The Christmas season can be so busy with everything we have planned for our children's ministry and all the things we want to do with our families. In the last podcast episode for 2025, Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia discuss finding hope in God's Word when we feel overwhelmed and share their plans for an exciting start to 2026!!   #kidmin #childrensministry #preschoolministry #administration #overwhelm #devotion #hope #childrenspastorsconference #cpc

As children's ministry leaders, we are always looking for ways to intentionally incorporate Bible skills into our programs. In today's episode, Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia discuss ways we can help families instill a love of the Word of God and help our kids to learn more about the truth of the Bible through activities that teach Bible skills that will last a lifetime.   #kidmin #childrensministry #preschoolministry #bibleskills #awana #bibleskillsthrillsanddrills #bibleskillsactivities  #childrensministrycurriculum #childrensministryprograms

!! Parental Advisory: This episode includes a faith-based discussion about the use of Santa Claus and the meaning of Christmas. Parent are encouraged to listen with discretion if  children are present. Christmas time is here! And with it comes all of the excitement of sharing the birth of Christ with our kids and their families. Listen as Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia share some of their favorite Christmas activities for children's ministry - and go on a couple of side discussions about discussing Santa Claus and the Virgin Birth with children!! If you are interested in Hope Has Come: The Family Advent Adventure that Virginia spoke about in this episode, it is available for purchase at the following website: Hope Has Come: The Family Advent Adventure Also, we will be posting some pictures on our Instagram page throughout the Christmas Season! KidMinDoctor Instagram

Everyone has those days where they question whether or not God has actually called them into this ministry or ask if there is the energy to continue. In Part 2 of this discussion, Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia share practical habits and practices you can put into place - not for only on those days you just want to quit, but how to maintain focus on what God has called you to do.   #kidmin #childrensministry #preschoolministry #administration #steadfastness #commitment #ministry #stress #overwhelm #burnout

Everyone has those days where they question whether or not God has actually called them into this ministry or ask if there is the energy to continue. Listen in on the first part of this discussion, as Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia talk about what the Bible says about steadfastness. And not for only on those days you just want to quit, but how to maintain focus on what God has called you to do.   #kidmin #childrensministry #preschoolministry #administration #steadfastness #commitment #ministry #stress #overwhelm #burnout

At some point, all churches will have groups of kids with a wide variety of ages in one classroom. Whether it is for a large worship service or an individual Bible study, teaching multi-age groups effectively can be a challenge. Today, Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia answer a listener's question about teaching in a classroom with children with a wide difference of age. This discussion covers setting up the classroom space, safety and security, Bible learning activities, and so much more.   #kidmin #childrensministry #preschoolministry #multiageclassroom #administration #biblestudy #safetyandsecurity #curriculum

In our second installment of our Ask the Experts series, Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia ask a very important question about how to avoid or at least mitigate burnout. So many of us have faced seasons of running on empty, being overwhelmed, and feeling unsure of our effectiveness. We feel guilt and frustration, often wondering if we should just quit.  Two of our previous guests give us advice about how we can find rhythms to help us guard against burnout. #kidmin #childrensministry #preschoolministry #burnout #overwhelm #administration #dailyrhythms #sabbath #support Rev. Kayla Smith is the Associate Director of Reach Hurting Kids Institute and serves at Trevecca Community Church of the Nazarene as Pastor of Intergenerational Discipleship. She spends most of her time tagging along on her five-year-old's adventures. Kayla draws from her background in leadership and special education to empower churches to embody Christ's love to every child. She leads workshops, trains children's and youth teams, and consults with leaders about trauma-informed practices in the Church.   reachhurtingkids.com/workshop kayla@reachhurtingkids.com     Dr. Teresa Roberts is Professor of Ministry and Christian Formation, Program Director of Children’s Ministry, and a vice president at Ozark Christian College. She is an expert in children’s spiritual formation training with more than 30 years of ministry experience. Dr. Roberts holds a Master of Arts in Family and Youth Ministry, a Master of Divinity, and a Doctor of Ministry. She serves in children’s ministry at Carterville Christian Church where she attends with her husband and step-daughter. Website:  www.DrTeresaRoberts.com Email: teresawelchroberts@gmail.com Book available: all major booksellers NavPress (publisher) https://www.navpress.com/p/raising-disciples/9781641588638 See "Related Sites and Resources" for the free 8-week Parenting Discipleship Curriculum/Small Group Guide  

Throughout the year churches will often have events or special services where the children's ministry may have to provide additional children's programming for the week. Whether it is a special music service, marriage conference, or revival services, these events are more than childcare - they are opportunities to share the Word of God with our kids. Listen in as Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia discuss how to develop material, organize volunteers, and review the church's safety and security for these special events.   #kidmin #childrensministry #preschoolministry #specialevents #biblestudy #volunteers #safety and security

Today Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia introduce a new series of episodes for this season called Ask the Experts! During our interview with our guests last season, we asked a few "extra" questions and received some wisdom, insight, and advice on how to handle some of children's ministry's most difficult situations. Our first question, "What can we do when volunteers are resistant to our leadership or resistant to change?" #kidmin #childrensministry #preschoolministry #change #administration #leadership #volunteers #resistancetochange https://linktr.ee/kidmindoctor   Dr. Ken Coley, a Senior Professor of Christian Education at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Contact Dr. Coley at: kcoley@sebrs.edu Helmsman.org     Resources:   Teaching for Change Ken Coley   https://a.co/d/6Pateym   Transformational Teaching: Instructional Design for Christian Educators Kenneth S. Coley, Deborah L. MacCullough, Martha E. MacCullough   https://a.co/d/3JIFgWg   Growing with One Another Tyler Groves, Kenneth S. Coley   https://a.co/d/1baAn92     Dr. Teresa Roberts is Professor of Ministry and Christian Formation, Program Director of Children’s Ministry, and a vice president at Ozark Christian College. She is an expert in children’s spiritual formation training with more than 30 years of ministry experience. Dr. Roberts holds a Master of Arts in Family and Youth Ministry, a Master of Divinity, and a Doctor of Ministry. She serves in children’s ministry at Carterville Christian Church where she attends with her husband and step-daughter. Website:  www.DrTeresaRoberts.com Email: teresawelchroberts@gmail.com Book available: all major booksellers NavPress (publisher) https://www.navpress.com/p/raising-disciples/9781641588638 See "Related Sites and Resources" for the free 8-week Parenting Discipleship Curriculum/Small Group Guide

Join Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia as they discuss Virginia's week of camp! We talk about why we love camp, the pros and cons of different types of camps, how to plan, how to prepare your kids, and  leadership struggles! #kidmin #childrensministry #camp #summer #administration #planningcamp #ministry

This week Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia welcome back David Reneau to the podcast!! David has written a great new book,  Next Level Kidmin: The Children's Pastor's Practical Guide to Building a Thriving Ministry. Val and David discuss practical information that he gives in his new book for every leader in Children's ministry.  In our chat we talk about partnering with other staff members, communicating with parents, follow up with visitors, and so much more!!   #kidmin #preschoolministry #childrensministry #NextLevelKidmin #administration #communication #communitcatingwithparents #followup #minsitry #practicalstrategies   David Reneau is the Lead Pastor of Encounter Church in Toccoa, Georgia with his wife Liz and son Caleb. With over 17 years of experience in ministry, most of it in kids, he has developed a passion to help others lead in their churches well. He loves to talk about ministry, leadership, video games and Star Wars. His goal is to develop an authentic faith in people that will last a lifetime. You can connect with David and more of his ministry resources at https://davidreneau.org   Next Level Kidmin: The Children's Pastor's Practical Guide to Building a Thriving Ministry https://www.davidreneau.org/next-level-kidmin-book

Welcome to Season 4 friends!! It’s time for back to school prep, promotion Sunday, and buying new school supplies. (My favorite part!) Join us and listen in on our conversation covering a summer recap, VBS reflection, and how we are handling the overwhelm of ministry! We also offer a little bit of fall encouragement as we jump into one of our busiest seasons of the year.   #kidmin #preschoolministry #childrensministry #vbs #summerrecap #administration #church #encouragement

Continuing the series "Two Truths and a Lie" - Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia talk about Balancing Life and Ministry. A really challenging topic but an important one! This discussion covers  time management, the expectations of ministry, planning, and spiritual growth.   #kidmin #childrensministry #preschoolministry #timemanagement #planning #administration #spiritualgrowth #personalworship #Biblestudy

Can rules be beneficial in children's ministry?  Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia talk with David Reneau about having a discipline plan that works. David shares how being prepared with classroom rules and expectations can help with classroom management.   #kidmin #preschoolministry #childrenministry #classroommanagement #disciplineplan #administration #volunteertraining   David Reneau is the Executive Pastor at Christ Chapel East in Macon, GA with his wife Liz and son Caleb. With over 16 years of experience in ministry, most of it in kids, he has developed a passion to help others lead in their churches well. He loves to talk about ministry, leadership, video games and Star Wars. His goal is to develop an authentic faith in people that will last a lifetime.   A Discipline Plan that Works https://www.davidreneau.org/blog/2021/03/a-discipline-plan-that-works.html   3 Questions to Guide Your Discipline Conversations https://www.davidreneau.org/blog/3-questions-to-guide-your-discipline-conversations   Blog: https://davidreneau.org YouTube: https://youtube.com/@davidreneau Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidereneau Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/davidreneau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidreneau TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/davidereneau

In today's episode, Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia have a great conversation with Sam Luce and Hunter Williams about how to effectively teach kids the Word of God.   In their new book, How to Teach Kids Theology: Deep Truths for Growing Faith, Sam and Hunter  take the deep truths of the Christian faith and give practical, actionable direction for sharing them with children.   #kidmin #childrensministry #preschoolministry #theology #Biblestudy   https://newgrowthpress.com/upcoming-books/how-to-teach-kids-theology-deep-truths-for-growing-faith/       Sam Luce is the Executive Pastor of Ministries at Redeemer Church in Utica, NY, where he's served for nearly 30 years, focusing primarily on next-generation ministry. Holding BA and two MA degrees, he's currently a doctoral candidate at Western Theological Seminary. A co-author of two books and a sought-after conference speaker for 18 years, Sam is also a long-time blogger. Passionate about discipleship and mentoring the next generation of disciple-makers, he and his wife Sandra, married for 26 years, have four children and reside in Upstate New York.   Links Website: http://samluce.com Substack: https://samluce.substack.com/ Instagram: @samluce  Facebook: @samluce  Twitter/X: @samluce  Amazon: Author Page   Hunter Williams is the children's pastor of Ridgedale Baptist Church in Chattanooga, TN and cohost of the Cross Formed KidMin podcast. He has served in various ministry roles, including chaplain, youth pastor, and missionary with Awana. He has written articles for numerous ministries such as INCM, The Gospel Coalition and KidzMatter magazine and is the coauthor of How to Teach Kids Theology. Hunter and his wife, Sammie, have four children and love serving in their local church.   Training and Coaching Website: https://sites.google.com/view/hunter-williams-training/home    

VBS is one of the largest, most exciting events of the year. Churches should do everything possible to keep children safe while they are learning about Jesus. In Part 2,  Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia discuss  recreation safety, training for volunteers, allergy policies, and much more!   #kidmin #preschoolministry #childrensministry #vacationbibleschool #safetyandsecurity #policyandprocedures #training #allergies #specialevent

VBS is one of the largest, most exciting events of the year. Churches should do everything possible to keep children safe while they are learning about Jesus. Listen in on Part 1 today as Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia discuss insurance policies, check-in systems, and drop off and pick up ideas.   #kidmin #preschoolministry #childrensministry #vacationbibleschool #safetyandsecurity #checkin #dropoff #pickup #specialevent

The next episode in the Two Truths and a Lie series, join Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia as they discuss the common misconceptions about curriculum in children's ministry. The importance of creating a curriculum guide, how to choose the most effective material for your ministry, and the pros and cons of writing your own lessons are just some of the topics in today's conversation.   #kidmin #preschoolministry #childrensministry #curriculum #biblestudy #curriculumguides

Join Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia today as they have a discussion with Dr. Teresa Roberts, author of the book Raising Disciples: Guiding Your Kids into a Faith of Their Own. Dr. Roberts shares how to guide children into a deeper understanding of their faith, how to use questions well in our discipleship of children, understanding spiritual formation, and what to do when kids ask the hard questions.   #kidmin #childrensministry #preschoolministry #discipleship #spiritualformation #biblestudy   Teresa Roberts is Professor of Ministry and Christian Formation, Program Director of Children’s Ministry, and a vice president at Ozark Christian College. She is an expert in children’s spiritual formation training with more than 30 years of ministry experience. Dr. Roberts holds a Master of Arts in Family and Youth Ministry, a Master of Divinity, and a Doctor of Ministry. She serves in children’s ministry at Carterville Christian Church where she attends with her husband and step-daughter. Website:  www.DrTeresaRoberts.com Email: teresawelchroberts@gmail.com Book available: all major booksellers NavPress (publisher) https://www.navpress.com/p/raising-disciples/9781641588638 See "Related Sites and Resources" for the free 8-week Parenting Discipleship Curriculum/Small Group Guide

Join Dr. Val today (since the snow storm in Florida left her flying solo on the podcast) as she shares a portion of the breakout she and Dr. Virginia led at the Children's Pastors Conference. Dr. Val discusses the importance of creating a Roadmap to Biblical Literacy in our children's ministries and how it can help us teach children the Word of God more effectively.   #kidmin #childrensministry #preschoolministry #biblical literacy #teachingtheBible #christianeducation #biblestudy