RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

We live in a world of digital communication.  One of the communication tools people utilize is Twitter.  With 328 million active users, it is currently the ninth largest social media platform in the world.  Most of the first-time guests who walk through your church doors, come with a smart phone in their hand that has the Twitter app loaded on it.

In recent years, Disney has started using Twitter to connect with guests at their parks and resorts.  They have opened two new twitter accounts that give guests the opportunity to engage with their Cast Members in real time while they are at the parks and resorts.  Guests can ask questions and provide feedback from the convenience of their smart phone.  Guests can also use the accounts to share stories of Cast Members who made a positive impact during their visit.  This not only allows them to connect with guests, but to honor employees as well.  

This is a great idea.  Think about it.  A new family walks through the door and sees that they can ask questions and provide feedback via a special twitter account.  Of course, nothing can totally replace a face-to-face connection with guests, but having the Twitter account as another option adds another layer of customer service.  This is especially allows guests who might be shy or timid about asking questions or providing feedback to do so in a more non-evasive way.   

An example - a first time guest mom is sitting in the service and is wondering how her new baby is doing in the nursery.  She asks on the Twitter account and gets a response in real time that says her baby is doing great.  She relaxes and enjoys the service.

Another example - a new family encounters a greeter that is short and curt with them.  They mention on the twitter feed that they were not made to feel welcome.  You see it and thank them for their feedback.  You follow up with a customer service training for your volunteers and then thank the family for helping make the ministry better.  You not only get them to come back, but your team improves as well.

One more example - a guest family adds a comment that the teacher in their child's room went the second mile to make their child feel welcome and loved.  You share that with the teacher and she is greatly encouraged.

You can see what a great impact can be made in 140 characters or less.  Think about it.  How could you use 140 characters or less to connect with guest families?  It's working for Disney and it can work for you and your team as well.

p.s. You can get more great ideas from Disney for your ministry in the book "If Disney Ran Your Children's Ministry."  It's available at this link.

If you're in Children's Ministry, you probably depend on your smartphone to help you be more efficient in your work.  Smartphones have definitely become a staple in our day-by-day tasks.

If your smartphone is your tool belt, then apps are the tools you place in it to work with.  Here are 30 of the best tools (apps) you can place in your smartphone. 

SHARE YOUR FAITH
This app gives you an easy, visual way to share the plan of salvation with kids and parents.  It is interactive, compelling and easy to use.  It comes in 17 languages which also makes it a great tool to use on a mission trip.

THE BIBLE APP FOR KIDS
The Bible App for Kids is an animated Bible storybook.  It has vivid illustrations with touch-activated animations.  It also features games and activities that help kids remember God's Word.

INSTAGRAM
Instagram is a simple way to feature and promote your children's ministry to parents, volunteers and families.   It's also a great way to personally connect with volunteers, families in your ministry and other children's ministry leaders.  There are over 500 million people on Instagram.

CHARADES
Charades is a fun game to play with kids and volunteers.  It takes the time-honored game further with many hilarious bells and whistles, from impersonating celebrities to name that tune.  It's the #1 Word & Card game in the USA.

EVERNOTE
Evernote allows you to create notes.  And a note can be anything - a do-list, a reminder, a picture, a sketch, document, etc.  And once you make a note, it's accessible wherever you go.  You can also share your notes with others.  It's great for shared projects, meeting agendas and more.

FACEBOOK
There are many ways to use Facebook for your children's ministry.  A parent group, a volunteer group, a page that highlights your ministry, etc. 

BUFFER
This app lets you post to multiple popular social networks at scheduled times throughout the day, and has built-in analytics so you can see how your updates are faring.

TWITTER
Twitter is another major way to connect with parents and volunteers and promote your children's ministry.  It's also a great tool to stay connected with other children's ministry leaders.

YOUVERSION BIBLE
Best free digital Bible available in my opinion.

FILE MANAGER
Great app to organize and view your files. 

PAPER by 53
Paper is a great way to capture and connect your notes, photos and sketches.  Create checklists, spotlight details in photos and sketch diagrams with unbeatable speed and ease.  Paper is like a wall of sticky notes for everything that inspires you.

30/30
This app will guide you task by task, counting down until it’s time to move on to the next one.  You  can adjust the timer in five-minute increments in either direction if you need more or less than 30 minutes for a task.

SEND ANYWHERE
Send Anywhere enables you to easily send large files.  Your recipient uses a six-digit code to download the file you send.  There are no file-size limits!

SLACK
This app is a great way to keep in touch with your team.  It provides chat and file sharing along with third-party productivity services.

MINUTE
The Minute app helps you make the most of your meetings by combining pre-meeting agendas and necessary files, along with in-meeting notes and post-meeting action items.

SIMPLENOTE
Simplenote is an easy, no-nonsense note-keeper, with the added bonus of cross-platform support and notes that sync in real-time to all of your other devices.

YOUTUBE
YouTube is a great way to put the ministry videos you create online and share them with parents and volunteers. 

PANDORA
Pandora is a free, personalized radio that plays music you love.  Great for when you need music for pre-service, post-service, events, etc.

SPOTIFY
Another great app that gives you access to millions of songs.  Another great option when you need music for pre-service, post-service, events. etc.

PINTEREST
Great place to get ideas for all aspects of children's ministry.

WAZE
A community based traffic and navigation app.  Gives you real-time traffic and road info.

DROPBOX
Great tool for saving and sharing files.

GOOGLE DRIVE
Another great way to save and share files.

DOCS TO GO
Allows you to view, edit, and create Microsoft® Office files (Word, Excel, PowerPoint*) & view Adobe PDF® files.

MINT
Can help you manage your personal and ministry budget.

MAGISTO
Use this editing tool to turn your ministry photos and video clips into music videos.  Great way to promote and highlight your ministry. 

OVERCAST
A powerful yet simple audio podcast player, with features such as Smart Speed, Voice Boost, and Smarter Playlists to help you listen to more podcasts in more places, try new shows and completely control your experience.

PRISMA
Turn your ministry photos into awesome artworks with these modern art filters.  Stunning features and fast sharing. 

SKYPE
Use this app for video meetings and connecting with other children's ministry leaders. 

WHATSAPP
This free messaging app uses your phone's Internet connection to message and call volunteers, family and friends.

Your turn.  What other apps do you recommend for Children's Ministry?  Share them with everyone in the comment section below.

The Millennials are defined as adults between the ages of 18 to 34 in 2015.  In an article earlier this week, we talked about their marriage stats and views.  Now let's take a look at Millennials as parents.

They are now more than 22 million Millennials in America with about 9,000 babies born to them each day.  They account for 80% of the 4 million annual births and the number of new millennial parents is expected to grow exponentially over the next decade.

They are digitally native, ethnically diverse, late marrying and less bound by traditional gender roles than any previous generation.  They are becoming parents later...the average age being 26 compared to age 21 in 1970.

How are millennials parenting?  
They are moving away from the command-and-control model that many of them were raised with.  They are taking a more democratic approach.  It is not uncommon for them to take a poll with their kids in deciding what to do for the weekend.  They are more empathetic, understanding and questioning of what their children's needs are. 

• 52% closely monitor their children's diet.
• 64% say the environment is a top concern.
• 61% agree that kids need more unstructured playtime.  This indicates a backlash against the "helicopter parenting" of the Boomers.  They are backing away from the over-scheduled days of their youth, preferring a more responsive, less dictatorial approach to activities.
• 21% think their kids are over scheduled.
• 48% believe children do best if a stay-at-home mom raises them.  
• 23% are stay-at-home parents compared to just 16% of Gen Xer's and 22% of Baby Boomers.  This indicates a traditional streak.
• 80% feel the pressure to be the "perfect" parent compared to only 70% of Gen X parents.

What do millennial parents value?

• 50% say they try to buy products that support causes or charities.  They are often cited as one of the most socially compassionate generations ever.  The brands that connect with millennial parents help them feel better about themselves through purchases and brand engagement.  This is further confirmed by the fact that the top 3 brands they favor - Nike, Target and Apple - all have a cause platform.
• 82% want their child to know that they don't need possessions to be happy.
• 77% want their child to graduate from college.
• 56% want their child to excel at sports.

How involved are they in social media?
90% are social media users.  They have helped shape a culture that is always on...smartphone in hand.  

Social media has become the place where it's acceptable to brag.  Instead of only having 5 minutes to take out their wallet and show off some pictures, they now have a platform for sharing that operates 24/7.  With camera in hand, parents record the first few minutes of their child's life and post it online.  46% say they posted a picture of their child before their child was 1 day old.

• 88% have a Facebook account and 35% have posted something in the last day.
• 59% have a Twitter account and 26% actively use it.
• 72% access YouTube.
• 69% have a Google+ account and 24% actively use it.
• 34% have an Instagram account and 14% actively use it.

Technology has also enabled Millennial parents to be more connected to their children.  The smartphone becomes a link to their children just like it comes a link to their work.  Kids can now text when they get to school or sports practice or home. 

What do these trends mean for the church?  How can we effectively reach and disciple Millennial parents?  

Here are some strategies that come from these findings.

• They are very open to parenting input and ideas.  If you will provide quality, Biblical-based, relevant teaching about parenting, you will grab their attention.

• They are looking for ways to support causes and charities.  What better place to find this than at church?  Help them see that the mission of the church is the greatest cause you can give your life to.

• Social Media.  Use it to engage and equip parents.  Instead of asking them to come to you online via your website - go to where they already are.  Facebook.  Twitter.  Instagram.  Pinterest. 

• Be a place that champions diversity.  

• Don't over-schedule them.  They are not looking for something else to put on their calendar.

Your turn.  The floor is yours.  What other thoughts or ideas do you have about Millennial parents?  Share with us in the comment section below.

There is a smart way to partner with parents...literally.

"Smartphones."  Most of the parents in your ministry constantly have them in hand.  In 2011, 35% of American adults owned a smartphone.  Today, it's over 64%.

Here are some smart ways to connect with parents through their smartphones.

Text Messages
Did you know that 98% of text messages get read?  Send a text message to the parents in your ministry and it will get noticed.  You can read here about how to use text messages to partner with parents. 

Email
Most parents are notified when an email hits their smartphone.  Here's another opportunity to email discussion questions, upcoming events, parenting tips and more.

Facebook
Parents have Facebook on their smartphones and they check it often.  Some of the ways to use this is to start a parent page where you post follow-up discussion questions, parenting tips, upcoming events and more.

Twitter
Here's another social media platform parents use on their smartphones.  Open a twitter account for your children's ministry.

Instagram
Open an Instagram account for your children's ministry and use it to post graphics, announcements, parenting tips, etc.

Pinterest
The moms in your children's ministry spend a lot of time on Pinterest.  Post pictures of upcoming lessons, events, parenting tips, etc.

What are some other ways you use smartphones to partner with parents?  Share with us in the comment section below.

If you want to connect with today's parents and volunteers, it's important to effectively communicate with them.  The majority of your parents and volunteers use social media to connect and communicate.  So it makes sense to strategically go to them through this venue.

Here's our weekly social media strategy... 

Monday

• Early childhood take home paper on parent Facebook page
• Text message to preschool parents with follow up question from weekend lesson 
• Follow up question from weekend preschool lesson posted on Twitter page 
• Pictures from the weekend of volunteers in action posted along with their name and a thank you note on the volunteer Facebook page

Tuesday

• Elementary take home paper on parent Facebook page  
• Text message to elementary parents with follow up question from weekend lesson
• Follow up question from weekend elementary lesson posted on Twitter page 

 Thursday 

• If there is an event coming up, a reminder text is sent to all parents 
• If there is an event coming up, a reminder is placed on Twitter
• If there is an event coming up, a reminder is placed on Instagram.

 Friday 

• Promo for weekend lesson on parent Facebook page
• Promo for weekend lesson on Twitter 
• If there is a new teaching series starting ,we post about it on parent Facebook page and Instagram 

 Other

• Pictures from events and weekend services are posted on an ongoing basis on parent Facebook page and Instagram (discretion is used when posting pictures of kids) 
• Parenting tips and articles are posted on the parent Facebook page on an ongoing basis
• Volunteer training and tips are posted on the volunteer Facebook page on an ongoing basis    

Do you have a Social Media strategy for your children's ministry?  Share what you do in the comment section below.

Social Media.  If you're going to effectively connect with today's volunteers and parents, it's important to stay current with online forms of communication.

Here's some recent trends that will help your children's ministry stay current in the world of social media.

Trend #1 - Your teen and young adult volunteers are moving to Instagram.  Teens and young adults that were surveyed said Instagram is the most important social media tool to them.  This is reflected in the infograph below.  If you want to communicate with your teen and young adult volunteers, use Instagram.
 

Trend #2 - The parents and adults in your ministry are using Facebook.  While teens and young adults are shifting away from Facebook and toward Twitter, their parents are not.  In the chart below, you can see the continued growth of Facebook among adults 25 and older.

If you want to connect with parents and adults in your ministry, then Facebook is one of the primary ways to do so.  Create a volunteer Facebook page as well as a parent Facebook page.












Trend #3 - Micro-video.  Short videos (15 seconds or less) are quickly rising to the same level as pictures and will become more and more popular on platforms such as Instagram, Twitter and Vine.  Use this tool to share quick training tips with volunteers and tips for parents.

Trend #4 - Connect with volunteers and parents on LinkedIn.  LinkedIn's core demographic are those aged between 30 and 49.  LinkedIn tends to be used by professionals and college graduates.  If you want to influence volunteers and parents whose careers are on the rise, then join LinkedIn.

Trend #5 - Use Twitter to connect with male volunteers and dads.  22% of men use Twitter versus 15% of women.

Trend #6 - YouTube can help you train your volunteers.  Nearly half of adults ages 18 to 34 visited YouTube between December 2013 and February 2014.  It was rated by Millennials as the top place to watch content.  Grab your camera and shoot a short training video.  Post it on YouTube and send the link to your volunteers. 

Trend #7 - Mobile.  The shift toward people viewing content primarily on their mobile devices continues to accelerate.  37% of time spent online is on mobile devices. The average person checks his/her phone at least 110 times a day.  Make sure your ministry websites, communication templates, etc. are in a mobile friendly format.

What other trends do you see happening in social media?  How will they affect children's ministry?  Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.

A - Apps

B - Bluetooth

C - Chat

D - Download

E - Email

F - Facebook

G - Google

H - Hulu

I -  iPad

J - Java

K - Keyboard

L - Laptop

M - Megabytes

N - Network

O - Online

P - Pixels

Q - QuickTime

R - Router

S - Share

T - Twitter

U - USB

V - Virtual

W - Wifi

Y - YouTube

Z - Zip

The internet has changed everything...including how we do children's ministry.

How we communicate...learn...prepare lessons...
research...network...share...teach...create...
view videos...has been made easier by technology.

It is staggering how much happens on the internet in just one minute.  Here's an overview.

• 639,800GB of global IP data transferred

• 6 new wikipedia articles published

• 1,300 new mobile users

• 20 new victims of identity theft

• 204 million emails sent

• 47,000 app downloads

• $83,000 in Amazon sales

• 61,141 hours of music are played on Pandora

• 100 new LinkedIn accounts are created

• 20 million photos are viewed on flickr; 3,000 photos are uploaded

• 320 new Twitter accounts are created; 100,000 new tweets are sent

• 277,000 Facebook log-ins; 6 million Facebook views

• 2 million Google search queries are initiated

• 30 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube; 1.3 million videos are viewed

• Today, the number of networked devices equals the global population.  By 2015, that number will be double the global population.

How do you use the internet in Children's Ministry?

How has the internet made Children's Ministry easier for you?

Share our thoughts with us in the comment section below. 

"Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, that He may lift you up in due time." I Peter 5:6

The way up as a Children's Ministry leader is stepping down.

This is the opposite of what our instincts tell us.

We think if we promote ourselves, "brand" ourselves, speak at this conference or that conference, get x number of people to follow us Twitter, or get x number of likes on Facebook, then we will more successful.  Self-referential has become the norm.

But God says to increase you must decrease.

If you want to become a better Children's Ministry leader, then you must humble yourself before God and leave the rest up to HIm.

Here's six ways to "step down' as a Children's Ministry leader.

Know what you don’t know.
Don't be a "know-it-all."  Resist the urge to be "master of the universe."  Be aware of your weaknesses and bring people around you who are strong in those areas.

If you haven't done so, do a 360 degree review.  It may be a mirror you don't want to gaze into, but it will help you see blind spots and give you valuable feedback that can help you grow as a leader.

Have someone who holds you accountable and speaks into your life.  

Resist falling for your press reports.
Don't spend time reading your press reports...good or bad.

Let your primary goal be making other people better.
A great leader makes those around him or her better.  This means putting others before yourself...pouring yourself into others...investing in others...being more concerned about others than yourself.  As you strive to make those around you better, the natural result will be you getting better.

Embrace and promote a spirit of service.
Jesus said if you want to be great in His kingdom, then you must become a servant.  Those around you will quickly know if you are there for them or for yourself.  A true leader is a servant-leader.

Listen more than you talk.
Lead by asking questions and listening.  Great leaders are more known for asking great questions than they are for having great answers.  Listen to other people's ideas.  Lead quietly instead of charismatically.                    

Always be in growth mode.
Einstein said, “I have no special talent.  I am only passionately curious.”  Always be stretching yourself...always be aware that you haven't arrived...always be growing.

The word "Hubris" is a Greek word that means "extreme pride or arrogance."  It's the opposite of humility.  Resist hubris and embrace humility.  Stepping down is the path to success in your ministry.

Everyone wants to be more productive.  Getting more work done is very appealing, but how to do it is not always clear.  This infographic will help you optimize your time by following your body's natural time clock.

If you want to connect with the parents in your ministry, then technology is your friend.

Here's 6 proven methods you can use to connect with the parents in your ministry through technology.

Twitter.  Create a Twitter account for your children's ministry.  It's a great way to convey a message or interface with parents. 

Facebook.  Start a parent facebook page.   Here's more info. on that.

Text.  Did you know that 98% of text messages get read.  We use text each week to communicate with parents about their child's lesson at church.   Here's more info. on that.

Email.  It may be old technology, but it still works.  Build a list of parent's emails and then use it to send an email with a link to registration for events, a parenting video, upcoming events, and more.

Pinterest.  Create a pinterest page for your ministry.  Post parenting ideas, Bible story reviews, and more.

Mobile app.  You can have your own custom app made for your ministry through companies like Roar.  This is a great way to stay connected with families in your ministry while providing them with a tool to disciple their child.

What other ways can we use technology to connect with parents?  Share your thoughts and ideas in the comment section below.