Promiseland is Willow Creek’s highly successful children’s ministry. Using examples from Promiseland and churches of all sizes around the country, this book provides step by step guidance and creative application exercises to help churches develop a thriving children’s ministry—one that strives to be the best hour of every kid’s week. Included are Scripture-based principles and practical resources for church staff members and volunteers who agree with the critical role children’s ministry plays in a local church. Making Your Children’s Ministry the Best Hour of Every Kid’s Week, based on twenty-eight years of experience at Willow Creek, explains four ministry foundations: Mission, Vision, Values, and Strategy. Content includes: Detailed answers to questions facing every children’s ministry: • What does Jesus expect from children’s ministry? • How can we evangelize lost kids and disciple saved kids at the same time, and should we? • How do we engage kids so they don’t become bored? • How do we get better at recruiting and leading volunteers? • How can our ministry be a safe place for children? • Six specific ministry values that address the needs of today’s children • Practical first steps for ministries that want to get serious about change • Clear indicators of success in children’s ministry

Do you know the number-one reason teachers quit? Because they don't feel empowered to control their classrooms. So hand them this: Pocket Guide to Discipline, and they'll instantly connect with these top tips--all presented in a "You Can Do It" attitude. Sold in packs of 10. Give one to every children's ministry worker. This book offers: Time savings Little effort or planning is necessary to be effective. Confidence building Addresses the number one challenge teachers face. They'll gain confidence as they creatively solve--and conquer--discipline issues. Solutions that work Practical, proven solutions that tackle each discipline issue. New ideas A pocket-full of tips to try when children aren't as cooperative as you'd like. Easy to use Conveniently tuck Pocket Guide to Discipline into your Bible, purse, or back pocket for easy reference.

There is a growing number of local church laypeople entering children's ministry leadership. While this is helpful for furthering the Kingdom, these leaders face a huge learning curve. There are few resources available in the Wesleyan tradition for children's ministry leadership.Best Practices for Children's Ministry seeks to answer this need. With insight and understanding of the children's ministry world, author Andrew Ervin provides leaders with the tips, strategies, and skills they need to develop a strong and successful children's ministry.Times have changed. No longer does programming alone satisfy as the summation of children's ministry. No, the role of the children's ministry leader is far more complex. With Best Practices for Children's Ministry, leaders will find the answers and solutions they need to better practice children's ministry.

A treasure trove of tools and techniques to take your children’s ministry to the next level...and impact kids' lives like never before. These 100 sure-fire "how-tos" were developed by children’s ministry leaders who’ve spent years fine-tuning the strategies that bring real success. You'll discover how to: • Equip volunteers to love serving and stay for the long haul • Develop a dynamic ministry area that kids love and bring their friends to • Rev up your vision and get your team excited • And much, much more!

The definitive practical guide to setting up a dynamic children's ministry that will last. Topics include writing a children's ministry mission statement, writing kid's ministry budgets, choosing the right curriculum for your church's needs, safety and security checklists, effective communication with staff, volunteers and families and effective recruiting techniques. This manual is fun, poignant and interactive! Now a mandatory college textbook at Valley Forge Christian College in PA for all children's ministries majors.

What will you say when your child asks how Jesus can fit inside his heart? Here’s help with responding in words your little one will understand. Leading Your Child to Jesus equips you with the simple, effective communication tools that will help you discuss salvation with your child. They’ve been proven through David Staal’s years with Willow Creek Community Church’s Promiseland children’s ministry and through his personal experiences as a parent.Learn how to share you own salvation story, explain the gospel in kid-friendly language, and lead your child in a prayer of salvation. Based on examples from the book of Acts, Leading Your Child to Jesus provides you with key biblical concepts on effective communication and includes exercises to help you put those concepts into action.The enormity of leading your child to Christ doesn’t have to leave you tongue-tied. You can help your little one make the most important decision of his or her life—the decision to follow Jesus.

This book equips readers with proven principles to help them have life-changing discussions with kids about how Jesus changes lives, explain the plan of salvation, or lead a child in prayer to begin a relationship with Christ.

Always have a great big-fun game at your fingertips for any area of children's ministry, daycare or after-school programming! From creative children's workers comes this tried-and-true colossal collection! Why just tell kids about David and Goliath and have them color a handout when you could play...Human Slingshot (p. 110) where kids link arms to make "slings" and launch paper "rocks" at a nine-foot high target (and then have a great discussion about the story)? Have big-time fun making Key Bible points! In this whopping collection, you'll find just the right game for every lesson or ministry need. Every time. Book jacket.

"Easy-to-copy reproducibles included"--Cover.

Practical Strategies for Gospel-Centered Children's Ministry When building a children's ministry at a church, there is so much to consider: Which curriculum should we use? How many volunteers do we need? How do we keep parents in the loop? And that's before we run into stalled check-in computers, missing activity sheets, and floors that need to be vacuumed. While all of the tasks of children's ministry are important, leaders can get easily distracted with the everyday work of doing ministry and lose sight of the main focus—the gospel. Writing from personal ministry experience, Jared Kennedy shares a four-fold approach for gospel-centered, missional children's ministry: hospitality, teaching, discipleship, and mission. This practical resource covers a variety of topics ranging from creating child protection policies to putting together lesson plans to catechism, helpful for children's ministers and volunteers alike as they disciple children with the powerful message of the gospel. Applicable: Includes questions for reflection and evaluation Helps Leaders Disciple the Next Generation: Features advice for sending kids and their families on mission Ideal for Nursery–5th Grade Teachers and Leaders: A practical and helpful resource for children's ministries Published in Conjunction with the Gospel Coalition (TGC)