Shepherd or Sheepherder?

Shepherd or Sheepherder? Welcome to the 152nd episode of Kidmin Talk, the webcast show hosted by Karl Bastian, the Kidologist. Listen here, on Kidology or subscribe via iTunes to listen on-the-go with your iPhone, iPod, iPad, or other mobile device. KIDMIN TALK #152: Shepherd of Sheepherder: MENTIONED ON THE SHOW TODAY: Kidology Grants All About Me Sheets SHOW NOTES: FULL ARTICLE THIS PODCAST WAS BASED ON: Shepherd of Sheepherder Questions for Reflection: What do you think it means to be a Shepherd? What aspects of your ministry can be described as Shepherding? When do your children, volunteers or families feel shepherded in your ministry? (or do they?) What are your programs actually successful at? What does success look like and do you measure success? How do you measure success? What consumes your time? How effective is it? What are the tangible results that you can point to that merit the time invested? Is there a better way you could invest your time? What, if you stopped it, would no one notice? What do you do “just because?” If you listed everything you do in order of priority, what would be on the bottom half of the list? What if you…

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Time to Rethink How You Measure Success

If you are feeling discouraged by declining engagement online, weary of the shutdown even as you are excited about reopening, you could be measuring success wrong. Pastor Karl has an encouraging message for you in this podcast, plus updates on virtual VBS, Flat Pastors, and more! Tune in and get some fresh wind in your sails! Share this podcast with this link: Kidology.org/kidmintalk139 FEATURED RESOURCE: Pastor Karl just finished GO Curricululm’s virtual VBS: Backyard BOLT! It was FUN, FAST and FAMILY-FRIENDLY! You have GOT to check this out! ENJOY: Kidmin Talk #139 MENTIONED ON THE SHOW: Kids Church Online (Free Video Lessons you can use!) Covid-19 Resources PastorKarl.com All I Need poem by Karl in 1989, freshman year of Bible college Highpoint Church Flat Pastors on Facebook: #hpflatpastors CONNECTING WITH KARL: E-mail: karl @ kidmintalk.com (put it together – broken here to fight spambots) Twitter: @Kidologist or @KidminTalk Discuss this show in the Kidology Facebook Group Friend Karl at Facebook.com/karl.bastian

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STOP, DROP and ROLL!

As teachers, we have an agenda. We have a lesson plan we are trying to teach, a game we are trying to lead, a craft we are trying to complete, or some other activity that we prayed about, planned, prepared and now are trying to pull off. But often our children have other ideas about how the time in the classroom is going to be spent. There is an old children’s ministry saying that goes, “If you don’t have a plan for the kids, they’ll have a plan for you!” What do you do when you are trying to lead young children in one direction and they are moving in an entirely different direction? We usually tell them to stop what they are doing and to do what we tell them to do. Does this work? Not usually. Someone once defined insanity as taking something that doesn’t work and working harder at it. When children don’t respond well to our request to stop and obey, we have a conflict. In the classroom we are dealing with other peoples’ children, so we lack the authority and leverage we’d normally have over our own children, so we feel rather powerless. We try…

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What is Your Philosophy?

Do you have a Philosophy of Children’s Ministry? Guess what? You do! Whether you have written it out or not, you have core principles that guide your thoughts, decisions, actions, re-actions, opinions and even what annoys you. I would challenge you as you head into a new year, to define the core values that drive you and your ministry forward. It will help you understand yourself, explain your decisions and actions to others, and challenge others to re-think their own approach to ministry to children, particularly your volunteers. It will help your parents understand the reasoning behind why you do things the way you do. HERE IS MINE: Our Children’s Ministry: Is Dedicated to supplementing the family in their attempt to lay a spiritual foundation that, in God’s timing, will lead a child into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ and then to provide for them a place where they can grow in their knowledge and love for God. It is not our job to replace the family, but to support and re-enforce the family.He commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in…

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JOIN ME for my First Master Class: Thriving in Ministry

It doesn’t matter how talented, skilled or experienced you are in ministry. If you burn out, none of that will matter. Ministry is TOUGH. You must take care of yourself! YOU are the most important part of your ministry. That’s why you need to join me for a 6-week Master Class that will ensure that you not only survive ministry, but thrive in ministry. The First Master Class starts in January – and space is limited! 1. January 6th through February 14th – Thriving in Ministry – Become who you must be to thrive personally while growing a ministry. Included: Admittance to a closed Facebook Group for direct Access to Karl throughout the course. You get Priority help from Karl as you work through the material. Two live webinars with training content as well as Q and A time with Karl. Additional video challenges and bonus content provided in the Group, often in response to needs from students. Coaching to accomplish your personal and ministry goals! Textbook Requirement: Kidology’s Ultimate Toolbox for Children’s Ministry Purchase the book and get the digital version FREE! The same textbook is used for the first five Master Classes, so there is only one book…

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