Training

In teaching children about prayer, we need to do more than just teach them how to pray and model prayer for them. We also need to teach them the deep aspects of prayer and to trust God for His right answers for what we ask. Hear It: Consider this teachable, child-friendly version of Luke 11: 5-13 that focuses on prayer: Jesus told this story: “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go knock on his door late at night. He comes to the door.” “What do you want?” he calls through the door, “I was asleep and you...

If you are in children’s ministry, there is a good chance that you are NOT the boss. You could have a direct supervisor above you. You may report to the head pastor. You might even be accountable to an elder board. Regardless, you will have to learn the art of leading up: coming with a new idea, a proposed change, or a big request to someone who is above you. The Bible instructs us, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, and will give an account,” Hebrews 13:17 (NRSV). You can learn...

Have you ever wondered why God has given us the Bible? The more I read the Scriptures, the more I am convinced that God has given us His Word to reveal His power and glory, to show us His goodness and mercy, and to help us see how much He loves us. He wants us to recognize our deep need for Him and marvel at all He has done to reunite us with Himself. The problem is that very few people marvel in response to reading the Bible. The reason, I think, is that when we break apart the Bible...

Today’s culture follows a specific recipe to give their children “the best future possible”. Outsourcing. Want your child to be great in baseball? Find the best coach. Want your child to be great in science? Find the best tutor. This recipe forces a question on parents when it comes to spiritual development. If I haven’t gone through any formal religious training (or patience training for that matter), how can I teach my children to have a strong faith that holds up to the world’s forces? If you want your child to be great in faith, find the best children’s ministry....

I sometimes joke that I’m one of a dozen people in the whole world who would pick young teens as my favorite age group to teach. They are always in flux and always challenging. They are never dull and rarely docile. They are going through physical, mental, emotional and spiritual changes, perhaps at a pace they will never achieve again. I don’t understand why this isn’t everyone’s favorite age group! NEW START YOUNG TEENS are entering a new stage of development. Like newborn babies, they are constructing who they can become and what their lives will be like in the...