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?

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

"Impress them (My ways) on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." - Deuteronomy 6:7, emphasis added The single most important thing a Christian parent can do is lead their own kids to God. I've heard it said that the dinner table is your biggest opportunity for discipleship. It's holy ground. Not the pulpit, but the breakfast counter on a random Tuesday morning. Yet many parents wonder how

How do we get the child from Sunday school to develop and sustain a mature faith? Explore how churches and parents can disciple children to know Jesus and live out their faith beyond Sunday. If the church has one job today, I believe it's this: Building the bridge between Sunday school and mature faith. When we consider how pews are emptying, that whole generations are missing from the church, and the rise of secularism, it becomes evident that there's a gap somewhere. This