10 Quotes That Have Impacted My Life

 

"You can go faster alone...but you can go farther together."

"The world has yet to see what God can do with and for and through and in and by the man who is fully and wholly consecrated to Him.  I will try my utmost to be that man."  -D.L. Moody

"The road to success is always under construction."

"The most important thing in life isn't things."

"Everyone can be great...because everyone can serve." -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

"Everyone says they are teachable until there is a lesson to be learned."

"Who you are is more important than what you do.  Be who you are supposed to be and you will do what you are supposed to do."

"Failure is the material that success is built from."

"Courage is being afraid but taking the step anyways."

"Enjoy the big things in life today which are often mistaken for the little things."

What are some quotes that have impacted your life?  Share some with us in the comment section below.

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Talking to Children About Disaster

Our hearts are grieving for the kids and families who were injured or lost their lives in the tornadoes.  If you need help talking to your children about this tragedy, here is help.

http://www.relevantchildrensministry.com/2011/05/talking-to-children-about-disaster-pt1.html

http://www.relevantchildrensministry.com/2011/05/talking-to-children-about-disaster-pt2.html

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Plowing & Planting in Children's Ministry

  
Today's post is from my long-time friend, Rob Brooks.  Rob has served in Children's Ministry for over 20 years in local churches.  I've had him speak at several of our kid's camps and he always does an amazing job.  In this post, he shares about Plowing and Planting in Children's Ministry.

My wife and I spent the weekend “playing in the dirt again”, plowing up a small plot on our property and planting fruits, vegetables and flowers.  I still have dirt under my fingernails. 

Lisa loves doing this every spring, and though I’m not much into gardening, I enjoy the time spent with her, doing something she loves.  It’s hard work, running the tiller through the soil, pulling up rocks, hacking through roots, and yanking out weeds. 

But then Lisa organizes the plot, allocating different sections to various types of plantings.  Hopefully, over the next several months, as we tend the garden, we’ll be rewarded with a bountiful harvest.

I’m reminded of the many times Jesus used farming analogies in His parables.  There are so many parallels to life, to following God, and to training children in the Word. 

I think about my years in children’s ministry, as well as raising our own two daughters.  From the earliest years, our goal has been to plant God’s Word in the hearts and minds of children, our own, and those we taught in churches. 

Proverbs 22:6 teaches us to "train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”  I believe if we are intentional about instructing children in God’s Word and ways, and are backing it up by living what we teach, our children may wander and make their own mistakes (as in Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son), but sooner or later, they will “boomerang” back to the truth that was planted in their young lives. 

Our job is to follow the model presented in Deuteronomy 6:4-9.  Teach our children at every possible opportunity, making the most of every teachable moment.  And model in our own lives, what we want them to become in theirs.  That combination will surely bring a harvest of godliness in the next generation. 

You can connect with Rob at www.rtbrooks.wordpress.com or at www.linkedin.com/in/rtbrooks.  He is available for camps, children's ministry conferences, volunteer training, consulting, and ministry coaching.

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The Difference Between Good and Great Children's Ministry Leaders

The good children's ministry leader teaches kids.  The great children's ministry leader teaches kids and teaches other people how to teach kids.

The good children's ministry leader reaches kids.  The great children's ministry leader reaches entire families.

The good children's ministry leader impacts the children's department.  The great children's ministry leader impacts the entire church.

The good children's ministry leader flies solo.  The great children's ministry leader collaborates.

The good children's ministry leader brings his/her best.  The great children's ministry leader brings out the best in others.

The good children's ministry leader has talent.  The great children's ministry leader has a talented team.

The good children's ministry leader disciples kids.  The great children's ministry leader equips parents to disciple their kids.

The good children's ministry leader brings challenges to church leadership.  The great children's ministry leader brings challenges and possible solutions to the challenges to church leadership.

The good children's ministry leader maintains a lot of mediocre programs.  The great children's ministry leader focuses on doing a few programs with excellence.

The good children's ministry leader is a great lecturer.  The great children's ministry leader is a great facilitator.

The good children's ministry leader always comes up with the best idea.  The great children's ministry leader always identifies the best idea...no matter who it came from.

The good children's ministry leader leads well.  The great children's ministry leader leads well and raises up others who can lead well.

The good children's ministry leader is always on hand to "run the show."  The great children's ministry leader can be gone and nothing misses a beat.

The good children's ministry leader is great with kids.  The great children's ministry leader is great with kids and adults.

The good children's ministry leader makes sure everything is comfortable.  The great children's ministry leader makes sure everything is constantly being evaluated and improved.

The good children's ministry leader has completed a ministry degree.  The great children's ministry leader may have a degree, but realizes he/she will always be in school.

The good children's ministry leader is gifted.  The great ministry children's ministry leader helps others discover their gifts.

The good children's ministry leader tells kids how to follow Christ.  The great children's ministry leader shows kids how to follow Christ.

The good children's ministry leader prays in public.  The great children's ministry leader prays in public and private.

The good children's ministry leader listens to feedback when it is given.  The great children's ministry leader actively seeks out and asks for feedback.

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Winner of Adventure Bible Giveaway Announced

Congratulations to Karen Watkins. She is the winner of the Adventure Bible.  Karen is the Children's Ministry Coordinator at NorthBrook Fellowship in North Branch, Minnesota. Karen, we are thankful for your heart to reach kids and families. May God continue to bless your ministry.

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway. We will be giving away more great resources in the next few weeks.  Watch for details.

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The World's 15 Best Attractions for Kids

Travel website, Gogobot, recently released it's list of the world's 15 best attractions for kids.  I've taken my kids to several of these places and they are great.  Of course, being a Disney fan, I would have to add that to the list.

Check out the list and tell us what you think.  Have you been to any of these?  How would you rate them?  What other attractions would you add to the list?  Share with us in the comment section below.

Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat, Las Vegas

New England Aquarium, Boston

Busch Gardens, Tampa

Night Safari, Singapore

Franklin Institute, Philadelphia

Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta

Cite des Sciences et de L'Industrie, Paris

SeaWorld, Orlando

John G. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago

San Diego Zoo Safari Park, San Diego

Monterey Bay Aquarium, Montery

American Museum of Natural History, New York

The British Museum, London

California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco

Tower of London, London

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20 Easy Ways to Show Your Volunteers You Appreciate Them

1. Send them a handwritten thank you note.
2. Bring them their favorite candy bar.
3. Give them a Starbucks gift card.
4. Recognize their birthday.
5. Give a flower to the mothers who volunteer on Mother's Day.
6. Have snacks available for them.
7. Bring bottled water to them while they are serving.
8. Take a volunteer to lunch.
9. Bake homemade cookies for them.
10. Take a picture of them serving and put it on Facebook.  Use the comment section to brag on them.
11. Ask for their input and ideas on a regular basis.
12. Have them over for a cookout.
13. Text them and tell them how much you appreciate them.
14. Personally thank them for serving as they are leaving.
15. Brag on them publicly.
16. Give them movie tickets.
17. Recognize them each year on their serving anniversary.
18. Give them a small gift and card at Christmas.
19. Have the kids make a card that tells how they've impacted their lives.
20. Give them a book or other resource that will help them grow personally.

How do you show your volunteers you appreciate them?  Share your ideas with us in the comment section.

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How to Listen to a Parent Who is Really Ticked Off

Have you ever had a parent in your ministry get mad...I mean really mad?  Most of us have.  Sometimes it's unjustified and unfortunately sometimes it's for a good reason.

How you respond to an upset parent can make or break the relationship you have with the family.  Here's some practical steps from Harvard Business Review about being a good listener when someone is in "spew" mode.

Ask them what they are most frustrated about.  Then let them vent their feelings.  As they vent, listen for words that have a lot of emotion attached to them.  Words like "never" or "didn't" or "screwed up."  Listen for words they say with high inflection.

Ask them to explain more about what they mean by the word(s) that had a lot of emotion attached to them.  This will help them release their anger even more.

Then ask them what they are most angry about.  This continues to let them release their angry emotions.  During this time, you may feel your own emotions amping up, put don't give in to the urge to jump into a debate.  Listen without interrupting.  Let them have their say and get everything off their chest.

Next, ask them what they are really worried about.  After they have shared, ask them again to tell you more about their worry. This will allow you to get to the core of their emotional wound.

Finally, say, "Now I know why you are so frustrated, angry, and worried.  Since we can't turn time back, let's put our heads together and come up with a solution."

Just remember, when a parent gets upset, what you tell them is less important than what you enable them to tell you.  After they share their frustrations, angers, and worries, then you are ready to move into a healthy conversation and resolution.

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One Way to Make a Big Impact on Families

Do you want to make a big spiritual impact on families?  Try this.

Host a family baptism celebration.  When a child steps across the line of faith and is ready to be baptized, invite the family to a baptism celebration.

Here's some ideas from one we just hosted.  We do these once a quarter after the service.  We've had great reports on the impact it's making in kids' and parents' lives.  Here's a flow and some pictures for ideas.

Encourage families to invite their extended family and friends to come celebrate with them.  Provide them with invitations they can use to invite people.  You can also use this as a time of outreach and encourage them to invite unchurched friends, neighbors, and classmates to come watch their baptism.

Decorate.  Have a table for each family with a name placard, balloons, and cake.

Take some time to celebrate with music, singing, etc.

Invite parents to speak a blessing/prayer over their child.

Share the Gospel and the meaning of baptism.  We put John 3:16 on the cakes as a bridge to share the Gospel.  Many times we will see parents or other families members follow Christ in baptism as well.

Present each child with their baptism certificate. 

Move to the baptistry area.  When each child is baptized, have their family come up and surround the baptistry to show their support.

Close with prayer. 

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