What should fifth-grade children know about the Bible and about God? What values should Christians embody by the time they reach adulthood? These are interesting questions without easy answers.
For Sunday school coordinators and teachers New Year’s brings a sigh of relief. You’ve survived the fall recruiting crunch, the kick-off chaos, and the Christmas celebration. Like a Sabbath on the first day of the week, take a little time to catch your breath, reflect, and regroup for the New Year.
Just a couple weeks ago a friend mentioned how sad it is that her five year old son has code red drills at school. They practice hiding and staying quiet “in case a bad stranger comes,” he told her. Now our hearts grieve with the families in Newtown.
This Sunday at Prairie Edge CRC a barren tree stood on stage in the worship center. Later that night kids, teens, and adults came together to sing, share a meal, and reflect on the promise of God to send a savior. Does your church offer special programming for Advent?
Busy schedules mean worn out families don’t always make it to church. Here are some ideas that your church could do to get families more engaged.
We tell a lot of stories about persecution in Sunday school. But our North American kids don’t experience the daily persecution faced by Christians in other parts of the world. It is easy to forget their struggle and to think of these stories as ancient history.
We love our kids and want to protect them. We implement policies like team teaching, windows in classrooms, safety screening, video cameras, and more to keep them safe. Is there more that we can do?
I asked Laura Brink, Children’s Ministry Director at Cascade Fellowship Christian Reformed Church, what she has done to encourage and equip her volunteers. Here's her answer.
Scary as they are, Halloween goblins and fictional films aren’t the most frightening things kids and families face today: job losses, foreclosures, abuse, family feuds, and illness. How can we help kids handle the spooky shadows as well as the real turbulence of troubled times?
I’m on a mission to connect with children’s ministry directors, Sunday school coordinators, and teachers to see and hear what God is doing in their midst. I’m hoping to highlight a new idea or best practice each week. Here is a fun one that's easy to implement at any time of the year.
Volunteers are BUSY — it’s getting harder and harder to get everyone together for training and encouragement. Brian Bierenga, the Children & Youth Ministry Coordinator at Brookside CRC, uses weekly email to encourage his youth team. His formula is simple.
It’s been a few weeks now since Sunday school began. You’re getting to know the kids and getting comfortable with the curriculum. Now is just the right time to pause and consider what’s going well, and what could go better.
Bullying. Just say the word, and most people have a story to tell. So what can you do to ensure that bullying doesn’t happen on your watch? Here are some pointers gathered from organizations that have studied the issue of bullying and its effect on kids.
In Sunday school, we want to create an environment where everybody belongs and everybody learns and grows together. What does that mean for kids with visual impairments? Check out these helpful ideas from Sister Barbara Cline, the Director of the Office of Faith Formation for the Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids.
Calling kids by name sends them the message that they aren’t just one of the crowd, but are known and valued individually (not only by you, but also by God). Use these easy ideas to get to know the kids in your group.
As a busy ministry season kicks off, it’s tempting to skip the face-to-face time with our team. After all, we have bright leaders. We have a slick system for passing out supplies. We’ve chosen material that is easy to use. Why not just pass out the leader’s guide and send everyone off with a smile and a pat on the back?
Now that you’ve had a little break from regular programming, think back on what stands out about last season. Consider sending out two questions this week to all of your leaders/teachers and parents.
Depending on where you live, your VBS program is likely to be somewhere between VERY HOT and UNBEARABLY HOT. Kids and leaders need relief from the heat. Try these ideas to keep everyone cool(er), and happier too.
You might have a slew of new music, books, and photos waiting out there in the cloud for you to access and enjoy... but who are the people in your cloud that will cheer you on and inspire you in ministry this season?
Encouraging parents in their role as faith nurturers doesn’t have to take a lot of time—it can be as easy as getting resources in their hands. Karen DeBoer plans to share resource ideas that families can use at home to talk about faith and read God’s word together.
I’m always looking for ways to incorporate a good children’s storybook Bible into the times I spend with children. Each Bible story is skillfully summarized in kid-friendly language with illustrations that send the imagination soring. I love to pause after each page to wonder a little about the story
Imagine a room full of wide-eyed kids, amazed by the stories of Scripture; activity, variety, and discovery choreographed seamlessly into a lesson that captures the imagination and inspires! Consider these ideas for keeping your kids engaged and focused right from the start.
Does summer fly by at twice the speed of winter? Before long we'll be kicking off a new season of ministry. Maybe you're already ahead of the game. If not, now's the time to get everything in order for a smooth launch this fall. Here are some things to consider.
Faith formation is a daily reality that doesn’t stop for any season. That’s why I’m excited about the new summer articles on the Nurture blog with great ideas for families to use this summer.