“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” – Proverbs 22:6 To be transparent, I’ve preached it from the pulpit; chances are you have, too. The problem is that this doesn’t work. Many children of good Christian parents choose to leave the […]
The answer is no for most churches, but we can change starting today. Judges 2:7 says, “The people served the Lord all the days of Joshua and the elders who outlived Joshua and had seen all the great works of God.” A few verses later, it says, “Another generation did not know the Lord or his […]
This is my story about how I started writing Sunday School curriculum. It was 1979. I was 20 and recently accepted a Kids’ Pastor position at a new church in Port Huron and like many new kids’ pastors, I did not know what I was doing. I did not set out to write a new […]
The best way to partner with parents is to get parents involved with the children’s ministry program. Let me tell you how I figured this out. I meet with my small group leaders once a month. Sometimes, I go around the room and ask each leader this question… What are you getting out of your […]
We hear a lot about “church hurt” today. It’s an oxymoron. It feels like those two words shouldn’t be connected. Isn’t the church supposed to be a place of healing? Why does it seem like so many people are hurt by the church? The truth is that people hurt people, and the church is full […]
“Write the vision, and make a plan upon tables that he may run that readeth it…” – Habakkuk 2:2 When I first began to teach children, I had a difficult time finding material and curriculums. The materials that were available at that time were outdated and did not cover Pentecostal or Charismatic principles. Most curriculum companies […]
“In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.” – Acts 2:17 This scripture makes it clear that it is God’s will that our children prophesy. This begs the question: Why […]
Recently, I was frustrated with our worship services for several months because the kids in my class were not worshipping in a way I knew they could. Some kids entered into worship, but many sat down and did not sing. I have found that teaching on that subject is one of the most fruitful ways […]
In the summer of 1996, I was the guest speaker at a Kids Camp in Fergus Falls, MN. During worship, I sat behind the puppet stage with my ice-breaker puppet, waiting for the local Kids Pastor to introduce me. I couldn’t see anything except the curtains of the puppet stage, but I suddenly sensed the […]
When we celebrate the 4th of July, we are celebrating not just a historical event, but a divine concept. As Americans, the concepts of free will and self-determination are part of our DNA, but freedom did not begin with the birth of the USA. Freedom is God’s idea! Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy … Remember […]