Several years ago, I wrote a book with my good friends Matt Chandler and Josh Patterson about Jesus being the center of a local church. We called the book Creature of the Word, the title coming from an old Martin Luther quote where he taught that that when the gospel is rightly declared and applied…
Children's Ministry
4 Reminders about Kids Ministry After VBS
We offered VBS at our church last week for kids and families in our church and in our community. Our team did an amazing job serving kids so well, teaching them about Jesus, and giving them an incredibly fun time. Trisha Graves, who built VBS at our church years ago, is a hero as her…
4 Reasons You Should Consider Teaching or Volunteering in Kids Ministry
Last weekend I was not scheduled to teach in our adult services at Mariners Church so I volunteered to teach Sunday morning in our kid’s ministry. I am so thankful for those who serve in kid’s ministry each week. They make a massive impact on children and their families, and I wanted to be a…
One Thing Two-Thirds of Parents Will Bring Their Kids to Church For
What church activity or program or event grabs the attention of parents who go to church and those who don’t? If you had to make a list of what a kids ministry and church could offer the community that resonates with parents from all types of backgrounds, what would make the top of the list?…
2 Big Reminders from 2 Weeks with Lots of Kids
This summer approximately 140,000 kids and students will attend one of our student or kids camps or mission trips. We hire 1,000 amazing summer staff who run the events, invest in kids and students, and work extremely hard to serve the kids and student ministries well. Each summer I speak at one of our camps,…
3 Reasons Kids Ministry Is Important
The last two weeks have provided great reminders to me about why kids ministry is so important. I served as camp pastor at CentriKid camps for a week. The whole family came and we had a great time. The kids participated in Bible studies, recreation, track times based on their interests, and morning and evening…
Values, the Vine, and Kids Ministry
In children’s ministry, teaching children how to behave can seem attractive. I know this personally, as sometimes I just want my kids to behave, obey their mom, and be sweet to our friends. Teaching children values and virtues to pursue and emulate can be really appealing. I mean—who would say they do not want their…
30 Really Important Seconds in Your Church
When I first entered local church ministry, I heard leaders describe the importance of the first few moments of a first-time guest’s experience at a church. Because many guests decide in those few moments if they will return, it is important for a church to express hospitality to guests. We want to welcome others because…
4 Ministry Reminders from Backyard Bible Club
A few weeks ago, we hosted a Backyard Bible Club at our house. About 35 kids, mostly from our neighborhood, came to our house from 9:30-11:30 each morning for three days. Kaye recruited friends, neighborhood moms, and teenagers to help. It was great. Our kids loved it. The neighborhood kids loved it. And it was…
The Two Most Difficult Ministry Roles to Fill
Based on phone calls and emails from pastors and friends looking for staff members, the two most difficult roles to fill on a church staff are (1) a kids ministry director/pastor and (2) a groups director/pastor. Churches seem to be having a difficult time finding the right leaders for these critical roles. The numerous inquires…