Breakouts at Kids Ministry Conference

3 Circles – Gospel Conversations with Kids
Breakout Speaker: Cathy Noell

The message of hope and love through Jesus is not just for adults!  Let’s learn together how to use the 3 Circles Conversation Guide to clearly explain the gospel message to kids leading them to decide to follow Jesus as their Savior.  Kids can learn to use the same method to share Jesus with their own friends and family members.  We are all called to evangelism, so let’s work together and be ready for this life changing conversation with others.

10 Steps to Developing a Children’s Ministry
Breakout Speaker: Danielle Whitley

Whether you’re the children’s ministry director of a new church or if you’re looking to grow your children’s ministry, this breakout explores the ten basic steps to laying a strong foundation for the ministry. Danielle Whitley has helped dozens of new churches start their children’s ministry from scratch and shares information such as how to evaluate your space, transform ordinary areas into kid-friendly spaces, recruit volunteers, determine processes & procedures, choose the right curriculum, establish your children’s ministry vision and more!

Babysitter or Disciple-maker?
Breakout Speaker: Landry Holmes

It doesn’t matter what we CALL how we approach caring for and teaching babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergartners at church. What matters is what we DO and what are our attitudes and actions related to caring for and teaching preschoolers at church. Most preschoolers have yet to trust Jesus as their Savior and Lord, the first step in becoming His disciple. However, God can use us to build foundations for discipleship in the lives of preschoolers. Let’s learn to be disciple-makers, rather than babysitters.

Child Abuse & Neglect – What You Need to Know!
Breakout Speaker: Chris Smith & Michelle Shank

According to the CDC approximately 1 in 7 children in the U.S. have experienced abuse or neglect in the past year. Our ministries should be a safe haven for hurting children but is your ministry prepared to effectively minister to a child who has experienced abused or neglect? Join us as we discuss how to recognize signs/symptoms of child abuse & neglect, how to handle suspicion of child abuse & neglect, and what Virginia law requires in these situations. We will also discuss best practices in ministry as we seek to minister to children and families most effectively. Co-presented by a Virginia DSS social worker and a minister to children & families.

Confessions of a Volunteer: What Your Team Needs from You
Breakout Speaker: Sharon Stratmoen

What are your volunteer team members not telling you? Let’s put ourselves in volunteers’ shoes and consider what they need most from our leadership. We’ll explore how to set volunteers up for success, communicate effectively, and truly value people for who they are rather than what they do. Plus, results from an exclusive childrensministry.com volunteer survey will debunk our commonly held assumptions.

Create a Family Connection Plan: Engaging New Families in Your Community
Breakout Speaker: Jennifer McCraw

Reaching the family unit is a vital strategy for church outreach. Come and build a connection plan to engage new families in your community, look at new opportunities that include sports outreach, and be ready to form meaningful relationships outside of your church walls.

Creative and Exciting PowerPoint Games
Breakout Speaker: Abbey Kilbride

Learn how to use and leave the conference with easy PowerPoint tools to engage learners who are captivated by technology in the 21st-century. These work great for review time, Scripture memory, lesson reinforcement, and time fillers.

Discipling Preschoolers at Church and Home 
Breakout Speaker: Landry Holmes

Today’s parents feel ill-equipped to spiritually train and educate their babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergartners. Based on the principle that kids learn and comprehend concepts differently as they grow in maturity, we will look at how to provide an age-suitable discipleship approach at home and at church.

Fill Me Up, Pour Me Out
Breakout Speaker: Lynn Wampler

As ministry leaders, we are pulled in many directions.  Often times finding ourselves wearing many hats, if you will, or carrying many titles.  How do we make sure we are filled ourselves so we can appropriately pour out to others?  Join Lynn Wampler to discuss & encourage one another to focus first on our number one calling.

Helpful Apps for Children’s Ministry
Breakout Speaker: Michael Kilbride

Apps can be frustrating and confusing, or they can be incredibly helpful if used properly. Learn about apps that you can use to enhance your ministry planning and communication so that you can spend more time in discipleship and less time in administration.

HUGS – Helping Us Grow Strong
Breakout Speaker: Nancy Ryalls

A unique ministry to help connect all ages in your church to your Children’s Ministry and get some help, too!

Inside-Outside (Ministering to Children Through the Local Church)
Breakout Speaker: Ray Seto

The church today needs to evaluate seriously the crucial part that child evangelism plays in accomplishing the task of world evangelism. What then can the church do, both inside and outside of its structure, to fulfill this great commission as it relates to ministry to children?

JumpStart – New Christian’s Discipleship Class
Breakout Speaker: Nancy Ryalls

An intentional first discipleship opportunity for parents and kids to jump into together. The Lifeway materials, I’m A Christian, Now! will be used to help church leaders develop a plan for new believer discipleship.

Kids Diving Deeper into Bible Study & Prayer
Breakout Speaker: Garrett Oppel

Many people think that kids can’t go deep in Bible Study, but I’ve discovered just the opposite. They want to study and know. Come learn ways to help them dive deeper, engage them and make it applicable for them, what a discipleship program for these young seekers would look like, how to help kids develop a lifestyle of prayer, and different interactive prayer stations.

Kids in Service
Breakout Speaker: Christina Battle

Come and learn about exciting ways to incorporate community service learning activities in your children’s ministry.

Let’s Pray!
Breakout Speaker: Tawana Lynch

Prayer is our personal love letter to the Father.  It’s a compass that navigates our individual relationship with God.  Like any journey, we must rely on essential resources for direction and sustainability.  Join me, as I equip you with all the gear you need to lead your children to a love of prayer.

More Use of Science to Help Present the Gospel 
Breakout Speaker: Brian Lunger

Learn a few more fascinating science demonstrations to use while sharing the gospel in a large or small group setting. 

Starting A Special Needs Ministry
Breakout Speaker: Jill Funk

In this session we will talk about moving forward from determining the need for a special needs ministry to making it a reality. Prepare to leave this session with action steps to make your special needs ministry a reality.

Stop the Stalemate
Breakout Speaker: Brian Lunger

New data from Barna reveals that children’s ministry leaders and parents don’t always agree on the domain of faith formation.  Let’s discuss key findings and solutions to break the stalemate.

Tips and Tools for Including Children with Special Needs into Your Children’s Ministry Classrooms
Breakout Speaker: Jill Funk

In this session we will discuss ways to make adaptations in your classrooms to include children with special needs. We will explore ways to help establish classroom expectations and routines that encourage everyone to have fun while learning about Jesus.

What to Do When Preschoolers are Anxious, Angry, and Anti-social 
Breakout Speaker: Landry Holmes

Have you noticed differences in preschoolers’ behavior from three years ago? I have, and if present realities are any indication, we’ll experience a continuation of these three issues: anxiety, anger, and antisocial behavior. Therefore, we need to adapt classroom management strategies to provide appropriate discipline and positive guidance.

Large Group Engagement and Worship
Breakout Speaker: Kristin Patrick

VBS brings excitement to our children and families as we encourage them to follow Jesus.  As you plan for Worship Rally and events that gather families together, come learn ways to engage them and to realize that “following Jesus changes the game”!

Making the Most of VBS
Breakout Speaker: Sharon Stratmoen

Vacation Bible school provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity to reach kids in your community—kids who might otherwise never set foot in your church. But are you being strategic in how you plan and carry out VBS? Are you making the most of this unique event? A fresh approach can breathe new life into your program, energizing your year-round ministry efforts. Together let’s map out a ministry “destination,” discovering how VBS can play a key role in growing your ministry in unexpected ways.

VBS Preschool Bible Study
Breakout Speaker: Ashley Long

A detailed look at preschool material for Lifeway’s Twists and Turns, including teaching helps for use with any curriculum to make your preschoolers’ experience engaging.

VBS Children’s Bible Study
Breakout Speaker: Kristen Patrick

A preview of days one through five Bible study rotation for Lifeway’s Twists and Turns for students in grades 1-6, including teaching helps for use with any curriculum.

VBS Crafts
Breakout Speaker: Holly Middaugh

A preview of the crafts rotation of Lifeway’s Twist and Turns, with connection point to assist craft leaders in reinforcing the day’s Bible truth.

VBS Decorating
Breakout Speaker: Crystal Stratton/Aprille Tobey

A preview of Lifeway’s Twist and Turns decorating tips and ideas to transform your rooms or space to help engage students as they hear God’s Word and help remember the day’s Bible truth.

VBS Director’s
Breakout Speakers: Lynn Wampler

Whether you are a first-time director or have served as one many times, find planning helps and resources of Lifeway’s Twists and Turns, including helpful tips for planning and organizing the VBS of your choice.

VBS Missions
Breakout Speaker: Kelly Little

A preview of the missions’ rotation of Lifeway’s VBS Twist and Turns, with helpful tips on teaching kids to pray for missionaries and participate in hands-on mission projects.

VBS Music
Breakout Speakers: Bethany Baldwin

A preview of the music and motions of Lifeway’s VBS Twist and Turns, with tips on reinforcing the day’s Bible truth.

VBS Recreation
Breakout Speakers: Noah Patrick

A preview of Lifeway’s Twist and Turns recreation rotation, explaining games, transitional activities, and more.

Taller 1
Breakout Speaker: Julio Peredo

Creando una filosofia de discipulado dentro del ministerio infantil.

Taller 2
Breakout Speaker: Julio Peredo

Como organizar un ministerio infantil y de adolescentes.

Taller 3
Breakout Speaker: Liz Peredo

Pautas de prevension del abuso infantil en el ministerio 1.

Taller 4
Breakout Speaker: Liz Peredo

Pautas de prevension del abuso infantil en el ministerio 2.

Taller 5 – Presentando las EBV 2023
Breakout Speaker: Laura Guardia

Escuela Biblica de Vacaciones como estrategia evangelista para la toda la iglesia.