One of the most sensitive subjects I’ve encountered in my three years as a lead pastor is when to baptize children. Sometimes it’s because a person was baptized as a baby or young child and wonder why we would want something different. Other times it’s because a parent really wants their child to be baptized for various reasons, both good and bad.

All of it has helped to form our current stance on baptism for kids.

This past Sunday we dug deep into the topic of baptism. We hit on why do we do it the way we do, what does the New Testament really say about it, and what is the spiritual power behind it (Check out the MP3 here). But one thing we didn’t talk much about was the issue of kids and baptism. At this point, we no longer baptize children during our adult worship service. But hold off on sending me a hateful email or thinking this is crazy. Because we do something that I think is way better.

When a child expresses interest in following Jesus, we want to make sure they fully understand what that means. But we need YOU – the parent – to help us! When it comes to your family’s spiritual journey, what happens at home is far more important than what happens at church. You will get roughly 3,000 hours in a given year to make an impact in your child’s life. OneLife Kidz gets roughly 40! You are your child’s greatest influence. As a parent, that can sound a little intimidating, but that is why OneLife Kidz is here to partner with you.

So when a child is thinking about baptism or following Jesus, we want them AND their parents to come to “We Believe.” We Believe is a unique presentation where parents and kids learn what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This one-time class is developed to give parents a tool to help them start talking to their kids about faith.

After you attend We Believe, if you feel like your child is ready, you will meet with Cris, our OneLife Kidz Director and talk through their spiritual journey and answer any questions you may have. This is a great opportunity for us to talk with you and your child before we move to the final steps in preparing for baptism. Then if your child follows through with baptism, we have a special baptism service just for kids! It is a huge birthday party atmosphere where they can invite family and friends to celebrate their spiritual birth together.

“We Believe” happens THIS SUNDAY at both locations following the service! If your child has been asking spiritual questions and you feel like they are at a point of understanding what following Jesus is all about, contact cris@onelifeknox.com today to RSVP! Lunch will be provided.

We are crazy about your kids at OneLife and want to partner with you to lead them to discover God and how their one life can make a difference. This might be the perfect NEXT step for you and your family!

Check this out from OneLife Kidz Director Cris Patterson!

Whether a OneLife Kidz volunteer has been working in OneLife Kidz for three years or for three weeks, they come away each Sunday with memorable stories. Every week is a surprise, from funny things said to unexpected life change. We would love for you – the parents – to share your stories too! No matter what your child’s age we want to help you continue the conversations started on Sunday mornings throughout the rest of your week.

In 2′s through PreK we are continuing to learn more about David’s life and how God helped him to be strong in battle. We want kids to know today that whatever they face, God is there to help them.

In Elementary we just finished an awesome month learning about individuality. Individuality is discovering who you are meant to be so you can make a difference. Ask your child about some funny photos if you haven’t seen them yet! November brings us a new life application – Cooperation. Our verse for the month is “Two people are better than one. They can help each other in everything they do.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9, NIrV)

This reminds us – the church – to partner together with you – the parents! We hope the links below will help you to connect with us and your child! How can you help your child recognize God working in their life? By knowing about what they learn in OneLife Kidz! You will find the Parent Cue card link for the Month of November below.

Don’t forget to Follow us on Twitter @OneLifeKidz for weekly updates and great links to make it personal at home! We are so excited to be on this journey with you. We love your kidz and love leading them to discover God and how their one life can make a difference!

Parents Cue Card for the Month of November
Parent Link Live Podcast – Tips for parenting and partnering with the church for spiritual growth in your kids.

Parents of OneLife Kidz: This month your kids are learning all about respect. Check this out this recipe to help them learn even more at home!

Respect is like mud pudding. You mix a little of all my favorites together and come up with something excellent. For mud pudding, you mix together chocolate pudding, Oreo cookie crumbles, and throw in some gummy worms. But for respect you mix some kind words, with thoughtful actions, and throw in a few smiley faces. Both take a combination of things in order to come out right but the end result is delicious! You know, I finished my triple cheesy bacon burger a few sentences ago and could really use an afternoon snack. I think I’ll go make some mud pudding. And hey, here’s the recipe in case any of you want to make it, too!

How To:
Follow directions on the box to make pudding. Mix in Oreo cookies and gummy worms. Refrigerate. Enjoy!

Check out this awesome guest post from OneLife Kidz Director Cris Patterson. Then get involved making a difference in the next generation!

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As I look around at my to do list, it seems neverending. As a multi-tasker, I sometimes tend to start lots of projects and not finish them. But this season of my life has been different. God has handed me a position of leadership that may seem overwhelming to most as I take on the leadership of OneLife Kidz.

To me it is a dream come true, a welcomed challenge, and most of all a time of growth and drawing near to Him. As the Halls building was completed last month, I could have focused on the exciting transformation of our Onelife Kidz area with all the murals being painted, projects being completed to help us stay organized, the awesome curriculum plans, and making sure we had everything we needed in order to launch.

But the focus I believe God wants for us is this: What is so different about OneLife Kidz? Why would families come back? Is this the best hour of the week for the kids? So as we start this new journey as a multi-site church, what will our culture be for kids ministries? Will families be impressed by the enviroment? The logo? The freshly painted walls? Or will there be more to it than that?

In order for our ministry to be built with excellence and a strong foundation, these things won’t matter as much as the one thing that matters most: the condition of our hearts. Will families trust us? Will they see Jesus in us? That is what will make OneLife Kidz a success – you!

Families come to OneLife Kidz and get connected to life change. A mom drops off a crying baby only to come back to a smiling face. A dad leaves his elementary kids in a shy, quiet state to find them excited about church. That’s why a huge difference can be made by rocking a baby, coloring with toddlers, teaching a bible story to preschoolers, and dancing/singing with Elementary kids, because it is much more than that!

But this difference is so much more than one hour on Sundays. It takes a team of focused players who are all-in and believing our vision of leading kids to become fully devoted followers of Christ! If you’ve been sitting on the sidelines, waiting to get involved at OneLife, there may be no better place for you than in OneLife Kidz. From checking in families to rocking babies to hanging out with older kids to pressing buttons on the Kidz Tech Team, there is a place for you! Find out more by emailing me at cris@onelifeknox.com or by talking to the pastor at your location.

The best is yet to come in OneLife Kidz! Come be a part of it with us!

In the month of July, our elementary groups in OneLife Kidz are learning about caring for their neighbors. In response to that, our Kidz Team has come up with a great way for the entire family to get involved with caring for neighbors in our community. Check it out below!

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Every Sunday in July there is an opportunity to not only teach our kidz about loving their neighbors, but also show them at OneLife Kidz.

It’s easy to come to church and head out to lunch afterwards. But what about those in our community that will not be eating lunch on Sundays? There has been a 50% increase in homelessness in the past decade with over 1,500 in our area at any given month. On top of that, 15% of the homeless are under 18.

We can help! Jesus said that all of us (even today) have the opportunity to do this by taking care of the “least of these” around us. He says that when we do, it’s as if we were doing it for Him! A local church in Powell has a food pantry to help with this problem, but it is depleted. Can we stock a food pantry one can at a time? If every Onelife kid brought a can each Sunday in July, we would!

We can put love in action as families, and as a church, because your neighbor isn’t just the person next door. It’s anyone God puts in your life to love. So please help us out and grab your kids to help you clean out those cabinets! The food pantry will be stocked by August because of you, just in time for back to school.

Look for the blue tub marked Food Drive in the Onelife Kidz area to drop off your donations!