Archive for 'Inspiration'
The next big thing is already here
Posted on 10. Jan, 2012 by Kenny.
Today in a staff meeting I was introduced to this quote by H. Richard Niebuhr.
“The Great Christian revolutions come not by the discover of something new that was not known before, they happen when somebody takes radically something that was already there.”
How true is this quote. The biggest way I see this quote in Kidmin is the family ministry emphasis we see ourselves in now. Ten years ago, no one was really talking “Family Ministry” the way they are today. You can’t engage a kidmin conversation without someone throwing out Deuteronomy 6. The funny thing is that Deuteronomy 6 said the same thing 10 years ago as it does now.
I love the Family Ministry revolution happening in our churches now and I look forward to seeing the long term affects. I look forward to seeing the ministry “revolution” continue to to mature and develop. However, I’m also curious as to what happens next. I wonder if it too is right in front of our noses and we’ve simply not paid attention to it like we should.
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Anyone planning to lose a few pounds in 2012?
Posted on 09. Jan, 2012 by Kenny.
I’m sure that’s probably most people who are reading this… except for Jonathan and Sam (skinny guys make me mad!). Ha!
Along with probably 90% of other people who made resolutions for 2012, I’ve made a commitment to drop some weight. Two years ago I worked every hard for three months to lose a little over 10% of my body weight. It was awesome and I was so proud of myself. Although it took me a good two years, I’m pretty much where I began two years ago… but a little more angry about it.
Here’s what I’ve learned about myself. I work best when there are goals I’m shooting for and I thrive when I’m going after it in community. Make it a little competition where the winner takes a prize… even better. Hey, I can’t change who I am, it just the way I’m wired. My involvement in a “biggest loser” competition is what helped me drop all the weight. However, after I did it, I didn’t set a new goal. I didn’t engage in a new “contest” that would keep me pointed toward healthy living. I just went on with life and got by butt kicked.
So, I’m ready for round two with a plan not to be here again. I’ve already started and amazingly have already lost 7-8 pounds… but I’ve got a long way to go. So, I’m wondering if there are any others who have “resolutions” to lose some pounds but not the accountability to keep you moving toward the goal. I thought I’d reach out to the Kidmin community and see if there were some who would be interested in doing this together. Anyone interested? I’m thinking of a 3-4 month “biggest loser” competition… maybe one with a prizes for the top losers. Let me know if you’re interested. No worries, I’m not going to ask anyone to blog their weigh ins or anything, we can do everything through a facebook group.
If you’re interested, either reply to this post or contact me through the contact button above.
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Equipping teenagers in kidmin
Posted on 20. Dec, 2011 by Kenny.
One of the most significant forces for kidmin in the local church are teenage volunteers. Every kidmin has them and some highly depend on teens. Although some teenagers lead small groups or have a strong presence from the stage, most fill many valuable roles here and there as helpers, behind the scenes volunteers and on the floor with preschoolers having fun. Teenagers in kidmin are highly valuable because many will be the next generation of volunteers and staff. I’m amazed by how many kid’s pastors I meet who were volunteers in children’s ministry when they were old enough to serve.
Unfortunately, many of these teens get over looked. They’re treated as another warm body that helps us keep our ratios. It’s not that we’re not grateful for them, but they’re treated differently than adult volunteers. I think that’s a shame. Sure, teenagers can be immature and a little undependable, but they have passion, availability and a longevity that could far surpass most adult volunteers. These teenage volunteers need to be equipped. Intentionally.
Well, I’m hoping to do my part with this in a small way. Last month at the Illuminate Conference in Austin, I had about 4 teenagers who serve at my church (Gateway) attend the conference. A few of them had parents who were attending the conference and a handful came on their own. I was totally amazed at their involvement. They paid attention, took notes and really got a lot out of the whole event. It was then that I realized that I should really try to provide something specifically for them. They can attend the conference just like everyone else, but maybe I’ll offer one breakout specifically for teenagers.
So I’m rolling this out in Nashville. A breakout entirely for teenagers who serve in kidmin. Oh, and guess who I have leading this breakout. Jim Wideman. It’s going to rock! Check out the breakout here: Teens in Ministry – Never Too Young!
So, hopefully we’ll have a lot of teenagers at the Nashville event who will get the benefit of a little equipping. Who knows, maybe this is the start of something we’ve not seen a lot of, intentional equipping of teenage volunteers.
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Excuses are lame
Posted on 19. Dec, 2011 by Kenny.
I love to see people overcome opposition. A few months ago I had a survey that I wanted potential new staff to fill out (as part of the interview process). The online form I used for the survey broke. It was not intentional at all, but how staff candidates responded taught me a lot about what they were made of. There were several that I had to track down as they got stuck with the broken survey and did nothing. Others submitted what they could with the broken survey and didn’t worry about what didn’t work. However, there was a select few who overcame this obstacle. One called the company that hosts the survey to find out why it wasn’t working. Others cut and pasted the questions in an email or word doc and submitted their answers that way. Although I didn’t break the survey on purpose, this incident taught me a lot about how people react when faced with an obstacle. Some make excuses and others get creative and push through.
Something else happened last week that totally blew my mind. As you know, I have this little project on the side right now called the Illuminate Project. It was started as a tool to equip children’s ministry in the local church in a major way. It’s a low cost, regional children’s ministry conference designed with the volunteers in mind. The response is exceedingly positive around these events. However, many churches end up not coming, even some who initially set plans to attend. I get to hear a lot of excuses. Excuses like:
- We don’t have the money
- Volunteers don’t want to give up a Saturday
Honestly, those are the two big ones. However, I got a message from a Marie Ray, a Children’s Pastor in Nashville, TN. I randomly met her on a shuttle bus in Chicago after the Kidmin conference and then again in Nashville a few months ago. She got excited about Illuminate and messaged me last week to tell me that she was about to register 50+ volunteers for the conference. I was blown away. Nashville is the only Illuminate location where any church has brought more than 50 volunteers and Marie’s church wasn’t on my radar as a church that was going to bring that many. She went on to tell me that she really didn’t have any conference money, so she threw out the challenge to her volunteers. She told them about the amazing experience she just had in Chicago at Kidmin that cost her hundreds of dollars to attend, yet they could experience a very similar training event (many of the same speakers) for just $17.50 a person (Although Illuminate costs $30 a person, the early bird rate saves you $5 and if you take more than 50, you get a 30% discount). So Marie pitched this vision for them to come to Illuminate and pay their own way. Last I talked to her, she was up to 56. WOW!
So, excuses are lame. With vision and pure determination, anything is possible.
If you’re in the Nashville area and you’re not going to attend Illuminate because of one of the excuses I listed above, maybe you should reconsider.
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The Power of Persuasion: Repetition
Posted on 14. Dec, 2011 by Kenny.
I came across a very interesting article on the role of repetition when it comes to persuasion. Essentially, we have to remember the elements of human nature when hoping to persuade someone to volunteer or some other thing we need. It’s not that people don’t want to do what we’re asking, sometimes they just don’t get it yet. In the case of repetition, it may mean that they need to hear the request 3-4 times before there is a connection in their brain that says, “Hey, I think I want to try that.”
Persuasion can be exhausting. Ever spent an hour on the phone calling through a list of parent trying to get them to volunteer? Of course you have! It takes a lot out of most of us. I think it’s this way because in many ways we feel like we’re selling ourselves. We have a lot invested and to hear a no or not get any answers or call backs is personally difficult. I think that sometimes we give up too early or we don’t ask often enough. People need to see that video a few times or hear two or three different stories of life change before they pony up. Find a way to separate the ask from you personally and do it often. Although they said no six months ago doesn’t mean they’ll say no when asked again.
For repetition to really work (according to research), it’s important to create a brand and be consistant in the way you communicate a need. The familiarity of the brand is what will make people more inclined to say yes. So, when it comes to persuasion, your image/brand is just as important in how/when you ask.
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The Story of Hannah
Posted on 04. Dec, 2011 by Kenny.
Currently my church is doing a series called Unlikely Heroes. It’s a sereis that focuses on various heroes fromt he Bible. It’s been a great series. However, last Sunday was spectacular. Over the years I’ve collected a handful of messages that I’m sure I’ll hang on to for the rest of my life. Last week’s message was on of those.
Ted Beasely, one of our teaching pastors, delivered an incredible message about the life of Hannah from the book of Samuel. I think what interested me most in this message was the subject of Hannah. Ever several month when teaching about and leading child dedication services, I tell a synopsis of this story where Hannah physically dedicates her only son to the Lord. This story always resonates with me because I truly identify with this woman as my wife and I endured so much pain and frustration in our effort to have children. My two children are wonderful and precious gifts. It seems more and more as I lead child dedication classes, other women tear up when I mention Hannah’s struggle because their journey was similar.
In this message, Ted pointedly addresses the struggle of when our deepest dreams and aspirations seem to go unanswered. Although this message penetrates to the heart of a couple struggling with infertility or miscarriage, the message will speak to anyone who has dreams that seem too far off to ever come to fruition. Enjoy!
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Even bigger than changing a life!
Posted on 01. Dec, 2011 by Kenny.
Us who serve and lead ministry to kids are in the business of life-change. It’s such a privilege. Many of us may not even know the impact we’ve had. However, I think there’s something even bigger for us than being the change agent that you are right now. Watch this video real quick and then I’ll tell you what that is… and I dare you not to cry during this video. It’s powerful!
So, what’s bigger than changing a life?
Helping a child change a life!
Let me explain. Compassion International is one of the organizations that has partnered with Illuminate this year. It’s an incredible ministry that has literall rescued more than a million children from poverty in Jesus name. Sponsoring a child through Compassion is an incredible thing to do. Essentially, you’d be doing what you already do as a kidmin leader, but just in a more holistic way on the other side of the planet.
But even bigger that this is the opportunity you have through an organization like Compassion. What would happen if you sit down with your own kids and together as a family, you rescued a child from poverty? What if you were to let your child pick out whose life they wanted to save? Maybe you’re a small group leader or Sunday school teacher. What if you decided to make this a mission project of your group, letting the kids pick out a child, write letters and raise funds for the sponsorship? Saving a child from poverty is huge, but empowering a child to save a child from poverty is POWERFUL!
I remember when I came back from my first (on my own) mission trip as a 16 year old. I came home with a perspective that changed me forever. For the first time in my life, I’d been used by God and I knew that the world would be different because I DID SOMETHING! I’m telling you, this alone changed my life. We can teach kids Bible stories and how to memorize verses, which are all excellent things to do, but nothing can compare to giving a child the opportunity to change someone’s life.
Check out Compassion International right here and consider sponsoring a child this holiday season!
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Small changes can make a big difference
Posted on 30. Nov, 2011 by Kenny.
Just a few hours ago this link came through my twitter feed. I’m glad I caught it when I did. It’s titled, “Googlie eyes give everything personality.” At first I thought it was talking about Google. Ha! I clicked on the post and just about laughed out loud.
There are only a few pictures, but it is amazing how a set of googlie eyes makes a por-a-potty urinal look lovable. Maybe that’s a stretch.
This fall I lead a breakout at Kidmin on Technology in Ministry and my main point was not just introducing a bunch of applications designed for ministry or talking about technology that needs to be created for ministry, but how existing technology can be tweaked for ministry. I shared that sometimes it’s just the smalled adjustment that changes everything. You’ll find yourself saying, I never even thought to use that tool to that.
This is true in other things as well. It’s called the Pareto Principle or Pareto’s Law. This is where 20% of effort produces 80% of the end product. This law is seen everywhere… even in church where usually somewhere around 20% of the congregation provides 80% of the money and 20% of people do 80% of the work.
Don’t under-estimate the 20%. As you walk through your ministry and see things that aren’t working or need an overhaul, chances are that you could make a minor tweak and see significant improvements right away. It may not be the end-all solution, but sometimes you have to let go of perfection and go with it until you have the time or resources to get it right.
Just like how googlie eyes can make a big difference, so can small changes and tweaks. When you walk around and inspect your ministry this weekend, look for more little things that pay big dividends.
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Vision amnesia
Posted on 29. Nov, 2011 by Kenny.
Is it just me, or have you ever stepped out of the shower and then wonder if you remembered to wash your hair? Sometimes I really can’t remember, so I jump back in again and wash it just in case. Don’t you hate it when you walk into the kitchen and as soon as you get there, you forgot why you went there in the first place. Usually, you don’t remember until you are comfortable on the couch again. We’re not stupid people, we just have an amazing capacity for so many thoughts, ideas and tasks that sometimes things get buried in all of that. Sometimes, the things that get buried are important.
Yesterday I spoke about how we often get so focused on our work that we can’t see the forest from the trees. We lose site of the vision. This happens even more so for those who work for us. Staff and volunteers sometimes see less of the whole picture than we do and sometimes the individual ministry that they’re seeking to fulfill is their big picture. This is why it is so important for ministry leaders to recast the vision on a regular basis. Not only does this keep the vision fresh for us, it gives the rest of the staff a fresh picture of how everyone is working toward a common cause. I don’t have to tell you how easy it is to get mad at another ministry area or staff person because their actions are in conflict with what we’re trying to do. However, in light of the vision, it may just be a simple misunderstanding.
I’ve been on staff where the attitude toward some changes were toxic. The attitude was so rotten because people were more focused on how the change would affect them, not on how the change might help them better achieve a grand vision. This is why vision needs to be recast again an again. As I write this, I embrace my inadequacy in this area. I can’t think of the last time I’ve cast the vision to my staff in a compelling way, which is no wonder why some have a little vision amnesia.
So, this week, think about five or six different ways you can creatively cast vision to your staff, volunteers, manager or whoever runs into you at the grocery store.
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Let it fly!
Posted on 29. Nov, 2011 by Kenny.
A few weeks ago, our internet campus pastor spoke to the High School students. He was talking about Peter and how he was a man who took some great risks. It was a pretty simple message, but there was an illustration that really resonated with me concerning a fear of taking risks.
He talked about how his son (when he was young) had a great bouncy ball. He would lean over the upstairs railing and bounce his ball from floor to ceiling trying to get as much bounce as he could. Later that day, the two of them went to pick up his sister from school. The young boy got out of the car where there was this great huge paved area. With a wide open sky and a huge pad of hard spaces to bounce, this may have been the perfect environment to “bounce.” However, the boy cautiously bounced the ball no higher than his waist, carefully making sure not to loose the ball. Sure, this space would be perfect for letting it fly, but if the ball hit a crack or some other object, it could ricochet off in another direction and be lost. As he told that story, I saw myself in exactly that same way. I probably still wouldn’t let it fly, because I wouldn’t want to lose the bouncy ball. At graduation, I only threw my cap up a few inches… because I didn’t want to lose it. Caution. Fear. Protection.
Vince passed out bouncy balls to most of the students and encouraged them to let them fly. He said, “I want to walk though the church courtyard later this week and find some of these bouncy balls under a bush or in a crack under the stairs, which is evidence that someone let it fly with little concern of holding on to it.”
Since that talk, I’ve been thinking about where I’ve played it safe. I’ve been contemplating where I could be less controlling and simply let it fly. What bout you? Where have you not taken a rsik
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