One day a parent asked me the following question: “What is the most important thing I can do to make sure my kids stay in church when they become an adult?” I did not hesitate. “Teach them to be a leader.” Of course, I can’t guarantee that your child will stay in church when they become an adult, but I can […]
It’s easy for a parent or a teacher to recognize leadership gifts in their children. If I can spend several hours teaching and observing a group of children, I can pick out who the leaders are. One thing about people who have leadership gifts is that they will find a way to use their gifts. […]
Helping Kids Get Big Spiritual Muscles “Go into all the world and make disciples.” Jesus wants us to “make disciples” of the kids we teach. This begs the following questions: • How do I actually make a disciple? • What does a disciple look like? • What does a disciple do? The word disciple means […]
Recently, I was consulting at a local church. I was interviewing some of the key volunteer leaders and one of them asked me a question, “What matters most?” I didn’t hesitate, “Begin with the end in mind.” Then I asked this question, “What does a spiritually strong 5th grader look like?’ They began to say things like, “They are unselfish, kind, […]
Have you ever told the Lord – No? When I began in full time ministry, I had just graduated from Bible school and moved to Port Huron, Michigan to help plant a church. I also began to travel and conduct kid’s crusades. This was an exciting time because at every church I went to, most […]
Mark and I have several grandchildren. Right now, our youngest, Lucille is 4 years old. We love Luci; but, from time to time it is extremely difficult for her to listen. She will go on about her business, as if she doesn’t hear me, whether I ask her to put away a toy, it’s bath time, or […]
Ninety percent (90%) of a child’s personality is formed before the age of 5 years old. When ministering to preschool children you are establishing their foundation, in which their spiritual life will stand and be supported. You have an incredible opportunity to influence the character and development of the kids you are teaching. Don’t lose a minute. […]
Ministering to 3-5 year olds can seem daunting at times. They are very wiggly and active. To set you up for success, here are four tools you can use every week. Yes, do these same four things every week. ONE: PLAYTIME An important part of your preschool class is playtime. Playtime is important, because play […]
The Bible says that “God is Love,” but what does that mean? The way we use the word love in the 21st Century can be confusing for children. We say, “I love my Mom” and “I love candy.” Is love just an advanced case of the cooties or is it what compelled Jesus to the […]
The following is a quote from Dr. Henry Cloud about entitlement. “Pointing to one character trait that causes more misery in people’s lives than any other would be difficult. Certainly one of the top three or four destructive traits would be having a feeling of entitlement. Entitlement is when someone feels as if people owe […]