DiscipleBlog.com

Once upon a time, Christian parents asked their children after church, “What did you learn about God?” Today, the question is often, “Did you have fun?”

Where are today’s Christian kids?

Not too long ago, churches offered Bible training for all ages—wanting to fully equip children to serve Christ. Today, many churches offer high-energy, entertainment-based programs—wanting to keep kids happy and to make recruiting easy. Children rarely use their Bibles. As a result, children today:

• know more about video games than they know about God
• love peer approval more than they love Jesus
• serve themselves before they consider the needs of others.

In this generation as never before, cultural gravity relentlessly pulls Christian children down—and they are drowning. Statistics warn us that eight out of every ten Christian kids are drinking in the world’s value system. Nearly 80% of our children leave the church by the time they complete high school. Read the rest of this entry »

Practical idea: Share this helpful article with your children’s ministry volunteers and parents.

Kids Need God

A child’s basic outlook and attitude toward life is shaped by the way he or she pictures God.

The Situation: Children ask, “What is God really like?” Schools, friends, television, and other sources expose children to a variety of ideas. Much of what kids hear about “god” does not even resemble the God who reveals Himself in the Bible.

The Solution: God delights to reveal Himself to all who seek Him. Knowing the Lord personally and enjoying His greatness is the highest privilege of every Christian. The Bible is the one inspired place to find out about God—His personality, His attributes, His Names, and His character. Read the rest of this entry »

Helping Children Develop Self Discipline

by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN

Practical idea: Share this timely article with your children’s ministry volunteers and parents.

One of the primary tasks of early childhood is to develop self discipline. Parents often find themselves correcting their children for interrupting, being wild, not following instructions or for not controlling their hands or mouths. These all require self discipline or self-control. Young children are by nature impulsive. Some children have ADHD or other biological factors which increase impulsiveness. Part of the solution for impulse control is to learn self discipline. A child armed with self discipline has a tremendous asset for addressing life’s challenges. So many relational and personal problems can be avoided or controlled when one has self-control. Here are some suggestions for teaching it to children. Read the rest of this entry »

Never forget that your efforts in children’s ministry have long-term implications. George Barna concluded, “By the age of nine, most of the moral and spiritual foundations of a child are in place.” Though head knowledge is important, Bible truths are only part of the discipleship process. Information must lead to transformation—new attitudes and actions. To form genuine disciples, churches must make an intentional, integrated, and concerted effort.

Spiritual Transformation = Knowledge + Character + Conduct Read the rest of this entry »

Great things come from small beginnings.

Yep—I’m “seasoned” enough to be an eye-witness to much of what has taken place during the last 30 years of children’s ministry. Nope—this article is not about the history or “roots” of ministry to kids. That’s a topic for another day. Instead, I’d like to take a whack at the “roots” of “who we are”—our very identity.

Have you ever cut down a tree? Generally, it’s very easy to do—and plenty of fun. Just grab a sharp ax or chain saw—and the job is over in a few minutes. Watching a huge oak crash to the ground or splash into a river is thrilling! But have you ever taken the time to dig out the roots of that mighty oak tree? Generally, it’s a very difficult job—with plenty of headaches. I strongly suggest that you leave the roots in the ground to rot!

As I see it, the 21st century Church is ignoring a “root” problem that dramatically affects families and children’s ministry—we have lost our identity. We are experiencing significant breakdowns at the basic level of defining who we are and why we exist. To get the tree to produce healthy acorns (children) that can grow into a flourishing forest, we must first address and solve our identity crisis. It all boils down to three basic definitions. Read the rest of this entry »