Month: October 2013

Celebrate the One

Kathie Phillips 3 Comments
Photo Credit: justwhatjessisupto.blogspot.com
Photo Credit: justwhatjessisupto.blogspot.com

Like many other churches, we started our ministry year still praying for God to send committed volunteers to serve in our Children’s Ministry.  Each week, God has provided for our needs but as the ministry leader, it is my job to ensure that screened, trained, committed, Christ-following volunteers show up to care for and teach the children He brings to us.

A few weeks in to the new ministry year, I personally emailed 31 people who I thought would be a good match for our ministry.  (I scoured our church database and looked for people who might be a good fit based on their ability, passion and spiritual gifts.)  I shared the vision of the ministry, how God has blessed us with an abundance of children this year and how I felt that God placed them on my heart to invite them to our Children’s Ministry team.

Within a few days, I heard back from 6 people – 3 “no’s – this is not a good season for me”; 1 “let me pray about it” and 2 “I’m interested – I want to learn more.”  I was so excited not only about the 3 promising responses but about all 6 responses.  This told me two things:

1. People really do read my emails; and

2. They considered, possibly for even a brief moment, my request (even though some declined).

When I shared this news with my CM Leadership Team, one very sweet team member said, “How I appreciate your excitement when the total reply rate was only 19%!”  Again, this told me two things:

1. I have some really smart people on my team – I wouldn’t even have thought about calculating any type of percentage; and

2. An excited leader can energize a team member, even when results are less than desired.

When responding back to my treasured friend, I said, “If God sends one, I’m excited!” [We have since recruited 8 new volunteers to our team!]

There is power in one.  Celebrating a one-year old’s birthday is often a big deal, but how come we don’t celebrate more “ones“?One example from the Bible come to mind when I think of “one”:

Luke 15:1-7 tells us of the story of the lost sheep.  It reads in part:

“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away! (Luke 15:3-7, NLT, bold and italics mine)

This passage of scripture reminded me how important it is for me to be a leader who celebrates the “one“.  The one leader who arrives early.  The one volunteer who stays late.  The one child who is more energetic than the others.  The one child with special needs.  The one child who savors every word that you say.  The one volunteer who serves when life circumstances are difficult.  The one volunteer who remembers to ask how you’re doing.  The one family who shares a story of how what you do has impacted them.  The one volunteer who over-prepares.  The one child whose faith story reminds you why you give your life to ministry week after week.

Be the type of person – Mom, Dad, leader, volunteer – who celebrates the one.

Consider leaving me a comment below and tell me how can you celebrate the “one” this week – at home, at work, in ministry! 

*Use of a photo is not an endorsement of the original user’s website or views.

KidMin Conference 2013 – Days Three & Four Notes

Kathie Phillips 2 Comments

Days 3 & 4 of the Group KidMin Conference were awesome!

Sunday Morning – Workshop (Secrets to Sustainable Children’s Ministry – Building Teams That Win by Jeff Dunn-Rankin)

To be honest, this session didn’t start off as I had thought.  I kept thinking, “This material is not what is in the description.  I’m in the wrong workshop!”  I kept flipping to the description and looking at the handout, convinced that I was in the wrong room.  After an hour or so, gears switched and the content began to line up with what I was looking for.

Here are the highlights:

Six Steps to a Simple but Difficult Recruiting Process:

1. Make a list of your needs – weekly, special events – every big event have someone co-lead with you so that they can eventually be the point person.

2. Create the pool list – who do we want to see in CM one day – past or present – ask the children who they’d like to be in class with them. (this list should be 4 times bigger than list #1 – get your team to help brainstorm)

3. Rank those on the list – (1) tag as relational, behind the scenes or both and (2) rank dream team [a], next level [b], etc.

4. Match the lists.

5. Make the calls – call ‘heavy-hitters’ first.

6. Follow up – call intentionally when people are at work so that you can leave an exciting message for them to think about.

Saturday Afternoon – Workshop (5 Reasons Why People Won’t Volunteer for You by Craig Jutila)

This workshop intrigued me because I really wanted to know why people won’t volunteer.  The workshop’s disclaimer: “We are not going to find ways to get more volunteers or even how to keep the ones we have.  We are going to look at the 5 reasons why people won’t volunteer and more specifically, why they won’t volunteer for you or for me.  You will learn specific ways to change your thinking about your volunteer leadership.”

Here are the highlights:

Reason #1: You appear unsuccessful.  There is hopeless desperation (begging); nearsighted vision (not thinking long-term); no plan (no vision, mission, values); and over-publicizing (i.e. bulletin announcements week after week – after a while, people stop listening).

Reason #2: You are asking for renters instead of buyers.  Some volunteers rent and other volunteers buy into your ministry vision.

Reason #3: You are taking too much of their time.  What you are offering is not valuable enough.

Reason #4: You appear disorganized.

Reason #5: You inherited an estate (meaning they have had a negative experience someone else and are less likely to volunteer again.)

Common Complaints about Negative Volunteer Experiences

  • Lack of recognition so encourage them.
  • Lack of proper training so equip them.
  • Absence of team motivation so energize them.
  • Volunteer assignments are too limiting so empower them.
  • Mismatched skill and interest with task assignments so evaluate them.

Sunday Night General Session – Dave Stone

Dave Stone is the Senior Pastor of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY.  He spoke about Celebrating Family.  Here are some highlights:

3 Gifts Every Child Needs

1. Celebrate family by giving value to one another.

When there is no concern for the church of tomorrow, there is often very little power in the church of today.

2. Celebrate family by extending grace to one another.

We show grace because we need grace.

God is more concerned with your direction than your perfection.

3. Celebrate family by showing love for one another.

We can get wrapped up doing things instead of loving people.

We can get busy doing the work of the Lord and forget the Lord of the work.

Activity for Christ doesn’t replace intimacy with Christ.

Satan knows you by name but calls you by your sin.  Jesus knows your sin but calls you by name.

Monday Morning General Session – Danielle Bell

The conference concluded with my friend, Danielle Bell, speaking on Celebrate Jesus.  Here are a few highlights:

  • Do I get that ministry is not about me?
  • Instead of studying God’s Word to teach it, study it to live it.
  • How am I getting in the way of what God wants to do.  “He must increase, I must decrease.”

Danielle blogged on this over at her blog, dWell.  You can read her notes here.

Were you at the conference?  What struck you on Days 3 & 4?  What were you biggest takeaways from the conference?

KidMin Conference 2013 – Day Two Notes

Kathie Phillips 4 Comments

Day 2 of the Group KidMin Conference did not disappoint!

Saturday Morning – General Session

The session’s keynote was delivered by Larry Acosta, founder of the Urban Youth Workers Institute (UYWI) and co-founder of KIDWORKS.

Larry energized the group by tossing candy into the audience.  He tossed Hershey Kisses from kids who are thankful for our ministry but are unable to articulate it.  He tossed Pay Day bars to unpaid leaders.  He tossed LifeSavers because of our impact.  He tossed Starburst because we’re the hands and feet of Jesus.

He also inspired us to think   Here are a few highlights:

*Who impacted your life and helped you get where you are today?

*There are stories behind the faces of every child in your ministry.

*What you do matters in the kingdom.  All the tears of joy and frustration, the early mornings and late nights – it all matters!

*Stretch your vision to include what God has planned for the kids under your influence.

*The Gospel still changes lives.

*Keep writing the future – it matters!

*Look beyond their skin color, clothes, their ability to sit still and pay attention.  What’s the story behind the kids?  Be relational beyond the classroom.  The relational investment you make changes everything.

*Speak life, vision and hope in children’s lives.  Tell them what you see – don’t assume they’re hearing it at home.

*Believe in, bless and affirm kids like crazy!

Saturday Morning – Workshop (Building a Volunteer Team: Enlisting Your Team by Dale Hudson)

This year, I felt that I really needed additional training in the volunteer department, so most of my workshops revolved around this topic.  I was excited to take Dale Hudson’s workshop because I read his blog (Relevant Children’s Ministry) and his ideas are fantastic.  You can read and download my typed notes here:  Enlisting a Volunteer Team Workshop Notes

Update:  One of the activities we completed was to design a recruiting poster with the people at our table.  Dale blogged about this and included photos of each poster. (My group’s is the 11th one down from the top.)  Check out his blog here.

Saturday Afternoon – Workshop (Building a Volunteer Team:  Equipping Your Team by Dale Hudson)

I was so excited about Dale’s four-part workshop that I actually sat in on this workshop by accident.  But I did get something out of it.  You can read and download my typed notes here:  Equipping a Volunteer Team Workshop Notes

Saturday Night General Session – Craig and Mary Jutila

Craig and Mary talked about how their marriage struggled – and was later re-strengthened – as a result of being Craig’s ministry workaholic tendencies.  I was too engaged to take notes but it was awesome and really helped me to put into perspective the need for me to be intentional about a work-family balance.

Day 2 was awesome!

Were you at the conference?  What struck you on Day 2?

KidMin Conference 2013 – Day One Notes

Kathie Phillips 1 Comment

So, we made it to the 2013 KidMin Conference!  I am so excited to be here!

Friday Morning – Pre-Conference

This morning, I took a Pre-Conference track led by Jim Burns from HomeWord.  Jim taught about “Partnering With Parents”.  Here are a few highlights:

*When you reach the family, you reach the world.

*One of the major purposes of the church is to mentor parents.  Parents then mentor their children, and the legacy of faith continues from generation to generation.  There is a 300% chance that high school graduates who have come from homes who’ve regularly engage in faith conversations at home are more likely to not walk away from the faith.

*When you welcome a child, you welcome Jesus (Mark 9:36-37).

*The family, not the church, is the greatest influence in a child’s life.

*Moms are by far the most influential person in a child’s spiritual development.  Here’s the breakdown on the top five (5) people, in order, of influence in a child’s spiritual development: (2) Dad, (3) extended family, (4) friends and (5) church.

*Why keeps us from partnering with parents?

  • It means more for us.
  • We’re insecure  – kids are easy, parents not so much.
  • We might encounter parental resistance, especially if the child has openly shared things happening in the home.
  • We have no say in Adult Education.
  • There is conflict with the Senior Pastor.
  • Parents don’t have time.
  • Parents have different priorities.
  • Non-traditional family structures are hard to navigate.

*As Children’s Ministry leaders, we serve parents by providing four primary tasks:

Information (communicate clearly to parents)

  • Send parent newsletters.
  • Have parent meetings (gather parents for dinner, decadent desserts and information/trainings).  Consider having spiritual offerings as well as needs-based offerings).
  • Let parents know of seminars, workshops, etc. at nearby churches, hospitals, etc.

Assistance (support the family structure)

  • Hold special seminars.  Get people in your church who have specialized training to speak to parents – teachers, doctors, therapists, etc.)
  • Have a library of parenting resources (books, CDs, podcasts, etc.).  If you don’t have a permanent space, have a mobile cart and park it in a highly visible area.

Encouragement (encourage parents)

  • Schedule a Parent Recognition Sunday, a special Sunday service where parents are celebrated.  Have the kids put a video together, serve lunch or dinner, etc. to honor their parents.
  • Write notes of encouragement to parents.

Involvement (parents in your ministry)

  • You will always need volunteers.  Consider, however, expanding what you need by asking parents to assist with areas they’re gifted – parents who fundraise for a living can help raise $ for mission trips, event planners can help plan events, etc.
  • Have a parents counsel to help speak into the ministry.
  • Have opportunities for parents and kids to do together.

Friday Night – General Session

The General Session started with awesome worship (this has never disappointed me here at KidMin).  Worshiping with other kidmin leaders is always a wonderful experience.

The Session’s keynote was to be delivered by Joni Eareckson Tada but due to illness, she was not able to attend.  So, the Skit Guys led the session and did so wonderfully.  They spoke on Mark 2:1-12.  Here are a few highlights:

*Jesus delights in us bringing people to Him.

*Jesus could have healed the man on the spot but He didn’t.  He said his sins were forgiven.  We think we know our need but Jesus knows best.

*Ministry doesn’t turn off when we turn off the lights.

*God has called us to put people on the mat and lead them to Jesus.

I am looking forward to more learning, laughs and encouragement tomorrow!