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CDM’s mission is to strengthen the Church through connections. Through articles, podcasts, and resources we want to help connect you with people and tools that will help you in ministry.
Ministry to children can often feel lonely, but we hope this site will be a place that will encourage you and equip you for a lifetime of investing in the next generation. You are part of God’s covenant community and your investment in the little ones really does matter to God.
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Planting Seeds of Faith: Children’s Ministry Begins in the Nursery
Planting Seeds of Faith: Children's Ministry Begins in the Nursery— This past summer, I rested from lesson planning and volunteer management in our church nursery, staffing it with only our paid workers. It was a needed respite—one that God, in His grace and wisdom, used to reveal what happens in the nursery when Christian community and biblical instruction are absent. What I expected to be simple rest became an unexpected lesson in the overarching effects of His presence—and His absence. Stepping back gave me a bird's-eye view of the nursery's condition. Over those first weeks, I saw clearly that [...]
Creating Safe Spaces: Why Protecting Our Children Is Essential
Creating Safe Spaces: Why Protecting our Children is Essential- One particularly hectic Sunday morning, I found myself crouched over the children’s check-in station, wrestling with a jammed nametag printer and failed wi-fi connection, while a line began to bottleneck our church’s main entry. Parents were lining up, toddlers were pulling away from them, and a volunteer was asking me where the glue sticks were kept. In moments like that, it is embarrassingly easy to view child safety policies as an administrative chore, just another box to check so we can get on with our morning to the “real” ministry [...]
Meet William Tyndale: Bringing the Reformation Home Stories, Resources, and Activities to Share with Your Children
Meet William Tyndale: Bringing the Reformation Home: Stories, Resources, and Activities to Share with Your Children My interest in the Reformation—and especially in how we can share this important part of church history with our children—grew after I had the opportunity to take a Reformation trip with my church two years ago. My trip helped me see the Reformation as a much bigger story than I had understood it to be. The Reformation did not happen only in Germany with Martin Luther or in Switzerland with John Calvin. It unfolded over many decades and across much of Europe. God [...]
Starting Fresh: Building Rhythms for a Thriving Children’s Ministry
Starting Fresh: Building Rhythms for a Thriving Children’s Ministry- The start of a new school year is so much fun. In our ministry, it’s also the start of our new year. Promotion Sunday falls when school is starting back, and it’s such a joy to start fresh with clean classrooms and organized curriculum binders! Throughout the summer, you’ve probably spent time evaluating the last year. Whether you’re new to your ministry or have been doing this for a while, it can be helpful to evaluate your ministry every year and to do a further evaluation including an appraisal of [...]
Beyond Drop Off: Building Meaningful Partnerships with Parents to Disciple Our Children –
Beyond Drop Off: Building Meaningful Partnerships with Parents to Disciple Our Children - The first day of school is one of the coolest days of the year. Yes, I said it. In my area, there are some schools that start mid-July and some that start mid-August. And some start somewhere in between. Needless to say, my socials—for a month—have a bevy of first-day-of-school posts. Some of my favorites are of the parents who send their kids to “big school” for the first time. For many of them, it is the first time they realize that something is happening with [...]
From Good to Great: How to Use Your Curriculum Effectively in Children’s Ministry
From Good to Great: How to Use Your Curriculum Effectively in Children’s Ministry— I am a self-proclaimed nonplanner. After being a foster parent for fifteen years, I developed a mantra: Why make a plan when you know it’s going to change? Just roll with it. However, as a new children’s ministry director, I quickly learned this approach was essentially a plan to fail. When I first stepped into this role, I was directionless. Our church was in the process of restructuring our children’s ministry team—without clear mission and vision statements. As a result, I found myself scrambling on a [...]
Family Worship: A Guide to Help Our Families Create a Rhythm of Worship at Home
Family Worship: A Guide to Help Our Families Create a Rhythm of Worship at Home- When you hear the words “family worship,” what feelings arise? A parent with young children may smile, remembering a sweet prayer their child offered just yesterday. Another may feel guilty because family worship hasn’t happened at home in a long time. Still another may feel frustrated because, despite their efforts to set aside time for family worship, it always ends with someone being sent to their room. Parents of teens or adult children may recall a meaningful conversation that came from time spent worshiping together. [...]
Faithful or Flashy? Discerning Curriculum for Your Children’s Ministry-
Faithful or Flashy? Discerning Curriculum for Your Children’s Ministry- Any time I feel and think I am unequipped to do this job as children’s ministry director, the Lord is unbelievably kind to show me how He has prepared me for this job over the last twenty years. Unbeknownst to me, I’ve been discerning curriculum for a very small ministry my whole adult life. Our family is blessed with five souls to shepherd, and as a young Christian, wife, and mom, long years ago, I started examining the songs we listened to and the books we read. I was saved [...]
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