Articles

In Thought: The Spiritual Lives of Children’s Books

by Dr. Tommy Sanders When talking with a 10-year-old and his parents about conversion, I asked him what sin was. He quickly responded, “Reading Harry Potter books.” Well, I had not heard that one before. The sad thing is that I am hooked on reading…

In Support: What Every Parent Should Know Before Sending Kids to Camp

by Meredith Teasley Kids grow up way too fast, and before you know it, they are asking to go to camp. Maybe you want your own child to have the same experience you had at a summer camp as a kid. This can be a…

In Focus: Jane Austen’s Take on Curriculum

by Linda Weddle Hmm … what? Well, the famous 19th-century English novelist was a rector’s daughter. Her dad supplemented his income by tutoring young boys, so she probably knew a thing or two about curriculum. But even if Jane didn’t understand scope and sequence, we…

In Focus: Leading Up: Building A Healthy Relationship with Your Senior Pastor

by Brian Dollar As I travel around the country, speaking to kids’ pastors and volunteers, I hear some of them say, “My senior pastor doesn’t get me,” “I’d love to do some big things for our kids’ ministry, but my pastor doesn’t share my vision,”…

Three Leadership Arts Essential to Children’s Ministry

by Michael Chanley Patterns and Wisdom Patterns simplify things. They show repetition which enables one to predict what comes next. The predictive nature of a pattern is something we teach children at the earliest ages. You see it in preschool handouts and in elementary-aged math….

Starting with the End in Mind

Gina McClain Parents of preschoolers seem to have a wealth of dreams for their children. They’re in a season of life where the possibilities outweigh the impossibilities. At this point, they could be holding the next president, a star quarterback, or the first in their…

Starbucks for Preschoolers

By Dienna Goscha As a children’s pastor, I realized that I was becoming insulated from the community. All of my work was taking place within the church. How was I to be the salt of the earth and light to the world if I lived…

Leading Up: Building A Healthy Relationship with Your Senior Pastor

This post was written by ministry leader, Brian Dollar, a guest writer for INCM. As I travel around the country, speaking to kids’ pastors and volunteers, I hear some of them say, “My senior pastor doesn’t get me,” “I’d love to do some big things…

Children’s Ministry that Empowers Parents to Impact Their Homes and Communities

by Kirk Weaver NOW HIRING! Children’s Ministry Director. Responsible for developing a state-of-the-art children’s ministry facility. Abundant resources for purchasing curriculum and training Sunday School teachers. Too good to be true? Yes…but perhaps not for the reasons you think. There is an alignment problem within…