How to Involve Elementary Kids in Ministry
In many church models, from birth to young adults, we ask kids to sit and consume. We mean well. We want them to learn about Jesus and follow Him. However, in practice, many times this means coming to a service, joining a small group, and watching what happens.
These are all good things, but they are also passive. In a service, we sit to be fed. In small group, we sit to be fed.
But this is not what Jesus modeled for us.
Using Planning Center Services in Your Ministry
A few weeks ago, I talked about how to set up Planning Center Services. You can see that post here. But once you get Services all set up, how do you use it week in and week out? How do you handle volunteer declines? How do you communicate with them what you’re doing in service, and how can they be prepared?
In this post, I’ll answer all those questions.
Finding the Help You Need with Next Level Kidmin
When I first started out in kidmin, I felt like I was alone. I’d served two internships in children’s ministry. And I still had a good relationship with the kid’s pastor who guided me on my last one. However, I didn’t know what I didn’t know.
Fast-forward a year in and I was drowning. I thought I had it all under control, but elementary was the David Reneau show. Wednesday night was holding together with a hope and a prayer, and don't’ even get me started on Nursery.
I needed help, but I didn’t know where to look
Setting Up Planning Center Services for Your Ministry
One of the most useful tools in my ministry career is Planning Center. I reference it frequently in my posts about planning. As much as I love the program, it can be daunting to a first-time user. That’s why I wrote this post about Check-ins.
Setting up Planning Center Check-ins can be complicated. But Planning Center Services is on another level.
When God Changes Your Calling
It was the week between Christmas and New Years of 2020. It had been a hard year, and I was on the edge of burn out. As I was taking stock of the year and planning for what’s next, I realized I was missing something.
As I planned out my kidmin calendar for 2021, it looked remarkably like the 2020 plan before COVID. I didn’t have any new ideas or initiatives. Nothing was waking me up early excited about what to do next. Children’s ministry just didn’t motivate me as much as before.
5 Steps to Easy VBS Dismissal
You’ve had an awesome night of VBS. You had a ton of kids. More than you originally planned. Now all their parents are outside, and you need to get those kids to their parents safely, quickly, and efficiently.
Good luck!
Making Service Happen (Before Sunday)
It was a really busy week. I was bi-vocational and had a hundred different things pulling away my time and attention. Sunday morning was here and in about an hour I’d have 20 kids show up looking to learn about Jesus.
The problem was that I didn’t have anything prepared. No big idea, memory verse, Bible story, worship songs. Nothing.
3 Events to Transition Your Kidmin to the Next Grade
With the end of the school year upon us, so many kids pastors are asking the questions, “when should we move up our kids? What should we do to make it special?”
7 Steps to Resource Your VBS Volunteers for Success Part 2
In my previous post, I talked about the importance of having a strong volunteer team for your VBS. In order to have a strong team you have to work hard and fast to get them ready. You only have weeks, not months to get them ready.
7 Steps to Resource Your VBS Volunteers for Success Part 1
One of the biggest indicators of a successful VBS is the strength of your volunteer team. You can’t do this big event on your own. I’ve led many VBSs with hundreds of kids in attendance, and it’s my team that made it all happen.
3 Summer Priorities for Pastors
t was my first summer as a full-time kids’ pastor. I was so excited to have time and the budget to do all the things I’d been dreaming about but couldn’t do. I took my Junior Bible Quiz team to Nationals in Orlando (with a stop at Disney), then took my kids to camp for a week. Then, I spent a week getting ready for VBS. Followed by a week of VBS. Oh, and a Father’s Day Car Show in between.
By the time June was over I was exhausted.
How to Engage Older Kids in Your Kidmin
One of the hardest parts of kidmin is dealing with older kids in the late spring early summer. They get their own version of senioritis. They will check out completely, complain they’re bored, or misbehave.
As their behavior degrades, you can see the younger kids follow suit.
Pre-service Activities for your Kidmin
So, you have your service planned and ready to go. Your volunteers are in place. Your check-in stations are ready. If the kids started coming right now, you’d be ready. The problem is that the kids don’t all come at once.
An Egg Hunt Devotional: The ABC's of Salvation
You’ve planned your Egg Hunt, you have the whole schedule put together. You know people are coming and you want to tell them about Jesus. But you only have a limited space to tell them because of time constraints and attention span.
So how do you present the Gospel in a compelling way in just a few minutes?
How to Go from Two Services to One
Some churches are looking to go from two services to one. I know going from that can seem like a downer. It looks like you’re taking a step back. However, this isn’t always the case. In my experience, I’ve seen two reasons why a church will move from one service to two.
6 Steps to Effectively Delegate in Ministry
But over the years, I’ve realized I can’t do everything. I’m not good at everything and nor are you. The mission God has given us is too big for one person. Jesus even said the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. (Matthew 9:37) See that? “Workers” is plural. We were never meant to do ministry alone.
Your Complete Egg Hunt Service Schedule
Egg Hunts can be so much more than just grab some eggs and go home. In fact, if that is all your event is, you’re missing out on a great opportunity to reach your community. I’ve run egg hunts for years. In They became family traditions for the whole neighborhood.
VBS Planning Calendar: 9 Steps to Success
If you’re in kidmin, Vacation Bible School can be one of the biggest events of the year. It takes a lot planning, organizing, recruiting, vision casting, prayer and so much more.
4 Ways to Celebrate Kidmin Birthdays
I have a confession to make. I’m horrible at celebrating birthdays. Both personally and in the ministry. I don’t have excuses; it is what it is. But for kids, their birthday is one of the most important days of the year. Next to Christmas, there isn’t a day they look forward toward more.
Because the day is so special I had to make a change.
Making Your Vision Stick: 3 Essential Elements
One of the keys to sharing your wins is linking them to your vision. However, casting your vision that is compelling and memorable can be difficult. You want it to be short enough to evoke emotion, but long enough to encompass all you’re trying to do in your ministry.
Get resources to lead well in your ministry.
Your volunteers are the greatest asset to your VBS. You need to give them all the tools to be successful. With this template, you’ll have all the tools you need to show them what to expect and what’s expected.