Welcome to Grow
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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GROW Virtual Conference – August 19-20, 2022
Theme: The Good Shepherd
Gather a group of teachers and volunteers at your church to participate in a
Livestream and recorded weekend of training.
Be Present
Be Present— He repeatedly screamed at the top of his lungs, “Shut the _ _ _ _ up!!”, spitting in my face, as I did my best to hold this terrified 4-year-old stranger. His relentless violence toward me left me clueless of what to do, so I simply held him and prayed. He and his 3-year-old brother had just moved into our [...]
Fear Not Suffering
Fear Not Suffering— Oh, the bliss of being engaged to be married. As a young Christian, I remember being surrounded by godly women who were already parents to a couple of children. They loved Jesus and their spouses and would jokingly but seriously say, “Marriage will really sanctify you. You will see your need for Jesus and your own sin even more [...]
Fear Not Family Worship
Fear Not Family Worship- “We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. 5 He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, 6 that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and [...]
Fortune Cookie Theology For Parents and Ministry Leaders
Fortune Cookie Theology For Parents and Ministry Leaders— I love Chinese Food. Truly I do. White rice or fried rice, hot and sour soup or egg drop, General Tso's chicken or beef with broccoli—it all works for me! But my favorite part of the meal is (by far) at the very end. The fortune cookie. Oh, I know, lots of people [...]
Going Outside the Grounds
Going Outside the Grounds— **This is an interview between Jimmy Brock (Pastor at Resurrection Community Church) and Heather Williams (Nursery Director at Chesapeake Presbyterian Church)** How did you all get started doing backyard Bible clubs? It's something that our previous children's ministry director had done at a church before and brought to us. She said that especially since we didn’t do VBS, [...]
The Missional Family
The Missional Family— Chuckling and shaking my head, I recently retold the account of the time my oldest son re-broke his arm the same day he got his cast off. I had signed up through Meal Train to take dinner to not one, but two foster families with new placements and was also watching four of my friend’s children that day. It [...]
Making Sundays Welcoming
Making Sundays Welcoming— My mother has served in children’s ministry for most of her life, leading programs at three different churches in the DC area: one as the volunteer Sunday School Superintendent, and two others as the full-time director of children’s ministry. I asked her to share some thoughts on making Sundays welcoming for visitors from a wide variety of backgrounds, particularly [...]
The Fruit of Certification
The Fruit of Certification— This year we celebrated 5 years of our Children’s Ministry Certification program! 5 years equals 160 men and women who have spent 12 months evaluating and growing children’s ministry in their churches. Children’s Ministry at CDM comes alongside churches by helping them pave the way for intergenerational connections in congregations that will strengthen the entire church. Certification is [...]
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