This conference has been set aside for you! Our heart’s desire is that you will be blessed and have a relaxing, yet profitable time, filled with ideas you can use with “your” children as you minister the love of Jesus to them. We pray you will be renewed and encouraged and have the opportunity to fellowship with others who are also called to minister to the children. May your time at the conference be blessed.

This Children’s Ministry Conference is a ministry of Calvary Curriculum which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Calvary Curriculum equips those who minister to children throughout the world by providing Bible curriculum for Preschool through Middle School aged children and trainings for anyone involved with ministering to them. For more information about Calvary Curriculum such as our statement of faith and vision for the ministry, please visit calvarycurriculum.com.

The theme for this year’s conference is “Train Up A Child” (Proverbs 22:6). It is so important that we train up a child in the way of the Lord. We need to understand that there is a difference between teaching and training. There is value in both, and they are interconnected, but there is a clear difference between the two. Teaching helps a child know and understand what they are to do, as in teaching a child the importance of reading the Bible. Teaching communicates information. Teaching is a kind of knowledge transfer between a teacher/parent and a student. Teaching is to cause to know something; it’s the what in the teaching process. But training is more than teaching. Training is rooted in action and practice. Training is to help develop a skill, to develop a habit. It’s practicing the how in learning something. Teaching deals with the child’s mind. Teaching requires the student to understand and remember what they are to do. Teaching seeks to impart knowledge and provide information. Training is intended to develop skills and abilities. Training influences a child to read their Bible and shows them how to do it. Training requires the student to implement and practice. It’s about hands-on experience. Training is about showing the child (by example) not only the what, but the how of what you want the child to do. Training is not only telling a child what to do but showing them how to do it and seeing that it is practiced. We should not just tell the child to pray, but we need to show them how to pray and then lead them in how to pray. Our prayer for those attending this year’s conference is that we would be challenged and encouraged in the work of the Lord. We trust that the Lord will bless and build each of us up as we seek to hear and learn from Him during this conference.