Ideas to help your church and children’s ministry respond to the COVID-19 illness and disruptions. We urge planing and prayer – not panic.
Kids need to know that God is in control – this children’s message object lesson makes that point with a fun reference to St. Patrick’s Day. Download the message script below and watch the demonstration video to help you prepare. “Trusting God in Times of Doubt” Children’s Sermon Object Lesson from John 4:5-42 Main Objective: … Read more
How many churches are actually closing because of the Coronavirus pandemic? We are asking that question each week and sharing our research on this page. Weekly Percentage of Churches Closed, Modified, or Normal Schedule 3/15 3/22 3/29 4/5 4/12 4/19 4/26 5/3 5/10 5/17 5/24 5/31 Online Only 25.6 85.6 93.5 95.4 95.0 96.4 95.2 … Read more
COVID-19 has been closing churches since March 15th. Congregations are starting to come back. 20% of churches will open for in-person events this Sunday (5/17). That’s up from a low of 3.6% on 4/19. We’ve been polling our website readers every week: What is your church doing this Sunday? Full results at the link below. … Read more
Children love games – online video conference games too! If you’re doing a virtual VBS or online kids ministry, these are some ideas you need in your toolkit. Thanks so much to Shawn M Howell for posting this video on YouTube. 20 Online Video Share Games for Kids Looking for fun games to play on … Read more
Kids will love this Virtual VBS curriculum for 2020. It features at 3 day VBS at home schedule, but could also be done fully online. BOLT VBS is a new curriculum option for Vacation Bible School for the summer of 2020. This VBS program is built for families to share a virtual VBS experience at … Read more
With the stay-at-home orders covering all 50 states, this summer’s VBS could be in danger. I’d love to hear what you are thinking. Leave a comment below. Should churches cancel VBS for summer of 2020? From what I’m hearing, most churches will wait until the first week of May to start those discussions. My personal … Read more
We’ve been polling our readers each week to find the percent of churches closed. Now we’re adding another poll to track when church leaders expect their church services to open again. Here was the first week of the poll – it will run each week. (Monday – Thursday). Our polls about who is closed will … Read more
What does the Bible say about the Coronavirus Pandemic? God is not silent, HE is speaking in the Holy Scriptures. Churches can respond and share God’s love even when the building is closed. Here are some key scriptures and prayers to share with your family, congregation, or friends during this public health crisis. What does … Read more
This Sunday School lesson was designed for parents to use with their children at home on the week of March 29, 2020. Everything is included in the PDF download below (teaching notes, coloring pages, craft directions, game ideas, and worksheets). Use what is most helpful for your kids and ignore the rest. Families can also watch … Read more
“Giving” and “offering” are words that make every minister shy — Your pastor isn’t called to panhandle for offerings. Nobody wants to be a televangelist during this pandemic. Even to mention “online giving” will trigger the haters on Facebook. BUT…. Right now — creative and brave church leaders are finding ways to impact their community. … Read more