Curriculum (n): The totality of student experiences in the educational process. This important term originates from the Latin “the course of a race,” which helps us to understand what choosing curriculum is truly all about. In children’s ministry, we have the high responsibility of “setting the course” on which our children will run. Prayerfully, the chosen curriculum…
Tag: Bible
Children’s Ministry 101. Lesson 6: Recruit the Laborers
Do you enjoy rejection? Do you like it when people duck their heads to escape your gaze when they think you are “after them?” Do you relish the thought of getting dozens of “no’s” only to see some of the same overworked members step up to the plate? Well, welcome to the world of recruiting volunteers! Do I paint…
Children’s Ministry 101. Lesson 5: Recruit the Team
The Word of God teaches that the Church is the Body of Christ (Romans 12, I Corinthians 12). This description has many rich implications for church life, including how we do the work of children’s ministry. To properly minister to our covenant children, the local church needs a team (a body) of gifted believers to do this work,…
Children’s Ministry 101. Lesson 4: Set the Core
Whether you have inherited an existing children’s ministry or are working from the ground up, it’s vital to set the CORE of your ministry. These are the essential components that are (humanly speaking) unmovable and unchangeable–the backbone of your entire ministry to children. And, just like your own body’s “core,” your ongoing task is to strengthen…
Children’s Ministry 101. Lesson 3: Set the Mission
Now that we have our dual starting points for children’s ministry (parents AND outreach), the next step is to set the mission. This essential part of the process is more than just writing a mission statement that goes on your website and letterhead. Setting the mission is all about establishing the foundation of the ministry and seeking…
Children’s Ministry 101. Lesson 2: Begin with Outreach
No, there’s not a typo in the title. Yes, Lesson One was entitled “Begin with Parents.” So is it possible to have two different starting points in children’s ministry? It’s not only possible; it’s essential! To begin only with our members and our covenant children will potentially make us more inward rather than outward looking. Choosing…
Children’s Ministry 101. Lesson 1: Begin with Parents
So, you’ve been called to lead your church’s children’s ministry. Congratulations! You are entering into the vital work of telling “the next generation the glorious deeds of our LORD (Psalm 78:4).” What a privilege you have to direct a ministry which points children to Jesus. But where to begin? Maybe you have inherited a ministry that has a well-established…
Letting Children Choose…their Sexuality?
A new YouTube video featuring a California father’s response to his son’s choice of doll has gone viral, with millions of views to date. If one is to believe the comments attached to this self-promoting clip, this man is in line for the next Father-of-the-Century award. What does he say to his son that is…
Talk to your Children about the Real War
It seems as though each week at the dinner table, I’m talking to my children about another war. Some weeks, it’s the war of radical Islam against the western world. Other times, it’s the culture wars, involving issues like abortion, transgender issues, and gay marriage. Sprinkled in between are discussions of political wars between left and…
You Never Graduate from the School of Christ
Two weekends, two graduations. Our daughter number three graduated from high school, and daughter number one from college (that’s right, my children have no names, just numbers). It’s that time of year in America! As we transition to summer, hoards of young people walk across the stage, and into another chapter of their lives. They are told…
Are Parents Creating a Generation of Narcissists?
Recently, a pair of connected research studies were released dealing with the apparent increase of young narcissists in modern society. The researchers’ conclusion? Well, while there are several factors that combine to make a narcissist, the chief culprit appears to be the parents. Specifically, parents who “overvalue” their children and dole out too much praise may unleash a raging little…
Home of the Brave…or Home of the Fearful?
Our national anthem proclaims that America is “the land of the free and the home of the brave.” While it’s tempting to question the first part of that pronouncement, the last part has also fallen on hard times. Certainly, we still see many individual acts of bravery and courage every day, such as in the…
One Story Ministries 