Monthly Archives: May 2014

Giving Our Children the Gift of Memorials

May 26, 2014

And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.” (Joshua 4:5-7 ESV)

Memorials are important reminders of great things—things that should not be forgotten, things to reflect upon and consider. A pile of stones became a reminder of God's power, faithfulness, and lovingkindness to His covenant people. The stones became a reminder for future generations to trust, worship, and obey the one true God.

Teaching Vision Encouragement

Encouraging Volunteers to Stay

May 21, 2014

Yes, it's almost the end of another school year, but that big "R" word often looms in the minds of children and youth ministry leaders. Recruitment. How will you go about recruiting joyful, Christ-exalting, servant-hearted, well-trained volunteers to fully staff your classrooms for the next school year? One answer is to consider how you might encourage your current volunteers to return in their current roles. In his seminar “Recruiting and Retaining Volunteers,” Pastor Gil McConnell suggests ways to do this by emphasizing the benefits of a long-term "investment" mindset within the same ministry team:

Teaching Parenting

The Importance of "Formative Instruction"

May 19, 2014

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I find these words from Tedd and Margy Tripp to be very helpful in thinking about intentionality in our teaching. Or, another way to say it is that they are challenging us as teachers and parents to have a definite "vision-oriented" approach to instruction.

Curriculum Products

New from CDG: Growing in Faith Together App

May 15, 2014

UPDATE: The Growing in Faith Together App is now available for both iPhone and Android. Learn more about the updated app.

Children Desiring God is excited to announce the launch of the Growing in Faith Together App for iPhone, iPad and iPad Mini. The partnership between churches and parents is one of the key elements of a purposeful children's ministry. Each of our revised

Teaching

Expressing Appreciation to Your Volunteers

May 14, 2014

I have a cupboard overflowing with mugs. And although it might make sense to get rid of a few in order to make more room for other things, I don't have the heart to do that. You see, these aren't just "any" mugs. Each was a special gift representing another year of ministering to the children and youth of our church. These words are clearly printed on the back of each mug...

Spreading a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of the next generation.

I also have a small clay pot sitting on my desk just waiting to be planted with some herb seeds. It's from Jan Golias, a 1st grade Team Leader, given to each member of her team of volunteers. The pot is beautifully

Teaching Parenting

Family Night Devotional and Activity on Prayer

May 13, 2014

Here is a simple and creative devotional from Sally Michael that can help your family (or classroom) better recognize our need to "stop and pray."

Teaching Bible Skills Parenting

Don't Miss: "Look at the Book"

May 12, 2014

In a recent Desiring God blog post titled, “The Legacy I Want to Leave,” John Piper shares the following sentiments:

When I think of the coming generations, I am not content to only leave them a deposit of books and sermons that celebrate the glories of God and the wonders of Christian Hedonism. A great teacher once told me to ignore the conclusions of commentaries, and only look for their arguments. I have tried to give good arguments.

Teaching Products

Share Jesus with the Next Generation this Summer

May 08, 2014

As summer quickly approaches, your church may be looking for resources to use in child outreach and evangelism, whether it be through a Backyard Bible Club or Vacation Bible School setting. Children Desiring God has 4 titles to offer, each focusing on a different theme, while presenting the Gospel clearly and accurately to children in K-6th grade. Here are some things to know about our BYBC/VBS materials as you consider your needs:

Parenting

Thoughts from a new mom-to-be...

May 07, 2014

Corn chips next to my bedstand. Almonds in-between calls at work, and egg sandwiches for breakfast. I’m just 4 weeks pregnant, but it seems like my body has already determined what it wants to eat at any given time during the day! This is all a brand-new experience for me as a first-time mom. Some people have asked me how I feel knowing that there is a new life being knit together inside of me. I can think of one word in particular: peace.

Parenting

Mothers and the "Books" They Write

May 06, 2014

My daughter Sarah wrote this on Valentine's Day for her children, but I think that it's even more appropriate for Mother's Day.

“I love you more than words” may seem like a copout phrase for skipping conversation, but for this mommy, it’s quite literally true. You see, I love words. I love to read them, and I love to write them. It wasn’t love at first grade, but after the discovery of Nancy Drew and the advent of spell check, I was hooked. I decided to be an English major in sixth grade, and made good on my decision at college. The form and purpose of my pursuit changed from time to time—morphing from dreams of writing the great American novel to a passion for field journalism on the persecuted church to the aspiration to follow in my mother’s footsteps in crafting Sunday school curriculum—but the means of all these dreams stayed the same: written language. I could perform with academic excellence in a number of subjects, but writing was where I really lived. And then, I had children.