Grow Blog
CDM’s Children’s Ministry with Purpose Grow Blog connects you with people and resources to disciple the children in your church. Read as we write about children’s ministry opportunities and challenges, connecting with leadership, how to cast vision, and many more important topics.
Family Traditions
Family Traditions— Yikes! It’s that busy, busy time of year—parties, play practices, Christmas concerts, cookie baking, shopping, wrapping, decorating—whew! You may find yourself wondering, “How on earth can I do it all, make the holidays meaningful, and still survive?” Well, dear parent, let’s start off with taking a deep breath. Recognize that we all tend to feel this pressure. We want those things that “help to [...]
Illustrating Hymns for Young Hearts
Illustrating Hymns for Young Hearts— My love of hymns began at a very young age. Both my parents have a great love for hymns and had a large impact on my desire for singing songs of praise that are packed with deep biblical truths. Growing up, I also had the opportunity to attend a classical Christian school for a number of years. As part of our education, [...]
Christmas! A Wonderful Way to Connect with Parents
Christmas! A Wonderful Way to Connect with Parents— I’m one of those people who loves Christmas. The lights, music, decorating, special foods and family traditions are a welcome part of the season for me. As a young mom with young children, I looked for ways to make Christmas into a joyous celebration of our Savior’s birth. In my search I found a book edited by R.C. Sproul [...]
Little Hearts Prepare Him Room with Holly Mackle
Little Hearts Prepare Him Room with Holly Mackle— In the midst of the hurry and scurry of the Advent season, how do you best prepare your heart to meet Christ? Join Holly Mackle and Karen Hodge as they discuss both theologically rich and tremendously fun ways to celebrate Advent with your family. The Little Hearts Prepare Him Room podcast was originally posted on December 1st, [...]
The Long View of Discipleship
The Long View of Discipleship— The annual Leadership Training Retreat has easily become one of the things I most look forward to each year. Three days spent in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, delicious food shared with new and old friends, worshipping with other believers, and learning alongside others in similar roles who are also ministering to children make LTR special to me. LTR is a [...]
Engaging Pastoral Leadership in Child Protection
Engaging Pastoral Leadership in Child Protection— Sadly, I have seen it happen far too many times. The children’s ministry director attends a conference, signs up for a seminar on child protection, brings home some good resources, and starts to write child protection documents. They invest a lot of time in making church a safe place for children and the adults who work with them. But they [...]
Reflecting on Summer Ministry
Reflecting on Summer Ministry— The transition time between the summer season and an academic season of ministry is often an overlooked opportunity. Sustaining summer ministry requires a good amount of effort, as does being ready for the fresh new season of ministry that comes with the beginning of the school year. These seasons seem to mesh up together with very little time for evaluation (but hopefully [...]
Discipline Policy
Discipline Policy All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2Timothy 3:16 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11 As teachers, we must be [...]