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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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Discipleship Is Not a Distraction
Discipleship Is Not a Distraction - I’m a mom of two “littles,” ages four and two, with two more on the way. When my oldest was two, my husband and I decided to begin bringing her into corporate worship. We had been learning more about the benefits of having children in worship early through people in our church and through reading Jason Helopoulos’s Let the Children Worship. We wanted to be aware of her age and teach her that corporate worship was for her, too. We started with small steps. She would come in for our time of praise, [...]
Grief and the Gift of Corporate Worship
Grief and the Gift of Corporate Worship— I grew up in a family that attended church services every Sunday, no exceptions. Although I will admit this habit wasn’t especially inspiring to me at a young age, my parents’ commitment to regular corporate worship built a similar habit in me. During and shortly after my college years, my parents were both diagnosed with serious illnesses: mom with ALS, and dad with cancer. In the years following, my husband and I lived with my parents while we started our own family. We were a multi-generational household for about ten years, and [...]
Messy Reminders of God’s Faithfulness
Messy Reminders of God's Faithfulness— “Look at this mess.” That thought often crosses my mind at the conclusion of the benediction as I survey the floor and pews around me. On any given Sunday you may find ripped up bulletins, paper-airplane care cards, books, drawings, markers, the occasional spilled water, and maybe even pen marks on the pew Several families, including mine, sit in this section of the sanctuary, so there are a lot of children squished tightly into the pews trying to sit by each other. During the services the parents are regularly navigating all the fidgeting, crying, [...]
Join Us For Grow Virtual
Join us for Grow Virtual— I love people! Relationships with others help me thrive. If you know me, you may be surprised to learn that I am an introvert because relationships are so richly rewarding for me and always worth my time. This is where I confess that the virtual conference is hard for me. Sitting behind a computer in preparation and in front of a camera for presentation are not my idea of fun. However, Grow Virtual is an important part of our ministry! Not everyone is able to travel to make meaningful connections with others in children’s [...]
Inviting Children Into Prayer
Inviting Children Into Prayer Prayer. One word that encompasses many opportunities for those who are in Christ. It’s an action, a command, our part in a relationship with our Savior, and a calling we, both as parents and as adults within the covenant family, are responsible to bring our children into. Where do we even begin? We recount the events from Mark 10:13-16. Chances are that if you have been called to children’s ministry in your own church, you have read this account numerous times, finding solace and hope and encouragement to keep on serving in this particular ministry. [...]
Praying With Children
Praying With Children — Praying with children in our homes and in our churches is a special gift. It can be joyful and even funny at times. About a year ago, a mom told me about her and her husband’s experience praying with their children. This particular family is from Brazil and they regularly pray around their dinner table in Portuguese. One evening, as they bowed their heads, their four-year-old son spoke up and said, “Wait, I want to pray in English like we do at church.” He had learned the foundations of praying and was excited to pray [...]
Teach Us To Pray
Teach Us To Pray- Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” Luke 11:1 This verse introduces the Lord’s Prayer. We learn it. We teach it to our children. But do we pray it for them and with them? When we don’t know how to pray for our children, Jesus says, “When you pray, say this.” Many years ago, I found myself at a loss of how to pray for my wandering, angry son. I asked the Lord [...]
Why Prayer Matters
Why Prayer Matters— As the mother of a three-year-old and two-year-old, life is full, busy, and fast-paced. Each day I’m trying to keep up with the needs of young children, of being a pastor’s wife, of staying on top of a part-time job and other responsibilities that pull me in many different directions. At the end of last year, I noticed I was feeling more anxious than normal and the weight of life was feeling heavier. One night while doing our family devotions (that we “try” to do with our small children), we were talking about prayer with them. [...]
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