An effective way boys and girls can become involved in ministering to children in their own neighborhoods is through prayer.
Challenge the children to walk or drive with their parents through their neighborhood and select 3 homes where their friends live. Write down the name and house number. » I want to read more! »
Print This
To make clean up after “free play” easier and more fun, take pictures of the toy (digital cameras work great for this), laminate the photo, then put it on the outside of the bin or on the shelf where the toy belongs. This enables pre-readers to put things back, and the kids feel great about themselves for cleaning up. – by Lori Harris
Print This
This is a portion of a prayer God placed on my heart for the children and families of our church during a special family prayer meeting.
Heavenly Father, our children are the very center of Your heart and You have entrusted to us the privilege and the responsibility to lead them into a relationship where You are the very center of theirs.
As we look into the eyes of our children we discover the very vibrancy of life itself. We recognize the importance for them to enjoy and experience all the wonders of life which You have created for them. But we would fall short should we not provide for them the opportunity to find fullness of life through knowing the One who gave them life. » I want to read more! »
Print This
Why I still do altar calls or invitations to be born again.
I realize that a lot of the church world has moved away from doing alter calls during their services. Many people have questioned why I continue to use this method of evangelism. Let me start off by stating a few things that I see that would cause leaders to shy away from this method.
1. I understand that just because someone comes forward during a service does not mean that a change has taken place in their lives and many people have walked away confused.
2. Another reason would be » I want to read more! »
Print This
Have several of the children tell you promises that someone has made to them. Then have them tell you about promises that people made to them which were not kept and how it made them feel.
Now have the children proceed to tell you promises that God has made and kept to them (These may be instances of healing, comfort, provision, friendship, protection, encouragement, loving them, etc.). Remark upon the difference between God’s promise-keeping record and people’s. People are not perfect; God is. People will hurt them and fail them; God never will! » I want to read more! »
Print This
SUPPLIES: index cards, pen
Prepare ahead of time. Write each of the following situations on an index card.
1. Your parent asks you to get some of your money out to go to an amusement park. 2. You are tired and your parent asks you to clean your room.
3. Your teacher tells you that your best friend needs help on a school assignment.
4. You just started a computer game when your parent asks you to go to the store for flour.
5. You were about to leave the house to go somewhere with a friend when your parent says that you need to watch your baby sister. » I want to read more! »
Print This
When teaching children to pray during a special children’s prayer meeting, or to teach them to pray in your weekly service, an important key is to keep kids’ interest by being goal oriented. Each prayer time should have a theme. If you meet weekly, you may want to keep a theme for a month at a time, depending on the theme. Some theme examples would be: » I want to read more! »
Print This
Announce to the children that you want each of them to think hard of something that they want very, very much. Let each child tell his or her "want" to the class. After this is done, ask the group what they think Jesus wants very, very much. Then focus on explaining to the children that what Jesus wants most is to forgive them of their sins so that they can live with Him forever. If they do not have their sins forgiven, they cannot go to heaven to live with God. Instead, they must be punished by going to a lake of fire where Satan will also be punished. God, however, does wants them to be forgiven. Express that if Jesus had not wanted to forgive them so very much, He would never have come to be their Savior. During this time of prayer, allow each child to tell Jesus that they glad Jesus wants so much to forgive them.
Print This
SUPPLIES: silly putty, cartoon, newspaper with current event photos
(Flatten the silly putty across the cartoon as you begin talking to your class.)
Today’s lesson is about Joseph. Joseph’s life started out well; he was loved very much by his father. His father liked to do extra nice things for Joseph. During this time Joseph served God and God made promises to Joseph about his future. (Show silly putty with cartoon imprint.) The silly putty is going to represent Joseph and the pictures various parts of his life. Right now his life is going pretty well and it is easy to be faithful to God and believe God is with him. » I want to read more! »
Print This
Ask how many of the children have learned to swim. Talk with the group about how it can be a fearful experience when one doesn’t know how to swim or is just learning to swim. See if the children know how to overcome a fear of water–by learning to swim. The more a person learns to swim and spends time swimming, the less he or she will be afraid. (You may want to warn the children not to try to teach themselves to swim.) Similarly, we are often afraid that God won’t answer our prayers, that He won’t protect us. Explain to the children that just as the more time spent swimming takes away fear of water, so the more time spent in prayer takes away the fear that God won’t protect us. Encourage the children to pray daily so that they will know that God will answer their prayers and that they don’t need to be afraid. Say a prayer of commitment with the children to pray to God each day and know that God will help and protect them.
Print This
![[Bloglines]](http://childrensministryvault.com/ministry-lessons-ideas-training/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/bloglines.png)
![[del.icio.us]](http://childrensministryvault.com/ministry-lessons-ideas-training/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/delicious.png)
![[Digg]](http://childrensministryvault.com/ministry-lessons-ideas-training/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/digg.png)
![[Facebook]](http://childrensministryvault.com/ministry-lessons-ideas-training/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/facebook.png)
![[Faves]](http://childrensministryvault.com/ministry-lessons-ideas-training/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/faves.png)
![[Feed Me Links]](http://childrensministryvault.com/ministry-lessons-ideas-training/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/feedmelinks.png)
![[Furl]](http://childrensministryvault.com/ministry-lessons-ideas-training/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/furl.png)
![[Google]](http://childrensministryvault.com/ministry-lessons-ideas-training/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/google.png)
![[MySpace]](http://childrensministryvault.com/ministry-lessons-ideas-training/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/myspace.png)
![[MyWeb]](http://childrensministryvault.com/ministry-lessons-ideas-training/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/myweb.png)
![[Reddit]](http://childrensministryvault.com/ministry-lessons-ideas-training/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/reddit.png)
![[Rojo]](http://childrensministryvault.com/ministry-lessons-ideas-training/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/rojo.png)
![[Sphere]](http://childrensministryvault.com/ministry-lessons-ideas-training/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/sphere.png)
![[StumbleUpon]](http://childrensministryvault.com/ministry-lessons-ideas-training/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/stumbleupon.png)
![[Technorati]](http://childrensministryvault.com/ministry-lessons-ideas-training/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/technorati.png)
![[Twitter]](http://childrensministryvault.com/ministry-lessons-ideas-training/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/twitter.png)
![[Windows Live]](http://childrensministryvault.com/ministry-lessons-ideas-training/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/windowslive.png)
![[Yahoo!]](http://childrensministryvault.com/ministry-lessons-ideas-training/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/yahoo.png)
![[Email]](http://childrensministryvault.com/ministry-lessons-ideas-training/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/email.png)