• A Declaration of Importance for American Baptists on the Issue of Children in Poverty, approved by the ABC General Board, June 2005 (25 KB DOC)
 
• Presentation to General Board, American Baptist Churches USA, June 2005 by Dr. Aidsand F. Wright-Riggins III, Executive Director, National Ministries (414 KB DOC)
 
• The Christian Citizen—Volume 2, 2004 "The Church and Public Education" (1.45 MB PDF)
 
• The Christian Citizen—Volume 1, 2005 "Poverty in the United States—The Church Responds"
  (1.14 MB PDF)
 
• The Christian Citizen—Volume 3, 2005 "For Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven—Responding to Children in Poverty" (3.61 MB PDF)
 
• The Christian Citizen—Volume 3, 2006 "Good Schools for All" (1.35 MB PDF)
 
•  The Christian Citizen—Volume 4, 2007 "Seeing the Children - Tranforming the Church"
  (652 KB PDF)
 
•  The Christian Citizen—Volume 2, 2008 "Children in Poverty: Local Churches Respond"
  (1.25 MB PDF)
 
• "Editor's Interview with U.S. Senator Barack Obama" (1.24 MB PDF) from The Christian Citizen—Volume 3, 2006 "Good Schools for All"
 
• "National Ministries Resolution on Children in Poverty" (13.1 KB PDF)
 

NOTE: To order printed color copies of any of the bulletin inserts, call (800) 222-3872, ext. 2394


• From Judson Press - In Hope for Children in Poverty: Profiles and Possibilities editors Ron Sider and Heidi Unruh have drawn together the expertise of academics, activists, pastors, and social service professionals to consider the lives and special concerns of children living in poverty—biblically, educationally, physically, sociologically, politically. This comprehensive reader does more than just analyze the problems. It takes a giant step forward in exploring real solutions through public policy and faith-based organizations. 10% of proceeds from sales of Hope for Children in Poverty will go to the National Ministries' Children in Poverty initiative.

  Visit the Hope for Children in Poverty blog. Share your experiences, ideas, and support as we rally together to find solutions to this national epidemic.

 
• From Judson Press - Those churches looking to support local public schools and classroom teachers should consider the gift of a copy of Morning Meetings with Jesus: 180 Devotions for Teachers. Written by first-time author and former public school teacher Susan O'Carroll Drake, Morning Meetings with Jesus is designed for each school day in the student year, and offers light-hearted and insightful devotions with lessons from the Master Teacher. Drake's book challenges educators to apply these lessons in real-life situations that confront educators in today's often unpredictable classrooms. Features a foreword by Tony Campolo.
 
• "Rizpah's Children"(108 KB PDF)— a print adaptation of a sermon preached by the Rev. Marilyn Turner, National Ministries' associate executive director for Program Ministries, at the June 2006 ABCUSA General Board meeting—is now available. Turner's inspirational and motivational examination of 2 Samuel 21:3-10 forms the basis of a powerful call to action to American Baptists around the issue of Children in Poverty.
 
• Children Becoming Less of a Federal Priority
  This report tracks federal spending on children from 1960 to 2006, and makes projections through 2016 based on current policy. Children will see their share of federal domestic spending decline from 15.4 percent in 2006 to 13.1 percent by 2017. Over the next ten years, children's programs are scheduled to decline both as a share of GDP and domestic spending, because they do not compete on a level playing field with other rapidly-growing entitlement programs.
 
• Returns to the Public from Investing in Excellent Education(158 KB)
  Do the benefits of investing in the most disadvantaged students outweigh the costs? This debate is often framed along moral, altruistic lines. However, a new cost-benefit analysis shows that investing in the successful graduation of young black males from high school produces a positive net financial return for society at large.
 
• Evaluating 'No Child Left Behind'
  As Congress begins to consider reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act, Linda Darling-Hammond, a prominent education expert, author, and professor of education at Stanford University, examines the law, its consequences and prospects for improving the legislation. The article is published in the May 21, 2007, edition of The Nation.
 
• Bulletin Insert—"Children Need the Spirit of Christmas All Year" by Dwight Stinnett
  English Grayscale (88 KB PDF); Color (85 KB PDF)
  Spanish Grayscale (85 KB PDF); Color (88 KB PDF)
  
 
• Bulletin Insert—"Can You See Them" by Thelma M. Lowthert
  English Grayscale (74 KB PDF); Color (91 KB PDF);
  Spanish Grayscale (68 KB PDF); Color (97 KB PDF)
  
 
• Bulletin Insert—"I Pray For Children" by Rebecca Davis
  English Grayscale (63 KB PDF); Color (65 KB PDF)
  Spanish Grayscale (60 KB PDF); Color (69 KB PDF)
  
 
• Bulletin Insert—"Grown-ups Can Stop the Devourer"
  English Grayscale (70 KB PDF); Color (66 KB PDF)
  Spanish Grayscale (65 KB PDF); Color (72 KB PDF)
 
• Bulletin Insert—"Did You Know?"
  English Grayscale (62 KB PDF); Color (66 KB PDF)
  Spanish Grayscale (63 KB PDF); Color (67 KB PDF)
 
• Quiz—"Test Your Poverty IQ" (related to above bulletin insert)
  English Grayscale (85 KB PDF)
  Spanish Grayscale (92 KB PDF)
 
• Bulletin Insert—"Poverty Statistics Shock Rural Educator"
  English Grayscale (83 KB PDF); Color (92 KB PDF)
  Spanish Grayscale (96 KB PDF); Color (105 KB PDF)
 
• Bulletin Insert—"NEW LIFE 2010 "
  English Color (87 KB PDF)
  Spanish Color (95 KB PDF)
 
• Bulletin Insert—"'Happy Faces' Gives Children Reason to Smile"
  English Grayscale (560 KB PDF); Color (125 KB PDF)
  Spanish Grayscale (560 KB PDF); Color (125 KB PDF)
 
• Sermon—"Preaching for Social Transformation" by Colleen Wessel-McCoy
  English (68 KB PDF); Spanish (68 KB PDF)
 
• Sermon—"Creating America: A Communion Meditation" by W. Kenneth Williams
  English (9 KB PDF); Spanish (19 KB PDF)
 
• Bible Study—Children, Poverty and the Bible (NM item #4829) This five-part Bible study explores the call of Scripture to uplift and care for children and the poor. It is available for free and includes a leader’s guide. To order, call Judson Press customer service at (800) 458-3766.
 
• Bible Study—Children in Poverty
  Session 1 on John 4:46-53
  Session 2 on 1 Kings 17:8-24
  Session 3 on Deuteronomy 20:1-9
  Session 4 on 2 Kings 5:1-14
  Available courtesy of American Baptist Women's Ministries
 
• In this election year and now that the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act has been delayed, here are suggested questions about the law for candidates for the President and the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives (216 KB PDF).
 
• Ten Moral Concerns in the Implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act: A Statement of the National Council of Churches Committee on Public Education and Literacy. (303 KB PDF)
 
• Joint Organizational Statement on the No Child Left Behind Act. (310 KB PDF)
 
• A Litany for Education and Schools (70 KB PDF)
 

National Ministries also focuses on the needs of children through Children's Ministries.

The Children in Poverty initiative supports the NEW LIFE 2010 goal to ... vitalize a multitude of caring ministries