RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

"Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to everyone" is for kids as well.  

Kids can learn to share their faith and be bold witnesses for Christ. 

Let's look at a few ways we can get kids excited about sharing their faith.

Teach children what the Bible says about sharing our faith with others.  You can use verses like...

 “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to everyone." Mark 16:15

"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise."  Proverbs 11:30

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  Matthew 28:18-20

"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people."  Matthew 4:19-20

Share motivational truths about the importance of sharing our faith. 

“Our faith becomes stronger as we express it; a growing faith is a sharing faith.”  Billy Graham

“The greatest way we can show love to another person is by sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ to them.”

Help them create tools that they can use to share their faith. 

I created a teaching series called "The Blab Lab."  It has 4 sessions.  In each session, kids create a tool they can use to share their faith.  Here is an example from one of the lessons.

(if you are receiving this in an email and can't see the video - you can play it at this link.

In the course of the sessions, kids make 4 tools that they can use to share the Gospel.  I had one girl that took one of her witnessing tools to school and shared it with her entire class.

The Blab Lab teaching series is available at this link.  It can be used for a Sunday school class,  small group, large group worship lesson or a Wednesday night program.

Emphasize sharing your faith on a consistent basis.  Here are a few ways you can do this.        

        The empty chair.  Have an empty chair up front.  Let the kids know the chair represents their friends, family, neighbors, school mates, etc. that do not know Jesus. Who is sitting in their empty chair? Encourage the kids to invite them to church and share their faith with them.

        Who's your One?  Have kids think of one person they know that needs Jesus.  Ask them to focus on sharing the Gospel with that one person. 

        Church invite cards.  Have 5 invite cards available each week.  Ask the kids to think about someone they can invite to come with them to church the next weekend.  Ask 5 people to commit to inviting their person that week to church.  Make a big deal about it.  Give the 5 kids one of the invite cards to use for the invitation.  Have everyone pray for the five kids they will be inviting.  I saw new kids come to church each week and accept Jesus into their life as a result of doing this.

Motivate them to share their faith and bring people to church. 

     Have a guest contest.  I once had a boy bring 26 people to church for a guest contest. 

     Give a prize to everyone who brings a guest.  Give a prize to the person they brought as well. 

Have kids and parents invite their family and friends to their milestone events.  Milestones like child dedication, baptism and graduation are great events to invite people to.  You can then strategically share the Gospel with everyone at the event.  Go the second mile and provide kids and families with invite cards they can use for their invites.

Teach them how to pray for the Holy Spirit to lead them, guide them and empower them as they share the Gospel and invite people to church.  When you do this with the kids, God will move in their lives and in the lives of the people they talk to. 

I remember one Easter a new lady came to church. When we asked her what brought her to church, she said she was a crossing guard at a school.  One of children she was helping cross the street gave her an invite card to Easter services and so she came. 

I believe if we will get kids excited about boldly sharing their faith, that we will see God use them to bring many people to Christ. 

Your turn.  How do you encourage kids to share their faith?  Share your ideas and strategies in the comment section below.

I recently received this note.

"Please send me info for the study of Pranksters.  I know the importance of apologetics.  My niece went to college and turned into a liberal nut job. Attacking me and my faith. She gets congratulations on Facebook for being so "open" minded.  It's a sad world we are living in. My church doesn't see the importance of apologetics and they had no idea what it even was till I talked about it.  It HAS to be taught in every church.  Blind faith just isn't going to work anymore." 

This story could be told countless times. A young person attends church growing up, but is never taught why we believe what we believe.  Once they get to college, they are ill-prepared to defend their faith.  The shallow lessons they were taught growing up in church, have done little to nothing to prepare them for attacks on the faith. 

They are asked the hard questions and they have no answer.  Because of this, doubt and the erosion of their faith enters the picture.  The downward spiral is set in motion and eventually the young person says they don't believe anymore.  

It is time for the church to step up and begin teaching apologetics for the next generation. They routinely experience attacks on their faith through social media, videos, articles, books, radio, television, schools, etc. We must equip the next generation to be able to defend their faith.  

Here are some resources that can help you do just that. 

Pranksters is a 4-week curriculum series that helps kids understand why we know the Bible is God's Word and that it is a perfect book that can be trusted.  You can get more information and order the Pranksters curriculum at this link.  

A book is coming soon that I believe will be a game changer for churches across the country.  The book is entitled "Fertile Soil...See Kids' Faith Grow and Flourish for a Lifetime". In this book, I uncover the key ingredients that help kids love and follow Jesus for a lifetime. You can pre-order it at this link.  It will be released during the month of May. 

Chuck Feeny was a billionaire.  He made his money by founding companies like the Duty Free Shopper stores that operate in airports.

Chuck made billions of dollars in his lifetime. But more than the money he made, he is remembered as a person who had a generous heart and loved to invest his money in people and causes.  

Chuck colored outside the lines. Rather than giving his money toward big, hands-on charities, he decided to have control of where the money went.  This enabled him to see the results of his giving.   

Over a period of 40 years, Feeney donated move than $8 billion dollars to charities, universities and foundations.  And he gave it away anonymously.  While some donors have publicists who make sure everyone knows who gave the money and the amount, Feeney made sure his gifts were secret. 

His giving eventually led him to start the Giving Pledge in 2010.  Giving Pledge was an aggressive campaign to influence the wealthiest people in the world to give away at least half their fortunes before they died.  He said this...

“I see little reason to delay giving when so much good can be achieved through supporting worthwhile causes.  Besides, it’s a lot more fun to give while you live than give while you're dead."    

When Feeny died, he had no money left to his name.  He had given everything he had to help other people.

What a great example of living for others.  Feeny realized that he couldn't take the money with him and so he made a wise investment...an investment in helping other people.

One of the key truths in our Connect12 curriculum is "I Will Live to Give."  It is so important to teach children the blessings of being a giver.  If we can help them understand the blessings that come with being a giver, we can help them bring their tithes and special offerings to God and establish themselves as a giver for life.

Here are a couple of examples from the curriculum.  The first series one is entitled "Kid Bank President."  The bank president shows people how to be a giver and the best ways to invest their money.  Here's a short video clip. (if you are reading this in an email - you can click here to see the video - https://vimeo.com/370730762)

Another series we have for teaching kids about giving is "Money Talks."  Kids learn who money belongs to.  What they should do with the money they earn.  How they can invest their money for maximum impact."  Below is a video sample from the series.  (if you are reading this in an email, you can go to this link to watch it - https://vimeo.com/249136999)

Both of these 4 week series are available for purchase at this link.

Who knows...there may be a boy or girl in your ministry who grows up and is abundantly blessed in the area of finances.  If you can teach them to be givers as kids, you can help them develop a lifestyle of "living to give" for a lifetime.

Ahhhh, yes.  Bouncy houses.  If you are in kids' ministry, you know all about them.  

Bouncy houses (or whatever you call them) have been a staple in kids' ministry over the years.  And rightly so...kids love them...and so do parents who are looking for ways to help their kids burn off some energy.  

On any given day, you'll find them at birthday parties, church events and other special occasions for kids and families.

Bounceland, a company near Chicago that imports inflatables from China, sold more than 12,000 bounce houses between March and June, up 350% from last year. 

And due to the virus, sales of these large, outdoors toys on Amazon have increased by 50% this summer.  Inflatable water slides are big sellers as they provide kids and parents a way to "beat the heat."   The nationwide top seller has been Little Tikes Jump ’n Slide inflatable bounce house, available for $270 on Amazon.

Many parents are also purchasing bouncy houses for stress relief as they try to find something to entertain the kiddos who are now home a lot more.

So why do kids love bouncy houses so much?  

Obviously, one reason is because it gives them the opportunity to move, move, move.  You can jump, bounce and fly through the air with "the greatest of ease."  

But if you look a little deeper, you'll also see that bouncy houses represent something about this special moment in time that other yard toys don’t. Inside the bounce house you are safe.  The floor filled with air will catch you when you fall.  Plus, you can have a rule that no one outside of your own family can come in without first being checked for signs of the virus.

If you rent bouncy houses quite often, it is worth checking to see how much it would be to buy a few of them.  They will quickly pay for themselves as you use them for church activities and events. 

And bouncy houses have evolved into a variety of options.  You can buy a super hero inflatable...a giant, wild water slide...a castle...a sports themed bouncy house...an obstacle course inflatable...and on we could go.  There's a wide variety of bouncy houses for kids to have fun in.

They are also a great outreach tool.  Set them up anywhere and you'll find kids and parents eager to connect with you for some free bounce time.  

Your turn.  

Do you use bounce houses in your ministry (pre-virus days)? 

How have you used inflatables for outreach?  

Do you own or rent?

Share your thoughts, ideas and insight in the comment section below. 

Happy bouncing! 

This is the first time I have ever written about homeschooling.  One thing that prompted me to write this article is the current situation we find ourselves in due to COVID-19.  

As schools began closing due to the virus, it has caused millions of parents to take a closer look at homeschooling and to consider going that route. 

Dr. Andrea Dennison is an assistant professor of school psychology at Texas State University.  She has studied why some parents choose to homeschool and says the families are motivated by a desire for control over their children's education.  Rather than waiting to hear what the local school district will be doing, they take matters into their own hands.  

The percentage of homeschooled children in grades K-12th is 3.3% or 1.7 million students. 

Why do parents choose homeschooling?  Here are the top 3. 

1. Concerns about the school environment (negative influences, drugs, exposure to COVID-19 and general safety).

 One mom said, "There is absolutely no way I will be sending my child into a caldron of germs."

2. A dissatisfaction with the academics at their school.

3 A desire to provide religious instruction.  They want to keep their children protected from the influences of the wider world for as long as they can and want a curriculum that includes the Bible.

With the ravages of C0VID-19, more parents are considering the effects the virus is having on education.  This is leading to more families being interested in taking their children out of traditional schools this fall and beyond.  In fact, two-thirds of parents with kids in elementary, middle or high school were concerned about their child falling behind. 

The pandemic has also affected many homeschooling families as well.  Many have been cut off from educational trips and other local homeschooling communities that they rely upon for sports and socializing.

So how are the new home-schooling families doing during this pandemic?  In a survey of over 1,000 parents who started homeschooling due to the pandemic, it was found that their children seem to do better and were happier outside a traditional school environment.  A few of the reasons were unchecked bullying and special needs that were not supported appropriately. 

What is the makeup of families that homeschool?  In many cases, parents who are able to homeschool effectively are two parent families who can live on one income.  It is very hard for parents to work from home and homeschool.

The pandemic has definitely caused parents to be more intentional about the kind of school experience they want for their children. 

Would love to hear your thoughts.  Many of you reading this are homeschooling your children.  

Did you start homeschooling after the virus came on the scene? 

What are the positives that have come from homeschooling your kids?

What are the challenges of homeschooling your kids? 

What would you say to someone who is considering homeschooling?

If your child attends a traditional school, why did you go that route?  

What are the advantages you have found by having your child attend a traditional school?

 Leave your comments, insight and ideas in the comment section below.

When a child starts asking his or her parents about entering into a relationship with Jesus,  the parents will often come to you for advice. 

Is my child old enough to understand this?  

How can I know it's the right time to pray with them for salvation?

Should I tell my child to wait until they are older?  

What should you do when this happens?  Here are some pointers that will help you know what to say.

• If their child continues to come back to them about accepting Jesus, that’s a good sign that God is working in their life.

• They must understand what sin is and that they have sinned.

• You sense this is something they know they need to do rather than just something they want to do.  Do you see the difference?  If they just want to be baptized because their friend did, that would be wanting to be baptized.  But when you sense they know this is something they need to do, it’s a good sign.

• While there is no exact age a child must be to accept Jesus, I will say this.  Around the age of 7 ½ - 8 years-old, kids begin to understand not only concrete, but abstract ideas as well.  Here’s an example.  If you tell them Jesus is the bridge to heaven, they will understand it’s not a real bridge, it’s just an illustration to help you understand the way to heaven.

I often tell parents this...

Our job is not to push kids to make a decision.  I have seen parents try to push their child to be baptized, even though they didn't understand what they are doing. 

Our job is also not to hold kids back from making a decision.  I have seen kids who understood the Gospel and were ready to step across the line of faith, but their parents wanted them to wait until they are 12 or 13.  

Our job, as parents, is not to push or hold back.  Rather it is to walk alongside our child.  Have the spiritual conversations.  As you do this, you will see the Holy Spirit working in their life and drawing them to salvation.

I believe the most important thing we do is equipping parents to lead their children to Jesus. 

The pandemic we have been walking through has left many volunteers hesitant about coming back until things clear up. Which is very understandable.

As a leader, one of our tasks is to keep our volunteers excited and passionate about serving and reaching the next generation.  

The pandemic has definitely made this a challenging things to do as a leader. 

I have found that quotes can be used to encourage and empower volunteers.  

Here are 10 quotes that you can use to encourage your volunteers and let them know how valuable they are to God and to the volunteer team. 

Remember that we want to use the ministry to build people rather than using people to build the ministry. We should use wisdom and let volunteers know that first and foremost we want them to be okay personally and that they protect their health.  When people know you care about them, they will be more prone to return when the time is right. 

Here are the quotes. My prayer is they will be a blessing to you and your volunteers as you lead though these tumultuous times. 

1. You matter.  What you do matters.  A lot.

2. Comparison is clamoring for your attention.  Don't look.  Keep your eyes on the course God has for you.

3. Choose optimism today.

4. Children are the future of your church and without them your church has no future.

5. Stop waiting for someone to tell you how important you are.  Jesus showed how important you are on the cross. 

6. Walk on - even when you've been walked on.

7. Serve not for the applause, but rather for the cause.

8. Your best insight will come from your hardest challenges.

9. Your greatest experience is waiting outside your comfort zone.

10. You can't go forward if you keep going back to your past.   

Your turn. Share a quote that has encouraged and helped you. You can put them in the comment section below.   

The most important thing we do is leading kids to Jesus.  It should be our #1 priority.  

We should not take this lightly.  Eternity is at stake.     

As children's ministry leaders, there are some key roles you should be in with regards to leading kids to Christ.  

Role #1 - faithfully and consistently share the Gospel with kids.  In classrooms.  In chapel.  In children's services.  At retreats.  In small groups.  In prayer time and devotionals.  

John 3:16 encapsulates the entire Bible.  "For God so loved the world" should weave its way into every lesson you teach.

#2 role - Host a class about salvation for kids and their parents.  When a child asks about inviting Jesus into their life, ask them to attend a salvation class with their parents.  This strategy can be very effective. In my last year of ministry at a local church, we baptized over 460 kids in one year.  Every single child had been through our salvation class for kids.  The class is available to you at this link.

#3 role - Partner with parents.  When possible, place tools in parents' hands that they can use to lead their child to Jesus.  One of parents' greatest joys is to lead their children to Jesus.  Don't take this role away from them (this applies to children and their parents who attend church faithfully).  The class we mentioned above can be one of the biggest ways you can partner with parents when God is at work in their child's life.  

#4 role - Be a guide.  We must remember that our role is to be a guide.  We cannot save anyone.  That job has already been taken by Jesus.  As a guide, our role is not to be pushing a child from behind into making a decision.  While there is no certain age for a child to accept Jesus, we can know certain signs to watch for.  If a child continues to come to you about making a decision for Christ, that is a sign that God is working in their life.  But let God do the work...don't force it.  

As a guide, our role is also not to hold kids back.  I have seen leaders and parents tell kids they are not ready to enter a relationship with Jesus because they are "too young."  I would say this...most of the time kids begin to be ready at the age of 7-8 years old.  At this age, they begin to understand abstract concepts.  But again, each child is different.  

Our role is not to push a child into a decision nor is it to hold them back.  Our role is to simply walk beside them, so to speak.  As we walk with them, we share the Gospel with them.  As we do this, God will draw them to Himself. 

This is your role.  Step into it and let God use you to reach many, many kids and parents with the Gospel.

Yes,  you read the title correctly.  We are giving away a full album of our new worship music songs for kids. ($39.00 value).

12 songs total 

lyric videos for each song

with and without vocals

song motions.

written with today's kids' music styles

Below are a few songs from the album. If you can't see the songs in your email, you can click here to access them. 

All you need to do to enter the drawing is to email me at dale@buildingchildrensministry.com.

I'll randomly pick someone (close eyes and draw a name - ha) and then announce the winner here, next Tuesday.

Or if you don't want to wait - here is the link where you can get all of the songs now.  When you buy the entire album,  you are getting the video worship songs for only a little over $3.00 each.  Compare that to most worship videos for kids that cost anywhere from $10-15 dollars each.

But I've got to warn you.  These songs are written to get stuck in your head.  After listening to them, I find myself humming the songs all during the day.  And that's a good thing. We want the truths of these songs to get stuck in kids' heads so they'll remember them for the rest of their lives.

Success in ministry.  How do you define that?  What does it mean to be successful in ministry?  Is success based on the number of people who attend your ministry?  Is success based on how much your ministry gives to foreign missions?  Is success defined by how awesome your church facilities area? 

Will you be just another statistic?  Part of the 89% who quit?  It doesn't have to be that way.  There is hope.  You can go the distance.  You can balance your life and ministry.  You can say with Paul that you "finished your course."   You can one day hear Jesus say to you, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Stay faithful.  Stay committed.  Stay away from the temptations of sin.  If you will do these things, you can finish strong. 

Let's cross the finish line with gray hair and a lifetime of faithful service to our King.

p.s. If you are struggling with depression, anxiety, temptation, tiredness...feel free to contact me at dale@buildingchildrensministry.com.  I will be glad to be a listening ear and offer you comfort and hope.