Attract kids to church, the logic often goes, and you get parents in the pews. All that's left is to get the kids out of the way. Here children's ministers David Csinos and Ivy Beckwith draw on research in human development and spiritual formation to show how children become disciples and churches become centers of lifelong discipleship.
A step-by-step guide to building a strong children's ministry that is a vital part of the church. People know they are called to children's ministry when they get goose bumps and butterflies from something a kid says or an idea that they know will communicate the gospel to children. Building Children's Ministry provides the practical information to transform those feelings and that calling into a successful children's ministry that is integrated into the life of the congregation. The book is divided into topical chapters, including: Getting the support of the pastor and the congregation Statements of purpose Budgets and fundraising Recruiting and keeping volunteers Safety and security Discipline and appropriate policies Choosing and evaluating curriculum Publicity Building Children's Ministry is a practical guide through the challenging (but exciting) steps between recognizing the need for children's ministry and creating a program that ministers to children and their families.
The story of Jesus interacting with the Emmaus disciples after his resurrection provides an outline for what a gospel-centered kids ministry looks like: gospel-centered teaching that points to Jesus in every session, gospel-centered transformation that positions the gospel to change a child's heart and then his or her behavior, and gospel-centered mission where kids join in on the big story of Jesus that continues to unfold. Seven out of ten kids will walk away from church after they turn eighteen. About five will return when they have families of their own. But two will never return. Clearly, something isn’t connecting with our kids. As kids ministry leaders, we need to take a hard look at what we are missing in our kids ministries and provide kids the one thing that will satisfy them and keep them connected to the church—the gospel. Gospel-Centered Kids Ministry also addresses how to communicate with and encourage gospel-centered leaders and parents as part of your ministry.
Much ministry to children looks more like mere entertainment than authentic spiritual formation. But what if children's ministries were rooted in a mind set whereby we taught children, with our words and actions, how the story of God, the story of church history, the story of the local community, and the story of the child intersect and speak to one another? What if children's ministry was less about downloading information into kids' heads and more about leading them into these powerful, compelling stories? Beckwith aims to help ministers and parents create a ministry that captures children's imaginations not just to keep them occupied, but to live as citizens of the kingdom of God. In addition to providing theological reasons for formational children's ministry, the book offers examples of how Ivy and other practitioners are implementing a formational model.
Presents a new paradigm for children's ministry in the emerging church of the 21st century and explores current ways churches are putting that vision into practice.
Many children’s ministries are a flurry of activity, run by dedicated volunteers and staff who put in long hours and work hard for the good of the children and parents they serve. Yet despite good intentions, many children’s ministries today are not effective. They lack purpose and intentionality. A twenty-five year veteran of children’s ministry in the local church, pastor Steve Adams has ministered to families in multiple churches, from tiny church plants to his present position at Saddleback Church. In this book, Steve applies the revolutionary insights of the Purpose Driven Church to children’s ministry and leads readers on a journey of discovery, showing them how to develop an intentional ministry process that moves children toward spiritual health while building a healthy ministry environment for those who work with kids. You will learn how to ask and answer five simple but powerful questions: Why are we on this journey? Where are you and where are you going? Who are we trying to reach? How will we move our children towards spiritual health? What are the essential elements necessary for the journey? There is no single key to a successful children’s ministry, nor is there only one way that works for everyone. But there is a proven process you can follow and Steve shows how children’s ministries all over the world are reaching their God-given potential by discovering their biblical purpose, avoiding the traps of frustration and burnout.
No teacher wants to be a drill sergeant. No child wants to be in trouble all the time. . . . . Imagine being able to take all the energy that you spend on crowd control and pour it into teaching kids to know, love, and follow Jesus. You can. Teachers who are masters at classroom discipline aren't born that way--they're trained. These teachers have learned what makes kids tick, how to teach kids of all learning styles, and the importance of respecting their students. Excellent teachers know and understand their students' needs and then create a classroom environment where diverse needs can be met. # This book offers you the tools for teaching through your own example as well as by lesson. You'll learn to honor children as Jesus honored them, to understand and meet their needs, and to recognize and deal with differences in personalities and learning styles. # You'll find practical help for the nitty-gritty situations that come up in classrooms week in and week out. # You'll receive expert advice on important issues such as how to deal with children with Attention Deficit Disorder (A. D. D. ), # Find advice on how to work with parents to improve your relationships with students. # The final chapter offers training principles of positive discipline as you work together to develop a unified discipline plan for your church.
Research shows that by the time many children are thirteen years old they feel they know everything there is to know about the Bible and God, and feel no further need of attending church. Could this be because we have underestimated their spiritual potential, and been content to feed them a repetitive spiritual diet of basic Bible stories over and over again? Just how many ways can we repackage Noah's Ark anyway? It's time the collective body of Christ re-evaluate children's ministries and redefine what valid, disciple-making, equipping children's ministry really is.
Create an effective children's ministry with help from the top experts! For over 10 years, Children's Ministry That Works has been helping ministry leaders create dynamic and effective ministry programs in churches across the country. Now, completely revised and updated, this new version will help you be successful for the next 10 years! Overflowing with expert insights from over 25 successful children's ministry leaders, you're guaranteed to find solutions for every area of your ministry! You'll learn the best tips, creative ideas and strategies from leaders like Craig Jutila, Thom and Joani Schultz, Mike Sciarra, Sue Miller, Pat Verbal, Gordon and Becki West, Jim Wideman, Chris Yount, and more! Children's Ministry That Works: Revised and Updated will equip your ministry with these key benefits: Help for key areas of children's ministry, including: Developing your leadership team Safety and liability in children's ministry Partnering with parents Teaching so children can learn Adventurous art and creative crafts Vacation Bible School Successful after-school and mid-week programs and more! 15 brand-new chapters! Plus, substantial revisions to the other chapters to offer you the most current insights and advice of the top children's ministry experts! Easy to read and packed with practical ideas! These ideas have been proven in actual children's ministry and refined and improved over time. Insights for every level of children's ministry! Whether you're a seasoned veteran or a beginner in children's ministry, you'll refer to this resource regularly for the help you need!
