I love movies! There’s nothing like a good one to hit “reset” on my brain when it’s running in fifty directions. One of my all-time favorites? The original 1984 Karate Kid.

Here’s the gist: Daniel, the new kid, wants to learn karate. Enter Mr. Miyagi, his quirky and wise mentor. But instead of sparring lessons, Mr. Miyagi puts Daniel to work—painting fences, waxing cars, sanding floors. Over and over, Daniel follows these repetitive motions, confused and frustrated. “What does this have to do with karate?” he wonders.

The magic happens when Daniel faces opposition. Wax on; wax off. Sand the floor; side to side. Paint the fence. Don’t forget to breathe. Without realizing it, all those seemingly unrelated tasks trained his body. His muscle memory kicks in, and he’s ready—defense solid, movements instinctive.

And that’s what ministry with children and families can be like! We’re building faith muscle memory, truth muscle memory, and spiritual muscle memory so they’re equipped to defend and live out their faith. And our training centers on one historic, life-changing event: the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of the one true God, creator and savior of the world.

How do we build these faith “muscles”? Here are three solid, foundational tools:

1. The Lord’s Prayer – This teaches us how to communicate directly with God. Whether it’s a simple, heartfelt “HELP!” or the words of a prayer shared by Christians for centuries, it’s a powerful reminder that our God hears us.
2. The Apostle’s Creed – This answers, “What do we believe?” It’s a backbone for our faith, keeping us rooted in the essentials while uniting us with the global Body of Christ.
3. The Ten Commandments – These guide us in how to live out our faith, shaping our relationships with God and each other. Written by God’s own hand, they set His people apart.

Yes, there are tons of Sunday school curriculums with fun videos, creative themes, and hands-on activities. But imagine if we consistently showered kids and youth with Jesus while weaving in these three timeless teachings? We’d be equipping them with the essentials of our faith, shared by millions over the past 2,000+ years.

That’s the kind of muscle memory worth building!

“Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.” Psalm 144:1

Sometimes, the most profound lessons don’t come from a speaker’s slides, a workshop’s outline, or even a coach’s prayer. Instead, they’re whispered by the Holy Spirit—moving among God’s people, over lunch tables, coffee tables, Airbnb kitchen islands, and yes, even while waiting in line for Gideon Bakehouse cookies. This year, here’s what the Spirit made clear to me at CPC25:

Freedom to Follow the Spirit’s Lead

Yes, there were plenty of cool VBS themes with fantastic swag, but guess what? As a new church, we’re not tied to any of it. VBS isn’t part of our DNA, and that’s okay! Instead, we have the creative margin to lean into Spirit-led mission partnerships with a community that’s changing every day. Free from the pre-2020 programming church-world expectations, we get to explore, experiment, and innovate without competing with or copying the church down the street. That’s the gift of freedom—freedom to dream, freedom to follow, and freedom to be exactly who God has called us to be for such a time as this.

Discovery in Discipleship

Faith formation isn’t about scheduling more programs; it’s about equipping the real disciple-makers—parents, grandparents, teachers, and coaches. For us, that means less “morality entertainment” and more biblical worldview and apologetic truth. I’ve loved stepping into resource booths, skipping the “What are you looking for?” small talk, and leading with: “Let me tell you how we’re using your resources!” Watching their faces light up as they take notes or start recording my comments is a joy. We’re not just using tools; we’re tailoring them for our family of faith.

Deeply Familiar Faith

The eight-year-olds I serve today will be adults from 2034 to 2094. That’s a lifetime shaped by what they’re experiencing right now—the music, the games, the teams, and most importantly, the faith we’re helping form. The enemy’s goal is clear: disrupt God’s kids from doing God’s work in and outside of God’s house. But through relationships and multigenerational experiences, we’re building faith muscle memory that will stand the test of time. I’m leaning even more into Faith Milestones—layering holy practices that will feel as familiar as breathing when life gets tough and remarkable moments of life abound.

This year, I’m walking away from CPC25 with freedom, continued experimentation, and a renewed commitment to deeply familiar faith practices. And I can’t wait to see how the Holy Spirit will continue to move in and through our community!

“So Moses went down to the people and told them.” Exodus 19:25

Right now, it’s Sunday. I’m sitting at the gate, waiting to board my flight to the 2025 Children’s Pastors Conference in sunny Orlando! This conference is my ultimate B12 shot—energizing my spirit, sharpening my mind, and filling my heart for the mission of leading families to Jesus.

What makes CPC so special? Oh, where do I start? I love the disciple-maker workshops packed with wisdom, the treasure trove of vendor resources (and yes, the swag is top-tier!), coaching for both rookies and veterans in ministry, and the incredible speakers from all over the globe who challenge and inspire us.

This year’s conference has an added twist: INCM (International Network of Children’s Ministry) is under new leadership. I’m eager to hear their vision for this amazing organization which historically equips and empowers leaders like me. Fun fact: my crew—a couple dozen ministry colleagues from around the country—has attended through multiple leadership transitions. And we keep coming back. Why?

Because this isn’t just any teaching conference. It’s a soul-feeding, disciple-making, life-transforming experience. It’s where we swap stories, celebrate victories, and laugh (a lot) in our shared AirBnB. We know the challenges and triumphs of each other’s churches, and we create a safe space to share our hearts for the families we serve.

Flashback to last year: our new pastors had just preached their first sermon, and my church was only six weeks old. CPC24 was my lifeline. I didn’t know what God had in store or how I could support the vision unfolding before us, but the Holy Spirit showed up in power. I walked away with everything I needed—resources for family discipleship, testing curriculum that knocked it out of the park, and unforgettable encouragement from speakers like Beth Guckenberger to persevere through the messiness I’d soon be faced with that only God could redeem.

This year, I’m surrendering all over again. I’m leaning into the Holy Spirit’s whispers, the music that stirs hearts, and the connections that build His kingdom here on earth. I’m ready to support my amazing friend and colleague in the resource center and embrace every conversation, every door, every window the Lord opens. His love for the littles—and their bigs—is boundless.

Only God knows what 2025 has in store, but I’m thankful for my church’s commitment to lifelong learning, their support for my outside-the-box ideas, and their encouragement in building the relationships that make ministry joyful and enduring.

So here’s my prayer: Thank You, Lord, for calling me to this space, this moment, and this mission. Thank You for letting me learn, dream, and serve alongside some of the most creative and passionate people on the planet. Let’s do this!

“In all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:6

As we wrap up Advent and dive into the 12 days of Christmas (from Christmas Day to Epiphany Sunday), we’ll gather together as one big church family for worship. On these in-between Sundays (Christmas and New Year’s), there won’t be small groups for the littles, giving our dedicated servant leaders a chance to relax, wonder, and worship with their families.

What’s happening the first Sunday back? We’re kicking off the New Year with a toast—literally! Introducing our Toast Bar, inspired by a colleague’s post from a Facebook group. Here’s the setup:

• Toasters (borrowed of course!)
• A variety of delicious breads (cinnamon swirl, raisin, pumpkin swirl, all the swirls, etc.)
• Easy-to-use squirt butter and jam (because spreading is so last year)
• And some surprise toppings to make it extra fun!

We’re encouraging families to dive into Proverbs—31 chapters for 31 days. To keep it engaging, we’re sending home scratch-off wise word prompts (thanks to Deeper Kidmin) for daily discussions and prayers. We’ve ordered scratch-off cards for February (28 chapters of Acts in 28 days) and March too, helping families build a habit of scripture reading and prayer together.

With the hustle and bustle of year-end seasonal ministry, we’re slowing things down ministry event-wise in the first few months of the year. By tapping the brakes on big ministry events, we’ll have a season to

• Equip and train our leaders through workshops, labs, and faith milestones
• Empower parents and grandparents with resources to disciple their kids and their kids’ friends
• Grow in relationship with our great God and one another

So, how are you preparing for intentional discipleship in the new year? Let’s set the table for growth, together!

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-3

I love how the second chapter of Matthew’s gospel shares some extra details about the Christmas story the gospel of Luke never touches: Magi.

Some great insights into the Magi that make me smile . . .

1. We really don’t know how many wise men were in the entourage, only that there were three gifts. But allow me to share a precious friend’s insight…there were really 4 gifts.

Go ahead, I’ll let you run to your Bible and check out Chapter 2, verse 11.

Yep, the first gift was WORSHIP. THEN, they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of frankincense and of myrrh.

Do I offer the gift of worship first?  Is worship a priority? Worship is anything I think, say, or do that tells Jesus, “I LOVE YOU!”

2. Mary and Joseph were Jewish. Shepherds? Jewish. Magi? Not Jewish.

This event was choreographed by a great God who invited those outside the Jewish faith to participate. This is where WE, the Gentiles, come in.

Am I living up to my starring role?  Or am I satisfied with being an “understudy” in the story He has for me?

3.  The Magi did not arrive at the stable as all of the Nativity scenes suggest.

Verse 11 continues, “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary.”

This realization was a huge turning point for me many years ago.  While visiting what would become our home church during our time in New England, the pastor taught that the Wise Men didn’t come to the stable.  I just knew he had it wrong and went home on a mission to prove it.  Upon every reading of all three bibles we had in the house at the time, I discovered that I’d been relying on someone else or a plastic scene to tell me the truth of the scriptures.  I confessed it as sin and said, “No More!”  My journey through the scriptures and the life it gives began that very day.  Jesus was no longer on the flannelboard for this Jesus gal.

4.  Verse 12 shares that upon being in the presence of the Savior, “they returned to their country by another route.”

After I am in the presence of the Lord especially in the season of Advent, am I prepared to go home a different way?  I sure hope so.

Several friends have shared how this affects their Advent celebrations with family.  One exclaims, “Three gifts were good enough for Jesus, then three gifts are good enough for each one of my kids.” 

And then a young mother shared how her family models what the Magi brought Jesus in three gifts:

Frankincense (used by priests in their offerings to God, pointing toward Jesus’ role as our high priest) – the gift should be good for your mind…books, museum tickets, lessons, learning opportunities, learning kits, etc.

Myrrh (a spice for a person who is going to die) – the gift should be something to aid healing or a practical gift…clothes, shoes, conference, a box of medicines for that college student who has let himself get run down due to final exams, a Bible or something that encourages the recipient’s spiritual journey.

Gold (a gift for a King – or maybe a princess or son of The King) – something extra, fun, shiny, sparkly…toy, game, jewelry.

In Daniel Darling’s book The Characters of Christmas: The Unlikely People Caught up in the Story of Jesus, he suggests this was probably a caravan of quite a few people. “It’s likely there were more than three wise men given how much of a stir they caused when they arrived in Jerusalem.” 

This I know: though I’ve heard and studied the account of Jesus’ birth over my entire life time, there is still more to learn, still more questions to ask, and still more delight to enjoy.

Oh come let us adore Him!

“And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.” Matthew 2:12

I’ve been absorbing books on family ministry since the first Christian bookstores started popping up in the 1990s. The first one hit me like a ton of bricks as a mom freezing in New England my first winter. The cover was red, I think it was by Tim Kimmel, and as a new mom I was on a mission to make sure my two littles, preschoolers at the time, would always know the Lord’s presence and directing for their whole lives.

If you are thinking of expanding or growing your ministry with children into a Family Ministry Model, have I got a book and guide for you! As a student of the Family Ministry Academy by Renewanation, the first book to read and report on is Perspectives on Family Ministry, 2nd edition by Paul Renfro, Brandon Shields and Jay Strother, with Kevin Jones. This paperback uses its full 222 pages to share three family ministry models as well as the celebrations and challenges of all three. It’s the best book on family ministry in layman’s terms I’ve ever read to offer clear, concise vocabulary, definitions, and what family ministry is not.

Within the two parts, Perspectives lays out the foundations for Family Ministry with a historical context with definitions of Family Ministry, followed by the practices of three models for ministry with families.

1. Family- Integrated Ministry Model – nearly all age-level classes and events are eliminated; aka family-driven or family discipleship approach; best practices are clearly presented in Voddie Baucham’s Family-Driven Faith.
2. Family-Based Ministry Model – congregation still maintains youth ministry, children’s ministry, senior ministry, and so on coupled with additional intergenerational activities, curricula, and events with each ministry sponsoring faith formation experiences designed intentionally to draw generations together; best practices are clearly presented in Mark DeVries Family-Based Youth Ministry which also equips families to care for spiritual orphans.
3. Family-Equipping Ministry Model – age-level ministries remain intact ‘yet church leaders plan every ministry to champion the place of the family as a primary unit for discipleship and the place of parents as primary disciple-makers in their children’s lives’; when the church equips parents to disciple their children, and parents see the church as an active partner in the process; the church and home as co-champions.

There are a lot of voices speaking in this book in support of each model and graciously exposing the challenges that each model presents. As I read and re-read this resource I felt better equipped to define the goals of the family ministry I lead and offer clear measurables for transformational impact which we call ‘fruitful celebrations’.

As more and more local churches are drawn to a family ministry model of faith formation in areas which have been typically siloed, this is one of the best resources for those who are keepers of the vision and the stories as the local church seeks to equip families to love the Lord with their whole hearts for their whole lives.

Which family ministry model are you striving for?

“The mission of family ministry in today’s world is to accurately handle the word of truth while teaching a new generation the timeless message of hope and redemption.” Dr. Michael Anthony and Dr. Michelle Anthony, Perspectives on Faith Ministry, forward, pg xx

The children I serve often ask amazing questions, like “What language did Adam and Eve speak?” and “Where are the 10 Commandments now?” Some families have started encouraging their curious kids to write these questions in a journal to discuss during family dinners on Fridays. This reminds me of the TV show Kids Say the Darndest Things, which holds a special place in my memories.

Throughout history, Christians have used questions and answers to teach the Christian faith through a method called catechism. The word comes from the Greek katecheo, meaning “to instruct” or “to teach.” Catechisms provide a clear summary of a church’s teachings, often in a question-and-answer format, to help people of all ages understand the essentials of the Christian faith. This practice dates back as early as Augustine (AD 353–430) and is experiencing a revival today—and I’m all for it!

“Questions are natural ways to find out the basic answers to life. Questions are also an essential part of growing in your faith. They help us discover the mysteries of our faith. They are how we learn, grow, and ultimately come to believe. Once you stop asking questions, you stop learning, growing, and believing.” ~ Dr. Winfield Bevins, Grow At Home: A Beginner’s Guide to Family Discipleship

Catechisms are a proven way to teach littles and bigs about their faith in a simple, engaging format. They help families learn together at home and provide a way to love God with not just our hearts but also our minds.

When the Global Methodist Church launched in 2022, I was thrilled to see their partnership with Seedbed publishers to produce A Catechism of Christian Faith and Doctrine for the Global Methodist Church. This 32-page booklet uses a question-and-answer format, includes scripture references, and is perfect for all ages. In our church, we use it in New Member Classes, weekly worship services, and as a resource on our information table.

Rev. Jeffrey Rickman shares on his PlainSpoken podcast a precious model for teaching a catechism for the Global Methodist Christian faith with his 7-year-old daughter in several episodes. These are absolutely delightful!

Many catechisms are affordable and convenient for families to use during car rides, while waiting at appointments, or during family worship times. However, it’s important to ensure the catechism aligns with your church’s theology. I learned this firsthand after ordering what seemed like the perfect nursery Christmas gifts, only to find they didn’t match Wesleyan theology. Thankfully, Amazon’s return policy saved the day!

Catechisms are making a comeback and offer solid teaching of the basics of our Christian faith. As we embark on prioritizing apologetics (equipping to defend your Christian faith) and promoting a Biblical worldview a catechism system of questions and answers make for incredible discussions for disciples of all ages and stages. 

What are the resources your church offers to families to teach and equip to defend the Christian faith?

“I am persuaded that the use of a good Catechism in all our families will be a great safeguard against the increasing errors of the times.” – Charles Spurgeon

Little people can make the traditional Christmas season gingerbread house OR we can get our “Jesus is the reason for the season” on and do a little something different: edible gingerbread nativities. 

Prepare ahead of time to line a lid or box bottom of some kind with a low edge with aluminum foil.

Prepare the ‘glue’ for the graham cracker stable the day of, put in cups with craft sticks:
4 cups powdered sugar
3 tbl meringue powder
5 tsp water (more until desired consistency)

Must haves for decorating:
Mini M&Ms for a pop of color
Mini candy canes
Gum drops
Animal crackers
Fruit tape
Raisins/chocolate chips
Star, ginger people, cookies
Jumbo shredded wheat blocks
Coconut (mixed with shredded wheat for hay)
Pretzel sticks/star pretzels
Marshmallows – mini & large

When all the decorating is finished, top it off with a good crunching of a Shredded Wheat bar and a sprinkling of coconut all over it for hay.

We’ll save this for the Sunday morning before Christmas and follow it up with a Christmas right-left game with Mini Christmas Squishmallows I picked up at Costco though I typically use crazy-flavored candy canes.

What are the ways you’ll tell the Christmas story this Advent?

“You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.” Psalm 128:2

Spirit & Truth is a global movement helping local churches experience renewal in purpose through faith, the Holy Spirit, and living intentionally to make disciples of Jesus. My church partnered with four others to bring this weekend conference to North Georgia, and as someone who loves collaborative ministry, it was incredible to see us work together on this meaningful event.

Friday Evening: Worship and Word
We began Friday night with worship and a fresh message shared by a young woman in her twenties who spoke about the power of staying close to Jesus. She walked us through Mark 14, reminding us that “we are a peculiar people.” Several youth attended with their parents, which made it a particularly inspiring start.

Saturday: Teaching, Listening, and Going Out
Saturday morning involved a session on listening to the Holy Spirit, followed by an exercise in listening.

It was on Saturday afternoon we were taught then sent out in groups of three or four to share our faith through prayer (Jesus never sent out His disciples alone, but in groups of two, three, or up to seventy) in our own community. And no one died. Really. By being available and obedient to love my neighbor through prayer we asked, “I know this may sound off the wall, but is there something I can pray about for you?” And no one died. Really.

My team of four headed for Dairy Queen in our downtown area. In full transparency, I didn’t even know there was a Dairy Queen downtown. Now I do. And now I know about the folks who work there. Within the forty minutes we were there, we ordered some sweet goodness, prayed for a family in a car and just about every staff person on the line, including the manager. As we left the manager invited us to come back in a couple of hours to pray over the next shift.

Stories of Connection
One introverted team member, wearing a church name tag, even had someone approach him to ask for prayer, proving that visible signs of faith—like a simple T-shirt—can begin a conversation and prompt to pray. God’s tenderness showed up, encouraging us all to trust and obey in new ways.

A Weekend of Worship and Testimony
Saturday night ended with a worship service of gratitude and thanksgiving. Pastor Matt shared the message on Sunday morning leading with several telling the stories of God’s people being taught then practicing what it looks like to live on mission of making disciples of Jesus all day, every day.

Teaching Confirmation: The Wesleyan Way
This weekend, I’ll wrap up our Confirmation class, moving from “The Absolute Basics of Christian Faith” to finish with “The Absolute Basics of the Wesleyan Way.” I’ll be answering the question, “What do Wesleyans do?” Even 8th & 9th graders know the internal and external practices of the faith through holy habits and community. But what really sets Wesleyans apart?

The Wesleyan way of holiness isn’t meant to be traveled alone, because our relationship to one another is connected with our relationship to God. The Wesleyan way is a way of friendship: building friendships centered on common love, worship, and service to God. When Methodism started out, it wasn’t a new church. It was a group of church-going Christians seeking to grow closer to God through fellowship. They were a group of friends. (pg 68-69).

A Methodist Method

May we be faithful in making friends wherever we go, even if it’s just offering to return someone’s shopping cart and asking if we can pray for them—a simple yet powerful way to live out our faith in the Methodist tradition.

“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” John 4:23

Family Ministry involves the discipleship, care, and resourcing of families of all ages and all stages to love Jesus with their whole hearts for their whole lives in Christian community. It’s not just the developmental stages either. Life happens. Challenges come from all directions to distract and attack the family which is the nurturing vehicle for littles and bigs to become more like Jesus. Challenges like addiction, facing infertility, prodigal children, a difficult marriage, family finances, raising a child with special needs, empty nest, exploring adoption/foster care, your child’s schooling options, hoping to marry, and more.

At the 2024 Children’s Pastors Conference, I discovered a fantastic tool for families: Homepointe. Homepointe is an equipping resource from a Biblical worldview. The pieces I saw came in a hardcopy and digital format to help families drive faith home as children aged as well as equipping ideas for celebrating holidays.

The Homepointe strategy is to set the table for intentionality to fulfil the Deuteronomy 6 call to family discipleship by making it easy, likely, and making it happen.

Last summer I learned the team who designed the resources partnered with D6 to include resources for special circumstances. Special circumstances families face every day where the local church with trained pastoral direction should be the ‘go-to’ for navigating well, but typically don’t. Jesus is the answer to all the world’s ‘special circumstances’. The Holy Bible is the basis for walking through all ‘special circumstances’ because there is nothing new under the sun.

Our local church has partnered with Homepointe to equip our congregation for both the joyful moments and the tough times. We also see this as a tool to help us begin meaningful, faith-centered conversations with people we already know—our extended family, coworkers, and people we interact with regularly (like hairdressers, medical staff, and childcare providers).

We spoke about the Homepointe partnership during the Christian to the Core: Family sermon series a couple of months ago. Last Sunday we rolled out the Homepointe partnership at an after-church picnic.

The printed resources are digitally provided which can be customized with your logo and space to offer connection through a QR code for the website and more. The printed resources for birthdays can be purchased separately since there is much more to share to make it super easy to roll out as our littles celebrate specific birthdays. We did this, too. We’ll start with the beginning of the church liturgical year, Advent.

Find out more information here or contact me directly. I receive no financial benefit. Homepointe is just a really great resource to guide us to disciple, care, and resource our families through life with Jesus at the center. D6 provides a free assessment your local church can use to aid families to know from where they’re starting here.

“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Galatians 6:10