It’s No Picnic!
Uh, well actually it is. We’ve been working on Picnic for about a year now. I can’t believe the first year is finally completed. Take a look. See what you think. This is our first preschool curriculum in 10 years! And seriously…what is more fun than taking preschoolers on a picnic? For free samples and [...]
Beth Guckenberger Rocks CPC
I just returned from a spectacular Children’s Pastors’ Conference in Orlando. Michael Chanley has done an amazing job reinventing and reinvigorating CPC. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better… Michael introduced Beth Guckenberger, a missionary to the orphans in Monterrey, Mexico. Initially, I was surprised that this young, fiery girl was chosen to [...]
What I’m teaching at CPC
I’m teaching two breakouts at the Children’s Pastors’ Conference. I am pumped about both of them. They are back-to-back on the same day and in the same room. Here’s the Orlando schedule. Both breakouts are in Yucatan 1. Seating is limited. EVERY attendee will get… Workshop Booklet Discount Code for Curriculum, etc. Chance to Win [...]
What’s the Book About?
Here’s a quick summary of what my new book, Jumping the Track, is about. BUY NOW For more information about the book, go to Jumping the Track web site
CPC Here We Come!
The Children’s Pastors’ Conference is just around the corner! Jan. 11-14 (Orlando) Feb. 27- Mar 1 (San Diego) I have to tell you, when I travel I am amazed that there are some who do not know about CPC. I suppose the high turnover rate in children’s ministry has something to do with that. But [...]
The KidMin Cup
It’s gonna get ugly! The KidMin Cup Sand Volleyball Tourney January 12 at 7:00pm Orlando The Orlando Children’s Pastors’ Conference in affiliation with Blitz Ministries will be hosting the first ever East vs. West KidMin Sand Volleyball Tournament. The tournament is officially sanctioned by the International Network of Children’s Ministries. The games will be held [...]
Time to Find Our Voice
A chronic complaint among kidmin is that we aren’t taken seriously enough. Often we have lamented the fact that we are treated as child care providers rather than ministers. Well, here’s an opportunity to be a ministry, to stand up on a cultural issue that strikes at the very heart of children’s well-being in this [...]
Why We Are Losing the Boys
In Boys Adrift by Dr. Leonard Sax, the author examines why boys are becoming so demotivated in today’s society. One of his conclusions is a well-researched finding that correlates the lack of competition in education with boys losing their desire to excel. Destined to stir up some debate, Sax argues that because boys and girls [...]
What’s the Secret Sauce of KidMin?
What is the most vital thing I learned in 15 years of intense children’s/family ministry? What is THE one thing? Kidz Blitz events have been the most sought-after, successful kidmin/fammin events for most of the fifteen years since it began. That’s not hype. It is fact. We have conducted family/kids events in hundreds and hundreds [...]
Children’s Camp for Atheists?
Just when I thought I had seen it all, I stumble upon this atheist camp for children. With about ten locations in America, and a few abroad, Camp Quest is designed to promote skepticism, free-thinking and atheism to kids 8-17. To be fair, it not only seeks to dismantle belief in God, but also anything [...]
Suddenly
There are a lot of “suddenly”s in the Bible. God touched someone’s life, spoke to someone or reveled Himself and everything changed…instantly. It doesn’t take 3000 hours to impact a life. It doesn’t even take 40 hours. It takes God an instant. God’s love and grace can penetrate someone’s life/heart in lightning speed when the [...]
How Take Home Papers Comprise Saturn’s Rings
I have often stated that Saturn’s Rings are comprised mainly of discarded take home papers from children’s ministry. This little known fact is increasingly capturing the imagination of kidmin people. Many have asked me how kidmin papers make their way to Saturn. So I thought it might be good to offer an explanation of this [...]
Top 5 Things I Like About CMX
Children’s Ministry Expo OK, I know I’m not an impartial bystander for CMX. Kidz Blitz sponsors this event. So I am biased. But I do love it. Here are some reasons why. I like… 1. Seeing a lot of new resources I didn’t know much about. Some of them I didn’t even know existed until [...]
7 Things That Will Conspire to Crush Your Heart
Do you know the 7 things that will conspire to crush your heart for Children’s Ministry? Here they are in no particular order. Unsupportive Pastor Disinterested Congregation Low/No Budget Lame Facility Unpaid Position Rowdy Kids Undependable Workers So what? Most of us have experienced at least half of these heart crushers. Laugh at their feeble [...]
Black Hole
KidMin: Black Hole of the Church Some people in your church view children’s ministry as a black hole. They don’t know exactly what it is, but they fear if they get too close it will suck them in never to be seen again. Make sure people know that your children’s ministry has a back door. [...]
8 Reasons Why KidMin is Superior to Other Ministries
This is part fun and part serious. See what you think… 1. Jesus had a KidMin. Jesus didn’t seem to target specific groups like seniors, teens, singles (except maybe the Woman at the Well). He did specifically target kids. Numerous times Jesus called kids to Himself (Mt. 18:2, Mk. 10:14, Lk. 18:16) 2. Only ministry [...]
Hot KidMin Wednesdays
Let’s start a nationwide movement of KidMin people eating together every Wednesday at a local Mexican restaurant. All it takes is one person per city/town to get the word out. Copy this pic on your Facebook status page and tag the local kidmin people you know. RULES: Pick one Mexican restaurant and stick with it [...]
Uprising
Join me at Uprising! The Uprising Conference is a super-cool event put on by my home church, Quest Community Church. Pete Hise and Erwin McManus are both amazing leaders who will enlarge your vision for what the church can be. It is a one-day conference with some pre-conference stuff the day before. Kidz Blitz will [...]
Meet Edwin Schlossberg
Leonard Sweet called Edwin Schlossberg’s book Interactive Excellence a game-changer. Why? First, who is Edwin Schlossberg. Most know him as husband to Caroline Kennedy, John F. Kennedy’s daughter. With a Ph.D. from Columbia University Edwin Schlossberg changed museum design forever (as in never-to-be-the-same-again-forever). If there is any job more boring than church design it might [...]
Team Players Need Not Apply
I look for renegades, not team players. I don’t need a bunch of people who think like me. I already think like me. Why do I need more people like me? I want people who think differently from me. Give me people off the beaten path. You can keep your bland/typical churchgoer types who have [...]
Why I am Not a Fan of Multi-Media
I love techy stuff: Twitter, Macs, Facebook, WordPress, etc. but I am not a fan of depending on multi-media—videos, Power Point, etc.–for children’s church. Multi-media is cool for praise/worship, but not my preferred teaching style. Being MMD (Multi-Media Dependent) is not…well…healthy. Here is why. 1. I like stuff that works ALL the time. When I [...]
KidMin Unafraid
Timidity is the cancer of modern ministry. Ministers are allowing fear to guide their dialog and actions. Understandably, churches/ministries are hesitant to do, or say, anything outside of what has become culturally acceptable. The climate that is becoming increasingly hostile toward Christianity and we all feel that. We can talk about love, acceptance, diversity, social [...]
Top 10 KidMin Secrets
1. The way you carry yourself makes a difference. Remember you are a minister, not a big kid. If you conduct yourself like a big kid don’t be surprised when no one respects your ministry. Act like you believe in what you are doing. 2. Team building happens best by direct recruiting. General announcements in [...]
The Behavior Modification Myth
The greatest myth in Christianity: changing your behavior means you are in right relationship with God. You used to be a drug addict, now you are clean. You must be saved. You used to be promiscuous, now you are faithful. You must know God. You used to be mean, now you are tolerable. You must [...]
