KidMin with Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia

Sometimes we face major changes within our church - it may be a staff member change, a new building, or a major change in a program that can cause conflict or concern for the entire church family. In this episode of our Ask the Expert series, Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia ask guests visiting the podcast for their advice on how to lead our ministries well in the face of a big change.   #kidmin #children...

Weekday Ministries can be a wonderful way to serve families, build relationships in your community, and create opportunities for discipleship - but how do you know it is the right ministry for your church? In this episode, Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia discuss the questions ministry leaders need to ask before starting a Parent's Day Out, Preschool, Before/After School Care, or Christian School. Althoug...

In this installment of our Ask the Expert series Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia talk with our experts about how we can better minister to kids that come from hard places, are in difficult situations, and have big behaviors. #kidmin #childrensministry #preschoolministry #trauma #classroommanagement #familyministry Sam Luce is the Executive Pastor of Ministries at Redeemer Church in Utica, NY, where he's...

After an unintended break, we are back this week with a new episode! Sometimes we find ourselves teaching a large group of kids with a wide variety of ages. Whether it is children's worship, chapel, or a special event - it can be difficult to keep the attention of kids when you have to prepare for more than one age group meeting together. Today, Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia share some tips and tricks...

In Children's Ministry there is always something to prepare, organize, set up, or clean! There are so many potential new volunteers in your church family that have just the skills to help lighten the load. In this episode, Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia share some tasks they have learned to delegate and make suggestions on how to find the right person for the right volunteer position. #preschoolministry...

Easter Sunday is one of the most attended days of the year for our churches. Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia discuss some of the options we have for services on Easter Sunday morning, special Easter events, and how we can make our visitors feel welcome. As a bonus, Virginia shares information about the resource she created to help her families prepare for the Easter Celebration together. #kidmin #childre...

In this episode of the Ask the Experts series Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia ask the question "How can we partner with and equip parents to disciple their children?" If you are interested in Hope Has Come: The Family Advent Adventure that Virginia spoke about in this episode, it is available for purchase at the following website:   Hope Has Come: The Family Advent Adventure   Check out the previous epis...

One of the most challenging responsibilities ministry leaders have is to find resources to help us better serve our children and families. This week Dr. Virginia shares some current resources that she has found to help leaders create policies and practices for Trauma-Informed and Disability Ministries. Listen in as she shares what she has learned.   Boundless Hope for Every Child Kim Botto www.kim...

Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia started off the new year attending a wonderful conference! The Children's Pastor's Conference, held by the International Network of Children's Ministry (INCM), was in Orlando, FL the first week of January and they had a great time. Listen in as they discuss the conference, break outs, general sessions, resources and more!   #kidmin #childrenspastorsconference #cpc26 #INCM...

The Christmas season can be so busy with everything we have planned for our children's ministry and all the things we want to do with our families. In the last podcast episode for 2025, Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia discuss finding hope in God's Word when we feel overwhelmed and share their plans for an exciting start to 2026!!   #kidmin #childrensministry #preschoolministry #administration #overwhelm...

As children's ministry leaders, we are always looking for ways to intentionally incorporate Bible skills into our programs. In today's episode, Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia discuss ways we can help families instill a love of the Word of God and help our kids to learn more about the truth of the Bible through activities that teach Bible skills that will last a lifetime.   #kidmin #childrensministry #pr...

!! Parental Advisory: This episode includes a faith-based discussion about the use of Santa Claus and the meaning of Christmas. Parent are encouraged to listen with discretion if  children are present. Christmas time is here! And with it comes all of the excitement of sharing the birth of Christ with our kids and their families. Listen as Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia share some of their favorite Chris...

Everyone has those days where they question whether or not God has actually called them into this ministry or ask if there is the energy to continue. In Part 2 of this discussion, Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia share practical habits and practices you can put into place - not for only on those days you just want to quit, but how to maintain focus on what God has called you to do.   #kidmin #childrensmin...

Everyone has those days where they question whether or not God has actually called them into this ministry or ask if there is the energy to continue. Listen in on the first part of this discussion, as Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia talk about what the Bible says about steadfastness. And not for only on those days you just want to quit, but how to maintain focus on what God has called you to do.   #kidmi...

At some point, all churches will have groups of kids with a wide variety of ages in one classroom. Whether it is for a large worship service or an individual Bible study, teaching multi-age groups effectively can be a challenge. Today, Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia answer a listener's question about teaching in a classroom with children with a wide difference of age. This discussion covers setting up t...

In our second installment of our Ask the Experts series, Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia ask a very important question about how to avoid or at least mitigate burnout. So many of us have faced seasons of running on empty, being overwhelmed, and feeling unsure of our effectiveness. We feel guilt and frustration, often wondering if we should just quit.  Two of our previous guests give us advice about how w...

Throughout the year churches will often have events or special services where the children's ministry may have to provide additional children's programming for the week. Whether it is a special music service, marriage conference, or revival services, these events are more than childcare - they are opportunities to share the Word of God with our kids. Listen in as Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia discuss h...

Today Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia introduce a new series of episodes for this season called Ask the Experts! During our interview with our guests last season, we asked a few "extra" questions and received some wisdom, insight, and advice on how to handle some of children's ministry's most difficult situations. Our first question, "What can we do when volunteers are resistant to our leadership or resi...

Join Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia as they discuss Virginia's week of camp! We talk about why we love camp, the pros and cons of different types of camps, how to plan, how to prepare your kids, and  leadership struggles! #kidmin #childrensministry #camp #summer #administration #planningcamp #ministry

This week Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia welcome back David Reneau to the podcast!! David has written a great new book,  Next Level Kidmin: The Children's Pastor's Practical Guide to Building a Thriving Ministry. Val and David discuss practical information that he gives in his new book for every leader in Children's ministry.  In our chat we talk about partnering with other staff members, communicating...

Welcome to Season 4 friends!! It’s time for back to school prep, promotion Sunday, and buying new school supplies. (My favorite part!) Join us and listen in on our conversation covering a summer recap, VBS reflection, and how we are handling the overwhelm of ministry! We also offer a little bit of fall encouragement as we jump into one of our busiest seasons of the year.   #kidmin #preschoolminist...

Continuing the series "Two Truths and a Lie" - Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia talk about Balancing Life and Ministry. A really challenging topic but an important one! This discussion covers  time management, the expectations of ministry, planning, and spiritual growth.   #kidmin #childrensministry #preschoolministry #timemanagement #planning #administration #spiritualgrowth #personalworship #Biblestudy

Can rules be beneficial in children's ministry?  Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia talk with David Reneau about having a discipline plan that works. David shares how being prepared with classroom rules and expectations can help with classroom management.   #kidmin #preschoolministry #childrenministry #classroommanagement #disciplineplan #administration #volunteertraining   David Reneau is the Executive Pas...

In today's episode, Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia have a great conversation with Sam Luce and Hunter Williams about how to effectively teach kids the Word of God.   In their new book, How to Teach Kids Theology: Deep Truths for Growing Faith, Sam and Hunter  take the deep truths of the Christian faith and give practical, actionable direction for sharing them with children.   #kidmin #childrensministry...

VBS is one of the largest, most exciting events of the year. Churches should do everything possible to keep children safe while they are learning about Jesus. In Part 2,  Dr. Val and Dr. Virginia discuss  recreation safety, training for volunteers, allergy policies, and much more!   #kidmin #preschoolministry #childrensministry #vacationbibleschool #safetyandsecurity #policyandprocedures #training...