Uncategorized

I realize not every church has the same cultural context as mine, but as children’s ministers we all are striving to reach the kids in our community whether that community is rural or inner-city.  When we do start bringing these children in to our churches, do they feel welcome? I am thinking primarily about the … Read more

Raise your hand if you’ve ever received an angry complaint via email. Now, think about that incident and imagine what the “conversation” may have sounded like if it had taken place over the phone. What about in person? The fact of the matter is that when dealing with conflict or complaints a good rule of … Read more

Don’t Ever Ask Me to Sing a Special.  Cause if you do, it’ll be awkward for everyone involved.  Singing  is not really my thing, as much as I  love praising God.  He’s gracious to listen to me; others – not so much. For that matter, administration isn’t my strength either.  I cower at the thought … Read more

Teaching a preschool class at church is challenging.  Children age 3 to 5 are full of energy and need an engaging learning environment.  As a Kids Pastor, I’m always looking for reliable curriculum for our preschool classes.  It has to be something that I can hand off to my teachers with minimal verbal instructions. So, … Read more

In 2006, a study by the Barna Group revealed that most twenty-somethings disengage from active participation in the Christian faith during their adult years. This is true even for those who have displayed strong levels of spiritual activity as a teenager. In addition, statistics demonstrate that this pattern of disengagement is continuing through adulthood, creating … Read more

This weekend, a reader named Kate send me a great question.  It was more than I could answer with a quick reply, so I wanted to share it here on the blog. She knew of another church doing a Bible Bucks, or a “monetary” reward system. Here is what she wrote: The idea is that … Read more

Children not only say the funniest things, but they can ask them too! Answering kids tough questions can challenge anyone. That includes a seasoned children’s pastor. We’ve all heard questions like these. “Why did my Grandpa die?” “Where do babies come from?” “Who married Cain?” Before tackling these questions and more use the ABC’s of … Read more

Do the elderly members of your congregation know the names of the children and their parents in your church? Is there much meaningful interaction between the youth and children’s departments?  Does fellowship exist across the generations? If the answer is no or you’re not sure, you may want to consider some creative planning to bring … Read more

What time does the program start? When was that registration deadline? Do you have a class for my 4 year old? These questions bombard children’s ministry leaders every Sunday. In every size and type of congregation, communication is a challenge. If you are like me, you may be tempted to complain. You may want to … Read more

There’s no doubt – if you want an effective children’s ministry, you have to build relationships.  Though relationships take time,  here are five simple ideas you can utilize to demonstrate Jesus’ love to your students. 1.  Remember birthdays – Send out birthday cards/postcards to the children in your ministry.  Get a silly birthday hat from … Read more