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Grieving Kids & Teens

Shift

Children and teens crave stability. Help them find it

When the “shifts” of life occur, the aftermath is unpredictable and rarely stable. After the loss of a loved one, things will never be the same, and there is no going back. Shift is a safe place for kids and teens to process the hurt and loss of experiencing the death of a family member, friend, or loved one. As kids dealing with loss process the shift their life has undergone, the biblically based curriculum will equip them with the tools they need to process grief and build a solid foundation of faith and hope in Jesus Christ.

Use Shift At Your Church!

Want to use Shift at your church? Take your first step by filling out this interest form.

Apply Here

WHY SHOULD YOU START SHIFT AT YOUR CHURCH?

  1. Shift offers a safe space for kids who experience fear, anger, or guilt after a loss. There is no expectation for how a child “should act,” nor any presumption on how long healing “should take.” Children can thrive when allowed to authentically express their feelings and vulnerability. In order to maintain a safe space for kids, we highly suggest running your leaders through Ministry Safe or a similar program first.

  2. For what may be the first time since their loss, Shift is a place where every single child and adult present understands what it means to lose a loved one. Shift is where everyone “gets it.” This promotes connections between kids in similarly difficult situations.

  3. If you start it, they will come. Parents and guardians are desperate to help their children healthily process loss. Many families ache to see the Bible introduced to the grieving process. Distance and inconvenience will not stop families from making a ministry like Shift a priority. Trust us.

  4. Shift fosters an environment where kids learn to more deeply depend on God and reject unhealthy coping mechanisms. It points grieving children back to their Good Father in Heaven who loves them, even in the midst of their hurt and pain.

  5. Lastly, Shift reminds kids, teens, and adults alike that grief is normal, should be expected, and doesn’t have to be their identity.

Sample Materials
Week 1 - Shift and Week 6 - Guilt
Details
PROGRAM LENGTH 13 weeks
TIME 2 hours, once per week
AUDIENCE Kids and Teens
LEADER STRUCTURE Adult Facilitators with Small Group of Kids and Teens

Shift offers hope in the midst of loss

WHAT HAPPENS AT SHIFT?

Shift is a 13-week program for kids and teenagers who are dealing with the loss of a loved one. Three separate tracks are offered within the program: ages 8-12, 13-15, and 16-18.

The ministry is led by facilitators who have experienced loss. Participants are divided by gender into small groups consisting of peers of the same age who are also processing the death of a loved one. Shift includes age-appropriate lessons and activities to help explore grief and God’s promises of comfort, healing, hope and eternity. Activites and discussions help kids and teens process through anger, guilt, fear, relationships, hope, and more.

"I definitely, without reservation, recommend SHIFT to other churches. There is solid curriculum and help from the creators of SHIFT at Watermark. The Watermark leadership remains in touch with our leadership and they are vitally interested in how our ministry is going."

Kermit Tandberg

First Baptist Church of Lewisville
Lewisville, TX

"God put men in my life that stood in the gaps and were father figures to me. My faith was challenged, yet ultimately strengthened as I saw God taking care of me and staying right by my side."

Gabe

Watermark Community Church
Dallas, TX

"No matter their background or who they’ve lost or what grade they’re in, the kids at Shift just all love each other like crazy. Experiencing the love of Jesus like that calmed my anxious heart. I’d been dreading going to Shift but by the second week I knew I was right where the Lord wanted me."

Claire

Watermark Community Church
Dallas, TX

"As I reflect now on losing my mom and other people close to me, I have seen how God has used my grief to help others in need over the years. I have learned that I am not the only one who has experienced such sadness, and with this, I want to help those around me who are experiencing loss."

Taylor

Watermark Community Church
Dallas, TX

"God was faithful... He brought a wonderful group of women into my life who showed me that they loved me and that God loved me. They loved and cared for me when I cried and grieved, even years after my brothers death. They encouraged me and reminded me that God can be and must be trusted even in the most difficult of situations."

Amanda

Watermark Community Church
Dallas, TX