Reggie Joiner's Blog, page 3

10 Kids Ministry Ideas When There Are Extra Christmas Services

The holidays are a wonderful time for special services and activities that engage current and new families. But when extra holiday services are added, you might find yourself asking, “What do I do with the kids?” 

 

We asked our Orange Kids Specialist team for advice. Here are a few ideas from them to get your creative juices going. (Your OS is happy to brainstorm with you or talk through details. Don’t know your OS? findmyos.com).

 

1. Utilize Orange Curriculum components to create a somewhat d...

VBS 2024 Overview of Orange, Lifeway, Group, and More

As us ministry leaders inch closer to 2024, we can’t help but anticipate one of the best weeks of the year, Vacation Bible School! Summer will be here before we know it, and kids will soon start counting down the days towards the ever-anticipated VBS..

We know you are beginning to dream about VBS 2024, and at Orange we want to give you all of the details so you can make it the best summer ever! That starts with choosing a great VBS cur...

5 Gifts Your Volunteers Don’t Want

Okay, to be fair, I  don’t know YOUR volunteers, but I have BEEN a volunteer for the last twenty years. And, I have taken my fair share of church-branded merch to the thrift store (who also doesn’t want it). That’s why, this year, I’d love to share five gifts your volunteers don’t want AND a few things you can give them instead. . .

 

1. A coffee mug. If your house is like mine, opening a certain cabinet means risking injury from an avalanche of unused and unwanted merch mugs. A cool mug every o...

15 Creative Decor Ideas for Your Next Jingle Jam

It’s almost December, and for many of you, that means it’s time to Jingle Jam! We decided to ask one of our favorite kids ministry leaders, Emily Williamson, to share exactly how she prepares for a Christmas party big enough for every family at The Church at Tuscaloosa.

 

How is Jingle Jam making a difference in your ministry?

We truly believe that what happens at home is more important than what happens at church. Family Experiences, like Jingle Jam and Easter Jam, help families create core mem...

The Ministry Leader’s Ultimate Gift Guide

Welcome to the Ministry Leaders’ Ultimate Gift Guide. We want to help you celebrate your volunteer leaders and parents because we know that the quality and culture of a ministry are highly dependent on the success of those two influences.  Plus, what you celebrate gets repeated! So let’s spread some Christmas cheer to those folks who are leading those who influence the next generation with excellence week in and week out!

 

 

For Volunteers

It’s Personal – Our kids need more than just deeper wor...

3 Ways To Celebrate Christmas in Your Youth Ministry

Are you the kind of person who starts decorating for Christmas the day after Halloween or do you wait until after you’ve awoken from your Thanksgiving Day food coma to start putting the lights up? Whatever answer you give, we might suggest that planning for how you’ll celebrate Christmas in your student ministry might start at about the same time.

Are you wondering what to do for your Christmas celebration? Here are three ideas for how to celebrate in your student ministry that can work separate...

How to Connect with Gen Z’s Passion for Service

Gen Z is wired for good. They long for justice. They are cause-driven, and they have told us what causes they care about. No matter what you or I believe about these topics personally or even Biblically, we can’t escape that they are close to the heart (and ever-present on the screens) of the Gen Z students we minister to.

If the connection is not made between faith in Jesus and the causes they care about, your students may  a) bow out of church or the faith, b) kill their desires for justice be...

Three Reasons Why We Choose Jingle Jam to Re-Engage Families Every Christmas

We know there are a million things that families can do during the Christmas season. Between holiday concerts, Christmas parties, and school events, families have a packed schedule. At the same time, churches have busy schedules, too. So, in the midst of a million activities for families and many different options for what churches could do, why should your church choose Jingle Jam? 

Our church does Jingle Jam every year, and it is one of my favorite events. Here are a few reasons why. 

You can...

5 Game Ideas for Your Youth Group Christmas Party

Fall is here which may mean for you youth group Christmas Party planning season has arrived! You might already have the decoration, theme, and party ideas for your youth group’s Christmas party (and if you haven’t, grab this FREE party planning pack here!). But how will you engage and excite your students to make this party memorable? 

Don’t worry, we got you covered. We’ve come up with several Christmas games to play at your youth group Christmas party. And trust us, they won’t disappoint!

 

1....

Are You Here For It?

Are you here for it?

If you are reading this, then chances are your answer is YES!

Why?

Because if you work with kids and teenagers, you have made a deliberate, conscious, and brave choice to be present in a unique way for this generation.

Regardless of the drama, loud noises, sticky fingers, early mornings, late nights, bus rides, bad jokes, tears, strange odors, hard questions, glitter, meltdowns, awkward conversations, and out-of-control situations . . .

. . . you know something amazing happe...