Fostering a sense of belonging in kids ministry
Children's Ministry, Kids Church, Discipleship Annemarie Rivers Children's Ministry, Kids Church, Discipleship Annemarie Rivers

Fostering a sense of belonging in kids ministry

Low and irregular attendance at church is a concerning trend for leaders today. As someone particularly concerned with the discipleship of children, sporadic attendance is discouraging, so we can’t ignore the impact this will have on children.

Here’s one area I think children’s ministry leaders need to consider - fostering in our young people a sense of belonging at church.

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How to elevate your church website to welcome people with disability
Accessibility and inclusion Bec Baines Accessibility and inclusion Bec Baines

How to elevate your church website to welcome people with disability

Church websites are a very helpful tool to share with your local community about your ministries and gatherings. For a visitor to your church who has disability or is neurodivergent, up-to-date information on your website about accessibility, what happens during a service, and what to expect is essential.

Here are three tips for enhancing your church website to help all people find out more about your church, so they feel included and welcome.

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Two Ways to Get Quiet Discussion Groups Talking

Two Ways to Get Quiet Discussion Groups Talking

Think of a time where you’ve asked a question in a discussion and everyone falls silent… is it the good kind of silence, or the not-so-good kind?

One kind of silence is productive, while the other is detrimental to forming a good group culture. One kind of silence promotes discussion, the other hampers it.

Here are two simple tools that will help you create a platform for the types of discussion where you get the good kind of silence.

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SRE classroom tips for supporting students with ADHD

SRE classroom tips for supporting students with ADHD

It can be hard to know how to support young people who have ADHD, whether you are aware of the diagnosis or not. Getting to know each student, especially those with diverse needs, is going to be most helpful. But this can be difficult, if not impossible, with such limited time and a whole class of kids.  

Here are four tips to make your SRE class beneficial for all students.

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Why Routine is a Kids Ministry Leader’s Best Friend

Why Routine is a Kids Ministry Leader’s Best Friend

Routine isn’t boring; in fact, it makes kids’ ministry engaging and effective. From familiar games to visual schedules, predictability helps children feel confident, cooperate, and absorb new lessons without overwhelm. Leaders love it too—less stress, smoother transitions, and more time to plan and prepare for lessons!

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Self-Care Through the Seasons of Life
Self-care in ministry Emma Collett Self-care in ministry Emma Collett

Self-Care Through the Seasons of Life

Being a ministry worker brings with it joys and challenges, and everything in between. It is a profound privilege to journey alongside people through the varying seasons of life.

Self-care isn’t selfish—it’s stewardship, and a necessity for sustainable, healthy and resilient ministry.  Making space for rest, spiritual renewal, and personal boundaries allows ministry workers to continue serving with joy, resilience, and integrity.

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Tips for a disability-inclusive Easter at your church

Tips for a disability-inclusive Easter at your church

The Easter season usually brings about a change in routines and often brings in visitors to church. This could be particularly challenging for children with disability or who are neurodivergent. Because of this, it’s worth thinking through ways to enable inclusive practices to help all people, whether regular, new, or visiting.

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Creation Was Never Perfect
Youthworks College, Theology Mike Dicker Youthworks College, Theology Mike Dicker

Creation Was Never Perfect

In the beginning God made the world and everything perfect” is what I often hear people say when they recount the story of creation through salvation history. The problem with calling God’s creation perfect is that it invites us to think of God’s creation as pristine and static, as if it was completed and, well…perfect. But that is not what God made. God makes a creation that needs to be completed and fulfilled.

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Artificial Intelligence and Ministry To Young People
Youth Ministry, Technology Chris Jones Youth Ministry, Technology Chris Jones

Artificial Intelligence and Ministry To Young People

In the context of ministry, there’s almost no limit to the ways in which we might employ AI tools to assist us in our tasks. Yet this is an arena in which we need to do some thinking before we blindly use the tools at hand. So how do we wisely discern what is beneficial for us and for those we are ministering to when it comes to faithfully using AI for ministry purposes?

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Questions Students Ask
Discipleship, family ministry Ruth Lukabyo Discipleship, family ministry Ruth Lukabyo

Questions Students Ask

Have the questions that kids and youth ask in the classroom or on a Friday night changed in the last 10 years?

After noticing the shift to questions around ethics in his schools ministry, Youthworks College graduate Tom Owen has worked to changed the scope and sequence of his school scripture units.

Read more to see the kinds of questions kids ask, and how we helpfully engage with these questions in God’s Word.

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The Three R’s of Gospel-Shaped Discipline with Kids
Discipleship, family ministry, Children's ministry Annemarie Rivers Discipleship, family ministry, Children's ministry Annemarie Rivers

The Three R’s of Gospel-Shaped Discipline with Kids

One of the biggest fears people have about serving in children’s ministry leadership roles is around behaviour management. What do you do when a child refuses to cooperate? What do you do when the group won’t settle down and listen?

Annemarie helps us understand that the gospel should be guiding not just what we share in teaching times, but also how we relate to children who misbehave, and provides 3 helpful guidelines that you can take into your interactions with misbehaving children.

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DEEP DIVE | Guidance
Discipleship, family ministry Viv Cheung Discipleship, family ministry Viv Cheung

DEEP DIVE | Guidance

Decision-making can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to significant life choices such as career, relationships, and ministry. Many Christians also face the challenge of seeking to make decisions that align with God's will, often seeking certainty through our "calling" from God.

To help navigate decision-making and drawing on guidance from God’s Word, Viv draws from Scripture to show how understanding our calling as God's children offers both security and freedom in decision-making.

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Kids Ministry Tips to Support Children with Disability

Kids Ministry Tips to Support Children with Disability

When you have children in your ministry who have a disability, it can be tricky trying to find ways to encourage involvement and participation, particularly if it’s met with any kind of resistance.

Here are 5 ways to help enable young people with disability to meaningfully participate in church ministries and services.

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