"Go Fish" Christmas Curriculum Review and Giveaway

6:35 AM  Unknown  

Christmas is just around the corner.  If you're looking for Christmas curriculum, then check out Go Fish's new "The Gift of Advent."  It is a complete, 4 week curriculum that gives elementary children a Biblical understanding of what Christmas is really about.

Recently, I was able to review the curriculum and I'd like to recommend it for your ministry.  Here's what I love about it.
  • The music is great.  As usual, Go Fish has produced music that is magnetic for kids.  Each song comes in audio and video format.  The song motions are engaging and easy to follow.  The graphics are professional.
  • Each lesson comes with a teaching video.  The lessons are just the right length and grab kids' attention.
  • Flexibility.  The video files come on DVD as well as MOV, WMV, MPEG files if you want to drop it into a presentation software like Media Shout or Pro Presenter.
  • Lessons are designed for a large group / small group format. 

  • The graphics in the coloring and activity sheets are cool.  Today's kids will love them.
  • The small group time gets kids into God's Word with Bible reading, discussion questions, and application.
  • Extra game and activities are provided if you want to extend the session.
  • Lesson preparation is easy and quick.  This is a big plus for today's busy volunteer.
  • Well thought out arrival activities grab kid's attention when they walk in the door and prepare them for the lesson.
  • Kids participate in putting together an advent wreath.  This provides a significant visual teaching tool and memory.
  • Four great lesson themes tie together to help kids understand the true meaning of Christmas.  
    • The Gift of Hope - kids dive into the Old Testament to see how God sent the gift of hope to rescue us.  
    • The Gift of Wisdom - kids learn the story of the Magi and what it means to put their faith into action.  
    • The Gift of Love - kids discover the ultimate gift and how to imitate Christ by walking in love (Ephesians 5). 
    • The Gift of Joy - kids learn about the angels who announced Jesus' birth and that we should share the joy of Christmas with others.
You can get more information about the curriculum at this link.  I will also be giving away a free set of the curriculum next Friday, Nov. 16.  You can enter the drawing by emailing me at dalehudsoncm2@gmail.com.  I will post the winner's name on that day and it will be shipped to you free of charge.

Check out this great resource this Christmas season.
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What Causes Kids to Hate Church?

5:56 AM  Unknown  

What causes kids to hate attending church?
  • Lessons that are not age-appropriate.
  • Sssshhhhhh!!!  Sit still and be quite!!!
  • Long services.
  • Lessons that are not relevant to their life.
  • Teachers who do all the talking in class.
  • No one knows them personally.
  • Music that is too "babyish."
  • Music from 1950.
  • Leaders and parents whose lives during the week don't match their lives at church.
  • A church environment that feels like school aka "Sunday School."  The last place they want to be on Sunday is where they have been all week.
  • Being stuck in a room that was decorated by adults for adults.
Do you agree with these?
Are there any you don't agree with?
What are some other factors that can cause kids to hate church?

Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.
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A Great Thanksgiving Tradition to Pass Along to the Families in Your Church

6:22 AM  Unknown  

Holidays are a great time for parents to make memories with their children and impact them spiritually.  Pass along this Thanksgiving idea to the families in your church.  They will love it.

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New Must-See YouTube Channel for Pre-Teens

6:37 AM  Unknown  

AwesomenessTV is a new, comedy-centric YouTube channel for pre-teens.  Since launching in June, it has grown to over 194,000 subscribers with over 40 million views.  

Founded by Brian Robbins, who has produced shows for Nickelodeon and CW, the channel features pop-culture talk, sports programs, and a drama called the Runaways.  He says the channel isn't banking on just creating disposable viral hits, but rather on building a consistent block of programming with a loyal audience. 

If you are looking for communication strategies that will help you connect with today's pre-teens, then go check out AwesomenessTV at this link.

(Disclaimer - this is not an endorsement, but simply an encouragement to look for strategies that will help you effectively connect with today's pre-teens.)
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Movie Theater Accidentally Shows Paranormal Activity 4 to Kids

7:15 AM  Unknown  










A movie theater recently made the mistake of not previewing the movie they had in queue.

A theater full of parents with young children were excitedly waiting for Madagascar 3 to start.  Instead, the horror movie Paranormal Activity 4 started playing.

Almost immediately, as many as 25 families rushed their kids out of the theater, but not before a gruesome opening sequence — in which a bloodied female corpse is thrown at the camera — was witnessed by children as young as five.

“They started playing the movie and I thought – this doesn’t look right,” Natasha Lewis, mother of eight-year-old Dylan.  ”Everybody just scrambled for the exits, all you could hear were children crying and screaming. Everyone was very upset.”

I have learned the hard way to always preview a video clip before showing it to children.  We decided to use a clip from a movie for a children's service and didn't preview it all the way through.  Imagine our shock when a curse word was uttered in the clip.  We had to do a lot of explaining and damage control.  Luckily, I kept my job.

Here's a few things to keep in mind when using movie clips for a children's service.
  • Primarily use clips from G-rated movies.  PG can be used occasionally, but never use clips from R rated movies.
  • Consider informing parents ahead of time when you are going to show a clip that is not from a "Christian" movie.
  • When in doubt...don't.
  • Make sure the clip is age appropriate.  A clip that is appropriate for a pre-teen may not be appropriate for a 5 year old.
Have you ever made a mistake when showing a video clip?
What are some other tips to keep in mind when using video clips?

Share your comments with us below.
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