Why Children's Ministry is the Front Lines of Your Church....

What We Carry Into the Classroom

Like what you’ve heard or have questions? Send us a message.. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2402769/fan_mail/new] Join us as we discuss something we've been hinting at for nearly two months now: What We Carry Into the Classroom. Every one of us carries something into ministry. We don't walk into the classroom as blank slates. We bring our experiences, victories, disappointments, lessons learned, and even the difficult seasons we've walked through. Whether we realize it or not, those experiences often shape the way we love, teach, mentor, and minister to children. In this episode, we're sharing some of our own stories and discussing how God can use the very things we've experienced to help us recognize needs in the next generation. We talk about how our burdens, passions, and ministries are often connected to places where God has worked in our own lives. Drawing from 1 Peter 4:12 and 2 Corinthians 1:4, we explore how God can redeem every chapter of our story and use it for His purpose. Our prayer is that this conversation encourages you to pause and ask yourself: "What am I carrying into the classroom?" And even more importantly: "What is God trying to do through it?" Whether you're a children's pastor, Sunday School teacher, volunteer, parent, or ministry leader, we hope this episode reminds you that God can use your story to impact someone else's future. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2402769/support]

The Distracting Injury

Like what you’ve heard or have questions? Send us a message.. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2402769/fan_mail/new] We recorded this one the way we usually do lately… riding down the road together. In this episode, we talk about kids who are going through real, heavy things. Some of them show it in loud, explosive ways. You can’t miss it. It demands your attention. But others… you’d never know just by looking at them. As a paramedic, I’ve learned about something called distracting injuries. It’s the injury that’s so obvious, so intense, that it pulls all your focus. Meanwhile, there can be something more serious underneath that you won’t even find unless you slow down and take a closer look. That’s exactly how it is in children’s ministry. Sometimes the loud behavior becomes the distracting injury. It gets all of our attention. And while we’re focused on what’s visible, we can miss the deeper hurt… especially in the quiet kids who never act out but are carrying just as much, if not more. We talk about learning to see beyond what’s on the surface. We pray for real discernment, that God would help us not just respond to behavior, but minister to the heart. That He would use us to speak healing into both the loud and the silent struggles. Because every child has something going on beneath the surface. And if we’re willing to look a little deeper, God will let us be part of the healing. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2402769/support]

CMC Jena, LA We Caught a Wake and a Word

Like what you’ve heard or have questions? Send us a message.. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2402769/fan_mail/new] In this episode of the Apostolic Children’s Network, we’re coming to you live from the road… literally. This episode was recorded in a van, somewhere between one children’s ministry stop and the next, fueled by snacks, stories, and zero professional studio equipment. So buckle up it's a long one. We’re recapping the Children’s Ministry Conference in Jena, Louisiana, and let’s just say… We did not leave dry, no really. Between powerful services, taking notes like we were back in school, and soaking in every session we could, we ended up on a pontoon in the bayou under clear skies with stars we forgot were even there, spotlight scanning the water for gators. Then one turn caught a wake and just like that, we got our feet wet in Louisiana.. But seriously, CMC was incredible. We break down the sessions that challenged us, the lessons we’re already putting into practice, and the moments that reminded us why children’s ministry matters so much. There was vision. There was conviction and there was that kind of fire that follows you home and won’t let you sit still. And we have to talk about the Ashleys. They didn’t just host a conference. They adopted everybody. Within minutes, you felt like family. At this point it’s settled. They are everyone’s grandparents. The kind that love you, feed you, check on you, and make sure you’re good before you even realize you needed anything. This episode is a mix of road noise, laughter, ministry talk, and a whole lot of appreciation for what God is doing through CMC. If you were there, you’re about to relive it. If you weren’t, you’re going to wish you were. Next time, we’ll bring better microphones. Maybe. Probably not.... Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2402769/support]

Why Children's Ministry is the Front Lines of Your Church....

Like what you’ve heard or have questions? Send us a message.. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2402769/fan_mail/new] Children’s ministry is often seen as preparation for the future, but in reality, it is the front line of the church today. Research shows that nearly 64% of Christians made their commitment to Christ before the age of 18, and almost half before age 13. What happens in childhood does not stay in childhood. It shapes a lifetime. In this episode, we discuss why children are the life force of the church and why the enemy fights children’s ministers so fiercely. We address the loneliness many children’s workers feel, the responsibility to teach not just what we believe but why we believe it, and the importance of equipping children with biblical truth that can withstand the pressures of the world. We also explore the necessity of training the next generation of leaders, understanding our role as stewards of the Kingdom, and recognizing that we are not building our ministry but contributing to the future of the church as a whole. This conversation is a call to refocus, recommit, and recognize the eternal impact of investing in children. What you build into them today will shape the church long after you are gone. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2402769/support]

Accidental Mentors, Intentional Impact

Like what you’ve heard or have questions? Send us a message.. [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2402769/fan_mail/new] Mentorship isn’t a program. It’s a posture. Buckle up this is a long one...  In this episode, we talk about how mentorship comes naturally to children’s ministers. Long before we ever used the word “mentor,” we were already doing it week after week, altar call after altar call, conversation after conversation. We unpack why children’s ministry uniquely positions leaders to mentor hearts, not just manage classrooms. From modeling prayer and worship to shaping attitudes, discipline, and faith through everyday moments, mentorship is woven into the DNA of what we do. This conversation is for every children’s minister who’s ever thought, “I’m just teaching kids,” when in reality, you’re raising future leaders, guiding faith in its earliest stages, and planting seeds that will last a lifetime. If you’ve ever wondered why kids open up to you… Why they listen… Why they follow your example… This episode will remind you that mentorship is already in your hands. You’ve been walking in it all along. Click here [https://linktr.ee/apostolicpodcastnetwork] for the APN Linktr.ee Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2402769/support]