Are We Actually Unthankful Children?

Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away, so many of us are thinking about all the people and things for which we are thankful. This is a good thing to do, but is it something we typically only do during the month of November? Oh, we likely say, "Thank You", to God in our prayers on a regular basis, but is this anything more than just words we say without really thinking about them as we move on to asking God for more things?

Thankful or Wantful?

Halloween is tomorrow and then we will begin to think about celebrating Thanksgiving. This will be followed once again by people rushing to stores for "Black Friday Deals" and spending the following Monday looking for "Cyber Monday Deals" as well. People will very quickly turn their focus to the things they "want" . . . and this includes the children in our ministries as they think about the things they want to receive for Christmas. 

What Do You Do with the Potential "Controversies" at Christmas?

We are getting closer to a time where we will be celebrating, holding special events, programs, and parties leading up to Christmas! Definitely a busy time of year, but also a time of year which has great potential to stir up "trouble" as you try to discern the best way for your Children's Ministry to handle things such as; gift exchanges, special service projects, dealing with "Santa", and just how many special events should you plan when families already tend to be so busy. Do any of the following sound familiar to you . . . 

Notice the Children Who Are Only There IF They Want to Be There

I recently wrote about how to know if you are actually really effective in your ministry to children - by keeping track of the children who are part of your ministry - only IF they choose to be there. Today I want to share why it matters so much for us to have a ministry which pays attention to the children who are only part of your ministry IF they choose to be there.

Do You Know How History, Community & Culture Impact Your Children's Ministry?

Too often we tend to think Children's Ministry is just comprised of churches and children,  which, technically, it is; but our churches . . . and our children . . . are not identical.  Our communities are different. Our people are different. Our histories are different. Our cultures are different. What works in one church, may or may not work in another.  And, while there are components which are essential for every Children’s Ministry to be effective, there is no “secret recipe” where if you are certain to include each ingredient, you will be guaranteed an effective Children’s Ministry.  

How Do You Know if You are Actually Truly Effective?

How do you know if your ministry is being truly effective? How do you know if you are actually accomplishing what you set out to do - create a place where children are able to genuinely learn how to know God, walk with Him, and a place where they really want to spend their time?

Equip the Parents & Grandparents So They Tell This Important Message

There are many important messages the parents and grandparents in your church need you equip  them with so they are able to hand down confident faith to the children they love, but one of them definitely is the truth of how God is good, His love lasts forever, and He is always faithful; He was faithful yesterday, He is faithful today, and He will absolutely be faithful tomorrow.

What is Your "Job"?

What is the "job" of the person who serves in the Children's Ministry? Is it to teach children about Jesus? Is it to teach children about the Bible? Is it to lead children to Jesus? What is our "job"?

We Need to Teach the "Whys" - Do So With Anchored

I'm sure you teach the "whats" in your Children's Ministry - what the Bible says and therefore what we believe, but do you also teach the "whys" to the children in your church - why we are able to believe God is real, the Bible is true, God and science DO go together, and God is good? Have you ever stopped to think about teaching the "whys"? I want to share with you a few quotes about the very real need for apologetics for children.

the little answer book - Now on Sale!

Please share this with the parents and grandparents in your ministry - you definitely have some who have grown children/ grandchildren/children who are turning from their faith and it will help those who have not experienced this pain by equipping them to never have it happen.   

I am very happy today to let you know my book - the little answer book - is now on sale on  Amazon! It is also in our bookstore as a digital copy and at a special price for churches who get it to use with the parents/ grandparents in their church.

Hand Down Confident Faith with the little answer book for children & It Is Now on Sale!

Please share this with the parents and grandparents in your ministry - you definitely have some who have grown children/ grandchildren/children who are turning from their faith and it will help those who have not experienced this pain by equipping them to never have it happen.  

Please Take These Things to Heart

I know I write about this fairly often, but it is important. It is far, far too easy for us to think we have an effective Children's Ministry when we really do not. This happens when we only look at the "church kids". They are there pretty much every week, may seem engaged - for the most part, and may even like what you are doing, so you think you are getting things "right". But, and this is a big "but", if you are not looking at the children who are only there IF they choose to be there, then you are not getting a accurate picture of your Children's Ministry. If the children who come IF they want to come are not returning, then you are missing something important and there is something which needs to change in your ministry. Period.

Please Follow Me on Instagram

I am on Instagram - please follow me at - https://www.instagram.com/lyndafreemanatcd/ - to stay informed on resources, info, ideas for your ministry, and more! Thank you!

It is National Sunday School Teacher Appreciation Day!

This Sunday, October 15th, is National Sunday School Teacher Appreciation Day! If you did not know this - I didn't - it does not mean you do not have time yet to do something wonderful for your volunteers. Consider the following . . .

Evaluate. Evaluate. Evaluate.

I love Children's Ministry and it is likely pretty safe to assume, most - if not all - of you who read About the Children's Department, also love  Children's Ministry. Because we love  Children's Ministry, it is very easy to focus on what we are doing: Sunday School, Mid-Week, Summer Ministry, Special Events, recruiting volunteers, training volunteers, keeping our ministry safe, volunteer appreciation, parent meetings, etc . . . and all of these are absolutely things for us to focus on. But, along with these things, do we make evaluating  everything a priority or do we run from one thing to the next without ever really stopping to see if we are "hitting the mark"?

Faithfulness is Essential for Effective Ministry

God is Faithful! He does what He says He will do and He does not quit! God is Faithful and I am so thankful He is! Just look at these verses which talk about our amazing, faithful God . . . 

Deeper In for Children includes Anchored - How Do they Make a Difference?

Sunday school originally began in 1780 because people wanted to teach poor children to read as they typically worked in factories all week. Nearly all children went to Sunday school - even if their parents did not go to church - and along with learning to read, they were taught the Bible - as it was the main book they learned to read. These children also learned to write as they copied verses from the Bible. 

Joy to the World the Lord is Come - A Celebration of God’s Love! is Now Available in Kindle ebook!

Are you still looking for a Christmas program for your church? If so, look no farther as "Joy to the World the Lord is Come!" is now available in both print and as a Kindle ebook! 

Joy to the World the Lord is Come! A Celebration of God’s Love! Is a more than just a “Christmas Program”. It is an opportunity for the children, youth, and adults in your church to join together to share the complete Good News of Jesus with your church and community. This event will provide opportunities for entire families to do something they do not often get to do at church – serve together!

"No Cookie-Cutter Children's Ministries" - Now Available in Print & Kindle ebook!

In a day where the church is losing the next generation at double the rate of any previous generation, we must take a clear look at what we are doing, why we are doing it, and how we are able to make necessary changes to ensure our church's Children's Ministries are as effective as possible. In "No Cookie-Cutter Children's Ministries" Lynda Freeman, who has fifty years of experience in Children's Ministry, shares how while one Children's Ministry is not able to be exactly like another, we are all able to be sure we have the right "ingredients" so our own, unique Children's Ministry knows its purpose and vision, is a safe place for children, is able to find volunteers and train them, "teach the whys", as well as how to team up with the parents and grandparents.

Bible Maze Journey Books are Now Available as Kindle ebooks!

Part of effective Children's Ministry involves planning events which will engage the entire family, but doing this is often challenging. If you are looking for ideas to help you connect and engage families in your church and community, consider getting a Bible Maze Journey book - they are now available as kindle ebooks!

It is essential to engage children in our ministries and whenever we are able to also engage the whole family, it is something which is well worth our time. We are losing our families - check an article in Christianity Today  which said; "Before COVID-19 shut things down in March 2020, the independent evangelical church averaged about 220 people a week. Almost two years after the church briefly suspended in-person services because of COVID-19, he says they are averaging about 150 people a week." We need to make our churches the center of community life and engagement once again. These books will help.

Why Another Curriculum? Why Deeper In for Children?

Yes, I agree there are a number of excellent curriculum resources currently available for churches to use in their Children's Ministries, so why did I release  Deeper In for Children? There are several reasons, but the biggest one is because  Deeper In for Children  does several unique things -

Equip Yourself with the little answer book

I am not a theologian, a scientist, a philosopher, or an apologist. I am a mom. I am a grandma.

I am also a friend, and as a friend I have listened as moms and grandmas shared with me their heartbreak when their loved child, grown child, and/or grandchild made the choice to walk away from their faith. These friends shared how they did what they knew to do as the ones they loved grew up – they prayed with them, taught them about God, Jesus, and the Bible, took them to church, encouraged them to be involved in their youth group, and tried to model what it meant to love, know, and walk with God. They never thought the one they loved would turn away from their faith, but disappointment in people, hurt, and/or difficult times came along and the unthinkable happened.

How Do You Measure the "Success" of Your Children's Ministry?

Is your Children's Ministry successful? Are you sure? Do you really know for sure how your Children's Ministry impacts the children and families in your church and community? How do you know?    

If we want our ministries to be genuinely effective and successful, we need to regularly ask questions to help measure where we really are and how effective we truly are. If we do not regularly ask the "hard" questions of everything we do, there isn't a way for us to truly tell how effective we are. Consider the following questions and if you are, or should be, asking them -