Transforming KidZ Ministry
Philosophy of Education
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Effective Christian education is learner-centered. Kids L.E.A.R.N. best when the lesson being taught is age-appropriate both in content and teaching style. Teachers must understand and incorporate the developmental stages, learning styles, and unique personalities of the learners in preparing each lesson. Kids L.E.A.R.N. best when they are involved in “doing” the lesson (active education) and "discussing” it (interactive education).
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Christian education is most effective when it guides children to experience the lesson being taught for themselves in the first-hand exploration of Bible truths and/or application. For example, instead of lecturing children on the importance of “sharing,” give five children three crayons and ask them to work together to draw a picture. This experience of self-discovery, guided by an adult, helps children comprehend, own, and apply the lesson.
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Kids L.E.A.R.N. best when they are encouraged to ask questions. These questions enable the Holy Spirit to work in their lives. They help children think deeply about what God is saying to them in the story or lesson. And these questions allow opportunity for the children to ask the Spirit what God is asking them to do. It is also important for the adults to ask God for wisdom regarding scripture and the child.
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Effective Christian education involves much more than communicating facts. Kids L.E.A.R.N. best when they are allowed to develop relationships with other students, with the teacher, and most importantly, with God himself. When kids feel loved by a significant adult, they readily adopt that adult’s values. When children experience loving relationships with key adults in their lives, they learn to have a loving relationship with God.
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Kids L.E.A.R.N. best when lessons focus on one main point. This “point” should be repeated frequently during a lesson. Both the repetition and the simplicity enhance a child’s retention of the lesson. Individual lessons should build upon previous lessons forming units of thought and should review previous points linking the lessons together and reinforcing the learning process.
KidZ at Heart’s leaders and trainers are committed to transforming children’s ministry around the world. By combining the best educational practices with child-friendly spiritual practices, we help children know the truth of God’s Word while being transformed by the work of the Holy Spirit. We want kids to know, love, and follow Jesus for life. We believe that this is done best when lessons are culturally relevant and designed with the following five principles of how kids L.E.A.R.N. best:
Overview of Training
The goal of Transforming KidZ Ministry Training is to create teaching environments where children encounter their loving God. While the accumulation of knowledge will help a child to know about God, transformation occurs when a child knows about God and experiences him in a true relationship.
Each of our training resources utilizes interactive, relational, formational teaching strategies with opportunities for incremental engagement.
As a parent, grandparent, teacher, or church leader (any child influencer), this training is designed to help participants:
discover how to partner with the Holy Spirit in the lifelong process of transformational work in children
learn to create environments where children can meet with God in your home, at school or church gatherings, and through ministry in your community
see children's lives being transformed by God
Be prepared to enjoy the transformative work of God in your own life as you invite children into life with God.
Throughout each module of Transforming KidZ Ministry training, participants experience:
spiritual practices for themselves, enjoying God’s presence and hearing God through Scripture
practical ways to create environments where children meet God and enjoy age-appropriate spiritual practices
KidZ at Heart’s Transforming KidZ Ministry training prepares particpiants to share God’s Word effectively and formationally.
Cross-Cultural Training Materials
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Whether considering our equipping conferences overseas or training events in North America, equipping adults or shepherding children, KidZ at Heart is all about training you to teach others to help children fall deeply in love with Jesus. Our ministry is based on 2 Timothy 2:2, "And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others" (NIV).
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We believe that well-equipped local leaders and families are the best candidates for reaching and teaching their own children and the children of their church and communities for Christ. KidZ at Heart's materials are designed to equip local leaders, whether in a North American megachurch in a major urban center or a brand new church plant in a village halfway around the world.
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KidZ at Heart equips North American leaders with cutting-edge, cross-cultural children's ministry training materials that may be used to prepare their own volunteers or to equip churches and families in another culture across town or around the world. Instead of conducting VBS, rally, and crusade events, KidZ team members make short-term training trips to equip local and regional ministry leaders, helping them learn to create and facilitate their own ministries to children. Those trained are not only given practical skills for their own use, but are also challenged to share the training with at least five others from their own church or outlying communities.
Meanwhile, children in the United States gain a heart for missions and for reaching the world's lost by watching their leaders get personally involved in cross-cultural ministry.
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While creating, editing, and testing materials, KidZ at Heart's founders relied upon their more than 90 years of combined experience in children's ministry leadership and cross-cultural training, advanced degrees in theology, Christian and secular education, and certificates in Christian formation. Added to this, an international team of experts, who work in the trenches of children's ministry, regularly evaluate, review, and update each workshop, always refining these pieces to guarantee success for both the trainer and his or her cross-cultural leaner. This extensive bank of experience and training shapes all of KidZ at Heart's training and effectively meets the specific needs of children and the parents, grandparents, teachers, and church leaders who love them.
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To save you hundreds of hours of research, development, and testing, KidZ at Heart training materials are designed with you in mind. These materials include scripted presenter's guides and handouts designed for cross-cultural use. They are available in multiple languages, are field tested internationally in more than 50 countries, and are regularly updated for cultural clarity and successful use.
As part of the Transforming KidZ Ministry Training program, each module provides practical and culturally-relevant training for all those serving with children. Completion of the modules qualifies the attendee to earn a formal Transforming KidZ Ministry certificate and makes her eligible to take advanced training and become a trainer for KidZ at Heart.
Find Out What’s Happening Around the World
We are so excited to see the way that God is growing training networks in countries all over the globe. Click below to find out more!
