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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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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 was Midwest-end-of-August-humid-hot, and I was thirty-four weeks pregnant. I had just finished nestling rolls into the boxes I had prepared to deliver when my son’s best friend came bursting through the front door, shouting, “Miss Becky! Brendan [...]
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 from unchurched or lightly-churched backgrounds. Can you give us a brief picture of the basics of Sunday morning children's programs at the churches you served? The three churches all offered two or three morning services with children’s [...]
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 a valuable part of training and leadership development for those ministering to children. Each certification student gains access to online trainings, wonderful books, monthly meetings with faculty, prayer cohorts, and mentor support. One of my favorite things [...]
Finding Rest in Ministry Rhythms
Finding Rest in Ministry Rhythms— I love an old-fashioned paper calendar. I spend time marking it up with all kinds of colors based on the occasion. Later this month, there is a week outlined bright orange and blue with BEACH written in big letters. Beach Week happens towards the end of every summer and is a family rhythm. We know when we get there, it’s a glorious week of sun, surf, and relaxation; then school will greet us shortly on the other side. I can’t help but think about creation when I think about rhythms. Those were the first [...]
Long Term Planning With the End in Mind
Long Term Planning with the End in Mind— Long-term planning has always excited me. Seeing the big picture, setting goals to get there, and visualizing the end-product is one of my favorite things to do. I sit down with my paper planner, pens in a rainbow of colors, a cup of coffee, and enough optimism to conquer the world. Inevitably though, details are left out, people “get in the way,” I run out of steam, and the curse rears its ugly head. My attempt at the perfect Pinterest Board looks like a toddler’s craft time. Through God’s grace, I [...]
Ready or Not, Let Go! Short-Term Planning in a Church Planting Context
Ready or Not, Let Go! Short-Term Planning in a Church Planting Context - One Thursday evening, my senior pastor texted me the news. Our permit for Sunday worship in the local high school that week had been canceled. Not again! My head immediately began to go through a mental checklist of next steps. Make a new plan for Sunday, check. Notify volunteers, check. Notify parents, check. Purchase a new box of crayons for Sunday, check. Determine what other supplies I need to gather or print, check. Having moved twenty-two times, between eight locations, in fewer than seven years, this [...]
Hop off the Hamster Wheel: Getting Ahead of the Coming Sunday
Hop Off the Hamster Wheel: Getting Ahead of the Coming Sunday— Is nursery covered? Did I remember to make copies of the lesson for Children’s Church? Who texted me last night to tell me they weren’t going to be here on Sunday? Do I have enough volunteers? Which teacher asked me for stickers? Is check-in going to work? Did I remember all the things? Round and round the wheel goes. Sundays, unfortunately, can be stressful. We are so caught up in all of the details, that we oftentimes let the actual purpose of Sunday—worshiping and spending time with our [...]
A Family of Faith Across Time and Geography
A Family of Faith Across Time and Geography— The theme of “Knit Together in Worship” strikes a powerful cord for me because we had young children in the pew with us for over thirty years as our nine children grew up. My husband and I realized that we are knit together in one huge Church family which spans time and geography, and we are a piece of that Church family in our community today. As a Sunday school teacher and author of biographies for children, I’d like to share a few insights from history that encouraged us as we [...]
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