Sunday School has an important role to play in how the faith of children takes shape. It's the important business of sowing seeds of faith & tending to them. This article is written from the perspective of someone who grew up in Sunday School, had Seminary training in "doing it well", and have led many kids programs - and have seen firsthand the benefits of Sunday School when it's done intentionally. But we might have made Sunday School the surrogate parent when it was only s

Sunday School has an important role to play. But we might have made it the surrogate parent when it was only supposed to be a helping hand. This article is written from the perspective of someone who grew up in Sunday School, had Seminary training in "doing it well", and have led many kids programs - but have found that there are clear limits to what Sunday School can do. While exploring limitations and weaknesses of typical ministry models, this article will also endeavor to

The first things we teach our children about God will be the foundation on which their faith grows for years to come. I may be a Practical Theologian with a Masters in Youth Work, but nobody prepared me for becoming a parent. In the months leading up to becoming a first time mom, I've thought a lot about the kind of relationship I want my baby to have with God. (First things first: Yes, I do believe that children can have real encounters with God. Read about that here.) This

This diagram is an easy way to explain the Gospel message.

What is the meaning of Christmas gifts? Why do we do it, how can we redeem it, and what do we teach our children about it?

Discover 4 steps for becoming present and aware of God's presence in any moment.

Even in community, there is immeasurable worth in rest. Discover these 2 spiritual disciplines, how they overlap, and what sets them apart

Some thoughts on moving to a new place, taking leaps of faith, and blooming where you're planted.

This short devotional on Enoch in the Bible shows how you can break generational cycles in your own family through faith in and relationship with God

8 practical tips for navigating newlywed season as a Christian, from someone who's been there...

There is much to be said about orphans in the Bible. Sometimes symbolic language is used to explain the relationship between God and people. Other times literal instructions are given for God’s people and the care of orphans. In simple terms, the Bible speaks of spiritual orphans and real orphans. This post will delve into both interpretations.

Holistic wellness in Christianity includes the emotional, spiritual, mental, social, and physical well-being of a person from a biblical perspective. Even though this might sound like a foreign idea, we can grow in our understanding of it by considering the opposite…

There are some tell-tale signs that your small group is running on fumes. If you find yourself burnt out after each gathering, struggling to convince people to attend, and wondering if it’s worth it to keep going, this post is for you. We will discover five possible areas of change to consider when it comes to effectively leading your small group of youth, emerging adults, or millennials.

Our weekends are supposed to be a time of restoration, and returning to balance, yet more often than not we feel even worse at the end...

When we allow ourselves to just BE who we are, to care about what we care about... something amazing happens: we are set free.

My testimony of when God protected me during a burglary at my apartment in Stellenbosch.

Let’s discover some ways that you can become a parent who ensures that there is a seat at the table for your teenager at church:

Can't find a children's lesson that fits the particular Bible passage, theme or teaching emphasis you're working with? I create custom kids ministry curriculum around the needs of individual people, families, churches, and ministries. Children's church is almost always unpredictable. Sometimes a one-size-fits-all curriculum just does not cut it - believe me, I know. Sometimes the group you're working with ranges from toddlers to rather mature teens. Sometimes you have a speci

Simple, Bible-based ways to help children understand why Christians celebrate Christmas — teach kids the true meaning of Christmas at home or in Sunday school. Christmas may be one of those things that "used to be Christian". Many parents and churches struggle to reclaim the original meaning of Christmas, while kids nowadays believe it's all about gifts, Santa, and sparkly things. If your family, church, and culture practise Christmas but you want to regain its Christian mean

If I had to choose just ten Bible characters to introduce to kids, these are the ones I'd go with. Children often hear Bible stories but they don't get to connect with the people on the pages of Scripture. This blog post slows down and gets those basic things in place first: Who do they need to know for this story to make sense? Here are 10 Bible Characters for Kids to get a foundational understanding of the Bible. First things, first. May you find space here to pause, reflec