Home Archive by category "Children’s Ministry" (Page 59)

Category: Children’s Ministry

Angry Kids and Crime

Responding to the School Shooting Near My Home This past week just a few miles from my home yet another troubled teenager entered his school, armed with weapons and explosives, fired on fellow students, before turning the gun on himself as the police closed in. While the rapid response of law enforcement minimized the potential harm to students, a young classmate now lies in a coma fighting for her life. While her parents and our nation pray for her recovery, there is another set of parents who have lost a son – and a nation asking once again, “Why?” While the radio waves are filled with the predictable arguments over gun control laws – some have brought up the broken home this young man came from and the fact that nearly all school shootings have been committed by children of divorce. While we certainly don’t know the complete reasons for this most recent attack, we do know divorce is an attack a child’s world. On Kidmin Talk this week I invited Wayne Stocks from DivorceMinistry4Kids.com to join me as we discuss what children’s ministers can and should be doing to better meet the needs of these kids to help them…

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One Man Christmas Story

I was invited to be a special guest again at Cherry Hill Community Church, where they have a wonderful children’s ministry. Whenever you are given the opportunity to teach at Christmas time, it presents a unique challenge. You are, of course, teaching the greatest story in HIS-Story – but it is also a very familar one. So how do you tell it in a new and creative way that will still engage children who can easily “check out” when they start to hear the familiar parts of the story. I searched my computer for countless ways I have addressed Christmas in over twenty years as a children’s pastor – and then walked into my vast kidmin prop warehouse and started seeing things that could be used to tell the story! At the same time, as I prayed about it, I was wanted to elevate the story above the mere facts of the traditional story to WHY did God sent Jesus? The story is truly epic and transcends the birth of Christ from the origins of time all the way to Christ’s Resurrection all the way to today! Then it hit me! Why don’t I tell the ENTIRE STORY OF CHRISTMAS…

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A Galactic Christmas Carol for You!

My favorite Christmas movie is A Christmas Carol. by Charles Dickens. But not just any telling of it. It has to be the The Muppet’s version. (1992) It is truly the best version ever made. If you have not seen it, you must. Even if you aren’t in kid’s ministry and yes, even if you typically don’t like puppets. It is as touching as it is funny. And Gonzo and Rizzo the Rat, as narrators make the movie. They are simply hysterical. Micheal Caine does a great job as the Scrooge as well. Of course, Kermit and the Gang all do great filling in the rest of the cast. So, in 2004, I created my own parody of the movie in ToyBox Tales fashion. If you are not familiar with ToyBox Tales – for several years I performed stories with action figures on a set in front of a live audience of kids at my church as a way to introduce lessons or re-introduce familiar stories in a new and fun way. (From 2001-2005) Long before the phrase “going viral” existed, the videos I made “went viral” and as people found them on my church website and I was forced to…

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Get a CLUE About Christmas!

Back by popular demand after the huge success of Resurrection Clue Hunt, it’s time to explore the true meaning of Christmas! Our family played this game last night and had a blast asking, “Do you have Joseph with the Gold?” or “Do you have Mary in the Manger?” or “What about King Herod in the King’s Court?” Mix and match different People, Locations and Objects and try to discover the missing clues to the Story of Christmas! When you are done – choose one of the complete devotionals to read to top off the play with some insightful Bible Learning! Your kids will learn some things about Christmas they probably didn’t know. With twenty different devotionals and different missing clues, the learning will be different each time you play! Ideal for church small groups as well as quality family time for the holidays. So turn off the TV! (The Grinch and and Rudolph can wait.) It’s time for another round of Christmas Clue Hunt! Your kids can learn more about the AMAZING TRUE STORY OF CHRISTMAS this season! Discover amazing facts from the Bible about: People (8 total) • Mary • Joseph • Baby Jesus • Wise Men • Shepherds…

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How to Teach Sport Stacking

As I hope you know – Sport Stacking – is one of the funnest* sports and activities that you can do with kids. It is a sport that kids of all ages and athletic abilities can do. When I was a full time children’s pastor, I discovered this amazing sport and incorporated into our children’s ministry and it became not only a magnet for kids, but a super relational tool for simply playing with and interacting with the kids in my church. Parents also found it to be a fun way to engage with their kids in a fun activity that they could do with children of any age – and of course, kids enjoyed beating their parents at a fun sport. Now, Sport Stacking has become an official part of the Awana Game Time. I launched it last week with a series of games using the Jumbo Cups. My goal there was a fast, easy introduction that would get the kids excited about the sport and the concept of stacking around the Awana Circle. But tonight, it was time to introduce them to the actual sport, and provide some training the stacking techniques. The Key is to keep the…

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