Be So Very Careful . . . Don't Be A "Sponge"!

When we serve in Children's Ministry - or any area of the church - it can become very easy for us to accept the kindness of others . . . 

Our Special Summer Sale is the Perfect Time to get Grasshopper Mice, Laughing Kookaburras, Jawfish & More!

Today I am happy to share some information about the last book in the Life on the Goldilocks Planet book series - Grasshopper Mice, Laughing Kookaburras, Jawfish & More! In this book you will find  Grasshopper Mice, Glasswing Butterflies, Bee Hummingbirds, Servals, Laughing Kookaburras, Spectacled Bears, Cuban Painted Snails, Hooded Seals, Marbled Polecats, Keas, Jawfish, and Green Basilisk Lizards - which have you never heard of before? I was afraid I would not find interesting, surprising animals for the final book, but these are all very interesting and surprising - especially the Grasshopper Mice - yes, the Grasshopper Mice! They are fierce predators - even venomous spiders, scorpions, centipedes, and snakes are afraid of these tiny mice!

Treasure Your Volunteers . . . What If I Have to "Remove" a Volunteer?

We all want to be people who treasure our volunteers, but what do we do if we need to "remove" a volunteer from the Children's Ministry? This is a very, very difficult situation to find yourself in. Removing a volunteer may result in the volunteer feeling hurt, rejected and unwanted . . . they will likely leave your church and be "scarred" from the experience. Removing a volunteer should be avoided if at all possible, but if you must, what should you do to cause as little damage as possible? Consider the following -

Our Special Summer Sale Makes it Easy & Fun to Learn about Surprising Animals

Have you ever heard of a Coelacanth? They were thought to be extinct - the oldest fossils of them date back 410 million years! But, imagine their surprise when a live Coelacanth was discovered off the coast of South Africa in 1938! From time to time they are found, but not often as they live in deep waters.  Aside from still being alive, two more surprising things about Coelacanths are they typically live 100 years and mom Coelacanths are pregnant for five years!

Treasure Your Volunteers . . . Do They Really Feel Treasured?

We may think we "treasure our volunteers", but our volunteers may not actually "feel" very treasured. Consider the following situations where a volunteer might not feel "treasured" -

Let Our Special Summer Sale Help You Teach the "Whys" with Jaguars, Lilac-Breasted Rollers, Nautiluses & More!

We parents and grandparents tend to do a decent job when it comes to teaching the "whats" - what the Bible says and therefore "what" we believe. But, we do not teach the "whys" - why we are able to believe God is real, the Bible is true, God and science DO go together, and God is good. When we do not teach the "whys" we open the door for someone to question what we believe and for the ones we love to turn away from their faith when they do not know the answers. We must teach the "whys" so they know the answers and are able to have a confident faith.

Treasure Your Volunteers . . . "Notice"!

Do you treasure your volunteers? Volunteers are a gift from the hand of God . . . it is completely appropriate for us to appreciate these "gifts". Today I want to focus on some things we might do to "notice" our volunteers so they know - beyond a shadow of a doubt - they are most sincerely appreciated! Consider the following ideas -

Our Special Summer Sale Helps You Do What Really Matters with Polar Bears, Purple Gallinules, Numbats & More!

This morning as I worked on a blog post for my blog, About the Children's Department, I thought about why Children's Ministry matters to me. I wrote, "Today I'm inspired and motivated by remembering Juan, my children, and my grandsons and by knowing the children in my church and community and in yours, are loved by Jesus even more than I could ever love them! Children's Ministry matters. We need to have vision, passion and a plan so our ministries reach children TODAY!" We certainly are able to also be inspired and motivated by this to hand down confident faith to the children we love - yes, it absolutely matters today what we do with them to hand down confident faith - the Life on the Goldilocks Planet books will help you do exactly this!

What Inspired You to Become Involved in Children's Ministry? What Inspires You to Continue in Children's Ministry?

On CM Connect I saw a question posted by a man named David - he said he was being given the opportunity in an upcoming service to speak on behalf of the Children's Ministry. He asked fellow kidmins to "inspire" him. This got me to thinking about what inspired me to be involved in Children's Ministry in the first place and what inspires me to continue to do so.

Special Summer Sale - Interesting & Surprising Animals, Fun Activities in Cheetahs, Mimic Octopuses, Hoatzins & More!

Our Special Summer Sale allows you to save quite a bit on the purchase of the Life on the Goldilocks Planet books - they were $15.99 for each single book and are now just $11.99! The four-book combo books were $48.99 and are not just $43.99 - another fantastic savings for sure! So, what will you get at these special reduced prices?

So . . . A Few Thoughts About Why We Should Dream a Little!

I've been writing about dreaming a little . . . encouraged you to think about what you'd do if you weren't limited by money, time, space and staffing, gave you some affordable . . . and in some cases free . . . ideas of ways to see some of your "dreams" come true in your ministry and encouraged you to involve others in your church and larger community in seeing those dreams come true. I'd like to give you a couple additional things to think about when it comes to dreams . . .

The Summer Sale & the Best Reason of All to Get Giant Anteaters, Peacock Mantis Shrimp, Rufous Potoos & More!

You might be wondering why I am posting each day about the Life on the Goldilocks Planet books - well, there are a few reasons why . . . first of all, this is a fantastic time to get a book, or two, with our Special Summer Sale! Secondly, it is a fantastic time to get a book, or two, with Summer beginning - these books will provide you a fun and engaging way to help the children you love learn throughout the summer. Thirdly, these books are a fantastic tool to help you hand down confident faith as you teach the "whys" - why we are able to believe God is real and God and science DO go together! And, finally, I thought you might enjoy these posts (and the questions/photos which go with them) as they show you some of the interesting animals and information you will find in the books.

Our Special Summer Sale Makes it Even Better to Learn the "Whys" with Scorpionfish, Clouded Leopards, Pygmy Hippos & More!

Yesterday I wrote about how vital it is for us to hand down confident faith to the children we love by teaching them the "whys" - why we are able to believe God is real and God and science DO go together. Today I want to write about what it may look like for us to do this!

Dream a Little - Part Two - Get Others In On the Dreaming!

In my earlier post,    Dream a Little!, I encouraged you to dream about what you'd like to do in and with your ministry if money, time,space and volunteers were not an issue. I'd like to take this thought a little farther and encourage you to dream, but when you do, let others in on the "dreaming" with you!

Special Summer Sale is a Great Time to Get Megabats, Bengal Tigers, Quetzals & More!

As a grandma/mom I know there is nothing more important than handing down confident faith to the ones I love. I wish I knew when my children were young and when my grandchildren were younger, handing down confident faith must include teaching the "whys" - why we are able to believe God is real, the Bible is true, God and science DO go together, and God is good - just as we teach the "whats" - what the Bible says and therefore what we believe. It is essential for us to teach the "whys", but sadly, there are not many resources to help us do this. There are some, but not many.

Special Summer Sale - Get Red-Lipped Batfish, Giant Purple Squirrels, Kakapos & More! and Hand Down Confident Faith

I have truly enjoyed learning more about animals with which I am familiar - such as  Komodo Dragons, Blue Whales, and Whale Sharks. I have also enjoyed learning about animals I did not know existed - such as  Red-Lipped Batfish, Rufous Hummingbirds, Gharials, Asiatic Lions, Giant Purple Squirrels, Dumbo Octopuses, Sumatran Rhinoceros, Baikal Seals, Guanacos, and Kakapos! Yes, all of these are real animals and you will find all of them are in Red-Lipped Batfish, Giant Purple Squirrels, Kakapos & More!

Use Our Special Summer Sale to get Civets, Tree Kangaroos, Batoids & More! and Hand Down Confident Faith

If you could do something which has the potential to equip the children you love with a confident faith, would you do it? Well, the Life on the Goldilocks Planet books are not only engaging, interesting, surprising, and fun books, but they are a tool which will help you connect with your children/ grandchildren as you learn together the "whys" - why you are able to believe God is real and God and science DO go together!

Dream a Little!

It can be easy to get so involved with all we have to do with Children's Ministry . . . recruiting, training, teaching, etc . . . we find ourselves focusing on those things and don't ever take a moment to dream. Certainly we want to be sure we are taking care of the things we need to do, but we also need to make time to think about what we might like to see happen in our ministries as well. If money, time, space and staffing were not an issue, what would you like to be able to do in and with your Children's Ministry?  

Special Summer Sale is a Great Time to Get Eyelash Vipers, Pygmy Elephants, Pangolins & More!

I have always found learning about animals to be interesting and fun - as do most people - especially children, so what could possibly be a better way to help the children we love learn the "whys" - why they are able to believe God is real and God and science DO go together? The Life on the Goldilocks Planet books are a fantastic tool to help parents and grandparents hand down confident faith because as they help the children they love learn about interesting animals - many of which they may never have heard of before - they will also be learning the "whys"! And with our Special Summer Sale, it is the perfect time to get a book, or two!

Absolutely More Fun Than a Barrel of Monkeys . . . Encouraging & Supporting Our Volunteers!

Today I am writing about encouraging and supporting your volunteers! Volunteer encouragement and support are two of my favorite parts of children's ministry! Your church and my church have each been gifted with volunteers who faithfully serve in the various areas of our ministries. While these people certainly do not serve for our thanks, it absolutely is appropriate to take the time to thank them! I have always enjoyed the ministry of appreciation - what could possibly be more fun than taking the time to thank and encourage those who serve as volunteers in our churches? 

Special Summer Sale to Help You Hand Down Confident Faith with Blue Dragons, Red Pandas, Hoopoes & More!

Please share the following with the parents and grandparents in your church - 

For the past couple weeks I've been encouraging you to make this Summer a time where you are intentional when it comes to handing down confident faith by teaching the "whys" - why we are able to believe God is real and God and science DO go together - and posting how the Life on the Goldilocks Planet books will help you do exactly this. I am so happy to offer a Special Summer Sale to help you get these books - the price has been reduced to $11.99 for each single book and $43.99 for each four book combo book - a savings of $4 and $5 per book!

Special Summer Sale - Makes Handing Down Confident Faith Even Better!

Yesterday I announced a Special Summer Sale for of the Life on the Goldilocks Planet books - making them an even better resource to help parents and grandparents hand down confident faith as they teach - and learn about - the "whys" - why you are able to believe God is real and God and science DO go together! As they and the children they love learn about animals - such as Platypuses, Hawksbill Sea Turtles, and Flying Squirrels - read quotes from scientists, participate in fun activities together they will be able to have important conversations with them which have the potential to influence the rest of their lives. What could be a better way to spend their summer?

Remember Your Ultimate Goal

  

Please share this with the parents/ grandparents in your church.

Today I'm writing about loving our grandchildren and how to help them learn to love God and others with their all. From the moment we first saw our grandchildren, we knew we would absolutely love them forever! If you are anything like me, you always tell them you love them each time you see them and you show it by the way you live. When our grandchildren hear - and most importantly see how much we love them, they will grow up believing it is true and able to trust in your love for them. These things matter.

Pray & Act

 

Yesterday the news was mostly focused upon the horrific tragedy in Uvalde, Texas. I heard Nelba Márquez-Greene speak - she had her lovely daughter taken from her by the shooter at Sandy Hook ten years ago. She said something powerful - she said words about faith and prayers matter as long as we follow what the Bible tells us - faith without works is dead.

It is NOT Supposed to Be Like This

I had plans for my posts for today, but after the shooting in Uvalde, Texas yesterday, I am only able to write the following . . . 

Make Your Children's Ministry "More"

What does Children's Ministry look like in a typical church here in the USA? Well, it likely involves classes for children on Sundays and Wednesdays where they teach the "whats" - what the Bible says and therefore what we believe - at least throughout the school year. Some churches still hold a yearly VBS for four or five days/evenings in the Summer. Some churches plan special events throughout the year - typically opportunities for children and families to get together and do something fun together. For many, even most churches, this is what their Children's Ministry looks like - but it can be more.

Yes, it matters for churches to have Children's Ministries which do these things, but there are more things which truly matter and are actually essential, yet far too many churches do not do them. What are these things? Consider the following . . . 

Encourage Families to Teach the "Whys" this Summer & Have Fun Doing So!

We know we (parents/ grandparents/ church) must teach the "whats" - what the Bible says and therefore what we believe, but just as important as it is to do this, it is equally as important to teach the "whys" - why we are able to believe God is real, the Bible is true, God and science DO go together, and God is good. If we do not teach the "whys" we run the very real risk the young people we love will turn away from their faith - as Barna's studies show this is actually happening.

Add a Strong Grandparenting Ministry - It Makes a Difference

While there is certainly no shortage of reasons why it makes sense for pastors to be strong supporters of Grandparenting Ministry in their churches, one reason to do so is when you have grandparents who are focused upon passing on a heritage of confident faith, you will have stronger and healthier families. God designed it this way - He wants generations to work together and to learn from one another - and one of the places this happens the most is in families.

Equip the Children in Your Ministry with a Confident Faith by Teaching the "Whys" with Anchored!

You will likely agree with me when I write - Children's Ministry is mostly about teaching the "whats" - what the Bible says and therefore what we believe. Pretty much every curriculum resource published focuses upon the "whats", which of course greatly influences what we teach. But when you think about it, pretty much everything at church is about the "whats" - pastors preach/teach the "whats" and every age at church tends to focus upon the "whats" in their classes.

A Few More Thoughts About Recruiting . . .

I have been writing about recruiting - if you are leading a Children's Ministry at your church you certainly need help, and therefore must spend time recruiting. But, the amount of time you spend recruiting depends on a few things . . .

Don't Miss Out on the Blessings!

As I said in my previous post; "EVERYONE who believes is part of the body and has something to offer." I wrote about the people you might "pass over" in your mind as you think about who to recruit for your Children's Ministry, so now I want to consider a few of the blessings from involving people who have extra challenges . . . 

EVERYONE Who Believes is Part of the Body & has Something to Offer!

When it comes to volunteers in your ministry, most of them are probably people who you would describe with the word, "normal". By this I mean, they likely are people who have no serious illnesses or physical challenges. But, who might you be missing? Who might be able to serve even if they have an illness or physical challenge? When you think about recruiting, are there people who you "pass over" in your mind because they have an illness or physical challenge? If so, think about the following . . . 

Keep The Volunteers You Have By Encouraging and Thanking Them!

I've been writing about recruiting volunteers and today I want to talk a bit about keeping the volunteers you have by encouraging them . . . I'll be writing much more about Volunteer encouragement, but today I just want to take a quick look at the topic.

Take the Time - and Make the Time - to Know Your Volunteers!

Today I want to write about one way to keep the volunteers you have . . . take the time - and make the time - to know your volunteers.

Remember: Actions Speak Louder Than Words

When it comes to recruiting and dealing with your volunteers please remember, actions speak louder than words. If we say one thing, but do something else people will notice. Regardless of who we are, we all are accountable for our actions; but when we are in ministry we bear a stronger accountability.

Hand Down the Faith with Mystery Bags - God Made You Unique & Oh, So Valuable

 

Please share the following post with the parents and grandparents in your ministry.

The month of May is National Mental Health Month, so with May just around the corner I want to write today about something very, very important. Suicide. I was shocked to learn suicide is the second leading cause of death in the United States for children, youth and young adults ages ten - 34. Yes, this statistic included children as young as ten. I have a grandson who is ten.

When You Recruit Remember Why You Serve!

Why do you serve in Children's Ministry? What do you enjoy the most about serving? What is the most amazing thing which has happened while you served in Children's Ministry?  What have you learned about God while serving? How have you come to know and walk with God more by serving? How has God worked in your life while you served in the Children's Ministry? When you recruit, don't forget to remember these things . . . and share them with others in your church!

An Excellent Resource for Parents & Grandparents

 One of the most important things we need to do on a regular basis as leaders in Children's Ministry is to provide resources for parents and grandparents which will equip them to hand down confident faith. Today I am very happy to share one such resource with you - please share it with the parents and grandparents in your ministry.

The Best, Easiest, and Most Fun Way to Recruit!!!!

I've been writing about recruiting and while I think everything about recruiting is fun, there is one way to recruit which is the best, the easiest, and the most fun ever . . . and the most effective. What could this be, you ask? Retention. Keeping the volunteers you already have! If you are successful at keeping your volunteers then your recruiting demands will reduce significantly. Let's take a closer look at this - keeping the volunteers you already have starting today with the benefits of retention!

A Different Perspective

Over the years I wrote the posts for this blog from the perspective of a leader in Children's Ministry, but today I want to share a grandparent's perspective. I write two additional blogs for grandparents (and parents, too - grandmascookiejar.net and grandmaswithheart.blogspot.com) and have heard from a great many grandparents. If you are a leader in the Children's Ministry at your church, please consider the following . . . 

What Are You Afraid Of?

When it comes to recruiting volunteers, what are you afraid of?  Yes, I said, "afraid". So often people in Children's Ministry seem to almost "hate" recruiting or at least strongly dread and dislike it. Which leads me to my question; what are you afraid of? Are you afraid people will say, "no" when you ask them to serve? Are you afraid you will feel "awkward" if people say "no"? Are you afraid you won't have the volunteers you need and then worry about how to "cover" the "bases"? What are you afraid of?

Don't Forget to Keep the Volunteers You Have!

The past few days I have been talking about recruiting volunteers, but when you think about your volunteer needs, don't forget to focus on keeping the volunteers you already have! You don't want your Children's Ministry to be a "revolving door" where people volunteer and as soon as their commitment is over, they are "gone". If we are not keeping the volunteers we have, then we need to take a look at what we are doing to discover why this is happening and make some serious changes. 

Anchored is Almost Ready!

In past posts I have written about how it is essential for churches to teach both the "whats" - what the Bible says and therefore what we believe - along with teaching the "whys" - why we are able to believe God is real, the Bible is true, God and science do go together, and God is good. Pretty much all curriculum resources teach the "whats". There is a solid reason for this - churches legitimately want to teach children what we believe. This is more than an appropriate thing for them to do - it is essential.

Let's Plan a Volunteer Recruitment Month! - Recruit With Enthusiasm!

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!

Recruiting = Going on a Treasure Hunt!

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 the hand of God! 

Another Free Scripture Blessing Print for You

I am very happy to share with you today another Scripture Prayer/Blessing from my other blog (Grandmas with Heart) which you are able to share with the parents and grandparents in your ministry so they are able to download, print and share with the children they love. At all times, but especially during these times in which we live, it is the perfect time for us to help them draw closer to God. It is important for us to equip them so they are able to teach the ones they love to talk with God as it is a great way to help them learn to turn to, trust, and walk with God. I especially love this prayer/blessing from Psalm 86 -

Challenges in Children's Ministry

Children's Ministry - many times it is a lot of fun . . . you are working with some of the most fun people on Earth - children - so of course it is fun. But, there are times when it may not be as "fun" and how you respond in these moments sincerely matter. What might some of these "not fun" moments look like? Consider the following . . . 

Do You Make it Harder?

As someone who serves in and/or leads a Children's Ministry in your church, it is obvious the primary people you need to communicate with, back up, and help equip to hand down confident faith to the children in your ministry are the parents. In most cases, in most churches, the parents are the ones who bring their children to church. The parents are the ones who are handing down confident faith to their children. The parents are the ones upon whom you need to put your focus when it comes to communicating, equipping, and encouraging. But, they are not the only ones.

Try Praying Deeper Through the Psalms for Children for Four Weeks for Free

On one of my other blogs this morning, I shared a link where grandparents and parents will be able to download for free four weeks of prayers for the children they love ages four to fourteen. Please share it with the grandparents and parents in your ministry.

VBS 2022 - Group Publishing - Jerusalem Marketplace

Today is the last VBS review for 2022 and I'm happy to look at "Jerusalem Marketplace" from Group Publishing - which lets you take your children to Jerusalem where they will experience what it may have been like in the market the week Jesus died on the cross.