Welcome to Children and Family Ministry
We value children! It is our desire to partner with you in the Christian formation of children and families. We value and support the leadership roles of both women and men in the spiritual nurturing of children in the home, church and community.As a department we offer a model of ministry that seeks to integrate God's people into a community of disciples through a holistic ministry approach involving a partnership with the home, community and the gathered church.
There are a variety of resources and services that we offer you to help in your ministry with children and families. If there is something you need but don't see please ask us. We want to be available to you and relevant to your ministry.
"Then Jesus took the children in his arms, placed his hands on each of them and blessed them." Mark 10:16
Steve Burger,
Director of Children
and Family Ministries
Use the following links to jump down this page: Resources | Services & Seminars Offered | Events
NEW -- Click here for the 2005-2006 Children's Service Project
Impact: Subscribe to our quarterly "webzine" to read about what's happening in the Covenant in the area of Christian Formation.
Parents' Pages: Many parents are asking
the questions: Can I draw on the Strength of God and find peace? Can I
really know God? Talk to God? Hear God? Lay my burdens on God? Have a
personal loving relationship with God? Can my children? These parents'
pages are a work in progress. We hope to continue adding helpful information
for parents who are seeking to grow in their relationships with God as
well as help their children grow. If you have ideas or questions for the
parents' pages contact us.
Resources
Tips for Children's Messages. This download gives you twelve simple reminders about messages to children. (G)
Christian Formation Ministry
Planning Tool for Children: This children's ministry planning tool
provides usable information on the cognitive, socio/emotional, physical,
and spiritual development of children, as well as family and multigenerational
helps and integrates all this into ministry ideas based on the new Christian
Formation GROW plan. You can then use the ideas and ministry planning
tool to design your own children and family ministries. Contact the Covenant
Resource Center to find out more. (G, R, O, W) Downloadable
Sample Sheets from Planning Tool:
- Table of Contents
- Introduction
- How to Use th
is Resource
Children's 2004-2005 Service Project: House of Hope for Orphans in Central Asia. Read about the project here.
NEW! Children and Family Ministry Bibliography. Provides a list of resources and books that may help you in your ministry with children whether you are a Sunday school teacher, children's worker, or parent. Download now.
Growth Commitment Card, Child's Version: A tool for children to reflect on their spiritual growth and consider whether there are actions they would like to commit to in order to become more like Christ. Contact the Covenant Resource Center for more information. Also in downloadable form."
Curriculum Evaluation Tool: Choosing a curriculum that is Bible-based is a critical element of your ministry with children. This is an outline for evaluating curriculum in order to make the choice that best meets your needs. You can order this through the Covenant Resource Center or you can download the pdf version now. (G)
Sunday School and Weekday Ministry Curriculum Review: A resource which gives essential data on many published curriculum lines used in Covenant churches. Contact the Covenant Resource Center. (G)
Practical Teaching Methods for Bringing the Gospel to Special Needs Students: Provides teaching tips and ideas for effectively ministering to special needs students. Order through the Covenant Resource Center . (R)
Making Churches Safer: Offers guidelines as well as samples of procedures and forms for churches that are interested in developing their own procedures to help reduce the risk of abuse. Order from the Covenant Resource Center. Download the first seven pages in a pdf version now. (R)
A Framework for Children's Ministry: Assists those who are involved in the spiritual nurture of children in choosing objectives and activities that are age-appropriate. Contact the Covenant Resource Center to find out more. (G)
CAPS: Mission Possible!:
A Covenant mission resource manual for use with children in grades K-6.
Components include a biblical perspective on missions, a sixty-minute
teaching plan for each of our thirteen mission fields, 101+ ideas for
missions education with children, games from around the world, recipes
for unique foods from each country, mission moments and stories - and
a video with 1-5 minute bands for each of the fields featuring photos
of land, people and Covenant mission work. Contact the Covenant
Resource Center if you are interested in using this resource for your
children's ministry. (O)
Services & Seminars Offered:
Helping
Families GROW Series:
- Helping Families Grow Closer to God: Parents
don't need one more thing to do in what has become a very busy and hectic
world. Is it possible to draw on the strength of God and find peace? Can
I really, truly know God, talk to God, hear God and lay my burdens on
Him? Can I have a personal loving relationship with God? Can my children?
This seminar is designed to help positively equip you as a parent to help
your children mature spiritually and your family to grow closer to God.
Contact us for more information.
- Nurturing Children Toward Spiritual Maturity and Servant Leadership: One of the great issues facing the church is the need for spiritually mature leaders. One of the great blessings of the church is children. Is it possible that in coming together as a whole body we will prepare both children and adults to serve as spiritually mature leaders? This seminar examines practical ways the church can fulfill the mandate of God to nurture children toward spiritual maturity and servant leadership. Contact us for more information.
- Understanding Your Child: Are you looking for ways to better communicate with your child? Are you ever faced with whining children who don't listen? Are you perplexed by your child's behavior when you have already given them guidance and instruction? Do you wish your children had come with an instruction manual? You are not alone. This seminar is designed to help positively equip you as a parent to help your children mature and your family to grow closer. Contact us for more information.
Helping Children Grow Spiritually. This seminar evaluates ways we can help children grow spiritually by examining existing ministries in light of the four key GROWth areas which foster the Christian formation of children as well as integrating parents and multigenerational elements into children's ministry. Contact Steve Burger. (G,R,O,W)
Why Children Act the Way They Do: This workshop examines the developmental levels of children and the implications for Christian Formation. Contact Steve Burger.
Promoting Positive Behavior: This is an exploration workshop of classroom management and practical ways of dealing with discipline in a classroom or group setting.Contact Steve Burger.
Recruiting and Training, An invitation to Discipleship: This workshop examines ways of developing discipleship teams for ministering to children and offers practical suggestions on how to develop a Christian Formation Ministry manual. Contact Steve Burger.
Making Churches Safer: A workshop that explores practical guidelines for leaders in designing and implementing safety procedures to reduce the risk of abuse within the church. Contact Steve Burger.
Helping Children Worship Workshop: A workshop for parents and church leaders which offers practical ways parents and the church can partner together to help engage children in worship. For more information contact Steve Burger. (W)
Events:
Click Here for Steve's "Top Picks" in Book Recommendations for Children and Family Ministry.