The KidMin Creatives

This week it's a KIDMIN Q&A episode!

We're tackling questions from the KidMin community including how to tackle teaching tithing, suggestions for nursery curriculum, and how to navigate parent/teacher misunderstandings. Come and join us for some questions and hopefully some answers!

We're talking all our tips and tricks for Bible storytelling! We have a high privilege in sharing the stories of Scripture with the kids entrusted to our ministries. So how can we convey the message in a way that is engaging, informative, and something kids will never forget?

Check out this episode to find out how to bring Bible stories to life in Kids Church, Sunday School, and beyond!

Some resources we mention in this episode:

• Story Sticks: (https://storysticks.net/)
• Tell THE Story: (https://equiptoengage.org/story/)

When it comes to choosing what curriculum is right for your church, the first question you need to ask is: What is my church's context? In other words, who is in my church? What methods does my church use to share Jesus with others? What style of worship service does my church have? All of these questions and more have an impact on your choices in ministry and how you can best meet the needs of the families in your church!

This week we'll break down how to figure out your church context with key questions, as well as see how your context relates to the curriculum you choose for your ministry!

Check-In can be one of the most stressful moments in Kid's Ministry, whether it's on Sunday morning, at a midweek program, or during a VBS. So how do we help kids, parents, and caregivers have a successful drop off into our ministries?

The answers to that question might just surprise you and have everything to do with the ways we welcome families into our children's ministry spaces. Join us today as we check in with and without tears, toys, and technology trouble!

Ash Wednesday and Lent can be such a meaningful time to explore everything that God has done for us through Jesus' death on the cross. Helping kids understand what sin is and how Jesus conquered sin and death is such a powerful and biblical truth as they grow in Christ.

Join us as we explore Ash Wednesday and Lent, give a little bit of background on what these seasons are about, and offer practical ideas you can use in your ministry to help kids explore themes like sin, confession in prayer to God, and the death of Christ.

We kick off Season 3 by discussing Valentine's Day Parties! We love a good Valentine's Party at our church because it is the perfect opportunity to talk all about God's love for us and how God's love leads us to share His love with others!

Some of the Scripture Passages we mention in this episode are:

• Deuteronomy 6:1-9
• Romans 8:35-39
• 1 Corinthians 13
• Colossians 3:14
• 1 John 4:7-21
• Psalm 136
• John 3:16
• John 15:9-17
• Luke 10:25-37

Hey KidMin Creatives!

Welcome to KidMin News, a brand new segment on our podcast where we share the latest news from the world of Children's Ministry! From VBS Theme reveals to new releases to what's on the minds of Children's Ministry Leaders everywhere, we've got you covered with the latest ideas to inspire your creativity in Children's Ministry!

Hey KidMin Creatives!

Welcome to KidMin News, a brand new segment on our podcast where we share the latest news from the world of Children's Ministry! From VBS Theme reveals to new releases to what's on the minds of Children's Ministry Leaders everywhere, we've got you covered with the latest ideas to inspire your creativity in Children's Ministry!

Hey KidMin Creatives!

Welcome to KidMin News, a brand new segment on our podcast where we share the latest news from the world of Children's Ministry! From VBS Theme reveals to new releases to what's on the minds of Children's Ministry Leaders everywhere, we've got you covered with the latest ideas to inspire your creativity in Children's Ministry!

Hey KidMin Creatives!

Welcome to KidMin News, a brand new segment on our podcast where we share the latest news from the world of Children's Ministry! From VBS Theme reveals to new releases to what's on the minds of Children's Ministry Leaders everywhere, we've got you covered with the latest ideas to inspire your creativity in Children's Ministry!

Hey KidMin Creatives!

This week the KidMin Creatives are talking all about Prayer Stations! How do you use Prayer Stations to help the kids in your ministry pause, be still, and know that God is God? We'll talk all about what Prayer Stations are, why they are an effective tool in KidMin, as well as how to create, set up, and lead them in your church!

Resources in the Episode:

Hey KidMin Creatives!

It's never too early to start planning your Easter events, and if you're planning an Easter Egg Hunt, this is definitely the episode for you! We'll go into all the different types of Easter Egg Hunts you can host whether you're in a large church, a small church, or a mobile church. We'll also take a look at the history of Easter and answer the question: Are Easter Eggs actually borrowed from a pagan festival? From logistics to the why behind the event, you won't want to miss this episode of The KidMin Creatives Podcast!

Hey KidMin Creatives!

The newest book in the Decoder Devos series is here: Unlocking God's Love: 28 Days of Devotions for Kids! It's available now and filled with even more codes, puzzles, clues, and mazes that lead kids to the love of God! Each day is filled with secret codes, puzzles, and activities that will help kids discover the love of God by following in the footsteps of Jesus!

Hey KidMin Creatives!

Have you ever wanted to attend a Children's Ministry Conference? Maybe you've been on the fence, wondering if you should go for it or not. Well, today we are going to do a deep dive into Children's Ministry Conferences and why we think they can be a great way for you to grow not only as a KidMin Leader, but also in your faith! We also go deep into our tips and tricks for surviving a Children's Ministry Conference through our many years of Conference Attending Experience!

Hey KidMin Creatives!

One little holiday that always gets overshadowed by Christmas is New Year's! New Year's can be an amazing time for the kids in your ministry to look back on everything God has done in the past year as well as looking ahead to what God will do in the coming one! We'll give you some tips and ideas for helping kids discover and practice spiritual disciplines, as well as a bunch of creative ideas for your very own New Year's Party you can incorporate any time in January!

Please support the worship artists we mention in today's episode by legally purchasing their songs at the following links:

Hey KidMin Creatives!

This week we are taking a look at some of our favorite books for our Nursery, Preschool, and Early Elementary spaces at church! There are so many great books out there, so we wanted to give you our Top 5 books in three different categories: Nursery, Preschool, and Christmas. We'll also dive into some tips and tricks for using picture and board books in your ministry settings and how best to keep kids engaged while you read to them.

Some of the books we mention in this episode:

Hey KidMin Creatives!

We are so excited to tell you about our brand new book, Unlocking Christmas: 31 Days of Devotions for Kids! It's available now, and it is a puzzle-packed, code-cracking, fun-filled 31 day adventure through the story of Jesus' birth that your kids will love! Each day is filled with secret codes, puzzles, and activities that will help them discover the love of God at Christmas time!

Hey KidMin Creatives!

It is almost Thanksgiving here in the United States, and so we wanted to give you an episode filled with ideas on how to help the kids in your ministry give thanks to God for all that God has done, is doing, and will do one day! We'll dive deep into message ideas, games, songs, crafts, and response activities you can use this year in your Children's Ministry!

Here are some of the resources we mentioned in this episode:

SONGS

Hey KidMin Creatives!

This week we are diving deep into science experiments: why are they useful in children's ministry, where can we find them, and how do we even go about performing science experiments? We'll go through some how-to's, how-not-to's, and give you some best practice tips for using science in your children's ministry settings!

Here are three of the resources we recommend in the episode:

Hey KidMin Creatives!

Today on the podcast we are interviewing author Brock Eastman about faith, science, and his new book, a devotional for families called Faith and Science with Dr. Fizzlebop! We'll talk about how families can incorporate devotions as a spiritual practice as well as how Children's Ministry Pastors and Leaders can use science to help kids discover the God of the universe! Join us in this very special episode with guest Brock Eastman.

You can find Brock Eastman online at:

https://www.fizzleboplabs.com/

His new book Faith and Science with Dr. Fizzlebop comes out November 9, 2021, available wherever books are sold!

We're finally back to recording new episodes for a new season! This is the official start of Season 2 where we discuss what we've been up to in the past year as well as some of our summer and fall events. We also dive deep into events around Halloween time and what are some best practices for a Trunk or Treat event. Come join us as we talk all things KidMin and get creative while doing it!

For more information, visit our website: https://www.thekidmincreatives.com/.

This has been a long year, but Christmas is finally almost here! If you're looking for some ideas and resources on how best to celebrate Christmas in your Children's Ministry this year, look no further! We've got a bunch of ideas to help you have COVID-19-friendly Christmas celebrations from music to games to activities to books and even some toys! Listed below are links to some of the resources we talk about in the episode!

Plans change -- sometimes in the middle of the plans already changing! Especially in this season of Children's Ministry, there has been a lot of change. Many of us have had to rethink our ministries from the ground up at the last minute multiple times. We often don't have any control over changing plans, but we do have control over how we will respond to those changing plans. Join us today as we finish this special four part series from the book of Jonah and discover how to respond well.

On this episode, we have the privilege to interview Youth Pastor Néstor Hernandez Zambrana about what Youth Pastors wish Children's Ministry Leaders knew about Youth Ministry. We know that YouthMin and KidMin can seem like vastly different worlds, so we're demystifying Youth Ministry as we discuss the differences and similarities between Youth and Children's Ministry, as well as what to do with difficult conversations between ministry leaders and how best to partner with the whole family. This is one conversation you definitely don't want to miss!

Weeks in, weeks out, it can be easy to let time go by without sharing about the Good News of Jesus with the kids and families in your ministry. In this bonus episode, we'll take a look at Jonah chapter 3 and see how Jonah finally went and shared the message God had given him with the people of Nineveh. God has sent us too. He has sent us to share the Good News with everyone around us as we love God and love others. Who do you need to share the Good News with today?

Today on the podcast we are unpacking ministry burnout and how as a Children's Ministry Leader to find creative ways to take a moment to be still and remember who God is. We all face those moments in ministry when we're tired, worn out, or maybe on the way to burnout. Even Jesus was tired at points in His ministry and knew He needed to recharge by spending time with the Father. So if rest is good for the God of the universe, what does that mean for humanity? Join us as we walk this journey together.

Bonus Episode #2: We know this has been a difficult season for so many Children's Ministry Leaders, so we wanted to take some time and give you a breath of fresh air on the podcast today. This part two of a four-part series on the Book of Jonah. Jonah's ministry can sometimes feel like Children's Ministry, full of difficult days, random turns of events, but also incredible works of God in the midst of the storms and raging seas. We hope you'll join us as we walk through Jonah Chapter Two and discover that no matter how it may seem, God's work hasn't stopped.

On today's podcast, we interview Anne Marie Gosnell and find out what it means to be an excellent Bible teacher! We talk about everything from what if an object lesson goes wrong to how we can learn from Jesus what it means to be a master teacher, because He is the master teacher! Anne Marie Gosnell is the author of six books on object lessons and children's ministry and discipleship, and has thirty years of experience in teaching kids God's Word. You definitely don't want to miss this conversation!

Bonus Episode #1: We know this has been a discouraging season for many Children's Ministry Leaders, so we wanted to take some time and give you a breath of fresh air on the podcast today. We're starting a four-part bonus series on the book of Jonah and talking about how Jonah's ministry sometimes feels like working in Kid's Ministry. There are days of discouragement, running away from what God has planned, desperate prayers from the belly of a huge fish, and even days of frustration and anger. We hope you'll join us as we walk through Jonah Chapter One and discover that no matter how it might feel, God's not done with you yet!

This week on the podcast we are talking all about games -- the how's, the what's, the when's, and even the why's of playing games in your Kid's Ministry. We'll talk all about everything from Safety to Picking Teams to Competition and Rules, as well as ask the most important question of all: is "fun" biblical? Spoiler: Yes! Join us and have a lot of fun thinking about playing games in your Children's Ministry!

We love Set Design Week! Every time we change our up-front set we go through a process of picking a theme, choosing set pieces, and designing the overall stage! This week we'll discuss our process for stage design, as well as give you some tips and ideas on how to change up the stage in your Children's Ministry space so that it really draws kids in and creates a fun environment for them to discover Jesus! Stage design doesn't have to break the budget or be difficult! You can set the stage in your Children's Ministry too!

Here's the link to our Amazon Ideas List full of some of the supplies we mention in the episode!

"Asking Jesus Into My Heart" is a phrase we often use in Children's Ministry to talk with kids about salvation. But is it the best way to talk about salvation? Is it a biblical way? Often, the words we say can communicate unintentional messages to kids, leaving them growing up and internalizing ideas that we never thought we were communicating in the first place! Join us today as we unpack the ways we've often talked about who Jesus is, how salvation works, and even that little Wordless Book.

It's a super episode! Today we are talking about Ministry Transitions: What should you prioritize in a new church? How do you say goodbye to the kids at your previous church? What are the crucial conversations you need to have right at the beginning of starting a new ministry? We'll talk about all of these and more, as well as tell you about that one time we discover a furry visitor in the Children's Ministry Supplies!

Have questions about reopening your Children's Ministry? We're here with some ideas and considerations that might help you as you plan for reopening your Children's Ministry! We talk about everything from temperature checks to themes to creative ways to keep kids socially distanced. Even though this season is difficult, we have a God who still calls, still leads, and is still with us through every twist and turn of 2020.

Many churches have not reopened their Children's Ministries yet, and some have turned to making online videos a regular part of what they do. On today's podcast, we're talking some simple strategies, creative tips, and fun ideas to incorporate into your online videos for Kids Church -- because it doesn't have to be complicated! You don't need tons of fancy equipment to get started: all you need is a device to record with, some creativity, and a whole lot of God's love!

Today on the podcast we're designing a Kids Church Worship Service! What things should we include on a Sunday morning for grade school aged kids in the context of a Kids Church time? We'll talk about how to structure a Kids Church Worship Service, and even discuss why a Kids Church time should be considered a worship service in its own right.

Today on the podcast, Shaun and Sarah interview some very special guests who have been teaching preschool Sunday School for over 40 years! We talk about everything preschool ministry from coloring tables to how to help preschoolers memorize verses to what to do on those discouraging days when nothing seems to be going well. This is one conversation you don’t want to miss!

Here are a couple of the resources we talk about during the podcast today!

Adam Raccoon books: https://316publishing.com/product-category/adam-raccoon/

Big Book of Coloring Pages With Bible Stories: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0830772367/

Have you ever considered that the time infants and toddlers spend in your nursery could be a worship service itself? It might seem impossible or even strange, but the truth is, even infants and toddlers can praise Jesus! Join us as we discuss how to incorporate elements of worship into your nursery space and time and truly transform your nursery from childcare to worship of the Savior.

Today we're answering questions from the Children's Ministry community! We talk about all the things from promotions for fifth graders and kindergartners to how to plan for Fall Festivals and what to do about baby dedication gifts! You have great questions for us; we have creative ideas for you!

Today we're counting down our Top 5 Current Favorite Worship Songs for Kids! Sarah and Shaun have both picked their top favorites, songs they lead with the kids at their own church! Come join us and discover a new song you could use in your Children's Ministry. We'll also talk about a bit of the theory behind how to pick worship songs for your church, as well as how to find lyric videos you can use in your ministry.

Today we're taking a second look at pivoting from crowd control to crowd engagement and diving deep on the role volunteers should play in helping to redirect kids when issues arise. We'll also talk about how to manage a crowd from up front when you're speaking and kids ask you those difficult or sometimes funny questions during the middle of your message!

Today we're talking about crowd control -- what happens when kids just aren't listening? Or what do we do when no matter how hard we try, kids can't seem to follow expectations? We'll take a deep dive into some questions you can ask yourself about your ministry, your space, and your curriculum to pivot from merely controlling a crowd and barely making it through to engaging the kids in your group.

The KidMin Creatives dive into the world of object lessons! Have you ever wondered if you could make your messages more engaging? Maybe what you're missing is an object lesson or two! Discovering how to incorporate object lessons into your Kids Church, Sunday School, or midweek program isn't as hard as it looks. You can take everyday objects around you and turn them into life-changing moments that leave an eternal impact.

Today on the podcast we mention some awesome resources. Here's where you can find those:

Bible Fun Factory by Mary Kate Warner (https://www.amazon.com/dp/1511870699/)

Top 50 Object Lessons Games and Activities by Kathie R. Phillips (https://www.amazon.com/dp/162862504X/)

Top 50 Science-Based Bible Lessons by RoseKidz (https://www.amazon.com/dp/1628629606/)

Victory In Jesus by Anne Marie Gosnell (https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998196878/)

What God Is Doing by Anne Marie Gosnell (https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998196827/)