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How to Get a Handle on a Challenging Child
Last night at our kids program, we had two students who were having a very hard time settling down and settling in. They were a bit of a handful throughout the evening, and by the time we got to our small groups, they were not about to comply. So without a second thought, the grade director and the program director sprang into action. Instinctively, separately, each took one of the boys. They stayed in plain sight of the main group, but they each found a spot to sit and have a private conversation. I wandered nearby, just see how it was going with each child. My heart swelled when I…
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Isn’t it Enough that My Parents Believe?
I have encountered kids who think they are in the same “spiritual boat” with their family, so to speak. Scripture makes it clear that each of us must decide whether we believe that Jesus is God's Son who came to take away our sin. It's our job as leaders to make this clear to our kids.
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The Reason Accuracy Matters
When teaching men to pray, the first thing Jesus said was, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name…” The Greek word for hallowed is hosios. It means sacred, consecrated, treated properly, right, purely. God’s name–His reputation–is of the utmost importance. God cares about His reputation for a very good reason…
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Why Do We Ask So Many Questions in Small Group?
When we look to Jesus as our perfect example of a teacher and leader, we can't help but notice that He was full of questions for His students. What benefit was there for His asking when He already knew every answer?
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How to Be a More Well-Rounded Leader
You may have heard it said that a person’s greatest strength is often their greatest weakness. When a God-given strength goes unchecked, it can become a liability. There is a way to bring balance back into the equation.
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How to Recruit Volunteers for Your Children’s Ministry
Recruiting volunteers is nothing less than offering a personal invitation to join God in what He is doing in the lives of children. Use this guide to invite the right people to join your team, and do it in a way that makes them most likely to say yes!
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Target All Types of Learners When You Teach
Try this experiment with your kids…
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How to Teach Kids to Live Free From Fear
Do kids worry? You bet they do! And it robs them of the joy God has planned for them. Fearless living isn't some kind of ethereal mystery! There are steps we can take; God's word tells us how. We must teach it to our kids and model it for them. (Of course, we leaders have to own it before we can do either.)
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How to Help Kids with Disruptive Behavior
Years ago, comedian Mark Lowry told his story of growing up in a less-than-happy home. He was hyperactive and most adults did not know how to handle him. He was constantly in trouble at home and at school. He joked that his dad worked out a “two for one deal” with his teacher. When he got a paddling at school for misbehaving, he would get one at home as well! While Mark has many stories of the teachers who were endlessly frustrated with him, he recalled one teacher’s assistant who had a very different reaction…
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How Does a Personal Story Affect Your Lesson?
One pastor said, “I could give the same sermon with a different personal story, and everyone will think I’ve given a completely new sermon. But if I tell the same personal story with a completely different text, everyone will think I’ve told the same sermon twice!” Funny enough, it’s the stories that stick. Why do personal stories strike such a chord? I believe it’s because kids want to know these things can really happen. These aren’t just ancient stories. These supernatural truths don’t just apply to bearded men wearing robes. Kids want to see the principles of God’s kingdom being lived out now–in our time, in our town, by real…
