Why Wouldn't You Use It?

I'm very happy today to announce the release of book three in

the new "Life on the 'Goldilocks Planet'" curriculum and book series - Civets, Tree Kangaroos, Batoids & More!  This book will equip you with the tools you need to help the grandparents and parents in your ministry so they are able to hand down confident faith. 

God's Best Plan

 I began writing about Children's Ministry twenty five years ago. It was the beginning of the time where churches saw the need for staff who actually focused upon developing a solid ministry to the children in their church - beyond the DCE (Director of Christian Ed) who often was an Elder/Deacon and pretty much just handed out quarterlies to teachers and planned a VBS each year. People were starting to see how it truly mattered for our churches to take their Children's Ministry seriously - they saw it mattered for them to have effective Children's Ministry and choices about curriculum and programming truly mattered. 

Publishers began developing more curriculum resources and training opportunities. People (such as myself) began writing websites (this was before the start of blogs) with information to help the new Children's Directors/Pastors as they worked to develop solid Children's Ministry. Things began to become so much better!

Curriculum to Help Grandparents & Parents Hand Down Confident Faith

 I am often asked by grandmas (and grandpas, too) how they are able to do more to hand down confident faith than pray and invite their grandchildren to go to church with them, and my answer is always to watch for unexpected opportunities for conversations which connect life with God, be sure we live what we say, and plan special opportunities to have those important conversations. It is typically the third of these three things with which they find the most challenging, so today I'm going to walk you though a new curriculum written to help you plan these special opportunities.

Equip Grandparents for Grandparent's Day

Today is Grandparent's Day. This post is a Grandparent's Day post, but it is not about how important grandparents are - although grandparents are extremely important. It is not about how grandparents are able to make a lasting difference in the lives of their grandchildren - although grandparents are absolutely able to make a lasting difference in the lives of their grandchildren. It is not a call to grandparents to be people who pray for their grandchildren and children - although grandparents do need to be people who pray for their grandchildren and children. This is a post to encourage grandparents by letting you know about a curriculum resource written for them to use to hand down confident faith.

Eyelash Vipers, Pygmy Elephants, Pangolins & More! - the Tool You Need to Hand Down a Confident Faith

Yesterday we received our print copies of book two in the "Life on the 'Goldilocks Planet'" series - Eyelash Vipers, Pygmy Elephants, Pangolins & More!  Obviously three of the twelve animals in this book are Eyelash Vipers, Pygmy Elephants, and Pangolins, but today I'm happy to let you know what the other nine animals are . . . the Cassowary, Sunflower Sea Star, Large Blue Butterfly, Mantled Guereza Colobus Monkey, Golden Poison Dart Frog, Sun Bear, Hawksbill Sea Turtle, Tufted Puffin, and Archerfish.

Equip & Engage Families for Just $1 Per Family

As the new school year begins is your church restarting your ministry to children and families? With covid still claiming lives across our country and so many schools trying to open, only to close due to outbreaks, most churches are not yet trying to offer on-campus Children's Ministry. But this does not mean you are not able to do something with the families in your church. Take a look at what you are able to do for just $1 per family . . . 

Parents, Grandparents, & Our Primary Job Description

It has almost been six months since the start of covid quarantine and social distancing. While there are churches which have re-started church services, most churches have not re-started their ministry for children and youth. Six months without the opportunity for the children in our church to connect with other adults who teach them what we are and with friends who love Jesus. Six months without learning more from the Bible and being encouraged to have a confident faith. 

Do the Most Important Thing - Hand Down Confident Faith

Do you know what a Cassowary is? Have you ever heard of a Sun Bear, Sunflower Sea Star, or an Archerfish? What do you know about Pangolins? These five animals, and seven more, are included in my new book - Eyelash Vipers, Pygmy Elephants, Pangolins & More! and not only will you be able to use this book to share full-color photos of the animals and fun facts about them with your grandchildren, but you will also learn how each of these animals were designed "just right" to have the things they needed to be able to survive. When you share these things with the children you love, you will be able to show them "why" they are able to believe in God - the Designer - with confidence.

If we are serious about handing down the faith, we need to share with the children we love not only what to believe (although this is important), but also why they are able to believe with confidence. The day will come when they will be faced with people who do not believe. If we have not equipped them with the "whys" for their faith, the ones we love may join the increasing numbers of young adults who walk away from their faith. It is vital for us to teach our grandchildren and children the "whys" - and this book will help you do so.

Look what people are saying about this book . . .

Hand Down a Confident Faith with "Eyelash Vipers, Pygmy Elephants, Pangolins & More!"

Today I am very happy to let you know about a new book - Eyelash Vipers, Pygmy Elephants, Pangolins & More! This book is the second book in the new "Life on the 'Goldilocks Planet'" series and will equip you to hand down a confident faith to the children you love. It is available on Amazon at this link and in our bookstore at this link. If you order it through our bookstore, you will save a couple dollars and will receive an autographed copy.

This book will equip you to engage your grandchildren, have a great time learning about the amazing world around us, and see how God's design is everywhere we look - and shows us why we are able to believe He is real! I am so humbled and thankful for this endorsement from Tim & Darcy Kimmel for my new book series - they said . . .

Top Three Reasons to Leave Children's Ministry

If you are serving in a Children's Ministry where you love what you do, love the people with whom you work, and can not see yourself ever leaving, this post may leave you thinking; "There could never be a reason I'd leave Children's Ministry!"

If you are serving in a Children's Ministry where you are not supported and it is a struggle to go to work, but you think it would be wrong to quit; you may look at this post and wonder if there could really be even one reason to leave Children's Ministry.

Well, I've been in both places and after 45 years in Children's Ministry, I am here today to tell you there are reasons to leave Children's Ministry and am sharing with you what I see as the top three reasons to do so.