Which Curriculum is Best for Your Church?
Choosing a curriculum that's a good fit for your ministry takes a lot of consideration. With more and more options available every day, this decision can be difficult for ministry leaders. There are countless prime-quality kids' ministry curricula out there, meaning there is no obvious choice. If you’ve been doing your research, you have certainly heard of Grow and The Gospel Project, but which one is better?
To make the decision-making process easier, we have created this comparative guide to help you out. This article lists the features of each curriculum side-by-side, to highlight the pros and cons of each. From the resources that they include to the titles of the lessons, we will take an in-depth dive into the similarities and differences between Gospel Project Curriculum and Grow Curriculum.
After reading this, you will be able to choose the curriculum that’s right for you with confidence. Put the kids of your ministry first with a curriculum created by professionals to help them meet Jesus the right way. First up, we have Gospel Project, the curriculum from LifeWay that has taken Sunday schools by storm.
Gospel Project
As one of the most popular curriculum choices out there, Gospel Project is a favorite for a reason. Developed by LifeWay, one of the largest Christian publishers and retailers, it offers curriculum options for preschool-age kids through to adulthood. If you’re looking for one solution that will provide extensive high-quality resources for all your church members, Gospel Project is a great way to go.
The Gospel Project is a LifeWay Sunday school curriculum delivered in a chronological, easy-to-digest format, guiding kids through the journey of the Bible in a way that makes sense. This curriculum will hold your students’ hand along their path to building a deep and lasting relationship with God, from Genesis to Revelation. A Christ-centered, chronological method is ideal for people of all ages, from your littlest preschool learners to your teenage students, to your adult congregation.
Support your kids as they build and maintain a meaningful relationship with the Holy Spirit using the Gospel Project curriculum. As each lesson naturally points to Jesus as the redeemer, teacher, Lord, and Savior, the kids at your church will grow up with an intuitive understanding of His grace. Show them His kindness through a diverse range of activities, including songs, dance, creative projects, and more.
Summary
Gospel Project curriculum is a LifeWay curriculum that leads people of all ages towards Jesus by celebrating His joy in chronological order, adapted to each age group.
What’s Included
- Starter kits – include an activity pack, videos, music, and more
- Leader guides
- Kids resources
- Small group resources
- One-time purchases – posters that create a mural to show how the entire Bible points to Jesus
- Quarterly digital products
Key Features
- The Gospel Project curriculum is organized into three-year cycles, with new volumes released every three months.
- A chronological study plan from Genesis to Revelation that unites scripture's big story and themes.
- Each lesson includes an engaging activity, small group discussion questions, and a memory verse.
Pricing
Adapt your membership to suit the specific needs of your church and pay only what you need to. They offer six different sizes, ranging from fewer than 50 attendees to more than 800, helping you to build the perfect plan for your kids. Here’s how much The Gospel Project curriculum for preschool and kids would cost your church:
1-50 Students
Basic: $65/per month
Plus: $111/per month
51-100 Students
Basic: $102/per month
Plus: $148/per month
101-200 Students
Basic: $140/per month
Plus: $186/per month
201-400 Students
Basic: $219/per month
Plus: $265/per month
401-800 Students
Basic: $262/per month
Plus: $308/per month
800+ Students
Basic: $374/per month
Plus: $420/per month
Setting up a monthly subscription helps with budgeting requirements and ensures you have fresh new content each week. If you don’t want to commit to a curriculum plan, you can opt to buy resources a la carte instead of getting the full package. Wondering if the Plus Plan is worth the extra monthly payments? Here is what’s included in each option.
Basic Plan Details
This package includes these essentials for weekly group ministry:
- Leader Guide PDFs
- Leader Guide RTFs
- Activity Page PDFs
- Learner Guide PDFs (Preteen only)
- Bible Story Pictures
- Story Point Posters
- Countdown Videos
- Bible Story Videos
- Questions from Kids Videos
- Mission Videos
- Leader Audio Training
- PowerPoint Presentations
- Visual Aids (Charts, Maps, etc.)
- At-Home Resources for Family Worship
Plus Plan Details
This package includes everything in the Basic plan, plus these handy extras for an extra hour of class:
- Worship Guide PDFs
- Worship Guide RTFs
- Worship Activity PDFs
- Worship Videos and Audio
- Resources for a Midweek Discipleship Experience
Grow Curriculum
We all want to grow alongside their faith, which is exactly what the Grow Curriculum offers. It is a comprehensive curriculum strategy for churches that looks at the bigger picture, catering to people of all ages. Grow has something for everyone, from preschool kids just beginning their learning journey to adults who want to grow stronger in their faith.
Grow kids' curriculum promises to help youngsters learn to spread their wings, but it also helps church leaders to grow their ministry too. Even if you aren't interested in increasing the size of your team or the number of attendees, you undoubtedly want to increase the efficacy of your volunteer team and boost the involvement of parents. Grow curriculum aims to do this while encouraging children's spiritual development, both at church and at home.
While many curriculum options can cater to people of all ages, from childhood to adulthood, Grow stands out because it is a strategy. Unlike the Gospel Project — which is entirely focused on visiting Christ in the Bible — Grow will help you strengthen your ministry. Partnering with parents is essential for modern ministry, and Grow prioritizes familial involvement every step of the way.
Summary
Grow curriculum is an all-in-one ministry strategy for your church, including a curriculum for people of all ages, planning tools, and helpful resources for parents.
What’s Included in “Grow Your Kids”
For Families
- Family events
- 12 parenting tip videos
- Discussion groups
- Communication plan
- Social media posts
- Online parent hub
Events For
- Fall
- Winter
- Spring
- Summer
- Vacation Bible School
Annual Planning Tools
- Calendars
- Monthly and weekly to-do lists
- Annual planning meeting kit
- Tutorial videos
- Calendar cards
- Style guides
- Strategy guides
Teaching
- 52 weeks of teaching
- Preschool and elementary curriculum
- Hacks for toddlers and preteens
- Hacks for kids with special needs
- Memory verse videos
- Coloring book pages
- Parent and volunteer emails
- Shopping and prep lists
Volunteers
- Kick-off event
- Volunteer meeting guides
- 12 volunteer tip videos
- Volunteer celebration ideas
- Volunteer T-shirt designs
- Monthly volunteer devotionals
- Volunteer hub and emails
Pricing
With Grow, you can choose between two different price brackets. Grow Your Kids is centered on curriculum and discipleship, while Grow Your Kids Ministry includes everything listed above. Check out their website for the complete list of all you will receive with each price bracket.
Unlike the Gospel Project, Grow does not accept monthly payments but instead requires upfront payments to cover everything you receive. They highlight that smaller churches shouldn’t be scared off by this investment, as they welcome smaller churches. Even though they offer a lot of resources for volunteers, you don’t need a lot of workers to get started.
Grow Your Kids: $597/year
Grow Your Kids Ministry: $997/year or $289/quarterly
Which is Better?
After considering the Gospel Project and Grow in detail, Gospel Project curriculum takes the lead for several reasons. Although the price tag might discourage some churches with a small budget, when you compare it to the annual cost of Grow you’re actually making big savings considering the amount of quality content you receive! Their premium option includes countless extras that will help your ministry with organization and growth in general.
Gospel Project considers your ministry as a whole, from the moment a preschool child enters to the older members of your church who have been in attendance for years. By recognizing that your church is made up of many parts, it works alongside you to create a strategy that will serve every member of your church, making daily tasks a breeze. If neither of these feels right for you, check out this blog for more kids’ ministry curriculum providers, which includes a breakdown of the fantastic other options available like Orange Curriculum.