More Resources to Help You
We want to equip you to grow in your ministry to children, and so we want to offer you resources beyond curriculum and training. We want to connect you to our resources and community. We have compiled a list of recommended books, free resources, and we want to invite you to be a part of our community on Facebook and YouTube.
Recommended Books
Children’s Ministry 101:
A Covenantal Approach to Next-Generation Ministry
Based on the work of John Kwasny, PCA
Children’s ministry is different than childcare. It’s partnering with parents. It’s modeling the joy of our faith and shepherding the hearts of little ones, who desperately need Jesus. It’s founded in a rich theology, and it’s growing the next generation of leaders of the church. Children’s Ministry is a high calling, so where do you start? It can be daunting!
Children’s Ministry 101 is a resource for those new to ministering to children and even those with years of experience. Foundational and practical, the 18 lessons will equip you with a covenantal philosophy for ministering to children and walk you through how to apply the theory to your church’s unique needs with real-life examples, recommended resources, and how-to’s from the ground up to help you grow your church’s ministry.
Show Them Jesus
By Jack Klumpenhower
With a simple framework and lots of real-life examples, Klumpenhower’s book helps teachers to identify and communicate the heart of the gospel to each child in each lesson. Conventional wisdom says, “Make class more fun!” Or just, “Make it easier!” But Show Them Jesus challenges the culture of low-stakes, low-expectations teaching, and invites teachers to do nothing less than teach and treasure the good news of Jesus in every lesson. Show Them Jesus’s how-to approach will complement and enrich existing lessons or teaching materials and is appropriate for teachers of children and teens in any setting.
Jack Klumpenhower is a Bible teacher and a children’s ministry curriculum writer with more than thirty years of experience. He has created Bible lessons and taught children about Jesus at churches, camps, clubs, conferences, and Christian schools all over the world, including Serge conferences. Currently, he is working on a middle-school gospel curriculum in conjunction with Serge staff. He lives with his wife and two children in Durango, Colorado.
Every Child Welcome
by Katie Wetherbee and Jolene Philo
This guide to children’s ministry serves families with special needs. Jesus set a high standard when He said, “Let the little children come to Me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” The call is not limited to children who will sit quietly at His feet and listen, who color between the lines, who raise their hands and wait to be called upon, and who work at grade level. Children’s ministries are responsible to be ready to bring children with disabilities to Jesus’ feet too. Every Child Welcome is the guide for leaders and volunteers to assist in purposeful planning and skill development for a ministry inclusive of children with unique needs.
Experienced children’s ministry leaders, and parents of special-needs children themselves, the authors are superbly equipped to offer a thoughtful, thorough approach to creating a positive environment for children–one where all children will be able to digest the important concepts being taught.
Big Picture Vinyl Banner
By Susan Tyner – PCA
A great tool for teaching about the different covenants in the Bible! (English)
This colorful, attractive 24″ x 96″ vinyl banner is ideal for classrooms. It comes complete with installed grommets for easy wall display. Upon placing your order, the Bookstore will have our banner provider make and ship your banner directly to you. (Please allow one week for delivery). We will also send you (by email) a PDF file with an explanation of the timeline to use as a teaching tool.
This timeline was developed by Susan Tyner, a PCA Coordinator of Women’s and Children’s Ministries in the local church.
Heirs of the Covenant
By Susan Hunt – PCA
Finally, a covenantal approach to Christian education that equips parents, teachers, and pastors to pass on a legacy of faith to the next generation. This book is strategic for all those interested in reaching the rising generation for Christ.
Susan Hunt holds a degree in Christian education from Columbia Theological Seminary. She is also a mother, grandmother, a pastor’s wife, and the former Director of Women’s Ministry for the Presbyterian Church in America.
Let the Children Worship
by Jason Helpoulos
Jason Helopoulos encourages the church to embrace the important part children play in the life of the church and unfolds the enormous blessings to be found in having them present in the worship services of the congregation. He points out how the struggles are temporary – whereas the blessings can be eternal.
Jason Helopoulos is Associate Pastor at University Reformed Church in East Lansing, Michigan, and a guest blogger at The Gospel Coalition.
Bible is NOT Boring
by Lisa Updike
Lisa Updike is the Director of Children’s Ministry at Covenant Presbyterian in Harrisonburg, VA. She has extensive ministry experience, which includes curriculum writing, training children’s volunteers, and spearheading children’s programs in several churches over the last thirty years. In working with children and youth, she found that kids understand the importance of the Bible and value it. They know that through it, they can know God’s heart! So they pick up a Bible, flip through the pages, read a little bit, but end up putting the Bible down, discouraged because they don’t know how to begin. She remembers feeling the same way. Lisa wanted to provide a tool that would benefit parents, teachers, and kids alike. She hopes that The Bible Is Not Boring will serve as such a tool.
Church is Not Boring
by Lisa Updike
Without preparation, going to church can seem pretty boring, especially to children who have “graduated to big church.” In this easy to read a chapter book, Lisa Updike shares with children and their parents the story of a typical family who struggles with staying focused at church on Sunday mornings until they learn how to prepare for worship throughout the week. Parents are encouraged to read this book with their children and to help them be ready for corporate worship together.
Please feel free to use these resources for your Children’s Ministry program!
This includes resources we have gathered from PCA churches across the country and resources our Children’s Ministry Team has developed to strengthen your church. If you have a resource you would be willing to share or a resource you would like us to develop, we want to hear from you. Email us.
Miscellaneous Resource
KIDS LIVING ON MISSION
Featuring resources from Mission to the World and Committee on Discipleship Ministries.
How do we equip our children to be missionaries? How do we teach them the importance of taking the gospel around the world? MTW has partnered with CDM to develop resources to equip the families of your church to live on mission. Below you will find resources to inspire, to share, and to raise money to help children’s ministry around the world. These resources are supplemental to the missions unit of “Teach Me to Worship” and “Reach Out Adventures” VBS curricula.
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