Resources
Leader Training: Babies to 2
Babies, ones, and twos may be little, but there is a lot happening in these important early years! This training helps ministry leaders better understand the developmental needs of each age group and offers practical guidance for navigating common behavior and discipline challenges. Whether you are training new volunteers or strengthening an existing team, this resource provides a helpful foundation for leading our youngest children with confidence, understanding, and care.
BY ERICA STRICKLEN
Leader Training: 3’s to Kindergarten
PreK and Kindergarten-aged children are full of questions, growing independence, and big emotions. This training gives ministry leaders a helpful look at what is happening developmentally during these years and how that understanding can shape the way we lead. It also addresses common behavior and discipline challenges, offering practical ways to respond with both consistency and care. A great resource for equipping volunteers to better understand and connect with the children they serve.
BY ERICA STRICKLEN
Leader Training: Younger Elementary
Early elementary children are growing up in a world that looks different from the one many of their leaders experienced. Understanding their world can help us lead them well. This interactive training offers helpful insights into today’s elementary kids and their parents, along with practical guidance for understanding development, behavior, and discipline. This resource is a great way to help your team better understand, connect with, and confidently lead the children and families they serve.
BY ERICA STRICKLEN
Psalms of Ascent
Psalms of Ascent: The Deep Dive is a wonderful kickstarter for new and established Christian families alike, into a lifelong love of Scripture. The goal of this study is to foster curiosity and a deeper desire in parents and their children for God’s word. Along this journey, you will build your confidence that you can “dig in” and discover Scripture for yourself and as a family. This sixteen-week course is ideal for a summer family study, or a taste of something new anytime in the year.
BY DR. TRISHA R. PEACH
Grand Serving
Grandparents, you have an opportunity to be an influencer in the lives of your grandchildren! One meaningful way to come alongside them in their faith journey is to serve together. Serving others together allows grandchildren to notice the needs of others, practice kindness and compassion, and learn that faith is active. This Grand Serving resource offers simple rhythms to help create small, consistent moments of serving and conversation that can leave a lasting spiritual imprint on the next generation.
BY TINA WALLACE
Forward on our Knees
Help families discover the joy of praying together through this interactive prayer experience. Designed around a series of hands-on prayer stations, this event guides parents and children through meaningful prayer activities that are engaging, accessible, and memorable for all ages. This downloadable resource includes everything you need to host the event in your church: presentation slides, a detailed event guide with step-by-step instructions, and complete supply lists for each prayer station. Whether you're looking for a special family ministry event or a practical way to equip parents as spiritual leaders in the home, this resource provides a simple framework for creating a meaningful shared prayer experience.
BY ERICA STRICKLEN
Expectant
The task of raising little ones is daunting. From the moment a parent leaves the hospital for the first time, they ask, “We have to keep this thing alive, alone?” Parenting can be a challenge. Parents can feel alone and isolated. Enter, Expectant. Through this curriculum, two mentor couples (who have thrived, or at least survived the new baby phase) will discuss topics such as birth plans, marriage, establishing healthy rhythms, unexpected problems, the need for community, and a discussion on “It’s just a phase. Don’t miss it.” These mentor couples will lead a small group of expectant parents, or parents who recently had a child, and build community. This curriculum contains information from multiple authors and sources to help you equip your parents... all in once place.
BY ERICA STRICKLEN
Journey to the Cross
Prepare for Easter by taking time to reflect on Jesus’ journey to the cross through this 9 week resource. Through interactive family experiences, Scripture readings, and discussion prompts, families will reflect on the events that lead up to Jesus’ death and resurrection.
BY KATIE BLISS
Family Faith Night
Tina Wallace had the honor of serving as the Children and Family Pastor at the church where she came to faith. One of her greatest joys of that season was leading a ministry called Family Faith Night. To this day, she still hears from parents—and now-grown children—about the lasting impact this ministry had on their lives. In this resource, she shares how Family Faith Night was developed, how it was structured and grew, the impact it had on families and our church, and how you might launch something similar.
BY TINA WALLACE
Meet our Resources Team
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Dee Hansel
I am from a small town near Buffalo, New York. My husband and I have been married for thirty-one years, we have three adult children and three grandchildren. We also have two dogs and two cats. I graduated from Bethel's MA Children and Family Ministry program in 2022 and I am currently in the DMin program also at Bethel. I am the Family Pastor at our church and have been involved in children and family ministry for twelve years. My favorite things to do in my free time are spend time with my family, read a good mystery. I am a big fan of Disney and love to go to Disney World as often as I can.
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Layci Clifford
Layci has spent 20 years in vocational Children’s Ministry, serving as a Children’s Pastor and partnering with churches to help children and families grow together in faith. She holds a Master of Arts in Children’s and Family Ministry from Bethel Seminary. She is passionate about the benefits of great resources and has contributed to curriculum projects for Preteen Sunday School and Family Ministry Outreach. Based in Northern Virginia, Layci continues to serve in Children’s Ministry as a volunteer, cheering on leaders, supporting families, and showing up wherever help is needed. She’s married to Kris and together they are raising three kids and fostering cats so life is rarely quiet and almost never boring - just the way she likes it.