next week i get the privilege of leading three workshops at lifeway’s kids ministry conference. below is a list and description of my workshops. if you are going i would love to meet you. stop by, say hi, and let’s chat kids ministry.
each year we present our first graders with a new Bible. we have a special family brunch where we share the importance of God’s Word to families. (you can read more about that here.) we also give the children a small gift bag. it usually contains some sort of family faith discussion product and a bookmark. you would think the purchased family-talk product would be the biggest hit, and they are great, but this year the real fruit of Bible reading came from our simple bookmark.
the bookmark is not an expensive item, but this year we saw its eternal value like never before. the idea for this bookmark came from the thought that 
while we are presenting children with God’s Word it can be incredibly daunting to know just where to begin. so many books. so many verses. so many words. so we thought what if we give them a jumping off point? what if we help children with some suggestions for verses and passages to seek as they begin their Bible reading? so we asked all the ministerial staff and first grade teachers to share with us the scriptures/passages that have meant the most to them. that’s all. we typed them neatly on a bookmark, laminated them really thick, and challenged the kids to use them to begin to find verses to read.
this year there was an overwhelming response. kids were so proud of their Bibles. they wanted them with them as much as
possible. we even heard a story of a child choosing to read God’s Word over playing games on an ipad.
here is what one father emailed in to say,
“What a wonderful Sunday! You gave a powerful (and challenging!) message on the importance of the Bible and each family’s role in it. Kaleb was so excited after church that his Bible did not leave his side the rest of the day! I could go on and on about all the impressive things but I think the one that was most special to me was the bookmark. That all those people took the time to share, y’all put it together so clearly, and that it gives us a starting point to read with him is just awesome. “
if you are like me you know that sometimes we make things too hard. we think money has to be spent, bells and whistles must blow, and mountains must move. we simply gave them a bookmark with a challenge to use it as a resource to read God’s Word. kids accepted the challenge, so in my mind and heart i believe there is a great potential for the moving of mountains and changed lives for eternity.
how do you encourage children to read’s God’s Word? i would love to hear your ideas.
my view from the kidmin ministry trenches
kidmin friends, be sure to follow my hashtag where i share all the lessons, failures, successes, encouragement, scripture, and random thoughts from someone who serves alongside you everyday in the kidmin trenches.
weekly serving in the trenches of ministry is hard and incredibly rewarding. somehow i hope to share a little insight, lessons i learned the hard way, tips, ideas, and Gospel centered encouragement.
so be sure to follow me on twitter here and look for my #kidmntrenchtalk tweets. may we always continue to spur one another on for the glory of God.
i am thrilled with the opportunity to teach a half-track at group’s kidmin conference this year. i get to spend 4 hours (two 2-hour sessions) with amazing kidmin leaders grappling with truths to discover how to intentionally help kids grow in their faith.
our time together will be exciting, REAL, hands-on, fun and relevant. each creative activity we experience together can be applied back to the kidmin setting of each church represented.
if you are attending kidmin this week, i would love to see you in my session. below is the official half-track description.
helping kids grow in their faith: understanding kids
session 1: planting seeds in kids and nourishing the soil of their faith
session 2: pruning and replanting the fruit of a child’s faith
with growing an authentic faith in Jesus as our goal, come experience R.E.A.L. ways to reach children. learn how to present the gospel so deep roots are planted and encourage the study of God’s Word to cultivate faithful disciples. you’ll discover how to provide opportunities for kids to apply truth so they’re lifelong doers of the Word.
kid’s ministry is hard. it is incredibly rewarding, but equally messy. while i often dream of serving in a world of rainbows and lollipops, most ministry days
resemble more of a battlefield. no one knows that better than the kidmin leader in the trenches next to you.
i think that is one of the main reasons i love group’s kidmin conference so much. almost every session/workshop speaker not only has years of kidmin/ministry experience, but they are serving weekly in the kidmin trenches.
- they get the weariness i carry, because they are also weekly trying to find a balance between serving and being still.
- they know the hopes that are longing in my heart because they are constantly praying them for their kids and families, too.
- those hunkered down in the trenches know ministry frustrations because they battle them on the front lines each day. they also know the value of laying down our battle plan and allowing the Holy Spirit to lead.
- they weekly fight insecurities that remind them of their weakness and in turn are able to experience the strength of the Lord as they serve through imperfection.
so this year at kidmin i can’t wait to connect with many of those i stand shoulder to shoulder with in the ministry trench. whether it is full-time, bi-vocational, or volunteer i am excited to learn from so many that serve so faithfully.
gina mcclain is one of the wisest most humble children’s pastors i know. she can relate to the daily struggles of ministry while always keeping and pointing others to an eternal perspective.
i love the pastor’s heart of brian haynes. he absolutely oozes Jesus. i can’t fathom all the additional pressures that come with the title of senior pastor, but brian leads will a singular focus of the message of Christ and you can’t help but leave encouraged and challenged.
as a single gal, i always leave time with gloria lee knowing i have kidmin friend the gets “my world.” we can laugh at the similarities we face serving single and rejoice in the fact that God chooses to use and stretch us right where He has us.
e.c. cunningham inspires me with his determination and ability to excel in transition. he truly makes the most of his assignment wherever God has placed him. he has such a positive attitude and sense of adventure.
no doubt about it, mary sims is the real deal. she approaches her bi-vocational role with such a fresh wave of enthusiasm. she is transparent and encouraging and the love she has for ministry in evident in the moment you meet her. my only question is just how in the world does she do it all?
i am almost certain that when it comes to kidmin you won’t meet a more authentic person than chris yount jones. her many years of experience and vast knowledge make her a wealth of information. but in my opinion, it is her weekly service in a preschool class at her church that makes her such an insightful member of the kidmin trenches.
oh there are countless others i can’t wait to connect with at kidmin ’14. i am just so grateful to know that even when our time in columbus is over and we spread back across the country and world, we are still shoulder to shoulder in the kidmin trenches.