Better Children's Ministry

On January 1st, we kicked off the “31 Days of Prayer for Children.” EGM is spending the month of January praying for boys and girls around the world in a specific way each day. On this episode of “Better Children’s Ministry,” Kelli talks with Quinton Hufferd, EGM’s Bible Resource Publisher, about the value of praying for nurturing families. Quinton shares some of the qualities of a nurturing family and how we can minister to children who are not growing up in an nurturing environment. We are encouraged to know that any child, no matter their circumstance, has the opportunity to become part of God’s nurturing family. We encourage you to join us for the rest of our time in prayer this month! You can sign up to receive daily emails with specific prayers: Highlights: 5:30 – What are some of the qualities of a nurturing family? 9:27 – Why do we pray for children to have nurturing families? 10:45 – What does God’s Word say about the value of family? 17:14 – How can we minister to children who don’t have nurturing families? 21:58 – Encouragement as we continue to pray

On January 1st, we kicked off the “31 Days of Prayer for Children.” EGM is spending the month of January praying for boys and girls around the world in a specific way each day. On this episode of “Better Children’s Ministry,” Daniel and Kelli talk about one of our prayers – that children grow up with health and wholeness. Daniel points us to Jesus’ own childhood and the many layers of meaning in the word “wholeness.” We encourage you to join us for the rest of our time in prayer this month! You can sign up to receive daily emails with specific prayers: http://eepurl.com/gbQnzn Highlights: 3:12 – Health and wholeness in light of Luke 2 and 1 Samuel 5:53 – More than just physical health and wholeness 7:40 – What aspects of health and wholeness affect a child’s spiritual growth? 10:12 – How do we minister to children who are not growing up in health and wholeness? 12:04 – Encouragement as we continue to pray

So here we are approaching the new year. As we were thinking about what to discuss for this episode, we were thinking about what would bring us all into 2019 in the right frame of mind. So on this episode of Better Children’s Ministry, Daniel and Kelli talk about thankfulness and how important it is to have a thankful heart in children’s ministry. Highlights: 0:40 – The strangest gift Daniel ever received 2:08 – Why is thankfulness an important practice in ministry? 8:55 – What might keep us from being thankful? 10:40 – Practicing the discipline of thankfulness 11:54– How can we model a heart of thankfulness to children? 12:57 – A 37-year prayer was answered this year 15:08 – Children transformed in Belarus

Every year at EGM, the staff gets together and we pray and discuss what will be the focus of our year-end celebration. What will be the message in our annual Christmas card. What does God wants us to share about Him in light of our ministry to boys and girls. This year, the theme of our celebration is “Welcome Them.” This comes from Matthew 18:5. In this episode of Better Children’s Ministry, Daniel and Kelli discuss how we can apply the truth of this passage as we celebrate Christmas. Highlights: 2:52 – What does Jesus means when he says we welcome him when we welcome a child? 5:29 – Why is this passage significant to the ministry of EGM? 8:45 – How can we apply the truth of this passage at Christmas? 10:15 – Welcome the children who are hardest to love

When we serve in children’s ministry, we are leaders. And when God calls us into ministry as a leader, He also calls us into prayer. God invites us into an ongoing, intimate conversation with Him as we serve the boys and girls in our churches. He provides guidance, encouragement, strength and so much more when we rely on Him to direct our ministry. In this episode of Better Children’s Ministry, Daniel Watts explores the ministry calling of Paul, and how his life was characterized by God’s direction through prayer. Daniel and Kelli discuss the different ways God offers us help in ministry, and how we can trust Him even when we don’t feel like our prayers are being answered. Highlights: 3:42 – Where can we see prayer as part of a leader’s calling in the Bible? 9:33 – We can ask God for specific guidance about our ministry work 12:33 – We don’t have to know everything – what a relief! 14:28 – What do we do when we don’t get an answer to our prayer? 17:31 – Go to His Word. Go to His People. 19:56 – Encouragement when our prayer life isn’t what it should be Do you need prayer for your ministry? We want to pray with you! Email us at info@egmworld.org.

During this hectic holiday season, God’s call on our lives to minister to children can feel overwhelming. Balancing our responsibilities at home with our families and at church with our service can become very challenging. In this episode of Better Children’s Ministry, Daniel Watts walks us through 1 Timothy 3:4 and some of the qualifications of a church leader. We talk about how important our family responsibilities are in the life of our ministries. Daniel offers encouragement to those who are feeling spread thin. Highlights: 4:22 – A good leader in the home will be a good leader in the church 4:40 – How do we apply 1 Timothy 3 during the hectic Christmas season? 8:55 – Learning how to say “No” 10:10 – Modeling home and ministry life balance for children 12:26 – The more time we spend with God, the more clearly we can discern His call 13:49 – God’s more concerned about who we are than what we’re doing

We know that the holiday season can be particularly busy and stressful for children’s ministry leaders. Because of the spiritual significance behind Thanksgiving and Christmas, our churches are often celebrating with additional services and programs. Because of that, we want to spend a couple weeks offering encouragement and wisdom directly from God’s Word. On this episode of Better Children’s Ministry, Daniel Watts and Kelli Johnson discuss Proverbs 22:6 and what it means to minister to children with wisdom. Highlights: 2:44 – What does “Train up a child in the way he should go” mean? 6:17 – The way we learn is usually the way we teach 8:05 – What does Proverbs 22:6 have to do with wise ministry to children? 10:06 – How do we integrate this wisdom practically? 11:59 – Encouragement during this hectic season of ministry

One of our goals through this podcast is to pour encouragement into our listeners with the hope that you can pour into those around you as well. We are especially praying for you during this hectic holiday season; we know things tend to get a little nutty! But whether we’re leading our church’s children’s ministry or we are a fellow volunteer, each one of us can play a part in the building up of others around us. In this episode of “Better Children’s Ministry,” Tara Thomas and Kelli Johnson talk about the value of expressing appreciation and out-doing one another in showing honor. **Warning ** We talk about insects in this episode. It’s a little gross. #KidMinLife Highlights: 4:33 – Some of the things we’ve received that made us feel appreciated 7:48 – Memorable gifts/notes are really relational 8:30 – During the holiday season, how can we support and encourage each other? 10:13 – Our relationships with God and with each other remain the focus 10:56 – What does God’s Word say about why and how we show appreciation? 12:30 – Encouragement for leaders looking for creative ways to show appreciation 16:38 – A prayer of encouragement from Tara

“Truth” is one of the five principles found in Deuteronomy 6 that we use at EGM when we work with churches to disciple children. Each of them -- Relationship, Experience, Truth, Discussion and Response – works to provide children with opportunities to respond to God and experience the transformed life He intends for them. In this episode of “Better Children’s Ministry,” Tara and Kelli discuss some of the best – and worst – ways to teach the Truth to boys and girls in church. Highlights: 5:25 – What is the worst way to teach the Bible to children? 7:11 – Tara’s favorite ways to teach Bible truth 11:48 – Practical tips when considering how to teach this week 13:10 – We can teach creatively without buying new supplies 14:48 – What does God’s Word say about how we should teach God’s Word? 18:05 – Encouragement as we look for new, fresh ways to teach

When our goal in children’s ministry is life transformation, it becomes increasingly important to ensure every child has a discipleship relationship. One of the most practical ways we can facilitate relational ministry is in a small group setting. On this episode of “Better Children’s Ministry,” Tara Thomas and Kelli Johnson discuss the advantages and challenges of ministering to boys and girls in small groups. Highlights: 3:14 – The special relationships we develop in a small group setting 5:39 – How children relate differently to their leaders and to each other in small groups 7:26 – The challenges we face when ministering in small groups 10:37 – How to handle radio silence 12:49 – What does the Bible say about the value of small groups? 16:24 – Jesus himself modeled small group relationships 16:46 – Encouragement when considering small groups

Many children’s ministry leaders express a desire to have a better relationship with their senior pastors and senior leadership. On this episode of “Better Children’s Ministry,” Kelli Johnson and Tara Thomas talk with Jed Manimtim, Executive Pastor at Sunridge Community Church in Temecula, about both sides of this very important relationship. Jed and Tara share about how pastors and children’s ministry leaders can encourage each other and work together to disciple children. Highlights: 5:20 – The value of children’s ministry in the life of a church 9:27 – How can pastors support children’s ministry? 13:48 – Our relationships with church leaders have layers 14:46 – How can pastors empower and encourage KidMin leaders? 16:24 – How can children’s ministry leaders encourage their pastors? 19:16 – Relating to our pastors when there is no problem that needs solving 20:15 – What does God’s Word say about children’s ministry? 24:09 – Equipping parents together 27:18 – A prayer from Tara

There is a special honor that comes with ministering to boys and girls who aren’t quite old enough to hear and respond to a Bible lesson – at least not in ways we can see. We are talking about infants and children in the church nursery. Jesus himself spent time blessing “little children” by picking them up and laying hands on them. The disciples seemed to think the world would not be changed by holding babies and squandering time with little children, but Jesus’ reaction was different. In this episode of "Better Children's Ministry," Tara Thomas and Kelli Johnson discuss the unique privilege of serving some of the most helpless among us by ministering in the church nursery. In God’s Kingdom, power is shown in sacrifice. The last are first and the greatest are the least. We do important, impactful Kingdom work when we spend time holding babies. Highlights: 3:30 – The joys of serving in the nursery 4:52 – What gifting is important for serving in the nursery? 6:17 – What does transformational ministry to babies look like? 8:05 – What does the Bible say about holding babies? 11:10 – Encouragement for those serving the babies of the family

It’s October, which means that a lot of kids in our churches will probably be trick-or-treating and dressing up in costumes. Around the time of Halloween and our fall celebrations, the topic of fear, or being afraid, comes up a lot. There’s a lot of cultural expression around this time of year here in the U.S. that involves dressing up as something scary or wanting to scare people for fun. But the reality of fear is about so much more than just October and Halloween. Fears don’t always go away as we get older. All of us have experienced fear at some point, and the Bible has a lot to say about it. In this episode of Better Children’s Ministry, Tara Thomas and Kelli Johnson discuss how we as children’s ministry leaders can comfort children who experience fear and model a godly response to fear in our own lives. Highlights: 5:45 – How can we as adults help children feel safe to open up when they have fears? 8:44 – It it’s important to the child, it’s important to us 10:37 – How can comfort a child who is experiencing fear when they’re with us at church? 13:38 – There are different kinds of fear 15:30 – Scripture memorization as a response to fear 16:47 – Let the Lord speak into our fears 20:10 – What does the Bible say about responding to fear? 25:34 – Download a free Bible lesson on fear right now!

Every Generation Ministries believes every child can experience the transformed life Jesus intends for them. That is why we help churches give children opportunities to respond to God in their real lives. The Word of God is intended to impact every single area of our lives. In Deuteronomy 6:4-9, part of the command from God is to practice the truths of God. For this reason, “response” is one of the five principles from this passage that EGM uses to help churches disciple children. In this episode of “Better Children’s Ministry,” David Jesse and Tara Thomas discuss the practical ways we can encourage children to respond to God’s Word in their real lives. Highlights: 4:07 – The blessing of watching children respond to Bible truth 6:30 – Children do ministry too 8:55 – How can we facilitate opportunities for response? 11:49 – Hearing and obeying God’s Word 13:04 – Response activity examples 14:44 – “You will be blessed if you do them.” 15:36 – Encouragement as we help children respond to God

The real-life experiences of children in the U.S. vary greatly. The life of a child in a rural southern town is not the same as the life of a child in a major northeastern city. How do we use the children’s ministry curriculum we have most effectively to speak into the lives of the particular children we serve? In this episode of “Better Children’s Ministry,” David Jesse and Tara Thomas discuss the most important elements of Bible teaching materials that are focused on transformation in the life of a child. Highlights: 3:02 – What elements of a KidMin curriculum are most important? 4:05 – The challenges of meeting every child’s need with curriculum 10:00 – The value of a singular lesson aim for each Bible lesson 11:34 – Lesson aim examples 12:24 – First, let the lesson change you 13:38 – What does the Bible say about how we teach the Bible? 15:09 – Does every aspect of our time together point back to our lesson aim?

A big part of help children experience the transformed life Jesus intends for them is creating an environment at church where children want to be, and that means helping children have FUN. Although we don’t want the whole point of church to be about entertainment, God’s Word places a high priority on joy in the Christian life. In this episode of “Better Children’s Ministry,” David Jesse and Daniel Watts talk about how “fun” can be different for different kids and how real fun in church is experiencing relationships and being known. Highlights: 2:21 – Why is having fun and experiencing joy so important in children’s ministry? 3:30 - Flooding the church bathroom and refrigerator box tag 8:28 – The definition of “fun” is different for different kids 9:20 – How can we help make church a fun place for children? 10:50 – What does the Bible say about the value of fun and joy? 14:18 – Real fun and joy in the church is having relationships and being known

Every Generation Ministries believes every child can experience the transformed life Jesus intends for them. That is why we help churches around the world disciple children using five principles from Deuteronomy 6. We talk about discipleship a lot on this podcast because it’s really at the core of why EGM exists. On this episode of “Better Children’s Ministry,” David Jesse and Daniel Watts talk about what discipleship is, what evangelism is, where those ideas come from, and why they're both important in children's ministry. Highlights: 2:54 – What is discipleship? 4:17 – Are there differences between discipleship and evangelism? 5:39 – Discipleship and evangelism are not opposing ideas 7:35 – Focus on proclaiming Good News – to all children 9:13 – How do we develop a discipleship relationship with kids we see for 1 hour per week? 13:21 – Part of discipleship is modeling mistakes, humility, repentance and forgiveness

Sometimes discipleship looks like a birthday party. As a church family, we can partner with parents by simply being present in the life of their child. On this episode of Better Children’s Ministry, David Jesse talks with Tara Thomas about what role the church plays in discipling children and some of the ways a children’s ministry leader can partner with parents. Highlights: 2:17 – Common dynamics between children’s ministry and parents 5:33 – Inviting parents to serve 7:40 – There’s so much going on in a family’s life 8:50 – We all play a part in discipling children 10:23 – Kids benefit from having other adults disciple them too 12:30 – Encouragement, take two (re-recorded segment) 13:49 – What are we already doing right? 15:22 – Sometimes discipleship looks like a birthday party

Looking for volunteers? Check the youth group! Many churches have eager, excited teens who want to serve their church, and children’s ministry is often a natural fit. In this episode of “Better Children’s Ministry,” Tara Thomas talks with David Jesse about what a huge blessing teenagers can be to a church’s KidMin. When we disciple these young leaders, we are investing in believers who are just beginning a life lived in service to Christ. It’s a special privilege to pour into those who will be pouring into our churches for generations to come. Highlights 2:16 – Teenagers are a huge blessing to children’s ministry 4:22 – What are some differences in the needs of teen volunteers? 7:28 – How can we encourage teens to serve in KidMin? 8:27 – We can invite teenagers into the life of the church 9:23 – Encouragement for teens from God’s Word 11:22 – Encouragement for leaders

It seems like there’s an undertone in many churches that children’s ministry is “pre-ministry.” The idea is that we’re serving people who are not yet old enough to have true faith in God, or maybe make a meaningful contribution to the life of the church. In this episode of “Better Children’s Ministry,” David Jesse talks with Daniel Watts about the value place on children by Jesus himself. When our focus in church is on discipleship and life transformation, we can help even the youngest among us experience a life dedicated to following Jesus and being part of His family. Highlights: 4:29 – Is children’s ministry REAL ministry? 6:39 – Why would Jesus waste his time with toddlers? 8:20 – Is Christianity all about decision making and understanding? 10:47 – Some of the best disciples are children 12:35 – Helping children feel like they’re part of God’s family 16:25 – Encouragement for the discouraged

A big responsibility within children’s ministry is equipping and encouraging those who are directly discipling boys and girls. On this episode of “Better Children’s Ministry,” David Jesse talks with Krysten Norkaitis, EGM’s Leadership Developer, about some of the most effective strategies for training volunteers and encouraging them in their own spiritual lives. Krysten shares about the impact that simple acts of love and kindness can have on a child’s spiritual growth and how the most important qualification for any KidMin participant is their love for God and for children. Highlights: 0:50 – Getting a little too creative with the Creation story 6:05 – What it takes to be involved in children’s ministry 8:30 – The impact of Mr. Dennis 10:00 – There’s nothing more important than love 11:30 – Reminding them how important the work is 14:08 – What does God’s Word say about equipping volunteers? 16:49 – Tips to Pastors/Directors 19:33 – Tips for volunteers

“Creativity” can be a scary word for some of us. Many people don’t feel equipped to teach children because they don’t feel like they’re creative people. On this episode of “Better Children’s Ministry,” Krysten Norkaitis chats with David Jesse about what “being creative” really means. Highlights: 4:20 – That 8 year old in your class might grow up to be in your shoes 6:20 – What’s the worst way to teach the Bible to children? 7:59 – Common misunderstandings of creativity 8:28 – An exercise for cultivating creativity 12:33 – What does God’s Word say about creativity? 13:39 – Why is being creative so intimidating? 15:28 – Practical tips for teaching the Bible creatively 18:05 – Encouragement for the discouraged

As VBS season continues, David Jesse sat down with Tara Thomas to talk about her experience this year. Her church designed a VBS program with differently-abled children in mind. In this episode, David and Tara talk about the inherent value of every person created in the image of God and what a blessing it has been for her church to minister to special needs children and families in the local community. Tara offers encouragement to children’s ministry leaders – or anyone, really – who wants to create a welcoming environment at church for people with special needs. Highlights 3:19 – VBS looks a little different at Tara’s church 7:03 – Why are some families with special needs children reluctant to come to church? 10:42 – Immeasurable joys 13:53 – Welcome partners in the life of the church 15:52 – A wake-up call and an opportunity 17:43 – We have a gift from God coming into our churches 19:27 - God equips the called

Experiential teaching – helping children experience the feelings associated with a Bible truth – is not a method invented by EGM. In fact, it is modeled by Jesus himself and takes its cues from Deuteronomy 6. In this episode of “Better Children’s Ministry,” David Jesse and Daniel Watts talk about why experiential teaching is a crucial element of ministry when our goal is life transformation. Download a FREE Bible lesson that follows the biblical principles of discipleship found in Deuteronomy 6: https://egmworld.org/bible-study-for-kids/ Highlights: 1:12 – The “them” in “Talk About Them” is really important 3:13 – Creating an experiential activity 7:14 – There’s 500 children in Chile who think Americans hold their chairs during church 10:44 – Experiential activities in the EGM office 14:00 – Bringing the everyday experiences of life into Sunday morning 16:12 – This isn’t a teaching method invented by EGM 18:52 – Encouragement for the discouraged

“So in a lot of children’s ministry work, there’s Bible stories told, Bible communicated, then there’s some questions and if the kids can get the right answers, then the kids are happy, the teacher’s happy, the parents are happy….but underneath the surface is all this real life stuff that’s going on with children that never gets touched.” In this episode of “Better Children’s Ministry,” David talks with Daniel Watts about why it is crucial to create an environment where boys and girls can talk about what’s happening in their everyday lives and how God’s Word relates to that. Highlights: 5:15 – Bridging God’s Word into our real lives 10:20 – It’s super hard! 12:19 – You can say what you really think at church 14:00 – If it’s meaningful to them, it’s meaningful to us 18:15 – Children are formulating views that will carry into adulthood 19:46 – Become comfortable with the awkward and the messy

As we disciple children, as we model our Savior, as we try to live out the life that he would have lived, as we model Christ and help children become more like Christ, praying has to be a big part of that. In this episode of “Better Children’s Ministry,” Tara Thomas and David Jesse share about the honor and responsibility of leading children into the presence of the Lord. Highlights 2:00 – A children’s prayer conference in Egypt 5:20 – When prayer time gets real 6:45 – Kids have real problems just like us 8:03 – As disciplers, we must build prayer into our Bible lesson time 11:57 – The children we lead will teach us about God as we pray together 16:20 – Leading kids to the presence of the Lord 19:08 – Encouragement for the discouraged

Have you ever been personally transformed by the Bible lesson you prepared for KidMin? Spending time with God’s Word before presenting it to children is an important aspect of biblical leadership. In this episode, David is joined by Tara Thomas, EGM’s Mobilization Coordinator and a former Children’s Ministry Director. Tara shares about the challenges we face trying to prepare our hearts before Sunday morning and the importance of weighing the “urgent” against the “important.” Highlights 4:34 – Spiritual transformation in the life of a child starts with spiritual transformation in our own lives 5:16 – Weighing the urgent against the important 8:20 – Scheduling time to sit before the Lord before we lead on Sunday 9:49 – It benefits children to watch their leaders be transformed by God’s Word 14:06 – Discipleship is about more than teaching 14:51 – Encouragement for the discouraged

If we only do one thing in children’s ministry, it must be helping boys and girls connect God’s Word to their real life. Even if we have a super creative Bible lesson, a fun craft and the best snack prepared, we haven’t done our jobs if the children leave church unsure about real-life Bible application. We want to help them answer the question, “So What?” This episode of “Better Children’s Ministry” is about how to do that. Highlights 2:00 – What is the “So What” issue? 5:40 – “So What?” is not just a struggle in the KidMin world 8:42 – Knowing the real lives of the kids we serve 12:48 – “Talk About Them” 17:45 – Getting the right answers isn’t the goal 18:40 – Encouragement for the discouraged

Is there a kid in your church who might be more difficult to love than others? When you see them coming, do you cringe inwardly? In this episode, David and Daniel discuss the importance of ministering to boys and girls with a Gospel mindset. Highlights: 2:18 – The sister of Attila the Hun 7:44 – We can be hopeful that God will use and transform troubled children 10:02 - Misbehavior can be addressed differently in church than in school 12:35 – Practical tips for managing a misbehaving child 14:20 – When spiritual transformation is our goal, motive matters 18:06 – Approaching misbehaving children with a Gospel mindset 20:02 – Ministering to misbehavior requires more people 22:00 – Encouragement for the discouraged

There is often a temptation in ministry to judge our success by big numbers and big programming that creates a lot of “buzz” around activities. Daniel reminisces about the best KidMin buzz he ever generated and how to refocus our ministry on the real lives of boys and girls. Highlights: Highlights: 1:50 – What’s “the buzz?” 4:38 – The KidMin “machine” 8:10 – Going Mach-8 with your hair on fire 10:00 – Making taco salads in garbage cans 16:28 – Big outreach and relational discipleship isn’t an either/or situation 20:19 – Children are attracted to genuine relationships, transformational teaching and a sense of belonging. 27:04 – Encouragement for the discouraged

Yep, you know the one. Why is it so difficult to find people to serve in children's ministry? Daniel Watts, EGM's President, talks to David about casting vision for KidMin and helping others realize their calling to serve boys and girls. Highlights: 1:54 – Daniel Watts introduces himself 4:00 – Children’s ministry in a bathroom, under some trees and peeking through windows 5:25 – The Caspers 6:54 – Why do KidMin volunteers back out of their commitment so often? 10:48 – Seeing KidMin as a calling 17:00 – Casting vision for children’s ministry 18:07 – Re-recruiting ourselves 20:50 – Helping our church members realize their calling 26:58 – Mr. Pebbles 28:14 – The spiritual significance of the 2-year-olds class 31:33 – Encouragement for the discouraged

Welcome to Better Children’s Ministry! Here's an overview of what this podcast is all about. Highlights: 2:10 – What Jesus thinks about ministry to children 4:08 – What makes this KidMin podcast different? 6:16 – What does Jonah and the big whale have to do with the real life of a five-year-old? 6:48 – The format of each show 9:50 – Who got into children’s ministry because they love paperwork and budgets? Beuller? 11:15 – Decades of KidMin experience around the world 12:53 – How to stay connected to EGM