DAY #21: My Customers

Back in 1994 when very few people knew what the “Internet” was, I got an idea for a website: The KidologyWeb:

I was already calling myself “The Kidologist” in my workshops as I sought to equip and encourage children’s workers to approach children’s ministry from the perspective of a child:

By 1996 the first “Kidology Handbook” was published:

VERY FEW people remember when Kidology.org (before I had that domain!) looked like this:

OR when you clicked into it and saw crude pages like this:

Only hundreds were lucky enough to BE on the Internet surfin’ kidmin back then! (And only a few bought the “Life Time Memberships” I offered back then when I needed to raise some money to buy some much needed Microsoft FrontPage software, and yes, they are still members!)

More remember the next version of the site: Kidology 2.0 (which I called it long for “2.0″ was hip)

It had the infamous “frames” that if you navigated just right, would give you frames within frames within frames, which could be kinda fun…

If you were a member then, prove it by putting int he comments the “Secret” entrance you clicked on to enter the Member Area before I had usernames and passwords… it was kinda funny!

Then, due to a huge answer to prayer and grant (told about in my Thankful for Steves post) I was able to hire a real web developer, Ken Kinard, who built me my first real website, with a database driven backstage and got use set up with credit card processing and memberships with usernames and passwords.

Kidology.org finally had a webite platform we could really build on. Our rapid growth soon meant transitioning to a more robust platform and even another complete redesign and before we knew it it was time for yet another complete redesign and platform change… as we went from hundreds to thousands of members and became the leading destination for children’s ministry content on the Internet.

We incorporated as a non-profit ministry in 2000 and by 2006 I had gone full time. That paints a much smoother picture in one sentence that the story is – but anyone who has lived life or founded a ministry knows, no road is smooth, but God is faithful when we continually seek him through the ups and downs on the journey.

Our websites have changed… our logos have changed… staff have come and gone…

A Rejected Kidology Logo!

One thing has remained the same… OUR CUSTOMERS! They come by the hundreds, indeed by the thousands, every day… looking for ideas, for resources, for encouragement, for training, for jobs, for connections, for friendship, for a wide variety of things… things that can’t all be found anywhere else all in one place… and even when they can be found somewhere else, they know they can find it there, but starting here! Because like Miracle on 34th Street… we will direct you to where you need to go.

So far this month, as of this blog post, we’ve have 1,157 new FREE Basic Members sign up on Kidology.org, and that’s just THIS MONTH so far… I’m blown away by how many children’s ministry workers come to Kidology.org. I remember when 1,000 members was the entire ministry of Kidology! (And when we thought we’d never hit that number.)

It is humbling and amazing and such a blessing that this is my employment now. That I have the privilege to get up each day and serve you.

I am thankful for getting to work at home near my family, to get to travel to minister to children, and to get to meet some of my customers when I am out and about serving.

MY LIFE MISSION hasn’t changed since I was nineteen when God gave it to me: To reach and teach as many children as possible with the Good News of God’s Love, and in the process to Enlist, Equip and Encourage others to do the same.

THANK YOU for allowing me to use my God-given talents to bless you and serve you. I stink at a lot of things, but that I get to do what I love, is because of my customers.

There is a saying:

LOVE WHAT YOU DO WHAT YOU LOVE.

My customers make that possible. I am thankful for them today.

(Another Rejected Logo!)

]]> http://kidologist.com/2011/11/21/day-21-thankful-for-my-customers/feed/ 0 http://kidologist.com/2011/11/05/day-5-thankful-for-pandora/ http://kidologist.com/2011/11/05/day-5-thankful-for-pandora/#comments Sat, 05 Nov 2011 15:00:57 +0000 kidologist http://kidologist.com/?p=4547 This is part of a series called 24 Days of Thankfulness. These posts are in RANDOM order, NOT priority order. Each is something I am thankful for leading up to Thanksgiving.

I was going to say “Music” but wanted to be more modern, and Pandora is the #1 way I listen to music now, whether it is at the computer, on my iPhone, driving or in the morning getting ready for my day. If you don’t know what Pandora is – you are truly missing out!

Whether you use the iPhone/iPad app or the website, Pandora allows you to create your own custom “radio stations” based on the music you like and the mood you are in. You can enter any song, artist or genre of music and it will create a “station” or channel of music based on that entry and play music you will like that is “like” that original entry.

As they explain on their site:

We believe that each individual has a unique relationship with music – no one else has tastes exactly like yours… the Music… spans everything from this past Tuesday’s new releases all the way back to the Renaissance and Classical music… Each song…  is analyzed using up to 400 distinct musical characteristics… [and]  …is updated on a continual basis with the latest releases, emerging artists, and an ever-deepening collection of catalogue titles.

By utilizing the wealth of musicological information stored… Pandora recognizes and responds to each individual’s tastes. The result is a much more personalized radio experience – stations that play music you’ll love – and nothing else. (abrrevieated)

This is by far my most used iPhone and iPad app, besides my communication apps, like Mail, Twitter and Facebook.

My favorite channels that I have created:
(I won’t tell you all of them, too embarrassing!)

Alison Krauss & Union Station

Bebo Norman

Clint Black

George Strait

George Winston

Jeremy Riddle

John Williams

Kenny Chesney

Kenny G

Lady Antebellum

Madness Radio

Mannheim Steamroller

Newsboys Radio

Phil Driscoll

Spooky Symphony
(see comments below)

Star Wars (Film Score)
(MY FAVORITE, not because it plays Star Wars,
but because it plays movie soundtracks.)

The Stars and Stripes
(Great during fireworks shows!)

Walt Disney (Children’s)

Yanni

I’ve been a fan of The Almighty Bible since editions started to appear last year, and I was lucky enough to be sent some early review copies to check out.

The Almighty Bible is a series of graphic novels that illustrate the Bible leaving the biblical text intact at the bottom, edited only slightly for younger readers, instead of bubble captions like a standard comic Bible.

I gave them some feedback and expressed my enthusiasm and a quote has been put on the back cover the newly printed Book of Acts!

“Finally, there is a Bible for kids and preteens that engage their eyes and captures their imaginations without sacrificing the biblical text. The Almighty Bible brings the Bible to life like never before for young readers.” – me

In addition to an ever-growing collection of graphic novels for preteens and older, they have an amazing online interactive club for kids called, The Almighty Bible Club where kids can learn more about the Bible, Church history and even learn to pray for each other using an interactive Prayer Garden that tracks answered prayer requests.

You can also purchase images for use in PowerPoint presentations. The collection of books and images is constantly growing. This is a ministry resource product line you are going to want to keep an eye on! Follow on Twitter at @AlmightyBible

WANT A FREE COPY?

Just tell me in comments what your favorite story is in the Book of Acts, and I will pick one at random in a week and will mail you an signed copy!

This is the perfect give-a-way at church or for graduating kids. Be sure your Church Library is stocking up on these amazing books!

Check out: www.TheAlmightyBible.com

I am SO excited to have the GO FISH VBS KITS on Kidology.org that I’m gonna give a 100% REFUND to one of the first ten orders of EACH of their VBS Kits! Not only do I LOVE their music, but I love the strong emphasis their VBS materials place on Scripture!

You already SAVE $25 just by being a Kidology Member, and now you might just get it free!

Whether you go with their first unit Backstage with the Bible or the brand new release, Kickin’ it Old School – or just order both – I’m gonna give a refund to one of the first ten orders of each! After we sell ten of either VBS, we will randomly select from the first ten orders and do a 100% refund and let the winner know who won via e-mail! So order right away!

WHAT IF YOU’VE ALREADY ORDERED YOUR VBS? Some of you have already picked and are half-way done planning your VBS programs! (You super admins, you!) Well, then, use these for an Awesome Kids Church unit instead!

ORDER YOUR VBS KIT TODAY!

Today it was pretty cold… and snowy, and when it came time for Dad School, I could tell my son would rather be outside playing in the snow than working on his alphabet.

So what’s a Dad to do?

Combine School and Snow together, of course!

I had to shovel the driveway eventually today anyway – might as well use it as an educational opportunity, and as I like to say, “Kill two stones with one bird!”

We bundled up and headed outside and worked on our letters, in the snow. Granted, we wouldn’t last long in the cold – but we had a great time. (My back might argue that last statement!)

(Contest is over, but it was FUN!) Can you name the letters we worked on today? See how many of the letters you can name in COMMENTS. First person to name ALL FOUR correctly, WINS!

Letter 1:

The Letter "d"

Letter 2:

The Letter "f"

Letter 3:

The Letter "g"

Letter 4:

The Letter "T"

NAME ALL FOUR LETTERS in Comments…

you just might get a PRIZE!

This was a blast! (and quite crazy!) I had no idea I would get such a response, and it was very confusing to go between the blog comments and facebook comments – but the results are in!

Picture 1 is obvious a LITTLE “d” – capital D would not do. Sorry.

Picture 2 is is a LITTLE “f” – some guessed F, but missed the curve at the top.

Picture 3 is a LITTLE “g” – most got this, but a few capitalized again. (oops)

Picture 4 admittedly, was the killer. I had Luke lay in it and form the letter as the hint. It was the Letter “T” – capital. The only capital. Granted, he kept moving and doing a snow angel, so his form is a little off, but since it wasn’t the only letter people missed, I think it’s fair.

THE WINNERS:

My Aunt Linda, for most attempts, was the closest at first with “D F g T” she only had the case off, and being a teacher, I thought she knew better! (LOL) I hinted on her wall but she only went downhill from there with “d E g Y” then “d E g T” then “P E g T” then “d E g L” then “d E g I”!

Krista Mobley is the Facebook winner! Though it took her several attempts and a few tips from me to get it right in the whee hours last night. But she finally pulled it off. But, I’m a little biased toward her. But I didn’t help her any more than I did anyone else!

Doug Olson is my Blog Winner! Technically, I could disqualify the Facebook commenters since the rules said to use blog comments! Anyway, Doug’s a good friend and a great encourager, so I was glad to wake up this morning and see he nailed it.

BONUS WINNER: (I’m just such a nice guy!) As I was updating this page another winner squeaked in! Dawna Lunde posted the correct answer via Facebook!

WHAT DO THEY WIN?

All these smart and lucky winners need to do is contact me via facebook and they will get a free download of one of Luke’s favorite albums.

It’s called Craig’s Kids and not only does Luke love it, but I really enjoy it too!

You can hear a sampler of it on the product page on Kidology. I think every Christian Kid in America should be listening to this CD! This is one of those CDs that is just jam-packed with great music and even better lyrics that kids need to be packing into their hearts and minds. I just can’t recommend it enough. My favorites are “I Wonder Why” and for fun “Rolley Polley” but every single song is just excellent.

If you weren’t a winner, I’ll make you a winner: Just enter code SNOW and get 10% off any Craig’s Kids product on Kidology! (Expires one year from today!)

Last year I tweeted that I was heading to Yosemite for a solo snowshoeing trip and @32NorthSTABIL tweeted me and recommended that I get a pair of their STABLicers for my trip. Well, I replied that I’d take a free pair and try ‘em out!

Next thing I knew, these arrived in the mail:

My Gift From 32 North!

So I took them to Yosemite in the middle of winter:

It was a great trip! In fact, I snow shoed and hiked around quite bit taking all these amazing pictures:

But whenever I didn’t have my snowshoes on – I had to walk on ice and slippery roads, and MAN did I like having THESE one:

My STABLicers!

They gave me a firm grip even if they did make me sound like a rusty tap dancer everywhere I went! I highly recommend them to anyone who plans to be walkin’ around on ice or snow! They go on quickly and pack small, so I was able to keep them in my pocket and have them handy. It’s dangerous to be walking around on ice – one fall can pretty much ruin your trip!

I keep them in my car now and have them ready for whenever I find myself out and needing to walk around ice or yucky ground, which in Colorado, is OFTEN!

THANKS Heather for the STABLicers and sorry my review took so long! It’s just that now it’s so easy to be out in the snow having FUN with no fear of falling!

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.

1) Here is the PDF handout: DOWNLOAD HERE (668kb)

2) Here’s an MP3 of the workshop: DOWNLOAD HERE (65.7mb)

3) Here’s a video of the workshop that was running for a little while when I was live webcasting. (Not the entire time) WATCH HERE then continued HERE

If you have questions, post them here in Comments, and I’ll answer the best I can!

I am excited to announce that I have launched a new ministry called BeTheDadToday.com – it is a new website for Dads, brought to you by a dad. Not a perfect dad, but an intentional dad who has been encouraged by many via facebook, his blog, twitter and in person to start a ministry to Dads – encouraging, coaching and providing insights on how to be – not a better dad (you are probably a great dad already!) but a more intentional dad.

There is plenty of great “parenting help” available – that’s NOT what this website is about. You may get some parenting help and guidance via BeTheDadToday, but that isn’t it’s primary goal. That may be a benefit of it – and if so, this author is grateful! But the goal of this website, the Twitter account and Facebook page will be to give Insights and Reminders on how to MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT.

Sometimes what dads need is not so much “Advice” as just REMINDERS. Nudges to do what they already know they should be doing.

Creating this site will do that very thing for me. I waited fifteen years to be a father, and the lessons I’ve learned I’ll share; and the wisdom I have, I learned from being the son of a very real and transparent father who was always very open about being a work in progress, as I am myself today.

So if you need nudges, want to make every day count, and are open to helpful suggestions on how you can too before your days as dad with kids in the house are over, then:

• Read this blog!
• Follow BeTheDadToday on Twitter and
• Friend the FaceBook Page
• Opt for Mobile Nudges!

And be ready to grow as a Dad!

Luke’s Dad.

Me and My Grammy Maggie Just One Year Ago at Navy Pier

I was supposed to be traveling to speak at a family ministry conference, but when she got ill, family suddenly was more important than a “family ministry conference” – so I called and asked if I could back out last minute. They were very gracious and understanding. So instead of speaking at this national conference I had been looking forward to for two years, I was at my Grammy’s funeral.

My Grammy with Her Favorite Grandchild

In love with Downtown Chicago, last year I had the honor of taking her on a “date” downtown with my wife and four year old for what we knew would probably be her last excursion downtown, as it was getting harder and harder for her to venture out. This was an annual dinner cruise my wife and I did to celebrate our first date as Moody Bible students, and since we were moving to Colorado last October, we knew this 20th occasion would conclude our tradition and she was so honored to be invited – though it did take some arm twisting to get her to go through with it, even after I’d bought the tickets. But oh how she loved the outing, and she has thanked me probably a hundred times over the past year for “making her” go. Later I will post more pictures from that special day.

Precious Memories

This amazing lady lived on her own even thought she never got a drivers license. She always remembered your birthday and anniversary and believed in hand written cards and letters, even though she did pick up e-mail over ten years ago knowing it was the only way she’d get us to write to her.

Teachin' an Old Lady New Tricks

I did try to teach her the way of the Mac – but in the end, she decided to stick with her text only e-mail machine, even though she couldn’t get pictures. The laptop had too many buttons and the things on the screen to click was a little much!

Gonna Miss That Smile a LOT

It was really fun the time I was “borrowing” a wireless Internet connection from a neighbor upstairs by holding my laptop up to the ceiling to get some e-mail, and was trying to explain why I was holding my laptop to the ceiling because her upstairs neighbor had an unsecured wireless network and I could borrow their Internet and get my e-mail…. she just laughed and said, “what will they come up with next?” But after asking several thoughtful questions – I think she actually got it!

I have the joy of putting together a photo video for her memorial service, and am actually posting this via broadband card as we drive across the country. I’ll post the video once it is done and the service is over.

Good Bye Grammy... I'll Walk With You Again Someday.

]]> http://kidologist.com/2010/09/14/when-family-trumps-family-ministry/feed/ 1 http://kidologist.com/2010/08/10/discipletown-for-free/ http://kidologist.com/2010/08/10/discipletown-for-free/#comments Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:39:59 +0000 kidologist http://kidologist.com/?p=3035 THIS OFFER HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED. Well over 1000 Churches responded to this free offer and are now teaching How to Use the Bible. It is our best selling unit that equips kids to USE their Bibles for life. It’s only $44.95 for 4-5 weeks and is PACKED with creative tools and resources. It is well worth a closer look. (Only $39.95 for members of Kidology.org) Order Today!

THIS IS NOT A SAMPLE!

This is the full and complete 4-5 week curriculum that you can use in your children’s church.

This is your opportunity to find out why churches all over the world are using DiscipleTown – even if they don’t use DiscipleLand’s Sunday School materials. It is a strong stand alone children’s church curriculum that is highly creative, scripturally rich, incredibly flexible, engages the family and makes you look sharp!

AND THIS MONTH ITS FREE!

Why would a publisher give one of their BEST SELLING units away?

Because they are a mission driven publisher with only one line of curriculum that flows out of a philosophy of making disciples.

They share my passion for getting children into the Word of God. I’ve written before about the crisis of kids not using the Bible.

One of the distinctives of DiscipleLand is the absence of printed scripture and the abundance of Bible references – so kids actually need their Bibles.

I remember when my church switched to DiscipleLand and we had to buy new furniture, because the kids needed room on their desks for Bibles!

The #1 compliment I get for DiscipleTown is how much Scripture there is in each and every lesson.

That is why HOW TO USE THE BIBLE is the unit that is being given away for FREE. Both DiscipleLand and I believe passionately that there is a great need today for our children to be equipped to use the Bible!

Too much of what is out there today in churches has become entertainment-rich but Bible-poor and children don’t know how to USE their own Bibles, IF they even bring them to church. This needs to change if they are going to STAND FIRM for God in this changing culture.

For children, the Bible can be a very intimidating book simply due to its size. These lessons will erase kids’ impressions of the Bible as a giant, overwhelming volume. Instead, they will discover that the Scriptures are a collection of smaller books written personally for them. You will introduce children to exciting tools that will help them dig into the Bible. Watch their confidence grow as kids gain a broader understanding of how the Bible is organized and how to navigate its pages! Your students will be motivated to practice applying Biblical principles to their daily lives and learn how to have a daily Quiet Time. The Bible is not just a book to be studied–it is God’s Book that can change their world!

SO HOW DO YOU GET THIS UNIT FOR FREE?!?

Simply visit the DiscipleLand.com website. Click on the “Free Curriculum” banner on the right hand side of the web page and follow the prompts. This is a limited time offer, so don’t delay!

If you noticed, it started raining! I get all the equipment set up, which is quite extensive for a quick video, tripod, camera, and for outdoors you need a mic and mic cables and then booster and power and amp and power strip and then extension cords and clip on and various adapters – and even so the wind was still a challenge. I had 24 minutes of tape left and a wife telling me dinner was ready in 17 minutes and the sun going down and its a Saturday idea, and no script! Just a tub of puppets! It was literally grab and talk and let the puppet decide what it would say! (Kinda like TBT) And then with clear skies while in the middle of recording – rain. Go figure. But I just kept going since I had very little tape and sunlight and when I was done, of course the rain stopped too. Life and kids ministry is funny some times.

For those who asked, I did post my first lesson in this series for Kidology Members and it includes a 48MB download of the above video you can use in your ministry. But as a freebie for blog readers, I am posting the Real Jesus Game Show PowerPoint here for you! It was a fun game show that helped the kids learn some things about Jesus and the prize was a Jesus Action Figure! (of course)

Enjoy the PowerPoint, or get all the goods over on Kidology.org

THIS FREE e-Book
(Download 2.5MB PDF)

Thank you to Henry Zonio for including me in this project as well as Matt Guevara, Amy Dolan for their hard work on it and Imago for their incredible design work which was donated.

A print version will be available June 14th to help offset the costs of this beautiful and thought provoking contribution to the world of Children’s Ministry.

If you are a Twitterer, be sure to follow @cmwhatmatters in order to be the first to learn of planned upcoming project related to this release. Use the hashtag #WMNkidmin when you tweet about it!

I enjoyed reading all the contributions and found each thought provoking and challenging. The word I chose was:

RELATIONSHIPS

Long ago I learned from your statutes that you established them to last forever.
(Psalm 119:152)

The most incredible aspect of Creation was that God walked in the garden with the crown of His creation. They had a relation-ship with God that sin severed: ending a fellowship we can only imagine. For centuries, that relationship became one of dis-tance and of fearful respect until Jesus came to walk, talk and relate with man. He came to live in relationship with mankind. He didn’t just die on the cross to offer salvation. He invites His beloved creation back into an intimate relationship with Him- self and to genuine fellowship with each other. What matters now in children’s ministry is the same as in any era of history: Relationships. All that has changed is the means in how we relate to each other. At one time, we walked to each others’ homes, rode horses, drove cars, and used rotary phones. Now, many text and use mind-boggling electronic social networks on devices that can span the globe in seconds. Who knows what might be next! What matters, though, will never change! It is Relationships.

DISCUSS THIS PROJECT IN THE KIDOLOGY FORUM

Tell others with these easy links:

www.tinyurl.com/downloadWMN
www.tinyurl.com/discussWMN

There is an old saying that says, if you want to get a message across to a large group of people you must say it “seven times in seven ways.” When it comes to church ministry, there is no doubt this is a great principle to take into every planning meeting for any program or event. The chances are you know them all and have used them all. As you should, and should continue!

Rather, my aim is to change your thinking from “how can I better get information out” to “why aren’t they listening?” I bet those you are trying to reach have no problem knowing when their sports teams are playing and on what television channel, or where they need to drop off their kids for all their various non-church activities and at what time and at what theater the latest blockbuster movie will be playing. (Is the hair on the back of your neck rising?) Before you wring your hands and start complaining about how the church is such a low priority in the lives of Christians today, a more positive approach is to ask some honest questions of ourselves as leaders and proactively and creatively begin to think about how we can better attract people to what God has called us to do in His House. I contend that if what we are doing at church is truly valuable and important – people will look for the communication! Your job isn’t just to get the information out – it is to raise the bar and make church activities something they won’t want to miss out on!

But let’s take a step back, and look at some of the communication problems that plague the church. Perhaps our people are as frustrated with us, as we are with them! A proactive leader takes a look at him or herself instead of just blaming his audience. Some of these may be tough questions – but if you are willing to make an honest assessment and then make some changes as a result, you will see a marked improvement in the response to your communication efforts!

Are you a leader in children’s ministry? Do you subscribe to Children’s Ministry Professional Edition? If not, you are truly missing out!

But here is the GOOD NEWS! As a regular contributor to CM Pro, I get a print and electronic version and the good folks at Group have given me permission to give away or post copies at my discretion, and I am “discresing” to give you a FREE copy of the February 2010 issue on the condition that you read my article titled, “Speak! Your Audience Listens!” on communicating when no one is listening!

It is the 3rd in my 10 part series on Proactive Leadership that began with my November 2009 article.

DOWNLOAD HERE: CMPro-feb2010-KarlBastian-speak.pdf (754kb)

I love this publication so much, I asked Group for a discount for our members and they responded!

SUBSCRIBE ON KIDOLOGY and SAVE $15 OFF THE REGULAR PRICE!

And then tonight, I SOLVED IT!

I have used all kinds of systems. I have had post-it notes on it, going row by row. I have made photo copies and cut it up and tried sorting it. But I never finished any system. Then here, in my new house in Colorado, I hung it up in the restroom in the new Kidology office thinking there I might have more time to devote to this evil poster. (I know, TMI!) And today, I was in there patiently dealing with one of my Colorado bloody noses (I get those a lot here, part of my adapting to the altitude, and since I’m on blood thinning meds due to my heart episode, they take longer to stop… yeah, more TMI!) I was looking at this infernal poster and tried a new strategy…

If I was the artist, where would I put the two identical pen men?

and suddenly, I SAW THEM! Seriously! All these years of starring, and systems, and going row by row, and all I had to do was get into the mind of the artist, and WA-LA! I solved it!

So…. can YOU find the two identical Pen Men? You can click on the photo for a larger view. Don’t put the answer in the comments (moron) but send me the answer (row and number from the left) via e-mail me or private message via FB or DM via twitter and the first person to tell me I will mail you a prize! Seriously, I will! I PROMISE, and it will be a GOOD PRIZE! I’m very generous.

What is the Kidology Handbook? CLICK THIS TO FIND OUT:

It’s the craziest video I ever made! The “back story” is I spent all day on a promo video that I had to trash because of a table saw in the background that I didn’t hear until I went to edit! My webmaster left on vacation with the Kidology newsletter  already cued and ready to go with a file name where I was to upload a video! So I had to head back to the Kidology headquarter after midnight to film… late, tired, wired on Dew, and desperate for a promo video… and this was the result! Turned out to be one of the best promo videos I’ve ever done. Last minute wackiness at its best! Order a Kidology Handbook Today. And just for reading this far, use the coupon code ‘penmen’ get $5 off your order, never expires! How’s that oh faithful blog readers! (Will work only on the handbook, once per e-mail address.)

Download a Sample TableTalker (PDF, 185k)

So I thought I’d put a sample on my blog to give my blog readers a “taste” of a family devotional that will be part of the next DiscipleTown unit. Each devotional has an easy “Let’s Play” component that gets families playing together with no complicated preparation – just something they can do with stuff usually right at the table, tho this one uniquely has them using the whole house due to the lesson point. Then there is a “Let’s Talk” discussion question to get every member of the family talking – but it is a targeted question that is setting them up for the topic. Next they are in the Word with “Let’s Read” followed by a short devotional “Let’s Think” that helps guide a parent on a spiritual discussion. But it doesn’t stop there. I always end with a “Let’s Do” practical application. Most are just a verbal application, but one of the three will be an assignment that can impact the family in a practical way, but I’m careful to balance them so that they don’t get overwhelmed. I want them coming back for more.

Well, with no further a-do, here is a sample – pre-edited by DiscipleLand, soon to be a part of DiscipleTown: How To Follow God’s Plan

Let’s Play!

Choose someone to start as the “seeker.” Give every person five pennies. Everyone else will go hide somewhere else in the house. When the seeker finds someone, they have to give the seeker a penny. The person they find becomes the new seeker and goes to find someone else. The old seeker now hides. Every time a person is found they have to give the seeker a penny and they become the new seeker and the old seeker gets to hide again once the new seeker is out of sight. If a player runs out of pennies, they become a seeker in order to get more pennies! The object of the game is get as many pennies as possible. A parent determines when time is up.

Let’s Talk!
What is the best reward or prize you have ever received?

Let’s Read!

Read Hebrews 11:6

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Let’s Think!

Which did you like better? Hiding or seeking? Are you a better hider or seeker? Do you think God is a hider or seeker? (Take some time to discuss this!) It may depend on whether you are seeking Him or not. But this verse tells us that God rewards those who earnestly seek Him. What do you think it means to earnestly seek God? What does that look like? How do you think He rewards people who seek Him? Would you say that you have earnestly sought Him? If not, what would it take for you to do so? What would need to change? What is holding you back? What do you think would need to change in your life? What can you image God might do in your life as a result if you did? It is kind of exciting to image what it might look like if you truly did earnest seek God. Go for it, I dare you!

Let’s Do!
Think of one thing you could do to earnestly seek God this next week as family or as an individual. Share it with each other and then check up on each other!

For more samples check out the Family Devos Zone on Kidology.org

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT DISCIPLETOWN

It seems like just yesterday I was blogging about how I hoped 2009 would be better. And here it is 2010! Aren’t we supposed to riding around on hover boards and beaming from place to place by now? I read that post, and instead of writing a post about my New Year’s Resolutions, I think I can just say “ditto” to that post!

But I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that an entire year has passed by when I reflect on all that I accomplished in 2009 – it’s actually quite an astonishing list – no wonder I am so exhausted!

• Survived a heart attack!
• Survived being struck by lightening!!
• Hosted the 2nd Yosemite Summit
• Started a retreat for women: Unbridled
• Relaunched a completely NEW Kidology.org
• Oh, and an entirely new ToyBoxTales.com as well
• Not to mention, a brand new curriculum: DiscipleTown
• AND two completely free three year curriculums!
• Attended CPC Nashville & San Diego
• Published an article in Children’s Ministry Magazine (PDF)
• Then got a column in CM Magazine and CM Pro
• Launched the Kids Church Cookbook!
• Squeaked out a few more podcasts
• All while moving from Illinois to Colorado!

And I wonder why I’m feeling exhausted?! No wonder I wasn’t ready for 2010 to arrive! I usually spend the last week of the year doing evaluation of the year just past and planning for the year to come, but I had some projects culminating and family visiting and am writing at CPC in Nashville (which I really don’t like being right after the new year) so I missed out on my week of margin for reflection and I can really feel it. Just reviewing my blog and making that list above has been very encouraging and eye-opening. For now – I need to survive this week at CPC – finish a few deadlines that still loom over me, and then do the planning and reflecting I wanted to do last week.

I’m excited that 2009 is behind me, and have NO desire to see 2010 “top” last year. In fact, you know what I am MOST excited about in 2010? Starting a guys hiking group here in Colorado for children’s pastors! Yup, I’m calling it “The Fellowship of the King.” (I know it’s corny, but I do like to hike to LOTR music.) I’ve been collecting a list of guys in Colorado, friends and soon-to-be friends via facebook ad twitter, and I’m going to be inviting them to join me hiking around this beautiful state to spend time away from ministry and with God. One thing I learned from Yosemite Summit was that once a year just isn’t often enough to disconnect from normal life and connect with God out in nature with others who share your passions in life. Most of them already know about this and are just waiting for info on the first hike – if you live in Colorado and are a guy – let me know, and I will add you to the list! (No, you do not have to be a children’s pastor or even in ministry to be included. But you may have to endure some worship music, prayer and spiritual conversation if you are not a Christian.)

So here’s to doing less – and being more in 2010!

Starting in January 2010, we will have not one, but TWO complete three year comprehensive Bible curricula on Kidology.org!

And are you ready for this? THEY ARE FREE.

One is free for Kidology.org Premium Members – that means for only $60 a year you’ll have access to a complete three year curriculum for your entire elementary education. Too expensive? The other is completely free for Kidology Basic Members. (Yeah, those who sign up for nada, zippo, zilch!)

Check them out:

Discovering God’s Path: a wonderfully designed and visually appealing completely reproducible curriculum. Released quarterly on Kidology.org and downloadable for free for Kidology Premium Members or available in its entirety for purchase in our store. (January is already available with the rest of the first quarter of 2010 available next week!) Again, this curriculum will be free for Kidology Premium Members. It will be released online one quarter at a time. As long as your membership is active – you’ll be able to get the next quarter. Should you desire the entire curriculum (or a quarter not currently live) it will always be available in our store for purchase. However, while most curricula are released on a schedule, where can you get one for only $60 a year? (See complete details on Discovering God’s Path)

Kidology Open Source Curriculum: Rich in content and extremely customizable, this complete three year curriculum will be unveiled in January and will be hosted in the Kidology Forums so that users can collaborate and share ideas and improvements to each lesson as a community of teachers to help the material continually grow and expand – always completely 100% for free! (Ideal for home school families!) Again, this Open Source Curriculum will be 100% free for Basic Members – no charge – no credit card – nothing. Just register on Kidology.org and you will have access to the lessons for use in your home, school or church. Adapt as you want. And if you make improvement (we hope you will!) come back and upload them for others to benefit from! That’s what Open Source is all about! (See complete details on Kidology Open Source Curriculum)

FINALLY, Kidology.org will have what our members have been asking for – a complete “cover to cover” Bible curricula, and not just one, but TWO! Whether you choose to follow one of these weekly or use them like you do the rest of the site, as a supplemental resource to enhance your educational ministry, we are please to add to our ever-growing website another rich resource for YOUR ministry!

Your Kidology.org Ministry Toolbox just got incredibly more powerful!

Why would we give all this away for free? Because we know the need is out there. Churches are struggling. Budgets are being cut. Home school families are needing solid Bible curriculum but not another expense. Bottom line, we wanted to give it away and we trust that God will honor this gift and continue to meet our needs. After all, that’s our mission.

OUR MISSION: To Equip and Encourage Those Who Minister to Children.

This is a Very Merry Christmas for Kidology.org – because we are so delighted to be able to provide these wonderful resources to those who minister to children.

Can I give you another gift? Here is a download to the Discovering God’s Path Christmas Lesson: The Messiah is Born! (Available Only on my Blog!)

TERMS: You are welcome to use this lesson your local church ministry. It may not be re-posted or distributed in any way, it is copyrighted material and all rights are reserved. It is provided here only for your use in your local church ministry. By downloading this file you are agreeing to these terms. Thank you.

To download the file use this link: I have read, understand, and agree to these terms. (188kb)

HOW CAN YOU SAY THANKS?

It is our joy to make both of these Bible curricula free to churches and families in order to be a blessing during these difficult economic times. We hope that many will find this a financial relief and help as they seek to find creative ways to both save money while still laying a solid biblical foundation for their children.

However, providing these curriculums is obviously not free to Kidology.org. If you would like to send a donation to Kidology during this holiday season, consider becoming a Kidology Champion or sending a gift via our donation page.

WE HOPE YOU ARE EXCITED ABOUT OUR BIG ANNOUNCEMENT! WE ARE!

Got questions? You can discuss Discovering God’s Path or the Kidology Open Source curricula in the Kidology Forum. Let us know what you think there, or just leave me a blog comment below:

]]> http://kidologist.com/2009/12/04/free-bible-curriculum/feed/ 5 http://kidologist.com/2009/11/05/buzz-buzzed-caption-this-contest-winner/ http://kidologist.com/2009/11/05/buzz-buzzed-caption-this-contest-winner/#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:02:29 +0000 kidologist http://kidologist.com/?p=2359 As promised on Facebook and Twitter, here is the picture I posted and the captions that were entered in my “CAPTION THIS” contest:

"BUZZ BUZZED" (my caption)

OTHER ENTRIES:

To manyz donutz hurted my tummiez… (Allison Waters)

“i said KRYPTONITE!” not krispy kreme! (Barbara Neiger)

Luke became overwhelmed after learning that Buzz Lightyear – not Darth Vader – was his true father. And to think, the clues were there all along. (Jordan Bastian)

To infinity and beyond…the Krispy Kreme! (Todd Liebenow)

Buzz asked Jr. to taste test his new recipe that he got from Karl’s new cookbook! (Tammy Jones @vbscrazy)

Toy Story 3: No Doughnut Gets Left Behind (@alyssaglick)

To Immodium and beyond! (@marc_romero)

the evil pirate Zorkons were approaching us from the aft vector to raid our donut loot, but I was able to prevent them. *burp* (Glenn Woods @thurios)

Donut try this at home, I’m a trained professional (@samluce)

EXPOSED: Buzz Lightyears secret desire-join the police. (@j_doss)

To Naptime and Beyond! (@fathershousekid)

This is what happens when those intergalactic cops have their fill of doughnuts. (@franktan)

AND THE WINNER IS:

“To infinity and….oh, are those doughnuts? Um….never mind, saving the galaxy can wait. MMMMM….. doughnuts……” (Rob Siebert)

Rob: Twitter or FB message me and name and claim your prize!
(What do you want? Ask reasonably and ye just might receive!)

]]> http://kidologist.com/2009/11/05/buzz-buzzed-caption-this-contest-winner/feed/ 2 http://kidologist.com/2009/02/25/toyboxtales-has-a-new-site/ http://kidologist.com/2009/02/25/toyboxtales-has-a-new-site/#comments Wed, 25 Feb 2009 16:23:59 +0000 kidologist http://kidologist.com/?p=1712 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 NEW www.ToyBoxTales.com and enjoy some Bible stories like you’ve never seen them before!

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?

#2 Download and read this BONUS REPORT, previously only available as part of the Kidology Online Training Leadership Lab: Refine, Define and Shine. (in the Download Kit)

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!

You can always be sure to know when the next podcast is out by subscribing in one of the following ways:

Subscribe via iTunes
(Updates via Apple’s iTunes)

Subscribe to this Feed
(Updates via RSS)

Discuss the podcast!
(Kidology Network Forums)

Or just remember www.childrensministrypodcast.com and check back often!

BUT WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? DON’T MISS THE LATEST EPISODE HERE!

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.

My day is off to a good start!

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.

Try it, you’ll like it.

If you follow DiscipleBlog.com, you may have caught my post What Happened To The Bible. It fueled a healthy discussion over on Kidology.org. Then, Christine Yount, editor-in-chief at Children’s Ministry Magazine featured it on her blog.

Then, I was honored when Christine asked if she could interview me for her podcast on the subject. You can listen to the podcast here.

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!)

In the current edition of Group’s Children’s Ministry Professional edition, I was honored to be featured in an interview in the Career Coach section titled: Following God’s Call. If you don’t get Group’s Children’s Ministry Professional edition, I highly recommend it.

Other topics in the current issue include:

• Leading Leaders
• Taming a Talker
• The Top Job? No Thanks
• Gut Check During Interviews
• Families in Crisis
• Rumor Weeds
• Hopping to Greener Pastures
• Good Habits
• Beware Informal Communication
• Restoring Lost Administrative Tasks
• New books on the market
• and more!

To find out how you can get a free sample copy of the current issue with my interview, go here.

If you read the interview there is a discussion on Kidology here.