Children’s Ministry Overview

At First Baptist Church of Bettendorf we know that parents are the primary disciple makers in their children’s life. We are here to come along side you, equip you and your children, and provide Biblically sound teaching while they are in our care. At FBC, your children are as much a part of the church as you are. The teaching they receive is intentional and doctrinal, they join us in worship, and are welcome in many areas of ministry throughout the church- including our multi-generational choir.

In the weighty privilege of determining what they need to be learning, we have found Truth78 (formally Children Desiring God) to be biblically and doctrinally sound- teaching the whole council of God at age-appropriate levels and allowing them to grow in their knowledge and understanding from birth through 12th grade with the Scope and Sequence laid out. You can know what your children will learn if they attend FBC from birth-12th grade.

We provide free resource booklets for your family to help equip you at home, from Helping Children Understand the Gospel, Children in the Worship Service, A Father’s Guide to Blessing His Children, and Utter Dependency on God Through Prayer. Through Truth78, we provide books or packets for children during the service that help them learn to engage in the sermon and begin taking notes, along with writing down their questions to ask you at home.

Truth78’s vision is that “they may know, honor, and treasure God, setting their hope in Christ alone, so that they will love as faithful disciples for the glory of God.” We want all the children and teenagers who come to FBC to not only know God’s Word, but to love and treasure it. We look forward to the opportunity to work with you and your children.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact our Children and Family Ministry Director, Kayla Horner at kayla.horner@fbcbettendorf.org

Nursery and Toddlers

Our background checked and trained nursery volunteers are available and overjoyed to assist with your little ones. We have personal pagers if desired, that will vibrate and alert you quietly if your child needs your attention.

Sunday School 9-10AM: Birth-4 years old will have discipleship time- with Truth78 curriculum designed for their age, music, and fun!

Worship Service 10:15AM: Birth-3 years old will sing songs, read Bible stories, play, and have snacks.

Family Ministry Night 4-6pm: Birth-3 years will join the older kids in the Fellowship Hall for prayer, music, and large group lesson time. Then they will go to the nursery for their own discipleship time, snacks, music, and fun.

Sunday Morning Discipleship Classes

Sunday morning at 9:00 am for preschool – 6th grade

We are excited to offer Truth78 curriculum in all our Children’s classes, birth-12th grade.  Truth78 (formally Children Desiring God) is Biblically and doctrinally sound, with a goal for children to “know, honor and treasure God, setting their hope in Christ alone, so that they will live as faithful disciples for the glory of God.”

Current age groups for discipleship classes are, 0-4years, K-2nd Grade, 3rd-6th Grade, and 7th-12th Grade.

If you would like a copy of our scope and sequence, or would like to view a sample lesson from your child’s class- please email our Children and Family Director at kayla.horner@fbcbettendorf.org

Children in the Worship Service

“And they were bringing children to Him, that He might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, He was indignant and said to them, ‘Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” Mark 10:13-15

We love worshipping alongside people of all ages at FBC, including children. While they might not understand everything that is being taught, they pick up on more than we even realize. God can move in the hearts of people at any age. People at FBC love the wiggles and whispers coming from the pews. We offer books and pamphlets for them to color and write in that help them engage in the service, if you need to step out with your child for a moment, we have seating in the foyer,  and a Mother’s Room/Sensory Room if a longer break is needed, with fidget toys and comfortable couches.

John Piper states, “Children absorb a tremendous amount that is of value. And this is true even if they say they are bored… Music and words become familiar. The message of the music starts to sink in. The form of the service comes to feel natural. The choir makes a special impression with a kind of music the children may hear no other time. Even if most of the sermon goes over their heads, experience shows that children hear and remember remarkable things.”

Family Ministry Night

Sunday Evenings from 4-6pm is Family Ministry Night at FBC. We have nursery for birth-3 years, Mission Friends for Preschool-Kindergarten, Girls in Action for 1st-6th Grade girls, and Royal Ambassadors for 1st-6th grade boys. Each week we begin in the Fellowship Hall with prayer, music and large group lesson time. Followed by game time and class time. Click on the Family Ministry Night tab above for more information.

Vacation Bible School

Each summer we set aside an exciting week of Vacation Bible School. We use this time to lead an evangelistic study through Truth78, that is engaging, fun, and biblically sound. Our Vacation Bible School each year ties into our Scope and Sequence for Children’s Discipleship at FBC.

During our time together, your children will also play games, learn new songs, make new friends and enjoy time with old friends, make crafts, have snacks, and hear the Gospel proclaimed.

Watch our website and Facebook page for the dates of VBS this year, and our kickoff Community Family Fun Day.

Check out our Calendar Page for dates and times of future events for children. 

What is Family Ministry Night?

Sundays from 4pm – 6pm, Preschool – 6th grade.

First Baptist Church and WMU work with parents to raise kids to know, love and serve Jesus Christ. Children’s Ministry Night is part of FBC’s Family Ministry Night where entire families come together at the same time each week to study God’s Word on their own level. Children participate in the classes listed below, while youth and adults have the opportunity to choose from a selection of studies that interest them. 

Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name.  Make known His deeds among the peoples; make them remember that His name is exalted. – Isaiah 12:4

Classes Available

Mission Friends (Preschool)

Preschool is an exciting time in a child’s life, where they develop an understanding of who God is and how they play a part in His plan for the world. That’s why we created Mission Friends — to provide preschoolers the building blocks of faith and teach them of God’s love for all people.

Through engaging activities, games and stories each week, Mission Friends will move from a focus on self to a focus on others. This builds a lasting foundation that helps them grow into the next generation of Christ followers who will fulfill His Great Commission.

Girls in Action (1st Grade – 6th Grade)

Girls in Action is designed to help girls in grades 1 through 6 come to faith in Christ as Savior, while making missions  an important part of their daily lives. They learn what it means to live a missional lifestyle while they participate in Bible study, missions projects and engaging activities. They also have a lot of fun and build lasting memories as they “travel” to various places around the world when they learn about the work of missionaries.

GA materials are designed to help both younger and older girls have missions experiences that lay a foundation for coming to faith in Christ as Savior and make missions an important part of their daily lives.

Girls in Action is part of Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU). WMU is an auxiliary to the Southern Baptist Convention.

Royal Ambassadors  (1st Grade – 6th Grade)

Royal Ambassadors (RA) is an exciting and fun-filled missions education organization for boys in grades 1–6. RA is just one of the missions education organizations offered by Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU). WMU provides a full line of resources for RA and other age-level organizations. Through RA, boys gain a greater understanding of God’s work in the world and how they can join Him in His work.

RAs learn about the world, pray for the world, and learn how they can be used to tell others about God’s Son, Jesus. An ambassador can be defined as a messenger or representative—someone who tells or reveals truth. Royal Ambassadors seek to share the truth that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

History: Begun in 1908, RA has a rich heritage of providing missions education for boys. As then national WMU President Fannie E. S. Heck declared: “Save the boys for their own sakes and for the future of the gospel.” RAs and their leaders have been about that task for over 100 years.

What is an RA?: Royal Ambassadors is a dynamic WMU missions organization for boys in grades 1–6. RA helps boys grow in their spiritual development as they learn the biblical basis of missions and discover their part in God’s plan.

RA helps boys grow spiritually, recognizing the varying developmental stages of boys in each grade. RA materials are designed to help younger and older boys have missions experiences that lay a foundation for coming to faith in Christ as Savior and make missions an important part of their daily lives.

The RA Motto (which has never changed), “We are Ambassadors for Christ,” not only gives the organization its name, but also gives the boys and leaders a lifestyle goal. This Motto is taken from Scripture, specifically 2 Corinthians 5:20.