In the January/February 2016 issue of Children’s Ministry Magazine, I wrote about training children to resolving conflict in a God-honoring way. I thought I’d share a behind-the-scenes insight into why I wrote about this important task.
This month, we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who led the Civil Rights movement from the mid-1950’s until he was assassinated in 1968. Through all of this efforts toward peace, Dr. King’s platform was based on nonviolence.
Children today are exposed to more violent images than ever before. Sadly, these images are everywhere our children are: television, movies, phone and tablet screens, and video games. What breaks my heart even more is that many children experience violence first-hand in their own homes and communities day after day.
I believe that helping children resolve conflict in a healthy way will help them work through down the road. Whenever my own children have had sibling squabbles or see my husband and I disagree about something, I remind them that healthy conflict resolution will serve them well in relationships with family members, friends, bosses, and their future spouse and children.
Our churches (and homes) are fertile training soil for us to build on. In the current issue, I share 4 ways that we can do that. If you are a subscriber, you’ll find my column on page 30. (There is even a very cute printable bookmark that you can download online.) If you’re not a subscriber, consider becoming one. You can find out you can save 70% off here.
Let’s help our children resolve conflicts with love!
