Hey, we get it. This title probably came as a bit of a surprise to you. Apps and children’s ministry? That doesn’t make sense. And … you’d be right. We’re not here to advocate for kids having access to phones at a certain age. That’s a choice for every family to make on their own.
However, one day, kids will have access to phones and tablets. Whether it’s for school, as a way to help them wind down, or if it’s a reward for having a really awesome day. So, when that day comes, how will you help parents approach it?
Most kids are scrolling through apps and social media in between homework, playing sports, and spending time with their families. That means there’s space for you to help families set up new routines and new ways to help their kids think about technology and their devices differently.
What if you helped parents learn to use their phones and devices as tools to help their kids grow in their faith?
Because, when we get down to it, kids will learn to use devices in a way that mirrors their parents. By helping parents be more intentional with how they think about their apps and devices, you not only give them a path to grow their kid’s faith but their own faith, too. Plus, it’s as easy as helping families find an app that connects with them, their personalities, and how they learn.
To help you get started, we’ve put together a list of our favorite Bible apps and children’s ministry apps that can help families grow their faith together.
Dwell: Audio Bible
Dwell is a great app for children’s ministries looking to help kids listen to the Bible. Dwell lets you choose from 20 different voice options and 12 different translations of the Bible, so kids and families can customize what they hear. Plus, Dwell includes over 75 listening plans to help families build a habit of spending time with God. You can learn more about Dwell here.
Verses
If you know a family looking for help with memorizing the Bible, take a look at Verses. This Bible app is designed to help with memorizing passages of Scripture through quick and easy games. Each game helps kids and families remember passages through listening, reordering, typing, and eventually speaking the passage out loud. With seven different translations, parents can choose their favorite and start memorizing Scripture on their own or with friends and other families. Learn more here.
YouVersion Bible App
Chances are, the parents in your ministry already have YouVersion on their phones. This is one of the most commonly downloaded Bible apps, but it’s so much more than a place to read Scripture. Parents can find the verse of the day, follow reading plans with other families, and even export their favorite verses as images to share with others. There’s so much for parents to do on this app, and you can check it out here.
BibleProject
Sometimes, kids ask questions that parents just don’t know how to answer. So, what if you set them up with an app that could help them explore the Bible with helpful resources and information? That’s where the BibleProject app comes in. This app helps kids and parents develop new skills and tools to understand the Bible through podcasts, videos, reading plans, and more. The BibleProject app is a great resource to have on hand for you, your families, and your team of volunteers. Learn more about the BibleProject app here!
Habits by Grow
Asking a kid to start a new habit is an uphill battle—especially without the right support, encouragement, and system for tracking. That’s why we created Habits by Grow. With this children’s ministry app, kids and their friends can help each other grow closer to God by tracking activities that help them work through four spiritual habits—spending time with God, spending time with others, using their gifts, and sharing their stories. It’s all part of our discipleship strategy (which is yours to steal!) Kids can choose from pre-selected habits or create their own that match how they’re trying to grow. Check out Habits by Grow here.
This is just a small list of our favorite apps for children’s ministry. Chances are you have your own list of favorite apps that help with discipleship. Apps like these can do so much to help kids and their families grow in their faith by helping them make spending time with God a regular part of their week. It’s all about engaging with teenagers in ways that are helpful and make sense to them.
That’s one of the things we focus on in Grow Kids Curriculum. We wanted to provide kids pastors with helpful, engaging tools that can help their kids and families grow closer to God. In every volume of Grow Students, we include …
- Editable graphics
- Printable posters
- Annual Strategy Guides
- Room design ideas and instructions
- Worship & background music playlists
- 50 weeks of preschool and elementary lessons
- Access to all of our apps, including Habits, Slides, Hubs, and the Grow Games Apps
- And so much more!
So, if you’re looking for new ways to engage with your kids and help them grow in their faith away from their phones and devices, we’d love to help you! Just check out our free trial!
In this post, here’s what we’ll cover: