Intergenerational Ministry for the Post-pandemic Church
Lewis Center Director Doug Powe says siloed age-level ministries often prevent congregations from worshiping together around one common table. But the pandemic provided an opportunity…
Browsing: Children
Articles
The Mutual Benefits of Church-School Partnerships
Jake McGlothin, author of The Mission-Minded Guide to Church and School Partnerships, says it’s only logical that the two most important social institutions in our…
7 Trends Impacting Church Leadership for 2024
Ann Michel, Doug Powe, and Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff identify seven trends church leaders should keep in mind as they develop creative…
Sharing the True Spirit of Christmas in the Places Where Life Happens
Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff suggests that in an age of rampant religious disaffiliation our evangelistic task in the Advent and Christmas seasons…
Understanding the Cultural Realities of Children and Youth Today
Janet Craswell and Angela Pupino of National United Methodist Church say ministries with children and youth were severely impacted by the pandemic and are still…
5 Key Principles for Fostering Generosity in Children
Ann Michel of the Lewis Center staff says the church needs to renew efforts to foster generosity in our children. She shares five principles that…
6 Tools for Holy Work With Children
Tanya Campen offers six tools to help children process their experiences and discoveries about God. Through story, liturgy and ritual, relational awareness, memory markers, wonder,…
Leading Voices: “Leaders Empower All Generations to Lead Worship”
“Leaders Empower All Generations to Lead Worship” is presented by Rev. Jenny Cannon, lead pastor at Christ United Methodist Church in Rochester, Minnesota In celebration…
Creating a Safe Space for Holy Work with Children
Tanya Campen describes how practicing respect, preparation, and presence create safe spaces where children are valued and respected. She highlights the importance of preparing ourselves…
7 Ideas for Making Vacation Bible School an Evangelism Opportunity
How can you deepen your relationship with the children and families participating in a Vacation Bible School and stay connected with them throughout the year?…
Engaging Children Through Active Wondering
Tanya Campen describes how engaging children through active wondering creates space for them to share freely and nurtures honest conversation. She equips teachers and guides…
Leading Voices: “Good Leaders are Curious”
“Good Leaders are Curious” is presented by Johannah Myers, Director of Disciple Formation at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Greenville, South Carolina. In celebration of…
The Holy Work of Hybrid and Virtual Christian Education: An In-Depth Interview with Tanya Campen
How can Christian educators maximize the potential for learning in both hybrid and virtual classrooms? Doug Powe of the Lewis Center staff speaks with author…
“The Holy Work of Hybrid and Virtual Christian Education” featuring Tanya Campen
Podcast Episode 121 How can Christian education maximize the potential for learning in both hybrid and virtual classrooms? We speak with author and pastor Tanya…
10 Ways to Help Children Grow in Faith and Generosity
How can parents shape a generous spirit in their children? Ken Sloane outlines ten practical ways families can focus more intentionally on giving and gratitude,…
Does Your Church Truly Embrace Children or Merely Tolerate Them?
Sam Rainer says that families visiting your church know instinctively whether you sincerely welcome the presence of their children or just tolerate them. He outlines…
Thanking God It’s Good Friday: Intergenerational Children’s Ministry
Jessica L. Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff reports on an intergenerational ministry that teaches children about the significance of Holy Week and Easter. She…
How Parents Pass Religious Faith to their Children
What determines whether children will carry on the faith of their parents? Past research established that parents play the critical role. Ann Michel of the…
“How Parents Pass Religious Faith to their Children” featuring Christian Smith
What determines whether children will carry on the faith of their parents? Past research established that parents play the critical role. In this episode noted sociologist Christian Smith shares new research examining how parents shape their children’s faith and the critical factor of talking about religion in the context of day-to-day life.
How to Organize an Intergenerational Morning of Service for MLK Day
Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff reports on how a Connecticut church has made the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday a time for intergenerational…
10 Tips for Hosting A Live Nativity
A live Nativity can be an engaging, heart-warming event not only for church members but for the entire community as well. One Houston-area church has…
4 Approaches to Keeping Small Church Worship and Education Vibrant During the Pandemic
Rebekah Simon-Peter outlines four models small churches have used to survive the pandemic — the church at home model, the shut-in model, the never shut…
Coffee, Kids, and Chaos
Looking for a simple, creative way to engage young families in the life of your congregation? Jessica Anschutz explains how providing a gathering space for…
How Parents Help Children Grow in Faith
New research on how parents pass faith to their children provides strong evidence that talking with children about faith in the context of daily life…
6 Suggestions to Promote Healthy Intergenerational Worship
David Manner says the goal of healthy intergenerational worship is unobtainable unless the different generations within your church are first interacting together outside of worship.…
Why Intergenerational Ministry?
Liz Perraud says bringing generations together is a key aspect of Christian community. She suggests church leaders might approach the need to strengthen intergenerational connections…
4 Tools the Pandemic Has Uncovered for Special-Needs Ministry
Sandra Peoples, a leading voice for the special-needs community, says the modifications churches have made to reach members during the COVID-19 crisis have made special-needs…
Ministering with Families in the Ongoing Pandemic
Emily Peck McClain describes the very real challenges children, youth, and families face during this time of upheaval and distance from physical church. She offers…
Are You Teaching People about Faith? Or How to Practice It?
Johannah Myers describes a paradigm shift in how we form disciples with a move away from Christian education toward an emphasis on forming people in…
Episode 49: “What is Messy Church?” featuring Johannah Myers
Looking for a creative, new way to bring people of all ages into a space where they can meet Jesus? In this episode we speak with Johannah Myers about Messy Church, a global movement born of the desire to reach individuals and families not attracted to traditional Sunday morning services.
