If you’re a church leader, you face many questions in leading your church. Perhaps you’re wondering,  

• How can we increase our church attendance?  
• How can we have a greater impact on our community and world?  
• How can we help our community deepen their faith and relationship with God?

With these questions and more, they’re all concerned with a similar theme: ministry engagement.  

WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES CHURCH MINISTRY ENGAGEMENT MAKE?  

Chances are, you already know about ministry engagement in your church. That’s why you host events for kids in the summertime and classes for adults in the evenings. It’s an important part of a thriving, growing church.  

But what difference does church ministry engagement make? Here are a few reasons.  

Opportunity to increase church attendance: The Institute of Family Studies notes that only 28% of Americans attend a church service once or twice a month. By increasing opportunities for church attendees to get involved in their community, it may bring in others who are excited about serving others. 

Greater impact in community: When more people are engaged in serving and meeting the needs of their local community, there is a greater potential for others to encounter the Kingdom of God.  

Happier and more civically engaged: The Pew Research Center found that those who are active in their religious congregations are both happier and are more engaged in their community than those who are either not affiliated with a religious congregation or are affiliated but not engaged. 

For these reasons and more, ministry engagement is a vital part of a thriving church.  

So how does church ministry engagement happen? For a church, there are several easy ways to engage your church in meaningful ministry. And it takes intentionality to get these important programs started.  

In our eBook, “7 Ways to Engage Your Church In Ministry”, we share seven practical and effective ways your church can take your next step in engaging your congregation in ministry. Download the free eBook yourself and discover the opportunities you can start pursuing today.  

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Here, we’ll share about one of those exciting seven ways your church can engage in ministry.  

ENGAGE YOUR CHURCH THROUGH SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP 

Whether your church has one site or multiple campuses, there’s probably an elementary school near where you worship. Maybe that’s where your own kids or grandkids, or the neighbor girl down the street, attend.  

Teaming up with your local elementary school can be an easy and effective connection to make in supporting your community’s kids. With programs like a sack supper program or a proven and effective Kids Hope USA mentoring program, your church can have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of students where you live, work and worship.  

In a Kids Hope USA program, your church partners with your local elementary school and sends volunteer mentors to meet with selected students one-on-one. Mentors and their students meet one day a week for one hour at the school.  

This type of partnership engages mentors in meaningful relationship-building with a student who could benefit from another caring and consistent adult in their life.  

Here’s what one pastor of a church with a Kids Hope USA program said about the experience: “Kids Hope USA helped our church keep the vision of connecting with our community in front of the church. It’s been a constant in our church. This reminds us that we also have that ministry to those outside our church.”  

OPEN UP OPPORTUNITIES

In addition to a one-on-one mentoring, this church-school partnership could also open other opportunities to meet the needs of students. Your church may be able to explore free meal programs, volunteering to serve concessions at sporting events, providing Christmas gifts, and serving with back-to-school supply drives.  

With a strong relationship with your local school, the opportunities to serve are abundant. And by engaging in meaningful ministry, you can increase church attendance, generate ways to serve, and create opportunities for your congregation to deepen their faith.  

Establishing an effective Kids Hope USA mentoring program and serving students at your local elementary school is just one of the many ways your church can take their next step in engaging in ministry. Check out our full, free eBook to uncover six more ways that your church can experience the transformation of ministry engagement.  

DISCOVER MORE WAYS TO ENGAGE IN MINISTRY

Establishing an effective Kids Hope USA mentoring program is just one of the many ways your church can engage in ministry. Check out our full, free eBook to uncover six more ways that your church can experience the transformation of ministry engagement.  

The post How to Engage Your Church in Ministry appeared first on Kids Hope USA.

For the next five weeks, Kids Hope USA is preparing our current program directors to be READY for the 2019-2020 school year. During July 22-26, let’s Reach out to your school, church leadership, and current volunteers to gear up for the new year.

Three things are IMPERATIVE to success in every Kids Hope USA program:

1. Involving your church leadership
2. Maintain a relationship with the school
3. Retaining volunteers

As the Kids Hope USA director, these three relationships – church, school, and volunteers – should be the first thing that you focus on when thinking about launching well. Without these key relationships in place, your Kids Hope USA program will not succeed. In this week’s director email, you will find key resources in connecting with your church, your school, and your volunteers. Be sure to check out those resources on your director portal.

In the next few weeks, you will discover how to be READY for 2019-2020:

E – Encourage your current volunteers to invite one person to join the KHUSA team at your church

A – Announce how many students you want to reach this year

D – Devote time in prayer for your school, church, volunteers, and students

Y – You and your volunteers will make a life-change in the lives of the students you serve

Directors: make sure you are checking your emails, following KHUSA on Facebook, and checking your director portal weekly!

And don’t forget, your Regional Team is waiting to hear from you. Connect with them to ask questions or find out more about Kids Hope USA.

The post Are You READY? – Week 1 appeared first on Kids Hope USA.

So, Kids Hope USA wants to know: Are you READY?

It’s just a few weeks before the kids head back to school and the smell pencil shavings is in the air. What you do NOW as the Kids Hope USA director can set up your program for greater success and a smoother launch.

Here’s how you can be READY:

R – Reach out to your school, church leadership, and current volunteers to gear up for the new year

E – Encourage your current volunteers to invite one person to join the KHUSA team at your church

A – Announce how many students you want to reach this year

D – Devote time in prayer for your school, church, volunteers, and students

Y – You and your volunteers will make a life-change in the lives of the students you serve

In the next 5 weeks, Kids Hope USA will be giving local program directors the resources and encouragement needed to be READY for the 2019-2020 school year. Directors: make sure you are checking your emails, following KHUSA on Facebook, and checking your director portal weekly!

And don’t forget, your Regional Team is waiting to hear from you. Connect with them to ask questions or find out more about Kids Hope USA so you can be READY to make a difference in the life of a child this year.

The post Are You READY? appeared first on Kids Hope USA.

Despite all the heart and passion she put into volunteering at her church, she was looking for a more direct and personal way to connect and help. When Kaye first heard about Kids Hope USA she immediately felt sparked to get involved.

Kaye began mentoring a second grader who had an amazing ability to design and draw detailed pictures on an etch-a-sketch, but struggled with counting and basic pronunciation. To help teach counting, she created a game with dice, pennies, and an egg carton. He loved the game so much and began having fun learning to count.

Each week they kept the pennies in a plastic water bottle. Right before Christmas break began Kaye gave him the bottle of coins to keep, but he wanted to donate all the coins he won to help homeless people. It was such a gift to see the generosity bubble up in his heart.

In the last year Kaye started mentoring a fourth grader named Tia. At the end of their time together each week she thought about how much she enjoyed the mentorship time and loved the friendship they were building.

Kaye began to write lyrics to a song about how unique and special Tia is. She shared the words with Tia on a notecard and was amazed by her perseverance to read all the words despite struggling with dyslexia. After writing the lyrics Kaye wrote a melody and then sang the song to Tia as well as her Kids Hope director. She also had the opportunity to sing at her church which inspired someone to sign up as a mentor.

Since then Kaye sang the song at the regional conference of Kids Hope directors who plan to use it at upcoming recruitment events. It’s so awesome to see how much mentors are impacted by their students in such creative ways!

The post The Heart of a Mentor appeared first on Kids Hope USA.

 At Kids Hope USA, we place high value on those who support our mission: our volunteer mentors, our prayer partners, our donors, and our team. We understand the importance of their role and how they impact each day at Kids Hope USA.

When it comes to our donors, we understand that their value goes far beyond the amount of their gift. While their gift can be quantified to a number, the value of that gift is translated into a life-changing relationship. Every time a gift is given to Kids Hope USA, it creates an opportunity for a mentor and a student to connect and engage in meaningful friendship. Those connections are changing lives one at a time.

We want each of our donors to know how much we value them. We value your gift, but most importantly, we value you, because you value our kids.

With Gratitude,

Kara Nguyen
Director of Development

The post What’s the Value? appeared first on Kids Hope USA.

Every year we hear testimonies and success stories that share the impact of a Kids Hope USA mentor. Often times, these stories come at the end of the school year when teachers and principals are sharing the growth and transformation of students that faced great difficulty and challenges at the beginning of the year. The most common theme we hear in these stories can be summed up in just two words: MORE CONFIDENCE.

Don’t just take our word for it though; read these:

“One of the most positive outcomes we have observed as a result of Kids Hope USA mentors is the confidence that our students have gained in themselves. Confidence in self provides limitless opportunities of success for an individual. A confident student has a more positive sense of self, the belief that he or she has the potential to achieve higher academically, and the desire to establish him or herself as a contributing member of this community.  The service and positive outcomes that Kids Hope USA affords our students is immeasurable and we are grateful for their support.”  

– Marti Neahring, Director of Student Services, West Aurora School District 129

 Reading those words cements in us the reality that mentors and mentees are truly engaging in life-changing relationships. Time spent together does more than just increase academic potential and expand social skills; time spent together establishes a foundation of confidence and sets students up for success in life and sets them on a path for a bright and exciting future.

To our donors, we want you to know that your gift matters. When you give to Kids Hope USA, you give to create an opportunity for a student to gain self-confidence that, without, would pose as a barrier to a bright and successful future. The impact of your gift does more than support Kids Hope USA, the impact of your gift supports a life.

Gratefully,

Kara Nguyen
Director of Development
knguyen@kidshopusa.org

The post The Impact of Giving appeared first on Kids Hope USA.

However, what about the people who stand in the gap behind the scenes? What about the ones without a forward facing, direct contact role? Donors. The ones who give financially, sustain our mission, and make these life-changing relationships possible. We do not often talk about them but their role at Kids Hope USA is one of the most vital in our army.

Our donors truly make an impact in the lives of the students we serve. Their generosity makes it possible for more mentors and students to connect each week and for Kids Hope USA to reach further into schools and communities who wait patiently for their own Kids Hope USA program.  These faithful givers pave the way for students to enter meaningful relationship with an adult who cares about them and their future.  Their contributions are what make this possible.

To our donors, we are grateful for you and for your generosity towards Kids Hope USA. We are thankful that you believe in and support OUR mission, but most importantly, we are thankful that you believe our kids our worth it.

Kara Nguyen
Director of Development
knguyen@kidshopeusa.org

The post THANK YOU! appeared first on Kids Hope USA.

Yes, every kid needs confidence. However, Kids Hope USA students need even more.

What about you?

What role did self-confidence play in you when you were a student? When have you ever lacked it—and regretted it later? What specific instances come to mind that played a positive role in you developing confidence?

When you develop personal conviction about the need for confidence, and how it worked for you, then you will own a deeper commitment to help your student develop his or her own confidence too.

A big difference exists between a confident demeanor and a prideful one, by the way. Kids with self-assurance easily talk about other students, teachers, and even you. Those with humility issues will over-focus on themselves—which can stem from low self-confidence. Watch and listen for clues that will help you help your student.

“I’m not sure why, but I noticed that Darren seems more confident as he interacts with other students and teachers,” said a guidance counselor. “He even volunteers now for the news team.”

Darren and his mentor started their school year with the Confidence Series’ self-assessment—and had several rich follow up conversations as a result.

It works. Your student needs it. You can do it. Have confidence in the materials.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Self-trust is the first secret of success.” His wisdom applies to your student. And it applies to you.

The Confidence Series is simple to do and yet profound; every mentor can help a student build confidence. Every kids needs it. Ours need it even more than most.

To learn how to access The Confidence Series for your mentors, contact your regional team at https://kidshopeusa.org/contact-us/ 

The post A Case for Confidence Part 4 appeared first on Kids Hope USA.

Yes, every kid needs confidence. However, Kids Hope USA students need even more.

What can we do about it?

First, commit in your mind and heart to help your student develop his/her own confidence. Second, watch the Confidence Series training videos. Then do the assessment. Now you’re ready to try the exercises you want that are provided by Dr. Emilie. Think about how to make a confidence deposit every meeting, yes every meeting. It’s not hard, but requires deliberate effort to start—which will become habit.

You and I know that kids will live out what they believe to be true about themselves.

You can help shape that belief. You can walk with your student and help her discover the truth, that she can engage the world around her. You can do all this because of the safe space the two of you occupy together—called a relationship. Kristina, now in her 20’s, describes it best:

As a third-grader, I always waited for my classmates to leave the library before I selected a book. I would do anything I could to avoid letting them see how low my reading level was compared to theirs.

 The first day my mentor showed up she saw me stay behind after my class left. Somehow, I told her about the reading thing. She encouraged me to add one more book—a higher level book, and then she helped me read every word. And not in that “hey, stupid” tone I was used to hearing. She was nice about it and said we were “trying together.” I liked that—I liked the “together” part.

 My mentor and I kept reading, and I started to believe I could do it on my own. Then we also started doing creative art together. The stuff we did was so cool, that kids would ask me about it. So each week I started to show and tell them about our crafts. After a while, I realized I wasn’t shy anymore. 

 You could say that my mentor helped me step out of my shell and really start to live. And it all started when my mentor said we would learn together.

You need not be a tutor to change a life; instead, focus on what you and your student can do together. It’s simple to do and yet profound; every mentor can help a student build confidence. Every kids needs it. Ours need it even more than most.

To learn how to access The Confidence Series for your mentors, contact your regional team at https://kidshopeusa.org/contact-us/ 

The post A Case for Confidence Part 3 appeared first on Kids Hope USA.

Yes, every kid needs confidence. However, Kids Hope USA students need even more.

How can you tell?

A lack of confidence proves easy to spot if you truly look. So many of our kids have bright eyes when they spend time with their mentors. But ask about friends. Then ask about weekend activities. Or involvement in anything other than attending school. For too many Kids Hope USA students, the brightness will diminish.

Unfortunately, we’ve all seen students who don’t complete work, or who don’t seem to want to try anything new. Who appear hesitant or afraid. Or who constantly say “I can’t.”

With each passing year, schoolwork grows harder. Too often, these kids receive labels like “unmotivated,” “uninterested,” or even “lazy.”

But could it be, that such a student actually just lacks confidence?

For mentors unsure about their students’ confidence levels, ask the teachers. They know which students have confidence and which ones need more.

To determine how much (or little) confidence your student possesses, complete the Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale provided in the Confidence Series. Here’s an idea from experience with my mentee, have both of you answer the questions so that you’re working/talking together—and the exercise doesn’t feel like you’re giving a quiz.

The result will amaze you. No, I’m not talking about the Rosenberg score. Instead, expect to have engaging conversations about the “why” behind each of the assessment answers you both provide. Possibly multiple weeks of high value, life changing discussions.

It’s simple to do and yet profound; every mentor can help a student build confidence. Every kids needs it. Ours need it even more than most.

To learn how to access The Confidence Series for your mentors, contact your regional team at https://kidshopeusa.org/contact-us/ 

The post A Case for Confidence Part 2 appeared first on Kids Hope USA.