A digital application
I can see two versions. An editable PDf where the volunteers downloads, fills out and either emails the application back or uploads it via a wufoo form or something like that. No printing or scanning.

A digital background check
We can already do this, although we don’t do it very much. Fellowship One provides a volunteer pipeline where individuals can log in and submit their own background check. We don’t use it very much because everything else is paper-based, so it seems less confusing to keep the background check process analog as well. I included what a volunteer fills out to get a background check though Fellowship One below.

A digital ministry agreement
There are a few significant bits of information that I want every volunteer to know and understand before they begin volunteering. I actually even want them to sign off that they know and understand… even agree to comply with. This may include our expectations as well as core policies such as appropriate touch, suspected child abuse and other key issues.

All of these “physical” documents we already keep in their file with Fellowship One which is secure and private, but almost all of these documents are scanned from a paper copy.

The Big Question
What does a digital signature look like in these cases? Could I simply add a disclaimer at the end of each document saying that filling out the following fields gives us consent that the information submitted was true, accurate and from you. The fields would request their full name, date of birth and maybe even the last four digits of their social security number… making that harder for someone to randomly fake. I know that Fellowship One does a background check completely digitally (I included the screenshot below) and no one has to “sign” anything. You have to give your social (which is required to run a check) which maybe helps validate that the person filling out the form is who they say they are.

So, what can we do? What legal issues do we need to consider? What issues might we run into if someone did something inappropriate and claimed that they didn’t know and that they didn’t sign the document that we have digitally signed by them. Also, if we use a Wufoo form to transmit files electronically, the form is a secure page (signified by the https at the front of the URL). Does that then provide a safe transport of files with documents of a more sensitive nature (although we’ll not ask for people’s full social security number on these forms)?

Let me know. I’m really curious as to what our options might be.

Just so you know, I felt like a dork typing in that title. Whatever. So it’s Thursday and it’s been forever since I’ve blogged. I’ve had a lot of distractions, namely the Nashville Illuminate Conference. Let me just say, I love my Nashville peeps. The event was hands down amazing! The best yet. Everyone from my incredible hosts at Long Hollow to all the people who attended were so wonderful. Although Illuminate was created to be a blessing to those who serve in kidmin, I’m pretty sure that I left the event that day more blessed than anyone else.

Now that my 2011-2012 events are wrapped up, I’m working on launching Illuminate Online and working out dates for 2012-2013. Exciting stuff for sure and I’m already dreaming up huge things for next year! Woo hoo!

Below are some of my favorite tweets from last Saturday:

Ryan_Millard1Feb 18, 9:01am via Buffer
pumped to be at the #illumin8 conference!! here we GO!! going to be a great day!

robynbcollinsFeb 18, 9:21am via instagram
@longhollow #illumin8instagr.am/p/HJt4kYNBCl/

gina_mcclainFeb 18, 9:26am via HootSuite
At opening session of #illumin8 listening to @kennyconley pour into some of our @faithpromise volunteers.

josephreedFeb 18, 9:36am via Twitter for iPhone
We are having a blast already at #illumin8. @pointofmercy #KidsPoint. #fb

RachelTaylor872Feb 18, 9:56am via txt
God created the home before He created the church. #illumin8

adambayneFeb 18, 9:56am via TweetDeck
The best thing a #kidmin leader can do for his ministry is to have a relationship with Jesus.#illumin8

jamiehamptonFeb 18, 10:04am via ÜberSocial for BlackBerry
“The heart can only grasp what the rear end can endure” @jimwideman on#timemanagement #illumin8 #kidmin

michaelchanleyFeb 18, 10:34am via HootSuite
RT @suzannecrowell: The only way I know how to move an elephant is with a chainsaw @jimwideman #illumin8 #kidmin // Epic!

rogerfieldsFeb 18, 11:31am via Twitter for iPhone
Listening to @jonathancliff at #illumin8 He is killing it! Great stuff! #kidmin #cmconnect

craiggyergyoFeb 18, 1:04pm via Twitter for Mac
Having an awesome discussion over lunch with @HCmemphis volunteers at #illumin8

thejoshwootenFeb 18, 2:10pm via web

“people don’t buy in to what you do, they buy into why you do it” @kennyconley #illumin8#kidmin preach
cherylp90Feb 18, 1:37pm via Twitter for iPhone
@kennyconley #illumin8 is awesome!

Ryan_Millard1Feb 18, 2:24pm via HootSuite
#illumin8 has been fantastic.. Ready for a great last main session!

cherylp90Feb 18, 2:40pm via Twitter for iPhone
@jonathancliff Some of my team sat in on your morning session and told me it was fabulous! Thanks for pumping them up! #illumin8

jamiehamptonFeb 18, 3:27pm via HootSuite
“People need to be needed more than you need the help.” #illumin8 #kidmin

craiggyergyoFeb 18, 4:25pm via Twitter for Mac
Incredible day at #illumin8 with @kennyconley@jimwideman @jonathancliff + others! Well done!

ucacheer2213Feb 18, 6:27pm via Twitter for iPhone
I can’t get over how amazing #illumin8 was!#kidmin @GodWhy

jen_funderburkeFeb 18, 7:37pm via HootSuite
So Proud of @kennyconley for an awesome#illumin8 grateful for all he does for the kingdom and grateful to call him my friend.#kidmin

jenkinsphotoFeb 19, 1:34pm via web
I learned so much at #illumin8 Kid’s Ministry Conference yesterday. Excited to put some ideas to work!
TdiddysampleyFeb 19, 7:45pm via Twitter for iPhone
#illumin8 The conference was amazing my Kidmin team has some great ideas! Thanks for serving the church body!

And I’m pumped!

As of right now, we have 522 people registered to attend!

That’s right, 522! Crazy number for just a regional conference. I’m so grateful to the local Nashville churches who helped get the word out. It’s going to be an amazing event and I expect to see hundreds of volunteers encouraged and equipped this Saturday. It’s going to be awesome!

So, if you’ve been thinking about coming, it’s not too late. Online registration will remain open until Wednesday at noon. After that, anyone can register at the door (doors open at 8:00 AM) on Saturday, February 18th! I really hope to see you there!

Last week I came across this article I found in someone’s facebook feed. America’s largest church is facing a 10+ million dollar lawsuit because of something that happened (or didn’t happen) in their children’s ministry. Who knows what is going to happen, but this whole thing probably could have been prevented. The article states:

The lawsuit accuses the church of negligence in its investigation, in reporting the alleged incident to police and in lacking surveillance that could have saved Guzman from being wrongfully accused of a crime. The church also is accused of failing to adequately train security and failing to take corrective action after similar previous events, the lawsuit states.

If this article doesn’t scare the poop out of you, then there is a good chance you’ve gotten too comfortable with your policies and procedures around the prevention and reporting of inappropriate actions toward children within your ministry. Our first priority should always be to protect the kids. Secondly, we need to prioritize protecting the volunteers who serve in our ministries. In addition, we need to prioritize the protection of our church. A lawsuit like this could mean the end of your church as well as your career in children’s ministry.

Obviously, this lawsuit is too new to know what really happened, but it appears that a child was not molested. However, potentially poor training/reporting didn’t protect a volunteer. This ex-volunteer who was arrested and endured a trial by grand jury will never be the same, and depending on what happens with the lawsuit, it may cost the church dearly.

Honestly, we don’t really know what happened. Only time will tell. However, I think that most of us can see how a situation like this could easily play out in our ministry due to a lack of training or the failure of just one volunteer to follow procedure. Let this be a sober reminder to get your policies in writing, train every volunteer in how to handle similar situations and have them sign off on this aspect of their training. Lastly, follow these procedures “BY THE BOOK!” We can not afford to slack in this area.

I’m pumped! Tomorrow I leave for Dallas for the Dallas Orange Tour. This year I’m taking about 24 volunteers and staff. This year I’m actually bringing more student ministry volunteers than those in kidmin. For the last 6 months I’ve been far more involved in student ministry than I have in the past and I wanted to make a big investment in these leaders… plus I want them to start thinking Orange. These student ministry leaders were so excited to be invited, which is why I have about 18 going.

I can’t over-communicate how important these kinds of events are for ministry teams. I’ve been to the Orange Conference for the past 4 years and I’ll probably continue to attend for some time. The conference has impacted me and influenced me tremendously and I want the same for my staff and volunteers, but I can’t always bring all of them due to money issues, but something like the Orange Tour is a complete no brainer. I’m taking 24 and by the time I pay hotel, food and registration, it cost me less than sending 2 to Atlanta for Orange. To help out, I’m even having the volunteers car pool and cover their travel expenses.

Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the Orange Conference, but there is something really special about the Orange Tour. Because the entire thing is hosted directly by Reggie and Sue, it feels far more pure and concentrated. You’ll leve the Tour with a strong grasp of what the Orange strategy is all about… maybe even better than the conference. I’d encourage everyone to attend a tour stop… even if that means catching a flight into one of their locations. I’ll be blogging about my tour experience next week (since I don’t blog a lot over the weekend), so stay tuned!

Yesterday I made an announcement via the KidzMatter weekly email blast. As many of you may know, the Illuminate Conference is making final preparations for the last stop in the 2011-2012 conference year. On February 18th, we’re going to have our largest Illuminate Conference in Nashville, TN. If you’re in the area and want more information, be sure to check out that event here.

However, I know that most who read this blog are not able to make it to Nashville due to the distance. Austin and Birmingham wasn’t really close enough either. Illuminate’s DNA is to offer high quality events that are both local and affordable. Unfortunately, we can’t be local for everyone… yet (give me a little time people). Ha!

However, all along it’s been my intention to provide great resources for kidmin leaders and volunteers, regardless of location. Every general session and breakout has been recorded for that very purpose. So, on March 1st, Illuminate Online will officially go “Online!” The site is still being put together and resources organized, but I think it’s going to be a really cool resource for those in kidmin. For more information, head on over and check it out here.

Stay tuned for more info soon!

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.

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.

So, if you live within 3-5 hours of Nashville, TN, I highly encourage you to check out Illuminate as a viable training option for your staff and volunteers. Technically, the early bird rate expired last Friday, but I’m extending it through this week. Anyone who registers by Christmas can save some money.

I know it’s just a few days before the craziness of Christmas Eve services, last minute shopping and good family time, but I’d highly encourage anyone within driving distance of Nashville to consider registering this week. I’ve actually got a great story that I’ll post later today that should encourage anyone.

Click here to do something great for your staff and volunteers!

Being persuasive is very important in our roles. Like it or not, we’re all in the sales industry. We’re not selling cars or houses, but ideas, vision and life-changing opportunities. Time and time again, you’ll encounter parents, potential volunteers or even staff who don’t think the way you do. They don’t value what you value and you have an opportunity to convince them to see things your way, jump into serving kids or make some budget adjustments that favor the Children’s Ministry. The more persuasive you are, the more successful you’ll be in many areas. So, I’m starting a smal series on persuasion starting with this post.

Something important to remember is that persuasion is an art. Much of persuasion is subconscious. People may or may not agree with you for reasons they can’t put their finger on or explain. I’m not talking about manipulating people, but you’d be foolish not to take advantage of subconscious cues that may help people hear you out and get on board.

Find Common Ground First

Before trying to convince someone of your way of thinking, find something to agree on first. That agreement has residual effects. When you work from a place of agreement, people will be more likely to agree with you or trust you when you try to persuade them of something else. Address the worldview of the person you’re trying to persuade and make statements that they can agree with. At times, this can create a compelling argument.

Cathy Harwick, one of my children’s pastor’s at Gateway does this really well. I recognized this when we were transitioning volunteers from serving twice a month to serving every week. In the process of convincing existing (or future volunteers) of the need for serving every week, she’s make statements like this:

“You want the very best for your child, right? So do we. Think about this for a second with me. If you had your choice, would you want your child in a room where the volunteers were the same every week or a room where the volunteers were different every week? What do you think is best for your child? It makes sense that we’d want to offer the very best for every kid here at Gateway, right?”

Honestly, I’ve found that it’s just as easy to recruit people to serve every week as it used to be to recruit them to serve twice a month. Maybe I’m better at persuading people, but I do feel that helping future volunteers find agreement first makes it a lot easier to bring them on board.

If you’re interested in more research on this idea, I did find a study showing how this works. Click here to download that paper.