I’ve learned that most kid’s pastors I’ve met are highly resourceful. They’re always looking for great new resources and the cheaper it is, the better. If it’s free, well that’s incredible.

So, I figured that all the resourceful kidmin peeps who read this blog would be interested in this great free resource. Are you ready for this?

Really?

Here goes….

It’s called following #kidmin on twitter.

Wait a second, before you bail on this blog post, hear me out. Some of you have refused to get on twitter because you’ve not seen it’s relevance to your life or you don’t need another social media element in your life. I totally get that. However, you don’t have to sell your soul to Zuckerberg to get a twitter account (yes, I know Zuckerberg is with facebook, not twitter) and signing up for an account doesn’t mean you have to use it an the traditional way. Whatever resistance you might have toward getting on twitter is keeping you from joining the most active and relevant conversation in kid’s ministry today. Every day hundreds of kidmin leader join in the conversation. Many are just being conversational, while others ask questions and seek answers. Some are selling a product or resource and dozens of others are linking to relevant and current articles on their blogs. It’s a wealth of information right at your fingertips, and it’s free and effortless.

If you subscribe to a ministry magazine or enjoy reading and experiencing new ministry ideas, then following #kidmin on twitter is perfect for you.

So, here’s how you do it.

1. Go to twitter.com and create an account.
2. Don’t forget your username and passord, otherwise you won’t be able to long in and follow your twitter feed.
3. In the top right corner of the page, you will see a search bar. Just type in #kidmin

That’s it. That’s all there is to it. You’ll see a never ending list of tweets starting with the most current. Click on links to read posts, visit site or whatever they send you to. Experience and learn. Who knows, maybe you’ll decide at some point to interact.

You can also download the twitter app for iPhone or android. It’s free and you can search #kidmin there as well.

I’m always intrigued the origin of things. Why we say certain words or how names come about. What’s even more interesting is when you see the origin of something new right before your eyes. A handful of children’s pastors saw the very thing happen almost three years ago… the birth of “Kidmin.”

At this point, the term kidmin is still catching on, but I suspect that will change in the coming years and perhaps more people will refer to children’s ministry as kidmin as opposed to… well, children’s ministry.

For those of you who are new to this blog or the greater “kidmin” conversation, let me tell you how this whole thing got started.

I first became involved in children’s ministry as a four year old… back in 1981 and ever since then, I’ve been involved in the ministry either as a participant, a junior volunteer or as a ministry leader. From my perspective, ministry leaders began referring to children’s ministry as kid’s ministry about 5-10 years ago. It seems to be a more casual term, probably more appealing to the older kids in the ministry who prefer being called kids as opposed to dear little children. In the last 5-7 years, I met more and more people referring to themselves as kids pastors, referring to their children’s program as kid’s church and beginning to use the term “kids” in their ministry environment names.

Step forward to 2007… the birth of twitter. I knew one or two people on twitter in the early days, but it wasn’t until the winter/spring of 2008 that people in ministry really started to use twitter as a way of communicating. It was a great way to follow ministry leaders from all around the nation… and world.

Then something changed in February of 2009. For almost a year, hashtags were growing in popularity as a way of categorizing tweets. This allowed people to follow specific conversations, even among people they did not follow or know. I remember experiencing the superbowl on February 1st in a way that I never had before. I was supposed to go to a church party, but with a sick wife, I stayed home to enjoy the game. I ended up thoroughly enjoying the game through a fun conversation of dozens of ministry friends on twitter. It was more fun reading everyone’s color commentary of the game, commercials and half time show than just watching the game alone. The superbowl hashtag made following this conversation so easy.

The next day, @johnincolorado (John Mullis) sent me a message asking me if Children’s Ministry had a hashtag. He was one of the folks in the conversation during the superbowl. I was unaware of any exclusive hashtag, so I threw out the question on my blog here.

Be sure to read the comments. You’ll see the birth of kidmin there. Several suggestions were made such as kidsmin, cmin and even a simple CM. As the comments came in, kidmin seemed to stick. Interestingly, several other ministry leaders who didn’t necessarily comment on this post began adding the hashtag to their tweets and before the day was over, #kidmin had been adopted. Within weeks, we were referring to Children’s Ministry as kidmin as well. That’s how it all started. I must say though, I’d wish I could actually see the first tweet containing #kidmin, but twitter doesn’t make tweets available to search past a few weeks.

Since then, at least one book has been published using the term and even a conference. I remember Chris Jones saying that Group named the new conference Kidmin because, “That’s what you guys call children’s ministry now.”

So, there you have it. It was interesting to see this new terminology evolve and will be interesting to see how pervasive it becomes in the coming years.

Hey, don’t forget to help us celebrate kidmin’s third birthday. Go here for details.

Yes, I did help write the book. But that’s not why I’m so excited. I’m excited because I believe that it’s a book that is going to impact a lot of people in Kidmin. Shoot, it might impact a lot of people in student ministry and other ministries as well. Why? Because I feel that it approaches the nitty gritty issues that every pastor/minister deals with… the tension they live in on a daily basis and it offers hope. The book is written in a very personal way that most will identify with. A half-dozen people beyond the authors have read the book and almost all have essentially said, “I really related to this book and saw myself in these pages.”  Plus, it’s a going to be a fun book to read. You’ll probably read through the book pretty quickly because it’s short and because it will draw you in.

This book, “The Eric Trap: Five things every leader has to get right” was written by Jim Wideman, Sam Luce, me and an incredible group of kid’s pastors that journeyed together through Jim Wideman’s Infuse for two years. The book will be available for the first time at the Orange Conference where there will be a book signing. Fun, huh? There will be a limited number of books available for bloggers, probably in March. If you’re interested in getting a copy to review on your blog, click here to request a copy.

Click here to read why Jim Wideman is so excited about this new book. Lastly, I leave you with a review from Jonathan Cliff.

“The “Eric Trap” takes Children’s Pastors on a dark, serious, and scary journey into the world of working in a church and balancing your priorities.  It was eerie how much the story mirrored my own story in so many ways.  I believe the “Eric Trap” can be a game changer for those willing to shine the light into the dark places of their own pastoral lives.  It’s on the other side of change that the insights gained from this book pay off in a rich way!”

From day one of engaging with Orange (more than 4 years ago), the word strategy was a word I heard often. It’s not a new concept, but it was something that was brought to my attention again last Friday and I’m glad it was. Reggie painted a clear picture of the importance of strategy. He described how many great churches have incredible mission and vision statements that never really seem to do anything. Many of those church’s doors are closed now.

Strategy – A plan of action with an end in mind.

I love it. I’m leading a breakout at Illuminate in Nashville in a few weeks titled, “What Matters Most.” In this breakout I’m going to speak about how sometimes we lose track of that particular “end” in mind or maybe the “end” we’re focused on really isn’t as important as it should be.

I wonder what would happen if we as ministry leaders scripted out all that we did in a given week or month and then asked the very important question, “What is specific end we’re trying to get to as a result of this event/program/resource/meeting?” I think it would reveal what things we’re doing that are strategic and those things that are just wasting time. Man, do I hate wasting time. What’s worse is when I’m wasting time and don’t even know it.

Families, kids and students need us to be as strategic as possible. We must be strategic with our time, our tallent and our resources. How are you being strategic today?

On Tuesday, the IRS opens for another business year… collecting your money! So, what does this have to do with Kidmin? Well, nothing, but over the years I’ve been committed to sharing resources to those who serve in ministry. So, here’s one of those ways.

Over the years I’ve learned that most people I know in ministry have one of a few tax arrangements:

• They attempt to do their own taxes
• They pay a CPA
• They’ve got their own sweet hook up

The truth is that if you’re in ministry, your taxes are not straight-forward. Clergy tax is unique and the average H&R Block employee is not going to have any idea how to file your taxes (they may attempt it but there’s no telling if it done right). Unless you have a tax and accounting background, you’re probably not knowledgable enough to do it right and the amount of time you’ll spend staying up to date on clergy tax law probably isn’t worth the time you’ll spend on it. Finding a CPA who actually is up to date on clergy tax will cost you, probably $300 or more. That’s probably a reasonable price, but there are a lot of things I’d rather do with $300. Plus, just because you have a CPA doing your taxes doesn’t mean they’re up to date on clergy tax.

So, I’m suggesting a better option for you. TC Tax Service out of Valdosta, GA. They’ve been doing my taxes for more than a decade and I’ve always been pleased with the job they’ve done. I’m also amazed by the level of service that they provide. Not only do they do an incredible job on my taxes, but they’ve even watched my kids while Sara and I went out on a date and they’ve fed us many meals. Yes, they’ve done all those things for me, but probably not because I’m a great client, but because I’m also their son.

All jokes aside, I’ve sent many co-workers and others in ministry from all over the US their way and I always get BIG thanked for the recommendations. My mom loves giving back to those who give of their lives and she absolutely loves helping people who know me. So, the deal she offers ministers is $100. Typically with the time she puts into it, she’s not making any money, but she loves it. Last year I sent her 10-12 new kidmin people. So, be sure to check out TC Tax. Even if you’re happy with where you’re at, she’d be glad to answer your questions or take a look at past returns to make sure they were done right.

So, check out their website and contact them from there. Remember, tell them that Kenny sent you! You can read more about what they offer here.

Yesterday I posted about how leaders and readers and I posted my 2011 reading list earlier in the week. I intentionally focused this summer/fall and read several books on leadership, productivity systems and processes. Two of those books made it to my top 5. It’s interesting though that several themes popped out among several of the books, things that significantly impacted me. I’d like to share those things with you here.

Less truly is more

Two books I read referenced Pareto’s Law on multiple occasions. Most of us are familiar with this law. It is why only 20% (or less) tithe and support your church. It’s why only 20% (or less) tend to volunteer and support your ministry. It says that 20% usually accounts for 80% of the results. What I never realized before is that this law applies to my work as well. When I look at my list of things to do, about 20% of the things on that list will likely produce 80% of the results. However, when I procrastinate, I tend to spend my time knocking off the easy things that don’t produces heavy results. Ferriss from the Four Hour Work Week goes to the extreme of saying that you should really only have 2-3 things on your task list every day. Everything else should be eliminated or delegated. This principle is really what Eat That Frog is all about. Good stuff.

Systems are critical

Almost every book, but more specifically the E-Myth Revisited, The Checklist Manifesto and the Four Hour Work Week address this whole concept of systems. As a leader, if I don’t develop good systems, my results will always be inconsistant. When I have good systems, systems help keep everything running regardless of my people. Systems are what typically make great businesses great. Great systems are what get leaders out of the weeds, allows them to easily delegate and get to work on strategic things. Systems aren’t just for the administratively gifted… but for everyone who desires to lead… and the more you lead, the more systems become critical.

Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard

Switch was actually the first book I read this year and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve passed this book along to someone else, always with the same result. Switch changed the way I think about change. Both changing things within my personal life and helping to lead other people through change. I’m convinced that there’s more science to change than there is just random chance. There’s a real psychology to it and understanding what truly motivates a person or how to design a system around their emotions is the better way to lead through change. Read this book, you will not be disappointed!

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: How I Learned to Live a Better Story

I heard Donald Miller speak at Orange on two different occasions and I loved his talks. They are some of the few talks that stuck with me over the years. Why, he’s such a good story teller. People have been talking about Blue Like Jazz for years, but I have not read it yet (although I do own it now). I finally picked up this book and loved every minute of reading it. It affected me in two ways. First of all, it challenged me in the way that I’m living my life. It caused me to ask the question, “Is my life a compelling story that’s worth being told/read? Where is the adventure? Where am I overcoming conflict?” My wife and I have been talking a lot about this. Secondly, there’s a story in the book where a family jumps into a river at midnight as a “goodbye” ritual. When asked about this later, they explained that they jumped into the river to create a memory that the other people will never forget. This caused me to think about the precious moments we have in ministry with kids. Are we intentional about creating experiences that create memories they’ll never forget. This won’t happen without intentionality.

Fields of Gold

Many leaders at my church have read this book by Andy Stanley. It’s about generosity. I’ve never read a book that talks about giving to your church quite like this. I’ve read and heard many formulaic teachings, usually how in the end, it benefits the giver… almost in a selfish way. For several months, my wife and I have been talking about how we can increase what we give every year with a goal where sometime in the future, we’ve learned how to give more than we keep. Reading this book fueled that kind of thinking and made us want to make that happen as soon as possible. It’s an incredible book. Be careful though, it will change your outlook on giving!

Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time

I’m busier than I’ve ever been and I struggle to get everything done. I know that I have some inefficiencies in my life… we all do. I heard about this book from Gina McClain and I’m so glad I picked it up. It immediately changed how I get things done. I’ve always been a list keeper, but this book helped me get really smart about my lists. Now I start every morning naming the frogs I need to eat ASAP. Definitely a must read!

The E-Myth Revisited

I read a lot of leadership books, but not as many business books. However, I did start a side business this year and this book came highly recommended. I immediately learned many things that I was doing wrong and how I needed to fix them before I had a mess on my hands. What’s more though, I discovered that the principles apply to the ministry I lead in a very specific way. If you oversee a ministry or even a department, you must read this book. Read with an open mind and keep asking yourself, “how does this apply to my ministry.” In it is a plan to equipping others where you can do the important work of strategy and growth and not get stuck in the weeds like so many of us do.

Okay, so there’s my top five. Like I said, this was a difficult list. I read many more that challenged me profoundly. If you’re looking for some good books to read, I highly recommend these five, but I’d also encourage you to hit any of the others on my 2011 reading list.

I must admit, I’m very proud of myself. I think that this is probably the most books I’ve read in a year since I was in college and I had a lot of extra time on my hands. I think I did somewhere between 8-11 books in 2011. The funny thing is that I’ve been incredibly busy this year with starting up Illuminate and picking several new speaking opportunities. So, what changed?

Reading for a purpose:

There were several books that I picked up because I really needed to brush up on something or learn something for a breakout I was going to lead. Reading for a purpose seems to provide much higher motivation for me than just reading a book because someone said it was good.

Reading on the iPad allows me to multi-task

It was in April or May that I installed the Kindle app on my iPad and I started taking it with me to the gym while on the treadmill. I spent several months in the spring preparing to hike some mountains in Colorado and I found that the Kindle App allowed me to read while exercising. I love it. This alone helped me read more and kept me motivated to keep working out. Many times I went to run just because I wanted to read.

Here is the list of books:

• My First 90 Days in Ministry: How to Make a Splash Without Getting All Wet
• Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard My Review
• Fields of Gold
• Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time
• A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: How I Learned to Live a Better Story
• The E-Myth Revisited
• The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right My Review
• The 4-Hour Workweek
• Connect with Your Kids
• Kidmin Leadership
• I Blew It
• No Shortcuts to the Top
• Hood (King Raven Trilogy, Book 1)
• The Hunger Games
• Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games)
• Mockingjay (The Final Book of The Hunger Games

Tomorrow I’ll share with you my top 5 favorite books of 2011 and why. I’ve written reviews of several of the books already, but those I haven’t reviewed, I’ll do so in the coming weeks. Maybe one of these books will end up on your 2012 reading list.