As a kid growing up, I did not have many positive role models.
There were people I looked up to, but not all of them wanted to be role models. I remember hearing professional athletes say things like, “I’m not a role model.”
But here is what I believe:
All adults are role models in some respect.

That does not mean we are perfect. That does not mean we have everything figured out. But it does mean we have influence.
And I am okay with being an imperfect positive role model.
That phrase matters to me because it reminds us that we do not have to be perfect to make a difference. We do not have to have all the answers to point kids and teens in the right direction. We need to be willing, growing, faithful, and available.
Adults have influence.

When we talk about Proclaim Ministries helping kids and teens connect faith and life, we are not only talking about creating resources for young people. We are also talking about equipping the adults to disciple them.
Parents, grandparents, pastors, children’s ministry leaders, youth leaders, teachers, coaches, and caring adults all have influence in the lives of kids and teens.

And especially for parents, that influence is powerful.
You may not always feel like your kids are listening. You may wonder if what you say is making a difference. You may even feel like someone else has more influence than you do.
But do not underestimate the role God has given you.
You are one of the closest voices in their lives. You see things others do not see. You have opportunities others do not have. You are positioned to help shape their hearts, choices, faith, and view of God.
That influence is a gift. But it is also something we must steward well.

We cannot reach them all alone.
We want to help kids and teens connect their faith with their lives. That is a big part of our mission.
But here is the truth: I cannot reach every kid. I cannot disciple every teen. I cannot personally walk alongside every family, every church, every children’s ministry, or every student ministry.
But together, we can reach more.
That is why equipping adults is so important.

When we equip adults, we multiply the ministry.
It is not just one person teaching. It becomes many people teaching, leading, loving, praying, discipling, encouraging, and pointing kids and teens to Jesus.
Equipping the saints for ministry.
This idea is deeply biblical.

Ephesians 4:11–12 says:
“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.”

That passage reminds us that the work of ministry is not only done by pastors, preachers, and teachers. One of the roles of leaders in the church is to equip God’s people for the work of ministry. As a teacher and preacher, I do get to do ministry. I get to teach kids, teens, and adults. I get to preach, create resources, speak, and encourage people.
But part of my calling is also to equip others to do the work of ministry.
That is why Proclaim Ministries creates resources not only for kids and teens, but also for the adults to disciple them.

We want to help adults teach with clarity, lead with confidence, and disciple with purpose.

More than just the how-to.
When people think about ministry training, they often think about practical tools.
And yes, we want to provide those.
We want to help adults learn:

• How to teach a memory verse. 
• How to facilitate a small group. 
• How to connect with kids. 
• How to connect with teens. 
• How to lead a lesson. 
• How to use curriculum. 
• How to talk about faith in everyday life.

Those “how-to” pieces matter.
But ministry is not only about learning techniques.
Ministry is also about becoming the kind of person God wants us to be.
We do not simply go do ministry. Ministry should be the overflow of our lives.
As God fills us, He uses us to pour into others. That includes the kids and teens around us.
So when we equip adults, we are not only trying to give them strategies. We are trying to help them grow in their own faith too.


Adults Grow While They Disciple

One of the beautiful things about discipling kids and teens is that the adults grow too.
When you teach a Bible lesson, you are learning.
When you prepare to explain a memory verse, you are being shaped by that verse.
When you help a child understand the gospel, you are reminded of its beauty yourself.
When you guide a teen through questions about faith and life, you are challenged to think deeply and live faithfully.

I know so many memory verses today because I taught them to kids. I wanted them to know the verses, but I also had to know them. I had to understand them. I had to explain them in a way that was clear and meaningful.
Teaching kids has helped disciple me too.
That is one of the reasons I believe being involved in ministry is so important.
Whether you are in full-time ministry, part-time ministry, volunteer ministry, parenting, mentoring, or simply influencing the people around you, you are in ministry somewhere.
You are influencing someone.
You are somebody’s imperfect positive role model.
So embrace it.

Equipping Adults Who Disciple Kids

We want to reach kids and teens. But we also want to reach and equip the adults who are discipling them.
That includes parents who want to lead their kids spiritually but may not know where to start.
It includes children’s ministry leaders who want to teach the Bible clearly.
It includes youth leaders who want to help students connect faith with real life.
It includes pastors, volunteers, churches, and everyday believers who want to make a difference in the next generation.

That is why we create resources like Bible teaching series, training videos, leadership resources, curriculum, curriculum training, and the Connecting Faith & Life podcast.
The goal is not simply to give adults more information.
The goal is to help adults become more equipped, more confident, and more faithful as they disciple kids and teens.

This Is Multiplication

When we equip adults, the ministry multiplies.
One resource can help one leader teach a group of kids.
One training can help one parent have better conversations at home.
One curriculum can help a church strengthen its children’s ministry.
One podcast episode can encourage someone to keep going when they feel discouraged.
One equipped adult can impact many kids and teens over time.
That is why this part of the ministry matters so much.
We are not only creating content for today. We are investing in people who will continue to teach, lead, and disciple others.
And this work is not limited to one church, one city, or one country. We hear from people in different places, even different parts of the world, who are finding and using these resources.

That is exciting because it reminds us that God can use simple resources to encourage and equip people far beyond what we can see.

Thank You, Proclaim Partners!

Thank you for becoming a Proclaim Partner! This is video number three in our series welcoming you into this role. Today, I want to talk about the often-discussed "terrible twos." While people frequently mention the challenges of raising two-year-olds, they don’t often talk about the struggles of teenagers. We tend to treat the teenage years as if they are a time of chaos, implying that being a teenager is simply a toxic experience with no guidance available. I strongly disagree with that notion.

I believe our teens are being influenced—discipled—by someone. The real question is: are we willing to step in and be those mentors for them? That’s why I enjoy working with kids and teens; they are at a crucial point in their lives where they begin to seek their own identities. If we haven't provided a solid foundation for them, they can easily become lost.

The world is actively trying to shape our teens into something they may not want to be. As someone who frequently engages with teenagers in schools, I express my apologies on behalf of adults for giving them cell phones and access to social media too early. It is undoubtedly more challenging to be a teenager today than when I was growing up. While my grandparents might have shared stories of walking to school uphill both ways—stories that are hard to believe—I'll be honest with the kids: we faced different, yet simpler, struggles. The advent of technology has transformed the landscape. I can't imagine how I would have coped with the instant access to information that kids have today; it would have been overwhelming for me.

I Don't Envy Their Current Situation 

But I am committed to helping guide them. Someone is influencing them already, and as believers, it's our responsibility to disciple these young people. With your support as a Proclaim Partner, we can make a difference.

We have a growing library of resources for both kids' and student ministries. Additionally, we’ve launched a new YouTube channel, and I’m considering rejoining some social media platforms like TikTok. While I’m hesitant about social media, it's important to reach kids where they are.

Thank you for being part of our team and for your commitment to helping reach more teens in need. It's crucial that we shift the narrative away from negativity about teens. Remember, they are products of their environment, which can sometimes be unkind. We want to create a community that positively shapes and disciples them.

Next time you hear someone complain about teenagers, remind them to consider their role: "Are you helping them? What are you doing to support these kids?" We were all teenagers once, navigating our way through life. Today's teenagers face even greater challenges, often stemming from the technology that we provided to them. It's essential that we give them resources that help them live for God by connecting faith and life.

Before we end, I want to share one of my favorite verses related to student ministry: 1 Timothy 4:12, which states, "Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity." I truly believe that our kids can be examples for others, and no one should look down on them because of their age—not even they themselves. Sometimes, we unintentionally create an environment where teens feel inferior.

Let’s work to help them grow in their faith right now rather than waiting for them to come back to it in the future. Together, with your support as a Proclaim Partner, we can guide them to connect their faith with their everyday lives. Thank you once again for your commitment!

Thank you once again for becoming a Proclaim Partner.

In the first video, I shared a bit about the story behind Proclaim Ministries and our passion for helping people connect their faith to everyday life. In this video, I want to focus on one of my greatest passions: Kids!

If there's one thing I want you to understand about our ministry, it's this: We're not kidding around about kids.

Now, that doesn’t mean we don’t have fun. I love to laugh, tell stories, play games, and find creative ways to keep kids engaged. In fact, if you’ve ever seen me teach, you know there will likely be energy, interaction, and maybe even a few goofy moments along the way.

But while fun is a tool, it is never the goal. The goal is to help kids know God and understand His Word. Over the years, I’ve sometimes seen children’s ministry treated as if it’s just childcare during church services—keeping the kids busy and entertained, giving them a snack, and then sending them home.

I believe God has something much bigger in mind. Kids are not the church of tomorrow; they are part of the church today. They can know God. They can understand the gospel. They can grow in their faith. And they can begin living for God right now.

One of the verses that has shaped my thinking is John 1:12: "But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." Notice what this verse doesn’t say: it doesn’t state that a person must reach a certain age before they can trust Christ. There is no age requirement for becoming part of God's family.

Children matter to God

Because they matter to God, they matter to us. Sometimes people wonder whether kids can really understand the truths of Scripture. I think that’s the wrong question. The better question is this: Does God want children to know Him, and is He able to communicate His truth to them? I believe the answer is absolutely yes.

After all, Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me." That’s why we work so hard to create resources that are both engaging and biblically solid. We don’t want to dilute God’s truth; we want to communicate it clearly and in ways kids can understand.

This commitment drives so much of what we do at Proclaim Ministries. We create Bible lessons, memory verse resources, videos, curriculum, and content that helps kids connect faith with life. We address real questions that kids are asking and help them understand who God is, what Jesus has done for them, and how faith applies to their everyday lives.

Thanks to your partnership, we can continue creating and sharing these resources with families, churches, schools, and communities.

One of my favorite illustrations is the idea of seedtime and harvest. Sometimes we plant seeds, and sometimes we water seeds that someone else has planted, and God gives the growth. Every Bible lesson, memory verse, conversation, and resource is another opportunity to plant or water a seed in a child’s life.

As a Proclaim Partner, you are helping to make this happen. You are investing in children who are learning God's Word for the very first time. You are encouraging families, equipping churches and ministry leaders, and pointing kids to Jesus.

For that, I am incredibly grateful. Thank you for partnering with us, for believing in the next generation, and for helping us continue our mission to help kids connect faith with life.

We’re not kidding around about kids, and I’m thankful you’re on the team.

When I was growing up, my grandparents taught us the importance of saying “please” and “thank you.”

In fact, if they handed us something and we forgot to say thank you, they might pull it right back until we did. So before I say anything else, let me say:

Thank you!

You’re Not Just Giving—You’re Joining a Team

Your support means more than a financial gift. It means you’re joining a team of people who care deeply about helping kids and teens connect faith and life and equipping the adults to disciple them. As a new Proclaim Partner, I want to personally welcome you and help you understand the heart behind this ministry.

In this series of videos and posts, I’ll explain:

• Where Proclaim Ministries came from
• What we’re doing for kids
• What we’re doing for teens
• How we’re equipping parents, church leaders, and other adults

Think of it as the past, present, and future of the ministry.
I don’t want to overload you, but I do want you to know the mission you’re helping accomplish. Because now we’re on this mission together.

The Story Behind Proclaim Ministries

While Proclaim Ministries officially began in 2005, the story started long before that.
I grew up in church. My grandfather was a pastor, and people often assumed I would follow in his footsteps. I eventually became an ordained minister, but I discovered something important along the way: I wanted people to know about God.
And connect their faith to everyday life.

As a teenager, I trusted Christ as my Savior, but if I’m honest, I often lived a compartmentalized life. I acted one way at church, another way at school, and another way at home. My faith and my life weren’t connected. I knew there had to be more.

How Kids’ Ministry Changed My Life

When I was a junior in high school, I volunteered to serve as a counselor for a 5th-grade camping trip with my school. Then I started volunteering at church, but I wasn’t teaching Bible lessons; I was amazing at organizing kickball games.

But eventually someone encouraged me to receive training through Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF). I learned how to:

• Share the gospel with children
• Teach Bible lessons
• Lead memory verses
• Help children grow in their faith

As I learned to teach kids, I began growing myself spiritually. The more I taught, the more I learned. The more I discipled others, the more God discipled me. That’s one reason I’m always encouraging people to serve in kids’ and youth ministry. When you’re helping others grow, God often grows you at the same time.

Eventually I served full-time with Child Evangelism Fellowship, conducting Bible clubs, training leaders, and serving at the international headquarters before God led me to start Proclaim Ministries.

Why We Focus on Kids, Teens, and Adults

People often ask why our ministry serves such a wide range of ages. The answer is simple.
I love kids. But I also remember being a teenager.
And I remember being a struggling young adult.
I know what it’s like to wrestle with faith, purpose, choices, and life’s challenges.

That’s why Proclaim Ministries exists to serve:

• Kids - Helping them know God and connect faith and life.
• Teens - Helping them navigate real-life challenges through a biblical worldview.
• Adults - Equipping parents, church leaders, teachers, and mentors to disciple the next generation while also growing in their own faith.

Because here’s what I’ve learned:
If adults are flourishing spiritually, they’re much better equipped to help kids and teens do the same. Healthy leaders help develop healthy disciples.

Our Mission

The founding verse of Proclaim Ministries is Colossians 1:28:

“Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.”

Those opening words captured my heart: “Him we proclaim.”
That’s where the name Proclaim Ministries comes from.
Our mission has never been about building an organization.
It’s about proclaiming Jesus Christ.

We want people to know Him, trust Him, follow Him, and grow in Him.
We want to help people connect faith and life so they can live for God in their everyday relationships, decisions, and responsibilities.

Whether we’re creating Bible lessons for kids, content for teens, training for parents, or resources for church leaders, that mission remains the same. We proclaim Jesus Christ and help people connect faith and life.

Thank You for Joining the Mission

As a Proclaim Partner, you’re helping make all of this possible.
You’re helping us create resources.
You’re helping us train leaders.
You’re helping us reach kids and teens.
You’re helping us equip adults.
Most importantly, you’re helping us proclaim Christ.

Thank you for joining the team.