Musical Leadership for the Non-Musical
By: Catherine Brown Enjoy this article from our print archives. You’ve agreed to lead an afterschool activity club at your church. Then you realize that music is an expected component of the program. You don’t play a musical instrument and singing has never been...
Let Everything that Breathes (or Drums or Jingles) Praise the Lord!
By: Martha Bettis Gee Enjoy this article from our print edition archives! Praise God with trumpet sounds; Praise God with lute and harp! Praise God with tambourine and dance; Praise God with strings and pipe! Praise God with clanging cymbals! Praise God with loud...
Games Christians Play
By: Sharon Grace Budin What are your favorite games? Are they classics like Monopoly or newer games like Apples to Apples? What do you like about them? As Christian Educators we are always looking for new and fun ways to engage people of all ages in learning Bible...
Faithful Families: Creating Sacred Moments at Home
By: Traci Smith When my oldest son, Clayton, was four months old, he contracted his first cold. The pediatrician said it wasn’t cause for alarm, to monitor him closely, and to bring him back if anything got worse. I spent the whole day worried. I trusted our doctor,...
Peace Puzzles
By: Catherine Devins The idea for Peace Puzzles was born a few years ago, when Gwen Whiteman and I were on our way home from a regional APCE workshop. As a winding road out of the Blue Ridge Mountains led us home to Raleigh, NC, our conversation turned to resources...
Illustrated Children’s Ministry
By: Adam Walker Cleaveland I have a confession to make. I never really liked children’s ministry. And I hated children’s sermons. Now, as the founder of Illustrated Children’s Ministry, that sounds a little odd. But let me explain. First of all, when I say I...
Modeling and Practicing God’s Love with Children through Mission
By: Miatta Wilson Miss Abney sits hunched over in her wheelchair falling asleep as the fifth grade boys approach her in the circle and begin tossing a balloon and speaking to her. Soon she looks up bright eyed and bats it back with gusto, as the aide explains that...
New Discoveries about Young Children’s Faith Formation
By: Karen-Marie Yust For decades, we have operated with certain developmental beliefs about preschool faith formation. Now, with the advantages of new research methods, it is time to reexamine our assumptions. Yale University’s Paul Bloom and Harvard University’s Paul...
Giving Bibles to Children…Which One, When and How We Give…It All Matters!
Many churches have a practice of giving a Bible to a child or to a family. The most common occasion is the beginning of the school year when a child is entering second or third grade. This recognizes their growing ability to read and comprehend stories. Then often a second Bible is given to a teenager at either the beginning or completion of confirmation. Less common is the giving of a Bible storybook appropriate for very young children, which some congregations give at birth/adoption or at baptism or dedication. Sometimes these important practices need some reconsideration and updating. Here are some suggestions to consider as you review the tradition of your congregation.