If you’re thinking about how to connect well with kids of all abilities and backgrounds, one of the first questions you may be asking is: should we try for an inclusive space or create a completely separate special needs ministry? And my answer is always: yes!
As a new school year is upon us, many parents are eager for their children to return, while others may feel anxious sending their babies off to be cared for by people they barely know. Likewise, some children are excited to begin a new school year, while others may not even want to say the…
Summer is just around the corner which means vacations, beach trips, and, of course, VBS! Some families plan their vacation schedule around this beloved summer tradition. But is your church prepared to welcome all children, including those with special needs? Children with disabilities, exceptionally-abled, or special needs, no matter the term you use, there will…
Here’s how important Vacation Bible School is: Plus, almost everyone who’s ever lived near a church building knows: this is THE thing churches do in the summer for kids. Which means, if you’ve been around the church world long enough, you’ve probably heard some good, Christian people actually complain about how “that family” always finds…
Content vs. Systems Meet Anxious Amy. She loves, loves, loves Jesus, and she loves kids. She has been leading a large children’s ministry at her own church for over 7 years. And Amy has been running at full speed, ever since she can remember. Her motto is, “If you want something done right, you have…
Over the past several years, I’ve been working on a few projects that have led me to think deeper about a lot of things. Most of these things revolve around parenting and ministry to families. Like many ministry leaders, I’m hoping to be a voice of hope to people as they navigate life and faith….
If you have bi-vocational pastors at your church, you’re not alone. More and more responsibility is being taken on every year by these heroes of ministry. The question is: what can we do to support them and ensure their longevity? Researcher Thom Rainer called the bi-vocational movement “a true revolution in the church.”1 He estimates…
It’s Sunday morning. Everything is ready. Materials are prepared, worship is cued, and volunteers are in place. Then it happens. One child’s behavior sends your morning off the rails. So much for well-made plans. All children deal with behavioral issues now and then, but what if that behavior tells you something else? What if the…