RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

Reading is a key to growing as a children's ministry leader.

I'm often asked what books I recommend.  It's hard to narrow it down to 25, but here's 25 books I believe every children's ministry leader should read.  You can purchase any of these through Amazon.

Creating Ever Cool: A Marketer's Guide to a Child's Heart by Gene Del Vecchio

100 Best Ideas to Turbo Charge Your Children's Ministry (co-authored)

Next Generation Leader by Andy Stanley

Doing Church as a Team by Wayne Corderio

The Disney Way by Bill Capodagli & Lynn Jackson

Disney U by Doug Lipp

Good to Great by Jim Collins

Start with the Why by Simon Sinek

Axiom by Bill Hybels

Deep and Wide by Andy Stanley

100 Best Ideas to Turbo Charge Your Preschool Ministry (co-authored)

Simple Church by Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger

Volunteers That Stick by Jim Wideman

17 Essential Qualities of a Team Player by John Maxwell

21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell

Be Our Guest by The Disney Institute

Inside the Magic Kingdom by Tom Connellan

I Quit by Peter and Geri Scazzero

Replinish: Leading from a Healthy Soul by Lance Witt

Children's Ministry in the 21st century (co-authored)

Right from Wrong by Josh McDowell

Carpe Manana by Leonard Sweet

Think Orange by Reggie Joiner

Too Busy Not to Pray with Bill Hybels

Communicating for Change by Andy Stanley

What's missing from the list?  What other books do you recommend for children's ministry leaders?  Share the titles with us in the comment section below.

I'm reading a new book called "Dream It! Do It!  My Half-Century Creating Disney's Magic Kingdom."

It's written by Marty Sklar.  Marty is a Disney legend and Imagineer.  I am picking up so many great ideas from this book about connecting with children and families and leadership.

Yesterday I shared the first 25.  Here's 25 more...

Be optimistic - if you are not positive, who else will be?

Courage and confidence are major cross streets on the road to success.

Make curiosity your search engine.

Learn to love your next assignment - be passionate about whatever you do.

Provide time to explore - but deadlines are great motivation and discipline.

Take time to teach - mentors are important.

Forget the politics - it's not an election.

Traditions are important - but change is the great dynamic.

Team and work are four-letter words - but together they spell "winner."

Remember, the last three letters of trend are E-N-D.

Speak up.  Great teammates raise issues before decisions are made.

Never be afraid to ask questions.  That's how we learn our parts - onstage and backstage.

Make your experience count.  That's why you're on the team.

Help the rookies succeed.  You were "new" once, too.

Understand your role - everyone has a job to do.

Never fear failure - winners sometimes fail, too!

But - know when to take a chance and always let your leaders know you're doing it.

Play by the rules.  If you disagree, work to change them after the game.

Share the joy of success - you didn't do it by yourself.

Support your teammates - at Disney, there's only one name on the door.

There are two ways to look at a blank sheet of paper.  It can be the most frightening thing in the world,  because you have to make the first mark on it.  Or it can be the greatest opportunity in the world, because you get to make the first mark - you can let your imagination fly in any direction, and create whole new worlds.

Never lose your faith in family entertainment.

When we go into a project , we believe in it all the way.  We have confidence in our ability to do it right.  And we work hard to do the very best job possible.

I go from one area of the studio to another and gather pollen and sort of stimulate everybody.  I guess that's my job. - Walt Disney

Don't let making a living prevent you from making a life.