All NexGen Pro articles – Page 116
-
IssuesChristmas is for life, not just for Christmas
Christmas is the busiest time of the Church calendar, but how do we take all that energy and enthusiasm and dissipate it throughout the year? Alex Taylor has some ideas…
-
IssuesChristmas Games
As I sit here staring out of the window, watching the leaves on the trees turn brown, looking at the conkers spread across the pavement and seeing my Facebook feed fill with back-to-school photos, it can mean only one thing: it’s time to write my column for the Christmas issue. Yes, such are print deadlines that even Tesco would blanch at mentioning the C-word this early in the year, but that is the sacrifice I’m making for you, dear readers.
-
IssuesSlaughter at Christmas
We’ve all heard the Christmas story, but in our overfamiliarity, have we missed the dark side of the story? Krish Kandiah explains how the unexamined side of the nativity can influence your children’s work
-
IssuesChristmas Journeys
Christmas comes but once a year… yet seems to last for longer and longer each time it comes. It’s easy to get tired of the festival before the day has actually arrived. However, the story is central to our faith so, this Christmas, we’ve decided to provide something a little bit different, to help you and your church community engage with this amazing story in a new way.
-
BlogReady-to-use Games and Icebreakers: Christmas Games
Christmas games are always a mixed bag. On the one hand, everyone is so excited by the birth of our saviour / imminent school holiday that you could pretty much put an empty Santa hat in front of them, label it a game, and that would be enough. On the other hand, the need to connect to *cliché klaxon* ‘the reason for the season’ means that more effort is actually required at Christmas than at any other time.
-
IssuesHow to Make Christians
In 1975, John Westerhoff changed the landscape of children’s ministry with his book Will our children have faith?. Thirty eight years on, his theory of faith development has changed. Here he writes exclusively for Childrenswork, outlining his new pilgrimage model.
-
Issues
Report claims Christians ‘exploit’ schools
Christian groups and leaders have responded to a National Secular Society report claiming that evangelistic groups are ‘exploiting’ schools. The report, published in October, mentions a ‘marked increase in the number of parents contacting the National Secular Society with concerns about external visitors to schools exposing their children to unwelcome and wholly inappropriate religious evangelism and proselytization.’ However, nowhere in the report does it specify what is meant by a ‘marked increase’.
-
Issues
Scottish school of Christian mission
The ICC (International Christian College) has become the Scottish School of Christian Mission (SCCM).
-
BlogChristian festivals - a kid’s perspective
Many of us have visited Christian festivals across the country over the last few months but what are these events like for children? Do they encounter God? Are they excited about returning or do they just begrudgingly tag along because we’re already there? Hannah Cooper spoke to her little sister about experiencing a Christian festival as a young girl…
-
BlogThe Christian man of the future - a response
Carl Beech's article on the Christian man of the future (which you can read here) has provoked responses from across the theological and sociological spectrum. Premier Childrenswork's co-editor Sam Donoghue responds to some of the criticism, and shares his thoughts.
-
IssuesThe Christian man of the future
What kind of man does the Church of the future need? And what does our children’s work need to look like in order to keep these men? Christian Vision for Men’s Carl Beech thinks it’s time to man up and face the reality of a feminised Church.
-
IssuesIs the Christian message getting lost?
In a tradition that is becoming as festive as mistletoe, carols and mulled wine, a survey released at Christmas time revealed that many schoolchildren do not know who Jesus is.
-
IssuesCan I be cool and be a Christian?
Dear Prof, my young people are really struggling at school. They aren’t sure if they should be hanging around with the ‘cool’ people, and trying to be ‘cool’ themselves. Is it alright to try to be cool, and want to be, as a Christian?
-
IssuesYouth Work Problems: My child's youth leader ... ?
Welcome to our brand new youth work problems page! A place where your questions and problems are answered by seasoned youth workers and practitioners.
-
IssuesChildrenswork investigates... Extremism legislation and education in out-of-school settings
Childrenswork investigates some new legislation.
-
IssuesNew Paradigm: Two-way Children's ministry
‘Are you a giant?’ The tiny reception child’s loud voice rang out across the school hall. She was sat cross-legged, squashed up front right
in front of me. When you are sat cross-legged, looking up at a person one metre and 89 centimetres tall (that’s nearly 6’3” for those who still think that way) then the perspective is pretty giant like ... -
IssuesChildren's society report
A decade ago, The Children’s Society carried out a national survey asking children and young people what makes for a good life. This marked the launch of its ‘Good childhood’ enquiry. A further survey in 2008 was devoted to children and young people’s subjective well-being.
-
IssuesSurvey shows men are put off children’s work by women
Childrenswork’s survey into men’s involvement in children’s ministry gave us some surprising results. The survey was a follow-up to the feature on men in children’s work in our August issue.
-
IssuesStarting new children's ministry
Our experts answer your questions on children’s and families’ ministry.
-
IssuesNew paradigm: Are we training the children's workers the Church needs?
You graduate from a hugely enjoyable children’s work course, head for the dream job and… it’s nothing like you expected it to be. Your remit is swiftly expanded and you feel ill-equipped to respond to the ever-changing and ever-challenging job description. Sound familiar? This begs the question: are we training children’s workers for the roles they will be doing? Further still: are we actually training the children’s workers the Church needs? Cliff College’s Ian White offers some thoughts
