Category Archives: Uncategorized

6.1.23

Your June Resources Are Here!

When it comes to discipleship in children’s ministry, what’s your philosophy? What’s your strategy? We all have a lot to do as we plan and implement the ministry God has called us into, but where does discipleship fit in? Of course, we would hope that everything we do points the kids we lead into a deeper relationship with God. Still, I wonder if we might need to refocus some of our attention if we want to help our children grow from believers in Jesus to the followers of Jesus we hope they will become. Instead of taking on the full burden of discipleship ourselves, maybe we need to place the responsibility of family discipleship where it rightfully (and biblically) belongs, with the parents.

This month, your team at M2P is providing you with resources that are designed to help you do two things. First, you need to be convinced that God has deemed parents as the primary disciplers of their kids so that you can help lead parents to reach that same conclusion. Now, we know that not every parent embraces this idea, but part of your job as a children’s ministry leader is to guide them to understand that they are, in fact, in the best position to lead their kids spiritually. Check out our Coaching Video to get a few more thoughts about this. Secondly, you need to equip and provide resources for parents to be able to step into the primary discipleship role in their homes with confidence. This month we have created an Online Parenting Class Video to encourage parents and provide them with a few exercises they can use at home as they seek to lead their family into a life of faith. As always, we have some incredible Blog Articles, an awesome Toolbox Resource bundle called Discipleship Starts At Home, and the M2P Podcast for you to use to help drive this point home. Check it all out, and let us know how we can better serve you as you seek to serve and equip the parents in your church.

Your friends and ministry partners at M2P

The M2P Team

This month’s Toolbox Resource is actually several resources that have been bundled together for you. Your M2P team wanted to provide you this month with multiple resources that you can use to equip the parents in your church as they seek to be the primary disciplers of the kids in their homes.

BIG QUESTIONS. SIMPLE ANSWERS. is a brief e-book that offers parents a way to learn and explain to their children the Bible’s Big Story in an easy-to-understand format. The topics are:
- What is the Bible?
- What is the Big Story of the Bible?
- Who is God’s Family?
- Why do we have Four Gospels?
FAMILY BIBLE STUDY: JOHN is one of M2P’s Family Bible Series that is designed to help parents lead their kids through a book of the Bible and have spiritual conversations as a family. This study is all done for you and is simple to use. It includes:
- Book Summary that comes complete with descriptions of the setting, overview, and theme of John.
- Daily Reading Plan that breaks John down chapter by chapter into seven themes.
- Family Journal sheets help guide the reader’s thoughts through each chapter.
30 DAYS/30 WORDS is proof that daily devotions don’t have to be intimidating. These are 30 different image-driven devotions that parents can do with their children. Each short devotion is creative, relevant, biblically solid, and just as unique as your child.

Each of the resources found in our Discipleship Starts At Home bundle is designed to provide parents with a practical tool they can use to lead spiritual exercises and conversations that will help their kids grow in their faith and position the parents to be the primary spiritual leaders for their families. Each of the resources offers a different experience, and parents can use one or multiple of them as they seek to help their kids grow into true disciples of Jesus.

HOW TO USE IT

Download the Discipleship Starts At Home bundle containing the three resources.
Post the resources on your website or email parents a copy of the resources.
Encourage parents to set aside some time this month to use one or more of these discipleship resources with their kids.
Print copies of the resources for parents to grab at church.

To view or download, click HERE.

In this month’s coaching videos, we are reminded of what the apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians chapter four. He instructs us to “equip the Saints for the work of service.” Often, as leaders in children’s ministry, we feel like we are the ones who have to do all of the work ourselves, particularly the work of discipleship with the kids who are part of our churches. What if we shifted our focus, spent less time/energy on the things we do for kids, and spent more time/energy equipping and encouraging parents to be the primary disciplers of their children? Scripture tells us that God created the family to be the primary vehicle for true discipleship. That means that our job as ministry leaders is to reinforce that truth and equip parents to thrive in this area of spiritual growth and leadership.

To view, click HERE.

As children’s ministry leaders, we often tell parents that they are the primary spiritual leaders for their kids. This statement is 100% true, but for many parents, communicating this biblical truth leads to them having overwhelming feelings of fear and intimidation. We know that, with each passing generation, it seems that more and more parents have no idea where to even begin discipling their kids. Most see that as your job as the children’s ministry leader. You’re the professional Christian, right? And sadly, we unintentionally give that common misconception some credibility when we get so preoccupied with our quest to provide great ministry for kids in our churches that we fail to consistently educate/equip the parents to step into their God-given role as primary discipler; the role He specifically created them to fill. This month’s Online Parenting Class Video offers encouragement to parents to embrace the role of spiritual leader and practical suggestions on how to live that out. The parents in your church need help to believe and understand that they truly do have what it takes to lead their kids spiritually. And that you, their children’s ministry leaders, have the ability to encourage, equip, and develop them to do it.

To view, click HERE.

New blog posts coming this month:

For Kids’ Ministry Leaders: “Discipleship at Home: A Leader’s Role” by Amy Diller
For Kids’ Ministry Parents: “Take One Small Step: Discipling Your Kids at Home” by Amy Diller
For Youth Ministry Leaders: “Equipping and Encouraging Parents to Make Disciples at Home” by Chris Sasser
For Youth Ministry Parents: “Modeling and Leading Discipleship at Home” by Karin Sasser

To view, click HERE.

Encouraging Discipleship at Home

Discipleship. What a big word (in more ways than one). It’s kind of the bullseye of what we should be trying to accomplish as leaders in children’s ministry. We want to help the kids in our church to understand what it means to have a relationship with God and be true followers and students of Jesus. Sure, we’re tasked with running groups, planning and leading events, and creating fun, special events. But we should really be all about setting these little ones in our midst on a path that will lead them into a lifelong faith in God. That’s discipleship!

But, if we’re honest, we often take on the brunt of this burden, and we leave out the people who are best positioned to disciple these kids, their parents. Parents should be (and are) the primary disciplers of their children because they are the ones who have the most significant influence on their child’s development. Children learn by example, and parents are their primary role models. By setting a positive example, consistently sharing faith, and setting boundaries, parents can help their children develop spiritual discipline, self-control, and respect for authority. Additionally, when parents take an active role in disciplining their children, they can tailor their approach to fit their child’s unique personality and needs. This personalized approach can be more effective than relying solely on what happens (or doesn’t happen) at church.

This month we want to encourage you and your team to continue to be intentional when it comes to encouraging parents to step into their role as the primary spiritual leaders in the home. Maybe expand your picture of what you are called to do as you seek to minister to the families in your church. You are not just called to disciple the kids in your ministry, but you are called to lead and disciple the people (parents) who are called to lead and disciple their kids. Again, that’s discipleship. Want to think about this a little more? Check out this month’s coaching video.

Click the image above to watch the video or click HERE!

You Are The Primary Spiritual Leader For Your Kids

EMAIL 1

Copy/ Paste this email into a browser and send it to parents.

Subject Line: Family Discipleship: It Starts with You

Dear Parents,

You likely know this, but as a parent, you play a significant role in the spiritual health, growth, and development of your children. Actually, according to the Bible, you are the primary spiritual leader for your kids. Hearing that may have made you cringe a little or make your hands start to sweat, but the truth is that you are perfectly positioned to be the best spiritual leader your kids could ever have. It’s God’s design.

One way to encourage spiritual growth in your children is to model a strong and consistent faith yourself. Your kids are watching you lead by example as they try and decipher what following Jesus actually looks like. That’s why it’s important for you to spiritually lead them by example. Let them see you making worship a priority for the family. Let them be a part of you studying and taking about God’s Word. Let them see you lead out in praying, serving others, and living a life of generosity and grace. Find ways to involve your children in these activities. In fact, this month we are providing you with a number of resources that will help you to do just that.

These resources will place practical tools at your fingertips that you can use to lead spiritual exercises and conversations that will help your kids grow in their faith and position you to be the primary spiritual leader for your family.

To watch this month’s Online Parenting Class video, click the link below.

[ INSERT LINK TO ONLINE PARENTING CLASS VIDEO ]

You can do this! We are always here for you if you need us.

Praying with you and for you as you lead at home.

[ INSERT LEADER’S SIGNATURE HERE ]

EMAIL 2

Copy/ Paste this email into a browser and send it to parents.

Subject Line: Talking and Praying: Conversations at Home

Dear Parents,

We value faith and family because God values faith and family. In fact, God created you (the parent) to be the primary spiritual influence in your child’s life. We know that can feel a little scary or intimidating at times. Spiritual discussions are intimate and, therefore, can feel a little bit awkward at first. You may feel nervous and scared, wondering how your kids are going to react. Others might have tried something similar that didn’t work, so you want to be cautious.

That’s why our desire is to come alongside you (not replace you) and to equip you with encouragement and the practical tools you need to lead your children in spiritual practices, conversations, and in growing to become more like Jesus.

One way you can help your children grow in their faith is by creating opportunities for them to ask questions and explore their beliefs, as well as discuss their doubts and fears. Talking about God, who He is, and how we can all can rely on Him will impact your kids in a big way. Don’t shy away from these conversations about faith, doubts, or fears. Instead, share with your kids about what God is doing in your life and why you trust in Him.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 says, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Here’s the reality, discipleship does not need to be a far-off concept. It doesn’t need to be intimidating, scary, or reserved for the “professional Christians” to do at our church. Discipleship is simply being a follower and student of Jesus and then teaching your kids to do the same. It happens in everyday life, it happens at home, and you can do it.

Take a few minutes to check out this month’s blog article for some ideas to help you as you become more intentional in leading your kids spiritually. You’ll be glad you did.

[ INSERT LINK TO M2P PARENTING BLOG ARTICLE ]

And don’t forget to check out this month’s Online Parenting Class Video.

[ INSERT LINK TO M2P ONLINE PARENTING CLASS VIDEO ]

Thank you for allowing us to partner with you as you lead your family. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

In this alongside you,

[ INSERT LEADER’S SIGNATURE HERE ]

M2P June KIDS Parent Video Script

Let’s play a game. I’m going to ask you a question, and I want to see what your response is. Now obviously, I’m not really going to see your response, but I want YOU to pay attention to your response.

Ready? When it comes to what you want for your kids in the future, what rises to the top of the list? What do you think about when you picture your kids and their young adult years? Now I know that might be a long way away for some of you, but it’s worth thinking about now.

My guess is your answer is some version of the word “successful.” You want for your kids to be successful in life. That means they have had a season of being successful in school, maybe successful in sports, and successful in their relationships. You just hope for them to be successful, whatever that looks like in your mind.

But let me possibly put a different picture in your mind. Not that I don’t want for my kids to be successful; believe me, I do. However, there is something that I want more than that. Would you say that you want for your kids to be disciples? Specifically, disciples of Jesus. We all know that a disciple is simply a follower or student of someone else, and my guess is you wouldn’t be watching this video if you didn’t have a sense of what discipleship is. You may hear about it at your church, know that it’s an important process, and you may even cringe a little bit when you think about it. Discipleship can be something that is reserved for those “super spiritual” people over there. It’s what the pastor does and teaches. We go to church and are good members, but those people over there are the disciple-makers.

However, I would love for you to consider something different when it comes to both being a disciple and where discipleship happens. Do you know that you are called to be a disciple? If you are serious about your faith and you call yourself a follower of Jesus, discipleship has to be a part of your life. You have to be spending time with God, learning his Word, and doing your best to live out a life of faith every day. Too many of us settle into being a “casual” Christian, and we don’t take discipleship seriously. Trust me; I’ve been there.

I also want you to consider the idea that the best discipleship actually doesn’t happen at church; it happens at home. And the best people to disciple kids into a true relationship with God through Jesus aren’t children’s pastors or ministers, or even volunteers at church–it’s you as their parents. Again, I’d like to see your response to that. Because most of us might be a little scared of that. We know that we aren’t perfect, and we are worried that we don’t have what it takes to communicate what it means to live a true life of faith to our kids. But I want for you to know that you are perfectly positioned to be the best spiritual leader your kids could ever have. Your love for them will never be surpassed by anyone else, and if you are a true disciple yourself, then you will believe that the most important thing you can pass on to your kids is a life of faith. The picture of success changes, and you will focus on not just the things that the world says are success but what God says is success.

So, here are a few simple ideas for you. First, model what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. Let your kids see you reading the Bible and having quiet time with God. Let your kids hear you praying and asking God to be in the middle of your life. Let your kids see you live a life of love and generosity. This modeling will go further than you could possibly imagine.

Second, pray together as a family. When your kids are young, begin to ask them what you can be praying for in their life. When a kid knows that a parent is praying for them, it gives them more confidence in their own faith in God. Also, share with your kids things they can be praying for when it comes to your life. Obviously, only share what is appropriate, but asking them to talk to God on your half is another powerful part of their discipleship.

Finally, talk about not just following God’s law (the “rules”) but talk about how God is moving in your life. Share about what you are learning and how God is molding and shaping your thoughts and actions. These conversations don’t have to be scheduled family devotions but can just become a normal and natural part of your family’s life. The more comfortable you get talking about Jesus and how he is impacting your family, the more comfortable your kids will be with doing the same.

Here’s the reality, discipleship does not need to be a far-off concept. It doesn’t need to be reserved for the professional Christians to do at church. Discipleship is simply being a follower and student of Jesus and then teaching your kids to do the same. It happens in everyday life, it happens at home, and you can do it.

5.1.23

Your May Resources Are Here!

School’s out! School’s out! Teacher let the kids out! No more pencils. No more books. No more teachers’ dirty looks!

The excitement is in the air. Do you feel it? School might not quite be out yet in your community, but it’s extremely close, and the anticipation is high. Welcome to what many feel is a crazy time of the ministry year. The school year is wrapping up, it’s getting warmer, camps/special summer programming is rapidly approaching, family/volunteer vacations are about to begin, and (believe it or not) the kick-off of a new ministry year is just around the corner. When it comes to your children’s ministry, volunteers, the families you minister to, and your own family, there’s just a lot going on.

This month, the M2P team wants to encourage you to pay attention to a couple of things as the school year comes to a close. First, finish the school year well. Lots of families are celebrating lots of great things, and what you do in your children’s ministry to intentionally support and celebrate those things can have a big impact on the families that you minister to. Second, as your kids begin to make the move from one grade or ministry to the next, you need to have a churchwide plan to communicate and execute these transitions as smoothly as possible. There are things you need to pay attention to and do in order to set families up for the next season they are facing. It’s helpful to keep in mind and plan for the reality that parents often don’t know what’s coming around the corner, and this uncertainty (compounded by a fear of how to parent in a new stage of life) can create quite a bit of anxiety in themselves about their parenting (and about their kids).

This month’s M2P resources focus on providing you with some tools to equip parents to help their kids make the transition into this next grade or stage of life in a healthy way. Our blog articles, coaching video, online parenting class video, and the M2P Podcast will give you a picture of what you can be doing and give parents some ideas and encouragement along the way. Our toolbox resource will give parents an opportunity to mark a milestone moment and celebrate their kids as they move out of one season and into another.

As always, let us know if we can do anything for you. We’re here to serve you as you serve the families in your church.

Your friends and ministry partners at M2P

The M2P Team

WHAT IS IT?

This month’s toolbox resource is another incredibly helpful “Real Talk Parent Guide” that you can leverage to encourage the parents in your church. Parents can utilize this resource to be more intentional when it comes to carving out some time with their kids to reflect on the school year, celebrate what God has done, and look ahead to what’s next. Too often, families push right through these transitional milestone moments instead of intentionally taking the time to pause, celebrate, soak it all in, and prepare for what’s next. This “Real Talk Parent Guide” toolbox resource will help the parents in your church to set the mood, equip them with thoughtful questions to ponder as a family, and provide them with prayer prompts as they lead at home.

HOW TO USE IT

Download the “Real Talk Parent Guide” and post it on your website.
Email parents a copy of the guide or a link to it and encourage parents to set aside some time to have a family conversation.
Print copies of the guide for parents to grab at church.

To download, click HERE for youth and HERE for kids.

There are so many important milestone moments (both big and small) in a child’s development and lots of movement from one thing to another. As the children’s ministry leaders and volunteers who serve them, we have the opportunity to cheer families on, provide events to create/capture memories, and equip parents with the encouragement and the resources they need to effectively lead their kids out of one season and into the next. In this month’s coaching video, we are encouraging children’s ministry leaders and volunteers to do just that, and we give you a few things to think about along with a few practical ideas as you seek to help your church families navigate these milestone moments and life-stage transitions well.

To view, click HERE for youth and HERE for kids.

Parenting can often create a lot of confusion, doubt, discouragement, and anxiety. This is especially true in the moments when parents are navigating their child transitioning from one stage of development into another. Year after year, these movements from the known to the unknown are often as scary as they are emotional for the parent as well as the child. The growing uncertainty in their parenting ability usually comes from parents not knowing what to expect in this new stage, or they hear nothing but rumors of how horrible it can be. This uncertainty can be compounded by a growing fear of how to parent in a new stage of life with all the changes it brings along with it‚ a new grade, a new school, new teachers, new teams, new friends, new challenges, and new expectations. Some of these “movements to the next” are more impactful, emotional, difficult, and anxiety-causing than others, but all of them are also opportunities to make an incredible impact on the life of the child. This month’s Online Parenting Class video will offer some spiritual encouragement along with some practical ideas on how parents can lead their kids and themselves through these inevitable transitions.

To view, click HERE for youth and HERE for kids.

New blog posts coming this month:

For Kids’ Ministry Leaders: “Leading Well Through Childhood Transitions” by Amy Diller
For Kids’ Ministry Parents: “The Cheers and Tears of Transitions” by Amy Diller
For Youth Ministry Leaders: “Successful Transitions” by Karin Sasser
For Youth Ministry Parents: “Marking the Moment” by Karin Sasser

To view, click HERE.

Helping Families Make Key Transitions

As a children’s ministry leader, there is always a lot to manage—plenty of spinning plates. But for whatever reason, it seems like the end of the school year can be extra busy as we wind down one season and begin to ramp up to the launching of another. This particular season is also a difficult time of the year for parents as they are trying to navigate their kids being out of school for the summer, vacation plans, work and/or family activities—all while also helping their kids finish one grade and head successfully towards the next. That’s why the months of May, June, July, and August can be an especially anxious, worrisome, and emotionally taxing time for the parents, grandparents, or guardians who are raising a child. In this month’s coaching video, the M2P team wanted to provide you and those who serve alongside you with you some ideas on how to help those parents, grandparents, and guardians lead their kids in a healthy way as they help them to navigate moving into a new stage of life. There is a lot we need to pay attention to as we seek to help both the kids and those who are raising them be ready for what’s next. As the children’s ministry leaders and volunteers who serve alongside them, we have the unique opportunity to help parents both celebrate what God has done in the past, participate in what God is doing in the now, and prepare their kids for what He has in store for them in the next. Transitions can be exciting, and we get to help families navigate them well.

Click the image above to watch the video or click HERE!

Leading Our Kids Through Age/Grade Transitions And Trusting God Along The Way

EMAIL 1

Copy/ Paste this email into a browser and send it to parents.

Subject Line: Ready or Not, They’re Growing Up!

Dear Parents,

There are certain moments in family life when we come face to face with the fact that things are changing. We sometimes joke that we would like to “freeze time” and keep our kids at a certain age. Well, the reality is that we can’t actually freeze time, and we can’t stop our kids from growing and changing, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing—especially if we lean in and focus on what we can do. And what we can do is celebrate what God has done/is doing in their lives and try to set them up for whatever is next. It’s true that transitioning out of a new grade or school, or ministry can be scary for a child (and for you as a parent). It’s true that our kids (and even us as parents) often have no idea what to expect as they march toward the next stage of life. But it’s also true that we, as parents, can learn how to lead our kids to the next stage of life in a way that causes them to look toward the future with healthy anticipation. It all starts with us choosing to adjust our attitude and learn how to step into the next phase with a sense of joy and trust in the Lord ourselves. This month’s Online Parenting Class video will provide you with some much-needed encouragement and truth to help you lead your family to do just that.

To watch this month’s Online Parenting Class video, click the link below.

[ INSERT LINK TO ONLINE PARENTING CLASS VIDEO ]

Thank you for allowing us to team up with you as you lead your family. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Cheering you on,

[INSERT LEADER’S SIGNATURE HERE]

EMAIL 2

Copy/ Paste this email into a browser and send it to parents.

Subject Line: Trusting God Along the Journey

Dear Parents,

One of the hardest things to do as a parent is to learn how to trust. You have to learn how to trust your kids, how to trust others, how to trust yourself, and how to trust God. If we had to rank those, trusting God would need to land at the top. I know it sounds simple, doesn’t it? But we, as parents, often struggle to trust God (especially when it comes to our kids). There are lots of things going on in our culture and changing in the world that cause us to doubt, fear, and hold tight. But, as your kids grow up and move from season to season, you’ll find that no matter the culture or the changing world we all live in, we need to trust God more and more with our everything (especially our kids). This is a month of transitions where your kids might be finishing one grade, moving into an entirely new stage of life, or moving out of a ministry at church.

Check out this month’s blog article that will offer you some Scripture, encouragement, and some practical ideas on learning how to trust God even more through these life changes. And if you haven’t watched this month’s encouraging Online Parenting Class video, you still have time. To read the blog article or watch the video, click on the links below.

[ INSERT LINK TO M2P PARENTING BLOG ARTICLE ]

[ INSERT LINK TO M2P ONLINE PARENTING CLASS VIDEO ]

We are in this together! Let us know if there is ever anything we can do for you or your family.

Praying for you as you lead at home,

[INSERT LEADER’S SIGNATURE HERE]

M2P May KIDS Parent Video
Leading the Way to the Next Phase

Obviously, one of the biggest jobs we have as parents is helping our kids learn how to navigate what is ahead of them. I don’t know about you, but as our kids have grown up, I feel like they are changing all the time. It all happens so fast, and they transition from one phase of life to the next in the blink of an eye. These transitions are normal and natural, and we have the opportunity to help our kids be ready for whatever is next.

Now here’s what I know is true. As our kids grow out of preschool and they move into elementary school and beyond, it can be kind of sad. Let’s face it; little kids can be lots of fun with their joy, laughter, and overall carefree mindset. OK, maybe it’s not all fun all the time, but you get my point. They are headed to the dreaded teenage years, which don’t have to be dreaded, but that’s another whole conversation.

As our kids grow up, we can put off the vibe that we are sad that they are progressing. We also go in and out of times of being fearful and anxious about the world they are stepping into. We have to be careful as parents to not project this anxiety onto our kids and help them believe that they are ready for the next phase of life. This next phase could be moving into a new grade, into a new school, or into a new ministry. All of this comes with new experiences, new friends, new coaches, and teachers, and it can all be a bit overwhelming for them.

But let me read to you a piece of scripture that has meant a lot to me for a long time. It’s Philippians 4, and it says this. “Do not be anxious about anything, but with prayer and petition, submit your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” So, as your little ones move into being a little bit bigger ones, don’t be anxious. I know, I easier said than done. There can be a lot to be anxious about. However, our posture comes down to how much we actually trust God to lead and guide our kids. We cannot put a stop to the natural process of growth. We cannot box them up and keep them from all the transitions that are ahead of them. But we can train them as best we can and give them the confidence that they are ready for whatever is next. Balance the fact that it is a big deal that they are stepping into a new phase with the fact that it is normal to step into the next phase.

Help them believe that the fears they have are normal, but they have what it takes to get through it all. A few years ago, I heard a phrase that I started using with my kids whenever I knew they were facing something that might seem a little bit daunting to them. I would say, “I know it’s hard, but you can do it.” If we can both empathize with our kids about their fears and instill in them a belief that, with God’s help, they can get through it, I promise you they will be better in the long run.

And the “with God’s help” part is really important. Back to Philippians 4, we need to present our request to God. We need to ask God to be with our kids as they move into this next phase of life. And the scripture tells us that if we do that, the peace of God, which is bigger than anything we could possibly imagine we’ll guard our hearts. Our kids need to believe that they can do it, and we need to believe that God can do it. There is a peace that we can parent with if we will put ourselves in our family before God.

One more thing about helping our kids move from one phase to the next. We have to recognize that our kids are changing fast, and the kid you are parenting now isn’t the kid you were parenting then. Often as parents, we get stuck in parenting the kid they used to be instead of the kid they are or the kid they are becoming. Again, we do this because we hate to see them grow up. We want to freeze them in time and enjoy them like they are. But they are moving and growing, and they will head to the next phase whether we like it or not. We need to be looking ahead and treating them like either the kid they are now or maybe the kid they are becoming instead of the kid they were. This takes a lot of thought and effort on our part, but I promise you it will help prepare them for the road ahead and increase the likelihood that they will be able to navigate life in a healthy way.

As a parent, train yourself to look forward when it comes to your kids instead of just looking back. Sure, looking back at all of those pictures and memories is a lot of fun, but her kids are headed forward, and the best thing we can do for them is to help them take whatever next step is in front of them and be prepared for the journey ahead.

4.1.23

Your January Resources Are Here!

APRIL FOOLS!!!

Your April Resources Are Here!

Welcome to the month of April and to Spring! You might already know April is the month of blossoming, but did you also know that the name “April” is thought to come from the Latin word “apperire” which means “to open” signifying, for many around the world, the beginning of Spring? Spring is a favorite season for many as it is a season marked by blooming and growth (and allergies). Let’s do our best this month to look past the itchy eyes and yellow dust and instead focus on the season of blooming and growth.

As the kids that we serve continue to grow and bloom, there seems to be one area of life that becomes quite significant. In fact, there are some, including us, who might even argue that it’s one of, if not THE, most determinate factors with regard to the paths that our kids take, the choices they make, the direction their lives go, and ultimately the quality of their lives. Proverbs 13:20 says it this way: “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.” Sure, there are lots of other important things that they need to learn along the way, but who they choose to surround themselves with as they travel through life will have a tremendous impact on the choices they make, the things they are exposed to, and who they become. As Andy Stanley once stated in a sermon on friendship, “The thing that makes friendship so great is the thing that makes friendship so dangerous. When I’m with a friend, I drop my guard. The reason we’re attracted to certain people is because we’re all acceptance magnets. We are repelled by rejection, we are attracted to acceptance, and when I’m with people who accept me, I drop my guard. When I’m with people who accept me, and when you’re with people who accept you, you are the most open to influence than you’ll ever be.” Yes, parents are still at the top of the list when it comes to influencing their children, but our kids are searching for acceptance, and they need to have healthy friendships in place in order to fill that need and grow into the best version of themselves.

This month’s M2P resources focus on helping leaders and parents have a new set of thoughts and tools as we help our kids learn how to build and maintain healthy friendships. You want the kids in your children’s ministry to grow up to be healthy (physically, spiritually, emotionally) men/women of God who are actively seeking Him to walk along a wise path. Their parents want that as well. In order for our kids to do that, they need to be surrounded by friends who are walking with them and in the same direction as them instead of friends who are actively pulling them away from God’s best for them. As the key adults in their lives, there are things we can do and equip their parents to do that can steer them in the right direction and help them to find their people along the way.

Don’t forget to check out the blog articles, coaching video, online parenting class video, toolbox item, and the latest episode of the M2P Podcast. Remember that we are here to serve you and to help you serve parents, so let us know if there is ever anything we can do for you or your ministry.

Philippians 1:3–11

The M2P Crew

WHAT IS IT?

This month’s toolbox item is a list of practical suggestions for parents as they help their kids learn how to build and develop healthy friendships. Parents can incorporate some or all of these ideas into their family rhythm and point the kids in their households to healthy God-honoring friendships. This “10 Things You Can Do to Help Your Kids Build Healthy Friendships” toolbox resource can really make a difference in the lives of kids and their families by calling attention to how they are developing friendships and helping parents better lead them along the way.

HOW TO USE IT

Download the “10 Things You Can Do to Help Your Kids Build Healthy Friendships” toolbox resource and post it on your website.
Email parents a copy of the resource to it and encourage them to incorporate these ideas into their life.
Print copies of the resource for parents to grab at church.

To download, click HERE for youth and HERE for kids.

As we focus this month on what it means for our kids to build and develop healthy friendships, we want to share four things that you can do as a children’s ministry leader or volunteer to speak into this incredibly important area of blooming, growth, and life. First, we need to teach it and talk about it often with the kids whom the Lord has placed under our care. We also need to be intentional about creating space in our weekly programming to allow kids to connect with one another and build friendships. Third, we need to be helping parents both build healthy friendships themselves and pay attention to what is going on with their kids. Finally, as children’s ministry leaders, we need to have healthy friendships ourselves that will sustain us as we do the work that God has called us to do. This is an important conversation, and this month’s videos, blogs, and other resources will help you elevate this conversation and equip yourself, your volunteers, and the parents within your children’s ministry with a few tools to help navigate this important topic.

To view, click HERE for youth and HERE for kids.

Every parent wants the best for their child. For Christian parents, this means that they also desire for their kids to have healthy relationships that will help them grow into the people God wants them to be. The only problem is that many of these same parents don’t know where to start, think it’s too late to engage, or underestimate their own influence in the life of their child. Meanwhile, their kids are left defenseless and fall into relationships that are unhealthy, draining, or pulling them in the wrong direction. Our April Online Parenting Class video will remind the parents within your children’s ministry about the importance of paying close attention to the friendships that their kids are developing. It will also equip parents with some words and ways to lean into this particular area and leverage their parental influence. The people our kids choose to do life with matters. Their friends truly will impact the decisions, direction, and quality of their life. We, as children’s ministry leaders, have the opportunity (and responsibility) to come alongside these parents and provide them with the resources and encouragement they need to help their kids make wise choices in their friendships.

To view, click HERE for youth and HERE for kids.

New blog posts coming this month:

For Kids’ Ministry Leaders: “Faith-Filled Friendships: Helping the Kids in Your Ministry Make Friends” by Amy Diller
For Kids’ Ministry Parents: “Tools to Help Your Child Make Good Friends” by Amy Diller
For Youth Ministry Leaders: “Created for Community” by Karin Sasser
For Youth Ministry Parents: “One Another” by Karin Sasser

To view, click HERE.

Focusing On Friends

Have you ever had a friend that you knew you could count on? Have you, or do you, have friends who will love you unconditionally, challenge you appropriately, and walk alongside you as you seek to follow and serve Jesus Christ? If you do, then you know just how important friendships are. You are fully aware that the people we choose to surround ourselves with (our friends) wield a powerful influence on the choices we make and, therefore, greatly impact the direction and the quality of our life. Knowing this principle to be both a spiritual and practical truth, we all want the kids in our church to learn how to build the healthy friendships they will need to navigate the pressures of life. In this month’s coaching video, we offer some ideas on how you can elevate the conversation about the importance of building healthy friendships, as well as give you some practical tips on how you can create time and space in your church to allow healthy friendships to develop. We want every kid to understand the importance of healthy friendships and have the tools they need to recognize and develop them. As children’s ministry leaders, we have the opportunity every week to equip them, encourage them, and walk alongside them as they learn to navigate this critical area of life.

Click the image above to watch the video or click HERE!

Helping Your Kids Recognize And Build Healthy Friendships

EMAIL 1

Copy/ Paste this email into a browser and send it to parents.

Subject Line: Building Healthy Friendships

Dear Parents,

Let’s schedule a play date! That’s a phrase you have probably found yourself using at some point as your kids have continued to grow up. Have you ever paused to wonder why you work so hard to help them make friends with other kids? Maybe it’s because, deep down, you realize that the people whom your kids become friends with and those they surround themselves with will have a significant influence on the choices they make and will ultimately determine the direction and quality of their lives. So, you do whatever you can as a parent to help connect them with good potential friends because you want your kids to build healthy friendships. What you might not know is that as your kids get older, you still have the opportunity to influence and steer them toward healthy friendships; this will be true all along their journey to adulthood.

This month we are providing you with some excellent ideas, tools, resources, and, as always, a little extra encouragement that will help you start or take another step forward in an ongoing conversation with your kids about healthy friendships—what they look like and how to recognize the healthy from the unhealthy.

To watch this month’s Online Parenting Class video, click the link below.

[ INSERT LINK TO ONLINE PARENTING CLASS VIDEO ]

Hang in there and know that we are in this together! We are always here for you if you need us.

Praying with you and for you as you lead at home.

Your friend,

[INSERT LEADER’S SIGNATURE HERE]

EMAIL 2

Copy/ Paste this email into a browser and send it to parents.

Subject Line: Good Friends: They Matter to Our Kids

Dear Parents,

As you think about the preferred future for your kids, there is one thing that will have the most significant impact when it comes to the path they will walk, the choices they will make, the direction their lives will go, and ultimately the quality of their lives. It’s their friends. I bet that you already know this to be true, but I’ll remind you just the same. The people whom your kids choose to be friends with, surround themselves with, and do life with will have a tremendous impact on the decisions they make, where they go in life, and how fulfilling their life will be. If we know that their choices in friends is going to have such a big impact on them, wouldn’t it make sense that we work really hard to help them figure out this part of life?

In this month’s blog article, you’ll learn some tools to help equip your child to recognize, value, and make good friends. Take a few minutes to check it out. You’ll be glad you did.

[ INSERT LINK TO M2P ONLINE PARENTING BLOG ARTICLE ]

And don’t forget to check out this month’s Online Parenting Class video, where we explain the importance of leaning in and paying attention to the friendships your kids are building. We will also share with you some ways that you can leverage your influence as a parent to help your kids better navigate this crucial area of life.

[ INSERT LINK TO ONLINE PARENTING CLASS VIDEO ]

Thank you for allowing us to partner with you as you lead your family. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

In this alongside you,

[INSERT LEADER’S SIGNATURE HERE]

M2P April KIDS Parent Video Script
“Building Healthy Friendships”

I remember when our son was in late elementary school, we had just moved to a new town, and we knew he was going to need some new friends. As we settled into a new school, new people, and a new routine, we started to meet families and get to know some other kids. There was this one group of boys who, you could tell, were kind of the “cool kids” of the elementary school (if there is such a thing). These kids were all athletes, like our son, and for a few years, I was kind of hoping that he would become a part of their crew. Well, he could never quite break in, and, if I’m honest, he didn’t even really try. Seeing where all of these kids are today, I’m actually really thankful that, when it comes to friendships, he went a different route. And the route he went started at church.

You see, during that season of life, we were getting really plugged in at our new church, and that became the place where he began to develop good, healthy, God-centered friendships that are still critical to him today, years later. As parents, we all want for our kids to build solid friendships that will help them grow, develop, and enjoy their childhood years. Part of what we need to do is pay attention to the friendships our kids are developing and do whatever we can to gently steer them into friendships that will be good for them. Deep down, I knew that the “cool kid” crew probably wasn’t the best group for my son to be a part of, but I really wanted him to have some good friends. When I saw him developing the types of friendships I really wanted him to have at church, I pushed him in that direction.

As parents, you have the opportunity to dial certain relationships in and other ones out. Now we can’t completely control who our kids are friends with, and I don’t think we should try. But we can put our kids in environments with people we want them grow closer to. Proximity matters, and with kids, proximity often matters most. Surround your kids with other kids you WANT them to build relationships with. Have families over, do special events together, make church on Sunday and church events a priority for your family. I promise you the leaders at your church want to create environments where kids can build solid, healthy relationships based around a relationship with God, and those are the kinds of friendships you want your kids to have.

Do your best to pay attention to the friendships your kids are building. As you are moving through life with your kids, listen for who they talk about and watch who they gravitate towards when in social situations. And then try to determine if the friendships they are developing are giving them life and building them up … or draining them and pulling them down. Part of what we want to do as parents is help our kids learn how to discern what friendships are good for them and what friendships are bad for them, even if they enjoy them. Years ago, I learned a phrase from Andy Stanley, and I started using it with my kids. I’ve used it so much that they know it and will often recite it back to me when we are having conversations about friendships. It says this: Your friends will determine the quality and direction of your life. Let me say it again: Your friends will determine the quality and direction of your life. As adults, we know this to be true. It’s really just another way to say what God says in Proverbs 13:20: “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.”

What if you started embedding both of those phrases into the hearts and minds of your kids. What if you helped them see that the company they keep and the friends they choose not only has an impact on their lives today but it has an impact on their lives for a long time to come.

Here’s the last thing I’ll say. As parents, we should be praying for our kids in so many ways, and one of the ways we can pray for them is in the area of friendships. Pray that your kids will build healthy relationships that will encourage them and build them up. Pray that they will have friends who share their faith, morals, and values. Pray that they can be growing in their relationship with God through their relationships with their friends. Pray that you can be discerning and wise as you seek to help them develop the friendships they are going to need as they grow and develop.

So, when it comes to the friendships your kids are building, remember that who they connect with and who they build friendships REALLY matters and, as their parent, you have the opportunity … and maybe even responsibility … to help them build healthy friendships that will give them what they need.

3.1.23

Your March Resources Are Here!

It’s that time of year when many of us are a bit distracted by this little thing called “March Madness.” Filling out a bracket and pulling for your team can be a lot of fun. It can also eventually produce a stay in the heartbreak hotel when your team finally loses. If you have no idea what I’m talking about or don’t speak “sports ball,” no problem. Just know that the madness is real, and it goes far beyond march and a basketball tournament.

There is a madness to our world that can pull us down, redirect our attention, and derail us from living the life God has for us. As children’s ministry leaders, we have the unique opportunity to lead ourselves, our volunteers, the kids, and the families in our church in a different direction. We can either get caught up in the madness, or we can attempt (with God’s help) to rise above it. This month’s M2P resources are designed to help you address this madness by providing you with some “conversational layups” to get the ball moving with the parents within your ministry’s sphere of influence. But M2P also wants to make sure that we help you, as a children’s ministry leader, to rise above the rim and the madness yourself as you lead the parents, families, kids, and volunteers within your span of care in a healthy direction as they navigate the world.

Don’t forget to check out the blog articles, coaching video, online parenting class video, toolbox item, and the latest episode of the M2P Podcast, with our special guest, Brian Housman. Remember that we are here to serve you and to help you serve parents, so let us know if there is ever anything we can do for you or your ministry.

All hands in… “Goooooooooooo Team! Sports ball!!”

The M2P Crew

WHAT IS IT?

This month we’re hoping families can take a deep breath and enjoy a little time together with their kids while using our “Family Fun Bracket.” Families will be able to learn what “wins” for each person while maybe learning a little more about each other along the way. Sometimes we just need to sit down together as a family, go through a fun exercise, chat a little, and hopefully laugh a lot. But be careful; it’s possible that some of those March Madness competitive juices might get flowing, and somebody might want to stand up and “box out” for something in their bracket. Either way, it’s an opportunity to engage in “March Madness” at home. . . and you’re your grade-schooler doesn’t even have to be able to dunk.

HOW TO USE IT

Download the “Family Fun Bracket” and post it on your website.
Email parents a copy of the bracket or a link to it and encourage them to set aside some time to have a fun time with it.
Print copies of the bracket for parents to grab at church.

To download, click HERE for youth and HERE for kids.

This month’s coaching video encourages you to take a look at yourself and your children’s ministry as you seek to march through the madness of the world and lead the parents, families, kids, and volunteers within your span of care. Let’s be honest; there’s always a lot going on both within your own life and heart, not to mention all that’s going on inside your church. As children’s ministry leaders, we have to navigate crazy schedules, plan events, juggle family, deal with church politics, and process all the information that comes our way. If we’re not careful, our hearts can grow cold, and we’ll move farther and farther away from having a real relationship with the God we serve. In this month of March Madness, we hope you’ll recognize the importance of evaluating how you are doing and think about whether you are in a healthy place where you can lead the parents, families, kids, and volunteers in your church to walk away from the madness as they seek to live the life God has called them to live.

To view, click HERE for youth and HERE for kids.

As we seek to encourage parents this month, we point out that we are all living in a type of madness that can lead our family away from having a healthy pace and perspective on life. Busy schedules, angst about the future, and a fixation on political and cultural events can spiral us all down. Our hope and prayer is for parents to rise above it all and live their lives with a sense of peace that will spill out onto/into their kids. If parents can learn how to navigate the madness in a healthy way, they have the potential to then lead their kids to do the same. This month’s Online Parenting Class offers some practical suggestions and points parents to Scripture that can hopefully inspire them to point their families in a different direction.

To view, click HERE for youth and HERE for kids.

New blog posts coming this month:

For Kids’ Ministry Leaders: “Filtering Out the Noise” by Amy Diller
For Kids’ Ministry Parents: “Distracted by the *Ding!*” by Amy Diller
For Youth Ministry Leaders: “Paying Attention to Priorities” by Karin Sasser
For Youth Ministry Parents: “Becoming What You Behold” by Karin Sasser

To view, click HERE.