GROW…
so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
– Ephesians 4:14-16
Designed to equip church leadership, teachers, and parents in the task of leading children to Christ
Workshops providing a Biblical lens to look at:
The Culture
The Church
The Children
The Call to Make Disciples
GROW Conference
Leading Children’s Ministry with Purpose
NEW LIFE Presbyterian Church of Orange County • Fullerton, CA • October 8-9, 2021
Are you looking for a roadmap to raising children in the instruction of the Lord? Something to help you nurture and grow your church’s covenant children in all stages, from infancy to young adulthood?
Discipling our children takes a partnership between parents and the Church. The culture around us is increasingly hostile to our faith, and we have to be really intentional at imparting Biblical truths to our children. We don’t face these challenges alone. CDM’s Grow California will draw us together with those in our region, and beyond, who are working to establish the faith in this next generation. Some of the questions we will discuss:
How do we teach and raise our kids according to God’s design?
How do we raise our children as a covenant community? And why is this important?
How does the Bible impact how we speak to and engage with our toddler? Grade schooler? High schooler?
We want to invite you to Grow California. We want to encourage and equip you to minister to the smallest in your congregation. Let’s celebrate our covenant community and the promises of God that unite us. Come meet the CDM team as they share the importance of covenant theology in teaching children. Our covenant community is rich and our theology is sound, so whether your church is large or small, we want you to come and be a part!
Let’s redefine our idea of success and find encouragement from those who can share from years of ministering to children. Let’s share resources, fresh ideas, and build a community on the west coast that continues to encourage each other into eternity because all of our churches are stronger when we learn from each other.
At this conference, you will have the opportunity to attend interactive workshops on:
- Recruiting & Staffing
- Learning Styles & Disabilities
- Covenant Theology & the Gospel
- Policies and Procedures
- Equipping parents to disciple their children and teens
- …and much more
Who should attend a GROW Conference?
- Children’s Bible Teachers, Sunday School Teachers, and Classroom helpers
- Children’s Ministry Directors and Staff
- Church Leadership
- Parents
- Youth Helpers
- Nursery Coordinators
- …and anyone willing to be more involved in “telling the next generation!”
Special Training from:
- Stephen Estock, CDM Coordinator
- Sue Jakes, CDM Children’s Ministry Coordinator
- Ashley Belknap, Engaging Disability With The Gospel
- Tony Souder, Pray for Me Campaign
- CDM’s Children’s Ministry Team
You’ll also have an opportunity to check out the latest resources for Parents and Children!
Pre-Conference Training and Individual Appointments on Friday Afternoon:
CM 101 Children’s Ministry Training – Friday 3-6 pm. – This 3-hour workshop is designed to review the entire CM101 resource book with an emphasis on how to start, develop and maintain a vibrant children’s ministry. Everything from parental support, recruiting and keeping volunteers to teacher training and community outreach will be included. There will be time to ask questions as you are directed to people and resources that will help strengthen your local church’s ministry to children.
Individual Appointments – You will have the opportunity to register for a one-hour appointment with one of the following team members. These will be on a first-registered basis and we will let you know the time of your appointment between 3-6 pm.
- Ashley Belknap, Engaging Disability With The Gospel
- Stephen Estock, CDM Coordinator
Each church represented will receive a free copy of Children’s Ministry 101, which gives a covenantal approach to next-generation ministry.
Conference Details
Registration:
- Early Registration (deadline is September 15, 2021): $150 $60 each (reduced by the generosity of donors) includes Friday dinner and Saturday lunch
- Registration (deadline is October 1, 2021): $150 $75 (reduced by the generosity of donors) includes Friday dinner and Saturday lunch
- Pre-Conference: $15/person
- If there are 5 or more attending from the same church, the 6th person is free. Please contact Kathy Wargo for a code to register the 6th person.
When registering, you will indicate:
- If you will be attending the Pre-Conference training on Friday afternoon, GROW, Children’s Ministry 101
- If you would like to schedule a 1-hour individual appointment with one of our team members. [Register early for one of these appointments to be held between 3-6 pm on Friday. We will let you know the time of your appointment.]
If you have registration questions, please contact Kathy at kwargo@pcanet.org or 678-825-1132.
Speakers:
Ashley Belknap serves as the Director of Engaging Disability (the Special Needs Ministry of the PCA). A gifted communicator with a Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Reformed Theological Seminary, Ashley has the ability to tackle challenging issues with creative and practical ministry applications. She served for four years as Director of Women’s Ministries at First Presbyterian Church in Jackson MS, where she led a wide variety of ministry initiatives. As the mother of a son with autism, Ashley has a personal passion to see families touched by disability reached with the good news of the gospel. Ashley and her husband, John, have three children and reside in Brandon, MS.
Bethany Belue works for the PCA Committee on Discipleship Ministries as the Established and Certification Coordinator. Before coming to CDM, she worked in Children’s Ministry for 9 years at 2 large PCA churches as the Children’s Director, Redeemer Presbyterian in New York City and Oak Mountain Presbyterian in Birmingham. She currently lives in Mobile, AL with her husband Dustin.
Stephen Estock is Coordinator for the PCA Committee on Discipleship Ministries (CDM). A former USAF officer, he has been in pastoral ministry for 20 years, serving churches in Montgomery, AL and St. Louis, MO. Stephen has also been an adjunct professor at Birmingham Theological and Covenant Theological Seminaries. His Ph.D. is in education, with an emphasis on competency-based learning and leadership training. He and his wife, Susan, have three children and live in Atlanta, GA.
Danny Kwon has been serving 29 years in ministry, and 27 years of ministry has been dedicated to leading the family and youth ministry at Yuong Sang Presbyterian Church. He is married to Monica, a counselor and professor at the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF), and has three children. He completed his Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership and teaches as an adjunct professor at Biblical Seminary and Eastern University. He has authored three books, “A Youth Worker’s Field Guide to Parents: Understanding Parents of Teenagers,” and “Mission Tripping: A Comprehensive Guide to Short Term Missions “ (Book and Team Journal).
Monica Kim is a Christian counselor and teaches Essential Qualities of a Biblical Counselor at Christian Counseling and Education Foundation (CCEF) and has been a seminar speaker at numerous CCEF National Conferences. She has worked in church ministry for more than 25 years and is currently a part of the pastoral staff at her local church. Monica has a Master of Arts in Religion from Westminster Theological Seminary, a Master of Education in Counseling Psychology from Lehigh University, and is completing her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology at Lehigh with a focus on Attachment theory. She is married to Danny Kwon, an ordained Pastor, and they have three boys.
Tony Souder is the CEO of One Hundred Years, a family of ministries helping individuals, families and churches flourish in bringing the greatness of God to the next generation. In 2014 he founded the Pray for Me Campaign to help churches and ministries thrive in creating natural and effective intergenerational relationships beginning with prayer. He is author of the Pray for Me Prayer Guides, which have been translated into both Spanish and Chinese. Tony and his wife Rhonda have been married since 1985. They have twin adult daughters and live in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Workshops
- Teach Me to Pray (Tony Souder)—Children learn to pray by example and participation. How can we effectively help them in praise, thanksgiving, confession, and intercession for themselves and others? We will look at a simple method that you and your children will enjoy. (Parents and grandparents of elementary – young teens)
- Recruit, Recognize and Retain! Enjoy Success in Staffing Your Ministry (Bethany Belue)—Do you struggle with recruiting volunteers for your ministries to families and children? You are not alone! In this session we will break down the challenges of recruiting and retaining volunteer teams and share creative solutions, suggest ways to recognize service, and offer encouragement for this vital aspect of your ministry. (Church paid and volunteer staff, leadership and teachers)
- Better Together: Teaching the Bible to all Abilities and Learning Styles (Ashley Belknap)—We want all our children to learn God’s Word and grow in their understanding of who God is and what He has done for us through the gospel. How can teachers simultaneously and effectively address a wide range of learning needs in the classroom? Not only is it possible, but we will also discuss how all benefit from the presence of differing abilities and learning styles. This workshop will focus on strategies for the whole classroom. You will walk away with the tools you need to figure out how your children learn and how to teach the Bible to students of all levels of ability. (Teachers of young children – young teens)
- Covenant: Know what that Means? (Stephen Estock)—How does Reformed and Covenantal theology define our ministry to children? From foundational principles to basic teaching methods, let’s compare typical children’s ministries to what we should be expecting as we seek to make Covenant keeping disciples. (Church paid and volunteer staff, leadership and teachers)
- Talk to My Parents: Parenting with only the Gospel for Help (Stephen Estock)—A deeper understanding of the freedom and power found in the gospel shapes the way parents raise their children in the Lord. This workshop explores how the good news of what Christ has done (and IS doing in the lives of parents and children) gives you freedom from the chains of parenting according to the shifting sands of contemporary culture. (Parents of young children – older youth)
- So Many Details and So Little Help! (Bethany Belue)—Establishing and implementing policies and procedures for your youth and children’s ministry can be overwhelming. Let us connect you with all the resources you need to make it happen. (Church paid and volunteer staff, leadership and teachers)
- All Aboard! Communicating Your Children’s Ministry Vision—A plan for imparting the who, what, and why of kid’s discipleship to your entire congregation. Learn how every member can take part in the nurture and admonition of the children in your church. (Every member of the congregation)
- Teach Me to Worship—God calls us to worship Him in all that we do. How do we include children in that practice both at home and at church? What are practical ways the church can train children for worship while equipping parents to lead family worship in their homes? (Parents of young children – older youth)
- Teach My Heart (Bethany Belue)—As we teach the Word to our children, are we aiming for a change in behavior or a change of heart? All our teaching must be redemptive as we open the scriptures to point them to Jesus. (Teachers, Parents and grandparents of all-aged children)
- Engaging Disability: Learning To Serve The Whole Family (Ashley Belknap)—We will explore ways to foster spiritual, emotional, and relational growth for every child. We will also focus on ways to help parents and siblings be able to worship and grow through various ministries of the church. We’ll look not only at how families living with disability need the church, but also how the church needs them. (All interested members of the congregation)
- Effective Youth Ministry from a Parent’s Perspective (Danny Kwon)—How does youth ministry become a strong support for the difficult task of parenting teenagers? Danny’s years of experience will give wisdom in what to do and what not to do. (Parents, leaders and teachers of youth)
- The Role of Parents in the Local Church (Danny Kwon)—If you are going to successfully reach and teach the kids, you must start with the parents. Where do you begin and what must happen to have your parents on board? (Youth leaders and teachers, and parents of Youth)
- Teach Me the Truth (Monica Kwon)—How do we train our children to see all of life through the framework of scripture? Can we begin at an early age to instill in them a true Biblical world and life view? (Parents and grandparents of all-aged children)
- Talk to Me (Monica Kwon)—Our children and youth need wise counsel as they face today’s culture. How do parents begin good conversations with them? What guidance can we give as we direct them though life’s difficult maze? (Parents and grandparents of all-aged children)
Location: Fullerton, CA
New Life Presbyterian Church of Orange County
1430 E. Orangethorpe Ave.
Fullerton, CA 92831
Conference Schedule: Fullerton, CA
Friday, October 8, 2021
3:00-6:00 pm – GROW: Children’s Ministry 101 – Bethany Belue
Spend the afternoon reviewing the new book by this title, unpacking all the basics of beginning, developing and sustaining ministry to children in your local congregation.
3:00-6:00 pm – Individual Appointments Register for a one-hour appointment with:
- Ashley Belknap – Engaging Disability with the Gospel
- Stephen Estock – CDM Coordinator
Browse Bookstore and Exhibits
6:30-8:30 pm – Dinner and Opening Session – Dr. Danny Kwon, Yuong Sang Church, Philadelphia, PA
8:30-9:30 pm – Dessert Social – Visit Exhibits and Bookstore
Saturday, October 9, 2021
8:00-8:30 am – Continental Breakfast
8:45-9:30 am – Introductions, Instructions and A Charge for the Day
9:40-10:40 am – Workshop Session #1
10:40-11:00 am – Break
11:00-Noon – Workshop Session #2
Noon – Lunch and Panel Discussion
1:15-2:15 pm – Workshop Session #3
2:30-3:00 pm – Closing Session – Dr. Stephen Estock, CDM’s Coordinator of Discipleship Ministries
Pre-Conference Optional Training and Appointment Opportunities:
Friday, October 8, 2021
CM 101 Children’s Ministry Training – Friday 3-6 pm. – Additional cost is $15/person – Sue Jakes and Bethany Belue
This 3-hour workshop is designed to review the entire CM101 resource book with an emphasis on how to start, develop and maintain a vibrant children’s ministry. Everything from parental support, recruiting and keeping volunteers to teacher training and community outreach will be included. There will be time to ask questions as you are directed to people and resources that will help strengthen your local church’s ministry to children.
Opportunity for individual meeting with one of our Team Members – Sign up for a 1 hour time slot to meet individually (or in a small group with others from your church) with one of these consultants on Friday afternoon. This time is an opportunity for you to ask questions, receive advice, brainstorm ideas, and consult with those who are experts in their field. They are here to help you with your ministry, your role, and your church. Once you sign up for an appointment you will receive an email from Bethany Belue 2 weeks in advance to confirm your specific time slot. We hope you will take advantage of this opportunity at the Established Conference.
- Ashley Belknap, Engaging Disability With The Gospel
- Stephen Estock, CDM Coordinator
Hotels:
1500 South Raymond Avenue, Fullerton, CA 92831
We have a special rate of $105/night which includes breakfast.