Kids Matter Kid's Ministry
Conference 2018
Join us for our Annual Kid's Ministry Conference featuring an interactive Expo, inspirational special guest and many workshop sessions to help you in your ministry context.
This year's THEME is: Kids in the Word
Our Special Guest is Jeffery Reed. Jeff has worn many hats in church ministry. Having been in ministry for 30+ years, he has served as a worship pastor, kids pastor, student pastor, family pastor, executive pastor, and senior pastor. He went to college in Boston prior to God calling him into ministry in his hometown of Savannah, Georgia. In 2013, he moved from Dallas to Nashville to be the Director of LifeWay Kids. He currently serves on the Church Partner Team at LifeWay and speaks at churches and events across the country. He lives in Spring Hill, Tennessee with his wife and four children.
Our Schedule
8:30 a.m. Registration and Expo
9:30 a.m. Kid’s Worship/Games (Sword Drill) and Inspiration
Inspiration: Defining Our Current Reality
It’s about the big WHY. Why is Kid’s Ministry important and why is it more important now than ever? You will be challenged and inspired as we unpack some alarming stats on the state of Kid’s Ministry. We’ll also look at some encouraging truths about our calling and how God is equipping us to do His work.
10:30 a.m. Break
10:45 a.m. Workshop #1 — 55 minutes
11:45 a.m. Chick Fil-A LUNCH / Expo
12:15 p.m. Let’s Talk Forum
1:00 p.m. Workshop #2 — 55 minutes
Inspiration: Getting Discipleship into the Hands of the Parent
Why does a Christian family look like? As we glimpse into what the Bible has to say about a Godly family, we can also look at what this will look like in the life of our church. When you equip parents to disciple their kids, you change the family. When you change families, you change your church and the world.
2:00 p.m. “Family Night?” Experience / Fun
3:00 p.m. Prayer and Sending out
WORKSHOPS include:
10:45 a.m. WORKSHOP #1
The Bees of Storytelling (Janiss Fowler, First Baptist Church, Manchester, CT)
The first step in being transformed by God's Word is to hear what it says. Come explore some ways & means of telling stories that will help us open up the wonder of the Bible to our kids.
Bible Skills Benchmarks (Melva Davidson, Newbury Bible Church, Newbury, VT)
As they grow, a child’s capacity to know the Lord also grows. In this workshop. Learn how to identify where a child should be in terms of their Bible skills knowledge and how to help them reach those benchmarks.
Engaging Parents (Jeff Reed, Lifeway Church Resources, Nashville, TN)
Teach. Inspire. Equip. We have to do all three things to help parents in their journey. Most parents don't understand that THEY are the prime source of discipleship for their kids. We have to teach them. In addition to helping parents understand their role, we have to inspire them to grow in their own faith WITH their children. We also need to give them the right tools. Let’s unpack this together!
Growing in F.A.I.T.H.--Teaching Preschoolers Through Activities
(Jessica Green, Timothy Baptist Church, Roxbury, MA)
Learn how to take your preschoolers on a journey into Scripture where they’ll experience the Bible in 5 ways that will cause them to grow strong in their F.A.I.T.H. —Fun, Adventure, Imagination, Truth and Home activity! We will explore techniques for creating an organized and structured environment where learning can still be full of exploration and movement. This workshop will be great for beginner and intermediate preschool teachers.
How to Build a Strong Leadership Team
(Ron Mills, Island Pond Baptist Church, Hampstead, NH)
Let’s dive into the elements of building a strong leadership team. Come and be ready to be challenged and to join the conversation so that we can learn together.
Keeping Kids Safe (Micah Levitsky, Grace Harbor Church, Providence RI)
Keeping our kids safe should be our #1 priority. Come and find some great ideas to make sure this is happening at your church. Hear about some practical ways this is happening and you can learn from the journey of another!
The Invisible Disability (Nancy Feldott, Awana International)
This workshop will cover the different types of learning disabilities and how in light of those we can be more effective in our ministry classroom. We’ll talk about making all of our programs accessible for all children.
1:00 p.m. WORKSHOP #2
Engaging Parents (Jeff Reed, Lifeway Church Resources, Nashville, TN)
Teach. Inspire. Equip. We have to do all three things to help parents in their journey. Most parents don't understand that THEY are the prime source of discipleship for their kids. We have to teach them. In addition to helping parents understand their role, we have to inspire them to grow in their own faith WITH their children. We also need to give them the right tools. Let’s unpack this together!
Using Events as Outreach (Lisa Helble, Grace Baptist Church, Hudson, MA)
Events can be a great stepping stone to reach out into the community. Come and find out some practical ways that these events can used to get people connected to your church. Lots of great ideas here!!!
Alphabet Soup (Nancy Feldott, Awana International)
Let’s explore some special needs that we are seeing more of in our children’s programs: ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder), and ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder). Come and discover ways to integrate these children into your ministry and how they be successful in those settings.
Kids and Technology (Patti Lake, Faith Church, Auburn, MA)
How is technology shaping our kids? Let’s find out how we can be proactive in making sure that we are using technology to best reach our kids and how we can guide them in their use of today’s technology.
Helping Pre-Teens Establish a Quiet Time
(Melva Davidson, Newbury Bible Church, Newbury, VT)
As adults, we know that having an established quiet time helps us grow in the Lord. But how can you help your preteen to establish their own quiet times on a regular basis? In this workshop, learn how to help preteens have a quiet time and how you can play an integral part in their transformation as they draw closer to the Lord.
Spiritual Formation of Kids (Janiss Fowler, First Baptist Church, Manchester, CT)
Come and discover the unique ways that kids are developing spiritually! Let this help you to engage kids at a deeper level and to have meaningful spiritual conversations about Christ.
Leading and Motivating Your Volunteers
(Sandy Coelho, Church of the Vine, Carver, MA)
What are the ways that you are leading and motivating volunteers? Come and discover some fresh new ways to honor those who are an integral part of your ministry and why you need to invest in them.