Train Up The Child » Resources

Resources – Orange Conference

Sheilah — Tue, 03 May 2011 21:19:36 +0000

I was privileged to attend the Orange Conference this last week. If you aren’t familiar with Orange, it is an excellent children’s ministry that emphasizes parents and church partnering together to train children. Check it out at http://www.whatisorange.org/orangeleaders/.

Here are some very helpful resource links I received there:

http://www.thegreatfamilyexperiment.ca/ Free download to help your family experience 5 family values

http://www.northpoint.org/babyd For new parents to help in the beginning of your journey as a parent to really think about how you will raise your child to know what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

http://www.bibleboxonline.com/ This is a box of 15 molded figures to help present key Bible stories and concepts

http://dltk-bible.com/ Bible story coloring pages, crafts, activities

http://lifewayextra.ning.com/group/specialbuddiesteachers Free Download - Picture/Word Cards

Resource – The Story (the Bible in novel form)

Sheilah — Mon, 02 May 2011 22:39:20 +0000

Zondervan has a new book that takes selected verses from the Bible and organizes them chronologically to help in understanding how God’s story fits together. It is available for different ages.

The Story for Children is full of colorful and inviting pictures.

The Story: Teen Edition reads like a novel. It is the Bible condensed into 31 chapters that chronologically move through events from Genesis to Revelation with drama, romance, and action. It is a great way to draw teens into Scripture!

Resources for Tweens

Sheilah — Mon, 02 May 2011 17:43:15 +0000

There are numerous resources targeting both young children and also teens. But there is not much out there focusing on a very formidable age group called tweens (7-13 year olds).

However, www.ishineministries.com. is seeking to change that with a TV series, radio show, and a new Bible, all aimed at tweens. Check out the website!

The iShine Bible combines technology and scripture by giving QR codes and URL links to additional online ministry content. The colored sections in the Bible will help your kids see how much they are valued by God, what their true identity is in Jesus, and discover God’s higher purpose for their lives. It is in the New Living Translation, perfect for young readers, and is available in both boys and girls leather-like editions. You can purchase it here.

Who is St. Patrick?

Sheilah — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 04:16:47 +0000

Did you or your children ever wonder why we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? I’m not sure what lies behind some of the traditions associated with the day, but the man that the holiday is named for has a story children need to hear.

Did you know Patrick isn’t Irish? He was born into a wealthy English family about 385 A.D. He died on March 17, 461. When he was 16 years old, he was kidnapped by Irish pirates and taken to Ireland as a slave where he worked as a shepherd. During this time he was lonely and afraid; this caused him to turn to God with his whole heart. After about 6 years as a slave, Patrick escaped and began studying to be a priest.

However, he did not forget Ireland; he had a desire to go back one day and tell them about Jesus. He did eventually return there as a missionary. Isn’t that amazing that he would want to go back to the place where he had been enslaved and tell them of God’s love? What an act of forgiveness! Eventually Patrick was called a saint by the Catholic Church because of his love and kindness to the people of Ireland.

It is believed that Patrick brought the shamrock plant to Ireland and used the three-leafed plant to illustrate the message of the Trinity. This would be a good time to teach about the Trinity. Click here for help in sharing the concept with your children. A good children’s book to illustrate the Trinity is 3 in 1: A Picture of God.

Go outside and look for clover and talk about the Trinity; be like St. Patrick teaching the Irish.

Click here for a shamrock craft.

Halloween – Fun and Fear

Sheilah — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 06:56:41 +0000

A wise lady told me once, “Don’t make your children so different from the world that the world doesn’t want what you have.” I thought that was great advice, so we have always enjoyed the innocent fun at Halloween. But some things that go on at this time go beyond fun and can cause fear in children.

A friend of mine wrote me this week with a question about how to talk to her grandchildren about the fear they are experiencing after hearing some Halloween ghost stories. Here’s what I sent her:

You could start by saying that there are bad spirits in the world, but we don’t have to be afraid of them if we believe in Jesus because of 1 John 4:4 “But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won your fight with these false prophets, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.“

Emphasize this is why it is important to stay close to God because He is greater than the bad spirits. In fact, they are afraid of Him and the Bible says that at the name of Jesus they have to run away (Philip. 2:10 “so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,”) He said we can use His name to tell the bad spirits to go away (Mark 3:15 “and he gave them authority to cast out demons.”) Talk to them about the power of using the name ‘Lord Jesus Christ’

God has given us good spirits called angels to watch over us (Psalm 91:11-12 “For he orders his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you with their hands to keep you from striking your foot on a stone.” All of Psalm 91 is about God’s protection – good psalm to memorize.

I would definitely choose at least one scripture to memorize with them that they can quote when they feel fearful.

Two that I always use with children are:
Joshua 1:9 “I command you—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Psalm 56:3 “What time I am afraid, I will trust in God.”

Tell them about when Jesus used scripture to battle the devil (Luke 4)
There is power in the Word (Isaiah 55:11 “so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.“)

Tell them that God doesn’t want us to be afraid (2 Tim. 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”)

Lead them to talk to God about their fears.

A good book to teach children to use this holiday to celebrate God’s victory over evil spirits is Halloween: Is It for Real? by Harold Myra

Please check out http://www.ministry-to-children.com for great insights and ideas to help use Halloween to emphasize trusting Jesus.

How to Really Love Your Children – Resources

Sheilah — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 16:07:38 +0000