If you are at CPC Orlando this week – look for me! I often wear a BRIGHT YELLOW pull over with the Kidology Logo to help people spot me! And I never mind people saying, “Hello!” Sometimes people e-mail me later and say, “I saw you, but I didn’t want to bother you.”Nonsense. Bother me! I want to meet you!
HOW TO FIND KARL:
RESOURCE CENTER:
He’ll be hanging out at the DiscipleLand booth during the Resource Center times to answer questions and tell folks all about DiscipleTown!
THE KIDOLOGY GATHERING!
Don’t miss this annual casual and intimate late night gathering that we’ve been doing for years! This year it will be on Tuesday evening, February 19th, during and after the Phil Vischer Show at the Terrace Cafe, which is right in the center of the campus, outside the Resource Center. NOTE: You will need to enter from the back side near the pool as the restaurant will be closed, but will have a room open for us. However, there is a little snack shop that sells drinks and snacks for awhile next to where we will be that you can get some food at.
Come enjoy some relaxed fellowship, fun and conversation about life, ministry and whatever comes up. It is always a great time.
WORKSHOPS:
Karl is teaching a workshop on Wednesday, February 20th
Breakout #5 at 10:00am – Making Your Discipline Problems Disappear
I am also available for one on one coaching sessions if there is something you are wrestling with and just need to talk or get some input or direction about a topic in your ministry. I enjoy sitting down and chatting. Don’t be hesitant to ask to do so. That’s why I come to CPC!
If you are wanting to connect with Karl, and having a hard time – feel free to DM via Twitter at @Kidologist and try to arrange a time/place to connect. Karl loves to meet Kidology folks at CPC! As I said back in 2008, it’s still true today: CPC is the BEST place to network!
CPC San Diego is my 42nd consecutive Children’s Pastor’s Conference. I’ve not missed a single CPC since 1995. I’m calling this CPC “42 in 42″ since I will have been to 42 CPC’s and I’m 42 years old, so my CPC’s will have caught up to my age!
It is always a fun and unpredictable time when those who work with children get together! And the highlights of a Children’s Pastors Conference are often from around a table sharing a meal, rather than a workshop or general session – as wonderful and inspiring as they may, in fact, be for helping with one’s ministry. But I’ve long made by Mission one of “Equipping and Encouraging” because I know that laughter is often as needed as another great idea or resource.
In that spirit, one of the highlights of CPC this year, happened not at the conference at all, but as Tom and John and I, joined by some new friends from the shuttle, Darcie and Rebecca, where hanging out at my favorite restaurant in Downtown Disney, The Earl of Sandwhich. When I suggested this location for our pre-conference meal I explained that it was named after the inventor of the sandwich! Which is explained the cups you get your drinks out of:
The History of the Earl of Sandwich
As a bit of fun, I invited each person at the table to read the cup in their own dramatic fashion, as they would if it were a movie trailer, or as they might for a kids church drama. Then, as it turned out, Josh Baker, one of the children’s pastors at the table, informed us that he actually produces full scale dramatic productions every week at his church. He said he doesn’t do voices, but he could rather, approach the subject matter as he would his weekly topics, as a writer/director. “THEN!” said I, “you must create for us the screen play for the Pastor of Sandwich! What is the children’s pastor’s version of the classic story? How might this simple historical event be seem through the eyes of a children’s pastor? What are we missing? And how might it be presented properly?”
On the spot, Josh amazed us by creating a scene, describing the set, the characters, the situations, and unfolding a story, changing it as he went, adapting to our collaborative input as we contributed to the story as it unfolded. In the end, we figured out that the Earl of Sandwich, must have been a children’s pastor who was too busy getting ready for Sunday to stop for lunch and made the sandwich from left-overs in the church kitchen.
I challenged Josh to finish the manuscript and submit it to me later. Here is the finished work. Soon to be a major motion picture from Walden Media and DreamWorks Productions and Disney as soon as funding is secured.
See what creativity can be inspired and spurred when children’s pastors get together and share a sandwich? Creative fellowship is the best fellowship!
ENJOY:
THE PASTOR OF SANDWICH
By: Pastor Josh Baker
Capital Baptist Church, Annadale VA
Dedicated to the work of Kidology.org
and the shared fellowship of friends over what else? A sandwich.
Characters:
Pastor: P (dressed in vintage “Dickens era” clothing if available)
Narrator: N
Props: desk, chair, desk lamp, books, pencil or feathered quill (older looking on first five items the better to set the proper time period) paper, trash can, bread, chicken leg, bread knife
[scene opens with P sitting behind a big old desk that is littered with papers, open and closed books, a dimly-lit desk lamp, and an overflowing wastepaper basket near the desk on the floor. P has got his head down looking over his work, head is leaning on left hand, with his fingers spread through his messy, unkempt hair. His right hand nervously taps a well-worn pencil now lacking an eraser.]
Lighting: very dim with just a soft glow, almost candlelight, over the desk.
Music: if available, some instrumental medieval time period or classical Dickens style music could be played softly in the background
(N speaks from a microphone off stage and out of sight)
N: Our scene opens in the English land of Sandwich, Kent, a historic town in southeast England. It was late at night on a Saturday evening in the dead of winter back in the seventeen hundreds…
N: In a scene that would remind one of the classics like Dickens and Scrooge, we find a haggardly looking pastor of children burning the midnight oil seeking inspiration for his message needing to be done for morning worship at his church in Sandwich just a few hours away…
N: Unfortunately, for those of you who write or are thusly employed to provide inspiration to those who seemingly have none, you would know that often when inspiration must be rushed due to deadlines, it is in this time, that inspiration often fails oneself.
N: Thus the night becomes long as one struggles to force a story from one’s brain, all the while praying to God that He would provide where you have found yourself lacking.
N: It was in such a state of mind we find poor Master Montagu, a tireless worker of the church. It is likely that had there not been a hearth and pantry at the church, Montagu would have starved to death many a time over as these late nights were a common practice. But as it was, the church pantry was often found littered with remnants of feasts and celebrations gone by to which Montagu survived his late night writings.
[P exits his desk and goes backstage. He then returns eating a chicken leg and a loaf of bread.]
N: In this time, long before pizza delivery and Chinese take-out, Montagu often relied on appetizer remnants of fruits and vegetables. When he found himself particularly blessed, he would find leftover meat and bread.
P: Tis blessed I am this night! For I have meat and bread! (sitting back down at his desk, he realizes both his hands are full and he can not write)
P: Tis good food, but alas! For I can not work and eat at the same time in such a manner as this! Cursed be I! (pausing to survey the situation deeper and think about what he should do) Wait! Cursed be not I! For I have been blessed with an idea! If I were to take my bread and cut it in two and then place my meat between it, then I could have a free hand in which to write and I also would not get so messy!
[P goes about cutting the bread in two and putting the chicken leg in between and then holding up his creation proudly for all to see.]
P: I do believe I have something here! I believe others will soon be asking to have what I have here in my church of Sandwich- they will be calling to have “the same as Sandwich!”
[P begins to munch on his creation while he puts his head back down to his studies and returns to thinking.]
P (thinking out loud sadly): If only I could be as inspired by God’s Word as I am with this meat and bread tonight! (momentary pause as he thinks) Wait! I do believe I have it!
P (turning to his paper, he begins to scribble quickly and excitedly with his pencil in one hand and the sandwich in his other):
There once was a group of people, quite large indeed you see, that sought the words and inspiration of a Man, calling to them to follow…and yet they were hungry, distracted from his Words. And so the man called out to his disciples and ask them to seek out bread and meat in which to serve the people, but his disciples said unto him, Master! There are too many of them! We shall surely not feed them all!
Despite their disbelief, they sought out amongst the crowd anyone who could provide a creative solution to their problem. Found among the masses was just one small boy with nothing more then a few pieces of bread and a couple fish, mere leftovers most likely from the home pantry and a feast of the night before.
But what inspiration and solution it would provide to the Master! For the humble offering was combined together and miraculously multiplied and the masses were fed while the Master continued to speak!
Boys and girls, if we humbly seek to take what is available to us that the Lord provides and then use our Lord as the source of inspiration towards its use, it can become a blessing to many!
[P setting his pencil down and looking at his sandwich for a moment and then lifting his eyes to heaven:]
P: Thank you God for taking a humble leftover and an ordinary Pastor and combining the two to show the kids how you can combine what others have left behind and a searching soul to bring about a message of blessing!
Lighting: fades out as the P gets up from his desk, turns off his desk lamp and quietly leaves, eating his sandwich.
If you are at CPC Orlando this week – look for me! I often wear a BRIGHT YELLOW pull over with the Kidology Logo to help people spot me! And I never mind people saying, “Hello!” Sometimes people e-mail me later and say, “I saw you, but I didn’t want to bother you.” Nonsense. Bother me!I want to meet you!
HOW TO FIND KARL:
RESOURCE CENTER:
He’ll be hanging out at the DiscipleLand booth during the Resource Center times to answer questions and tell folks all about DiscipleTown!
THE KIDOLOGY GATHERING!
Don’t miss this annual casual and intimate late night gathering that we’ve been doing for years! This year it will be on Thursday evening, January 17th, during and after the Phil Vischer Show at the Rix’s, which is right across from the Pepper Grill, which is the main eating cafe down by the lake. (The Pepper Grill will be closed.) We will be inside over near the Rix Cafe where you’ll be filling those giant free refill cups, but in the seating area!
Come enjoy some relaxed fellowship, fun and conversation about life, ministry and whatever comes up. It is always a great time.
WORKSHOPS:
Karl is teaching two workshops on Friday, January 18th
Breakout #5 at 9:30am – Making Your Discipline Problems Disappear
Breakout #7 at 2:15pm – Mutiny! The Kids Are Taking Over Kids Church!
If you are wanting to connect with Karl, and having a hard time – feel free to DM via Twitter at @Kidologist and try to arrange a time/place to connect. Karl loves to meet Kidology folks at CPC! As I said back in 2008, it’s still true today: CPC is the BEST place to network!
CPC Orlando is my 41st consecutive Children’s Pastor’s Conference. I’ve not missed a single CPC since 1995. CPC San Diego will be my 42nd, and I’m 42 years old, so my CPC’s will have caught up to my age!
The 1st CM Leaders Conference, hosted by INCM, is coming to a close. It was a fantastic time of challenge, inspiration and fellowship for leaders in children’s ministry.
I highly recommend it to leaders for their own enrichment – in addition to CPC, and INCM is offering a bundle on registration that makes the cost of this conference close to a meal out with a colleague if you attend both next year, so you have no reason to miss it.
I especially enjoyed meeting folks from Kidology that I’ve never crossed paths with before and getting to ‘break bread’ with my ‘kidmin peeps’ at meal times.
The conversations were fun but at times intentionally focused on issues we were facing in our ministries.
Opportunities to encourage or equip one on one were memorable. The comradore on Twitter via the hashtag #CMLeaders was at times hysterical.
I appreciated that there was both speakers who were well known and experienced, but some who may be less known, but equally qualified and with much to share and great challenges and insights, even if conference speaking isn’t a career for them. The blend was well thought through.
There were some helpful resource providers, but due to the smaller crowd, they had more time to visit and chat than at the larger CPC venue.
Having the time to work with people and answer their questions was a real treat.
I may post later some of the challenges and quotes from the speakers – but for now, I’m just processing them at a personal level. For now I just wanted to give INCM’s launch of the CM Leaders Conference an enthusiastic Two Thumbs Up and encourage you to join me next year! I’ll be starting my CM Leaders streak. (It’ll never catch up to my 40 CPCs streak!)
See ya at the next INCM Conference.
- Posted while mobile via iPhone, editing to come!
I’m at the Children’s Pastor’s Conference in San Diego, California. The same location as my very first CPC in 1995. (I’ve not missed a single CPC at any location since, and I’ve lost track of how many that is, but it’s over 35 since there are at least 2 a year and some years there were 3!)
I will not only be LIVE TWEETING at www.twitter.com/kidologist so follow @Kidologist if you are on Twitter, or just use that link if you aren’t.
but recently I’ve been using TOUT.com/kidologist to post short 15 second video updates of life…
BUT, for those of you who couldn’t come to CPC this year, I will Live Broadcast my Workshops (and some other random broadcasts just for fun) on my U-Stream Channel at: www.Kidologist.com/Webcam
HERE ARE MY WORKSHOP TIMES: (Pacific Time)
Tuesday, February 28th
2:15 p.m. 10 Steps to a Ministry Reboot
Description: Whether you are new to a ministry, or need to “make it like new,” let the Kidologist walk you through a process of “rebooting” your ministry to give it new life and energy. From “top to bottom and side to side” he will give you the tools you need to revamp and reorganize for success!
Wednesday, February 29th
9:45 a.m. Taking Ministry Into Your Family’s Neighborhoods
Description: Looking for a creative way to reached UNchurched kids? Wanting an alternative to VBS that really works? Find out how Backyard Bible Blasts (or Splashes!) can help you reach 90% unchurched kids instead of 5-10% during your summer from someone who has done it.
The best way to know when I am LIVE BROADCASTING via U-Stream is to follow @Kidologist on Twitter and temporarily turn on mobile alerts during CPC (watching the hashtage #cpc12 as well!) as I will tweet right before I go live!
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!
At CPC last week, I got to teach a workshop with Michael Chanley on technology – and it was a lot of fun! We bantered back and forth, live webcasted and confused half the room with everything we covered, but it was a blast!
I demonstrated remote accessing my Macs back home as well as all my backup drives from my iPhone and iPad among other cloud perks and tried to answer questions on a wide variety of technology issues. I went over why Cloud Technology is so important – why it enables you to have access to all your data from anywhere from any device and never lose your data again, as well as the difference between POP and IMAP e-mail so your e-mail is all synced across all your devices. Plus we did webcasting with live chatting right from my iPhone – and showed how to do that for free and embed it on your website with live chat, also for free. (See it on my blog and Kidologytogo.org as well.)
I’ve had a ton of requests for the workshop, so here’s what I’m gonna do.
Despite the popularity of my ToyBox Tales, I don’t consider “voice impersonations” a talent of mine. I believe the secret of ToyBox Tales is simply the humor and (more importantly) a grown up entering the world of children and playing to teach the Bible – BUT, having said that – Micky Mouse is one voice I have down pat, so much so, when I do it at Disneyland, I get heads to turn and have people thinking the REAL mouse is coming around the corner! Granted, I usually only do this for my son, and when I do this at home, I add the word “Pal” to the end of every sentence. (Quite to the annoyance of my wife!)
Well, Pal, I’m off to CPC 2011 in the morning, and it’s at Walt Disney World, PAL! – and it’s my zillionth CPC, Pal! (I’ve lost track – I haven’t missed a single one since 1995.) If you will be there, Pal – it’s a special year because KIDOLOGY IS EXHIBITING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER FIVE YEARS! So look for us next to DiscipleLand, Pal.
Also, here are my workshops, all on Thursday:
8am – Technology - An Easier Way (Taught with Michael Chanley) We will be explaining some very interesting stuff on using Cloud Technology and how it can make you a better more efficient leader, Pal.
9:15 – Twitter My Facebook - All About Twitter and Facebook. What they are, if you should be on them, the difference between the two, and applications for ministry, Pal.
1:30 – Put the Pastor Back Into Your Job Description. Administration driving you nuts and pushing you away from the kids? (Which is why you got into this in the first place?) Come, I’ll show you how to rescue yourself. Many have thanked me in tears for this class, yeah, Pal.
THEN – THE KIDOLOGY GATHERING! Friday Night, Pal! After the Exhibit Hall Closes, from 9:30 to 11:30p.m. Location RIX LOUNGE, across from Pepper Grill.
Going to San Diego? Don’t miss my PRE-CON PAL! (and no, you don’t have to go to CPC to attend the pre-con.)
Oh, and we are giving away OVER $1000 in FREE KIDMIN RESOURCES TO ONE PERSON PAL!!! So, be SURE to drop by our booth for your chance to win!!!
O.K., I gotta go to sleep and dream of Minnie, er, Disney World! …… Pal.
You’ve Always Wanted to Become a Kidologist, and Master the Ways of Kidology! Now is your chance to spend an entire day with me and learn my ministry secrets in person!
What are my secrets for connecting with kids? How can you make your classroom one that kids will talk about years from now… and tell their kids about? How do share the Gospel with kids in more creative and effective ways? And how can you Unleash your own creativity?
Take your own personal ministry technique up several notches in 2011!
ON MARCH 15th, 2011 - you can spend an entire day with me in San Diego at the Town and Country Resort in a very informal learning environment as I takes you on a learning journey through my four favorite training sessions!
The cost is only $69 and I can tell you that I will make it well worth your investment with the resources you will receive that day! (I am under-promising and will over deliver!) This is a MUST-ATTEND EVENT you do NOT want to miss!
HOW IS IT POSSIBLE?
I’ll be doing a PRE-CONFERENCE as part of the Children’s Pastor’s Conference – BUT – you do not need to attend CPC to be a part of this ONE DAY KIDOLOGY TRAINING! Of course, I highly recommend CPC, but if you can only come for one day – or just want to come for a day of Kidology Training – then THIS IS YOUR CHANCE to come learn from the Kidologist!
“This is your chance to spend a day learning from Karl – asking questions, enjoying fellowship, and hanging out with other Kidology users – learning from the creator of Kidology.org, ToyBoxTales.com, and DiscipleTown and hearing his heart for relational, creative, Christ-centered ministry. It’s a day that can change your ministry!” – Kidology.org
Kidology is the study of kids! The Apostle Paul said he became all things to all men so that they might be reached. Pastor Karl Bastian, aka “The Kidologist” entered children’s ministry at age 10 and has been equipping adults for over thirty years on how to approach ministry from the perspective of a child and from within their culture. His unique approach is highly creative, super effective, causes discipline problems to vanish and results to soar – and yet is easy and fun. Come learn the secrets of the Kidologist that will transform your ministry.
Kidology 101: Relational Ministry – 9:00 a.m.
The aim of this workshop is to challenge and equip adults to engage in relational ministry through a working knowledge of the culture of kids. Learn how to get into the world of kids and make connections with kids in ways that are both fun and engaging. You’ll be inspired and equipped to teach in new and surprising ways that may just transform your teaching ministry.
Refreshment Break - 10:30 a.m.
Kidology 202: Making Your Class Rock – 10:45 a.m.
“You Rock!” is one of the highest compliments a child can give a teacher. What makes some classrooms more exciting and effective than others? Why are some teachers remembered into adulthood when most are quickly forgotten? What can set YOUR class apart from all the rest? Rock your class and rock a kid’s world!
Lunch - 12:00 p.m.
Kidology 303: Unleashing Your Own Creativity – 1:00 p.m.
Think you aren’t creative? Discover the secrets of creativity, and learn how to come up with super creative ideas for games, skits, stories, skits and more, from ANY passage of scripture – instantly! You’ll be amazed at what YOU can do by the end of this session!
Kidology 404: Leading Kids to Christ – 1:45 p.m.
At the end of the day, the most important aspect of our ministry is leading kids to Christ! So we will end our day learning some practical skills for this most important aspect of our ministry. Not only will you learn some new Gospel presentations, you will be equipped to make sure that you are doing the best.
Dismissal - 3:00 p.m.
I really hope many of your can come! Especially my friends and fans on the West Coast! If you are already coming to CPC, this is a great add-on! I always enjoy getting to meet “Kidology Folks” at CPC – this is a way I can get to spend a day with you. Many have asked me for years why I don’t do a pre-con, well, they have given me one! So the best way to make sure I get one again – is to fill it up!
I am personally convinced that one person can be a change catalyst, a “transformer” in any situation, any organization. Such an individual is yeast that can leaven an entire loaf. It requires vision, initiative, patience, respect, persistence, courage, and faith to be a transforming leader.
~ Stephen R. Covey
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!
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!
Are YOU furthering your kidmin education?
