Jesus was NOT Boring - Why are We?

 

Why is it so many of our Children's Ministries are committed to boring the socks off the children in their ministries? Well, they may not be "committed" to boring children, but they are not committed to engaging them. When we insist on teaching children by having them sit and listen as we "yak" at them, then we are boring them and we end up leaving them with these utterly false beliefs  - Jesus and the Bible are boring. This leads to children choosing to leave church as soon as they are possibly able to do so. Oh yes. We pay an extremely high price when we insist on teaching by talking and not by engaging.

Build Memories to Hand Down a Confident Conviction

I posted this on my blog for grandmas (and grandpas and parents, too) and want to share it with those of you who are involved in Children's Ministry. Please take the message to heart and commit to share it with the grandparents and parents in your ministry. Better yet, commit to equip them by getting a digital license to use the Life on the Goldilocks Planet series with the families in your church ($1 per family - check the details at this link.)

When we share memories with our grandchildren, we are helping them connect with the past. This is why it matters for us to tell them the ways God has worked in the lives of their family who came before them - as you do this, they will see God is real and is still working in the lives of real people in their own family. This matters.

Thank You . . . with a Little Fun and Creativity!

 I love pretty much everything about Children's Ministry, but one of my favorite things is thanking and appreciating the volunteers - after all, what is more fun than expressing a heart-felt thank you?!!!

Safety Alert - Phones Are Everywhere

One thing we have to keep in mind in our Children's Ministry; even at the top of our list of things we must do, is the safety of the children in our ministry. This means we are resolute about running safety checks, background checks and following up with references for each and every person working/serving in the Children's Ministry as well as for each and every person who volunteers to serve.

Hand Down Confident Faith with Blue Dragons, Eyelash Vipers, Civets, Red-Lipped Batfish & More!

 

Well, it was a busy Summer and Fall around this grandma's house! My grandsons helped with the development of four books designed to engage children, teens, young adults, adults, and help grandparents/ parents hand down a confident faith. They tested a water-balloon launcher, made "bugs" and then spent time shooting them off plants outside with water-guns, tested recipes, enjoyed science projects, made tie-dye shirts, created hover-crafts, participated in an egg drop activity and many more activities chosen to engage children/teens/adults and help make the message of our books "stick"! Most importantly, we have been able to have important conversations about why we are able to believe in God and trust Him with confidence.

Equip Parents/Grandparents to Hand Down Confident Faith

When it comes to teaching children in your church, you likely use curriculum to help you teach effectively - whether you write it yourself or buy it from a publisher. Children's Ministry leaders often tell parents/grandparents to hand down confident faith at home, but many of these parents/ grandparents do not know how to do this. When they do not know what to do to hand down confident faith at home, most, if not all, of them will do nothing - other than bring them to church.

Book Four is Available - Red-Lipped Batfish, Giant Purple Squirrels, Kakapo & More!

 I am very happy today to let you know about a new book in the Life on the "Goldilocks Planet" series . . . book four - Red-Lipped Batfish, Giant Purple Squirrels, Kakapo & More! In this book/curriculum tool for grandparents/parents, you will find twelve unique animals with full-color photos, fun facts, activities, quotes from scientists, and questions to get you talking - all designed to enable parents/grandparents so they are able to hand down a confident faith.

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.