Posts

EGM Nov 5, 2018

Podcast: Support From Senior Pastors

Many children’s ministry leaders express a desire to have a better relationship with their senior pastors and senior leadership. On this episode of “Better Children’s Ministry,” Kelli Johnson and Tara Thomas talk with Jed Manimtim, Executive Pastor at Sunridge Community Church in Temecula, about both sides of this very important relationship. Jed and Tara share about how pastors and children’s ministry leaders can encourage each other and work together to disciple children. Highlights: 5:20 – The value of children’s ministry in the life of a church 9:27 – How can senior leadership support children’s ministry? 13:48 – Our relationships with…

EGM Jan 14, 2019

31 Days of Prayer: Nurturing Families

On January 1st, we kicked off the “31 Days of Prayer for Children.” EGM is spending the month of January praying for boys and girls around the world in a specific way each day. On this episode of “Better Children’s Ministry,” Kelli talks with Quinton Hufferd about the value of praying for nurturing families. Quinton shares some of the qualities of a nurturing family and how we can minister to children who are not growing up in an nurturing environment. We are encouraged to know that any child, no matter their circumstance, has the opportunity to become part of God’s…

EGM Jan 4, 2019

31 Days of Prayer: Health and Wholeness

On January 1st, we kicked off the “31 Days of Prayer for Children.” EGM is spending the month of January praying for boys and girls around the world in a specific way each day. On this episode of “Better Children’s Ministry,” Daniel and Kelli talk about one of our prayers – that children grow up with health and wholeness. Daniel points us to Jesus’ own childhood and the many layers of meaning in the word “wholeness.” We encourage you to join us for the rest of our time in prayer this month! You can sign up to receive daily emails…

EGM Dec 31, 2018

Podcast: Entering 2019 with Thanks

So here we are approaching the new year. As we were thinking about what to discuss for this episode, we were thinking about what would bring us all into 2019 in the right frame of mind. So on this episode of Better Children’s Ministry, Daniel and Kelli talk about thankfulness and how important it is to have a thankful heart in children’s ministry. Highlights: 0:40 – The strangest gift Daniel ever received 2:08 – Why is thankfulness an important practice in ministry? 8:55 – What might keep us from being thankful? 10:40 – Practicing the discipline of thankfulness 11:54 –…

EGM Dec 24, 2018

Podcast: EGM’s Year-End Celebration

Every year at EGM, the staff gets together and we pray and discuss what will be the focus of our year-end celebration. What will be the message in our annual Christmas card. What does God wants us to share about Him in light of our ministry to boys and girls. This year, the theme of our celebration is “Welcome Them.” This comes from Matthew 18:5. In this episode of Better Children’s Ministry, Daniel and Kelli discuss how we can apply the truth of this passage as we celebrate Christmas. Highlights: 2:52 – What does Jesus means when he says we…

EGM Dec 17, 2018

Podcast: A Call to Ministry is a Call to Prayer

When we serve in children’s ministry, we are leaders. And when God calls us into ministry as a leader, He also calls us into prayer. God invites us into an ongoing, intimate conversation with Him as we serve the boys and girls in our churches. He provides guidance, encouragement, strength and so much more when we rely on Him to direct our ministry. In this episode of Better Children’s Ministry, Daniel Watts explores the ministry calling of Paul, and how his life was characterized by God’s direction through prayer. Daniel and Kelli discuss the different ways God offers us help…

Daniel Watts Dec 12, 2018

Welcome Them In Our Giving

Whenever we visited my wife’s parents, her mom always had food; usually chocolate chip cookies or something equally delicious. It was her way of welcoming us! I have to say it definitely made us feel welcomed. My children would start drooling as we drove up to Grandma’s house. Sometimes, you could smell them when the door opened. Over my years of ministry, it has been clear that one way Christians welcome you into their home is with food. It is a material expression of “Welcome!” This is true all around the world. “And whoever welcomes one such child in my…

EGM Dec 7, 2018

Podcast: A Leader in Church and at Home

During this hectic holiday season, God’s call on our lives to minister to children can feel overwhelming. Balancing our responsibilities at home with our families and at church with our service can become very challenging. In this episode of Better Children’s Ministry, Daniel Watts walks us through 1 Timothy 3:4 and some of the qualifications of a church leader. We talk about how important our family responsibilities are in the life of our ministries. Daniel offers encouragement to those who are feeling spread thin. Highlights: 4:22 – A good leader in the home will be a good leader in the…

Alex Bruda Dec 6, 2018

Welcome Them In Church

It was a normal Saturday night. Preparations for Sunday’s sermon were complete. I felt confident that everything was in order for the next day. None of the volunteers had texted or called to see they couldn’t show up for the next morning’s service. On Sunday morning, the routine began: a prayer before coffee, a review of my message outline once again  to make sure Sunday would be another exciting day. The service started on time and the worship team did a great job. The message impacted lives. There was a good response to the altar call and three people confessed…

EGM Dec 3, 2018

Podcast: Wisdom of Proverbs in Children’s Ministry

We know that the holiday season can be particularly busy and stressful for children’s ministry leaders. Because of the spiritual significance behind Thanksgiving and Christmas, our churches are often celebrating with additional services and programs. Because of that, we want to spend a couple weeks offering encouragement and wisdom directly from God’s Word. On this episode of Better Children’s Ministry, Daniel Watts and Kelli Johnson discuss Proverbs 22:6 and what it means to minister to children with wisdom. Highlights: 2:44 – What does “Train up a child in the way he should go” mean? 6:17 – The way we learn…

EGM Nov 20, 2018

Podcast: Volunteer Appreciation

Volunteer appreciation is very valuable and very important. One of our goals through this podcast is to pour encouragement into our listeners with the hope that you can pour into those around you as well. We are especially praying for you during this hectic holiday season; we know things tend to get a little nutty! But whether we’re leading our church’s children’s ministry or we are a fellow volunteer, each one of us can play a part in the building up of others around us. In this episode of “Better Children’s Ministry,” Tara Thomas and Kelli Johnson talk about the…