DiscipleBlog.com

My husband and I want to lead our children to love God’s Word. We want our girls (ages 4 1/2 months, 3yrs and 6 1/2 yrs) to love it, understand it, apply it, memorize it, speak it out loud with confidence, and run to it to find answers to their questions. We’re right in the middle of the high demands of parenting young ones, but this is an area that is going pretty well. Believe me, we’re not perfect, so as you read on, keep in mind that we do this to the best of our ability- and our little angels are, well,  not always angelic. But they DO love their Bibles. Read the rest of this entry »

Enjoy this image of Jesus and His disciples, courtesy of the ProvidenceCollection.com. Download as desktop wallpaper for your computer by selecting one of these four image sizes (for different monitor resolutions):

• 1024 x 768 pixels (often CRT monitors)
• 1280 x 800 pixels (often flat panel monitors)
• 1280 x 1024 pixels (often high-resolution CRT monitors)
• 1440 x 900 pixels (often flat panel monitors)

To download: right-click on a link above and then select “Save Target/Link As…”

Announcing DiscipleLand Rewards!

We appreciate each and every one of our DiscipleLand churches and we want to help you save money! We are launching new online reward program that will help you meet your children’s discipleship goals while earning Reward Points each time you purchase DiscipleLand products. You’ll be able to redeem Reward Points for discounts on subsequent orders. You’ll also earn Bonus Rewards when you order regularly! Start saving on all your curriculum needs!

Learn more about Reward Points >>

MAYBE IT IS EVERY DAY YOU GET A FREE BOOK! Every month anyway.

In case you missed the last FREE BOOK offer, here is yet another from DiscipleLand!

THIS BOOK IS FREE until February is over!

In Your Recruiting Remedy, by Judy Wortley, you’ll learn field-tested recruiting strategies that really work! Take a fresh look at the recruiting process to find techniques that will help you succeed!

You may also find the companion electronic book helpful as well: The Training Remedy, available as well.

IT’S NOT EVERY DAY YOU GET A FREE BOOK!

Your Training Remedy, by Judy Wortley, a classic children’s ministry leadership resource, helps you develop a consistent and well-planned program of teacher training that motivates, encourages, and informs your volunteers.

Inspire teachers to be and do their best!

For a LIMITED TIME – through the END OF JANUARY – this downloadable book is your for FREE! It will be $9.95 in just a few days!

DON’T MISS IT!

As most biblically trained Christians know, there are a lot of subtle unbiblical elements of the Christmas story that have snuck into our culture, even into our teaching at church. Mary on the donkey, the Inn Keeper, the “Three Kings” etc. Most of these “errors” are minor or harmless, but they do reflect a tendency toward laziness when it comes to teaching the Bible. Below is a link to a video that points out a few of those errors, while at the same time honoring the Christmas story – rather than just knit-picking, as I’ve often seen done.

Retooning the Nativity (opens in new window)

Funny story – I got in a lot of heat one year for having the Wise Men in the Navity Scene of the Christmas play. It had never crossed my mind before. I was told “that is why the wise men are always placed at a distance away from the actual manger scene, they were on their way.” Duh, silly me, I had no idea they walked so slow and were two years away in all those lawn nativity scenes.

However, when I wrote Hark, from the Herald (the Christmas play in the Kidology.org store), I decided to make it accurate, so when the reporter back in time (investigating the true meaning of Christmas) finds himself by the wisemen, I had them invite him on their journey, but when Hark (from the Herald) asks them their ETA (estimated time of arrival) they explain two years, and Hark opts for the time travel machine instead, with a polite, ‘thanks, but no thanks.’ It was my attempt to include them but be biblically accurate for the first time in my ministry. (well, on that topic at least)

Interested in how others include them but keep it accurate. I don’t think it’s too critical with young children. I do have a whole kids church unit on the wise men free for members of Kidology: Wise Kids Still Seek Him
that attempts to be pretty accurate as well, if you are looking for options.

What are your thoughts on teaching Christmas accurately? Or do you let kids figure it out as they get older?

If you have an appetite for blogs related to discipleship, be sure to check out the new blog at GCSSA.org

GCSSA (Greater Chicagoland Sunday School Association) has been committed to equipping leaders and lay people in teaching and discipleship for decades. They host several annual conferences in English and Spanish in the Chicagoland area.

According to GCSSA.org:

GCSSA is working hard to help teachers and disciple-makers achieve God’s call in their lives.

• Encouraging their work for Christ
• Helping them understand God’s Word, how to study it, and how to prepare to teach it
• Helping them develop key ministry skills which will help achieve discipleship ministry goals
• Helping them learn the newest ministry approaches to helping others grow spiritually

With contributors like Bill Allison, Dr. Gregory C. Carlson, Paul J. Loth, Ed.D., Dr. James Renke, Mickie O’Donnell and others coming soon, you may want to snag up the RSS feed so you don’t miss a post!

Do you have a Master Plan for how your Children’s Ministry is forming disciples? Life long disciples are not made by accident – they are a result of careful planning and strategic ministry.

Check out the Discipleship Master Plan PDF on DiscipleLand.com It is sure to stimulate your thinking and help you better plan for the ultimate goal of your ministry – making disciples!

This is part 6 in a 12 part Series on D.I.S.C.I.P.L.E.S.H.I.P. – Twelve Tips to help you become a more effective discipler of children.

Prayer is one of those things we often talk about more than we actually do! Just to make sure we don’t do that right now, lets both STOP, RIGHT NOW, and pray before going forward. Go for it. Ask God to open your heart to how Prayer could transform and empower your discipling!

(Pssst! you should be praying right now!)

O.K., welcome back! Few Christians, if any, would argue the point that the most important thing we can do for our children is to pray for them… but does our action match our words? If you devotion to children and the cause of Christ were measured ONLY by your prayer life – what would the conclusion be? My goal is not to motivate by guilt, but to challenge you to evaluate how important prayer is in practise in your ministry to children.

When it comes to praying for our disciples – those kids who we are intentionally investing in spiritually – there are two important aspects to praying for them. Obviously, we ought to be praying FOR them, but we also should pray WITH them. Let’s look at both and why they are important.

PRAYING FOR YOUR STUDENTS.

While I could provide a long list of verses about prayer, let me focus on just one and make a few points.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Phil. 4:6

This concise verse contains some of the best teaching on prayer and it is very applicable to praying for the children we are ministering too.

1. “Do not be anxious.” There is a lot that can worry us about children in today’s world. The dangers to both the minds, bodies, and souls can be terrifying to us who love them. There is great spiritual warfare for their hearts and minds, and without spiritual power and intervenion, most kids will end up chooseing the “broad road” that leads to destruction. But here God tells us, the answer is not to be anxious, it is to pray! If we truly care about the children in our lives, we ought to be praying for them, and often! It is the single most powerful thing we can do to prevent the things that make us anxious for them. Make a list of the kids you care about, and prayer for them by name. Ask God to protect them, to challenge them, to draw them to Himself and to give them a curiousity for the Word of God and a hunger for righteousness. Pray for courage to withstand temptation and patience in the midst of trails. Pray that they would choose friends who draw them closer to God and not away. And prayer for their parents who have such a challenging God. A prayer for parents is a blessing to their children!
2. “By prayer and petition.” I’ve always found it facinating that in this verse God separates “prayer” and “petition.” To many people, prayer = petition. All they ever do when they pray is ask for stuff. God desires for us to make requests of Him, as a Father, he delights in giving good things to His children, but notice “petition” is mentioned secondary to “prayer” – which is simply communication and fellowship with God. Make sure that you are spending time getting to know the heart of God, not just asking Him for things you want – even good things. The first thing God wants is YOU!
3. “With Thanksgiving.” This is a powerful key to prayer! Too often we pray and “hope” God will answer. That isn’t faith. When we pray “with thanksgiving” we are asking in anticipation of what God will do. Are we manipulating God? Far from it! But we are demonstating faith that He will do that is best in the situation. When a child gives a list of Christmas Wishes to a parent, they don’t think for a second they won’t get something – or that they will be disappointed on that morning – but they don’t always get what they ask for. They DO get what Mom and Dad decide is best for them at that age, and probably what they can afford. The good thing with God is, He can afford anything! So ask with thanksgiving! You can even say in your prayer of petition, “God I thank you already for how you are going to answer this prayer because I know your love for this child is perfect and exceeds even what I can imagine. Thank you for loving me, for hearing me, and for answering my prayer!” No need to wait around and see “if” God answers – if you pray according to His Will – He WILL answer! So thank Him in advance!
4. “Present your requests to God.” We do need to actually present them to God! This may seem like pointing out the obvious. But I know as a father, there are many things I am willing to do with or for my son that I only do if he actually asks me. Part of it is that God doesn’t force Himself on us, but it is also that He wants to see what we would like to see Him do. If we don’t ask, we are likely not to notice or thank Him even if He does it. But when we ask, we’ll see it when it happens! I can’t help wondering what things I’ve missed out on in life from both my earthly and heavenly fathers simply because I didn’t bother to ask! So present your requests to God TODAY! What are you waiting for?

PRAYING WITH YOUR STUDENTS

It is also important to pray WITH your students, and I don’t mean just opening in prayer. Skip that if it is nothing but a formality! Don’t be flipant with God. Remember Who it is you are talking to! When you pray with your students, it helps teach them how to prayer. It humbles us as we acknowledge Who we are following. It shows we care as we pray for them. And you can rejoice together when God answers prayer.

A few tips:

• Ask your students for prayer requests. Your job is not just to teach them biblical knowledge, it is to transform them into a disciple of Jesus.
• WRITE THEM DOWN. Keep a journal, use a note card in your Bible, your PDA, something so that you are reminded to prayer later.
• Pray for them throughout the week, you may want to call or e-mail to check in on them. It will surprise them and show you truly are concerned for them.
• Follow up by asking about them later – this proves you really prayed and really care! If you say you will pray about a sick grandma and never ask how she is doing, did you really prayer? Did you really care? How could you still be praying if you don’t even know if she is alive still?
• Share your own concerns with them, so they see you are real. You don’t need to share your deepest struggles, but demonstrate your own dependance on God by sharing the things you are currently praying about. As they see God answer your prayers, they will share in the rejoicing and be all the more eager to make prayer a part of their life.
• Pray for others besides yourselves. Pray for their parents. Ask them how you can pray for their parents. Kids who are upset with their parents will be forced to see their parents in a new light – as other people with problems, worries, concerns and struggles. If they talk about kids they are having issues with, what a perfect opportunity to demonstrate “praying for our enemies!”

Don’t just give prayer lip service – make it an essential part of your discipling and you will see God work because he loves to answer prayer!

Looking for a fun way to remind kids what to pray about?

Check out A Hand in Prayer on Kidology.org. It is a “handy” way to teach young children to remember what to pray for by using each finger on their hand to represent something.

Kids are on the Internet. Whether we like it or not, the Internet today is not something kids are fascinated with, it is simply a part of their life. It’s not “new” to them, it is just their world. Being online is normal for them. In fact, if you aren’t online, they may almost wonder what’s wrong with you. While we can decry the dangers of the Internet (as we should!) and provide advice on use and filters (and we should!) one of the best ways to address the problem is not to only fight it, but redeem it.

The Internet provides incredible opportunity to connect with kids during the week and in the home. And DiscipleLand has jumped on this opportunity and added a FREE service for DiscipleLand teachers to connect with their students and for parents to invest computer time into more spiritual beneficial activities.

It’s called DISCIPLEZONE.com

It’s a place for kids to continue learning after church, for parents to connect with their child’s teacher and for teacher’s to have a way to greet their kids during the week an extend the learning process.

And it’s all free!

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO TRY IT?

Go to DiscipleZone.com (link opens in a separate window) and click on the KIDS button. Next you will see a fun control panel. This is where kids enter the key code found on the student take-home paper (highlighted by their teacher). It’s a simple code–the first dial is the curriculum level, 1-6. (enter 2 for example) Next is the quarter letter, A = Fall; B = Winter; C = Spring; D = Summer. (go ahead, enter B) The last dial is the lesson number. (for an example, choose any number.)

You will then be asked if you have a Class Code. Here is a trial code you can use: Enter TRTRT

You’ll be greeted by a screen with a Bible passage or story and a collection of buttons the kids can choose from.

Here is an overview of the elements offered to kids in DiscipleZone.

Every element of DiscipleZone contributes to the discipleship process:

The printed Disciple Guides offer 24 “how-to” skills for victorious Christian living . To see an overview of the DiscipleSkill development plan, click here

Children memorize Bible verses that capture the heart of each lesson. Find the KeyVerse on the printed Disciple Guides for each lesson.

For each Bible lesson, kids and parents enjoy additional pictures, background information discussion questions, and family activities. Encourage parents to read the text together, discuss the questions, and commit to doing the suggested activities as a family.

Children meet a new people group each quarter, expanding their focus to regions around the globe! WorldWatch also offers missionary biographies and missions education segments to be taught by teachers or parents. To see an overview of WorldWatch missions education, click here.

DiscipleLand’s Bible Reading Plan. Kids and parents read through a specific part of the Bible each week, based on their grade level. To see the complete reading plan, click here.

Children encounter classic hymns that have inspired Christians for centuries. For a complete list of hymns studied, click here.

These engaging stories, starring Dee, Cy, Paul, and Chip, reinforce each Bible lesson and will help your kids apply God’s Word to their lives. To learn more about Dee, Cy, and Paul, click here.

LEAVE A NOTE FOR YOUR STUDENTS!

One of the cool features is the ability to leave a note for the kids. Be sure to click on the Yellow Note for a note from ME to YOU! (You’ll never know the message until you check!)

There are so many creative applications to this note feature beyond just a nice greeting to the kids. Use it to:

• Ask a review question that if they bring the answer on a slip of paper, you’ll have a treat for them!
• Provide a “code word” of the week that if they know it, they get to volunteer in class for games etc.
• Let them know about class events and activities.
• Announce who has a birthday this week!
• Tell them to wear a certain color shirt to church on Sunday!
• Ask them to bring props that will go with your lesson.
• BE CREATIVE!

There is enough content for each week for parents and kids to spend 10-15 minutes exploring the topic they learned about in church a little further, as well as learning about missions and some historical hymns, complete with music playing.

DiscipleZone.com equips parents and teachers to use the Internet to build upon the learning that took place at church.