Kidologist.com: Karl Bastian's Personal Site and Blog
Archive for January, 2012
January 24, 2012 at 10:52 am · Filed under Children's Ministry, Conferences, CPC, Kidmin, Leadership, Technology
Barbara Baker and Karl Bastian
The highlight of my CPC this year was getting to see Barbara Baker again. I always keep an eye out for her. She is one of my favorite CPC “Regulars”. During the conference, INCM asked some of the speakers and bloggers to make some time to be interviewed for the INCM website throughout the year. However, I told INCM’s Executive Director Michael Chanley they should interview Barb!
She is living proof that you are never too old to be creatively reaching and teaching kids! We crossed paths for years until I finally stopped to meet her. (It seemed like I only saw her going the other way on escalators!)
When I first talked to her, she surprised me by asking for advice on how to incorporate a remote Internet audience of children she would be broadcasting her VBS to in the summer. I taught her how to use Ustream.tv to share her VBS over the Internet and she went home and did it! Now that’s one cutting edge lady!
Now she tells me, at age 67, that she has just gotten an Amazon Kindle and is learning how to use it! She’s been struggling with Parkinson’s disease now for three years, but still serves as a bus captain and simply jokes, “The bus shakes and so do I.”
Barb doesn’t let anything stop her from being equipped to better reach children with the Good News of Jesus. She attends conferences to learn about the latest resources and ideas, she dives into the latest technology no matter how intimidating it is, and just shows up paying no attention to age or health that would slow others down. There is no “retiring” from children’s ministry for Barbara Baker.
Are YOU furthering your kidmin education?
Are you mastering the latest tools?
Are you trying something new?
If not, what’s your excuse? If Barb can do it, you can too!
Karl Bastian
Founder of Kidology.org
January 23, 2012 at 2:05 pm · Filed under Adventures, Children's Ministry, Disney, Kidmin, Teaching
I just got home from a week at Walt Disney World after CPC Orlando. I was lucky enough to be at Magic Kingdom the same day as the President of the United States! (or was I?) When we entered the main gates we discovered that Main Street was closed to normal low class citizens such as myself and my family:
A nice wall said, “You are not important enough to get to see Main Street today.” (See the metal detector door?)
Secret Service agents and other White House personnel roamed around where we were unable to go. So how were we to get to the rides? We had to enter through a side gate and go around the ugly backstage of Main Street… not the best of circumstances… right?
But leave it to Disney to make a bad situation into something fun and unique!
Too bad a camera doesn’t capture sound (Apple, are you working on that?) There was lively music playing, employees with Micky gloves on waving us through, giant flags and floats from the parades to see.
Disney took what could have been a very negative situation and made it into something fun and festive!
They even set up some photo opportunities along the way:
Luke posed in front of a Treasure Float that was very shiny and glittery and…
I posed in front of a Giant Crocodile!
By just putting a little creativity and energy into it, they turned a boring walk through the backstage into a fun detour. Later, Main Street was open again, but we felt like we got to see some things that most visitors to Magic Kingdom don’t get to see… so it was special instead of a bummer.
(And we got to see President Obama later from the People Mover posing with the Royal Family in front of the Disney Castle, which was kinda cool!)
When things go bad in ministry, instead of considering it a negative – instead, think of it as an opportunity to be creative! People will end up thinking it was a special Sunday instead of a bummer if you just put a little time and creativity into creating an environment and experience that is unique.
BONUS: One of my pictures was Featured on MagicalTrash.com
January 22, 2012 at 7:40 pm · Filed under Apple, Computers, Mac, Photography
Wondering how to deleting all photos and videos from your iPhone?
In Summary: If you’re running low on space, use this technique to clean out your iPhone quick
If you are like me (and I know I am!) I am shooting pics and video on my iPhone daily. People are often shocked when they spot that I have 4000+ photos on my iPhone in the Camera Roll, not counting the ones in albums.
The other day I was at Walt Disney World shooting family memories like I normally do, when my iPhone suddenly alerted me to the fact that I was out of space. I was shocked considering that I have the iPhone 4S with 32GB of space! So that I could finish recording what I wanted, I did some emergency deleting of large apps I hardly use, (the iPhone kindly gives you a quick button the place to remove files and apps to get space fast).
I know the culprit of my space problem is photos and videos. Nearly half my space is taken up with all these pictures and videos! The problem is, when you import pics/vids to your iPhoto, while it gives you the opportunity after import to “keep or delete” if you opt to keep them (as I do) you are then stuck with them. I’ve tried going back and deleting bad or unwanted pictures, but what to do NOW that I have over 4000 pictures? That would take a VERY LONG TIME!
I have found the solution!
If you’re not familiar with the process (I wasn’t), you use the application Image Capture on your Mac. The nice thing about this process is that it uses a program that ships on your Mac from the start–in other words, FREE!
Here’s what you do:
Plug your iPhone into your computer
Open Image Capture
Created a new folder for the photos to go into
Check the box “Delete after import”
Click “Import All”
You will have a copy on your harddrive of ALL your pics/vids and your iPhone will be empty. You can then import that folder into iPhoto to make sure you aren’t missing any (checking “ignore any duplicates”) and then burn that folder to a CD for a backup and then delete it. (They are all in iPhoto after all!)
It’s good to have a fresh start after all.
If there are pics you want to have on your iPhone, simply put them in albums and sync those albums on your iPhone, and you’ll have them with you. No need to carry all of them with you all the time.
I plan to do this again about every six months now.
January 5, 2012 at 10:23 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
As I recently blogged, I’m a huge Awana supporter and grateful for its impact in my life personally as a child and in the ministries I have led.
Of course, like Awana, I’m a huge fan of reaching boys and girls for Jesus.
I’m also a huge fan of my iPad and my iPhone.
So, how excited could I BE when Awana started making Apps for the iPhone and iPad. (and, that other mobile OS too, what it’s called, Robot? AI? Droid?)
First, they had the 100% Free Gospel App, which was fitting, since the Gospel is free, after all. And it adapts for the age of the person you are sharing the Gospel with.
It works for adults, teen or children and has an iPhone and iPad version. Every Christian should have this on their device so they are “Always prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks… the reason for the hope that you have.” (I Peter 3:15)
But now, Awana has released a BRAND NEW app called the Sparky App – and if you listen to my latest Kidmin Talk Webcast, you can even WIN A FREE download!
The Sparky App 
is a very cute storybook app that young children will adore.
As you open it, you can choose between English and Spanish, and whether you want to read it or have the story read to you.
You follow a fun story about Sparky and learn an important lesson he learns that children can learn as well about Thankfulness.
It is colorful and delightful and kids will enjoy the sounds and interactivity of this high tech story-telling method.
For a limited time, it is only $ .99 so drop by the App Store for your device and pick up the Sparky App, whether you have an Awana Club or not.
If you are interested in learning more about Awana Clubs, and how they are help your church reach more kids for Christ, go here:
As I often say, “There is not only no more effective outreach tool for children’s ministry – but for the entire church, than having an Awana Club in your church.”
Pastor Karl Bastian, the Kidologist
Founder of Kidology.org
