There are more options than ever for children’s ministry curriculum! There are digital options, old-school hard copy options, topical, chronological, and of every theological tradition! Join us as we share a handful of considerations to keep in mind when evaluating and choosing curriculum:
What is your goal for the curriculum?
How does it fit into the broader vision/goals/plans for your ministry?
Where does this curriculum provider fall on the theological spectrum?
What is the scope and sequence?
It’s important to understand how the curriculum cycles through scripture or topics.
What is the teaching style of the curriculum and what supplemental materials are included?
Some curriculum will be technology heavy, others will be more craft or activity based, and some will focus on a lecture teaching style. It’s important to get a feel for the style and resources that are included in the materials.
Listen here for a great discussion of these considerations and others for choosing curriculum!
Ideas and considerations for choosing materials for your children’s ministry!
We have already looked in Exodus 17 about the grumbling of the people against Moses. We too will face grumbling, and must respond in prayer. Continuing in Exodus 17, we see how prayer, active obedience, and leadership come together to bring about victory in the Lord.
While out in the wilderness, Amalek came to fight against the people of Israel. We see Moses turning to Joshua to select men to fight, while Moses would intercede for the Israelites. It is noteworthy that long before we see Joshua succeeding Moses and leading the Israelites into the Promised Land, we first see a track record of faithfulness and obedience leading up to his calling to shepherd all of Israel.
As Joshua was faithful to fight Amalek, Moses went to the top of the hill to lift his hands to the Lord. As long as Moses’ hands remained aloft, the Israelites prevailed in battle, but when Moses lowered his hands, Amalek prevailed. Aaron and Hur faithfully came alongside Moses. They gave him a stone to rest on, and as his hands grew heavy, they each took one side and physically supported Moses’ hands to remain steadily raised.
Moses, with the help of Aaron and Hur, raised his hands up to the Lord until the sun went down. After what was no doubt a long day, Amalek was defeated and Israel prevailed. Moses’ hands held true because of the support of faithful leaders around him.
Leadership is not a solo act – as Moses needed the support of Aaron and Hur and the leadership of Joshua on the battlefield – so do we need the support and leadership of faithful servants of the Lord. We see front-line obedience from Joshua to physically fight the war, while we see behind the scenes obedience of Moses to raise his hands to the Lord, as well as the key support of Aaron and Hur.
In this passage we see both faithfulness in prayer and active obedience working in conjunction to experience victory from the Lord. Every believer has a role to play in the body of Christ – some are on front-lines like Joshua, some are leaders like Moses contending in prayer while holding enormous responsibility, and some are like Aaron and Hur playing key roles of support and encouragement.
For our ministries today to experience victory, we cannot try to do it alone. We must intentionally and prayerfully seek out the people the Lord calls to come alongside us to lend strength and leadership for the ministry. Do you have a Joshua who you are inviting into strategic leadership roles? A key leader who is growing in ministry experience and responsibility? Do you have an Aaron or Hur with whom you are honest about your struggles and weaknesses? Someone to encourage you and hold you accountable?
Join our wonderful conversation about identifying, recruiting, and empowering key leaders. There are practical steps you can take to find the Joshua’s, Aaron’s, and Hur’s for your ministry!
Motherhood & Ministry is a weekly post on Monday mornings to encourage moms who serve in vocational ministry while also serving their families.
At the opening of Exodus 17, we see the Israelites in the wilderness. God has already completed the 10 plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, and the destruction of the Egyptian army. He has given them fresh water wherever they camp, and has provided manna and quail to eat. God has given them specific instructions on gathering and keeping manna (which the Israelites don’t obey, by the way; Exodus 16:19-20, 27-28).
In spite of every miracle, sign, and provision from the Lord, the Israelties still grumbled, disobeyed God, and questioned both God and Moses. They could not rest in the goodness and provision of God.
“The people grumbled to Moses, ‘What are we going to drink?’” – Exodus 15:24
“The entire Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by pots of meat and ate all the bread we wanted. Instead, you brought us into this wilderness to make this whole assembly die of hunger!’”’ – Exodus 16:2-3
Dear sisters, if Moses himself dealt with ongoing grumbling from the people, do not be surprised when you too face grumbling, even under the most positive of circumstances. Your church can be growing, the ministry flourishing, and there will still be some people who find something to grumble about.
“So the people complained to Moses, ‘Give us water to drink.‘
‘Why are you complaining to me?’ Moses replied to them. ‘Why are you testing the Lord?’
But the people thirsted there for water and grumbled against Moses.They said, ‘Why did you ever bring us up from Egypt to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?’
Then Moses cried out to the Lord, ‘What should I do with these people? In a little while they will stone me!’” – Exodus 17:2-4
Reading this passage, I am struck with feelings of desperation and exasperation that are all too familiar. I don’t know if Moses wanted to tear his hair out in frustration, but I have certainly felt that way!
As we face grumbling, let us be quick to examine our own hearts and ensure that we have not also become the grumblers. Grumbling about the grumblers may feel cathartic in the moment, but it is not constructive, and does not sanctify our hearts or edify the church. Let us watch our own hearts and mouths foremost.
Then we must turn to God, even if it is in desperation and exasperation, and give God the complaints and fussing of the grumblers. Only the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit can change the grumbler’s heart. No amount of discussion, chastising, or convincing from us can change a person’s heart. That is an internal work of the Holy Spirit and our best weapon is prayer.
Moreover, when we give to God the situation and the grumbler in prayer, He begins to change our hearts. When we intentionally and thoughtfully pray for another person, God begins to open our eyes, shape our hearts, and pour His love through our lives. It is truly a supernatural work, because our hearts are not inclined to love people who oppose and discourage us.
Pray, pray, pray. Our most powerful solution for grumbling is to pray and continue trusting the Lord’s provision ourselves. In the coming two weeks, we will revisit the life of Moses for more practical ideas to bear up under the weight of leading a ministry and shepherding God’s people.
Motherhood & Ministry is a weekly post on Monday mornings to encourage moms who serve in vocational ministry while also serving their families.
Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia share about navigating friendships and leadership in ministry.
Discipline and discipleship are nearby branches springing from the same linguistic tree. They both trace roots back to the Latin word discipulus, meaning pupil. Effective discipline, then, instructs and gives our students greater understanding of norms, expectations, and appropriate behavior.
Behavior issues among children attending church seem to be at fever-pitch. The upheaval and isolation of the COVID pandemic interrupted more than just the academic learning of millions of children, it profoundly affected social and emotional learning as well. We have seen increases in child abuse and childhood diagnosis of depression as a result of the pandemic circumstances. The kids are not alright, and we see the evidence in their behavior.
How then, are we to respond to difficult behaviors of children in our churches in a way that is instructive and loving?
No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. – Hebrews 12:11
Our discipline in church must not be punitive; it must foremost be instructive. Jesus took all our punishment on the cross, and now the discipline that the Father enacts in our lives is for our training and the development of righteousness. Our goal in church is not to punish but to teach. We seek to foremost disciple children in the Gospel, even through our correction.
In our two-part podcast episodes on classroom management, we lay out foundational principles of classroom management to set kids up for success. We also address more difficult behaviors, including resources for constructively ministering to big behaviors, as well as tackling more controversial topics like reward systems.
“Lord, am I in the right place?” Every ministry leader likely asks this question at some point in their ministry. It can feel daunting to discern the times and seasons for continuing in a ministry assignment or preparing to move on to the next one. It can be tempting to think, “I wouldn’t mind my own burning bush right now, telling me exactly where to go and what to do!”
In Joshua 1:1-9, Joshua is preparing to go. He would finally lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. Moses is dead and Joshua is embarking on this totally new journey without his mentor. I can only imagine that I would feel pretty intimidated under these circumstances!
Three times God tells Joshua to “be strong and courageous.” He also instructs Joshua to carefully follow everything Moses taught, and to meditate on God’s Word day and night. Knowing God’s Word, following God’s Word, and having it deeply embedded in his heart was Joshua’s key to leading the Israelites to success in the Promised Land.
Joshua was called to go and lead through a season of great transition and change. Sometimes we are called to stay and plant deep roots of lasting ministry impact. We all likely know ministry leaders of great longevity and influence. Pastors who have served a single congregation for 20, 30, or even more years! What a testimony to the faithfulness of God, displayed in the faithfulness and obedience of His child.
How happy is the one who does not
walk in the advice of the wicked
or stand in the pathway with sinners
or sit in the company of mockers!
Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction,
and he meditates on it day and night.
He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams
that bears its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.
Psalm 1:1-3
No matter how our circumstances may change or how long we may be called to a particular ministry assignment, we can be like a tree planted beside flowing streams, growing deep roots into God’s Word. We can delight in His truth and meditate on Scripture continually. He will nourish our souls and produce fruit in our lives through the outworking of the Holy Spirit. God will supply all we need to continue in faithfulness and obedience, walking with Him one step at a time.
When Dr. Virginia and I decided to take a break on posting for a couple of months this summer, we did not realize how much we were going to need it. One of the most surprising things about serving in children’s ministry is just how there is never really time to take a break. We move so quickly from one event to the next. I have heard pastor’s comment on how quiet the church office will be during the summer with so many families on vacation…but that is not the case for KidMin! The events that happen during the summer take more time and planning than any others throughout the year.
Know that even though we have not been posting episodes through the month of June or July, you have been in our thoughts and prayers during this busy time of year. And we are so excited to be back sharing with you. We kicked off our second season with a quick welcome back episode, discussing the events of our summer and doing a little review of lessons learned during VBS. We hope you enjoy our return!!
All of the decorations have been cleaned up, the senior adult classroom is back in order, and the resource room has been declared a disaster area…Vacation Bible School is officially over. Now it is time to move on to the next event and there are many new ones to plan for before promotion Sunday. For children’s ministry, the summer is such a busy time…not only do you have so many immediate activities to plan for, you also are getting ready for a busy fall kickoff. But, before you jump ahead too quickly, make sure you have taken a few moments to follow up on the wonderful relationships you made during your VBS. You put so much time and hard work into making the event successful, don’t miss out on the opportunity to pour into the people that made VBS so much fun!
Hopefully you set some exciting goals for VBS and now is the time to review your strategy for follow-up. Don’t feel like you have to do this all on your own. Put together a team of leaders to help you make the personal connections. Find a few people that were not able to help with VBS. Maybe they were on vacation or had other commitments. Now is the time they can step up and help you thank all of the people that worked so hard during the big event. Work together to create a plan for how your team can make intentional contact with the kids and families that attended VBS.
New Visitors: Plan for a personal visit with a gift (be sure to call ahead to set up a convenient time) or make a phone call. Thank the child for coming to VBS and invite the family to come to church on Sunday. Provide information, with dates and times, for your fall/winter events. (Kickoff Sunday, Fall Festival, Christmas Family Event, etc.)
Returning Families: Maybe there were families attending VBS that you have not seen on Sunday in a while, make a personal contact. Let them know how much you enjoyed seeing them and invite them personally to small group/Sunday School.
Church Families: Make sure you contact each child that is regularly a part of your ministry and thank them for coming to VBS, those who are usually at church every single week. Kids love getting mail, send a card to let them know how much you appreciate them!
Another important contact for you to make after Vacation Bible School is with your VBS leaders and volunteers. Make sure each one receives a thank you, so they know how much you appreciate them. If you have volunteers that do not usually serve in the kid’s ministry throughout the year, consider meeting them for coffee and let them know about opportunities you have for service that you think they would be perfect to fill. You may be surprised by how much they will appreciate being noticed and given an opportunity to be a part of your amazing ministry!!
We put so much work into having a successful VBS and part of what makes it successful is to grow the relationships that were planted during this important time in our church. Don’t allow yourself get so busy that you miss out on the opportunity God has given you to make a genuine connection with your families!
KidMin with Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia 