Celebrate Recovery Vision Statement: is for the church to provide a safe place where families can find healing and restoration. A safe place where moms, dads and kids of all ages can find freedom from their hurts, habits, and hang-ups.

CR For Kids National Team Mission Statement is to equip CR For Kids leaders and team members to provide a safe place for elementary age children to find healing and restoration through Jesus Christ.

We equip new and existing leaders through:

• Training sessions at Summits
• Connections at Summits & Training Conferences
• Closed Facebook Group- a place to ask questions and share ideas
• CR For Kids Module in the Advanced Leadership Training Guide
• CR For Kids YouTube Channel- encouraging & educational videos for CR4K team members.
• CR For Kids training through Mighty Networks.
• Regional & State Reps- our team is eager to support and encourage potential and existing leaders.

CR For Kids DNA

There are six distinct characteristics that make CR For Kids unique. These characteristics make up the DNA of CR For Kids.

1. It is a Christ-centered children’s program that is a ministry designed to complement Celebrate Recovery.
2. Must use the CR For Kids curriculum and journals only and follow the format as outlined in the curriculum.
3. The CR For Kids guidelines are utilized during small groups. Some nights you may choose to read them at the beginning of CR For Kids instead of waiting until small group.
4. No CR For Kids online groups are permitted. Face to face meetings only. (Unless Celebrate Recovery Crisis Response is in place.)
5. CR For Kids is accountable to Jesus Christ, the local Celebrate Recovery, the local church and to the Model of Celebrate Recovery at Saddleback.
6. CR For Kids groups should follow the family/youth policies of their local church.

CR For Kids is:

• A safe place for kids to talk about hurts, hang-ups, & habits
• A Christ-centered and life changing program
• Fun!

CR For Kids is NOT:

• Childcare/babysitting
• Counseling or group therapy- We do not try to “fix” children
• Judgmental

• CR For Kids Leaders Guide- Located in the Advanced Leaders Training Guide. This was issued as a part of the updated material early 2021 and is present in the new 2025 edition. This update and other updates to the ALT can be accessed by contacting CR State Rep or Pastors.com [email protected] or you can call us at 1-800-723-3532.
• Facebook Closed Group
  • CR For Kids | Facebook
  • Request to join group
  • Complete the 3 questions
• CR For Kids YouTube Channel
  • CR For Kids Channel – YouTube
  • Subscribe!
• Mighty Networks CR Community- Subscribe to have access to a wide variety of training & inspiration.

90-day Kickoff Strategy for CR For Kids

Days 1-30

1. PRAY! “Pray continually” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
2. Order the CR For Kids kit from www.celebraterecovery.com and read through the curriculum.
3. Meet with your Pastor and Children’s Pastor to explain the program and let them know this is an additional resource for their families. Show them the kit and explain how it works.
4. Make sure you are clear about your church’s policies regarding children…i.e., children to adult ratio’s, reporting abuse and/or neglect and background checks on all leaders involved with your children.
5. Using pulpit announcements and bulletin inserts, inform the church and your Celebrate Recovery group that a Christ-centered “pre-covery” program for children is going to begin within the next few months. Ask individuals with a heart for children and recovery to pray about whether God is calling them to be a part of this ministry.“Pray in the Spirit at all times with all kinds of prayers, asking for everything you need. To do this you must always be ready and never give up. Always pray for all God’s people.” (Ephesians 6:18).

Days 31-60

1. Recruit and interview potential leaders. Make sure you run background checks.
2. Determine location for your CR For Kids group.
3. Have prospective leaders read through the curriculum.
4. If you have leaders in place this may be a great time to take them through Life’s Healing Choices. It is not necessary for the leaders to be in recovery, but it is good if they understand recovery. Life’s Healing Choices is a great way to introduce recovery to your leaders.
5. It may be helpful to bring in a child psychologist or counselor to talk to your leaders about teaching children who struggle with ADD, ADHD, Autism, or other disabilities.

Days 61-90

1. Meet weekly to work through Life’s Healing Choices together.
2. Announce your kickoff date for CR For Kids to the church and your Celebrate Recovery group.
3. Put information in the bulletin and/or set up an information table at church services and Celebrate Recovery.
4. Use pulpit announcements to show the senior pastor’s support and approval of the program.
5. Order journals for the children that will be coming to CR For Kids at least three weeks prior to your first meeting.
6. Plan a fun kickoff night to celebrate your new children’s program.

CR4K Program Evaluation

1. Leadership/Volunters

2. Curriculum

3. Worship

4. Learning Environment

5. Junior Leaders

6. Connection/Communication

Once you have worked through these questions you will be able to access the strengths and weaknesses of your CR For Kids program; then you can put a plan together to address weak area.

1. Children have hurts, hang-ups, and habits too.
   • Our children are not immune to pain. Some things children struggle with are bullying, body image, parent’s divorce, abuse, neglect, learning disabilities, death of a loved one, loss of friends, racism, loss of pets, etc. These hurts lead to hangups caused by fear and anxiety. For example, a child whose parents divorced may develop a fear of abandonment, which makes it hard to move forward if in an unhealthy relationship.
   • CR For Kids teaches healthy coping skills that can help children make healthy choices to work through painful situations. Our goal is to stop the hurt in the lives of families.
2. Children help keep parents coming back.
   • CR For Kids is fun! Children do not want to miss out. We use games, activities and crafts and cool object lessons to keep children engaged. Connections are made with leaders and other children.
3. CR For Kids is a safe place for children, adding value to CR ministries.
   • Parents know you care about them and their families when you offer a safe and encouraging place for children. Background checks performed on all adult team members help reassure parents that the safety of their child is important to us.
4. CR For Kids is specifically designed for Celebrate Recovery ministries
   • Christ Centered Curriculum for elementary aged students
   • CR4K is a structured program mirroring Celebrate Recovery.
   • The format is designed to offer fellowship, worship, teaching, activities, and small group. This is the same experience parents/guardians have in Celebrate Recovery.
   • The same topics are taught as in the Large Group of CR.
   • All meetings close with the Serenity Prayer.
5. Children learn how to cope with emotions in healthy ways.
   • Small group time, journal pages and other activities help children identify their feelings and the events related to them. Being able to name emotions is a big deal!
   • Team members validate their feelings and help them to find healthy ways to process those feelings.
6. We have CR For Kids Regional Rep and State Rep volunteers to support ministries.
   • State Reps and Regional Reps are ready to serve CR ministry leaders. Our goal is for every CR to offer CR For Kids. We can and are making a difference in the lives of children. The goal of the National CR For Kids team is to help equip leaders to provide a safe place for children to experience healing and restoration through Jesus Christ.
7. Cycles of dysfunction are being broken as children and parents learn the same recovery lessons.
   • Lessons like Denial, Powerless, Gratitude and all other recovery topics are taught on the same night as the adult in ways that children can understand. Parents and children are on the same page. Learning the same recovery principles as a family promotes healing and wholeness for everyone.
8. The CR4K journal page helps parents talk with their children about their struggles. Recovery is a family affair.
   • The journal pages sent home with children give conversation starters for parents. This opens up the lines of communication; healing starts; and the trajectory of the family changes to a healthier path. Have you ever heard a child say, “You just wouldn’t understand?” The conversation starters on the back of the journal pages give parents the opportunity to share showing that they do understand.
9. Children learn that Jesus loves them.
   • It is so important for children to know and experience the love of Jesus. That unconditional love will carry them through all of life’s ups and downs. CR4K is based on the word of God. The love of Jesus is taught from week 1 through week 52!
10. CR For Kids is NOT childcare!
    • When we put #2- #10 together there is no way anyone can look at CR For Kids as “just childcare”.
    • Grace is extended as children learn and grow.
    • Leaders partner with parents to help children become who God created them to be.
    • CR4K has great tools to help families. Leaders teach life skills like making amends and forgiving others. Valuing others by listening to them is modeled for children.