ORANGE PARENTS
Together, Reggie Joiner and Carey Nieuwhof wrote the book Parenting Beyond your Capacity, published by David C. Cook 2010, to remind parents that they don’t have to parent alone. Please join Reggie, Carey, and others as they continue the conversation in this blog and expand on the concepts of their book.

JIM WIDEMAN
Welcome to jimwideman.com the internet home of Jim Wideman Ministries, Inc.
Jim has a burning desire to help others on their leadership journey. Jim Wideman Ministries was established in 1983 to provide practical, proven resources for Children’s Ministers.

KIDOLOGIST by KARL BASTIAN
Karl’s Mission Statement: To Reach and Teach as many children as possible with the Good News of God’s Love, and in the process to Enlist, Equip and Encourage others to do the same

GROWING KIDS MINISTRY
Growing Kids Ministry: A place to share stories, resources and ideas. Children’s Ministry Workers, let’s grow together. “Growing Kids Ministry” can mean so many things.

ELEMENTAL CHILDREN’S MINISTRY
Long gone are the days of cookie cutter ministry. We need to innovate and adjust. It’s only when we grate against each others’ ideas that we can help children and families discover God’s story and how they can find their place in that story. Come join the conversation as we try to figure out what this children’s ministry thing is all about.

RYAN FRANK
Ryan Frank is the children’s pastor at Liberty Baptist Church in Sweetser, Indiana. He is the creator of KidzMatter Inc. and the publisher of K! Magazine. Ryan also serves on the board of directors for the International Network of Children’s Ministry and the American Children’s Ministers’ Association.

CM EDGE
CM Edge isn’t just another children’s ministry podcast. We are a diverse group of people who love what we do and love talking about it! Some of us are children’s pastors and others of us aren’t. What we do have in common is our desire to advance God’s Kingdom.

GINA MCCLAIN
I follow Christ, develop People, equip Teams, and empower Parents.
I’m the wife of Kyle, mom of Keegan, Josie & Connor, and lover of coffee.
I read profusely, blog transparently, and put my foot in my mouth regularly.

KID INSPIRATION BY DAVE WAKERLY
David and his wife Beci Wakerley are Children’s Pastors in Sydney, Australia. David writes most of the words contained here at this blog including this little Bio which he is writing in the third person, otherwise it would get rather confusing.

SAM LUCE
My name is Sam Luce and I have been the children’s pastor at Redeemer Church in Utica NY for the past 13 years. I am passionate about empowering the local church to effectively communicate the gospel to kids and minister to families. When I am not working I love spending time with my beautiful wife and three kids.

Related Posts

• September 7, 2010 -- Orange Visual
• September 6, 2010 -- BHAG…who’s influencing who?
• August 31, 2010 -- DISCIPLINE…it’s not a dirty word!
• August 27, 2010 -- The Muppet Show…
• August 23, 2010 -- Dinosaurs & Fire Breathing Dragons!

Related Posts

• November 16, 2009 -- Jumping Back In…
• September 8, 2010 -- Top Ten Children’s Ministry Blogs
• September 6, 2010 -- BHAG…who’s influencing who?
• August 31, 2010 -- DISCIPLINE…it’s not a dirty word!
• August 27, 2010 -- The Muppet Show…

Children’s Ministries in general have a well defined target of influence…children and their parents.  Two of the major influences in the lives of kids today include the Disney Company and Nickelodeon.  Born in the 1990′s, Nickelodeon has grown so large that half of all kids watching commercial television at any moment are watching Nickelodeon.

The average American kid is watching 27 hours of television a week according to the latest data from the Nielsen Company. That’s huge!  We are trying to reach those same kids with an average of 40 hours of influence a YEAR!  In my mind that places a priority on every minute we have with our kids.  The very best way we can leverage those hours of influence is to engage our parents outside of Sunday with the message and give them the tools they need.

So what’s a BHAG? A Big Hairy Audacious Goal!  It’s been said if we can accomplish our vision with our own intelligence, strength and resources then our vision is too small.  My BHAG is to make contact with and increase our influence on the approximately 20,000 children that live within a few miles of church facility.

How are we going to accomplish our goal?  Prayer – Planning – Preparation – Persistence.  This will include recruiting, building, contacting schools, and more.  Our vision as a ministry is “Connecting Kids and Parents to Jesus to Rescue the Next Generation.”  My prayer is we use every available resource to make this BHAG a reality.

Related Posts

• November 16, 2009 -- Jumping Back In…
• August 31, 2010 -- DISCIPLINE…it’s not a dirty word!
• August 27, 2010 -- The Muppet Show…
• August 23, 2010 -- Dinosaurs & Fire Breathing Dragons!
• February 2, 2010 -- Top Ten Reasons YOU Should Be at The Orange Conference

One of our core values at Desert View and in Kid’s View (our Children’s Ministry) is being in the Word and memorizing scripture. This month our virtue is Peace – proving you care more about others than winning an argument.  For me personally it can be tough to concede in an argument particularly when I feel that I am right.  One such incident happened this week.

As you may know, I coach youth football.  I love the game and love working with the boys.  I also look at coaching football as an opportunity to have influence in their lives at a very impressionable age.  Sports can teach life-long values and help boys become young men of character.  One of the toughest parts of coaching youth sports can be dealing with parents.  This past week I had an incident with a parent that escalated to the point of requiring an Executive Board Meeting.

This meeting had the potential to become heated, even explosive.  When we sat down with this parent our decision on consequences had already been determined.  As you can imagine it was not well received.  One thing that kept running through my mind was “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.” Romans 14:19  I mean it was as clearly audible to me as any voice sitting at the table.  I just kept hearing it!

This is the memory verse for the month of August in our children’s ministry.  I know that my attitudes and reactions in this meeting were directly influenced by this Bible verse.  God was speaking to me “loud and clear.”  As a result of knowing the verse and hearing the voice I believe we left the meeting with a better than expected result.

God does speak and we need to be hearing his voice.  Get in the Word – Study the Word – Memorize the Word.  Hear God speak to you too!

Related Posts

• September 6, 2010 -- BHAG…who’s influencing who?
• August 23, 2010 -- Dinosaurs & Fire Breathing Dragons!
• February 25, 2010 -- Making Vision Stick
• February 2, 2010 -- Top Ten Reasons YOU Should Be at The Orange Conference
• January 20, 2010 -- ORANGE-Mania

Sometimes I think we forget the benefits of true apologetics.  Sunday I was reminded of how subtle belief shifts can go a long way to dismantling the faith of a young believer.  Here are some FAQ’s that are addressed at www.creationministries.org:

What’s the problem with putting millions of years into the Bible?

Where did Cain’s wife come from?

How did Noah fit millions of animals into the Ark?

If we all descended from Adam and Eve, where did the different races come from?

How do dinosaurs fit into a young earth perspective?

Russ states: “When I saw the overwhelming facts which destroy evolution, and “millions of years” beliefs, combined with the facts which support the biblical accounts of creation and the global flood, I quickly realized that I had been fooled, as are millions of well-meaning people.”

My challenge to you this week is explore the facts and come to your own conclusions.  Share what you learn with others and take back the Creation Story as it is told in the Bible!

Related Posts

• September 6, 2010 -- BHAG…who’s influencing who?
• August 31, 2010 -- DISCIPLINE…it’s not a dirty word!
• November 16, 2009 -- Jumping Back In…
• September 8, 2010 -- Top Ten Children’s Ministry Blogs
• August 27, 2010 -- The Muppet Show…

Question for the day:  Is there a regularly scheduled time when your child/children/family has a mandate to be “disconnected” from media?  What are some ways as a family that you could better use that time?  Relational connections are extremely important to family health and time is a key component to building those connections.  As parents we should take the lead and be the example for setting healthy boundaries.

Related Posts

• November 16, 2009 -- Jumping Back In…
• September 7, 2010 -- Orange Visual
• August 27, 2010 -- The Muppet Show…
• August 20, 2010 -- A Fresh Coat of Paint!
• September 6, 2010 -- BHAG…who’s influencing who?

It always strikes me as humorous when those of us involved in ministry see other outside activities as competition for our events. First, I view the events that we plan for our children and families as valuable and important for everyone involved. Second, I see great value in other activities outside the church.  It seems to me that we should ask ourselves several questions as we attempt to reach families and teach them how to grow spiritually:

1. When we offer an event do we consider the families existing schedule and commitments?
2. Is the event we are planning truly going to make an impact or are we just continuing something because we’ve always done it?
3. Are we scheduling so many classes and events that it would hinder a families’ opportunity to connect to their community?

Concerning question number one; too often the church calendar is planned without even considering community events.  To me this comes off as arrogant and foolish.  When a missionary goes into a foreign country one of the things they invest a great deal of time in is discovering how that community functions.  Why would we attempt to reach our community without the same mindset?  If our goal is to reach our community we should take the time and look at what activities are taking place inside our community before creating our own schedule.

Question number two should be asked of every event we undertake.  Too often events at church are planned and presented just because it’s what we always do.  Every event should be evaluated under the microscope of the event’s goal and value.  Some events simply need to be reinvented while others simply need to be dropped because they no longer achieve the desired goal.

Now let’s take a look at question number three. My family and I recently moved from Texas (the belt buckle of the Bible Belt) out west to Arizona.  I can say with complete conviction that the way most families view church here is a great deal different from how it’s viewed in the Bible belt.  I also know from personal experience that those of us active in church can become so involved with church activities that we are no longer connected with our communities.  This tendency to become insulated from the outside is what one author dubbed the “Christian Ghetto.”  The longer you have been a believer who is active in your church the more intentional you must be to connect with an unbelieving community.  I believe our call to be “salt and light” is too often forgotten and we simply become a “holy huddle” that is no longer focused on the “main thing.” Our family’s experience in youth sports has been one of the best ways to connect with our community.  We have the opportunity to develop close relationships with many families who otherwise would have little or no connection to a local church.  Our goal as a family is to share Jesus in a relational context by simply being who we are as a member of our community.  Men who would never talk to a “pastor” will share what’s going on with their friend the “Coach.”

My challenge to all of us is:

1. Ask the three questions of every event we plan.
2. Make a commitment to find a way to embrace youth sports and other extracurricular activities in order to make a difference.
3. Be “Salt and Light” outside the doors of your church.

Related Posts

• September 7, 2010 -- Orange Visual
• September 6, 2010 -- BHAG…who’s influencing who?
• August 31, 2010 -- DISCIPLINE…it’s not a dirty word!
• August 27, 2010 -- The Muppet Show…
• February 25, 2010 -- Making Vision Stick

First, I thought I would share about our trip to Tanzania along with some general thoughts about missions.  We took a team of 3 women and 2 men to Tanzania for the purpose of presenting a VBS program to missionary children.  AIM, African Inland Missions, is the group who extended the invitation to our team and provided housing for our team.  AIM has missionaries that serve in several different areas throughout Tanzania.  Each year AIM hosts a missionary conference as a way to connect and encourage the missionaries throughout the country.

We looked at this as an opportunity to provide a much needed service to the missionaries and at the same time expand the influence of our CM beyond our community.  I think with those goals in mind we achieved both.  Another goal was to expand the life-experience of some key members of our Children’s Ministry Team and hopefully give them fresh eyes for ministry.  The ladies that traveled with me are key leaders here at Desert View and they were great on our trip. I know that this experience has influenced the way they view our role in both the community we live in and the world we are trying to reach.

Being among people who have given their lives to sharing the gospel with unreached people groups is truly a stretching experience.   Every time I’ve visited a place like Tanzania I am reminded of how spoiled we are and how much sacrifice these missionaries have made to reach others.  Suddenly, the things that seem so important – CM budgets, staff shortages, etc – don’t seem to be that much of an obstacle.  When you are in a place that the electricity may or may not continue working and where you are staying is patrolled by armed guards you get a fresh perspective.

So what about missions in general?  One of our 2010 goals here at Desert View is to refocus our mission efforts.  We have a couple of local mission efforts we support and we have a couple of global mission efforts we support.  It has been said that you must give up some good things to accomplish great things.  That is the view we are taking as we move forward with our mission planning.  What questions are you asking about missions?  What experiences are you seeking as a team?  Have you given thought to how you can engage families in local mission efforts?

Related Posts

• September 6, 2010 -- BHAG…who’s influencing who?
• August 27, 2010 -- The Muppet Show…
• September 7, 2010 -- Orange Visual
• August 31, 2010 -- DISCIPLINE…it’s not a dirty word!
• August 23, 2010 -- Dinosaurs & Fire Breathing Dragons!

Step 1
Remove your Emotions from the Situation.
Take a deep breath, walk out of the office for a minute and maybe get something to drink (not that kind of drink!). This step allows me to be objective as I begin to evaluate the details of the issue. Too often our first response to a complaint is emotional which can lead to poor communication and serve to exacerbate the issue.

Step 2
Look for the Humor in the Situation
I often find that if I look at the situation clearly there is typically a way to see the humor in the issue. Maybe that’s because I simply have a twisted sense of what’s funny or I just like to laugh. However, this step does allow me to lighten the mood and make processing through to the resolution easier.

Step 3
Seek the Advice of Others
If you are on staff then use the wisdom of your team members to help you sort through the issue before you respond. Often an objective observer is the best person to help us recognize when we need to make corrections. I find that another voice speaking into the situation is invaluable to finding resolution.

Step 4
Evaluate the Legitimacy of the Complaint
Sometimes we can become so invested in a particular way of doing things that we don’t see what others see clearly. Take a step back and walk through the details of the issue with a fresh perspective. We may find that there is at least some need for change and our ministry could possibly benefit from making the change.

Step 5
Pray
Pray for wisdom. Pray for direction. Pray for acceptance.

Step 6
Make Contact
Once we have processed through the issue and have arrived at a response then we should respond quickly. Open lines of communication are the best was to resolve conflict. Don’t just let it go!

Technorati Tags: Children’s-Ministry, Youth-Ministry, Family-Ministry, Preschool-Ministry, Kids-Ministry, Sunday-School

Related Posts

• September 7, 2010 -- Orange Visual
• September 6, 2010 -- BHAG…who’s influencing who?
• August 31, 2010 -- DISCIPLINE…it’s not a dirty word!
• August 27, 2010 -- The Muppet Show…
• November 16, 2009 -- Jumping Back In…

We live a society that often says “Winning isn’t everything it’s the only thing!”

So how does this apply to ministry? If things are going OK and the ministry is moving along why change anything?  I believe we can get into a comfort zone and become complacent and even develop a fear of change.  It’s often easier to maintain the status quo rather than make a change and risk failure. Failure should not be feared it should be evaluated and sometimes even embraced to a degree.  I often learn more from my failures (yes, I’ve had a few J) that I do from my successes.

One thing for sure is that if you never try anything new the risk of failure is diminished.  However, the risk of not reaching your ministry potential is dramatically increased.  We serve an awesome, creative God and His desire is for us to step out on faith and do something extraordinary.  When was the last time an event required real faith and held the potential for massive failure?  The only person who never fails is the one who never tries anything new.

We shouldn’t be so consumed with getting the win that we don’t “step up a division.”  Dream Big, Plan Well & Go For it!

Technorati Tags: Children’s-Ministry, Youth-Ministry, Family-Ministry, Preschool-Ministry, Kids-Ministry, Sunday-School, Winning, Losing, Leadership

Related Posts

• August 31, 2010 -- DISCIPLINE…it’s not a dirty word!
• August 3, 2009 -- Don’t Hoard Ministry
• July 28, 2009 -- First Impressions – There are NO Do Overs!
• September 8, 2010 -- Top Ten Children’s Ministry Blogs
• September 7, 2010 -- Orange Visual