10 Bible Verses About Love That Kids Should Know

The Bible has a lot to say about love, which tells us love is pretty important to God (it is a big part of His character after all). As we enter a season that focuses a lot on love, let's help the kids and families in our ministry know about the love found in Scripture and in our Heavenly Father. Here are 10 Bible verses about love that kids should know: 1 John 4:7 - "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God." (NIV) Psalm 136:26 - "Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever." (ESV) 1 Corinthians 13:4,8 - "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud... Love never fails." (NIV) (Psst - here's a Valentine lesson to help you teach this verse to kids through prayer stations!) Romans 12:10 -...

I Love You Because Jar… Valentine Family Prayer Activity

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Invite families to talk to God about their love for Him this Valentine's Day with this simple family prayer activity![/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Download a printable copy here!" align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2022%2F01%2FDKM-I-love-you-because-jar-family-prayer-freebie.pdf|target:_blank"][vc_column_text] For this activity, families will need: A jar or container Popsicle sticks or strips of paper (If they don't have either of these, you can share the last page of the printable with them!) Prayer Activity: Why do you love God? Have you ever stopped to think about it? God does so many amazing things for us. God is a God of love, a God who takes care of us, & a God who hears us when we pray - just to name a few! Think about the reasons you love...

Valentine Resources For Your Children’s Ministry 2022

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Valentine's Day is a great opportunity to not only teach kids about God's love but to create space for kids to experience God's love too! These Valentine Resources can help...[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color="custom" border_width="5" accent_color="#3ac1e1"][vc_custom_heading text="Help Kids & Families Experience God's Love Through Prayer..." font_container="tag:h2|text_align:left|color:%233ac1e1" use_theme_fonts="yes" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fproduct%2Flove-one-another-valentine-prayer-stations-lesson%2F|target:_blank"][vc_column_text] The Love One Another Valentine lesson uses self-guided prayer stations and John 15:5-12 to invite kids to experience God’s love, think about how we should love one another, and stay connected to Jesus. Love One Another includes 10 prayer stations...

Volunteer Training Icebreaker Activity

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Use this activity to open up your volunteer training, help your team get to know each other, and encourage them to start thinking about the importance of their volunteer roles. It's also a great lead-in to sharing about your ministry's vision and goals![/vc_column_text][vc_btn title="Click Here to Download a Printable version of the activity! " align="center" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fdeeperkidmin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2022%2F01%2FDKM-Volunteer-Training-Icebreaker-Activity.pdf|target:_blank"][vc_column_text] Supplies: index cards, pens, Instructions: Pass out an index card and a pen to everyone. If you have a large group, you can split them into groups of 5-10. Tell them to number their cards and write their answers to the following questions, but they shouldn’t write their name on their...

Mid-Year Volunteer Training

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]As we continue on into a new semester, have you checked in with your volunteers lately? I know you may be thinking, "Lol what volunteers?" but no matter how big or small your team is, now is a great time to check in with them to share updates, cast vision for the year, and equip them in their serving roles. One January, I had the opportunity to speak at a local church's mid-year children's ministry volunteer training, and the leader, Caroline, did such a great job, I wanted to share about the event! If you're looking to host a mid-year volunteer training, keep some of these ideas in mind. (And find even more volunteer ideas and resources here!) Show Appreciation - As soon as volunteers walked through the doors, they were greeted with a spread of some yummy snacks and a small volunteer gift. Showing...

What are you celebrating?

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]So often we jump into our goal-setting for the year ahead that we don't take the time to celebrate and remember what God has done in the year before. But celebration is a key part of discipleship, growth, and our relationship with God. In Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster describes celebration, or a spirit of joy, as a spiritual discipline that produces energy, momentum, and strength within an individual and a body of believers. It is the foundation for all other disciplines, as without celebration, practicing the other disciplines becomes dull and legalistic. Celebration brings freedom from “taking ourselves too seriously” (p. 196), alleviates sadness, and gives us a fresh perspective on life. Ultimately, celebration provides the basis for successful spiritual growth and acts as a springboard for...

VIP Meeting Planning Guide

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]What if you invested several hours per month/semester in a meeting with yourself that would end up giving you more focus and less stress overall? Use this week's free download to give it a try! Download the full planning guide and questions here! A VIP Meeting is a once-a-month meeting with yourself that gives you space to be still, dream, plan, and brainstorm. It's a vital check-in for your goals and helps you stay on track with the most important things in your life and your ministry. (This is just one of the many tools and resources I learned about as part of a Leadership Circle with Joy Canupp, and it's been so valuable!) So go ahead and schedule your first VIP meeting, and let me know how it goes! Here's a quick overview of what happens at your VIP meeting, and download the full planning...

The 1 Thing That Will Help You Stick With Your Goals

Welcome to the new year! January and the start of a new calendar year is always a time for reflection, dreaming, goal-setting, and looking ahead to what God has in store. Unfortunately, two-thirds of people will abandon their goals and resolutions by the end of the month. But that doesn't have to be you! If there's 1 thing that will help you stick to your goals, it's this: accountability. But not just accountability from your boss, spouse, or even a friend. What if you could have intentional accountability with a group of like-minded leaders in a setting that fostered encouragement, laughter, growth, and deep relationships?  Enter: Leadership Circles with Joy Canupp. I've been part of a Leadership Circle with Joy in the past, and it's not only a space for encouragement but also for practical steps that help me move forward in whatever goals...