Marrena Ralph, clubs program specialist, for Kids4Truth Clubs at Regular Baptist Press led several in-person and online training events this summer.
Summer 2023 In-Person Training
FBFI Annual Fellowship
Marrena, assisted by her husband, Rusty, exhibited Kids4Truth Clubs at the Foundations Baptist Fellowship International Annual Fellowship, held on the campus of Faith Baptist Bible College, Ankeny, Iowa. Many attendees were either considering the program or were already using it. Marrena received feedback from churches saying they love the program.
Marrena was also invited to lead a workshop for churches that use Kids4Truth Clubs to show them how they can adapt the program to meet the needs of their individual programs and increase effectiveness. Marrena explains the program’s flexibility:
Flexibility is built in to the Kids4Truth Clubs program, so the way one church uses it may not be the same way another church uses it. The program was designed to be flexible, adapted, and customized to fit the needs of almost any church. Common customization includes how awards are earned, the pace at which a church goes through a book, ages that use each level, and choices of activities.
Children’s Ministry at GARBC Annual Conference
In a twist, while Kids4Truth Clubs had an exhibit at the annual conference of the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches, hosted by Corbin University in Salem, Oregon, Marrena’s job for the week was to lead what she calls “Kids4Truth Clubs on Sterioids.” Children attended the sessions daily, including evenings. Assisted by Rusty and GARBC Treasurer and Controller Mark Johnson, Marrena taught Kids4Truth Clubs doctrinal theme 10: “God God’s Purpose for His Children.” The team used the Clubs’ main teaching lessons, TruthBooks,* and memory work.
Marrena reports that the children enjoyed “playing new review games focused on portable churches and doing crafts that were both fun and helped to teach the memory work.” So, instead of traveling to the conference in a Ford Flex, loaded to the max with items either on top of the car or in a trailer hitched to the car, everything she brought—including curriculum and awards, games, and crafts for thirty children—fit in two bags. The “portable church crafts” make it easy for churches in temporary meeting places to still offer crafts but with fewer supplies to haul back and forth. Marrena says she took about nine games and eight or nine crafts that required only colored pencils, scissors, tape, and glue.
* Register on the Kids4Truth Clubs EquipU Website to access some of the links in this article.
Church Contemplating a Change
This summer Marrena also met with churches in Georgia where she led a “Meet Live with Marrena” event, in which she met with the pastor and children’s weekday club leaders who were considering switching their children’s program to Kids4Truth Clubs. Marrena introduced the program and began training the leaders how to use it.
Summer 2023 Webinar Training
This summer Marrena led two live, online training events for individuals or groups who wanted training. Some were new to Kids4Truth Clubs, while others were already using the program.
Training events can, Marrena says, include training on any of these topics:
- Curriculum overview
- TruthBook content and usage
- Schedules
- Awards and motivating children
- Small group time
- Record keeping
A church may request training in additional areas.
To host a regional training conference or training for your church alone, contact Marrena.
