First Call—Session I Workshops
Embracing and Practicing a Biblical Theology of Children’s Ministry—with John Kwasny
God’s Word dictates the Goals, Content, Methods and Contexts of this vital task. This workshop will detail a Biblical Theology to use as an essential foundation to the practice of Children’s Ministry.
Discipling Children through Parents—with Jimmy Brock
Let’s explore the connections between ministering to children and ministering to their parents. Bring your questions, ideas, and experiences to contribute to the discussion.
Helping Kids Memorize Big Truths—with Lisa Updike
Our minds are formed by what we stick in them! This session will present some techniques to make memorizing easy, and fun. You might even leave with a thing or two memorized yourself!
Winning the Hearts of Your Church Leadership for Disability Ministry—with Steph Hubach
Come hear practical steps for developing a sound plan to present to your church leadership—one that honestly addresses their questions and concerns while encouraging them to “take the plunge!”
Team Access in Special Needs Ministry—with Martie Kwasny
This workshop will focus on how to encourage and equip the children and youth of your church to assist in special needs ministry. Special attention will also be given to team-building and training for respite care and the buddy system.
Protection: Is Your Church Prepared?—with Steve Collins
In this seminar we will look at what it takes to create a safe environment for children. Participants will learn why policies and procedures are essential and how to make them functional.
Building an Adoption/Foster Care Ministry That Makes a Difference—with Ty Bryant
A look at practical ways the church can support families as they open their homes to children from every situation, tribe and nation.
The Nursery—Mercy Ministry at its Best—with B.A. Snider
It is never too early to set an atmosphere of God’s loving promises for our children. What are the details that need to be attended to so that the very first experiences lead our children to Christ?
On Your Mark—Session II Workshops
Gospel Centered Parenting—with Stephen Estock
Training the Parents in our church to raise up their children in the Lord may take a different turn if we truly understand the Gospel and its power in our lives and theirs.
Diapers to Diplomas—A Comprehensive Covenantal Plan—with Danny Mitchell & Sue Jakes
Youth and Children’s Ministry should be complementing not competing ministries. What needs to happen so that each is working with and for the other?
Perspective into Practice: Getting Disability Ministry Started in Your Local Congregation—with Steph Hubach
This seminar will provide you with practical ways to address answers to questions like: How do you actually begin a disability ministry in your church? What are the probable obstacles? What are the potential opportunities?
Kids in Praise and Worship-Going Beyond “Father Abraham”—with Lisa Updike
Kids are entertained in many venues in our society, but where else but the Church will they learn to sing for the Glory of God? Let’s lead them to Jesus and teach them what the Bible says about worship!
Ready to Take Communion—with Jeremy Case
What is the process? A look at the training and preparation of our children for this big step in their faith journey.
What Should I be Reading? (Leadership Development Resources)—with Connie Musselman
What do you recommend that your teachers read for personal devotion, classroom help and encouragement? Want some new ideas?
Sexual Abuse in the Church: Its Prevalence and Prevention—with Steve Collins
This seminar will look at the prevalence of child sexual abuse in the church and what steps can be taken to protect children. Participants will receive valuable resources that will help in writing and implementing child protection policies and procedures.
OneChild Ministry—with Audrey Joseph
Learn how your church or children’s ministry can build a relationship and change a life through Child Sponsorship.
Get Set—Session III Workshops
Building Champions For Christ: Recruiting, Training and Retaining Volunteer—with Cynthia Reagan
Developing and maintaining positive relationships is the key. A look at all of the ways that we invest in people, encouraging them as they use their gifts in ministry.
Teach Me to Worship—with Sue Jakes & B.A. Snider
Take a look at a brand new Children’s Worship curriculum and explore all of the ways that your local church can use Bible teaching to train the next generation of worshippers.
Disability 101: What’s in Your Worldview?—with Steph Hubach
Our worldview influences how we look at, well, our world! What ideas do we bring to the subject of disability that mirror our culture’s values more than they reflect a biblical perspective? This seminar looks at the influences of modernism and postmodernism, and then contrasts a biblical view of disability.
Families Reaching the Community—with Jimmy Brock
Our calling as a church is not just to minister to those who are already gathered, but to those outside the church who need to experience God’s love. This workshop will focus on opportunities to take children’s ministry outside the bounds of your church family.
Keeping Your Focus in Children’s Ministry—with Sherry Kendrick
Let’s learn together how to plan and carry out a children’s ministry that intentionally shares the gospel and faithfully teaches the content of scripture while engaging the children in their church community and celebrating important spiritual milestones in their lives!
Are We Gospel-Centered With Our Kids?—with Scott Barber
There are many important things we need to teach our kids but is the gospel at the center of the messages we are sending to them? This workshop helps us to see how the messages we send our kids can be gospel-centered and why our messages must be centered on the gospel.
The Youth Ministry Journey—with Danny Mitchell
Where is your congregation in the ever changing landscape called youth ministry? Take a look at all of the philosophies and take a serious look at future possibilities for your church kids.
The Acts 6 Model—Building a Discipleship Ministry—with Joseph Parker
Learn how to build a model of ministry that will inspire your people to serve according to their gifts and/or season of life, but more so, in a manner that will develop a discipleship-focused ministry to your preschool and elementary-aged children.
Connect—Session IV Workshops
Are We Fall-Driven With Our Kids?—with Scott Barber
In the heat of the moment, it is easy to resort to shame, fear and blame as we interact with our kids. This workshop helps us see how we can be fall-driven (using things that entered the world as a result of the fall) in interacting with our kids and why shame, fear and blame do not work in the long term.
Seeing Christ in All of Scripture—with Michael Craddock & Amy Roebke
How do we prepare to teach the Word so that Jesus is the point of every story, every passage, and every lesson?
How to Minister to Children from Hard Places (Specifically Foster and Adopted Children)—with Ty Bryant
Our Churches should be filled with “all the children of the world.” We must be ready to reach every child that He brings to us.
Planning Effective Events for Children’s Ministry—with Barksdale Pullen
What are the important components of successful ministry events? Let’s discuss together how to plan and implement events—from purpose to volunteer recruitment!
Small Group Discipleship—with Jeremy Case
How does Perimeter Church incorporate their TEAMS (Truth, Equipping, Accountability, Mission, Supplication) format and Susan Hunt’s Biblical Truth plus Compelling Relationship formula into training for children?!
Promoting Inclusion—with Martie Kwasny
This workshop will present a model of promoting inclusion of children with special needs in the life of the church–worship, Sunday School, choir, midweek ministries, and VBS. Special attention will also be given to curriculum development.
Bible 101—Building a Tween Ministry—with Joseph Parker
Using the Acts 6 Model, learn to develop a discipleship ministry to 5th and 6th graders. In addition, providing an opportunity to challenge parents and kids alike to “go and do” what they are learning Sunday mornings.