Each Sunday morning when I stand before our kids in our large group meeting time I share the same statement:  “We have only three rules in Kid’s View and we want you to know all three rules:

Rule Number 1 – Remember why we are here.  We are here to meet with others and meet with God.

Rule Number 2 – When someone on stage is speaking you are to be listening.  Which means you would not be talking.

Rule Number 3 – Have Fun!  If we remember Rule #1 and we practice Rule #2 we will have a great time together.”

Again, I make these same statements every Sunday as a reminder to our kids.   They know them so well that they shout the last word of each statement as I say it.  Our desire is for every child to hear the message and enjoy their time in Kid’s View.  The three simple rules go a long way to help that goal be accomplished.

We also have the Three R’s as our steps for correction when a child does choose to misbehave:

R – Request the behavior stop.

R – Reseat the child in a different area if the behavior continues.

R – Remove the child from the classroom after the first two steps if necessary.

If a child has to be removed the parent is called to the classroom.  Rarely does the third R become necessary.  Our goal is for every child to hear the Gospel uninterrupted and for them to enjoy their time in Kid’s View!

Related Posts

• September 6, 2010 -- BHAG…who’s influencing who?
• August 23, 2010 -- Dinosaurs & Fire Breathing Dragons!
• November 16, 2009 -- Jumping Back In…
• August 27, 2010 -- The Muppet Show…
• February 25, 2010 -- Making Vision Stick

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…
• August 27, 2010 -- The Muppet Show…
• August 25, 2010 -- GOD DOES SPEAK!

Now summer is over (technically, it’s still over 100 degrees daily!) and we are back to using 252 curriculum in our large group time.  Well, that meant that the black wall had to go!  So after two coats of Kilz and one coat of yellow we are back to normal.  Yea!

This project got me to looking around the room and noticing a few other things that need to go.  One corner had some left over project boards,  there were some staples left in the wall from VBS and I found a few loose cotton balls rolling around.  After going through and removing the objects and painting the wall the room really had a “new” feeling to it.

It is so easy for us to get accustomed to a little mess here and there.  We need to come in each week and view our environments with fresh eyes.  That’s the way every guest views our space.  A few minutes invested this morning and our large group room really looks nice.

This week I am going to walk through each room of our Children’s Ministry with “fresh” eyes.   Why don’t you take the same challenge and see what you find.

Related Posts

• August 23, 2010 -- Dinosaurs & Fire Breathing Dragons!
• November 16, 2009 -- Jumping Back In…
• September 6, 2010 -- BHAG…who’s influencing who?
• August 31, 2010 -- DISCIPLINE…it’s not a dirty word!
• August 25, 2010 -- GOD DOES SPEAK!

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 6, 2010 -- BHAG…who’s influencing who?
• August 27, 2010 -- The Muppet Show…

As leaders we are called to develop leaders.  Developing leaders requires that we be willing to give away authority.  For some leaders it is tough to give away authority and there can be a myriad of reasons.  Let’s take a look at a couple of personal things that can get in the way.

Pride – “no one can do it a well as I can”

Too often we can have a distorted view of our own importance to the ministry.  While we may have the experience and the knowledge to get the job done sometimes we can prevent someone else from using their gifts and talents when we do it ourselves.  Someone had to be willing to let us make mistakes early on and we need to have the same attitude of grace for our team members.

Insecurity – the opposite issue from pride.  Maybe were new to the ministry or sometimes we just feel inadequate.  We can be afraid of a volunteer stepping in and performing better if we take a step back.  My goal has always been to find individuals with skills that I don’t have or that is strong in areas that I am weak.  The scriptures are very clear about how each of us has gifts and talents that when combined with others in the ministry we create a synergy that is otherwise absent.  Just know that our Heavenly Father has called us to our position and our security comes from Him.

Relational Vacuum – Jesus is our model and he developed close relationships with a core group of guys and then handed off his ministry to them.  As we develop close relationships with our team members we will have shared hopes, dreams and goals.  Some of my best CM leaders have also been my closest friends.  Be intentional about developing a close relationship with your team leaders and everyone will benefit.

So we must grow as leaders and learn to delegate, follow-up and provide regular feedback to our team.

Technorati Tags: Children’s-Ministry, Youth-Ministry, Family-Ministry, Preschool-Ministry, Kids-Ministry, Sunday-School, Ministry, Hoard, Leadership, Insecurity, Relationship, Pride

Related Posts

• August 31, 2010 -- DISCIPLINE…it’s not a dirty word!
• August 4, 2009 -- Winning & Losing
• July 28, 2009 -- First Impressions – There are NO Do Overs!
• September 6, 2010 -- BHAG…who’s influencing who?
• August 27, 2010 -- The Muppet Show…

With all that in mind let’s take a look at some things we can do evaluate as we prepare for the fall ministry season.  Here is a list of questions we can use as we walk through our facilities and think through our program:

Facility Questions:

How is space allocated for each of your age group classes?  Should we shift a class to a different room (larger or smaller) to accommodate the number of children in a particular class?

How is the traffic flow working with the current placement of our guest registration area?

Are the classrooms free of clutter?  Have the carpets been cleaned recently?  How does the room smell?  Does the paint need retouched?

Curriculum Questions:

What is the “Big Idea” for the fall? for the month?  for the season?

Who is responsible for supplies in each room?  Are the basics (glue, scissors, crayons, etc.) fresh and plentiful?

Have we removed old and dated materials?  decorations? photos?

Leadership Questions:

Have we reviewed and updated our policy manual?

Do our leaders know and accept the expectations for this season?

Is the leadership structure clear to everyone serving in the ministry?

These are just a few of the questions that we can ask in order to make sure we make a great First Impression on our new guests this fall.  Use these as a spring board to more and deeper questions as we continue to give our very best.

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

Related Posts

• August 31, 2010 -- DISCIPLINE…it’s not a dirty word!
• August 4, 2009 -- Winning & Losing
• August 3, 2009 -- Don’t Hoard Ministry
• September 6, 2010 -- BHAG…who’s influencing who?
• August 27, 2010 -- The Muppet Show…

Leadership is tough.

So if you’re going to be the leader here are some things you’re going to need to stay in the game:

1. Determination – it inspires people.  Others want to know that you’re determined to accomplish your goals and that you’re not going to quit the first time trouble comes your way.  Guess what? If you’re the leader you’ve got to have goals and be committed to see them through to completion.  This builds confidence in those who are following you.
2. Consistency – it’s the glue that keeps them team together.  Plans change, feelings change, team members change.  A strong leader is going to know the objective and keep pushing forward when things get tough.
3. Passion – it’s the fuel that drives you.  Leadership is hard.  Leadership can be exhausting.  Leadership can be lonely.  You have got to love what you do and have an inner fire that burns brightly to keep going.   When you’re passionate about something you will do what it takes to succeed.

Leading a Ministry can be a difficult assignment.  It is not for the faint of heart or for the easily discouraged.  When God calls you to do something he will give you the skills to get it done.  That doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy.  Remember “we battle not against flesh and blood but against principalities of darkness.”  If you’re not being criticized, or in some fashion hindered, you may not be accomplishing anything for the Kingdom.

Technorati Tags: Children’s-Ministry, Youth-Ministry, Family-Ministry, Sunday-School, Children’s-Church, Leadership, Determination, Consistency, Passion, Religion, Church, Christianity

Related Posts

• August 31, 2010 -- DISCIPLINE…it’s not a dirty word!
• August 23, 2010 -- Dinosaurs & Fire Breathing Dragons!
• August 4, 2009 -- Winning & Losing
• August 3, 2009 -- Don’t Hoard Ministry
• July 30, 2009 -- What’s Your Passion?

10. JellyTelly
The latest creation from Phil Vischer (Creator of VeggieTales) and a place where kids can be entertained and at the same time learn biblical principals.

9. ChildrensMinistry.com - Children’s Ministry Magazine
The magazine for those involved in Children’s Ministry. The site contains a variety of resources that will benefit you and your team.

8. Sam Luce
Sam is a children’s pastor in Utica, New York whose is passionate about helping others reach kids for Christ.

7. Multi Site Kids
A great resource for those seeking to add structure to their organization including detailed job descriptions for a variety of positions.

6. Lifechurch.tv
Life Church Open provide resources in a ready to download format and best of all it FREE.

5. Kidology
Karl Bastien began Kidology in 1994 and it has grown into an incredible resource for Children’s Ministry.:

4. Kidz Matter & K! Magazine
Creative media teaching resources and the new K! Magazine has articles written by a variety of voices actively engage in serving children and families in today’s church.

3. Jim Wideman
“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.”

2. CM Connect
A great place to connect and dialogue with those who have a passion for Children’s & Family Ministry.

1. Orange Leaders
“An online curriculum with training materials for volunteers in every age-group ministry, plus personal development for ministry leaders. Orange Leaders connect here, sharing best practices and creating community among people with a common passion.”

Send me a list of your Top Ten and let me know about ones you think I should include!

Technorati Tags: Children’s-Ministry, Family-Ministry, Youth-Ministry, Kids-Ministry, Sunday-School, Children’s-Church, Leadership, Religion, Christianity, Church, Internet

Related Posts

• July 24, 2009 -- Leadership is Tough
• August 31, 2010 -- DISCIPLINE…it’s not a dirty word!
• August 23, 2010 -- Dinosaurs & Fire Breathing Dragons!
• August 4, 2009 -- Winning & Losing
• August 3, 2009 -- Don’t Hoard Ministry

10. How 2 Conference – www.how2conference.com Multiple Dates

“At any of out regional How²Children’s Ministry Conferences, you’ll learn from the best and brightest in national children’s ministry leadership. Plus at last you’ll have the time to relax, think, and put a strategy in place that smoothes out the rough spots in your ministry…and that sets an unshakable course toward ministry growth! “

9. D6 Conference – www.d6conference.com Sept 23 – 25, 2009

“The vision of The D6 Conference is to champion a movement of parents connecting with their kids spiritually to transfer their faith and life values.”

8. Children’s Pastor Conference – www.incm.org Jan 4 – 7, 2010 or March 14 -17, 2010

“CPC is one of the premier Christian ministry conferences that focuses on children’s and family ministry.”  It is an intimate conference with something for everyone.

7. Conspire Conference – http://www.willowcreek.com/conspireconference/index.shtml

“Plan now to bring your entire team to Conspire and join with more than 3,000 children’s ministry workers from around the world. Together, you’ll experience: Powerful main sessions, where you’ll connect with God and others as you learn creative, relevant, and powerful ways to grow your children’s ministry. Practical training experiences, where you can take your skills and ideas to the next level and gain inspiration from other children’s ministry leaders just like you.”

6. C3 – Creative Church Conference – http://www.fellowshipchurch.com/conferences – February 17-19, 2010

“Join Ed Young at an upcoming Creative Church Conference (C3) as he shares the life-lessons and raw truth you need as pastors and church leaders to realize God-sized dreams for your church. You will walk away with motivation, application, and innovation to take your ministry to the next level. The most important part of our conferences doesn’t happen at C3. It’s about what you take home.”

4. PDCM 2009 – Purpose Driven Children’s Ministry – www.pdcm09.com Oct 7 – 9, 2009

“Join the Saddleback Church Children’s Ministry Staff for a three day journey as they encourage your God-given leadership skills, empower you to defeat the ministry giants in your life and equip you to be a shepherd leader to your kids and volunteer leaders.”

3. Innovate 09 – Exposed – www.wiredchurches.com/innovate Sept 24 – 25, 2009

“What you’ve heard is true. Times are tough. The economy has tanked. Unemployment is up. Political and cultural upheaval is intense. How do you help when you have to do more with less? And who’s crazy enough to think a conference about INNOVATION makes sense in a year like this?

You are. We are too. That’s why we’re peeling back the layers and sharing the naked truth about what we’ve learned from being on the mountain top and in the valley.  No matter where you are or whether you’re a church of 50 or 8,000 – you can take away some hard earned, practical next steps from Innovate.”

2. The Napkin Conference – http://www.thechurchlv.com/napkin-conference – Feb 25 – 26 2010

“Some of the biggest ideas in the world started as a little sketch on a napkin. We know you have ideas that you’ve written or thought about. We want to come together to bring these ideas to life. This is a conference, retreat, network and relationship building gathering of children’s leaders unlike any other. Bring your whole team and let’s have some fun.”

1. Orange Conference – www.theorangeconference.com April 28 – 30, 2010

SIMPLY THE BEST!  “We are excited about seeing the changes coming to the churches of all 3,200 people that participated in Orange 2009. We had an incredible three days of challenges, conversations, debates, worship and encouragement in north Atlanta, and look forward to digging into the planning for an even more amazing event in 2010.”

There they are  – 10 of the very best opportunities to be stretched and grow!  I know that money is tight all over.  I also know that there are few things that can benefit your ministry, increase your drive and your fire up your passion like attending one of these conferences.  Let me know which ones you’ve attended and what you thought.

Technorati Tags: Children’s-Ministry, Family-Ministry, Youth-Ministry, Kids-Ministry, Ministry, Sunday-School, Children’s-Church, Conferences, Development, Team-Building, Leadership, Religion

Related Posts

• August 23, 2010 -- Dinosaurs & Fire Breathing Dragons!
• August 20, 2010 -- A Fresh Coat of Paint!
• June 15, 2009 -- Who’s Your Sidekick?
• May 29, 2009 -- The 4 C’s of Children’s Ministry Leadership – Part 4
• May 23, 2009 -- Children’s Ministry Team Building – The Why & How of Brainstorming

Discover What Only You Can Do

Each of us have certain gifts, talents & passions in our ministry. There are some things as the leader of a ministry that can best be accomplished by only you. Too often we allow the tyranny of the urgent or the volume of the squeaky wheel drain our time. A few of the things that are best done by the point person: Cast Vision, Train Leaders, Handle Upset Parents, and Build Team Unity. When we focus on the things that only we can do it magnifies our impact and increases the potential of the ministry.

Delegate Don’t Dump

As we recruit and train our teams we should be looking to for unique individuals to help compensate for our weaknesses. This requires first that we understand our own weaknesses and we’re willing to share both the responsibility and the

authority. One of the dangers is to dump everything we don’t enjoy and move on. Big Mistake! Delegation often requires more work on the front end but can pay huge dividends down the road. Delegate – to entrust or transfer (as power, authority, or responsibility) to another. To truly delegate requires transferring, training & follow-up.

Failure can be Fun

I’ve been blessed to always serve with Pastors that gave me the freedom to fail. Having been a Youth Pastor for several years, living on the edge and taking chances was just part of the DNA. One of my favorite and most appealing Summer Series led to one of our greatest blunders. When “Survivor” was at it’s peak we wrote a “Surviving Your Faith” series which included creating Tribes that competed each week. We also tried to duplicate the previous week’s TV competitions. It was a huge success with astounding numerical growth and dynamic buzz for the ministry. One week our game included breaking plates hung on our softball backstop using slingshots. The only problem was the church parking lot was directly behind the backstop! After unknowingly shooting out two car windows and dinging the pastor’s suburban someone realized what was happening and had the wisdom to stop us. Point is, we as leaders have to be willing to give our staff the same freedom to fail. When we have a volunteer who is working within the defined parameters of our ministry we should give them the freedom to try new things and follow-up with good evaluation.

Self Evaluation

Where are you on the trail to discovering your strengths and weaknesses?

Do you delegate or dump?

Do you encourage your team to take chances?

Technorati Tags: Children’s-Ministry, Family-Ministry, Youth-Ministry, Kids-Ministry, Sunday-School, Family, Youth, Kids, Children, Religion, Ministry, Church, Leadership, Delegate

Related Posts

• August 31, 2010 -- DISCIPLINE…it’s not a dirty word!
• August 23, 2010 -- Dinosaurs & Fire Breathing Dragons!
• August 4, 2009 -- Winning & Losing
• August 3, 2009 -- Don’t Hoard Ministry
• July 28, 2009 -- First Impressions – There are NO Do Overs!