Archive - June, 2009

Beach thoughts day 1

June 30, 2009 in Family Ministry, Lead 0



quiet beach, originally uploaded by *MaryElise*.

Over the next few days while my wife and I are on a wonderful beach getaway I want to share some thoughts with you hoping that you might be able to suggest a fix or a solution.

So here we go.

I am in the middle of this right now…

How can you break through the noise of apathy? See we want to latch ahold of parents ears and let them know that they need to care and command their child’s spiritual walk.

The problem isn’t the parents who care however, it’s the parents that don’t that causes the problem.

How can you change apathetic parents into passionate parents? Is it a program, is it a campaign, is it a handout? I literally have no idea.

What makes an apathetic parent stop and say wow, that’s me? I need to make a change.

I’m praying that the Holy Spirit wakes up some parents but is there something that we can do to change the apathetic mindset?

Ok now back to the beach :)

Hot Chocolate a Hit at Summer Camp?

June 27, 2009 in Communication, Family Ministry 0

It’s one of the weirdest things that I have seen this year and last year at Centri-Kid Camp in Ridgecrest, NC. It’s hot chocolate and the kids in a complete frenzy for it. But it fits right in with something that I’ve been thinking about a ton.

What is out there that no one else does in Children’s Ministry?

I’m talking with environments, graphics, video, sets, curriculum, relationship building techniques, teaching methods, etc.

Hot Chocolate as the pic suggests is considered something for a holiday so why in the world do the kids go absolutely nuts for it at Summer Camp (which by the way, earlier this week was about 92 degrees)? Part of me says duh, it’s liquid chocolate but the other part of me screams because their parents would never go for it at home. But I wonder home many times that big kid marketing giants Disney and Nickolodeon asked the question what can we give kids that they can’t get at home.

We’ve been going over a ton of ideas like this at BrookwoodKiDs lately and it’s really awesome that we are thinking this question:

What can we offer kids that they can’t get anywhere else?

I don’t know the answer to alot of those questions. But we are thinking them and that is a big, big thing to start doing. Never know, BrookwoodKiDs might come up with the next Hot Chocolate at Summer Camp idea for #kidmin who knows.

One thing I do know is that we need to continue to ask the question.

Fun Cheap Idea #1

June 26, 2009 in Family Ministry, Resources 0

OK so I love fun cheap stuff. It’s builds memories, anybody can pull it off, and it’s something that you can do again and again. I am totally stealing this one from Lifeway but, it’s too awesome not to tell you. Basically tons of hairspray and temporary hair color and charge $1. It all goes to missions, it’s awesome and unbelievable how much the kids enjoy it of course the leaders need to get their do done as well, but it’s worth it. Builds tons of memories and is super fun for Cheap!

got any Children’s Ministry or #kidmin fun cheap ideas?

MGMT vs. TRAIN

June 25, 2009 in Family Ministry, Lead 1

abundant growth, originally uploaded by carolg2007.

When I worked at UPS as a part time supervisor we had a job motto:

“70% of your time you should be training your employees and the other 30% you should be figuring out a way to better train your employees.”

Training was a value that we spent our times perfecting. We had a person whose sole purpose was to train new people. As a result we were the best or second best hub in the region for awhile.

I am a trainer it’s what I do best. My gift is teaching people. So this was right in my sweet spot.

But I wonder how many times in “church world” do we get caught up more in managing than training?

Our job is to develop people and push them to grow in Christ. Or as Paul says “equip the saints” Ephesians 4:12

Too often especially in Children’s Ministry, we get roped into managing or spot filling. I pray alot that all over the world on Sundays, #kidmin peeps would pour into their volunteers instead of being only concerned about them being there.

But I want to know, what are you training your volunteers to do? What are a few must have skills of your volunteers? If you’re in a higher position of leadership, what are you pouring into your staff? What are you teaching others?

Barf Control

June 24, 2009 in Family Ministry, Lead, Life 0

Photo 7, originally uploaded by jcisonline.

So I’m at camp and on barf control right now cuz one of the kids is throwing up. Feel bad for the kids but he’s being a trooper.

Couple things I’ve learned:

* I’m terrible at barf control. I don’t know what to say or do.
* I remember my mom telling me to drink a sprite.
* I remember when I had serious stomach issues to sit up and don’t lay down.
* I asked other people what to do.

Totally on another world with this one. But it seems that too often I can’t or don’t know how is followed up by that’s ok or quitting.

Use what your given instead of given up.

By the way, didn’t mean to get Jesus up in here but He rooted His way into my thinking as I wrote this post.

I love Jesus :)

Chasing Cool

June 23, 2009 in Communication, Tech 0

Cool shoes, originally uploaded by mholmes818.

So I picked up a few books to get me through camp and vacation. One that I’m so pumped about is “Chasing Cool“. (fyi that site is pretty cool) It’s a super sweet marketing read for those who want to know “How Can I be Cool?”

Businesses and organizations all want to tap into the cool factor. We want it for our friends, we want our churches to be it, and ultimately we want our names beside it.

So how do we get it. Or for those that have no idea what cool is, how do we meet a need that people don’t even know that they have yet?

Well I’m not sure. That’s kinda why I’m readin the book ;) But I know one thing. People that are cool don’t chase it, they define it.

What do you think? Do you want to be the iPod of your industry? Do you want to be cool?

Completely Exhausted

June 19, 2009 in Family Ministry, Life 2

I am completely exhausted right now. Incredibly awesome week but incredibly awesomely exhausted. Luckily I can relax for a few days with absolutely no work to do. It’s pretty awesome. I am pretty excited to get back into the blog world as well.

I’ve missed it and I’m sure ya missed me too ;)

Swamp Stomp Trailer

June 15, 2009 in Family Ministry, Tech 3

So we just finished the first day of BrookwoodKiDs Swamp Stomp. I wanted to post this in the morning but I got caught up doing other things. Imagine that on the day of your biggest summer event! Anyway here is a preview of what our kids will be experiencing this week!

Incomplete Adults

June 11, 2009 in Family Ministry, Lead 1

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQak6ng0RXQ&feature=player_embedded

So basically I’m stealing this video from two places:

I saw it on Henry Zonio’s Blog

and he saw it on Scot McKnight’s Blog

But it’s awesomely funny and it will let you know that kids pick up on so much more than you give them credit for. So here is what I want you to think about: If you are in a relationship with God you are called to serve (my belief based on scripture you can go here to see a ton of verses and questions if you are wondering about our call to serve).  If kids can have a relationship to God do we give them opportunities to serve?

Again this is a different direction than the post that Henry gave, which by the way is incredibly awesome. I’ve been thinking about this so much with kids and teens that somehow they are only viewed as Henry says “incomplete adults”. However if we felt like these “incomplete adults” can have just the same impact on the kingdom as “complete adults (haha)” then would we view our preparation and time the same as we do now? I mean do we really believe that we are equipping, preparing, instilling, and developing servants for Christ?

I hope that this view of kids and teenagers as “incomplete adults” and thus less important members our the body of Christ doesn’t continue to be the majority view in the church. Because then the Missional Church that many church members have been praying for might never be realized.

I mean you have a generation desiring to help people and they may have to flesh out that desire somewhere other than the church because they aren’t complete adults yet. What are your thoughts?

RROD

June 7, 2009 in Tech 1

Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death, originally uploaded by mnewcourt.

yeah it finally happened. I actually have an earlier xbox 360 release and it finally happened. I got RROD. I would take the time to explain it but all you need to know is that it doesn’t work.

Luckily I won’t have much time for the 360 over the next few weeks as we are officially 7 days and a little less than seventeen hours for those of you anxiously anticipating the start of Adventure Week.

So just wanted you to know that I am not in any way immune to RROD. I miss my xbox and can’t wait to have it brought back to life. Anyway I’ll let you know if I need any help coping ;)

Page 1 of 212»