RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

Monday morning.  You're probably reflecting back on the weekend.  It may have been a great weekend or it may have been not-so-great.  You may be walking into a new week full of confidence or, if you're like me, sometimes wondering if you've got what it takes to lead the ministry.  Some Mondays you're ready to charge forward to reach the world for Christ and other days you're just seconds away from resigning. 

Leading a ministry is full of highs and lows.  Great weekends where you see God move in miraculous ways in the kids' and families' lives, and ho-hum weekends where you wonder if you're really making any difference at all.  It's part of the journey.

Wherever today finds you, I want to encourage you and reassure you with 3 words.  YOU GOT THIS!   You are called, equipped and empowered by God.  You've got this because God has you.  You are not alone in this.  He is with you.  Even when you don't feel like He is.

When I was in high school,  I lifted weights to improve my sport's skills.  One of my mentors was a power lifter named Ralph.  He was a big, strong man who had been lifting for years and he could lift hundreds of pounds.  He agreed to be my workout coach and helped me.  When I got ambitious and tried to bench press an amount that pushed me to my limits, he was there to spot me.  If I got stuck, ran out of energy or the weight was too heavy for me, Ralph would grab the weight bar and help me lift it back into place.  As long as Ralph was there, I knew I was okay. There was no weight too heavy to try, as long as he was there.

I remember one time I decided to work out alone.  In my youthful zeal, I tried to bench press a heavy amount...without Ralph there to help me if I got stuck.  Sure enough, I got the bar down, but when I tried to push it back up...uh oh...no go.  I was stuck there with a heavy weight on my chest without Ralph to help me.  I panicked and after several minutes was finally able to roll the bar down my body and get out from under it.  And yes, it was painful and dangerous.  I learned my lesson that day.  Never try to lift a heavy weight without a spotter to help you.

Do you feel weighted down by the ministry today?  Wondering if you can keep going?  Is the load you're carrying about to do you in?   Be encouraged.  You've got this because you have a ministry spotter named Jesus.  He is with you.  Depend on Him, trust Him and ask for His help and the heavy burden will become light.  You weren't meant to carry the weight of the ministry alone and you don't have to.  Take a deep breath.  Whisper a prayer to Jesus.  It's His ministry anyways.  Put the weight on Him.  He can handle it.

You got this because God has you in His hands! 

Leadership is about more than making decisions, giving good speeches or coming up with great plans.

Leadership is about bringing purpose. It's rallying people to something that's bigger than themselves.

How do great leaders bring purpose?

They move beyond telling people what to do and help people see "why" what they're asking them to do is worth doing.

They help nursery volunteers see that they're helping parents find Christ.  They help preschool volunteers see that they're investing in kids' lives at the most critical time.  They help greeters see that they're preaching a sermon with their smile and "welcome."  They help elementary volunteers see that they're help kids begin a relationship with Jesus.

Great leaders also bring purpose by keeping people focused on it.  The natural tendency is to get bogged down in the minutia and lose sight of the purpose.  A great leader constantly takes people back to the purpose.

Great leaders bring purpose by sharing the stories.  They show people how the purpose is changing people's lives.

We have the greatest purpose in the world...sharing the Gospel with boys, girls, moms and dads. 

If you want to be a great leader...point people to the purpose, keep people focused on the purpose and tell the stories of the purpose being fulfilled.

There's a song you remember.  When you read the name of it below, the song lyric will pop in your head.

What's the song?  It's "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" from Wizard of Oz.

But why do you know this song?  Why has this song wedged its way into your long-term memory?  It's not by accident or chance.  There's a method behind it.

Composer Rob Kapilow recently gave an in-depth look at the song and why it has resonated with so many people over the years.  If you take a closer look at the song, you'll discover 3 keys to placing something into a person's long-term memory.  Here they are.

Key #1 - Talk about where people are.  This can be found in the first note and word of the song. The first note is a low note C.  The first word is "SOME".  It represents her present troubled reality.  Kansas.  Troubles.  Boredom.  Struggles.  Unhappiness.

When you are teaching, talk about where people are.  Step into their shoes.  Feel their pain.  When you speak to people who are hurting, going through struggles and broken...you will have a tuned in audience.

Key #2 - Show people hope.  The second note of the song jumps an entire octave to high C as she sings the second word of the compound - "WHERE."  This represents the yearning for a place where there is happiness and hope.  It touches on this yearning for hope again with the words "WAY UP HIGH."  The song continues to circle back to this yearning for hope.

When you are teaching, show people the hope that can be found in God and His Word.  When you offer people hope and help for their situation...you will have a tuned in audience.

Key #3 - Help them find transformation.  As she finishes out the song, the melody rises as she sings, "If happy little blue birds fly beyond the rainbow, why, oh, why can't I?"  Where does she finally arrive?  Oz.  From low C to high C...from Kansas to Oz...her transformation is complete.

When you're teaching, show people the transformation Christ can bring to their life.  Show them how God can transform not just their situation...but them as a person as well...which is His ultimate plan.

Bottom Line:
Why do you and I remember "Somewhere Over the Rainbow?"  Because it offers us the opportunity to go somewhere that will change us and our world in wonderful ways.  Offer this to people when you are teaching and they won't forget it.

Want to see the 3 keys in action?  Check out the song.

How old does a child need to be before they can enter a relationship with Christ?  Is there a specific age?

While there's not a specific age that a child must be to become a Christ-follower, there are some key indicators that can help you discern if a child is ready or not.

Does the child understand abstract concepts?  Normally a child can understand abstract concepts around the age of 7.5 to 8.  In other words, the average four-year-old will think you mean a real bridge when you say Jesus is the bridge back to God.  But when a child understands abstract concepts, they will grasp this as simply an illustration and will connect it to spiritual truth.  

Does the child understand what sin is and realize they have sinned?  Some call this the "age of accountability."  The child must clearly understand that they have sinned and are need of a Savior.  Before you can be "saved" you must first understand you are "lost" without Christ.  The age of accountability is different for each child.  For some kids it could be at age 6.  For other kids it could be at age 9 or 10. 

Does the child understand what Jesus did on the cross?  The child should have a clear understanding of why Jesus came and the price He paid on the cross for our sins.  The child should move beyond just "Jesus died on the cross for me" to understanding that Jesus died on the cross to pay the price of the sin bill we owe.

Does the child understand how one enters a relationship with God?  The child should understand that we enter a relationship with God by asking Jesus to be our Lord and Savior.  They should know we are saved by grace through faith and not by works.

Is the child persistent?  A good sign that God is working in a child's life is the child initiating conversations about it.  The child will begin bringing it up without being prompted.

Want vs. Need.  Do you sense the child "wants" to make a decision or "needs" to make a decision.  There is a difference.  "Want to" can come from being coerced or by seeing other kids make a decision.  "Need to" comes from a sense of the Holy Spirit's drawing.

Instead of doing large group "salvation prayers" invite kids to a class where you have time to clearly explain the Gospel and can talk with them individually.  Have parents attend the class with their children.  It is vital to partner with parents during this process.  And the cool thing...as you do this you will see parents come to Christ as well.

We have created a class called Starting Point that we use for this.  We have seen hundreds of kids and parents go through the class and make a solid decision to follow Christ.  It is available for your ministry at www.buildingchildrensministry.com.

When a child begins asking questions about following Christ, it's an exciting time.  What a privilege we have to share Jesus with children.  But we also carry a responsibility to help children understand what that means.     

Frozen...it's the highest grossing animated film of all times.

It is also the most downloaded kid movie from iTunes.  You can often hear kids singing, "Let it Go...Let it Go...Let it Go!"  Last October,  you could see kids in Elsa, Anna and Kristoff costumes at fall festivals across the country.

Disney, as usual, used their expertise in marketing and you find the characters images on clothes, toys, school supplies, lunch boxes and more.

Let's stop and think about why Frozen has resonated with kids so well.  What makes them want to watch it over and over?  What's the appeal?  Why do they connect with the characters so well?  What can we learn from this?

Recently two psychologists, Yalda Uhls with Common Sense Media and Maryam Kia-Keating with the University of California shared with CNN why Frozen was such a big hit with kids.

This weekend we will be baptizing several parents of kids who are part of our children's ministry.

This happens almost every time we have baptism.  Parents who have come to Christ are baptized with their children.  We see this happen because of a change we made a few years ago.

Here it is.  We have parents attend their kid's faith commitment / baptism class with them.   It is required.  No drop offs. (the class is available for your church at www.buildingchildrensministry.com)

Then we are very intentional in the class about not only sharing the Gospel with the kids, but with the parents as well.  This can be as simple as saying, "Parents, you've heard what it means to enter a relationship with Jesus.  If you haven't taken that step, we would like to invite you to do so as well."

And that's when the power of the Gospel reaches parents.  There is a family I am baptizing this coming weekend.  After a recent baptism class, (we have two classes - first week is salvation and second week is about baptism) I sat down with this single mom and her daughter who had attended.  They both wanted to be baptized.  They shared how they had went home and prayed to receive Christ's forgiveness together after hearing the Gospel in the first class.  Mom and daughter...both reached for Christ.

This story could be told hundreds of times over.  Be intentional about sharing the Gospel with not only kids, but with their parents as well.  Remember...

"When you reach a child, you change a life.  When you reach parents, you change an entire family."

This past weekend we had a training for our volunteers.

Below is the opening session.  I shared three keys to impacting kids for Christ.  Praying with you for a great fall season of ministry.

I took this picture this past weekend right before a father and son who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior were baptized together. I love how the son is looking at his father as his spiritual leader. 

This was one story of the 1,428 people who followed Christ in baptism this past weekend at our services. Lots of kids and parents chose to be baptized together. In many cases, it was the child that God used to bring the parents to Christ and then encouraged them to make it public through baptism.

Churches do not have to be dead. The Holy Spirit is drawing people. The vast majority of people who were baptized came from either no church background or a Catholic background. Be encouraged. God still changes lives.

Share the Gospel.  It still changes lives in 2014! 

p.s. For all the critics...whether you baptize 1 person or 1000 people, you must be diligent to share the Gospel clearly.  Is everyone who makes a decision sincere?  We believe so, but that's up to them and God. 

Our job is simply to share the truth. Everyone of the children who were baptized went through a class first with their parents where the Gospel was thoroughly shared and they were counseled.

I do know that many, many of the people were baptized with tears running down their faces.  I think many churches have excuses instead of passionately reaching out to people far from God.

Here are two prayers I shared with the parents in our ministry.

One is a prayer they can pray with their child and one is a prayer they can pray for their child.  Feel free to use.  Praying parents make the difference in a child's life.

A Prayer With Your Child

Dear God,

Thank you for ____________. As he/she begins this school year,

help him/her to use the talents and gifts you've given him/her to do his/her very best.

May he/she listen to his/her teachers with respect.

Help him/her be honest if he/she is ever tempted to cheat.

Help him/her to always tell the truth, be kind to everyone at school,

and treat others as he/she would like to be treated.

Help him/her to make good friends and be a good friend to others.

And help him/her to remember that You’re always with him/her.

and that You’ll never leave his/her side.

May he/she love You and follow You with all his/her heart, soul, and strength.

In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

A Prayer for Your Child

Father,

Enable _______________ to stand strong in Christ. (2 Timothy 3:10-12)

Give him/her a hunger for learning. Enable him/her to use his/her ability to think and learn. (1 Samuel 2:10)

May he/she study and work with diligence. (Proverbs 10:4-5)

I pray that he/she will develop healthy relationships with others. (Proverbs 13:20)

Show him/her how to relate to others with compassion, respect, and understanding. (Ephesians 4:32)

I ask that he/she will have good relationships with the teachers and the administration and show them respect. (Romans 13:1)

I pray that Your Holy Spirit will do a powerful and gracious work in his/her heart. (John 16:7-11)

May he/she love You and follow You with all his/her heart, soul, and strength. (Deuteronomy 6:5-6)

In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

Katy Perry is currently the highest profile P.K. that has gone awry.  In a recent interview, she said she is no longer a Christian and doesn't believe in heaven, hell, or "an old man sitting on a throne."

Katy represents a host of P.K.'s who have struggled with their faith.  Recent stats from Barna research says that...

• 40% have gone through a period where they significantly questioned their faith
• 33% are no longer active in church
• 7% no longer consider him or herself a Christian

What causes this?  Pastors who were asked answered:

• 28% - unrealistic expectations were placed on them
• 18% - negative experiences in church
• 17% - father or mother is too busy at church to spend time with them
• 14% - faith not modeled at home
• 9% - influence of friends or peers

What Pastors say they've done best in raising their kids:

• 37% - introduced them to Christ and maintained a Bible-focused home
• 21% - spent time with them and supported them
• 12% - loved them
• 10% - taught them good values
• 9% - allowed them to make their own choices and be themselves

 What Pastors said they wish they had done better:

• 42% - had spent more time with their kids
• 8% - wish they had been more understanding
• 5% - wish they had given them more Bible teaching
• 19% - no regrets, wouldn't change anything

I have a special place in my heart for kids who are P.K.'s because I am one.  I grew up to serve the Lord and live for Him.  Looking back here are a few reasons...

My parents practiced what they preached.  I could argue with what they believed, but I couldn't argue with how they lived what they believed.

My dad and mom spent time with me.  My dad spent hours with me in the backyard practicing pitching with me when I was in Little League.  When I got into high school and played basketball, he was there in the stands cheering for me.  My mom poured her life into me, always there for me.

I was able to see past the negative side of ministry.  Yes, there are negative sides to ministry.  Sheep bite and people are not perfect.  At times there are politics.  The church is made up of people.  People who struggle and have weaknesses like we all do.  But I was able to see past that and see the bigger picture.

I made a personal choice to follow Christ and my faith became my own.  I came to Christ when I was a young child.  It was a very real experience which I can still remember to this day.  When I was in high school, God begin to speak to me about being a Pastor myself.

My parents had never asked me about being a pastor.  In fact, they had mentioned several times I should consider being a school teacher.  And I had personally told God I would never be a pastor.  Yes, I would be faithful to church and serve Him...but not working for a church.

But when God calls...you have to make a choice.  You can say "yes" or you can walk away from His will for your life.  After struggling for months, I made the choice to say "yes" to God's plan for my life.

I said that to say this.  At the end of the day, each person must decide for themselves if they will follow Christ or not.  Yes, godly parents do make a difference and help cultivate the soil, but they cannot make the decision for their child.

Do I blame Katy Perry's parents for the road she has chosen?  No.  She picked this path.  I could have just as easily chosen to go down a path away from God.

If your Pastor has kids in your Children's Ministry, I want to encourage you to...

• Love them.  They are just like the other kids in your ministry.  They want to know you care about them, not because of who their father is, but because of who they are as an individual.

• Let them be kids.  They are not perfect.  They are going to misbehave at times and make mistakes.  Don't say, "You should know better.  You are the Pastor's kid!"  This places unrealistic expectations on them. 

• Don't mistreat their parents.  When you talk about the Pastor or cause strife in the church, you not only bring hurt to him, you hurt his kids as well.  Even if they don't know the details (hopefully their parents are protecting them from the negative side of church), they sense when there is strife and division in the church.

• Pour into their lives.  Just because their father is the pastor, doesn't mean they don't need other people to teach them, mentor them, and speak into their lives.  Yes, my parents were my primary spiritual influence, but there were also lots of godly leaders who poured into my life over the years.  They all had a part in my decision to follow Christ.

• Don't place unrealistic expectations on their father that causes him to be gone from home all the time.  Help protect their father's time.  They need a father at home just like other kids.  Don't contribute to them resenting the church because it took their father away all the time.

What are your thoughts about P.K.s?
If you are a P.K., share your experience growing up.
Are you a Pastor or staff member in ministry who currently has kids at home?
What are some other ways we can support and encourage P.K.'s?
What are some other reasons why you believe some P.K.'s walk away from God?

Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.

Churches across the country hosted Fall Festivals this past week.

As a result, many churches saw first-time guest families walk through their doors. 

Now that the event is over the big questions is - How do I get them to return for a weekend service?  How do I engage them with our church and more importantly see them become followers of Christ?

Here's 6 steps that will help you effectively follow up with your Fall Festival guests.

1. Get their contact information. 
If you're going to follow up with them, you obviously have to get their contact information.  Have a plan in place for this.  It might be having them register to enter the event or a drawing for a giveaway during the fall festival or a photo booth where you take their picture and mail it to them later.

2. Give them a great experience.
Make sure your guests have a blast at the event.  If they have a bad experience, follow-up will be futile.

3. Send them an email.
Send them an email the day after the event.  Here's the email we sent out this year.

Dear Parent,

Thank you for being our guest at the 2013 Family Fall Festival. We hope you had a great time. Christ Fellowship is a family made up of people just like you and me, who come together to encourage and support each other on this journey called life.

One of the most exciting and challenging parts of life is being a parent. At Christ Fellowship, we want to help your kids learn more about God and discover the purpose He has for their lives.  We also desire to come alongside parents to provide parenting tools, resources, encouragement and support.

You can get more information about Christ Fellowship by visiting our website at www.goChristFellowship.com or by calling (561) 799-7600. We also invite you to be our guest at any of our weekend services. We're here for you and your family.

Hope to see you this weekend!

4. Send them a letter.
Another option is to send them a letter with the above information or send the email and then a letter the next week with different wording.

5. Call them.
A short...thank you for coming...if we can be of any service to you...phone call is appropriate.  I would encourage you to keep it light and not come across as pushy. 

6. Invite them to your next big event.
Add them to your mailing list and invite them to your next event.  Even if they don't show up for a church service the next weekend, you may see them return for another event.  Keep planting seeds...God will bring the fruit.

Dear Pastor,

The church is made up of many different ministries.  All of them are vitally important.

I want to share with you why I believe Children's Ministry is one of the most vital.

• Children's Ministry was a priority for Jesus.  The disciples didn't think it should be, but Jesus did.  He made time to minister to children.  

• Children are the greatest mission field.  Stats show that 85% of people who come to Christ do so before the age of 18.  We must invest our time and resources where we will see the biggest harvest.

• Children's ministry can be a major growth engine for your church.  When you reach children, you reach parents.  We can have the greatest worship and messages, but if the children are not connecting, mom and dad won't stick around for long.  There's a reason people stand in line for hours waiting for their kids to see Santa.

• One of the best investments you can make for your church is a great children's facility.  It will pay for itself many times over by the families it brings.

• Children's Ministry is not childcare.  It is ministry at the most critical time in a person's life.  The early years are the most formative.

• Staff your Children's Ministry well.  There is no "slow" time for Children's Ministry.  Summer is our busiest time and we go from that right into the fall.  A good ratio is one full-time person for every 100-125 kids.  Your Children's Ministry staff is one of your most valuable partners in ministry.  Take good care of them.

•  If your Children's Ministry space is at capacity, your church will stop growing.  It doesn't matter how much space you have in the auditorium.  A full Children's Ministry space is a lid for the entire church.

• Student Ministry is vitally important, but don't let Children's Ministry get lost in it's shadow.   Remember, students can drive themselves to church.  Children are brought by their parents. If you want to reach families, reach kids.

• Children are not the church of tomorrow, they are the church of today.  A healthy family is made up of grandparents, parents, and children.  Involve them in the life of the entire church.  Give them opportunities to lead worship, greet, pray, read Scripture, serve, and more.

• Make the Children's Ministry budget one of your largest budget items.  God will pour out His financial blessings on a church that invests in reaching and discipling children.

Thank you for taking time to listen.  We're you're biggest fan.  We're here to serve you.  Our heart is to stand by your side and help you reach families for Christ. 

Dale Hudson

We've all had brain freeze before.  You know, that sudden headache you get when eating or drinking something cold.

Ever wander what causes it?  I did a little research and here's what I discovered.

The medical term for brain freeze is sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia.  Wow...that's a long term.  Now you know why we just call it "brain freeze."

When something cold touches the roof of your mouth, the sudden temperature change causes rapid dilation and swelling of blood vessels.  This is an attempt to direct blood to the area and warm it back up.

The dilation of the blood vessels triggers pain receptors.  This produces inflammation while sending signals to the brain about the problem.

The brain interprets the pain signal as coming from the forehead.  This is called 'referred pain' since the cause of the pain is in a different location from where you feel it.

Brain freeze typically hits about 10 seconds after chilling your palate and lasts about 30 seconds.  A long 30 seconds, I might add.

I've also get ministry brain freeze.  Here's some cold things in ministry that can cause me pain.

A chilly, critical letter that picks apart something we've put blood, sweat, and tears into. 

A cold shoulder from someone I'm inviting to join our volunteer team.

An icy stare from someone we offended through bad guest relations.

The freezing spiritual temperature of a nonchalant parent I'm encouraging to be the spiritual leader of their child.

The coldness I feel when a family I have loved and poured my life into becomes disgruntled and leaves the church.

The frozen heart of a person I'm sharing Christ with who has no interest.

The numb feeling I get when a program or event I put hours and hours into gets a cold response.

So what do you do when you get ministry brain freeze?

My natural urge is to sulk, run, get angry, complain, or just quit.  But I have to resist those things.  They're not the answer to ministry brain freeze.

First, I have to get alone with Jesus and let Him warm my heart back up.  In His presence, the cold pain will begin to melt away.

I must remember that pain can even come from something you love.  I love ice cream.  And most of the time, that's what gives me brain freeze. 

And isn't that just like ministry brain freeze.  I love ministry...but I must remember that it will cause me pain at times.  But it's working through the cold pain that your relationship with Christ and your ministry for Christ will grow deeper.

I must also remind myself that brain freeze is only temporary.  It may hurt for awhile, but it will subside.  Hang on.  Endure the pain and you'll come out stronger and more effective.

Your turn.

What causes you ministry brain freeze?

What do you do when it happens?

What have you learned through it?

Share your thoughts in the comment section.  God will use your words to encourage us. 

Confidence is David facing Goliath.

Confidence is Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego looking into a fiery furnace.

Confidence is Peter stepping out of the boat.

Confidence is Paul sharing his faith with King Agrippa.

Confidence is Esther walking into the king's court.

Confidence...is courage at ease.

Confidence...is knowing God is in control.

Confidence...is faith that leads to achievement.

Confidence...is something that will help you lead well in Children's Ministry.

People will gravitate to and follow someone who is confident.  Not cocky...but confident.  Not arrogant...but confident.  Not prideful...but confident.  There is a difference.

Do you have confidence?  Do you want to improve your confidence?  Here's some ways to gain confidence and show it as a children's ministry leader. 

Spend time with Jesus.  Ultimately your confidence must emanate from your personal relationship with Christ.

Depend on God...completely.  This leads to Godfidence.  Which is the best form of confidence.

Know your strengths and use them.  When you are operating in your sweet spot, you will naturally feel more confident.

Take care of yourself physically.  Exercise and eat right.  When you are healthy and in shape, it gives you confidence.

Walk straight and tall with your head held high.  Your body language is key in communicating confidence.

When you make eye contact with parents and kids, always smile.  Smiling shows confidence.

Use good posture when you sit.  Don't slouch.  Sit with your back straight. 

Learn to maintain eye contact when talking with someone.  Look directly into the eyes of the person.

Have a "can do" attitude.  A positive attitude speaks confidence. 

Take the initiative and introduce yourself to people.  When you walk into a room, be friendly and greet people instead of waiting to be greeted.

Dress sharp.  Your clothes do make a difference.  This doesn't mean your clothes have to be expensive, but it does mean you dress your best.

Always sit up front in meetings, services, etc.  Confident leaders gravitate to the front of the room.

Remind yourself of your successes instead of dwelling on your failures.  Make a list of your successes.  This is not to brag to others, but to remember that God is with you. 

Don't compare yourself to others.  God did not create you to be copy of someone else.  He created you to be you.  Confidence comes when you know who you are in Christ.

Know God's calling and purpose for your life.  When you know you are living out God's plan and purpose for your life, it instills a deep, abiding sense of confidence.

Prepare...prepare...prepare.  Walking into something prepared helps you walk in with confidence.
Practice makes perfect?  No...but it does make you confident.

Your turn.  What gives you confidence?

Awana has been helping churches and parents raise children and youth to know, love and serve Christ for more than 50 years.  Each week, nearly 2 million kids take part in Awana worldwide through more than 26,000 churches.

Whether it's through Bible verse memorization drills or crafts, Awana helps children build their faith in Christ on a solid biblical foundation, enabling them to face the tween and teen years through a strong Christian walk.

92.7 percent of Awana alumni continue to regularly attend church as adults, and only 1.8 percent said they had dropped out of church since high school, according to an Awana alumni survey conducted in 2007.

Awana recently announced a partnership with Crossway to release a newly updated ESV (English Standard Version) curriculum.  I recently reviewed the Cubbies (preschooler) kit you see pictured above.  Here are some highlights that stood out to me.

• Appleseed Teaching Cards - beautifully illustrated these teach vital topics such as God is our Creator, God's Word is Truth, God Keeps His Promises, and more.  It also comes with PDFs that you can use to project the images for large format viewing.

• The student books do an excellent job in partnering with parents to extend the lessons and memory verses into the home.  Each lesson equips parents to lead their children spiritually through hands on activities, discussion starters, and a CD.

• The leader shirts are comfortable and will be appealing to your volunteers.  The kids' shirts have the "fun" factor that your preschoolers will love.

• There are great tools that leaders can use to connect with kids and parents including birthday cards, postcards, and more.

• Kids love puppets and there are 3 puppets included to capture kid's attention.

• I love gadgets and this kit has one of the coolest I've seen in awhile.  It's a fan that lights up and shares the gospel when you turn it on.  

My friends at Awana will be giving away a kit to one of our readers.  This is a $300 value.  You can enter by emailing me (dalehudsoncm2@gmail.com.  I will announce the winner next Friday, August 16, here on this site.

Here's a promo video with more information about this great new resource.

Looking for an amazing way to reach new families for Christ?  FX Live is the way to go!

It's an event for the whole family.  With lights, fog, a unique sound track and loads of action, families experience Biblical truths communicated through high octane games and challenges.

Conducted by one of their highly trained event directors, it is the easiest event you will ever host in your church.

Last week we hosted the event.  We provided invite cards and posters our families could use to invite their unchurched neighbors, co-workers, and family members.  They got the word out and over 3,200 kids and parents came to the event at two of our campuses.

We asked how many people in the audience had never been to our church before and at least 30% of the audience were first-time guests. 

My friend, Roger Fields, who founded the outreach 17 years ago, presented the Gospel clearly and we saw over 400 children and parents walk forward to accept God's gift of salvation.  We are now following up with those who made decisions and helping them take next steps.  There are already over 300 kids/parents who have started signing up for our baptism class.  In addition, there are hundreds of new families that we are now connecting to our church family.

Behind the numbers are so many stories of individuals who were invited and came to Christ through the event.  Here's one story.  A 3rd grader who attends our church had been bullied by a girl at school.  She had been very hurt emotionally, but decided to go to the bully and tell her she had forgiven her.  She then invited the bully to come to the event with her.  The bully came and walked forward to accept Christ as her Savior.  That story could be told many times over.

So if you're looking for an event that will bring new families into your church and help you reach them with the Gospel, FX Live is a great way to make it happen.  You can connect with Roger and the FX Live team at www.kidzblitz.com.

Here's some pictures from the event that was held at our church.

The good children's ministry leader teaches kids.  The great children's ministry leader teaches kids and teaches other people how to teach kids.

The good children's ministry leader reaches kids.  The great children's ministry leader reaches entire families.

The good children's ministry leader impacts the children's department.  The great children's ministry leader impacts the entire church.

The good children's ministry leader flies solo.  The great children's ministry leader collaborates.

The good children's ministry leader brings his/her best.  The great children's ministry leader brings out the best in others.

The good children's ministry leader has talent.  The great children's ministry leader has a talented team.

The good children's ministry leader disciples kids.  The great children's ministry leader equips parents to disciple their kids.

The good children's ministry leader brings challenges to church leadership.  The great children's ministry leader brings challenges and possible solutions to the challenges to church leadership.

The good children's ministry leader maintains a lot of mediocre programs.  The great children's ministry leader focuses on doing a few programs with excellence.

The good children's ministry leader is a great lecturer.  The great children's ministry leader is a great facilitator.

The good children's ministry leader always comes up with the best idea.  The great children's ministry leader always identifies the best idea...no matter who it came from.

The good children's ministry leader leads well.  The great children's ministry leader leads well and raises up others who can lead well.

The good children's ministry leader is always on hand to "run the show."  The great children's ministry leader can be gone and nothing misses a beat.

The good children's ministry leader is great with kids.  The great children's ministry leader is great with kids and adults.

The good children's ministry leader makes sure everything is comfortable.  The great children's ministry leader makes sure everything is constantly being evaluated and improved.

The good children's ministry leader has completed a ministry degree.  The great children's ministry leader may have a degree, but realizes he/she will always be in school.

The good children's ministry leader is gifted.  The great ministry children's ministry leader helps others discover their gifts.

The good children's ministry leader tells kids how to follow Christ.  The great children's ministry leader shows kids how to follow Christ.

The good children's ministry leader prays in public.  The great children's ministry leader prays in public and private.

The good children's ministry leader listens to feedback when it is given.  The great children's ministry leader actively seeks out and asks for feedback.

In our volunteer orientation class, we share 6 benefits of serving in Children's Ministry.

First of all, you’re joining a FAMILY.  You’re going to find you develop friendships with the people you serve with.  You’ll laugh together, share prayer requests, support each other, pray for each other and encourage each other.

You see, we weren’t meant to do the Christian life alone…and serving in Children's Ministry means you will be surrounded by friends who will walk with you on your journey.  You’re gaining a family.

You’re also getting ready to be a part of FUN.  Yep…that’s right.  Fun.  And lots of it.  No matter your age…there’s still a little kid inside you who wants to have fun.  And now that you’re a part of the Children's Ministry team…you can let that little kid out and have fun.  Laugh…smile…enjoy yourself.  Have a good time!

Another benefit of serving in Children's Ministry is FAITH.  You’re going to find your faith growing.  You see, serving is a key component of growing your faith.  So get ready to see your spiritual growth accelerate as you begin serving.

There’s something else you’re going to be part of by joining the team…and that’s a FOCUS.  We are focused on one thing – impacting our world with the love and message of Jesus Christ…everyone...everyday...everywhere.

This is WHY you will be serving.  This is why you will be holding babies in the nursery, this is why you will be helping preschoolers color a Bible story picture, this is why you will be greeting new kids and families, this is why you will be leading group of kids, this is why you will be running a computer presentation or sound board, this is why you will be passing out take home papers, this is why you will be helping families check in, this is why you will be leading kids in worship, this is why you will be sharing a Bible story, this is why you will be helping keep the kids safe.

It’s so they can be impacted by the love and message of Jesus Christ…so they can discover the hope that's found in Him.  This is the focus of the team you are joining.  It’s a focus that’s worth giving your best to.

You’re also going to experience FULLNESS of joy.  There is a joy that comes from serving others.  It’s a deep, abiding joy that comes from knowing God is using your life to help other people.  You’re going to discover it truly is more joyful to give than to receive.  As you give yourself away...your joy will be full.

And finally…you are going to be a part of FRUIT.  The Bible tells us as Christians we are to bear fruit.  By fruit, it means helping other people come to Christ.  And boy did you pick a great place to bear fruit.

Did you know that 85% of people who come to Christ do so before the age of 18.  I believe the heart of a child is the most fertile soil in which to plant the Word of God.  Studies show children learn more in their early years than at any other time in life.

You’re going to see spiritual fruit. You’re going to see kids step across the line of faith and become lifelong followers of Christ.  You’re going to see kids immediately grab hold of what you share and begin to live it out.

And not only will you see the fruit now…but later as well as your ministry continues to bear fruit in their lives as they grow up.

So get ready to experience family…fun...your faith growing…a focus that matters…fullness of joy…and lots of fruit.

(Below is the video we show at orientation that shares the benefits of serving.)