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What’s Your Theology of Children’s Ministry?

Have you developed a theology of children’s ministry? That very sentence will intimidate many. “Theology” sounds like something for seminary professors, right? However, theology is simply what you believe about God and everything else related to Him. Perhaps you’ve never even heard of a theology of children’s ministry. It’s OK if you haven’t! But let me ask you a few questions that help reveal why it is important. What happens when a parent tells you they don’t believe that a child can accept Christ? What do you say to a pastor who says he won’t allow children to be baptized until they are 12, because before that they can’t possibly know what they are doing? How do you answer a parent who would like to have their infant baptized so that they can go to heaven? What will you tell the youth pastor who says that the salvation decisions of children “don’t count,” as he invites teenagers to come to Christ after the “age of accountability?” What would you say to an adult who wants to be baptized because he isn’t sure if he was sincere enough when he came to Christ (or was baptized) as a child? What will…

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Steve Jobs Created the iPad for Kidmin!

Since everyone and their brother is jumping on the “what Steve Jobs would say” band wagon, I’m going to jump on too and suggest that Steve Jobs would be delighted that his invention of the iPad has just made kids safer at church! Now, I know he wasn’t a big fan of things religious, but I think even he would be pleased to know that because of KidCheck‘s new iPad App the following are true: Checking in kids securely at church is faster and easier! (and more relational) Parents can enroll their children with ease on their own iPads! Parents can instantly add or remove approved guardians with KidCheck acocunts right from their own iPads. Leaders can check if someone picking up a child is approved quickly and easily if they have a licensed iPad approved by the leadership. Medical information can be attained quickly and easily in an emergency by an approved leader instantly by scanning a child’s name tag using the camera on an iPad right from within the new KidCheck App! Parents can use an iPad at a station at church to check their children in or be greeted by a friendly staff member at church who…

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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…

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Visiting Awana HQ for the Inside Scoop

As a grown-up clubber, frequent blogger about Awana, and as the man who introduced Sport Stacking to Awana Game Time and a children’s pastor who has seen the impact of this ministry – I am always looking for opportunities to drop into the Awana HQ in Streamwood, Illinois. I’ve been hearing some exciting news coming out of Awana – and noticed their brand new website, so after speaking at camp for a week in Wisconsin, I headed down to Awana to sit down with Michael Scarbrough, who is the Director of Children’s Ministry at Awana to get the inside scoop on the relaunch of Awana going on right now! LISTEN TO THE PODCAST HERE! I also snagged me an official Awana sport coat (off a freebie table) so that I can sport it at the next Awana Conference. I think this coat gives back-stage access or at least snacks in the employee room. Forget GQ magazine, I think I could be on the cover of AHQ magazine! Got a great Awana story? Have questions about the club? Want to share some feedback for Awana leadership? Visit the podcast discussion forum and let’s talk Awana!  

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We All Got “Stuff”

Tonight I kicked off a new week of camp speaking at Camp Timber-lee. I’ve been a camp speaker here since 1997. They keep having me back, even after I moved to Colorado, which is an honor. This year’s theme is ‘Anchored’ and it’s a super topic – for when we have our lives anchored to God, we can survive the storms of life. I’ll be covering the ‘Water Stories’ of the Bible. Tonight we began with the Wise and Foolish builder in Matthew 7:24-27. For each story we will be looking UP (something we learn about God), IN (something we learn about ourselves), DOWN (identifying a ‘bottom line’ Eternal Principle) and then OUT (what will we DO differently as a result of this story?). One of the neat things about tonight’s chapel was when I introduced a new puppet tonight, named Shredder (a skater dude). He embarrassed to share his real name, so he goes by this cool nick name. He mentioned that he ‘s got some ‘stuff’ going on in his life that he could use God’s help with. When I asked what he meant, he said he didn’t want to give details in front of all these kids,…

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