By Kim Vaught

Here they come, but the problem is that we are often not ready for them. They're either too old for Children's Ministry or too young for Student Ministry. Ask a preteen and they will tell you that they are not children. Ask the Student Ministry leader and he/she will likely tell you preteens should stay in Children's Ministry. So the question is "Who are preteens - children or students?" The answer is both and neither. Have I confused you yet? Preteen years are transitional. The situation begs an answer to these questions. How, as a church, are we addressing their needs? How are we ministering to them? Are they getting lost in the crowd? Do they feel like we care? Are they connected to our ministry? Read More

By Judy Comstock

Steven wasn't happy. Everyone in his classroom and everyone down the hall knew how very unhappy this 2 ½ year old was. For some reason I decided to use that finger play, "Here's the church, here's the steeple, open the door and see all the people." This precocious child put his little hands over mine and chanted, "Here are da people. Close da door and wet's go home." Read More