Tag Archives: Chidlren’s Ministry
Road Trip to the Volunteer State
Posted on 18. Oct, 2011 by Kenny.
That’s Tennessee in case you didn’t know that.
Next week I’m taking off to spend three days in beautiful Tennessee. I’m actually flying into Nashville on Tuesday morning and I’ll be driving all over the state. So, here’s my road trip itenerary.
- Tuesday: Nasvhille
- Wednesday: Knoxville
- Thursday: Memphis
Honestly, I’m heading to TN because we’re going to be hosting an Illuminate Conference there in a few months (February 18th to be exact). So I’m going out to take care of some details and while I’m at it, I’m hoping to connect with kidmin leaders all over the space. So, I’m setting up lunches in all three cities where I can meet and connect. I may even have some time to connect outside of those lunches, but the schedule is starting to fill up pretty quick.
So, if you live anywhere near any of these three cities, I’d love to have lunch with you! Maybe you know someone in kidmin near any of these three cities. I’d love to have lunch with them too! Let me know either way so that I can get you all the details!
Can’t wait. I have a feeling that there will be some video blogs next week!
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An illustration on misfits and brokeness
Posted on 16. Jun, 2011 by Kenny.
So, here’s a huge illustration I’m working on and I’m still not 100% sure on what direction I should go. So, please send me some of your ideas. Let me give you the premise.
One of the major themes for camp is about being a misfit. When we “Chase the Light” and follow Jesus, we’re going to be seen as a misfit. The world around us isn’t going to understand or see why we’re doing the things we do. So, we’re playing with the different perspectives of being a misfit.
The initial thought I had was to have a container of tennis balls and another container of ping pong balls… or something else that is even more different than the tennis balls. I was going to illustrate how to the tennis balls, another tennis ball seems normal and acceptable. To the ping pong balls, another ping pong ball seems normal and acceptable. Nothing out of the ordinary. However, if I were to put a ping pong ball in with the tennis ball, the ping pong ball becomes the misfit. It becomes the strange and different item in the batch. In a ways, that is what we are when we follow Christ. We don’t completely fit with the world around us and although media, peer pressure and other factors will push us to conform and become more like the “tennis balls” we have to remember that:
- God is calling us to be different. He knows that we’re a misfit and we’re to chase after him in a world of others that don’t always chase after him
- Being a misfit is only a matter of perspective. The ping pong ball isn’t a misfit with all the other ping pong balls. Even though the ping pong ball is a misfit with the tennis balls, it shouldn’t forget it’s identity as a ping pong ball. It has a home, it has a fit and has an identity and one day will no longer be a misfit.
So, I feel pretty okay about this illustration and that it would work; however, I feel I can illustrate the same thing but take it even a bit further. It’s undeveloped and needs some work. Here is what I’m thinking:
I take some common objects (maybe metal) that I haven’t determined yet and while I’m talking to the kids, I pull out a hammer and start denting, breaking, and deforming these objects. I can talk about how this is a picture of who we are. God created us good and perfect and whole… but our sin and fallen state has broken us. We’re very far from what God intended us to be. However, when we decide to Chase the Light, to run after Jesus, he actually makes us whole again. I can replace  one of the broken objects with an untouched and unbroken object. I’ll set the ridiculous scene of how in a huge batch of broken objects, being broken is considered normal and acceptable. The whole and perfect object is the misfit. It doesn’t fit. The other objects won’t understand the whole object. In our lives, when we chase after Jesus, we’ve people who have been made whole living in a world of broken people. Many of them will look at us with contempt. They may make fun of us because we’re different. They may label us as a misfit because we’re different… which is ridiculous because in reality, they are the ones that are broken.
I like this illustration because it’s not so randome as tennis balls and ping pong balls, but very much attached to the human condition. At the very end of the talk, I’m going to speak to the person who has made fun of other kids. I’m going to hold up the broken object and point out the ridiculousness of that situation, that what is truly happening is that something (or someone) who is broken and deformed is poking fun at something or someone else. All in all, it sets the stage of the messages we’ll be leading into during the week of being made whole and becoming a misfit.
So, I just don’t know what these objects should be? What would communicate well? Maybe it can be something that is common, it just needs to be easily broken, dented and deformed. Do you have any other thoughts or points I might need to draw some attention to?
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Has it really been two weeks?
Posted on 16. Jun, 2011 by Kenny.
I’m slightly embarrassed by how little I’ve posted in the last 2-3 weeks. It’s certainly not because I’ve got nothing to say. Things have been busy on an epic level and I’m devoting all my time to pressing matters. Maybe next week I’ll get back into a little rhythm of posting, even if it’s just a few posts a week. I’m sure many of you are feeling the business of summer as well. This is our time, right?
So, in the next few days or so (mostly today) I’m going to be asking for a little creative help. I’m finalizing my summer camp messages. In three weeks I’m taking a group of 3rd-5th graders to camp. I’ve been hired by the camp to speak the week our kids are at camp as well as the week following. Fortunately, I wrote all the messages 3 months ago. However, at this time I’m finalizing the details and finishing all my illustrations and such. I’m still wrestling with a few illustration points, so I thought I’d throw out my thoughts and get some ideas from all of you.
So, if you have  few minutes, please share some creative juices with me.
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Kidmin Conference in October: Register Today!
Posted on 31. May, 2011 by Kenny.
You’ve probably heard the buzz about a new Children’s Ministry Conference coming this fall. It’s the Kidmin Conference hosted by Group Publishing. Last summer, I got the honor of hanging out with group for a few days with a bunch of other stellar kidmin leaders to brainstorm what a totally different conference for Chidlren’s Ministry could look like… and Kidmin looks to be exactly that. I’ve also been given the honor of leading a workshop as well as a half-track (essentially a two-part workshop where we really get into the nitty-gritty depth of stuff). So, I’m excited to be a part of the experience. For more info about what Kidmin is going to be like, check out the video at the bottom of this post. You can also visit their site here.
What is different about this conference is the highly-relational element. All the speakers and workshop presenters are there to hang out and talk with attendees throughout the entier conference. If you think of a question the day following a workshop you sat in, no worries, just ask the speaker when you see him/her the next day. Kidmin is also making great strides to help attendees connect with each other. The best part about a conference is the relationships you go home with… and Kidmin is helping to empower that.
Wow, I’m just getting super excited. I hope that you’ll join me in Chicago this October for an amazing experience!
If you’re planning to attend, be sure to register TODAY. Today is the final day of the Early Bird pricing. Save yourself a little money and register right now.
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Thoughts on Summer Camp: Deadlines, Discounts, and Limited Capacity
Posted on 24. May, 2011 by Kenny.
I have some personal opinions about getting parents to register their kids to camp. I know that others do it differently, but this has worked for me for years. Here’s what I’m taking about.
Limited Capacity: If at all possible, I’m always going to put a limit on Camp. Usually this is because I have to pay a deposit in advance and I’d rather maximize that deposit instead of being idealistic and losing a lot of deposit money. I also prefer the limit because there’s something positive about something that is full or sold out. It communicate that it’s probably worth something. I love putting “limited space available” in my promotional materials or even telling parents, “you better register now before all the spaces are gone!” Now, it’s never fun to turn kids away but there are always a few who don’t make it to camp. When this happens, parents learn that we’re not a “last minute program” and they learn to register early which always makes things easier on the staff and volunteers who have to organize taking 50-100 kids to camp. On that last note, I love having registration closed and wrapped up a good month before camp. It gives my staff plenty of time to get everything together. When you have unlimited capacity and open registration up until the end, we’re always scrambling to take care of the 20-40 kids who signed up to go just days before camp. There’s nothing wrong with setting a capacity.
Deadlines: Everyone needs a deadline. Deadlines keep people accountable and keep things moving forward. It honors your staff as they’re the ones that are put out when deadlines are not in place or when they’re not respected and honored. It’s great to set deadlines way out in advance so that if someone does come in a day or two late, you can still show grace because you still have time on your side. Deadlines are great for promotion. I know that anytime I send a mass email out saying that the early bird deadline is on Friday or that registration officially closes at the end of the month, I’ll get a whole bunch of registrations. Deadlines elicit action. Use them!
Discounts: Like deadlines, discounts are great motivators. I usually try to determine the base price so that even if many parents take advantage of early registration discounts, I’m still able to cover my costs. Often times, I’ll offer a great early registration discount because I know that there will always be enough late registrations that the prices will average out to my base price. However, I almost always use discounts to keep registrations on pace. It’s my preference to sell out by a certain time, so I’ll use discounts hit goals that keep us on track of filling up by a specific time. I’ll typically offer an alumni discount that I’ll market to kids who cam the year before. It’s usually the previous year’s price, but the catch is that they have to register early… like in January, February or March. It’s interesting how many people don’t take advantage of the discount, but it does get the ball rolling early for us. I’ll then offer an early bird discount followed by standard or late registration. I try to make the price difference $25-$30 so it’s a great savings. I tend to see a substantial number of registrations within 3-5 days of a deadline to an expiring discount, so they’re great motivators.
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Orange is almost here!
Posted on 15. Mar, 2011 by Kenny.
Believe it or not, Orange will be here in a little over a month. Can you believe that? I know that some of you out there haven’t decided yet whether you’re going to attend or not. Well, I’d really like to encourage you to consider joining me in Atlanta this year. Right now is still a good time to register. Airfare is still inexpensive, hotels aren’t all booked up, and you can still get a discount on registration. So, go over and register today people.
Need more convincing. Head over to the Orange Tour Online and watch some content from the most recent Orange Tour. If you’re totally unfamiliar with the Orange Strategy, watch the first video. Incredible. If you want to see an incredibly different approach to college ministry that actually matters to kid’s pastors, watch the third video. It blew my mind.
Again, click here to register for the Orange Conference!
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Free offline translations from YouVersion
Posted on 28. Feb, 2011 by Kenny.
A few days ago I got an email from YouVersion telling me that you can download many translations of the Bible for offline access… for free. It’s in celebration of the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. I logged in the other night and downloaded 5-6 versions of the Bible for all my devices. Fantastic! Since my iPhone always has internet access, accessing the online versions hasn’t been a problem. However, with these offline versions now available, I can read my preferred versions on my iPad when I don’t have internet or even on my iPhone when flying or something like that.
From what I understand, this special ends tomorrow (Tuesday, March 1st at noon). So, be sure and download the offline versions today! Click here for more info.
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Perspectives and false impressions
Posted on 21. Feb, 2011 by Kenny.
The human mind is a peculiar thing. It’s amazing how based on past experiences, current realities or different perspectives, we often jump to conclusions about people or things… usually to our loss. This is why first impressions are so dang important. If you don’t put your best foot forward, that person is going to jump to a conclusion about you or your ministry that may be totally false. It’s human nature.
Here are some of my experiences.
One of the best books I’ve ever read on the subject of kidmin was The Fabulous Reinvention of Sunday School. A co-worker handed it to me one day and after reading the back cover, I handed it back and said “no thank you.” I didn’t have anything against Willow Creek, but for the past year I had been trying to transition an elementary ministry away from a Willow inspired theatrical model that wasn’t being executed well. I saw the book through the pain of my current elementary reality. My co-worker forced the issue and I ended up staying all night reading the book.
Another book was similar. Lead the Way God Made You came out several years ago. When I read the back cover and skimmed the content, I got the initial impression that the book was about theatrical productions. I put the book back on the shelf. I don’t do theatrical productions. Six month ago the author contacted me about doing a book review. I did it for the free book. The book ended up impacting me tremendously and inspired an staff reorganization. The book wasn’t about theatrical productions.
When I got to Gateway almost three years ago, I was very excited to be back at a church that used Fellowship One. I had been at a church that used it before and for some ridiculous reason, they switched to another system. The next 18 months were absolutely hellish for me. So, I was thrilled to get to have it again. However, my new staff HATED Fellowship One. It crashed on a regular basis on Sunday Mornings and was more of a stumbling block than any help. I’m not sure why it ever crashed (in the nearly three years I’ve been at Gateway, it’s never gone down), but now my staff knows how to use it beyond address look-ups and check-in and they see it as an effective tool.
A funny side note is that I was talking to Jim Wideman about check-in systems at one point and he was down on Fellowship One. I asked him why and he explained that he had coached the previous kids pastor at Gateway and every time he came to visit, F1 was down. Those experiences shaped his impression of the software.
I could go on listing things I’ve almost missed out on because of a bad initial experience or perspective. I could list example after example of people who are missing out on something great right now because of a false impression that I’ve witnessed. It’s a shame really.
I’m not saying that we shouldn’t do everything to give people a great first impression. Knowing this about human nature should cause us to be even more diligent in the first impression area. However, at some point we should know better. Don’t always make decisions based on an initial experience. Don’t write something off after talking to just one person. The truth is that a profound resource or life-changing experience could be waiting behind your second or third engagement.
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YouTube Friday Dedicated to Sam Luce
Posted on 21. Jan, 2011 by Kenny.
I don’t have a series called YouTube Friday, but my friend Sam Luce does. Almost every Friday he posts a great video from YouTub on his blog. My wife showed me this video last night and I knew I needed to post it, dedicated to Sam. It’s about the cold and snow from a Southern perspective… perfect for Sam Luce. Enjoy.
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Give-Away: God’s Kids Easter Resource
Posted on 12. Jan, 2011 by Kenny.
Yesterday I blogged about God’s Kids Worship’s “A Big Basket of Easter Songs.”
The kind people at God’s Kids Worship want to give one away… to you. Nice of them, huh? It’s a $29.98 value that you can have by simply retweeting the following message:
Win God’s Kids Worship: Easter Songs resource pack for your #kidmin and get cool & creative Easter ideas. Click here: http://goo.gl/ohZxv
Don’t spam twitter though, only tweet the message one time a day. Leave a comment below as well telling me the most creative thing you’ve done for your kids at Easter.
So, I’ll put your name in the “virtual” hat for every tweet you post (remember, only one per day) as well as one time for every comment you leave (you can post more than one comment, but it has to be a different Easter idea for it to count an additional time). If I like your idea the most, I’ll put your name in the hat 5 more times. I’ll then draw out one name and send that person a copy of the resource. Sounds like fun, huh?
Contest ends on Saturday at 11:59 PM! Ready… Set…. GO!!!!
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