RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

Did you know that most elite athletes and professionals have a coach? 

Being a great children's ministry leader is no small feat and it is crucial to have a coach. 

A coach can help you identity areas you need to grow in, help you set actionable goals, and inspire you to become a better children's ministry leader.

No one one knows everything.  Google doesn't have all the answers. Sometimes you need a children's ministry expert to help you and your ministry grow.

What should you look for in a children's ministry coach?

Coaches are often leaders who have experienced success in children's ministry and bring years and even decades of experience to the table. 

This is one of the big reasons why leaders choose Dale as their coach. He has over 35 years of experience and has personally helped build and lead some of the largest and most successful children's ministries in the nation.  In a 9 year period, he helped build a children's ministry from 900 children to over 4,000 children attending each weekend.  In the same period, he built the volunteer team from 600 to over 2,000.  He also saw over 430 children come to Christ and follow Him in baptism in one year.  He has led a staff team of over 70 leaders.  

As a leader, he has not just talked about children's ministry success, but has proven it can be done. 

Here are some of the ways Advance Coaching with Dale can generate personal and ministry growth for you. 

He can help you see your ministry grow.  Is your children's ministry plateaued over even in decline?  Dale can help you with critical thinking and ministry productivity. 

He can help you identify your own strengths and weaknesses and move past current personal growth hindrances.  Every leader has insecurities and weaknesses.  A key aspect of succeeding as a leader is being self-aware and finding ways to move past your personal challenges.  

Staying in your comfort zone can hinder you. Comfort and complacency go hand in hand, so if you feel like you’re finding everything too easy, it’s time to get a coach.

He can help you organize your goals and help you plan out what needs to be done.  Let's be honest. Being a children's ministry leader can be overwhelming.  You are spinning multiple plates and are often under a lot of pressure.  It's easy to bury your head in the sand about the challenges you are facing.

Coaching can help you build your team and acquire the skills you need to delegate, so you can spend less time with the daily grind and more time focusing on growth.

It's easy to get stuck in a mindset that keeps you from growing.  A coach can you help break free from these limitations and grow personally and professionally. 

Is it time for you to take a step and get a coach?  If so, then Dale is here for you.  

He will meet with you personally, as well as with group coaching calls.

Here are 6 key areas Dale will help you grow in:

• Self Leadership
• Leading Staff and Volunteers
• Leading through Changes and Challenges
• Keys to Growing a Ministry
• Creating a Dynamic Children's Ministry Culture in Your Church and Partnering with Parents
• Staying Relevant in Children's Ministry

You will also receive 6 of Dale's books. ($85 value)

Do you want to have more leadership influence with the team you lead?

Do you want to see the ministry you lead grow and flourish?

Are you looking for someone who can help you get to the next level as a children's ministry leader?

Do you want someone who will personally invest in you and your ministry?

Are you looking for someone who can help you navigate the challenges and struggles you are facing?  

Then Advance Children's Ministry Coaching is just what you are looking for.

It's a 6-month coaching experience with Dale Hudson.  Dale is a proven leader with over 32 years of children's ministry experience. 

When you are looking for a coaching program, it's vital to have someone with experience leading you. Dale hasn't just been talking about how to lead in children's ministry over the years. He has lived it. He has built and led children's ministries to the next level. 

In his last ministry as a children's director, he...

• built the cm volunteer team from 300 to 2,400 volunteers

• helped grow the church from 12,000 to 28,000 in attendance in 9 years

• led a cm staff team of over 70 people

• saw over 460 kids and dozens of parents baptized in one year

When you are part of the Advance Coaching experience, you will be able to...

Have 6 months of coaching.  The next session runs July to December.

Monthly group coaching call. Live, one-hour sessions on the important topics listed below. Each session includes teaching and group discussions.  You will have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss the topics with Dale and the other leaders in your group. Sessions are also recorded so you have access to them later.

• Self Leadership. (July)
• Leading Staff and Volunteers. (August)
• Leading through Change and Challenges. (September)
• Keys to seeing your ministry grow and flourish. (October)
• Creating a dynamic children's ministry culture in your church. (November)
• Staying relevant in ministry and partnering with parents. (December)
  

Develop a personalized growth plan:

• Dale will you identify your areas for growth and development. 
• Dale will help you create a growth plan.
• You will be able to identify your personal blind spots and other areas you want to grow past.

2 hours of personal 1-1 growth conversations with Dale. 

A copy of four of Dale's books ($63 value).                                                                                               *if you live outside of the U.S., you will get the books as ebooks. 

The deadline for the next program is June 27.  You can get more information and register at this link.  

Come join us on this adventure and see you and your ministry grow to the next level.

Skill of Motivation                 

Motivate people to give their very best.  Show them the value they add to the team.  Get them excited about the "why" of the ministry.  

Lead the way.  One of the biggest motivations is the example and passion that you set as the leader.  Remember that motivation is caught more than it is taught.  Passion inspires passion. 

Get motivated yourself first and then you will be able to motivate those around you.

Skill of Empathy                                                                                                                                               Exceptional leadership must have exceptional empathy.  Learn to walk in others' shoes.  Lead not just with your head, but with your heart as well.  Seek to understand how others feel and show compassion toward them.  Seek to understand where people are coming from.  Seek to understand where they are in life at the time.  

Skill of Empowerment                                                                                                                                               Exceptional leaders have people they are developing and investing in.  Exceptional leaders help people grow in their skills.  Good leaders are powerful.  Exceptional leaders are empowering.  Good leaders are stars.  Exceptional leaders create stars.  They spend more time equipping than doing.  They make the people around them better.                                                                                                             Skill of Casting Vision                                                                                                                                                   One of the most important skills you can have as a leader is casting vision.  If you want to attract exceptional volunteers, then you have to cast an exceptional vision.  This includes creating a compelling narrative for what God can do through each person on the team.

Skill of Team Building

If there is one skill that comes from an exceptional leader in children's ministry, this is it.  Building volunteer teams.  You can have many of these skills, but if you miss this one, you'll have a tough time being an exceptional leader.  Remember...it's not about what you can do, it's about what you can do through the team of leaders you build.  

If you want to grow in this area, my book The Formula for Building Great Volunteer Teams is a must read.

Skill of a Positive Attitude 

A positive attitude is part of an exceptional leaders DNA.  But let's dig a little deeper on this.  It doesn't mean you always walk around smiling from ear to ear.  It is the ability to recognize that setbacks and problems happen.  It's part of life.  It's being able to then face those circumstances and deal with them in a positive manner.

Skill of Time Management 

There is a difference between being busy and being productive.  Exceptional leaders get a lot done.  And it's not because they have to burn the midnight oil.  It's because they have a strategic plan for how they prioritize their schedule and duties. 

If you are looking for help with time management, I can provide you with some great time management tools in my coaching program.  You can get more info. about Advance Children's Ministry Coaching Program at this link. 

Skill of Listening                                                                                                                                                          Exceptional leaders know how to ask the right questions.  They ask questions and they listen.  They really listen.  Instead of thinking about what his or her response will be once the other person stops talking, they first listen carefully to understand the other person's viewpoint.

Skill of Self-Confidence

Exceptional leaders walk in confidence.  They know they can add value to the ministry.  They think back to past victories and use that to build upon for future challenges.  This doesn't mean they are arrogant or cocky or a know-it-all.  Rather it means you humbly know that God has prepared you for the role He has for you.

Skill of Continuous Learning

Exceptional leaders never stop learning.  They read.  They listen.  They attend conferences and workshops.  They push themselves out of their comfort zone.  They are not "know-it-alls."  The older they get, the more inquisitive they become.  They stay curious.  They stay teachable so they can remain usable.

The great thing about each of these skills is they can be learned.  As you've read through these, stop and think about it for awhile.  Which of these do you need to grow in?  Which of these are hindering you from being an exceptional leader?  

Don't be satisfied with being an average leader.  Strive to be an exceptional leader.  We are living in a time in history when we need exceptional leaders.  We are facing exceptional challenges that can only be overcome by exceptional leaders who are empowered by God to be the person for such a time as this.