Home Archive by category "Evangelism" (Page 3)

Category: Evangelism

No More Sinner’s Prayer in Kidmin?

Something makes me very sad. It is this new “trend” for children’s ministry workers and pastors in churches to not invite children to pray to receive Jesus as their Savior. I hear all kinds of reasons: they’re too young; they don’t know what they are doing; we are giving them a false sense of spiritual security; they were manipulated; they end up re-doing it later anyway; there is no sinner’s prayer anywhere in the Bible; and the most passionate objections are to asking children to invite Jesus into their heart. In truth, I agree with many of the concerns raised by those who no longer invite kids to pray to receive Christ. It gets awkward because to defend leading kids to Jesus does not equal disagreeing with those valid concerns. But I fear at times we are throwing the baby out with the bath water. When it comes to “inviting Jesus into our heart,” the Bible talks about the heart over 600 times. Romans 10:10 is one of the verses that forms the basis for both the expression of inviting Jesus into the heart, and for a sinner’s prayer, “For it is with your heart that you believe and are…

Continue reading

Sharing the Gospel to Get Results

This past Sunday our church enjoyed having Barney Kinard visit as our guest speaker. Barney is known as the Kidhelper. He is a former children’s pastor, 50 year veteran children’s evangelist, and Kidology Coach. We celebrated 26 children making decisions for Christ on Sunday. Guiding children to making this life-altering decision doesn’t happen by mistake. It requires intentionality, creativity, skill and a sense of purpose. Let me share with you several observations I made on Sunday as I watched Barney “do his thing” that he has been doing for years developing presentations that create results. 1) Be Real. Barney doesn’t go into character. He is himself. He is the same person before and after the presentation. Kids need to connect with a real person if they are to make real decisions. 2) Don’t Talk Down to Children. Too often adults talk down to kids. They can do this both with their tone of voice, mannerisms or by talking to them as though they are younger or “dumber” than they really are. Expect kids to engage and understand and they will. They appreciate being honored as people, not as “just kids.” 3) Use Language Kids Understand. Barney avoids using “big words”…

Continue reading

Awana Get Some Apps!

Someone asked me on Twitter today if Awana had some apps to help parents connect with their kids at home and reinforce what they are learning in club… so I thought I’d post about the awesome Awana Apps you can download from the Apple App Store, most are FREE! The NEWEST is the Cubbie App! Encourage parents of your youngest clubbers to download this so they can help their little ones learn the Bible verses to music! You can even choose the translation you’d like your Cubbie to learn with. (KJV, NKJV,NIV,ESV) In addition to the free content, there is additional in-app purchases available as well. (extra verses) The Sparkie App continues to be updated and improved! This interactive story book kids can read on their own as well as with their parents. In addition to being able to choose to read or have the book read to them, there are fun interactive elements to the story that make it fun to tap around the screen and see what might happen! You can order hard cover Sparkie books within the app too! If you are a Game Leader, then these apps will interest you! The Games App says it is…

Continue reading

We Are ALL Adopted! Single Kids Church Lesson

I’m super excited to announce the release of a single lesson for children’s church called ADOPTED! As an adoptive dad myself – I know that kids who are adopted have a special need to know that they are loved and that their adoption is a part of God’s Plan for their life. I was thrilled as I studied Scripture to discover that not only were there many adopted Bible heroes in the Bible, but that their adoption played a key role in God’s Plan – not only for their life, but in His overall divine plan. But it doesn’t stop there – God uses adoption as a picture of salvation. Ephesians 1:5 says that: God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. We are all adopted into the Family of God through faith in Jesus Christ, who was partially adopted Himself, being welcomed into a family by his earthly dad, who loved him as his own. The lesson presents that the same reasons kids are adopted into families, for protection, provision and purpose – are the…

Continue reading

The Day the King Unlocked the Gates (free eBook for kids)

Found another hidden treasure! One of the most difficult things to explain to children (or adults for that matter) is the ‘problem of evil.’ It is a philosophical issue that troubles even the most inquiring minds, but doesn’t escape the simple minds of children either. What is ‘free will?’ Why did God give it to us? Why do so many people not believe in God, or even know about Him – if He is truly all knowing and all-powerful? And if He is so loving, why does He allow so much evil in this world? He must be either not all-powerful, not all-knowing, or not all-good for there to be so much in this world that isn’t good! All fair questions. I attempted to answer them years ago with a story I wrote called THE DAY THE KING UNLOCKED THE GATES. I’m no artist – but I even did the illustrations myself and reproduced this book for the kids at my church. I have only a paper master, so I’ve scanned it and created a eBook PDF for your enjoyment. I do hope you will read it to your kids and let me know what you think! It addresses free…

Continue reading