Tag Archives: Childrne’s Ministry
Guest Blogger: Sam Luce
Posted on 08. Apr, 2009 by Kenny.
Today I have another special guest blogger on Children’s Ministry Online. Sam Luce is a Children’s Pastor in New York and a good friend of mine. He and I started blogging within a few weeks of each other and in the early days I think he and I kept each other going by being the only ones commenting on each other’s blog posts. Although we haven’t met in person, we’ve developed a great friendship where we encourage each other, challenge each other in ministry and sometimes just shoot the breeze.
Here is his bio from his website:
I have been the children’s pastor at Mt. Zion Ministries Church in Utica NY for the pas 11 years. I am very passionate about helping others reach kids for Christ.
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My Beef with Bible Bucks: Why do you do it?
Posted on 17. Sep, 2008 by Kenny.
This week my friend Sam Luce wrote about using Bible Bucks in Kids Church to motivate/reward children. Honestly, a lot of churches do it. Many programs actually have rewards built right into the fabric of it’s DNA. I’ve dismantled this type of program at three different churches (including Gateway where I’ve just landed). I’m not at all saying their wrong. For me it’s been a matter of personal preference. I just don’t like them. Not all the kids are inspired by it, it’s expensive, it can be a beast to manage and too often there are kids who feel left out on the day they get to go to the store (I know, that’s the day the leaders give out Bucks to everyone so that everyone has something to spend and those first time visitors can get at least the smallest prize).… Read the rest
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Orange Meet-ups
Posted on 29. Apr, 2008 by Kenny.
I went to my first Children’s Ministry conference 5 years ago. It was the Children’s Pastors Conference in Atlanta, GA. I went with two of my staff. Other than them, I didn’t know anyone. Actually, I did know Ryan Frank (I spoke at his church’s camp the summer before).
Orange is my 4th conference since that first one and just the first day has been characterized by meeting new and old friends. At the very start, I met up with the youth pastor from the first church I worked with in Texas (he’s actually my room mate for this week). Then this morning, I met up with the Children’s Pastors I served with at Cross Timbers for the last two years.… Read the rest
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Submitting to leadership (Ministry Budgets Part Six)
Posted on 08. Mar, 2008 by Kenny.
In all of the things I’ve discussed the past 5 days, there was one element that brings it all together. It’s about submitting to the leadership God placed above you. I agree that generally speaking, children’s ministry budgets are under funded. I do believe that children’s pastors should present the need, present a vision and ask for what is appropriate. However, what leadership decides as a ministry budget needs to be accepted. Again, it comes back to loaves and fishes.
We have to remember that God will bless us when we make the best use of what he’s given us. He’s honored when we creatively expand the resources we’ve given. When we are faithful in these things, he will entrust us with more.… Read the rest
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The principle of the show wall (Lessons Learned the Hard Way Part 3)
Posted on 08. Mar, 2008 by Kenny.
I give all the credit for this post to my father-in-law as he’s the one to tell me about the show wall. I tried to do a little research on the “show wall” and couldn’t find anything. I’m going to take his word for it as I trust him, but regardless it is a great principle. After talking about some conversations I had with some people at church, he introduced me to this concept. He said that sometimes in construction, builders will erect a show wall while they are concentrating their effort on the foundation. The foundation work is a tedious but necessary step in building any structure. The only problem is that during the days to weeks of building the foundation, no one can see what you’re doing.… Read the rest
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