Speakers:

Brian Allred serves as Associate Pastor at New Life Presbyterian Church in Yorktown, IN. He holds degrees in education and health science from Ball State University, where he served on faculty for 9 years, and a Master of Divinity degree from Mid-America Reformed Seminary, where he was an adjunct professor. He has taught a variety of theology classes through his involvement with LAMP Seminary and currently oversees adult education at New Life. He is married with 2 children.

Stacey Allred graduated from Ball State University with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and Special Education. She also has a master’s degree in Learning Disabilities and Education Administration. Her areas of expertise include classroom management, instructional strategies, and family engagement. Her work has been featured in the 4th edition of The First Days of Schoolas well as in SAGE Publications’ Encyclopedia of Classroom Management. Currently, Stacey is an instructor in the Department of Elementary Education at Ball State University and celebrating her 22nd year in education. She attends New Life Presbyterian Church in Yorktown, IN with her husband and two children.

Charles and Erin Anderson have four children ranging from age six to twelve. Charles is the lead pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis. After working in public accounting, Erin now spends most of her time at home with their kiddos. The Anderson family loves a good game, whether cards, a board game, or KC Royals baseball.

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 graduated from Western Carolina University with a degree in early childhood education. She has served on staff with 2 large PCA churches as the Children’s Director, Redeemer Presbyterian in New York City and Oak Mountain Presbyterian in Birmingham.  She currently works at CDM as the Executive Assistant to Stephen Estock and Certification Administrator.  She lives in Atlanta, GA with her husband Dustin.

Jimmy Brock has been involved in children’s ministry since he was a child himself, serving churches in Virginia, California, Missouri, and Georgia as a Sunday school teacher, camp counselor, camp director, nursery coordinator, and most recently Pastor of Family Ministry. He is now the Church Planting Pastor for the Princess Anne Mission in Virginia Beach, VA. Jimmy and his wife Suzanne have 5 sons.

Steve Collins is the Founder and Executive Director of Adults Protecting Children, which trains adults in how to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. Steve has comprehensive experience training adults and working with organizations in how to prevent the sexual abuse of children. His experience includes developing and implementing child protection policies. I have expertise in how communities can create child protection initiatives that can train enough adults in that community that the culture of the community is changed and becomes a safer place to raise children.

Todd Dawkins is the Pastor of Next Generation Ministries at Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Indianapolis, IN. He has been involved with youth ministry for the past 19 years in various capacities including that of a pastor, high school teacher, ministry director, and Young Life staff. Also, he has enjoyed his part-time role as a masters swimming coach. Todd received his ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary with an emphasis in educational leadership in 2007. He and his wife, Stacy, have two children, Evah (7) and Levi (5).

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.

Hidi Gardner is passionate about sharing the love of God with kids. She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in children and family ministries while working with kids in a variety of school and church contexts. Hidi is the elementary coordinator at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis. She and her husband Aaron have two spunky, creative children and enjoy crafting, reading, and time outside together.

Sue Jakes is mother of four, grandmother of eight, and lives in Atlanta, GA where she serves as Children’s Ministry Coordinator for the Presbyterian Church in America’s Committee on Discipleship Ministries. She is also a teacher trainer and consultant for Great Commission Publications and the PCA’s Special Needs Ministry. She has served as director of children’s ministry at Covenant PCA in Fayetteville, GA and is now serving as children’s director at Westminster PCA in Atlanta. Sue received a Masters Degree in Education from West Georgia College, taught in the public schools for seven years and home-schooled for twenty-two years.  She has been teaching children, youth, and women’s groups in the church for over thirty-five years. Sue is co‑author of “Heart of the Home”, a Bible Study ministry for moms and Teach Me To Worship, CDM’s children’s church online curriculum.

Sara Nist has served on the staff of Christ Community Church in Carmel, Indiana for the past five years. Leading Children’s Ministry for children birth through 5th grade, Sara is involved with recruiting, training and leading teams; researching and implementing curriculum; pairing parents with resources and most recently launching Kids Choir and Backyard Kids Club. Sara holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications Education. Sara and her husband Andy are blessed with three teenagers – ​Hannah, Micah, and Eva. Sara enjoys being​with her familyand friends, reading, gardening, and finding new tunes on Spotify.​

Hayley Ready is the Kids’ Director at Midtown Church Indianapolis. Prior to serving as Kids’ Director, she was a 5th and 6th grade teacher and worked for a healthcare based non-profit. She enjoys teaching, reading, traveling, hiking, spending time with her husband and two dogs, and sharing the Good News of the Gospel with kids of all ages.

B.A. Snider has more than 20 years’ experience as a children’s director in PCA churches ranging in size from 200 to 4,000 but finds her passion is the same no matter how many children she’s serving. Show the children Jesus. B.A. began her formal ministry as a children’s director and consultant in 1993, but she has taught and led music for children since she was in junior high school. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Tennessee and taught college until the Lord called her to seminary and full-time ministry. She graduated with a master’s degree in Christian Education from Columbia International University. Speaking at conferences, consulting with leadership, and training teachers brought her to Great Commission Publications in 2014 as the Children’s Ministry Consultant and Marketing Director.

Lisa Updike, who is the Director of Children’s Ministries at Covenant Harrisonburg, VA, has loved Jesus since she was a girl. Knowing that children can have a vibrant relationship with the Lord, she is passionate to share the gospel with the next generation. With training in both music and special education, she works with children in a variety of educational settings. Lisa and her husband, Kevin have been married for 30 years and have four children, three of whom joined their family through adoption.

WORKSHOPS – SESSION #1

• Child Sexual Abuse in the Church: Its Prevalence and Prevention (Steve Collins) – We will look at the prevalence of child sexual abuse in the church and what steps can be taken to protect children. Participants will receive valuable resources that will help in writing and implementing child protection policies and procedures.
• Creative Storytelling (Hayley Ready and Hidi Gardner) – God’s story, found in His Word, is the greatest story ever told! This workshop endeavors to demonstrate ways of using everyday objects and activities to tell stories creatively while staying true to the scripture so that the gospel will be both bite-size and memorable for kids. Participants will come away with an understanding of the importance of quality storytelling and several ideas to implement in their own context.
• Developing a Special Needs Ministry that Works in Your Church Context (Ashley Belknap) – Each church has different families touched by disability, each with unique needs. Whether you have one family touched by disability or many, we want you to be confident in how to assess needs, how to understand your church context and its present barriers and challenges, and how to come alongside the entire family with steps that make an impact on the family’s ability to integrate and grow when at church. There is no one-size-fits-all disability ministry, so let’s discuss how to approach disability ministry so that every child is included and each child can grow in their knowledge of God as part of the church family.
• Family Worship (Charles & Erin Anderson) – Parents are the primary spiritual leaders for their children. But they often feel lost or defeated when it comes to leading their children, especially in family worship. How do we equip and empower them to lead family worship in their homes? This workshop will focus on practical ways we “can put the cookies on a low shelf” in order to partner with our parents to lead worship in the home.
• Staffing Children’s Ministry: Recruit, Recognize, and Retain! (Sara Nist) – Do you struggle with recruiting volunteers for your ministries to families & 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.
• Starting from Scratch (Jimmy Brock) – What does your church need to start and sustain a successful children’s ministry? Find resources, ideas, answers to pressing questions to help you start or start over building a healthy children’s ministry.    

WORKSHOPS – SESSION #2

• All Together: Teaching the Bible to Children of All Abilities (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. Children with special needs often learn very differently than their peers. How can teachers simultaneously address a wide range of learning needs in the classroom? And without spending hours prepping? This workshop will focus on strategies to adapt and teach the Bible to students of all levels of ability without “dumbing down” content and compromising what our children need most: God’s Word.
• Coming Alongside Parents: Connecting the Home and the Church (Lisa Updike and Sue Jakes) – What are the best methods of encouraging and equipping your families in their discipleship journeys? How is communication working both ways, uniting home and church?
• Introduction to Covenant Theology (Todd Dawkins) – “Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” These are Dorothy’s words to her dog, Toto, upon landing in the Land of Oz. Might this describe how you feel, having found yourself finding a home at a reformed church … “TULIPs, sessions, and infant baptisms … oh my!” This workshop seeks to provide a basic introduction of covenant theology and the reformed faith. Hopefully by the end of our time, you’ll feel as if “there’s no place like (your reformed) home (church)” … no need of ruby red slippers!
• Nursery Age Appropriate Discipleship (Bethany Belue) – Teaching in the nursery is sometimes the last thing on our mind. However, at the age when our children are learning faster than at any other time in life, we should be introducing them to Jesus. This workshop will talk through important tips for a well-rounded nursery, but also specific ways to disciple our children from the time they enter the nursery ministry.
• Special Events and Outreach:  How to reach the community through your children’s ministry and specific outward facing events (Jimmy Brock) – We all want our church to reach out to the community, but how do we actually do that in an effective way? How can we do outward-facing children’s ministry while faithfully discipling the children of the church? Whether in specific special events or the details of your weekly ministry, come and talk about how to lead our children and families in carrying out the Great Commission.
• Tips and Tricks to Engage Kids in Learning (Stacey Allred) – This workshop will assist participants in learning foundational classroom management practices and engagement strategies for keeping children attentive and active during your children’s church session.

WORKSHOPS – SESSION #3

• Curriculum with a Scope and Sequence: From Diapers to Diplomas (B.A. Snider) – A discussion of the importance of scope and sequence not just in Sunday school but all through your children’s ministry, church and home
• A Gospel-Centered Approach to Discipleship for Children with Autism (Ashley Belknap) – Our goal in Children’s Ministry is the effective discipleship of all our children. How is discipleship in kids with autism different and the same as in other typically-developing kids and other children with disabilities? Some children on the autism spectrum often exhibit challenging behaviors. What part does disability play in their actions or does it? How can we understand their behaviors, and what do you do when you encounter these challenges in your classroom or children’s ministry program? In this workshop, we will examine behavior through the lens of the gospel and discuss methods of implementing positive behavior strategies and supports that enhance the discipleship of all our children.
• Gospel-Centered Lesson Planning & Teaching (Brian Allred) – The Bible isn’t just a book full of moral lessons. How do we plan and teach the gospel as central?
• Gospel Centered Parenting (Stephen Estock and Sue Jakes) – Training the parents in our churches to raise up their children in the Lord may take a different turn if we truly understand the gospel and its power in our lives
• Scripture Memory (Lisa Updike) – Scripture memory is not an option, but kids learn in so many different ways and have such differing ability levels. What are some tried and true techniques that can help every child hide the great truths of Scripture in their hearts, while having fun, and not feeling singled out? You’ll be surprised by how much YOU will have memorized at the end of this workshop!
• Soul Care in the Midst of Ministry (Bethany Belue) – You spend hours preparing for kids’ lessons and taking care of details to make the programming run smoothly, but what about your own soul? How do you make your walk with Christ a priority?

Location: Indianapolis, IN

Redeemer Indianapolis
1505 N. Delaware Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202

317-238-5487

Conference Schedule: Indianapolis

Friday, October 26, 2018

2:00-5:00 pm – ESTABLISHED: Children’s Ministry 101 (Jimmy Brock, Lisa Updike, Sue Jakes)

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.

2:00-6:00 pm – Individual Appointments Register for a one-hour appointment with:

• Ashley Belknap – Director, Engaging Disability with the Gospel
• Steve Collins – Child Safety Policy consultant – He will evaluate your church’s present policy and advise on suggested improvements.
• Stephen Estock – CDM Coordinator
• B.A. Snider – Great Commission Publications

Browse Bookstore and Exhibits

6:30-8:30 pm – Dinner and Opening Session

“Psalm 78 – The Great Value of Ministry to Children”

8:30-9:30 pm – Visit Exhibits and Bookstore

Saturday, October 27, 2018

8:00-8:30 am – Continental Breakfast

8:45-9:30 am – Introductions, Instructions and A Charge for the Day

“Psalm 78: The Great Hope that is Ours”

9:40-10:40 am – Workshop Session #1

10:40-11:00 am – Break

11:00-Noon – Workshop Session #2

Noon – Lunch

12:45-1:45 pm – Workshop Session #3

2:00-2:30 pm – Closing Session

“Psalm 78:  Established – THE Covenant Promise”

Pre-Conference Optional Training and Appointment Opportunities:

Friday, October 26, 2018

ESTABLISHED, Children’s Ministry 101 (Jimmy Brock, Lisa Updike, Sue Jakes)

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.

Opportunity for individual meeting with one of our Team Members

Hotels:

Some suggested hotels in the area:

Media Kit:

Conference Promotional Materials are available.