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Helping kids grow in their faith can be hard.

It’s intimidating, and you may feel like you aren’t good enough. You are not perfect, but God is! In fact, God promises that his Holy Spirit will not only help

you, but will be there when you ask. God is in charge of the faith growth process,

and He is going to use you to facilitate the process. You don’t know everything, but God does.

We are here to partner with you. In this book, you will find a collection of “faith marks.” A faith mark is just that- a mark of faith. For each faith mark, there are

ideas listed of ways you can grow with your child, recommended resources, how

that mark is represented or talked about in the Bible, and ways we partner with you. We are here to help, resource, and pray for and with you. This resource is

not a checklist, it’s not even a guideline. It is a collection of ideas, thoughts,

and resources that we hope help equip you in the raising of your kids to be faith-

filled and Christ-centered.

There are some things we want you to remember as you think about these things.

• Every kid is different. Some kids may connect with almost all of these

and some only one or two. Great! This is not a list of assignments. It is a

non-exhaustive list of ways to connect with God, together.

• Get used to saying “I don’t know.” You do not need to know every

answer and you can learn together. These are habits that kids will learn

by seeing you model it. Not modeling it perfectly, but modeling it. Grow

together.

• When you make memories together, it gives your family a chance to look

back and not only see faith in action, but see the way God has worked in

your life. So go ahead and make memories and then reminisce!

• Just like you would when a child cleans a room, or does homework,

affirm it. Show interest in their faith! That can be as simple as “Wow,

that’s a great question!” or “I love to hear you pray.” Or, you can ask

them questions about it.

• Pray, pray, pray. At the end of the day, you are not the one in charge,

God is. Ask Him for help, blessing, and ask the Holy Spirit to be there,

too.

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• Be OK with spontaneity. Look for ways to discuss these things. Try to

take some of the pressure off of yourself and the idea that you have to

schedule things. Maybe prayer time happens when you see an ambulance or conversations about God occur when your kids ask

questions! It will not all be scheduled, and when (not if!) a schedule falls

through, give yourself some grace!

• The back of the book has a collection of recommended resources

organized by theme. Many of these are mentioned throughout the book, and some are just excellent resources. Take a look and see if any of them

fit your family!

We want to communicate with you when there is a resource, class, event etc. that

will help your kids grow in their faith. Please look for our Kids Grow logo, to help

you identify some of these options! We are here to partner with you and would love to work with and hear from you. Please contact me at

yacminister@ gmail.com, and let me know if you have any questions!

Because of Jesus,

Cori Woltmann, Youth & Children’s Minister

Proverbs 22:6 Start children off on the way they should go, and

even when they are old they will not turn from it.

John 14:26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father

will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind

you of everything I have said to you.

1 Corinthians 12:3 Therefore I want you to know that no one

who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,”

and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

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Table of Contents

Faith Marks Baptism..…………………………………………………………………… 4

Having Faith Role Models …………………………………………...5

Memorized Prayer.………………………………………………...…..6

Spontaneous Prayer …………………………………………………..7

Knowing Lord’s Prayer ………………………………………………8

Leading a Prayer ……………………………………………………….9

Be Comfortable Using the Bible ………………………………10

Knowing Key Bible Stories ………………………………………11

Read the Bible on Own ……………………………………………12

Bible Verse Memorization ………………………………………. 13

Participating in a Bible Study …………………………………...14

Asking Questions …………………………………………………….. 15

Expressing Doubts ………………………………………………….. 16

Expressing Forgiveness ……………………………………………17

Showing Fruits of the Spirit …………………………………….. 18

Worshipping/Praising God through Music ……………….19

Taking/Knowing about Communion ………………………..20

Serving in a way they Enjoy ………………………………………21

Willing to Give their own Money ……………….……………. 22

Inviting a Friend to a Ministry Event ………………………. 23

Verbalize their Faith………………………………………………... 24

Using Faith to Help Overcome a Challenge ……………… 25

Faith Marks Resource Page …………………………………….. 26

Other Youth & Children’s Ministry Map ……….……………………….. 28

Discussion Questions for Devotions & Bible Stories……..30

Key Bible Story Summary ……………………………………..…….. 31

Vision & Values of Good Shepherd………………………………..35

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Baptism

• Write down all that you remember about your child’s baptism, so you can tell the story later.

• On the days that there is a baptism, sit up front so that your child can witness what is going on. (You will be able to tell that there is a baptism because the wooden font is moved up front by the altar.)

• Check out our resource list for godparent gift ideas! • Celebrate Baptism birthdays. If you do not know the exact day, the

church where he/she was baptized will have record of it. Below are some ways to celebrate it.

o Look at pictures from the baptism. o Wear white to remind you of the forgiveness we have through

Jesus. o Call your godparents/sponsors or make a card for them! o Read about Jesus’ baptism in Mark 1:9-11.

• Remember: church staff are available for questions about baptism!

How we partner with you: Baptism meeting with pastors, certificate for the Godparents, resources provided for families when a baptism occurs. Recommended resources: Arch Books, (Specifically the one titled “The Story of Jesus’ Baptism and Temptation”), Luther’s Small Catechism (p. 204-216 is a collection of questions, answers, and Bible verses regarding Baptism) Bible Verses: Acts 16:25-34, Matthew 28:16-20, Ephesians 4:1-6, Mark 1:9-11

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Having Faith Role Models

• This doesn’t have to be something that you come up with: Ask your kids- “Who do you look up to that believes in Jesus?”

• Share who your faith role models are. • Include your child in children’s and youth ministry activities so they can

get to know other possible faith role models. • Start engaging in spiritual conversations and activities within your own

family so your children can see other family members as faith role models.

• Ask that person over for dinner, write a card to them, or tell them that their child said they are a role model!

• Remember: Faith role models can be any age. • If there is someone who you would like to be a faith role model for your

child, ask them! Think about the ways you would like them to be included in the faith life of your child and ask them if they would be willing to do that. Godparents can be a great place to start.

• Are you wondering how YOU can find a faith role model? Actively looked for and spent time with people who demonstrated the qualities in life and faith we desired from God, join a small group with some folks you admire the faith of, or volunteer with faith based causes that get you interacting with people whose faith is in action, or partner with others in ministry. Being in worship and Bible study would be a place to notice such people and the causes worth being part of. If you would like help or more direction with this, please feel free to contact us!

How we partner with you: We make sure that faith role models inundate all of our ministries. Our adults are blends of different gifts, personalities, etc., so your child has a lot of different options of people to connect with! Recommended Resources: Sticky Faith, Heroes of Faith Biography Bible Verses: Titus 2:1-8, 1 Timothy 4:12

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Memorized Prayer

• If you grew up saying memorized prayers, share some of your favorites. Tell them about times you remember saying them. Share why they matter to you.

• Prayer is a conversation with God. Memorized Prayer is one way to do that, but it does not need to be perfect.

• You can start younger than you think! • Make it a ritual in your house. At a certain time, always say that prayer.

Kids will love to remind you too, if you forget! • Some examples:

o Common Table Prayer: Come Lord Jesus, be our guest. Let these/thy gifts to us be blessed. Amen.

o God is great, God is good, we thank you Lord, for this food. Amen.

o Luther’s morning prayer: I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen

o Luther’s evening prayer: I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen

How we partner with you: Teaching memorized prayers (such as the Lord’s Prayer) in Sunday school & confirmation, 5th & 6th grade youth group Recommended resources: Arch Books, (Specifically the one titled “Lord’s Prayer.”) Luther’s Small Catechism, (p. 174-201 is a collection of questions and Biblically based answers regarding prayer & the Lord’s Prayer), Really Wooly Bedtime Prayers, A Child’s Garden of Prayer Bible Verses: Matthew 6:7-8, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Matthew 26:41, Matthew 6:9-13, Mark 11:24, Psalm 55:17

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Spontaneous Prayer

• Remember, it is about a conversation with God. It is not about being perfect, but about talking to the One who loves you most.

• Model it! Pray out loud sometime too for kids to hear it. (For example, when you see an ambulance, leave for a trip, see a homeless person or see something particularly pretty, thank God and pray about it!)

• Give them theme ideas for prayer. For example- Who can we pray for? What can we thank God for?

• Respond to their school stories by praying together about it. • Go through ACTS. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication.)

Maybe one letter will last all week or maybe you want to do them all every day, or something in between!

o ACTS examples ▪ A: Adoration: God, you are amazing! You made _______

and it is so beautiful. ▪ C: Confession: God, today I sinned by _______. Please

forgive me. ▪ T: God, you have blessed me with _______. Thank you. ▪ S: Supplication: God, can you heal _________? I am

struggling with ________, can you provide me with __________?

• Give them a chance to lead the prayer before a meal. • Share highs and lows together. Thank God for the highs, ask for help

with the lows, etc. • Take them to a prayer intercessor after a church service (Look for

people wearing the red lanyards,) if they would like to pray. • Say “one word prayers.” Each person says one word of something they

are thankful or asking for. • Recap prayer: Tell God about your day! • During a time of bad behavior or a particularly hectic time, say “Let’s

take some time to pray about this.” • Ask “How can I pray for you?” & share how they can pray for you!

How we partner with you: Modeling this in church and other activities, prayer intercessor ministry, giving kids an opportunity to lead prayer in the Sunday school classroom and children’s ministry activities. Recommended resources: Really Wooly Bedtime Prayers, Luther’s Small Catechism, (p. 174-201 is a collection of questions and Biblically verses regarding prayer & the Lord’s Prayer), A Child’s Garden of Prayer Bible Verses: Matthew 6:7-8, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Matthew 26:41, Matthew 6:9-13, Mark 11:24, Psalm 55:17

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Knowing Lord’s Prayer

• When your child has an issue or you are praying about something, ask- what part of the Lord’s Prayer do you want to pray with this?

• Remember: saying the prayer at home will help them feel like a part of the worship service when they recognize and even know the prayer!

• Matthew 6:9-13 o Discuss- why do you think Jesus included different parts of this

prayer? o Why do you think this prayer is important?

• How is this a model for prayer? • Explain some of the bigger words/phrases:

o Hallowed/Holy: God’s name is holy, set apart, and sacred! o Kingdom come: We are asking that Christ be present among

us and that everyone would believe in Him! o Daily bread: God providing for us. o Trespasses/Debts: Sin or every time we do something

wrong. o Deliver us from evil: We want God to protect us from all

harm that can come to us.

How we partner with you: Lord’s Prayer in church, teaching the Lord’s Prayer and about it in confirmation, Sunday school, youth group Recommended resources: Arch books, specifically the one titled “Lord’s Prayer”), Luther’s Small Catechism, (p. 174-201 is a collection of questions and Biblically based answers regarding prayer & the Lord’s Prayer), A Child’s Garden of Prayer Bible Verses: Matthew 6:9-13

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Leading a Prayer

• Use a memorized prayer until you/ the prayer leader are more comfortable.

• Remember: these prayers do not need to be fancy. Make it part of a conversation with God.

• Have them lead at a time when you may already be praying (i.e. a meal). Plus, before a meal you have a pretty captive audience.

How we partner with you: Giving kids opportunities to lead prayers in church services and in children’s ministry activities. Recommended resources: Really Wooly Bedtime Prayers, Luther’s Small Catechism Bible Verses: Ephesians 6:18, James 5:14-16

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Be Comfortable Using the Bible

• Use YouTube video songs to learn the books of the Bible. A couple suggestions: Books of the Bible Song, Readeez-Style by Readeez. Or for a rap version, Books of the Bible posted by NorthPointKidsVEVO

• Use book tabs to easily find where the books of the Bible are located. • Find a Bible app that you are comfortable with. The Bible by

lifechurch.tv is a great option, and has reading plans and different translations available.

• Explain to your child that the “big numbers” are chapters and the “little numbers” are verses.

• Where to start? o John is considered the easiest Gospel (story of Jesus) book to

read. o If your child connects with emotions or finds prayers

meaningful, Psalms is great! o Historical stories of God’s power, read Judges o History of early church: Acts o Reread verses from Sunday morning.

How we partner with you: Children looking up Bible stories themselves in Sunday School, confirmation, going through “The Story” (an overview of the Bible and God’s relationship with His people) in 7th grade confirmation, 5th & 6th grade youth group, junior and senior high youth group. You can check out the Bible readings a week ahead of time in the bulletin. In the readings in church, look up or have your kids look up where it is in the Bible and follow along or reread (either in a book form, or a Bible app) Recommended resources: NIrV Adventure Bible, The Action Bible.

Beginner’s Bible, God Loves Me Bible

Bible Verses: Psalm 19:7-11, 2 Thessalonians 2:15, Romans 15:4

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Knowing Key Bible Stories

• Check out the resource table for the Bible story cards and coloring books.

• There is a list of Bible stories with the summaries listed in the back of this book.

• Ways you can teach these: o Do not be ashamed of learning them together if you do not

know them. o Use Bible stories as bedtime stories. (Arch books is great for

this!) o Act out a story as a family o When your child says “Tell me a story,” use one from the Bible! o Share some of these around a campfire

• Use Bible apps together, such as the “Bible app for Kids”, or the Bible app, both free and provided by Life.Church

How we partner with you: Learning these stories in Sunday school, parent handouts that correspond with lessons, same Sunday school theme for Preschool-6th grade to make it easier for you to discuss with them, resources on resource table- including picture and summary cards!

Recommended resources: NIrV Adventure Bible, The Action Bible,

Beginner’s Bible: God Loves Me Bible: Bible for kids (free app), Jesus

Storybook Bible: Arch Books, The Story (There are versions available for all age levels), Beginner’s Bible

Bible Verses: Hebrews 4:12, Matthew 4:4, Psalm 119:105, 2 Peter 1:2-3

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Read the Bible on Own

• Get a translation kids are comfortable with. NIV is used on Sunday mornings. Below are some translations with approximate reading level. (christianbook.com)

o NIrV- 3 o NLT- 6 o NIV 7-8 o ESV- 10

• Use Bible stories as bedtime stories. Arch books are great for this! • Teach kids that they can use the Table of Contents in a Bible, too. (Or the

search function in an app.) • Pick a Bible they like- maybe it has a cool cover, room to write in the

margins, can fit in the pocket, etc. • Make picking out a Bible something special, whether through a shopping

trip or spending a few minutes together on Amazon. • This could be a rhythm or habit- what is a time or structure that best fits

your family? In the mornings? Before bed? After dinner? Include your kids in the discussion.

How we partner with you: Bible reading assignments in confirmation, providing free resources on our resource table, providing family devotions throughout the year, Bibles available for purchase in church bookstore, Bible presentations, all Kids Grow recommended resources are available to look at and check out in the Good Shepherd library- check out the Kids Grow section! Recommended resources: NIrV Adventure Bible, The Action Bible,

Beginner’s Bible, Bible for kids (free app, Jesus Storybook Bible

Bible Verses: 2 Timothy 3:16, Psalm 19:7-11, 2 Thessalonians 2:15, Romans 15:4

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Bible Verse Memorization

• Discuss some times when it would be good to have a Bible verse memorized. (When you are happy? Sad? Scared? Etc.)

• Pick a Bible verse that has to do with topic of interest. (i.e. Courage, Hope, Jesus, etc.). Openbible.info has a great topical list.

• Post the Bible verse in a place where you will see it. Suction Cups are a great way to do this and supplies are available on the resource table.

• Share your favorite Bible verses with them. (If you do not have any, find a couple! You can start together!)

• Encourage kids to write in their Bibles if they want. Light colored crayons work well for highlighting if they have thin pages.

• Some commonly memorized Scripture that could be a good starting point:

o John 3:16: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

o Psalm 23: 1-4: The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, and He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

o Philippians 4:13: I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

o Romans 8:28: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.

How we partner with you: Bible verse suggestions on the resource table, Bible verse themes in Sunday school, Bible verse memorization in confirmation & Sunday school, Bible verse in the Kids Grow newsletter. Recommended resources: Jesus Storybook Bible (has verses listed for each devotion that can be meaningful for kids to memorize), NIrV Adventure Bible, NIV/The Message Parallel Bible, ScriptureTyper app, Luther’s Small Catechism, (It is a collection of questions with answers centered around Bible verses.) Bible Verses: Ephesians 6:17, 2 Timothy 3:16, Matthew 4:4, Psalm 119:105

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Participating in a Bible Study

• Take them to a Bible study with you. • If you are part of a Bible study, tell them about it! • Take them to Sunday school and Vacation Bible School. • A few structure ideas for family devotions:

o Share your highs and lows for the day, read a Bible verse (suggestions can be from the Bible Verse Memorization suggestion page, or a verse of the day email through Bible Gateway.com or sections from a devotional book), and then pray together.

o Read a passage or story together from a Bible devotion such as “Today’s Light Bible” and ask what your favorite parts are, or something you don’t understand. There is also a list of general discussion questions printed in the back of this book.

o Read The Story together, as there are age appropriate resources for all members of the family.

• Remember: It is OK to not know the answer- you are not going to be called on, and “I don’t know” is a welcome statement in our Bible studies!

How we partner with you: Providing opportunities for small group and Bible studies for various ages throughout the year, such as Sunday school, youth group, and Vacation Bible School. Recommended Resources: NIrV Adventure Bible, NIV/The Message Parallel Bible

Bible Verses: Psalm 119: 18, Romans 10:17

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Asking Questions

• Give lots and lots of opportunities for questions. It can be as simple as “What questions do you have about church today? What questions do you have about that story/verse? If you had been there watching this happen, what would you ask?”

• Share your questions! • Ask, “If you could ask God a question, what would you ask him?” • Be OK with and know that it is OK to not know all the answers. Share

some of your questions too. • Figure out the answer (if there is one) together. • Different kids may be more talkative at different times. Some kids may

be full of questions in the evening, at dinner, or in the morning in the car. Embrace that and take advantage of those times!

• Simple discussions build faith too. It teaches kids to wonder and ask questions when you engage in those discussions. Have fun discussing what kinds of diapers Jesus wore, or if Bethlehem had plumbing, or what God’s favorite color is.

• Check out the list of general discussion questions printed in the back of this book.

How we partner with you: Encouraging questions in everything we do, Sunday school teachers trained on this topic, Kids Grow newsletter, you and kids are always welcome to approach church staff, Sunday school teachers, and youth and children’s ministry volunteers with questions, too! Recommended resources: Sticky Faith, Luther’s Small Catechism, Is a collection of questions with answers centered on Bible verses. The 21 Toughest Questions your Kids will ask about Christianity (a book) Bible Verses: Proverbs 1:5, Proverbs 9:9, Proverbs 1:7, 2 Timothy 3:16

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Expressing Doubts

• Encourage expressing them, so you can work through them together. Keep in mind that working through does not mean “find all the answers.” When your child expresses their doubts, it is a great chance to process and work through those together.

• Remember that expressing doubts is actually a sign of faith and teaching kids that it’s safe and okay to express doubts leads to a faith that is more likely to last.

• Ask them “What questions do you have?” Be OK with the answer to some of the questions being “I don’t know.” “We will have to ask God that one day” is a great response, too!

• Share your own doubts. • Teach what to do when they have a question. Who are people they can

talk to? What are resources that you trust to be Biblical?

How we partner with you: Adult leaders in both children’s and youth ministry are a safe place to express doubts and ask questions (for parents and children!). If you would like connections to resources or conversations surrounding specific doubts, feel free to contact us. Recommended resources: Sticky Faith, The 21 Toughest Questions your Kids will ask about Christianity (a book) Bible Verses: Matthew 14:22-33

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Expressing Forgiveness

• When you do something wrong, ask your kids for their forgiveness. • Make an “I’m sorry” card for someone. • Tell a story where you sinned and finish with the reminder, “I know that

God forgave me for that.” • Ask for forgiveness from God together in prayers. • Say a blessing to each other before bed. An example structure could be

“May you be blessed with ________),” Or “I pray you always know that God ________”.

How we partner with you: Adults model this by asking for forgiveness in our children’s ministry, teaching about forgiveness and the importance of forgiveness from Jesus throughout Sunday school and other ministry activities Recommended resources: Jesus Storybook Bible, Luther’s Small Catechism, specifically p 217-223, which is a collection of questions and Bible verses about confession and forgiveness Bible Verses: Ephesians 4:32, Acts 9:1-19, Matthew 18:21-35

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Showing Fruits of the Spirit

• Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22

• Pick one to focus on as a family. Remember that this is a fruit of the SPIRIT. That means that the Holy Spirit will help you.

• Affirm your child when you see them using or practicing one. • Use the fruit of the spirit words/language so they are comfortable with

it. • Pray together that the Holy Spirit will be with you and help you. Romans

5:5 says we have the Holy Spirit, and Romans 8:26-27 reminds us that the Holy Spirit helps us, too.

• Take the Network class offered through Good Shepherd to learn more about spiritual gifts and how God has designed you to serve.

How we partner with you: Fruits of the Spirit resources on the resource table, Topic of 5th & 6th grade youth group Recommended resources: The Action Bible, Arch Books, The Story resources for all ages, (They will have a lot of examples of people using the Fruits of the Spirit.) Bible Verses: Galatians 5:22, Romans 8:6, 1 John 4:7

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Worshipping/Praising God through Music

• Teach them a favorite song, and find out theirs. • Listen to them on YouTube. Hillsong is a good resource with regularly

posted worship videos. • Play worship music in car (98.5 KTIS is an example.) • Let them know that it is OK to dance/wiggle/hum/clap during a church

service. • Use sign language at early ages to help them engage in worship.

Resources for this are available on the resource table. • Sit in the front parts of church even though it may feel intimidating.

They will be able to see and hear what is going on, they will know they are a part of it, too!

• When picking up or dropping off for Vacation Bible School, listen to the music, so you can talk about it later.

How we partner with you: Kid friendly worship service that includes Children’s Messages during the 10:30 service, activity bags that will help kids stay involved during church, sign language resources, Vacation Bible School, children singing in Sunday school, Children’s Christmas Worship service. Recommended resources: NIrV Adventure Bible, NIV Bible, specifically the

book of Psalms. Seeds Family Worship

Bible Verses: Psalm 105:2, Ephesians 5:18-20, Psalm 95:1, Psalm 104:33

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Taking/Knowing about Communion

• Take them up with you. After, ask them, “What did you think?” • Although the information is the same, the way communion is presented

is different every time in the church service. Listen to it with your kids. The way communion in discussed in church connects to the theme of the day, so is presented in unique ways!

• Before or after the worship service, take your child to a pastor or worship assistant and ask to taste a wafer.

• Jesus loved to bless little children. One of the times we love to follow Jesus' example in worship is when they come forward during communion & kids are blessed during communion.

• Read the story of the Last Supper, which is when Jesus instituted, or started Communion. A great summary of the story can be found in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26. A couple discussion questions:

o Why do you think Jesus wanted to spend his last days teaching his disciples about this?

o What do you think communion will be like? What do you think it will be like to have communion in heaven?

o What do you think it means to “proclaim” Jesus’ death?

How we partner with you: Lord’s Supper class (for parents and children) offered annually, explaining Communion every time we have it in church, information on the back of the announcements during church services, blessing children when they come up for communion, youth helping with communion, Designated time where children are invited to watch & help prepare communion. Recommended resources: Arch Books Specifically the one titled “The Bread and the Wine.”) Luther’s Small Catechism, specifically pages 231-245 is a collection of Communion questions with answers centered on Bible verses. Bible Verses: Matthew 26:17-30, Mark 14:12-26, Luke 22:7-23

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Serving in a Way they Enjoy

• Remember: This will look different for every child; you are helping them figure out their spiritual gifts. That means, be prepared for them to not enjoy all the different serving options.

• Involve them in what you like to do as a starting point, which can also be a great way to set an example!

• What do they like to do most? Use that as a way to serve others. Can you do that with someone? For someone? Can you share that hobby with someone who doesn’t know Jesus?

• On www.goodshepherdowatonna.com, there is a list of community organizations to get involved with. It can be a good starting point for discussions with you and your kids, or for just you, too!

• Shop for Go/Gather/Give together. Have a conversation about how the recipient of our GGG gifts care for the needs of the people in our community.

• Once a year, pick a local service or mission to contribute to (not necessarily financially) as a family.

• Shop for Operation Christmas Child together. (Typically October-November) Some children find it meaningful for the shopping to be the same age and gender.

• Serve in Feed My Starving Children (www.fmsc.org) • There are different ways to serve in ministries, and not just on Sunday

mornings. If there is a ministry or organization that your child is interested in, we would love to connect you!

Note: If your child is interested in serving in a way that adults are typically seen doing, we would love to have them involved! Contact Pastor Greg at pastorschlicker@msn.com for more information. How we partner with you: Providing resources through the ongoing Go/Gather/Give project in the gathering area, teaching about spiritual gifts in Sunday school, confirmation, and youth leadership team. Annual service Sunday to help get people plugged into organizations. Look for the Kids Grow logo to indicate service projects that are family friendly! Recommended resources: Good Shepherd website, Heroes of Faith Biography Set Bible Verses: 1 Corinthians 12:1-31, 1 Peter 4:10-11

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Willing to give their own Money (to a ministry, not necessarily their church)

• Have different jars for money in the house- “Spend, Save, Give.” • Help them connect giving with something they can relate to. For

example, shopping for Toys for Tots or Operation Christmas Child may give them a chance to get a favorite toy for someone else and think about others their age.

• Take turns putting the envelope in the offering plate. • Your child can request their own offering envelopes!

How we partner with you: Noisy Offering (a chance for kids to put their coins in a big pot on Sunday morning), providing children’s ministry-specific ways to give, sharing with children how and why their offering (even when it feels like it is “just pennies”) makes a difference! Financial Peace class, which helps teach parents about money habits, LWML Mite boxes and Feed My Starving Children boxes available. Recommended resources: Good Shepherd website (will help connect you to different ministries & organizations), Smart Money, Smart Kids by Dave Ramsey Bible Verses: Proverbs 3:9-10, Romans 12:3-8, 2 Corinthians 9:7

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Inviting a Friend to a Ministry Event

• Model it. Starting with something like a pre-service meal, women’s conference, or something less church-y, and it may be less intimidating for you and your friend. If you “like” Good Shepherd on Facebook- sharing events and information is a good way to include and invite people.

• Start with a youth event or special children’s ministry event, such as VBS It may be less intimidating to your children and their friends.

• Offer to give rides to friends. • When an event comes up, ask them if there is a friend they want to

invite. This helps train them to think about others. • Offer to pay for a friend if there is a cost to the event. (Scholarship

money is available for friends, too!) • Pray for their friends, together.

How we partner with you: Trying to provide an atmosphere where friends are welcome, providing different kinds of events to encourage the inviting of friends, adults present at events who will make kids feel comfortable when they bring their friends, Scholarship Money available for events (for kids & their friends!), postcards available on resource table for kids to use to invite their friends. Recommended resources: Good Shepherd website and Facebook page to share with friends, postcards on resource table for help in inviting friends Bible Verses: Matthew 28:16-20, Colossians 4:5-6

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Verbalize their Faith

• Tell them why you believe. • Ask them “What do you believe?” Or, “What do you believe about______?”

Some possible topics: o Jesus o Baptism o Faith o Bible o Heaven o What Jesus was like as a child o Miracles o If people are healed today o How God has worked in your life o Challenge them to verbalize faith to their friends

• Religion or God is mentioned in many movies. If you see a movie together, ask them “What did you think about when the character said ________ about God?”

• On resource table check out our guide for the “Walking Testimony” to start a discussion with your child.

How we partner with you: “Writing your Faith Story” workshop in confirmation, postcards provided for kids to use to invite friends to church or other ministry activities, lots of discussion in Sunday school, several resources on resource table. Recommended resources: Action Bible & Bible for Kids app (can be great to show friends) Bible Verses: 2 Timothy 1:8, Romans 1:11-12, 1 Peter 3:15, Colossians 4:5-6

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Using Faith to Help Overcome a Challenge

• When your child overcomes something at school, with a friend, or at home, ask them- “What helped you overcome that?”

• What may seem like a little challenge to you, may be a big challenge from their perspective. Encourage them to think about it from a faith perspective. Some questions to help them process this:

o Do you think God wants to hear about it? o How can God help you? o Want to look for a Bible verse for this situation?

▪ www.openbible.info is a great online topical Bible to help you find verses.

▪ • Look at some stories from the Bible about people who overcame

challenges through God. Some ideas include: David & Goliath, Daniel & The Lion’s Den, Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane.

How we partner with you: Teaching in Sunday School and VBS about how people in Bible used their faith to overcome challenges, all church staff and volunteers are open and willing to walk with you and your child through challenges and obstacles no matter how seemingly small, prayer intercessor ministry. Recommended Resources: The Action Bible, Beginner’s Bible, Jesus Storybook Bible (Those all have great stories of people who have overcome challenges!), Really Woolly Bedtime Prayers, (has prayers listed that can teach them to pray through their challenges), Arch Books, “Jesus teaches not to worry.” Bible Verses: Hebrews 11:1-40

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Faith Marks Resource Page

A collection of resources that the children’s ministry team have seen, use, and endorse. Have one you would like to add? We’d love to hear about it!

This is not an exhaustive list!

Bibles & Bible stories

a) NIrV Adventure Bible- Just like the cover says, great for early readers! b) The Action Bible- This book takes all the stories & themes of the Bible,

putting it into graphic novel form.

c) Beginner’s Bible: This book is a great (you guessed it) beginner’s Bible, with simple, colorful illustrations that teach young elementary kids

many of the Bible stories.

d) God Loves Me Bible: Great for babies and toddlers. The front cover has a

space to put a child’s picture, and tells stories in a few simple sentences. Each story ends with a reminder of God’s love.

e) Bible for kids (free app): Help your kids fall in love with the Bible. The

Bible App for Kids has colorful illustrations, interactive animations, and

activities to help kids remember what they learn. f) Jesus Storybook Bible: This book shows how Jesus is part of all the great

stories of the Bible, all the way through. Every story whispers his name,

the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together. It’s a devotion book for young children that will keep an adult’s interest, so it’s great for the

whole family.

g) Arch Books: Each book tells a different story from the Bible. There are

over 100 of them, and each one is $1.50-$2. Great illustrations and storytelling!

h) The Story for Little Ones: Tells the story of what happens in the Bible, in

31 segments. This correlates with the Adult “The Story” Book as well. i) NIV/The Message Parallel: shows the Bible with the NIV translation and

Message paraphrase side by side. Can be a great tool to explain and

understand Bible passages and stories.

j) Extra-wide margins Bible for journaling or taking notes. The NIV Note taker’s Bible is an example of this.

k) Bible app (lifechurch.tv)

Prayer

l) A Child’s Garden of Prayer: A collection of prayers and life application

for kids. m) Really Wooly Bedtime Prayers: A board book where each page has a

Bible verse, a picture, and a rhyming prayer that corresponds with the

verse!

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Family Devotions

n) Little Visits with God: A collection of devotions. Each includes a Bible

verse, short reading, activity suggestion, and prayer starter.

o) Jesus Storybook Bible: This is a combination of Bible stories and

devotions with key verses, pointing to Jesus.

p) Grace for the Moment: 365 Devotions for kids, written by Max Lucado.

Focused on Key Bible verses and the love of God.

Miscellaneous

q) The 21 Toughest Questions your kids will ask about Christianity: Just as

the title says, a collection of questions and Biblical answers that can help start some great discussions in your house!

r) Good News Journal: A collection of magazines that explain key

theological concepts such as Baptism, Law & Gospel, and more. s) Sticky Faith: This book presents research done by the Fuller Youth

Institute out of Southern California. It looks at habits of parents, families,

and youth ministries that lead to lasting faith. It also has a lot of practical

tips. t) Luther’s Small Catechism: Written by Martin Luther, with the intent of

helping parents train their child in the faith. The book is a collection of

questions with answers focused on Bible verses. Topics: 10 commandments, Lord’s Prayers, Apostles Creed, Baptism, Communion,

and the Lord’s Prayer.

u) Good Shepherd website- Great place to stay up to date on events,

resources, and ministry opportunities! www.goodshepherdowatonna.com

v) Smart Money, Smart Kids by Rachel Cruze and Dave Ramsey: Teaching

your kids how to manage money. w) Heroes of the Faith Biography Set: A collection of books about the

extraordinary things that God did through ordinary people!

Don’t forget to check out our resource table behind the worship center for lots of free resources!

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Youth & Children’s Ministry Map

At Good Shepherd, we will prepare people to serve in our community and world so more can find a meaningful relationship with Jesus. We want people to Discover a Relationship, Follow with Full Devotion, and Go into their World. In youth & children’s ministry that looks a little different as we strive to do that in age appropriate ways.

Here is a ministry map of our youth & children’s ministry.

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Discussion Questions for Devotions & Bible Stories

• What were the main events in the story?

• How would you explain this story to a friend in a couple

sentences?

• Who were the main people in the story?

• What new thing did you learn about God? (Father, Son, and the

Holy Spirit)

• How does this story compare to other parts of the Bible you have

learned?

• What is the theme of this story in a couple words?

• What is a modern day example of this or parts of the story?

• What ideas or phrase from this story do you want to take away?

• What are you going to do about it?

• Who should hear this story?

• Would you be friends with the people in the story? Why or why

not?

• Who are you most like in this story?

• If you could talk to someone in the story, who would you pick?

What would you ask?

• Why do you think God wanted this story in the Bible?

• What are you going to do about this story?

• Would you make the same decisions as the people in this story?

• What do you like or dislike about what you read?

• What questions do you have?

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Key Bible Story Summary

These stories are just a taste of the amazing works and love of God that the Bible

describes. Many of these are discussed in Sunday School. This information is also available on the resource table in coloring book and story card versions. Bible

references are also listed, so you can read the entire story. Some of the stories are told more than once in the Bible, so there are multiple references.

1. Creation: God made the world in six days, including Adam and Eve, the

first people. Everything was perfect! They also sinned which brought sin into the whole world, showing our need for forgiveness through Jesus.

Genesis 1-3

2. Noah: After sin was brought into the world, a long time passed, and

nobody followed God except for Noah and his family. God saved the world through Noah and told Noah to build an ark, or massive ship, and

put two of every kind of animal in it, so that those animals could re-

populate the world. God destroyed the world with a flood, and promised to never do it again. God provided for his believers. Genesis 6:9-

Genesis 8

3. Story of Israelites, Part 1: The Israelites were God’s people and were

put in slavery. God promised He would free them, and did so through Moses. Moses was an Israelite who was raised by the Pharaoh’s

daughter. God eventually got the Pharaoh to let the Israelites go, through

showing his power, and even when the Pharaoh changed his mind, God kept His promises, parted the Red Sea, and saved His people! God can

work through anyone, and is powerful! Exodus 2-14

4. Story of Israelites, Part 2: The Israelites wandered the desert before

they got to the Promised Land. They did not always trust God. Moses continued to be their leader, and God gave them the 10 commandments.

When the Israelites trusted God, things went well for them. They

eventually made it to the Promised Land. God was very powerful and provided for His people. Exodus 16-19

5. The 10 commandments: God gave Moses the 10 commandments on

top of Mt Sinai. God wanted to show love for His people by giving them

guidelines on how to live in a way that pleased God. The 10 commandments are: You shall have no other gods, You shall not misuse

the name of the Lord your God, Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it

holy, Honor your father and your mother, You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not give false

testimony against your neighbor, You shall not covet your neighbor's

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house, You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or

maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. Exodus 20

6. David and Goliath: The Philistines were fighting God’s people, the

Israelites. The Philistines sent a huge giant, named Goliath, and none of

God’s people wanted to fight him. The child David was willing to fight Goliath even though he was small and some people thought he wasn’t

important. David trusted God, and beat Goliath with a slingshot! God

helped David and showed His power! 1 Samuel 17

7. Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego: King Nebuchadnezzar wanted

everyone to worship a gold idol. Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego

refused because they loved God, and did not want to worship a fake god.

King Nebuchadnezzar punished them by throwing them into a fiery furnace, and everyone saw them in there with an angel! They were not

burned, and King Nebuchadnezzar learned how powerful God is, and

that God protects His people! Daniel 3

8. Daniel and the Lion’s Den: King Darius only wanted people to pray to

him, instead of God. Daniel refused to do it and still prayed to God. When

King Darius heard about this, he said that Daniel had to be thrown into a

den of lions! The next morning, Daniel was still alive. Daniel told the king that God had shut the mouth of the lions, and everyone learned about

how powerful God is. Daniel 6

9. Jonah: God told Jonah to tell the people in Ninevah about God and His love for them. Jonah did not want to, because the people in Ninevah

were bad, so Jonah ran away from God. Jonah escaped on a boat, and

God sent a whale to swallow him. Jonah was spit up by the whale, and

went to Ninevah to tell people about God. God had a plan, and wanted the people in Ninevah to hear about Him. He knew he could work

through Jonah. God works through you, too! Jonah 1-3

10. Birth of Jesus: Jesus’ birth was predicted thousands of years before He was born! He was born to the virgin Mary, and his birth was a miracle.

King Herod heard that Jesus was a great King, and tried to kill him, but

God protected Jesus. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in a stable. Lot of

people celebrated that He was born, because it means God keeps His promises, and that God saved the world through Jesus. We celebrate

Jesus’ birth at Christmastime. Matthew 1:18-Chapter 2, Luke 2:1-21

11. Life of Jesus: Jesus taught people about how much God loves them, He healed a lot of people, and did other miracles. Jesus even showed his

love to people who other people didn’t like, and He loved everybody no

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matter what. Some people did not like this, and wanted to hurt and even

kill Jesus. Jesus spent a lot of time telling people about God, and that if you believe in Jesus, all your sins are forgiven, and you will get to go to

heaven! Matthew, Mark, Luke, John

12. Miracles of Jesus: Jesus performed many miracles, which proved He

was the Son of God, and that He was very powerful! Many of the miracles also showed how much He loved people and wanted to share

God with them. Some of his most well-known miracles included the

Feeding of the 5000, (Mark 6:30-44), Raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-44), and walking on water (Matthew 14:22-33). Learning

about the miracles of Jesus helps teach us that Jesus is not only who He

says He is, but we can trust Him.

13. Sermon on the Mount: This is one of the teachings of Jesus that is most famous. He teaches that we are not perfect, we need Him, and that God

works through us to share His love with others. It is also the source of

the Beatitudes (Blessed are the…). You can check it out in Matthew 5.

14. Prodigal Son: This is a parable, or story that Jesus told. There was a

father with two sons and one of them asked for his inheritance early. He

took the inheritance and gambled and wasted it away, and became so

poor he was starving. He decided to go back to his father. His father was so happy to see him, he ran to meet him, and wanted to throw a party.

The other brother was upset because he thought that there shouldn’t be

a party. The father said “we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

This story teaches us that no matter what we do, or what we have done,

we can return to God. Luke 15:11-32

15. Good Samaritan: This is a parable, or story that Jesus told. A man was beaten up by robbers, and laid on the side of the road. Several people

walked past him, but did not help him. Finally, a Samaritan was the one

who helped him. Back then, people did not think Samaritans were good people. But Jesus told this story to teach people that God can work

through anyone, and having mercy on your neighbor is important

because it is a way to teach people about God’s love! Luke 10:25-37

16. Last Supper: Jesus knew this was going to be one of His last nights on earth. He wanted to spend it with the disciples because He wanted them

to know how much He loved them, even though one of them was going

to betray him. He broke bread and had wine, and he told them the next time He was going to have Communion with them it would be in heaven.

We celebrate Communion because it is a way God gives us his

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forgiveness and shows us how much he loves us! Jesus also washed the

disciples’ feet that night which shows that even though He was the Son of God, He was here to be a servant for others. Matthew 26:17-30,

Mark 14:12-26, Luke 22:7-38

17. Death of Jesus: A lot of the leaders did not like Jesus, and they plotted to

kill Him. Jesus knew He was going to die, but loved us so much that even though He could have stopped it, He died for us. They nailed him to a

cross. Jesus never sinned, and because He was perfect, and died for us,

we get to go to heaven. We just have to believe in Him! Jesus was not going to stay dead forever though. Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23,

John 19

18. Jesus Rises from the dead: After Jesus died, some of the disciples and

friends of Jesus went to the tomb, but the tomb was empty, except for an angel who told them Jesus had risen! This means that Jesus was who He

said He was, and that Jesus is stronger than death! Because Jesus rose

from the dead, we do too! Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20

19. The Ascension: After Jesus rose from the dead, He spent some time

with the disciples, and then it was time for Jesus to go back to heaven.

Right before He went, He said, “Therefore go and make disciples of all

nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have

commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the

age.” This is called the Great Commission, because Jesus told us that He wanted all of us to teach others about Him, and He reminded us that He

is always with us. Matthew 28:16-20, Mark 16:14-20, Luke 24:50-53

20. Saul/Paul: Saul was a man who hated Christians, and even tried to kill

them. One day, when he was walking, God spoke to him, and asked why he was persecuting Him. Saul started believing in Jesus, and got a new

name, Paul. Paul wrote a lot of the books in the Bible, and told a lot of

people about Jesus. God changed his life, and even though he made a lot of mistakes, God did a lot of awesome things through him. God can work

through anybody! Acts 9:1-31

21. Early Church: After Jesus went back to heaven, the disciples began

starting churches, and the word about Jesus spread. Even though people made a lot of mistakes, and did not always get things right, God worked

through them to spread His love. God told them that some of the most

important things believers could do is to serve God and serve others. Acts 2:42-27 (The whole book of Acts too!)

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Vision/Values of our Congregation

Vision: We will prepare people to serve in our community and world so more can find a meaningful relationship with Jesus

Values: These principles will guide our actions and how we relate to

each other and others in our community.

• Uncompromised Truth and Integrity – we recognize the Bible as the Truth and strive to follow its teachings in all we do. We are honest in what we do and with all whom which we interact. We hold ourselves accountable to the Lord, each other, and our community.

• Enthusiastic Service – we gladly and freely look for opportunities to serve each other, our community and people that need to experience the loving hand of Jesus.

• Humble Teamwork – we are unified in our efforts to build each other up and work together through God’s power to be a relevant ministry in our community and His kingdom.

• Committed Relationships – we love each other as brothers and sisters and find strength in the way we nurture and encourage each other. We do things together because of the joy we have in being together. We know the diversity each of us brings is a gift to be respected and accepted.

• Joyous Celebration – we recognize the presence of God and his great mercy in all that we accomplish for the good of his Kingdom. We joyously celebrate what God has done through passionate worship and prayer.

• Motivated Initiative – we understand that Jesus commanded us to “go”. We are intentional in trying new ways to reach beyond our personal comfort zone to find people in need of God’s love and grace.

Our Commitments: we will personally do our part to support and

achieve the vision the Lord has given us. Worship and prayer

• I will honor the Lord each day in my thoughts, words and actions.

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• I will pray often – sharing my needs and those of others with the Lord.

• I will join regularly with other Christians in prayer and worship.

Stewardship

• I will regularly support Good Shepherd’s ministry with gifts of my money, time and talents.

• I will strive to grow in my understanding of what Christian giving looks like – to tithe and give sacrificially.

Grow in faith

• I will intentionally seek a deeper relationship with Jesus. • I will regularly read the Bible to study and reflect on its truth. • I will be actively involved in growing my faith with other

Christians in a small group, study group, mentoring relationship, etc.

Service

• I will actively serve others in our congregation, community and world.

• I will seek to understand my gifts and passions and then use them to help others.

• I will be courageous to respond to the Lord’s call in my life even when He asks me to step outside my comfort zone.

Relationships

• I will establish meaningful friendships with other Christians – sharing honestly and openly, encouraging and supporting each other.

• I will identify and build relationships with others who don’t know Jesus at my work, school, and neighborhood.

• I will strive to love others as Jesus loves me.