Deeper in 4 Children - I'm Giving Some Away Tomorrow!

Tomorrow I'm giving away up to two years of Deeper in 4 Children curriculum. You will find all the specifics about the curriculum and how to enter the giveaway at this link, but today I want you to just consider the following reasons why it is worth it to enter the drawing and take a good look at Deeper in 4 Children.

Thank You!

I want to take a moment to thank each of you who make time to read About the Children's Department. I most sincerely appreciate you all. Thank you also for commenting - I really like to read what you have to say and do read each comment. I moderate comments and post all as long as they meet the following criteria -

I Have a Winner & Another Giveaway in Two Days!

I'm happy to say, Lauren is the winner of one CD of Hillsong UNITED Empires! (You'll find my review and all the details for entering this giveaway at the following link.) Thank you Lauren for reading About the Children's Department (please message me your address by June 6, 2015 so I can have it sent to you) and thank you Propeller Consulting for sending one for me to review and making another available for me to give away!

Hillsong UNITED Empires CD Giveaway Tomorrow!

Tomorrow - on May 30, 2015, I'm giving away one CD of Hillsong UNITED Empires! You'll find my review and all the details for entering this giveaway at the following link and the good news is, you still have time to enter the drawing! Who knows??? Maybe you will win!!!!

The Other "Basket" - Let's Move Those "Eggs"!

This week I've been writing about how we tend to put all our "eggs" in one "basket" when it comes to children's ministry - we focus on ministry to children which means Sunday School - sometimes children's church, mid-week ministry and typically some type of Summer ministry - a VBS-type opportunity. I'm not saying we should not do any of these things, but I do believe we need to "move some of our eggs" into a different "basket"; the "basket" of ministry which engages, equips and encourages parents and grandparents to pass on a heritage of faith to their children and grandchildren.

If we really want to reach children for Jesus and help them learn to know and walk with Him all their lives, we can not think one hour a week - or every other week for many children, will be enough to do this. Deuteronomy 6 shows us God intends it to be a day-in-day-out impact; this means it has to involve parents and grandparents. If we fail to engage, equip and encourage them, we are limiting our ability to impact the children in our ministries.

Having said this, it is true not all children in our ministries have parents and/or grandparents who are able, or willing, to pass on a heritage of faith. These parents/grandparents may not be believers themselves. This is where the children's ministry can really "step up" and engage grandparents in the church to befriend children in need of a "grandparent" who can pass on this heritage of faith.

So, what should you do to, "move some of your 'eggs' to another 'basket"? Consider the following:

SKY SPILLS OVER by Michael W. Smith

When my husband and I were first married (nearly 34 years ago), we began listening to a new Christian artist; Michael W. Smith. We really enjoyed the sound of his music and especially loved the powerful lyrics in his songs.

Now, all these years later, Michael W. Smith has released yet another album - Sovereign; I'm very happy to say I'll be reviewing it in a few days, but on my other blog - grandma's cookie jar, I've been given the opportunity to share with you the just released music video for one of the songs - Sky Spills Over.

Michael says; "I’m really passionate about the song SKY SPILLS OVER.  It was fun creating it in the studio and I’ve been overwhelmed at the response it gets when we perform it live every night.  My son Ryan is a really talented filmmaker so I always enjoy working with him on a project.  But what made this project even more special was three of my own grandkids were in the video.  This video was a lot of fun to make.  I hope people enjoy it!"

These are the lyrics - enjoy the video on the top right side of grandma's cookie jar! And stay tuned for my review of Sovereign and a giveaway, too!

The Other "Basket" - Encourage Them!

We have been talking about if we are truly serious about reaching children for Jesus, so they learn to know and walk with Him, we have to, "move some of our 'eggs' to a different 'basket'", the "basket" of ministry to parents and grandparents.As I said, I believe this "basket" has to do three things: engage, equip and encourage and we have looked at engaging and equipping parents and grandparents to pass on a heritage of faith to their children/grandchildren. Today we will look at encouraging them to do this.

The Other "Basket" - Equip Them!

This week I'm talking about the "basket" of ministry to parents and grandparents. Yesterday I asked, "So, what might this 'basket' of ministry to parents and grandparents look like? I believe it has to do three things: engage, equip and encourage." and we looked at, "engaging" them. I looked at some ideas of how to engage them and said, "The important thing is to get the attention of parents and grandparents, help remind them how quickly their children/grandchildren will grow up and engage them in passing on a heritage of faith. Among the many important things parents do each day, there is none more important than passing on a heritage of faith to their children. And grandparents are not 'finished'. They have not, 'done their part'. If they are grandparents, they still have a job to do, a part to play in passing on a heritage of faith."

Today I want to look at "equipping" parents and grandparents in passing on a heritage of faith to their children/grandchildren.

Win Up to Two Years of Curriculum!

In just five days I'm giving away up to two years of Deeper in 4 Children curriculum. This is really a great prize for a church - two years of curriculum for free! 

So, how and where might you use it? Consider the following . . . 

The Other "Basket" - Engage Them!

For the record, I love Children's Ministry. I absolutely believe it is important and valuable. I am certain the church needs to do all it can to have an engaging, effective children's ministry. But, I also believe for far too many years we have, "put all our 'eggs' into one 'basket'" by focusing on children's ministry as the church and have failed to engage, equip and encourage parents and grandparents to pass on a heritage of faith. 

While the one to five hours a week (or every other week for many children) they spend in church can be time well spent, time which helps them learn to know and walk with Jesus, it is just not enough. It is such a small fraction of the 168 to 336 hours children have in their week - or two. 

If we are truly serious about reaching children for Jesus and helping them learn to know and walk with Him, we have to, "move some of our 'eggs' to a different 'basket'", the "basket" of ministry to parents and grandparents.

So, what might this "basket" of ministry to parents and grandparents look like? I believe it has to do three things: engage, equip and encourage. Let's look at, "engaging" them today.

More than Just Children's Ministry.

For the past week I focused on "moving the eggs" to another "basket" by focusing on being intentional in engaging, equipping and encouraging grandparents to pass on a heritage of faith to their grandchildren. If you have not read Larry Fowler's book, The Question Nobody Asks About Our Children, before you do anything else, follow this link and download it for free.

As Larry says in his book, there are 168 hours in a week. If a child comes to church on Sunday, they are impacted by the children's ministry for one hour (possibly as much as three hours if they have longer services and/or children's church). One hour out of 168. However, many children only attend church every other week, which means, they are impacted by the children's ministry one hour out of 336 hours.

One hour out of 168 hours was bad enough, but if the average child is only being impacted one hour out of 336 hours, well, it should not surprise any of us to see so many children grow up and leave church. 

Passing on a Heritage of Faith is Essential & Can be Fun, too!

I've been writing all week about encouraging and equipping the grandparents in our ministry so they pass on a heritage of faith to their grandchildren. As I said yesterday; "We so easily become distracted by the things in this world. We lose focus of what is truly most important and think things like earning more money, taking bigger and better vacations, owning a bigger and new home, driving new cars, etc. are important, when in truth, none of these things matter. Not really. If the grandparents in our ministries end up with all these things, but fail to pass on a heritage of faith to their grandchildren will they say, 'Oh well. I had a great car, house and big bank account!'? No. Nothing, please allow me to repeat, NOTHING is more important than passing on a heritage of faith to their grandchildren.

If we are serious about encouraging and equipping the grandparents in our ministries so they pass on a heritage of faith, they have to stay focused on what is really important, so they do not become distracted by this world."

I absolutely believe passing on a heritage of faith is of utmost importance, so for this reason, I have been working on writing a curriculum I could use with my grandsons; Science, the Bible & Fun! Each week's resource includes a science project (my grandsons love science projects!), fun options for Minute-to-Win-it-type games, crafts, recipes, time at the park and service projects. But, while all of these things are fun, the core part, or at least the most important part, is where we will be spending a year praying through the Psalms. I want my grandsons to know and walk with Jesus and learning how to really talk with Him is essential for them to learn if they are going to know and walk with Him. In addition, each month we will learn about a different Bible person. We will spend an entire month learning about one Bible person - this will give us the opportunity to look, really look at this real person and how they chose to know and walk with God!

I'm Giving Away an American Girl Doll Tomorrow!

YES!!! Tomorrow is the day I'm giving away one American Girl Doll and Paperback Book - Grace, the 2015 Girl of the Year doll on my other blog - grandma's cookie jar! Which means, you still have time to enter the giveaway today! How do you enter, you ask? Well, visit grandma's cookie jar and . . . 

Equip Grandparents to Pass on a Heritage of Faith: Serve God & Do Not be Distracted by the World!

I've been writing all week about how grandparents are part of God's plan to pass on a heritage of faith to their grandchildren, and we need to move some of our "eggs" to another "basket" and focus on encouraging and equipping them to do so. Today as I finish looking at Deuteronomy 6, I want to think about what it means when it tells us to - 

Fear the Lord  your God, serve him only.

Yesterday I talked about how the people of Israel had trouble with remembering all the things God did for them; how He saved them, led them and provided for them. Over and over they forgot. I said; "We tend to do the same. We think the things we have are because of what we have done instead of remembering all we have are blessings from the hand of God. We forget God's goodness, but He says to be careful we do not forget. He wants us to remember and we need to remember. It is an important part of passing on a heritage of faith because if grandparents do not remember God and His many blessings, their grandchildren are unlikely to do it." 

We all so easily become distracted by the things in this world. We lose focus of what is truly most important and think things like earning more money, taking bigger and better vacations, owning a bigger and new home, driving new cars, etc. are important, when in truth, none of these things matter. Not really. If the grandparents in our ministries end up with all these things, but fail to pass on a heritage of faith to their grandchildren will they say, "Oh well. I had a great car, house and big bank account!"? No. Nothing, please allow me to repeat, NOTHING is more important than passing on a heritage of faith to their grandchildren.

If we are serious about focusing on encouraging and equipping the grandparents in our ministries so they are able to pass on a heritage of faith, we have to stay focused and help them stay focused on what is really important, so they do not become distracted by this world. We need to help them remember Who they serve. We can do this in the following ways . . . 

Hillsong UNITED Empires - Releases on May 26, 2015 & I'm Giving One Away!

From the Inside Out, Shout Unto God, Mighty to Save, How Great is our God, Here I Am to Worship, King of Majesty, Faithful and the list goes on and on!

If you are familiar with and have sung any of these songs, then you are familiar with the band by the name of Hillsong United. They began as a worship band from Hillsong Church, in 1998. This Aussie band is known for powerful lyrics which are being sung in churches around the world.

This Tuesday, May 26, 2015, their new release, UNITED Empires, is available on CD and as digital copies. UNITED Empires features twelve songs which are focused on being Biblically sound. As the songs are written, they are reviewed to be sure they stay true to God's Word.

Why Not Check Deeper in 4 Children & Enter the Giveaway???

Curriculum is often one of the biggest costs in the average children's ministry, so what if you were able to get and use a curriculum which helped children learn how to open their Bibles, read, understand and discover what God says in their Bibles? What if you are able to get and use a curriculum which helped children learn how to pray Scripture back to God? What if this curriculum was inexpensive - and even free?

Well, along with freeing up dollars which you could use in other ways in your ministry, you would be able to equip children to know, love and walk with God!

This is what you could do with Deeper in 4 Children! So, why not check it out? Why not enter the drawing to win up to two years of curriculum?

Why not?!!!

Check this link for information about Deeper in 4 Children and this link for how to win up to two years of curriculum and this link for how to win up to one year of curriculum. Plus, if your church can not afford to buy Deeper in 4 Children, but you would really like to use it in your ministry (Sundays and/or Wednesdays) email me (lynda@kidzconnection.us) and I'll give it to you for free!

Equip Grandparents to Pass on a Heritage of Faith: Pay Attention & Remember Their Blessings are from God

We have been looking at how grandparents are part of God's plan to pass on a heritage of faith to their grandchildren, and how the children's ministry can help them focus on doing so. Today I want to think about what it means when Deuteronomy 6 says - 

Be careful that you do not forget  the Lord.

Apparently the people of Israel had trouble with remembering all the things God did for them; how He saved them, led them and provided for them. Over and over they forgot. We tend to do the same. We think the things we have are because of what we have done instead of remembering all we have are blessings from the hand of God. We forget God's goodness, but He says to be careful we do not forget. He wants us to remember and we need to remember. When it comes to grandparents passing on a heritage of faith, is an important part of them doing so, because if they do not remember God and His many blessings, their grandchildren are unlikely to do it.  

Psalm 78 tells how this happened with God's people over and over. They received blessings from God, parents and grandparents thanked God. Then, they forgot to tell their children and grandchildren and they slipped away from God and into sin. Bad things happened, they turned back to God, thanked Him for His blessings, then forgot, didn't tell their children and grandchildren and it all happened all over again and again.

If we are serious about equipping and encouraging grandparents so they are better able to pass on a heritage of faith, we have to help them remember their blessings come from God, teach this to their children and grandchildren, so they can do the same. We can do this in the following ways . . . 

Important Questions About Curriculum & a Sale & Giveaways!

Do the children in your ministries know how to read their Bibles? Or, are their Bibles just something they carry to class with them on Sunday and then leave in their van all week? Do the children in your ministries really know how to pray? Or are their prayers rote, the same "prayers" and powerless? Do the children in your ministries understand how the Bible has some overarching themes which connect the events they learn about it class? Or do they see it as just a book with "stories" about people who are nothing like them? Do the children who do not attend your ministry every week, feel "left out" because the scope and sequence, "hops, skips and jumps" around the Bible - one week touching on Grace, another week on Obedience and then the focus moves to Prayer?

It truly matters what we do with the children in our ministries, so if we do not equip children to understand God's Word is for them, how to really talk with God, give them a solid grasp of what the Bible teaches on Grace, Prayer, Obedience, Walk of Faithfulness and more, they are very likely to miss it. If they, "miss it", they are more likely to join the numbers of people who are walking away from the church.

It matters what we do with children and they can do far more than we think they can! They can open, read and discover what God's Word says! They can pray Scripture! They can understand bit themes like "Grace", "Prayer", "Obedience" and more!

Equip Grandparents to Pass on a Heritage of Faith: Help Them Put God's Word on Their Hearts

We have been looking at how grandparents are part of God's plan to pass on a heritage of faith to their grandchildren, and we need to focus on helping them do so. Today I want to think about what it means when Deuteronomy 6 says to - 

• Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.

Bible times people had little boxes with Scripture inside - they wore these on their foreheads and wrists and a sign on their doors. A very literal following of these verses; which certainly we could put Scripture in our homes on the walls, or even wear jewelry with Scripture on it, but I think this is about really having God's Words in our hearts and directing our lives. God's Word has to be more than things we wear or decorate with; it needs to be on our hearts and lived in our lives and we can help grandparents do it in the following ways . . . 

Equip Grandparents to Pass on a Heritage of Faith: Help Them Talk About God's Word with Their Grandchildren

As we continue to look at how we can help the grandparent's in our ministry know their job

is not "finished" just because their children are grown, today I want to look at what Deuteronomy 6 is talking about when it says they are to, "talk about God and His Word in their day-in-day-out lives". We need to remind grandparents they are part of God's plan to pass on a heritage of faith to their grandchildren, and we need to encourage, equip and engage them in focusing on doing so. 

Deuteronomy is not talking about just the occasional word to their grandchildren about going to church or praying, but a living of their lives in a way which reflects how important God's Word is because they live it every day. Deuteronomy 6 says to - 

• Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

This is not talking about a casual, once-in-awhile, once a week focus on God and His Word. No. This is about a day-in-day-out life. God and His Word applies to and impacts every aspect of their lives, so if they are serious about passing on a heritage of faith to their grandchildren, they need to live like this is true; because it is!

This is all about connecting God and His Word with their everyday lives and we can encourage and equip them to do this in the following ways . . . 

Believe Kids' Edition - A Great Tool For Passing On a Heritage of Faith - I'm Giving One Away!

As I have been saying, the price is far, far too high if we fail to pass on a heritage of faith to the children in our families and ministries. And, while I absolutely am in favor of strong and successful children's ministries, I do believe as a whole, churches have, "put all their eggs in one basket" and this has been unwise. 

I keep referring to Larry Fowler's book, The Question Nobody Asks about Our Children, for a reason. He has pushed away all the rhetoric, all the theory, all the tradition and looked at the simple, bare, basic facts: there are 168 hours in a week and children are at church for one of these hours. (If they attend more than Sunday School, of course the hours increase, but only to as much as four hours, typically.) And, many children only attend church every other week, which means they are there for one hour out of 336 hours. How can we honestly believe this is enough to influence children to know, love and walk with Jesus? Yes, it can have an influence, but in Deuteronomy 6 God says it is more than just a one hour out of 168 to 336 hours "job". It is a day-in-day-out influence which is needed to pass on a heritage of faith, which of course, means this is the primary responsibility - and joy - of parents and grandparents. The price is far, far too high if we do not encourage and equip parents and grandparents, so they are able to pass on this heritage of faith. We have to "move the eggs to a new basket". Yes, we still need effective, engaging and exciting children's ministry, but we must be equipping and encouraging parents and grandparents, too.

One way we can do this is by letting them know abut resources they can use at home with their children/grandchildren. Believe Kids' Edition: Think, Act, Be Like Jesus is one such resource. Please allow me to share it with you.

Equip Grandparents to Pass on a Heritage of Faith: Help Them Impress God's Word on Their Grandchildren

Yes, I absolutely believe churches need to have effective, engaging and exciting ministry to children. I absolutely believe there is great value in doing the same with ministry for families, but I also believe most churches have overlooked a very important, if not vital "avenue" for passing on a heritage of faith to children: grandparents.

I've been writing about how a grandparent's job is not "finished" just because their children are grown. If someone has grandchildren, they still have a very important "job" to do. They absolutely are part of what Deuteronomy 6 is talking about and as such, they are part of God's plan to pass on a heritage of faith to their grandchildren.

I looked at how the church can help grandparents with the first step in doing this; encouraging and equipping them to be people of the Word who have God's Words, "on their hearts". You'll find what I had to say about this at the following link.

Today I want to look at the next step . . .