Next Generation

Do you remember sitting in church as a child, bored out of your mind and wondering what in the world the preacher was saying? Depending on your experience, the church service may have been as dry as Ezekiel’s bones or it may have had so much commotion you were frightened at who would fall out next. No matter which extreme you experienced, most likely you got nothing out of the service.

Our Children’s Ministry is designed to break down the vision and the teaching of the Word into age-appropriate levels for children 4 to 12 years old. Our purpose is to instill the character, biblical foundations and principles of Christ into the hearts and minds of the children so that they are equipped to deal with peer pressure, family situations and temptations they encounter through music and TV. Ultimately, our goal is to help each and every child develop an intimate relationship with God so that at a very young age he or she falls in love with Him. We can only accomplish this through partnering with parents so that together we may raise children who wholeheartedly serve Christ through obedience, worship and Godly character.

PSALMS 68:5-7
“He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.”

• Service Times — Sundays at 11:00 a.m., Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m.
• New Members Orientation/Baptism — all students must complete classes to be actively involved in NGCM (Next Generation Children’s Ministry) Arts and/or for Baptism. Classes are held on Sunday morning at 11:00 a.m. 
• Sign-In Location  — Chapel. Sunday sign-in begins at 9:55 a.m.; drop-off begins at 10:30, cut-off time is 11:45 a.m. (Same for New Members and Visitors)
• Pick-Up — West Wing Classrooms.
• New Members Drop-Off — opposite side of new Birth Christian Academy entrance at 10:30 a.m.
• Rep Youth Sundays — NBSM (New Birth Student Ministries): Teachers and students will sit together in reserved seating in the sanctuary. Parents must sign their children in at the Chapel kiosk and drop them off to their assigned area in the sanctuary as well as pick them up from that area.  No students will be allowed in or out of that area without adult accompaniment.

PROGRAMS

• Spring Break Camp is a fun-filled annual spring event that consists of a week of fun activities and events, fellowship and relationship building and service to the community!
•  Children’s Explosion Weekend is a high-octane weekend dedicated to igniting a passion in kids to make a commitment to be the best Christians they can be. Participants will enjoy events like Kidz Blitz, Family Field Day Competitions, engaging children’s speakers and much more…
• Etiquette Class teaches social skills, table/public manners, morals and values. The goals are:
  • To provide a fun and valuable learning experience, featuring current and correct etiquette instruction as well as a focus on morals and values.
  • To provide practical lessons and fun learning activities to encourage children to confidently increase their holistic social skills and good personal manners as well public/business manners and etiquette.
  • To enable students to distinguish themselves as polite, respectful and well-rounded young individuals and to provide them with a good social foundation that they will use and benefit from for a lifetime.
• Be Like Jesus – Quarterly Service Projects

In Matthew 35:25-37 we are admonished to be like Christ and serve the needs of others. Quarterly Children’s Ministry will host one of the following service projects: Feed the Hungry, Pray for the Sick, Give to the Poor, Help the Needy. It is our goal to cultivate the heart of a missionary in our children by teaching them how to be the hands of Christ at an early age.

• Rainbows is not counseling or therapy, but a weekly support group for children who have had a significant loss or change in their lives such as the death, divorce, remarriage or incarceration of a parent/caregiver. The Rainbows program was created to facilitate children’s healing process from their form of loss. The program is a 12-week process of group discussions that are conducted from 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the age. The sessions include discussion, written lessons and/or games, as is age-appropriate. Through peer support, children can move through these difficult changes and get on with being a kid again. All sharing is kept confidential.
• Next Generation New Members Orientation is designed to teach all new member children the foundations of our faith and to strengthen the young ones’ beliefs, as well as offer and teach the steps of salvation to all new members without an existing personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This class is offered to all new member children who have already made a decision to become believers, as well as those who have joined the church but aren’t yet believers. In addition, the classes are open to children whose parents have been members of New Birth for three years or more, and who would like for the child to have more age-appropriate and extensive teaching about our beliefs, salvation and baptism.
• Kid$-N-Ka$h Finance Classes — economic empowerment classes for the little ones. get them off to a great start!
• NCGM Choir — ministers through song and dance at NGCM services and outreach.
• Puppet Team — Puppeteers who, through plays and skits, enhance biblical points and themes.
• NGCM Drama and Dance Team — uses monologues, skits and dance to help reiterate the focus or Bible point for a lesson.

Additional Resources – The links below are excellent resources for parents to use to guide their child’s spiritual development at home. 

• Family – focusonthefamily.com (Parent Resource Icon)
• Biblical Parenting – http://www.biblicalparenting.org/
• Integrity Kids – http://www.integritykidsconnection.com/index.html
• Parenting Resource – http://www.christianitytoday.com/momsense/
• Gospel Magic – http://gospelmagic.childrensministry.org/gospel-magic.htm

Requirements to Serve the NEXT Generation

• Must complete MERGE Training and all its requirements.
• Must purchase and read Transforming Children Into Spiritual Champions, by George Barna.
• Must have passion and love to work with children/youth.
• Must be able to supervise groups of 10 to 20 children, with additional help.
• Must be patient and able to exercise all FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT.
• Must be energetic and upbeat (able to keep up with the students).
• Must not discipline any student with corporal punishment.
• Must be creative and unreserved (for example: Must not be afraid to get up in front of the students and participate in a game or demonstrate a concept with a childlike heart).