Shelby Turner

Many of us have felt the heartache that comes from losing a family pet. And to soothe the pain, we may begin to wonder where are they now? Will we ever see them again? Do dogs go to heaven?

The Bible doesn’t give an outright answer on this question, but we as we dig into Scripture, we can piece together a conclusion on this tender topic. Let’s set the stage well for this discussion by looking at what heaven is and who will find their way to it.

Meditation and mindfulness are hot trends these days, but are these activities that Christians should be participating in? Or will "opening your mind" open it to the wrong sorts of things? What does the Bible say about meditation, and is it actually mentioned in Scripture at all?

The thing about worry is it doesn’t need any help entering into our thoughts. No one has to teach us how to do it. Even when life is at its best, we can find a reason to worry. It comes to us as naturally as taking our next breath. But what does the Bible say about worry? Is it really a sin? How should Christians handle the thoughts of fear that arise in our minds? Is worrying a normal part of life or is it a sin that God asks us to avoid?

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/MangoStar_Studio

Faith. It's a keyword in the church and the Christian religion. We have faith in God, in leaders, in science, in friends, in all sorts of things. But what does this word mean, and where do we see it best displayed in Scripture? Hebrews 11 is known as the "hall of fame" of faith, and in these verses we see some exemplary people of faith. Through their stories, we can be encouraged to grow our own faith as well.

“Mom, why would God do that? Why would he tell a dad to hurt his little boy?” We had just finished reading a chapter titled “The Gift” in the Jesus Storybook Bible and my five-year old’s eyes had grown wide as the illustrated pages showed Abraham tying his son Isaac atop an altar of stones and sticks. I locked my eyes with his, I understood the bewildered look that accompanied his question. This portion of the Bible wasn’t easy for me to figure out either.

Sex—It’s often thought about, but rarely talked about, especially within Christian circles. Yes, we’re going there. Let’s talk about sex. I’ve been in enough youth group meetings, women’s small groups and hushed conversations with friends to know that the topic of sex is one that most of us desperately need clarity on.

What’s the harm in watching the service online rather than attending in person? Or skipping on the weeks our kids have sports games? Or taking a month off to recharge when life is busy?

The harm is this: God designed church to be an irreplaceable catalyst of growth for every Christian. When you skip church, you miss out on some of the spiritual gains God has planned for you.

Thankfully, God gives us several clear descriptions of what it looks like to be a healthy, committed member of a church. Let’s look at three times the Bible tells us how often we should attend church:

More often than not, the task of filling classrooms with energetic and faithful volunteers feels impossible for children’s ministry directors. I know firsthand this struggle begins when very few people sign up to serve the littlest members of the church. And it continues because those few volunteers are asked to care for rooms bursting at the seams with kids. Some will stay committed, but most will burn out. Is it possible to beat the cycle of children’s ministry volunteer burn out? How can we keep kid's volunteers happy and committed?

After serving in kid’s ministry for close to a decade including being on staff as the Early Childhood Director at my church, I’ve learned a few insights that I’d love to share with you. It will take time and intentionality, but it is possible for your children’s ministry to have a thriving, growing team of volunteers!

Here are 5 ways you can keep your children’s ministry volunteers happy and committed: