Build on the Foundation: Challenge Children!

Yesterday I wrote about not underestimating children; today I want to build on this and talk about challenging children. I truly do believe children live up or down to our expectations. If we treat them like they are not capable of really digging into God's Word, understanding it and living it, they will believe those things are true as well. 

While preschool is a foundational time where children are learning the basics of God's Word, elementary is different. As children learn to read and have a foundation of solid Bible knowledge, it is time to build on this foundation and help children go deep and wide into God's Word so they are able to understand and live it!

Don't Underestimate Children

In addition to writing this blog about children's ministry, I also write a "grandma blog" -

grandma's cookie jar. Yesterday I wrote about my grandson Josiah who just turned six - he is a really fun six year old! One thing he likes to do is to read. Yes, I said he likes to read! Not only does he like to read, but he is actually shocking his aunt with how good of a reader he is! The other day we were celebrating because his daddy has earned his Master Mechanic Certification and my parents gave Dave a card. On the card was the word, "Congratulations!" Josiah picked the card up and read the word - on his own with no help.

Okay, yes, writing about this was a moment of pure, "grandma bragging", but aside from making me feel very proud and happy with him - it caused me to think about how often do we "underestimate" children and think they are too young to try something, learn something, or do something. How often do we "dumb" things down for them? Josiah has always had a large vocabulary - filled with words with lots of letters! He not only uses these big words (leaving his teachers shocked), but he understands what they mean so he uses them correctly. This is due in part because his parents - and we - speak to him as an intelligent person. We did not use, "baby talk" with him. Plus, they and we have always read lots of books to him. I guess it should not be a huge surprise for him to take to reading so quickly!

Focus - God is Great!

When it comes to children's ministry, there is often more than one thing to focus on . . . the vision for the ministry, selecting the resources to best help you accomplish your vision, sharing your vision with others, finding, training, supporting volunteers, communicating effectively with parents . . . the list could, and often does, go on and on. But, what is your real focus? What is one thing you really need to keep at the top of your list? I believe it is spiritual growth. We can not give to others what we do not have for ourselves.

So, as you go through this week, keep your focus on what you can do to grow in your walk with God and see how this impacts your overall ministry. Consider the following from Psalm 86 . . .

Be Intentional about Being Thankful - Have a Thankfulness Walk!

Last week I mentioned being intentional about being thankful to God. We are quick to pray and ask for help, ask for volunteers, ask for many things we need and want, but how quick are we to voice our thanks? How much time comparatively do we spend in asking God for things and thanking Him for His many blessings?

I have recently been giving thought to being thankful. I think far too often we sound like greedy, selfish children. We are quick to ask God for things, but do not spend much, if any, time thanking God. Just think for a moment of all God's many blessings which you have enjoyed this past week . . .

The Beauty of Believing - I'm Giving One Away!

I have been invited by ZonderKidz/Faithgirlz to review a new devotional for young girls - they sent me a copy for free to review. Since we do want to see children grow up to be adults who read their Bibles, books such as this can be excellent tools to help children learn to be people who spend time in God's Word. So, today, I'm happy to review The Beauty of Believing - and announce a give-away as well! 

I Have a Winner!

I'm happy to announce Debbie Ketcham is the winner of the Adventure Bible for Toddlers! (You'll find the review at this link.) Thank you Debbie for reading About the Children's Department, (please message me your address by October 2, 2014 so I can have it sent to you) and thank you Zonderkidz for sending a copy for me to review and for making another available for me to give away!

What's In the Bible? Church Edition Review with Free Sample & Discount

I was recently invited to participate in a "blog tour" for the completed, "What's in the Bible? Church Edition" curriculum and offered a free DVD for participating. Since over the past few years I've kept an eye on the resources from Jelly Telly & What's in the Bible, I was happy for the opportunity to share this resource with you.

So, first of all, what is the, "What's in the Bible?" curriculum? Well, it is a 60-week resource which walks your children grades One through Four through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. The focus is on building Bible skills; which is not something most curriculum focuses on. Solid Bible teaching is combined with the creativity we've come to expect from Phil Vischer for a resource which any church could use to help the children in their ministry have a much better understanding of not only what the Bible is all about, but how to find their way around the Bible as well.

The Top Fourteen Tips for Effective Children's Ministry - Tip #1 - Make Prayer the Priority!

For the past two weeks, I've been sharing some of the things I've learned in and about children's ministry and I'm ending up today where I began; with prayer!

As I said before, this is a, "no-brainer", but I can not stress strongly enough how absolutely essential it is for us to be people who are serious about prayer. If we really want our ministry to be effective we have to surround everything we do with prayer.

Why do we do this you may wonder? Consider the following -

The Top Fourteen Tips for Effective Children's Ministry - Tip #2 - Look for the Joy!

Well, we've almost made it through my Top Fourteen Tips for Effective Children's Ministry; today we have my, "Tip Number Two" . . . Look for the Joy! Children's Ministry should be the place where we see and experience joy everywhere we turn; what could be more joy-full than than telling children about Jesus and watching them praise Him?!!! 

While Children's Ministry is the most Joy-Full place in the church, it can often be "bogged" down in fatigue, politics, and worry, but it does not have to be! Consider the following . . . 

The Top Fourteen Tips for Effective Children's Ministry - Tip #3 - Don't Fall for Satan's Tired, Old Bag of Tricks

So, I've been sharing some of my Top Fourteen Tips for Effective Children's Ministry for the

past almost two weeks; today we have my, "Tip Number Three" . . . Don't Fall for Satan's Tired, Old Bag of Tricks. Of course none of us want to fall for his tricks and I'm certain we all want to think we will not do so, but he is crafty and if we are not careful, watchful and prayerful we will do exactly this because these "tricks" are often subtle and we do not even realize we have fallen for them.

What tired, old tricks am I talking about? Well, there are many, but, consider the following . . . 

The Top Fourteen Tips for Effective Children's Ministry - Tip #4 - Choose to be Positive!

As we near the end of my series of tips for effective children's ministry, this tip is absolutely essential because if you choose the opposite; your ministry will not be effective.

You only have two options when it comes to being positive; either be positive or be negative. It truly is essential for you to make the choice to be positive; consider the following . . . 

The Top Fourteen Tips for Effective Children's Ministry - Tip #5 - Pray - Give God Thanks!

If you have been following this series of posts, you may have looked at the title for this post and once again thought; "Wait a minute! You already had two tips about prayer!" If so, you are correct. I did, but because prayer is so essential, it is my tip once again!

I've talked about having a foundation of prayer by praying for volunteers and being people of prayer who pray for the children's ministry, but today I want to focus on a specific type of prayer; prayer of thanksgiving! Consider the following . . . 

The Top Fourteen Tips for Effective Children's Ministry - Tip #6 - Involve Others!

When it comes to children's ministry we have volunteers who are faithful, flexible, and who we can depend on to do whatever they have committed to. We also have volunteers who we have to follow up on because they do not always show up and do not always do what they say they will do. This can leave us thinking we should just do what needs to be done so it is done and so it is done the way we want it to be done. 

However, if you just do things yourself, you run the very big risk of becoming bitter and thinking too highly of yourself by thinking it all depends on you. Plus, you will be keeping others from serving; so, if you are serious about truly involving others, consider the following . . . 

The Top Fourteen Tips for Effective Children's Ministry - Tip #7 - Remember to Say, "Thank-You!"

While today's tip may seem like a "no-brainer", far too often we do not say, "Thank You!" to the people serving in our children's ministries and we end up being people who not only take others for granted, but we become people who use others, too. I never want volunteers to feel like they are taken for granted or are just people I can use until they are used up and then will replace with the next people to use up. 

While you may never say, or even really think, these things, if you are not intentional about being thankful, you run the very big risk of becoming, unthankful; so, if you are serious about truly being a thankful person, consider the following . . . 

The Top Fourteen Tips for Effective Children's Ministry - Tip #8 - Keep Focused!

Yesterday I talked about being intentional about what we are doing in and with our children's ministry and said; "Children's ministry is too important to approach it in a hap-hazard way. We must be intentional about what we are doing and why we are doing it." Then we looked at how to be intentional. 

Today's "tip" is similar to yesterday's; today I'm talking about keeping focused . . . and you need a written vision/goal for your ministry if you are going to be serious about staying focused.

It is easy, all too easy to lose focus; to be side-tracked and even derailed by things which do not matter, so, if you are serious about keeping focused, consider the following . . . 

The Top Fourteen Tips for Effective Children's Ministry - Tip #9 - Be Intentional!

How often in ministry do you, "shoot from the hip"? How often do you, "throw everything

at the wall and hope something sticks"? How often do you do things because you have "always" done so? Is your ministry a combination of tradition and jumping from one new thing to the next or is it grounded in prayer and planning?

It is too easy to go through the ministry year, "doing ministry" without ever really being intentional about what we are doing. When and if this is the case, we are limiting how effective we will be. Children's ministry is too important to approach it in a hap-hazard way. We must be intentional about what we are doing and why we are doing it. 

So, if you are serious about being intentional with your children's ministry, consider the following . . . 

The Top Fourteen Tips for Effective Children's Ministry - Tip #10 - Pray!

If you have been following my posts for the past several days, you may have looked at the title for this post and thought; "Wait a minute! You already had a tip about prayer!" If so, you are correct. I did, but prayer is so essential, it is my tip once again!

It is absolutely essential for us to be people who are serious about prayer. Prayer has to be a foundation of your ministry. So, if it is not really a foundation of your ministry, consider the following ways you could make prayer this much needed foundation . . . 

The Top Fourteen Tips for Effective Children's Ministry - Tip #11 - Pass it On; Share!

Today I want to continue to share some of the things I've learned in and about children's ministry, with my tip #11 - Pass it On; Share!

Don't be "selfish" when it comes to ministry! Pass it on; share what you have learned, what you are doing, what worked for you, and even what has not worked! 

So why should we do this? Consider the following -

The Top Fourteen Tips for Effective Children's Ministry - Tip #12 - God Is Big Enough!

Today I want to continue to share some of the things I've learned in and about children's

ministry, with my tip #12 - know God Is Big Enough!

It is another of Satan's tired, old bag of tricks which, sadly, we fall for far too often when we think - but likely do not say - our problems are just too big for anyone; God included. Clearly this is definitely one of his lies. It is easy for us to think the problems and challenges we face are just too big, but this just is not the truth. 

So what is the truth? Consider the following -

The Top Fourteen Tips for Effective Children's Ministry - Tip #13 - God Cares More Than Anyone!

Yesterday I began sharing some of the things I've learned in and about children's ministry,

with the focus on prayer. Today I want to talk about my tip #13 - know God Cares More Than Anyone!

Satan has the same, tired, old bag of tricks which, sadly, we fall for. Convincing us nobody cares about the children's ministry, and worse, God doesn't really care either, is definitely one of his lies. It is easy for us to think we are the only ones who care about the children's ministry, but this just is not the truth. 

So what is the truth? Consider the following -

The Top Fourteen Tips for Effective Children's Ministry - Tip #14 - Make Prayer the Foundation

I have been serving in children's ministry for 43 years. In these 43 years I've learned a lot and experienced a lot. While I do not consider myself an, "expert" ( "x", an "unknown quantity", "spurt", under a lot of "pressure") I do believe it is important for us to share what we have learned and experienced as we serve in children's ministry with those who are serving - perhaps new to the ministry.

So, today - and for the next two weeks, I'm sharing some of the things I've learned in and about children's ministry, beginning today with; pray!

I know, this seems like a, "no-brainer", but I can not stress strongly enough how absolutely essential it is for us to be people who are serious about prayer. We all have six months - maybe some of us a year - of "stuff" which we can do in children's ministry, but after this time, we will find ourselves wondering what we can possibly do next. Rather than trying to do it on our own, make prayer a foundation of your ministry.

How do we do this you may wonder? Consider the following -

Kick-Off the New School Year with Training!

This past week has been busy - last Wednesday night and Saturday morning I taught a

training for everyone at my church who serves with children and special needs. The volunteers were able to choose if they wanted to attend the training on Wednesday or Saturday, but they needed to choose one. The training was on engaging children and I had volunteers playing games, doing object lessons, talking with the others at their tables, generally engaging them throughout the forty-five minute training. We had 300+ people attend between Wednesday and Saturday and the feed-back has been very positive!

Thank Your Volunteers at Christmas - Special Ornament

Yes, I know, there are still three months and about a half before Christmas, but it will get here before we know it, so if you are thinking about doing something special to thank your Volunteers, check this great idea I found on Pinterest for an ornament you could make for each of the people who serve in your children's ministry. It is a great ornament because it shows the reason why Jesus came to be born as a baby in the manger!

The New School Year Begins!

Today is an exciting day for my church; it is the first Sunday we are using the new

curriculum I've been writing for them! The first lesson is about Enoch and how he talked with God!

There are so many new things about this curriculum; for some teachers it will be a stretch as they try engaging children in more active ways, as children participate in teaching the Bible lesson during large group and as they are more intentionally engaged in activities after large group to develop Bible competencies. It is an exciting day for sure!

The Adventure Bible for Toddlers - I'm Giving One Away!

If you are looking for a first Bible for toddlers, then definitely take a look at the Adventure Bible for Toddlers as it has everything a first Bible should have!

I Have a Winner!

I'm happy to say Karen is the winner of The Hope Quotient: Measure It. Raise It. You'll Never Be the Same! (You'll find the review at this link) Thank you Karen for reading About the Children's Department (please message me your address by September 12, 2014 so I can have it sent to you) and thank you Thomas Nelson for sending one for me to review and for making another available for me to give away!

A Prayer For Your Ministry - Pray For the Most Important Thing!

There are certainly many things for us to pray about when it comes to praying for the children, families, and volunteers in our ministries, 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.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Tip to Help Teachers Prepare and Teach More Effectively - Give Them Postie Notes!

It can be a challenge to get our teachers to prepare for their classes. It isn't that they are

lazy or "bad" teachers; they, like us, have busy lives. They may forget to sit down and plan out their lesson until Saturday night - or horrors - on their way to church Sunday morning!

However, there is a simple and inexpensive way you can help them prepare for their lesson a week ahead of time . . . and be ready to tell how God made the lesson real in their own lives! How, you ask, can we do this amazing feat??? Check this idea . . . 

A Prayer for Children Heading Back to School

Where I live in West Michigan, today is the first day of the new school year. So, today I'm sharing with you a prayer for children who are heading back to school . . . or for any who are in school this year. I especially love what Jesus prayed for His disciples in John 17; it is my prayer for my grandsons. Look what He prayed . . . 

Training and New Curriculum!

This is a busy week for me . . . I'm teaching two teacher training events at my church and

we are launching the first quarter of the new Sunday School curriculum I'm writing for my church . . . yes, a busy week! Of course it has been a busy three months with planning for the training events and writing curriculum, but this week is when all of the work shows its results.