Reaching children with the Gospel of the kingdom, rescuing them from the world, rooting them in God’s Story, and releasing them to be kingdom ambassadors in the world, should be our # 1 priority.
That’s why Scripture Union developed the School of KidsMin – a one of a kind virtual learning hub.
Launched in September 2020, with new workshops added monthly, the School of KidsMin videos provide free training in the practice/methodology of children’s ministry, family ministry, sports ministry, and theology of children’s ministry.
The School of KidsMin workshops were birthed in the imaginations of the Scripture Union (SU) field ministry team some years ago. Yet there never seemed to be time to develop it. Then the coronavirus pandemic struck. The lockdown resulted in the cancellation of the SU sports camps, clubs, KidsGames, internships, bubble soccer, and training events. It was bittersweet. While the team mourned the loss of in-person ministry, they also realized this was a tremendous opportunity to ramp up the online ministry.
Doing online ministry is different from in-person ministry. New skills have to be learnt, new technology harnessed, mindsets changed, and administration reorganized. The SU team took these challenges in their stride – enthusiastically embarking on creating the School of KidsMIn in the spring and summer of 2020. After months of effort, the fruit of their labour is a gift to the global Church.
As you’ll see when you check it out, the workshops are well presented (I freely admit my bias as one of the workshop presenters!). Every video is pithy, interactive, content-rich, visually engaging, practically oriented, and biblically sound. The workshop presenters are SU’s field ministry team (full-time, part-time, and volunteer staff). While teaching in a video format is a first-time experience for the presenters, you’d think they’d been doing it for years. The addition of downloadable worksheets, as well as links to a range of useful resources, also enhance the presentations.
Given that the SU team does the entire production themselves (no professional filmmakers), there are some technical weaknesses with the videos (due to limited finances and not being able to purchase good equipment). The sound quality isn’t as good as it could be, there are lighting issues, and some scene transitions aren’t seamless. Steps are being taken to improve the technical quality. Yet, in the grand scheme of things, these are small concerns.
So what is the grand scheme? The School of KidsMin workshop presenters are deeply committed to equipping God’s people to do children’s ministry well, “so that the body of Christ may be built up” Ephesians 4:12. When they say “God’s people,” they’re referring to you! Ask them who the workshops are for, and they’ll say, “For parents, teachers, pastors, social workers, coaches, ministry leaders … EVERYONE!”
For EVERYONE! It’s time for you to see it for yourself. Check out the available workshops at www.schoolofkidsmin.com
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© Scripture Union, 2020
WOW!!! I would like to be part of something on the same lines for ministry to the parents/family across life stages.
For reaching children – parents being the primary source.
Praise God brethren for the Children’s Ministry Basics Blog. I would like to learn more about children’s ministry. Can you please help me?
Hi Elizabeth. Great to hear that you appreciate this blog. To learn more about children’s ministry please visit the School of KidsMin at https://schoolofkidsmin.com/ where you’ll discover free practical workshops that will get you going and keep you going.
Thanks. Praying that this will expand God’s Kingdom.
An excellent as well as a remarkable blog. Thank you.