In case you haven’t heard, www.ToyBoxTales.com has been completely redesigned and improved!
You can now watch ALL the 101 ToyBox Tales instantly via embedded flash, no more need to download first. And for those who want the downloads for showing at church, they are now all available on one page. Free for Kidology.org members or directly on www.ToyBoxTales.com for a very nominal once-in-a-lifetime fee.
So jump over and check out the ALL NEWwww.ToyBoxTales.com and enjoy some Bible stories like you’ve never seen them before!
Here are some of the most popular videos on the site:
This is the one that started it all. Karl did this at camp in 2001 and the following summer the kids were still talking about it and asking him to do more “action figure Bible stories” - discovering that it was a powerful method for teaching, and since he already owned hundreds of action figures, ToyBox Tales was born!
This is the #1 downloaded/viewed video on the site. It is also the only one where Karl had to pull the video feed at the end because a hampster was stuck in the oven!
This is the #1 requested video Karl is asked to show at conferences when he offers to show a ToyBox Tale before a workshop. And no, the hamster is not trained or remote controlled, he is just a natural.
This is the only tale on the site that was recorded live in front of an audience of all adults at the Kidology University. Seems adults are just big kids after all.
This is Karl’s favorite. It doesn’t mean its the best one - just that if you are a Star Wars fan, you’ll probably enjoy it the most. (There are at least 20 Star Wars themed Tales, depending on how you count them.)
There are several series on the site that are best viewed or shown to kids in order:
This was the first series Karl did and there are high school kids that still quote lines from it! “Fe, Fi, Fo, Fum, Who Stole My Bubble Gum!” This series is a powerful parable explaining the background to the Gospel. Not just what Jesus did, but why He had to die for our salvation.
A classic and the #1 selling ToyBox Tales DVD. Roy, the Boy of Joy and TheLover Man are two that people mention as their all time favorite ToyBox Tale when they meet Karl.
This powerful series covers the book at Acts like no other ever has. Starts with Easter and ends with a missionary message to go into all the world. The Enemy of My Enemy is Karl’s favorite.
These can be shown independantly, but were done three weeks in a row. Each has a unique and important message to kids: Choosing Jesus as your hero, Choosing your words carefully, and your destination (salvation).
While Kermit introduces the vast majority of the ToyBox Tales, this is the only series that was not filmed live in front of children’s church. They are fully edited videos that therefore feature sound fx and other effects not possible in a live presentation. Probably the most difficult was filming live at local McDonald’s with a crowd of people watching the entire time!
DON’T MISS THE FREE REPORT AT THE END OF THIS POST!
TODAY is one of those days I declare Electronic D-Day! It is the day I process all the e-mails I have deferred recently to be done “later” - unfortunately, later may never arrive if you don’t declare an Electronic D-Day!
Why is it D-Day? Because on this day EVERY e-mail that is pending action is either:
Deleted
Deferred
Delegated or
Dealt with
If you struggle with managing e-mail, I have two gifts for you.
#1 Enjoy this video of me destroying a laptop, as I’m sure you’ve wanted to do the same!
NOW FREE! YES, FREE! YOU HAVE NO EXCUSE NOT TO GET YOUR E-MAIL UNDER CONTROL TODAY! Why wait another day?
Perhaps it is time for you to declare an Electronic D-Day! The TEN POWERFUL E-MAIL TIPS FOUND IN THIS REPORT may just change your life. From the feed-back I’ve gotten from family and friends, that isn’t an exaggeration!
The ideas in this report are both simple and amazingly profound. You may never look at e-mail the same. Long Gone can be the day where your e-mail controlled you!
It is time for YOU to slay the E-Mail Monster!
Take it from someone who managed probably ten times the e-mail you do, you NEED THIS REPORT!
By popular demand (via e-mail) the Children’s Ministry Podcast featuring my trusty side-kick, Gus, is back! Only with a twist - in this first in a new series, Gus turns the tables a bit and interviews ME! What’s he wondering? What is the meaning behind the word “Kidology?” And in the process he gets me to share my unusual journey into children’s ministry in his own humorous way.
You can always be sure to know when the next podcast is out by subscribing in one of the following ways:
I never win anything. Ever. Until today when I got a package from Mountain Dew! (actually New Media Strategies) They teamed up with BevReview.com for a Win Dew Stuff contest - all I had to do was comment on a post about Mountain Dew. (not too difficult!)
Next thing I know, I’ve won a hat, a flash drive and a cool light up pen.
Why do I Twitter? I get asked that a lot. And I seem to stumble around for an answer because there isn’t just one simple answer, so I usually just say “to keep connected with remote friends.” Which is a big part of the reason, but I thought I’d try to expound a little on why it is I have posted over 1000 “tweets” to my Twitter page. Someone recently asked me what the ministry benefits were. I’d probably have to honestly say none, or not much. It’s not about ministry. It’s more about interpersonal relationships.
Here I will try to explain what Twitter is, how you Twitter and lastly WHY Twitter.
WHAT IS TWITTER?
It would help first of all, to try and explain what Twitter is. First of all, it is found here: www.twitter.com. And if you know a Twitter-er’s username, you can simple put it after the domain, such as mine is: www.twitter.com/kidologist. Users can customize their page with a background as well as the color scheme of the page. And their Twitter profile icon of course.
But what IS Twitter? It is a micro-blog whose posts are made up not only of your own, but of those you are “following.” It is similar to a blog except that your posts are limited to 140 characters or less. So you can’t get too wordy. And like a blog, your most recent post is at the top of the page. But what makes it unique is that the post of anyone you choose to follow also appear on your Twitter page. So your Twitter page becomes not only a mini-blog of what you are doing, but a news feed on what your friends (or whoever you are following, they don’t have to be friends, as I’ll get into below) are doing or thinking or posting.
As you can see in the image above, as of this morning, I am following 65 people. 109 are following me and I’ve posted 1208 “Tweets” so far. That means that whenever any of those 65 people post, it appears in my Twitter and anything I post, 109 people are blessed or bothered with what I posted. And I’ve sent 1208 such messages to whoever was following me at the time!
HOW DO YOU READ & POST TO TWITTER?
The key to the success of Twitter’s growth, is that there are MANY ways to post and read the posts that appear on your page. You can simply use the webpage interface, but that is the least used method for me. I have a desktop application called Twifferrific. It can be on top of all windows, minimized, and set to check at intervals I choose and actually “tweet” like a bird when someone posts. A screen shot of it is to the right.
You can also post via text message to your phone.
You can also have your facebook status post to your Twitter. (I do that in reverse, anything I post to Twitter becomes my Facebook Status.)
But I do most of my Twittering directly from my iPhone using a variety of applications, each has its advantages.
If you are an iPhone user try Twinkle, it allows you to also see people who are nearby and Twittering. I tend to use Twittelator the most and love how you can include pictures taken on your iPhone so I paid $4.99 for Twittelator Pro which bosted of extra features and the ability to have multiple accounts, and it flat out doesn’t work and I can’t get my $5 back. Every time I open it is says “Server load error, unable to load Tweets, try again later.” And its been over a month. OK, rant over. Don’t waste your $5 like I did.
With the iPhone application, (showing Twittelator here) you have many more options than the website, or at least, easier and faster to access such as:
But my favorite thing about Twittelor (and Twinkle can do it too, but crashes often) is attach pictures from my iPhone picture library OR simply take and attach a picture:
Then you simply type your message and post!
(note: iPhone changes your spelling a lot,
like: Twitteding, I didn’t type that!)
To most users, the image will look like a link from Twicpic.com and they can click on it to go view it. When Twittelator Pro works, it actually displays the picture IN the Tweet, which was why I wanted the $5 version, to just show the picture and skip the clicking and waiting to view just to see a picture wasn’t worth the wait to see. (see link at the beginning of my first post)
You can see the picture of my laptop I just Twittered here. Curious if these pictures will remain hosted “forever” or if there is a time limit, no one seems to know.
BUT WHY TWITTER?
That, indeed, is the question. Yes, Twittering takes time to post and to read, and can become a bit of an addiction. So what is the value in it? Why bother? Why should YOU Twitter? Here are some of my reasons.
It’s fun. Hey, it’s O.K. to have fun, not everything has to have a profound ministry purpose!
It fills idle time. When you are stuck somewhere bored, communicating with friends is just a text message or iPhone away.
It’s fast. Calling a friend takes time. It’s important, but a Tweet to a friend is a fast easy way to let them know you are thinking about them, praying for them, that they matter to you.
Keep up with friends. I have a bunch of friends around the country that without Twitter I’d only see or talk to once or twice a year, perhaps at a conference. But because Tom Bump, Todd McKeever, Larry Shallenberger, Henry Zonio, Dave Truit and others Twitter, I get to be a small part of their daily life and know what they are dong. If I only see them once a year the conversation goes, “How’s it been?” They answer, “Great!” But with Twitter I know about the ins and outs of their daily lives and can ask more specific questions about the kids, the job, or whatever.
Monitor your staff. Know what your employees are really doing during the work day. Ha! Just put that in as a joke to see if my staff read this. They all have flexible hours and most are part time, so I’m just razzin’ them!
Get to know new friends. When I make new friends at a conference or somewhere, like Ken Wheeler, Twitter is a way that we can get to know each other and keep in touch. Otherwise, those infant friendships might not get the chance to grow.
Keep a pulse on the world, politics and even people unlike you. By following people unlike me, I get glimpses into how other people see the world. I’ve had some people comment that not all my followers (which I can’t control) or those I follow are Christians. Yes, I’ve even seen bad words appear in my Twitter! (oh, no!) If someone gets too offensive, you can block them. (It’s a little tedious as there is no system to how your followers are listed, that I can tell.) But I don’t just follow people who I agree with or who see the world like me. I want to be IN the world (not OF it!) and following people unlike me when it comes to religion or politics is good exposure. I’m trying to reach these people, and it starts with listening.
Argue Politics. As a passionate American, I am very engaged politically. Sometimes that annoys people - which baffles me - as to be a true American you ought to care and be engaged in politics. Not that our hope is in politics, but they do matter and impact our lives, freedom and economy. You can follow streams of political posts here: http://election.twitter.com and I’ve picked up some people I follow there. Warning, most Twitters are pro-Obama and the venom and nastiness can be shocking if you aren’t used to it. Sad but true. Go be a light. (regardless of your political leanings)
Save links and quotes. I use Twitter as a way to save links and quotes I like. Sometimes I come across something cool or funny or helpful or insighful on the Internet and I just Twitter it and then mark it as a favorite. Going back through your favorites later can be like an electronic scrap book
Follow / Broadcast Live Events. When friends get to be places you can’t be, they can Twitter and let you experience a taste of it, like a friend recently did at a McCain Palin rally and like I will at the Chicago Marathon this Sunday or at various CM conferences. When my wife went on a trip across the country with her parents, she Twittered their progress and pictures for me and the little back home. We got to feel a little less lonely and could picture where she was along the trip. It was great to get those glimpses into her days while she was away from us.
Entertain and brighten people’s day. If you are like me, you enjoy telling jokes or looking at life through a humorous lense. Twitter allows you to share those funny moments. Normally, it would be pretty lame when you see someone to say, “last week the toilet bowl handle broke and I had to reach in the water to flush.” But as a live Twitter its funny, as every one can picture you doing this, as it JUST happened. Or like one I saw this morning, “Unless someone actually invented a real flux capacitor, I’m pretty sure I need a new watch battery.”
Communicate with friends. Twitter also allows back and forth communication, either publicly or privately. If you start a post with @kidologist than I and everyone knows the comment is directed at me, though anyone can read and enjoy it. If you put a “d” before it: d @kidologist than only I will get the message. This can be fun. One time I Twittered, “Where should I go to lunch today?” and there were a bunch of @kidologist replies/suggestions. While they were all to me, others got to see the suggestions. A bunch of people separated by hundreds of miles and time zones all collaborated on my lunch destination. (Taco Bell won) That is a part of what makes Twitter unique.
See what’s new on Kidology.org That’s right! One of the best ways to see what is new on Kidology (or other sites that publish to a Twitter account) is to follow www.Twitter.com/kidology as you will get notified when new things post to Kidology. It’s now one of the main ways I click into discussions and see new posts!
There are other reasons I’m sure I’ll think of after I publish this, and please gives yours in comments. But Twittering is a fun way to interact and stay connected with a wide variety of people from literally all over the world, instantly.
Christine Yount is a leading voice in children’s ministry and someone you need to keep in your virtual circle of advisors. I’m excited to see her blogging and podcasting now. I’ve been listening to her for as long as I can remember and her longevity in children’s ministry leadership is a true mark of someone who is dedicated to a mission, not to a business or just trying to being heard. When Christine Yount speaks, I listen. (That doesn’t mean I always agree - but it does mean she forces me to think and constantly be evaluating. And I love that!)
REPRINTED from the Kidology.org home page, want to make sure you don’t miss this! These products are truly amazing and live up to the name “Awesome!” We’ve been working to get these on Kidology for a long time and just know you will find them a huge blessing to your ministry!
We have an ‘awesome’ offer for you this month. Here’s the deal: Join or renew your membership to Kidology.org during the month of August and we will enter your name into a random drawing for an ‘Awesome’ Prize Giveaway.’ (Professional level or above)
What’s included in this ‘Awesome’ prize? How about one of each of the awesomevideostuff.com products featured in our store! Each one is unique, and PACKED with useful resources for your ministry.
Animated Bible Maps uses actual satellite images to create 3D animated maps, and allows you to project them onto a large screen.
Children’s Pastors Tool Box is packed with audio and video clips designed for use by churches. Revolutionize the way you teach!
Secret Weapon will be your best recruiting tool, featuring 6 ‘commercials’ to attract willing volunteers.
Drama Tool Kit allows multiple sound effects, to enhance your drama or skit. Also includes video backdrops!
Stadium FX features a completely customizable animated scoreboard, to take your ministry to the next level!
This prize pack retails for $580! (with shipping this would be OVER $600 - so join or renew TODAY!)
The winner of the drawing will be chosen on September 1st, and will be announced in the September newsletter as well as on the home page.
Like what you see? Anxious to get your hands on your own copy? Can’t wait to see if you won? Purchase now, and if you win the drawing, we will refund you the cost of the products you purchased!
You can even subscribe via iTunes so you don’t miss an episode! MUCH THANKS to children’s pastor and voice and technical talent Scott Neubauer for his help in bring my podcast from the dream stage to reality. That’s his voice you hear in the intro and closing, and who is doing coordinating all the technical aspects of the podcast with Kidology’s web director, Steve Tanner. I’m very blessed to have such a technically skilled team here at Kidology so I can focus on the ministry side of things (and sit and talk with puppets!)
If you have a Mac, you’re in luck! Thanks to Super Mac Expert Chad Gilchrist (and fellow Mac Nerd) you can have your on handy dandy Mac Widget and see my new blog posts via a custom widget! Thanks Chad!
By popular demand (via e-mail) the Children’s Ministry Podcast featuring my trusty side-kick, Gus, is back! Only with a twist - in this first in a new series, Gus turns the tables a bit and interviews ME! What’s he wondering? What is the meaning behind the word “Kidology?” And in the process he gets me to share my unusual journey into children’s ministry in his own humorous way.
Subscribe via iTunes
