church youth ministry

  By Kevin Cook Basketball practice for my church youth basketball team took place in one of two places for us back in the late ‘70s. The first practice location was the top of a barn. There was a door on the floor that opened so we could enter after climbing a ladder. Finger holes

  By Shannon Greene The ultimate goal of the church is discipleship, to guide people into modeling their lives and behaviors after Christ. After all, Jesus commanded his followers to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19), not to simply get people in the doors of a church building. Discipleship in the church

  Planning youth group activities can be challenging, but when it comes to planning COVID-safe youth group activities, the bar gets raised even higher. Activities for church youth groups should be fun, first and foremost. Not only will this help to improve the children’s engagement, but it will also aid in the children’s development, as

  By Bob Schindler Tools. Go into any hardware store and you see lots of them. There are good tools and bad tools, depending on the job you are trying to perform. You can use a screwdriver to chisel wood, but it isn’t the best tool to do so. A good tool is an asset

  By Mike Rhoades Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was estimated that upwards of 2.4 million people from the United States went on a short-term mission trip each year. Say what you will about short-term missions, that number represents a huge number of people who are actively sharing Christ’s love throughout the world and

  By Shawn Yingling Youth mission trips can provide a wealth of benefits to both teen members and the community they choose to serve. However, as with any travel, mission trips bear inherent risks. While extensive planning and research is essential to any trip, there is one other key factor to ensuring a successful outreach

  By Jacob Eckeberger With summer quickly approaching, you might already be planning through your next youth group trip or choir tour. But with COVID impacting so many areas of church ministry, it’s more important than ever to review your safety polices for travel to ensure they take into consideration this year’s new limitations. For

  Is finding a new curriculum on your mind? Consider these factors to ensure you choose the best fit for your ministry. It’s that time of year when thoughts of curriculum are bouncing around in kidmins’ heads. Is what we’re using working? Is it time for something new? What else is out there? Is it

By Melissa Cooper You’ve heard it’s a good idea. You read a book and a few articles. The church leadership is on board. You’re going to do it: intergenerational Sunday school. Intergenerational discipleship is one of the greatest challenges churches are facing today. But should it be? While our generations are more divided than ever

  This article originally appeared in the March 2013 issue. By Mimi Bullock Mimi Bullock writes for www.Ministry-To-Children.com, a resource started by Tony Kummer to solve children’s ministry problems. The last day of school means freedom and fun for kids; for the children’s minister, it marks the beginning of a season of low attendance and

By Kristin Charles Maybe I just have a thing for aesthetics, but there is something to be said for a warm and welcoming environment. Have you ever walked into a classroom that invites you in with color and comfort and encouragement? These places of learning are organized, interactive, and vibrant. On the walls, you’ll find

By Kelsie M. Collins Flatland Group is a church in Omaha, Nebraska, that is affiliated with the Assemblies of God. AG is a worldwide network of Christian churches that has approximately 52+ million members in 212 countries. Churches have been teaming up this way as a means to share resources with one another to support

By Mimi Bullock Children’s church or big church? That is the question many parents are asking lately. When I began in ministry back in 1997, children’s churches weren’t wildly popular in my area, but, over the years, the trend has caught on. Now I am happy to report we have some amazing ministries that reach

  This article first appeared in the April 2006 issue. By Roger Theimer and Mike Heinz Dr. Roger Theimer is the author of Kingdom Quest, a children’s ministry curriculum available over the Internet, www.kidskountpublishing.com.  Mike Heinz is the director of family ministries at King of Kings Lutheran Church in Omaha, Nebraska.  When you hear Sunday