weaver is the Kid's Pastor at Remedy Church in Delmar, MD and he mentioned they held their own version of "The Amazing Race" for their children and families. I told him I'd love to hear the specifics and asked if he would be interested in writing a guest post for my blog . . . he was kind enough to do so! I'm going to share Derek's guest post with you again, with some ideas on how to do an event like this - on a shoe-string!
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Free Family Parenting Resource . . . Freedom Parents!

2012-02-20T10:07:00.001-05:00

Last month I asked the question on CM Connect, "What resources do you provide for parents and grandparents in your ministry?" and Ben Fowlkes replied with a link to an amazing resource, which I have to share with you! Ben said, "We find that resourcing parents is very important. Sometimes they have the desire to raise their children the right way they just don't know where to start. So we came up with a resource website which has been very successful." He shared the link to freedom parents and I can not recommend it highly enough!
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Family Ministry on a Shoestring - VBS!

2012-02-20T09:44:00.003-05:00

So . . . I've been posting all month about family ministry; this week I want to focus on ideas for family ministry events/activities . . . all on a shoestring - so any church can do these things! Do you plan family ministry events/activities? While there are some which can be very expensive, there are also lots of ideas which are very affordable . . . just may take some planning. With Summer just a few months away and kids out of school, it is the ideal time to kick your children's and family ministry into high gear! Add to this the rising gas prices . . . and rising everything prices . . . and you are likely to have children and families looking for things to do on a very limited budget. This gives you additional opportunity to reach out to children and families, so all this week I'll look at some ideas for children's and family ministry you could do on a shoe-string!

Let's begin with Vacation Bible School . . . yes, VBS! Many churches plan VBS each year . . . most of you are evaluating curriculum, planning to recruit your volunteers and have your week of VBS scheduled. If you have not already done this, take a moment to think about how you might be able to offer a VBS ministry to the children in your church and community . . .
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Put Feet to Their Faith with Children's Heart Project . . . I'm Giving a Three Hearts DVD Away

2012-02-19T11:19:00.002-05:00

I've been sharing all month with your about Samaritan's Purse's Children's Heart Project and am delighted to let you know they have produced a movie about how Children's Heart Project helped three children from Mongolia . . . and I am going to give one Three Hearts dvd away! In this DVD Children's Heart Project shares how "graduating college senior, Cissie Graham Lynch, granddaughter of evangelist Billy Graham, takes on an internship at Samaritan’s Purse working with the Children’s Heart Project. This project is dedicated to saving the lives of children by providing medical procedures which are not available in many countries. Cissie is charged with supervising the arrival and surgeries of three Mongolian children suffering from fatal congenital heart defects. But the task is not easy and filled with unexpected challenges. Cissie balances responsibilities as a newly married wife to a professional football player and her tasks with the internship. Meanwhile the Children’s Heart team turns to a Texas family who travels to Mongolia for the adventure of a lifetime to help bring the children to San Antonio for their surgeries. In Texas, two host families make sacrifices to care for these children and their mothers, while a team of doctors and nurses volunteer their time only to stare directly into the face of life and death. How far would you go to save a life? It’s a fight for survival, a fight of faith, and a fight for a new life for these three hearts."
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Bible Review . . . my first Hands-On Bible!

2012-02-18T09:44:00.004-05:00

I have had the opportunity over the years to review quite a number of Bibles for children. I'm happy today to share with you a new Bible for preschoolers . . .
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A Prayer For Your Ministry - Pray For the Most Important Thing!

2012-02-18T08:48:00.000-05:00

There are certainly many things for us to pray about when it comes to praying for the children, families and volunteers in our ministry, but I think we can take a cue from Jesus as to the most important thing for us to pray about. In Matthew 22:37-40 someone asked Jesus which command was the most important; He said, "‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.' ⁴⁰ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
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VeggieTales Robin Good and His Not-So Merry Men . . . I'm Giving One Away

2012-02-17T10:37:00.003-05:00

This new Veggie DVD, Robin Good & His Not So Merry Men, releases on March 3rd and is one children and families in your ministry are sure to love . . . and you will love the way it gives you so many opportunities to talk with them about important lessons!

It all begins with the short - Lenny and the Lost Birthday, in which Lenny thinks everyone has forgotten his birthday. He doesn't know about Leap Year and how it pushed his birthday back one day and ends up feeling like he is not special to anyone. "Of all of my days, mom, this was the worst. My family, my teacher my friends all agree. There's nothing at all that's special about me." His mom sings, "But this is the day the Lord has made. You're special to me and you'll be okay. Tomorrow will dawn and I'll love you still. Things will get better, I promise they will! When your days been a mess and you feel it intensely, don't forget Whose you are and Who loves you immensely! God made you His child and you're treasured as such. You're precious, you're treasured, He loves you so much! And this is the day the Lord has made. You're special to Him, you'll be okay! Tomorrow will dawn and He'll love you still! Things will get better, I promise they will!"
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Free Family Event . . . My Bible Journey - Trusting God Journey!

2012-02-17T08:26:00.002-05:00

One reason we do not offer family ministry opportunities, is because we do not stop and think to plan ahead. We are so busy with the day-to-day ins and outs of our ministry, we don't take the time to plan ahead for a special event. So, today I'm delighted to give you a back-to-school family event . . . My Bible Journey - Trusting God Journey! As children return to school they often feel apprehensive and even afraid - what will their new classes be like? What will their new teachers be like? Will they have friends? There are so many questions . . . potentially so many things to be concerned about. Parents also have many concerns . . . will they make the right decisions when it comes to raising their children? Will they be able to keep their jobs? If they do not have a job, will they be able to find a job? Will they be able to make their house payment? What will they do if gas gets even more expensive? So many potential things to be concerned about.
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Don't Forget . . . Two FREE Resources for the Parents & Grandparents in Your Church!

2012-02-17T08:13:00.004-05:00

If we are serious about equipping parents so they are able to be the primary teachers, leaders and disciplers of their children, then we need to be "sharers of resources"! Let your parents - and grandparents - know of resources which provide information, ideas and tools which they might take advantage of as they strive to lead their children. So, today I have two free resources you could let the parents and grandparents in your ministry know about!
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How Do I "Shift" My Church's "Resource Base" to "Change the World"?

2012-02-17T07:42:00.002-05:00

I found a video clip of George Barna asking an important question - "Do you need to shift your "resource base" from "maintenance" to "changing the world in ways you've never seen in your lifetime"? This is a question we all need to give serious consideration to. So . . . how can you tell if you need to shift your resources in your church, what does it mean to shift your resource base and how might you do this? Consider the following -
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Show Your Community You Care . . . Offer Free Parenting Classes!

2012-02-16T08:57:00.000-05:00

Have you ever "skipped" church to drive on the streets surrounding your church building to get an idea of how many people do not attend your church? Who are they? Where do they live? Are there children riding their bikes and playing in their yards? Clearly if they live on the streets around your church, they must know your church is there, so how do we show these families in our communities we really care about them?
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Show Your Community You Care . . . Offer Free Family Fun Events!

2012-02-16T08:29:00.003-05:00

Churches used to be the center of community life - families went to church on Sunday, children went to church for school all week and the community used the church for gatherings and special events. Times have certainly changed. In far too many cases, today our churches are viewed as places for "church people", not places for the community. Let's think about how we can "throw open the doors of our churches" this Fall, welcome our community in and see if we can re-establish our churches as the place where everyone goes and finds the center of their community life!
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What Do I Need to "See"?

2012-02-15T10:18:00.002-05:00

In our children's and family ministries "imparting information" is important, but it is infinitely most important for us to pray for "eyes to be opened". In our ministries we "impart" a lot of "information". We teach Bible lessons, we train volunteers, we encourage parents . . . we "impart" a lot of "information". But, do we focus on asking God to "open eyes"? What are some things we need to have our eyes . . . and the eyes of children, parents and volunteers . . . opened? Consider the following . . .
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Make Prayer THE Priority

2012-02-15T10:07:00.000-05:00

I recently heard a sermon from Dr. Jim Samra about the most important thing we can do . . . Pray! (You can check this link to hear the sermon - it just takes 26 minutes and 48 seconds to do so . . . you'll be glad you did!)

So, Dr. Samra said we need to do the most important thing . . . pray. Yes, teaching the Bible - giving information - is important, but the first thing we need to do is pray. Do you pray, really pray, before you do anything else in your ministry? It can be far too easy to just go about the work of the ministry and plan, organize, train, prepare, teach . . . all without really spending time in prayer. Consider the following ways to make prayer not just A top priority in your ministry, but THE top priority . . .
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How Does Your Children's Ministry Support Parents With Special Needs Children?

2012-02-15T09:46:00.002-05:00

I've been posting all month about family ministry and how to be intentional and effective in your family ministry, but what about your ministry to families where they have a child with special needs? Does your children's ministry provide the support and encouragement these parents need? Loretta Baughan wrote a powerful and thought provoking post on Modern Day Eugenics on her blog, STRAIGHT4ward with Loretta Baughan. Please take a moment to read this post and then consider the following . . .
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What is Real Worship and How Do We Help The Children in Our Churches Understand It?

2012-02-14T14:31:00.001-05:00

What is worship? In many churches singing on Sunday morning is what we do for worship; but is this real worship? Certainly there’s Biblical precedent for worshipping God with songs and music focused on Who God/Jesus is. John 4:24 instructs us to worship in spirit and truth – focused on the truth of Who God is. Singing/music is a legitimate and important part of worshipping God, but isn’t the only component of or way to worship God. If worship is more than singing on a Sunday morning how can worship leaders/teachers lead children . . . and adults, into a fuller understanding of worship both in their class and in the church service?

A Must-Have Resource for Parents . . . The 10 Best Decisions Every Parent Can Make

2012-02-14T09:58:00.000-05:00

Part of having a children's ministry is focusing on ministry to their parents as well because if you want to be genuinely effective at reaching and discipling children, you have to come alongside their parents so you work with their parents to accomplish this goal. There are many things you can do to come alongside parents, but one very simple one is to recommend resources for parents. Consider finding and selecting one book/resource each month and then recommend it to the parents in your ministry.

There certainly is no shortage of books and resources on parenting . . . some are excellent and others are not, so today, I'd like to share one excellent - and common sense - resource with you!
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Don't Miss It!!! Tomorrow is February 15th!!!

2012-02-14T08:24:00.000-05:00

Yes, tomorrow is February 15th! It is the day after Valentine's Day . . . the day all the heart-shaped candies go on clearance!!!! If you haven't already, make plans to head for your local store first thing and pick up some for use in your ministry! Just think of all the things you could do with heart-shaped candies . . . if you have them . . .
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Another Resource for Families - 150 Quick Questions to Get Your Kids Talking - I'm Giving One Away!

2012-02-13T09:49:00.001-05:00

I'm delighted for the opportunity to share another resource you could recommend to the parents in your church . . . and I will be giving one away!
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Please Check Kidmin1124 - My New Post is About the #4 Essential Thing for Volunteers

2012-02-13T08:43:00.001-05:00

Over on Kidmin1124 I've been talking about the top five essential things for us to give our volunteers. I've said, “There certainly are a lot of things we need to give our volunteers, but for the next few weeks, I’m going to share my top five essentials for us to give our volunteers.” Then I posted about the #5 essential thing for us to give our volunteers . . . give them resources! On my new post I want to take a few moments to consider the #4 essential thing for us to give our volunteers, training!
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Make Intentional Prayer the Cornerstone of Your Family/Children's Ministry

2012-02-13T07:16:00.000-05:00

Okay, I'm all for praying for one another, but how often when we pray for others do we pray "generic prayers" opposed to prayers specifically for someone? Even when we know someone has things we can pray about, how often do we actually talk to them to find out what they would most appreciate being remembered in prayer on their behalf? Yes, it takes time to sit down and actually talk to someone, but if we are serious about praying intentionally for those in our church and ministry, how can we do so if we do not first talk to the person we are praying for?
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Family Resource - 365 Ways to Say "I LOVE YOU" to Your Kids!

2012-02-12T09:15:00.003-05:00

Resources. We are always looking for resources to use in our children's ministries, but how often do we look for resources to put in the hands of parents and grandparents? If we are serious about being as effective as possible in our children's ministries, then we need to be serious and intentional about looking for, finding and making available to parents, resources which will better equip them as the primary teachers and disciplers of their children. I'm very happy to share one such resource with you today . . .
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Put Feet to Their Faith with Samaritan's Purse Children's Heart Project

2012-02-12T08:49:00.001-05:00

For the past few weeks I've been sharing about Samaritan's Purse's Children's Heart Project and today I'd like to share another example of how they are helping children . . . and families around the world!
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Fathers Matter . . . How Do We Translate This to Children's Ministry?

2012-02-11T08:51:00.002-05:00

If our family ministries are going to be genuinely effective, we have to engage, educate and equip dads. I watched a short clip on YouTube about how fathers matter to a child's education. Take a moment to watch it and then consider the questions below . . .
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Family Ministry Resource . . . everyday talk!

2012-02-10T10:19:00.000-05:00

As I've been saying, if we are serious about equipping, encouraging and supporting the parents in our church and community, we also need to be serious about finding, and getting the word out about, excellent resources to help parents be more effective in passing on a legacy of faith to their children. I just had the opportunity to review one such excellent resource . . .
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I Have a Winner in My VeggieTales "If I Sang a Silly Song" DVD Give-away!

2012-02-10T09:02:00.001-05:00

I'm happy to announce Twinkle Perey is the winner in my Veggie Tales "If I Sang A Silly Song" DVD give-away! (You will find the review at this link) Thank you Twinkle for reading About the Children's Department (please message me your address so I can have it sent to you) and thank you Big Idea for sending one for me to review and for making another available for me to give away!

Free Family Ministry Event - Resurrection Sunday Bible Journey!

2012-02-09T09:32:00.000-05:00

When it comes to reaching families in and out of your ministry, you need to have vision, passion and a plan so you will be effective at reaching out to the families in your church and community. Today I'm going to talk about planning family events as special outreach opportunities to the families in your church and community. I'm not going to talk about children's ministry vs. family ministry because I was invited to write a guest post for Ministry-to-Children and I do so in there; (Feel free to check the post out by following this link) other than to say, we need to "come alongside" parents as they teach their children by being intentional in our ministries and building on and reinforcing what the parents are teaching their children. This is where a vision statement comes in. What is it we want to accomplish in our children’s ministries? What is our plan to get there? When we join up with the parents by equipping and coming alongside them, we will experience real and measurable results.
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Provide Those Resources . . . Wise Words for Moms

2012-02-09T08:28:00.001-05:00

When it comes to equipping, encouraging and supporting parents, one of the most important things we can do is provide, or at least point out, resources which will help parents know how to effectively raise their children so they know and walk with God. There are many, many resources out there - some are better than others, so today I'm going to share a resource with you so you can share it with the parents in your ministry.
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VBS 2012 - Dollars & Cents of VBS - Part 3

2012-02-08T10:37:00.001-05:00

As I talked about the past two weeks the realities of the Dollars and Cents of VBS can impact if a church is able to go ahead with VBS for summer 2012 as the Dollar and Cents of it all will come into play as you determine which resources you will use. In this economy with so many people out of work our churches are struggling to meet their budget. VBS can be expensive and yet it is a very important - and in many cases the only - outreach all year for many churches.
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Expand "Faith Talks" and Equip Parents to Leave a Spiritual Legacy!

2012-02-08T09:44:00.000-05:00

In my last post I shared an amazing free resource . . . "Faith Talks" and I encourage everyone to implement this as a core part of your ministry to children and families. I also want you to take the idea of "Faith Talks" and expand them to include the following . . .
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Equip Parents and Strengthen Families with "Faith Talk"

2012-02-08T09:19:00.000-05:00

A few days ago I shared Legacy Milestones with you and today I want to encourage you to take a serious look at another of their resources . . . "Faith Talk". "The biblical reason for having Faith Talks is found in Deuteronomy 6:5-9. As primary faith trainers, we as parents are commanded to impress these commands upon our children, talk to our children about them, as well as show them how to live them out in the ordinary tasks of life. In Proverbs 22:6, spiritual training takes place one step at a time in the context of everyday life. Relationship is your priority, the Bible is your handbook, and life is your classroom. Teach your children about God, the Bible, salvation, and how to live by having family night devotions."
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If I Sang a Silly Song . . . Family Fun Night and I'm Giving One Away!

2012-02-07T10:17:00.003-05:00

It's a Silly Song Telethon . . . and since it's a VeggieTales Silly Song Telethon, it is sure to feature the silliest silly songs ever! This new dvd from VeggieTales, If I Sang A Silly Song, features 20 of their all time silliest silly songs from twenty years of Veggies! In addition you'll find "extras' including the Karaoke versions of each song so children and families can join in the fun and sing along! And, if all this isn't enough silly fun, an all-new silly song debuts on this dvd . . . Bubble Rap with the return of Boyz in the Sink!
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Celebrating Milestones - Welcome Little Ones to Your Children's Ministry!

2012-02-07T09:43:00.001-05:00

For the past few days I've been posting about celebrating milestones and reviewed two amazing resources to help your church do exactly this . . . Legacy Milestones and Group's Family Faith Celebrations. Both of these resources provide the information and tools you need to help the parents in your ministry understand their God-given role as the primary faith influencer in their child's life and to involve your entire church in celebrating milestones - Baby Blessing, Faith Commitment, First Bible and Preteen Passage . . . all important moments in a child's and family's life and most certainly worthy of celebrating!

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VBS 2012 - Side-by-Side Comparison Chart

2012-02-07T08:43:00.000-05:00

I'm my updated and completed 2012 Side-by-Side VBS comparison chart today for the fifteen kits I've reviewed for VBS 2012 - you'll find the chart at this link. (If you have trouble opening this link, email me and I'll email you a pdf of the chart)

So . . . how is this helpful to you? Use the kit as a tool to help you . . .

narrow down the kits you are most interested in taking a closer look at. You'll be able to see all kinds of information on this chart - from price and version of the Bible used to scope and sequence.
identify the strengths and weakness of the curriculum you choose. For example, if you decide on a kit for your VBS, but see in the chart it doesn't offer information on screening your volunteers or how to lead a child to Christ, then you'll know you need to find this information from other sources.

I hope you'll find my chart a helpful tool for you as you evaluate these curriculum options for use in your ministry.

First Friday Freebies . . . On a Monday . . .Qpon Monkey!

2012-02-06T16:08:00.001-05:00

I'm delighted to let you know about a new website which was, "created to provide the very best deals for those of us involved in ministry. Yes, it's a coupon site designed specifically to help stretch your ministry budgets. They will also be including honest straight forward reviews of products written by ministers serving in the local church with weekly giveaways as a way for their product providers to say 'Thanks' to everyone who visits the site."

Similar to other coupon sites, this one focuses on and features resources, tools and product which you will be able to use in your ministry, so take a moment and check it out!

And, just for joining you'll receive a free download of "Crazy, Messy, Kidmin Games"!

Celebrating Milestones - Family Faith Celebrations - I'm Giving One Away!

2012-02-06T11:07:00.000-05:00

Today I'm looking at some resources from Group Publishing designed to help your church equip parents to celebrate milestones in their child(ren)'s lives. These Family Faith Celebrations seem to be patterned after the Legacy Milestones resources I posted about yesterday and even have Dr. Brian Haynes on the dvd you may use in your parent training classes. Group has six Family Faith Celebrations available, but four of them relate to children's ministry, so those are the four I will post about today.
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VBS 2012 - Zapped from Orange!

2012-02-06T08:42:00.000-05:00

I'm happy to post my final review for VBS 2012 reviews . . . Zapped from Orange! They did a great job with the content and substance of this VBS resource and they provide a lot of options for you. Take a look and consider if Zapped is a good "fit" for your children's ministry!

Put Feet to Their Faith With the Children's Heart Project Through Samaritan's Purse!

2012-02-05T09:19:00.000-05:00

All this month I'm focusing on the Children's Heart Project through Samaritan's Purse and am encouraging you to "Put Feet to Their Faith" and involve the children in your ministry in a project to raise money for the Children's Heart Project. Through the Children's Heart Project, Samaritan's Purse provides life-saving heart surgeries for children around the world who are in need. They bring these children and a parent to the United States where they live with a host family while their child has the surgery. The host families share Jesus with the parents and children and not only are hearts made whole physically, but people get saved and hearts are made whole spiritually as well! Consider the account of two little boys from Uganda . . .
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Family Resources - Celebrating Milestones - Legacy Milestones!

2012-02-05T08:34:00.001-05:00

I am soooo excited to share the ministry of Kingsland Baptist Church and Dr. Brian Haynes from Katy, TX with you today as we think about celebrating milestones! This church has intentionally designed a plan to, as they say, "equip parents to effectively train our children in the Christian faith as they do the common things of life." They call this plan - "Legacy Milestones" and it is nothing short of amazing! They have identified seven "milestones" for all ages, but in this post we will focus on the first three as they relate to children.

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VBS 2012 - Zapped from Orange Arrived Today . . .

2012-02-04T12:16:00.002-05:00

FedEx delivered Zapped from Orange today so be watching for it's review on Monday! I'll also post an updated side-by-side comparison chart which includes Zapped and my final Dollars & Cents of VBS, so please check back on Monday! (I'll also send my Zapped review to CM Buzz for Monday, too!)

Celebrating Milestones!

2012-02-04T09:22:00.000-05:00

When I think of celebrating milestones in a child's and family's lives I think of two things. First of all I think about the idea a child has made a decision or done something or grown to a point where a milestone in their life has been reached. These are truly important moments and worthy of being celebrated, but in far too many instances we are all too busy to stop and notice and celebrate. The second thing I think about is the family. A milestone in a child's life is also a milestone in a family's life as well. Often the family had a big part to "play" in the child reaching their milestone so the celebration is one not only for the child, but also for the family as well.

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Mark Your Calendars for February 15th!!!! You Don't Want to Miss This!!!!

2012-02-03T09:09:00.001-05:00

Before you do anything else today, mark your calendars for February 15th!!! Grab a red pen and circle the date!!!! Why, you ask? Well, because it is the day after Valentine's Day!!!! So, you ask? Because the day after Valentine's Day all the heart-shaped Valentine's Day candies go on clearance!!!! What can you do with heart-shaped candies? Well, please allow me to share just a few of the many things you can do with heart-shaped candies in your children's ministry . . .
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Please Check Out Kidmin1124 - My New Post is About 5 Essentials For Your Volunteers!

2012-02-03T08:51:00.003-05:00

When you have a few minutes, please check my new post on Kidmin 1124 - Five Essentials for Your Children's Ministry . . . #5 - Give Them Resources! I said, "There certainly are a lot of things we need to give our volunteers, but for the next few weeks, I’m going to share my top five essentials for us to give our volunteers. Today let’s think about the #5 essential thing for us to give our volunteers . . . give them resources! When we ask someone to volunteer their time, energy and self to serve in our children’s ministry, we need to be sure we are not also asking them to come up with the resources they will need to serve. Be sure you provide each of the following things for your volunteers . . ."
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Continuity . . . Connect the Children's, Parent's and Family Ministries With Your Church!

2012-02-03T07:02:00.001-05:00

So . . . if you have paid attention to be sure all areas of your children's ministry connect so the Sunday, Midweek, Summer and other ministries have continuity and are taking the time to connect the children's ministry with the parent's ministry, the last area to connect with, is the other areas of your church. If your church is going to have a strong and healthy children's, parent's and family ministry, it is important for the entire church to know what is happening in these ministries. Consider the following . . .
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Two Free Resources for Parents - and Grandparents!

2012-02-02T09:01:00.001-05:00

Continuity . . . Connect the Children's and Parent's Ministries!

2012-02-02T08:48:00.000-05:00

So . . . you have a vision and purpose for your children's ministry and you are watching to be sure each part of your children's ministry connects to the others, but have you collaborated with the leaders of your parent's ministry to be sure the children's and parent's ministries connect and have continuity? Consider the following . . .
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Continuity . . . No "Islands Unto Themselves"

2012-02-02T08:44:00.000-05:00

Stop and think for a moment . . . do the various parts of your children's ministry "connect"? Do they compliment and reinforce one another or does each area "do their own thing"? If we are truly serious about being effective, then not only do we have to have a vision/plan for our children's ministry as a whole, but we have to be sure each area is connected to the other things we do in children's ministry. Consider the following . . .
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Continuity . . .

2012-02-02T08:25:00.000-05:00

Before we start looking at very many Family Ministry resources, I want to talk about an important topic . . . continuity. So, what is continuity and why does it matter when we talk about Family Ministry? What does it look like in children's ministry? How do we have it? How do we know if we do not have it? These are important questions to think about . . . and find answers to. Consider the following . . .
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Children's Ministry and Parent's Ministry = Family Ministry!

2012-02-01T08:54:00.001-05:00

If you are serving in a children's ministry, then you have to care about the parent ministry of your church as well. Deuteronomy 6 makes it pretty clear the primary responsibility for pointing children to God lies with parents. "⁴Listen, Israel! The LORD our God is the only true God! ⁵So love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, and strength. ⁶Memorize his laws ⁷and tell them to your children over and over again. Talk about them all the time, whether you're at home or walking along the road or going to bed at night, or getting up in the morning. ⁸Write down copies and tie them to your wrists and foreheads to help you obey them. ⁹Write these laws on the door frames of your homes and on your town gates." (CEV) Obviously, the parents are the ones who are with children at home, at bedtime and in the morning, so clearly, this call to disciple children is for parents.

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What Will the Coming Months Hold for About the Children's Department?

2012-01-31T08:36:00.001-05:00

As you know, the month of January I focused on VBS with reviews, side-by-side comparison charts and posts covering all things VBS - it has been a busy month! So, what will the coming months hold for About the Children's Department? Well, all of February I'll be focusing on family ministry with posts about family ministry, how to evaluate your family ministry, begin a family ministry and how to make a lasting impact on families in your church and community. I'll review resources and have some guest posts all about how to equip, support and encourage parents and build families! Please join in the conversation all month long!
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A Reminder About "Fluff" in VBS - What It Is and What It Is NOT!

2012-01-31T08:14:00.001-05:00

Well, January is almost over and my 2012 VBS reviews are wrapping up - I still am waiting for Zapped from Orange to arrive and will add it to my reviews as soon as it gets here. Just like last year, I provided reviews on fifteen individual VBS resources and side-by-side comparison charts. I also had posts covering all things VBS, from recruiting, training and promoting your VBS to additional ways to make use of these resources.
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Put Feet to Their Faith With Samaritan Purse's Children's Heart Project!

2012-01-30T08:41:00.001-05:00

I am delighted to share a ministry opportunity with you . . . the Children's Heart Project from Samaritan's Purse. I could write about this project to explain it, but Samaritan's Purse does a much better job, so I'll share what they say and one of their stories with you.

"Since 1997, the Children's Heart Project (CHP) has arranged life-saving operations for more than 800 children from Bosnia, Kosovo, Honduras, Uganda, Mongolia, and Bolivia.
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Thank You and Please Come Back!

2012-01-30T08:05:00.001-05:00

I want to take a moment to thank everyone who has visited About the Children's Department during the month of January to read my VBS reviews and posts! Thank you! I'd also like to invite you to come back and make About the Children's Department one of the places you turn to for information, ideas and resources for children's ministry. The month of February I'll be focusing on family ministry and will be reviewing - and giving away - a number of excellent family ministry resources. Please take a moment to "like" About the Children's Department, share this blog with the people you know and join in the conversation all month long!

How Did I Determine Which VBS Is My Top Pick for 2012?

2012-01-29T08:19:00.000-05:00

I reviewed more than a dozen VBS kits this year and am very happy to say I found all of them to be Biblically sound resources with well developed themes and engaging settings! Regardless of which kits you select to utilize in your ministry, you can be confident of finding quality resources and you will be happy with your selections. I want to give you an idea of how I made my selections for this year's Top Ten VBS resources. I'm not a VBS publisher and I'm not a bookstore; I'm a children's ministry person so when I evaluate curriculum I look for the "tools" a curriculum provides which will help me equip my volunteers to most effectively communicate God's Word in a way children will remember and understand so they will be able to live it in their everyday lives!
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In the Coming Week . . . VBS, Family Ministry and More . . .

2012-01-28T07:40:00.001-05:00

For the past month I've been focusing on VBS for 2012 . . . it has been a busy month with fourteen VBS kit reviews, two side-by-side comparison charts, give-aways and much more. Thank you for reading my VBS posts this month and a special thank-you to everyone who "shared" About the Children's Department with the people you know! I most sincerely appreciate it!
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I Have a Winner in My Adventures on Promise Island VBS Kit Give-Away!

2012-01-28T07:24:00.000-05:00

I'm happy to announce Dan Haggard is the winner in my Adventures on Promise Island VBS kit give-away! (you will find the review at this link) Thank you Dan for reading and sharing About the Children's Department (please message me your address so I can send it to you) and thank you Standard Publishing for sending a kit for me to review and give away!

Don't Forget I'm Giving Away an Adventures on Promise Island VBS Kit Tomorrow!

2012-01-27T08:52:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow, January 27th, I'm giving away one Adventures on Promise Island basic kit from Standard Publishing! Adventures on Promise Island is my Top Pick for VBS 2012 and is a tremendous resource for you to use in your ministry. So, how can you get in the drawing for this give-away? If you "share" any of posts from today, you'll receive an entry in this special give-away each time you "share" - which will be tomorrow, January 28th! (please comment, or email to let me know each time you share this post so I can be sure to give you all your entries!) This is all there is to it! Thank you for reading my blog and for sharing it with the people you know!

Vacation Bible School Follow-up Which Really Follows Up!

2012-01-27T08:16:00.000-05:00

So . . . you've given thought to your goal for Vacation Bible School 2012, evaluated VBS resources in light of their scope and theme then determined which one or two or more had the best "fit" for your unique ministry and made your selections. You are ready to recruit, train, support and appreciate your volunteers, but there is still one more thing to focus on . . . planning and implementing follow-up which really follows up!

For many churches VBS is their primary, and in some of those cases their only, outreach to their community for the year. It is so important you have a vision, passion and plan for your VBS which reaches beyond the five days of ministry. Along with having a goal for your VBS, be sure to think ahead and have a vision for what you will do after your VBS to reach out to the families touched by your VBS.

Certainly it is worth the time, energy and cost to present a VBS to the children in your church and community as children get saved in these ministries every year, Christian children learn how to grow in their walk with Jesus and new families are reached. But, don't let your momentum stop there. Pray and think now about your goals and vision for what happens after your VBS is over. Develop this vision in four specific areas: follow-up with children who got saved; follow-up with Christian children who learned to grow in their walk with Jesus; follow-up with new families; and follow-up with church families. (Be sure to cover the basics as well - such as having all VBS small group leaders mail postcards to the children in their small groups - check yesterday's post for more on this - and giving info fliers about your children's ministry - it's goals and opportunities all year - to new families your VBS reached.)
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After VBS is over . . . Follow-up!

2012-01-27T08:06:00.000-05:00

So, when another year of VBS is finished; volunteers have gone home, your decorating team puts away all props, posters and parts of VBS returning your church to “normal” what do you do next? What do you need to do to build on the work accomplished in VBS and how can you continue to minister to non-church families VBS allowed you to touch? Too often we do not really follow-up with the contacts VBS gave us with non-church families . . . what can we do to show these families we want to serve them, not just their children, all year long?

Effective follow-up can be designed and accomplished without a large budget and without a large staff of volunteers if you focus on praying, evaluating and planning!

Take the Time to Support and Appreciate Your Vacation Bible School Volunteers!

2012-01-26T08:41:00.001-05:00

There are so many things to think about and do when it comes to getting ready for your Vacation Bible School, but I want to add one more thing to your list. Don't worry . . . this thing is so much fun! Plan now to implement a complete volunteer support and appreciation ministry! In this day and age we are all so busy . . . and yet, in spite of being busy you have people who have volunteered to serve on your VBS team! We do not need any other reason to support and appreciate our volunteers!
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Be Sure to Train Your Volunteers for Vacation Bible School!

2012-01-26T08:16:00.001-05:00

I absolutely understand how difficult it is to get volunteers to attend teacher training . . . we are all so busy! But, when it comes to presenting the best, most effective VBS it is essential your volunteers are trained; so schedule your training now and be sure to communicate to your volunteers the training is an absolutely essential, not-to-be-missed event! Consider the following . . .
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Plan Your Vacation Bible School Volunteer Recruitment!

2012-01-26T08:04:00.000-05:00

Once you decide which Vacation Bible School resource is the best "fit" for your unique ministry it is time to begin sharing your goals and vision with the people in your church and start thinking about the important and fun "task" of finding your volunteers! Consider the following . . .
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Don't Forget I'm Giving Away an Adventures on Promise Island VBS Kit!

2012-01-25T09:25:00.003-05:00

This Saturday, January 27th, I'm giving away one Adventures on Promise Island basic kit from Standard Publishing! Adventures on Promise Island is my Top Pick for VBS 2012 and is a tremendous resource for you to use in your ministry. So, how can you get in the drawing for this give-away? If you "share" this post between today and January 27th, you'll receive an entry in this special give-away each time you "share" - which will be on January 28th! (please comment, or email to let me know each time you share this post so I can be sure to give you all your entries!) This is all there is to it! Thank you for reading my blog and for sharing it with the people you know!

VBS 2012 - Promoting Your Vacation Bible School

2012-01-25T08:43:00.000-05:00

So, you've spent time reading Vacation Bible School reviews - such as the ones you'll find on Ministry-to-Children and here on my blog . . . look under the tab at the top entitled VBS - and have signed out a couple kits on consignment from your local Christian bookstore. You've evaluated the themes and scope based on your vision and goals for your unique children's ministry and have selected the kits you want to use in VBS and in other ministries; so what can you do to promote your VBS so the children and families in your community know when and where they can go to participate? Consider the following . . .
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Let's Get More Out of Our Vacation Bible School Resources . . . Mid-Week Children's Ministry All Year Long!

2012-01-25T07:09:00.000-05:00

When you evaluate Vacation Bible School curriculum, be sure to think about how VBS resources might give you the tools you need for your mid-week ministry to children! You won't necessarily need an entire kit, but if you have the Bible lessons, games and craft books as well as the music you'll be able to expand the lessons by using one lesson for two weeks and be able to have resources for ten weeks! Run your mid-week ministry similar to your VBS and the enthusiasm you have with your VBS can transfer to your mid-week ministry! Three resources will give you enough materials for one year of mid-week ministry so think about the curriculum scope, your vision/goals for your mid-week ministry and then see which VBS resources give you the tools you need.
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I'm Giving Away One Vineyard Worship, I Love Your Presence!

2012-01-24T11:42:00.001-05:00

Please take a moment to check my other blog, grandma's cookie jar, because I'm giving away one Vineyard Worship, I Love Your Presence CD download! Follow the link to find my review and all the info on the give-away!

Let's Get More Out of Our Vacation Bible School Resources . . . Mission Trips and Back-yard Bible Clubs!

2012-01-24T09:07:00.000-05:00

Today I'm going to share some ideas on how to re-use the VBS resources you select for your VBS . . . a great way to get more out of your CE dollars . . . and another way to expand your summer children's ministry by using an additional VBS resource!

Many, if not most, churches plan a mission trip for their teens during the summer. Some are quite the major undertaking - even on an international level - while others may be more locally based. My daughter and son went on mission trips each summer with their youth group - mostly to other areas of the country - but they also went on additional mission trips with groups like Reign Ministries (my son went to Nepal/Thailand, England, France, Spain, Italy, Greece and the Island of Rhodes), Youth for Christ (my daughter went to Mexico) and ZJAM (my daughter went to Costa Rica). I strongly believe in the value of teens being involved in summer mission trips big and small. When youth groups plan a mission trip, typically there is a component of the trip where the teens work with children . . . this is the ideal opportunity to re-use your VBS resources! If your church's VBS is before the mission trip, the teens can help with your VBS - great opportunity for them to prepare for their mission trip and more importantly, helps communicate to the teens serving is not just something they do once a year on a mission trip, but is something they can do in their own church all year!
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Let's Get More Out of Our Vacation Bible School Resources . . . Summer Fun Days!

2012-01-24T08:48:00.000-05:00

As I've said before, Vacation Bible School resources are one of your best curriculum buys of the year! Publishers put a lot of thought and attention into determining which Bible lessons they will use, how to add creativity and imagination to the games, craft and setting and selecting music which best reinforces the Bible lessons and point. Each and every year we are presented with more than a dozen well developed resources for us to evaluate and select the one which will best "fit" our own unique ministries. This is a difficult choice and most churches narrow their choices down to their favorite two or three resources . . . I'd like to encourage you to get those two or three and use them all - because if you have them, you will use them!
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Free Resource for Parents and Grandparents . . .

2012-01-23T09:30:00.002-05:00

You may or may not realize I also write another blog . . . grandma's cookie jar. This blog's goal is to be a resource which, "just as grandma's cookie jar should always be full of good things, this blog will be full of good ideas, information, activities and reviews of things to help grandma . . . and grandpa, mom and dad too . . . pass on a heritage of faith to the children in their lives!"
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VBS 2012 Give-away - Adventures on Promise Island VBS Kit!

2012-01-23T09:23:00.001-05:00

I'm delighted to announce I have one Adventures on Promise Island basic kit from Standard Publishing for give-away! Adventures on Promise Island is my Top Pick for VBS 2012 and is a tremendous resource for you to use in your ministry. So, how can you get in the drawing for this give-away? If you "share" this post between today and January 27th, you'll receive an entry in this special give-away each time you "share" - which will be on January 28th! (please comment, or email to let me know each time you share this post so I can be sure to give you all your entries!) This is all there is to it! Thank you for reading my blog and for sharing it with the people you know!

VBS 2012 - Zapped, by Orange . . . Review Is Coming . . .

2012-01-23T09:15:00.001-05:00

So far this year I've reviewed 14 VBS resources . . . I have one review remaining - Zapped from Orange. As soon as it arrives, I'll be reviewing it and adding it to my 2012 VBS reviews and side-by-side comparison chart, so please stay tuned!

VBS 2012 - Let's Get More Out of Our Vacation Bible School Resources - Summer Sundays!

2012-01-23T09:07:00.000-05:00

In this day and age where many, if not most, of us have definite budget "issues" to deal with, it is absolutely essential we do all we can to get the most out of the resources we purchase for use in our ministries. When I worked for Kregel Bookstores each year there were churches that made the difficult choice to end their VBS due to budget issues. I acknowledge it costs money to have a VBS ministry, but want to encourage you to consider additional ways to "stretch" those VBS resources and use them in additional ways rather than eliminate your VBS ministry. When we are able to get "more" out of our VBS, we are not only being good stewards, but we are able to grow and expand our ministry as opposed to limiting and reducing it.
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Put Feet to Their Faith - Help Your Children Stand for Life!

2012-01-22T08:19:00.001-05:00

Today is the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade - the supreme court decision which legalized abortion in the United States of America. With all the talk about the "rights of the mother" and "freedom of choice" talk about "responsibilities" and the right to "life" can be pushed to the side. Please take a moment to watch this video about a little girl who weighed only one pound when she was born - she was the size of a dollar bill! The doctors thought this little girl had a fatal chromosomal abnormality which caused this little girl to stop growing; her mother, at 25 weeks, spent 24 days in the hospital on bed rest. When Kaylan was born, tests confirmed she did NOT have the chromosomal abnormality! She spent 120 days in the NICU, but then she went home!
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I Have Four Winners in My VBS 2012 Give-Aways!

2012-01-21T08:32:00.000-05:00

I'm delighted to announce Tracy Gulledge Stevens is the winner of a Go Fish Praise VBS kit, Kathy Walters Langford won Cokesbury's Operation Overboard VBS kit, Trona A. Mays won Answers in Genesis' IncrediWorld Amazement Park VBS kit and Nita Carter won NextGen4Christ's Rock the World VBS kit! (Please message me your addresses so I can have these sent to you!) Thank you Tracy, Kathy, Trona and Nita for reading About the Children's Department and thank you Go Fish, Cokesbury, Answers in Genesis and NextGen4Christ for your generosity in making these kits available for review and for give-away!

VBS 2012 . . . Four VBS Kit Give-Aways and One More Review . . .

2012-01-20T08:44:00.001-05:00

Well . . . I've reviewed 14 VBS resources so far this year and have one more to go . . . Zapped from Orange. As soon as it arrives I'll post the review and add it to the side-by-side comparison chart. Tomorrow I'll post my third Dollars and Cents of VBS and Monday I'll post the additional VBS resources to my side-by-side comparison chart. In addition, tomorrow I'll be drawing four names for the four VBS kits I'm giving away - Praise from Go Fish, IncrediWorld Amazement Park from Answers in Genesis, Rock the World from NextGen4Christ and Operation Overboard from Cokesbury, so please be sure to check back tomorrow to see who wins these VBS resources!

Go Fish and Denver and the Mile High Orchestra - All of My Heart!

2012-01-19T09:51:00.000-05:00

It can be tremendously difficult to find music with a solid message and tune which will get kids really singing . . . that is unless you take a good look at the music from Go Fish and Denver and the Mile High Orchestra! Their music is flat out, amazing! The messages are solid and the tunes combine harmony and "pep" so kids not only sing the songs, but get up and dance as well! These are songs which most importantly, communicate a solid message about God's love, grace, forgiveness and the joy knowing Him brings to our lives! Check this song out from the Go Fish VBS, Praise - All Of My Heart . . .
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VBS 2012 - Sonlight Express - Jesus and Me - Bogard Press

2012-01-19T07:28:00.000-05:00

If you are looking for a very traditional VBS with a strong focus on evangelism, be sure to check out Sonlight Express from Bogard Press.