Karl on the Radio in Ottawa

February 3, 2012 at 2:59 pm · Filed under Canada, Children's Ministry, Conferences, Discipleship, Leadership

I was just on the radio in the Capital of Canada this morning on CHRI Christian Radio in Ottawa. You can listen to the interview here: tinyurl.com/karlonCHRI

The occasion is that next week, I’ll be heading up there to the frozen lands of Canada to serve as the keynote speaker for the VAULT Children’s Ministry Conference.

www.KidsMinistry.ca

I’m really looking forward to this conference! I’ll have an opportunity to speak at a breakfast for pastors with their children’s pastors on the secret to longevity in ministry, I’ll be doing a Family Fun Night Magic with a Message show, and then at the conference I’ll be speaking on:

• YOU, the Missing Piece in a Child’s Spiritual Puzzle
• Making Your Disciple Problems Disappear
• The Stories of Ministry

The first session is where I reveal my “secret” relational ministry tricks for connecting with kids – those tips that draw kids in and then double the impact of your teaching.

The second session is a completely different approach to discipline that at first surprises people, and by the end has them praying not for less discipline problems, but for more! (Seriously!) So that they can have more kids they can truly impact. You gotta be there to experience it.

The final session is new and I’m excited about it. Too often we talk about how to build and strengthen and lead ministries and build programs and forget that Jesus didn’t send us into all the world to build programs, but to make disciples. Programs don’t make disciples, other disciples make disciples. The best a program can do, is connect disciples to each other. If we don’t have stories of young disciples, we aren’t truly ministering. This session will challenge the way we minister within our programs.

If you are in Canada, I hope you’ll be there! Eh!

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What’s Your Excuse?

January 24, 2012 at 10:52 am · Filed under CPC, Children's Ministry, Conferences, Kidmin, Leadership, Technology

Barbara Baker and Karl Bastian

The highlight of my CPC this year was getting to see Barbara Baker again. I always keep an eye out for her. She is one of my favorite CPC “Regulars”. During the conference, INCM asked some of the speakers and bloggers to make some time to be interviewed for the INCM website throughout the year.  However, I told INCM’s Executive Director Michael Chanley they should interview Barb!

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Kidology Takes The Next Step

December 15, 2011 at 6:07 pm · Filed under Kidology, Kidology Update, Leadership

Every organization is limited by its leader. I’m keenly aware of that. I’m a visionary leader. I love vision. I teach it, and hopefully live what I teach. But I also realize that I can limit my own organization by my own limitations. Kidology has seen exciting growth every year since we began in 1994, back when me and Al Gore invented the Internet. (LOL) I’ve chronicled the history of Kidology in other places at other times, so I won’t do that here – but to say that in the past few years we have reached yet another juncture where the strain on me has become intense personally, as I seek to both lead the business side of Kidology and serve as the creative force behind the product development and ministry side of Kidology.

The range of products and services we offer our visitors and members now is breath-taking! And I oversee all of it.

It’s a little schizophrenic at times, and my staff are very gracious as I shift roles constantly, but its rough on me, my family and our organization. I also serve on the board of several other organizations and serve as a consultant to other kidmin ministries in our market helping them to succeed and improve behind the scenes. But it has spread me very thin. I have known for years that I needed a full time “right hand man” but have lacked the combination of the timing, funding and the right person for the job.But the time has come.

So we are taking a step of faith – it seems all three have come together. I have hired today a Vice President of Operations and will be shifting out of my current role of running everything at Kidology, moving into a Chief Creative Officer role, and working with a new full time VP of Operations who will work with me in the oversight and coordination of Kidology. Certainly, it will take some getting used to – but he seems to be the man for the job and it is definitely the time for it.

This is one of the times where we are stepping out in faith!

If you are a Kidology Champion – you are a part of making this possible, whether you are a donor, or just part of our Champion prayer network. (sign up, if you aren’t yet)

I would ask for your prayer as we head into 2012 for wisdom, insight, the mind of Christ, discernment and unity as a team as we make the needed changes and adjustments in order to take Kidology to the next level of ministry.

Do you know the IMPACT of Kidology.org?

When we combine all levels of members of Kidology.org, both Basic and Premium, as of right now, it is around 17,000 churches. Let’s be conservative and estimate that each of those churches represent only 100 children.

That would be 1,700,000 kids impacted by Kidology.org each and every week.

I believe it very well could be many more. We are accessed by users in over 70 countries.

God is using our website to make a difference in individuals, in families, in churches – and best of all – in the lives of kids.

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

That’s why I am so thrilled to announce that starting January 1st, 2012 Kidology will have a new Vice President of Kidology. His name is Mark Maestas.

Mark has an Mdiv in Leadership from Denver Seminary. He has served as a Family Pastor, College Pastor, as an interim Children’s Pastor, but most recently also in business leadership at Target Stores here in the Denver area. Sorry, Target, but the Kingdom needs him more.

We look forward the leadership and management experience that Mark will bring to Kidology.org and ask that you pray for him as he prepares to begin in the New Year.

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But is the Bathroom Fancy?

October 9, 2011 at 2:47 pm · Filed under Bathrooms, Children's Ministry, Kidmin, Leadership, Luke, Random Observations

I’m not exactly sure where this came from, but every time we go out to eat, my five year old son now wants to see the bathroom and check whether it is a “fancy bathroom.” Much to my embarrassment, he will be in the stall saying, “Daddy, this isn’t a fancy bathroom, is it?” to the chuckles of others in the room.

My theory is that it began last Easter when we ate at the Red Mountain Grill in Dillon, Colorado because when we visited the rest room there, he was truly impressed! That was indeed a fancy bathroom! And I believe it has been since then, that he has been commenting on the “fanciness” of restrooms. We’ll be in a very nice restaurant, but upon visiting the restroom, if it is lame or boring or dirty or junky, suddenly the restaurant is no longer “fancy” any more. We’ve been to some pretty nice places that Luke was pretty impressed with…. until he got to the restroom, and then he announced, “This restaurant isn’t fancy at all… it’s a fake.” It almost seems like his trip to the bathroom is just to investigate the “fanciness,” as a few times, after going in and checking it out, he’s no longer needed to “go” after commenting on the “fanciness” (or lack there of) of the facilities!

It got me thinking about our ministries. We can put on a pretty good front to impress visitors and try to make things look good and welcoming and “kid friendly” – but how far are we willing to go? How deep are we willing to go? How thorough are we willing to be? Or is it just a facade? Are we fancy or “fake?” If a restroom is gross and unkempt, what does that communicate to a guest? How valued do they feel at that point?

Once there are real “needs” that aren’t met, doesn’t the beautiful front we put on break down and aren’t people disappointed? In your ministry, when they see behind the scenes do they see that there really isn’t much there? Do they see cheap tile and a dirty suspended ceilings with cracks and doors that won’t even latch and towel holders that are empty and sinks that desperately need cleaning? And I’m not talking only literally here. Don’t miss the analogy to other needs.

When it comes to our ministry, it’s not only the fancy kids church room that counts… it may be the bathroom that leaves a lasting impression.

Just something to consider from my five year old.

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You Don’t Have a Recruiting Problem

August 24, 2011 at 11:17 pm · Filed under Children's Ministry, Kidology, Leadership

You Don’t Have a Recruiting Problem.

You Have a Relationship Problem.

So You'd Like More Volunteers?

I have some hard news for leaders. This may come as a shock to some. You may need to sit down. Get a coffee or tea or soda… whatever you enjoy. But you need to hear me on this. There is a Grand Canyon of perception between why you serve in children’s ministry and why most volunteers volunteer.

You? You love kids! You knew long before Barna that there is a 32% greater chance of them coming to Christ if they are reached before the age of 12. You know Jesus said we ought to come as a child, not hinder the children, and blessed the children. You feel called to children’s ministry. You read Roger Field’s The Calling and it gives you goose bumps and you nearly cry because THAT’S YOU. You would serve if no one asked, no one noticed, and no one said thank you. Sure, you’d have your little pity party when no one was looking, and you’d whine to your spouse a little… but you’d never quit. Because, like Roger Field’s also said so well – You are a Special Ops Kidmin. The Few. The Proud. The kids need you. And lets be honest, you need them too.

But this creates a little problem for you.

You see, you assume others are this way. In fact, you are looking for and hoping to find others like this. I’ve got news for you. You may be the only one in your church. Actually, you may be the only one for a hundred miles!

Now, before you despair and cry “Woe is me!” – or get prideful, it’s O.K. I’m not so sure your church could handle two of you anyway. Or even the hundred mile radius around your church. God spaced us out for a reason.

What does this have to do with recruiting?

EVERYTHING.

It has so much to do with it – you’ve GOT to get this! So many children’s pastors/directors/leaders don’t get it, and it is precisely why they have recruiting problems.

Their problem isn’t recruiting – they recruit just fine. But they don’t keep volunteers, so they have to constantly be recruiting, and that gets harder and harder as the pool of potential recruits runs dry. Their problem is misunderstanding what their REAL JOB is and WHY those volunteers volunteered in the first place.

There is a HUGE, and I mean MASSIVE disconnect between WHY YOU THINK YOU  RECRUITED THEM and WHY THEY ACTUALLY VOLUNTEERED.

I know this, because I was a full time professional pastor for fifteen years, and now I’ve been a full time unprofessional volunteer for five years. So I’ve now lived on the “other side” and discovered the disconnect. And it’s startling.

People (let’s call volunteers what they really are, PEOPLE) come to church longing for two things, that are really the same thing: a connection with God and friendships. They are both: Relationship.

They complain that the church “isn’t friendly.” Right? So what do the pastors tell them? VOLUNTEER! “If you want friendships, don’t just sit in the worships service,” they tell these folks, “you must get involved.”

So they do!

WHY do they volunteer? Because like you, they want to fulfill the Great Commission and bring little children to Jesus?

Nope. Sorry. ‘Fraid not.

They want friends.

Period.

And they will give you MAX three months.

You Want Volunteers. They Want Friendships.

If they haven’t made friendships, they are done. They will volunteers somewhere else, and somewhere else, and then somewhere else, or visit another church – until they make friends.

People are starving for FRIENDSHIP.

You are looking for VOLUNTEERS

See the DISCONNECT yet?

The secret? Stop looking for volunteers. Start making friends. And you’ll have all the volunteers you need. I look back over my ministry and now realize why I never lacked for volunteers. I had friends. Tons of them! I took ‘em out to lunch. I used to fill Culvers almost every Sunday. The owner finally printed for me a BOX of  20% off on Sunday coupon business cards just to make sure I kept coming there. I partied with them. I visited them. I went camping. I played mini-golf. I had movie nights at my house. I forgot they were volunteers. They were my friends.

I hardly recruited. Of course, I had to at times, but I just made friends at every turn, and had all the volunteers I needed.

Now, I go to church looking for friends. I volunteer to find friends. If I serve and no one talks to me, no one greets me, no one asks me my name, or shakes my hand, or treats me like a person – if I’m just a volunteer, I lose interest. Even though I’m one of those Special Ops with all this passion and the biggest Kidmin website on the Internet. Without a friend, I’m outta there. Sorry, but that’s just reality. People need friends like a plant needs water.

If a lack of friendship can make ME lose interest – imagine someone who doesn’t have any passion for kids ministry? Someone who is just a normal everyday non-Kidmin wacko like me?

What’s to keep them around? They’d rather be an usher or fold up chairs after service if it means laughter and friendship and an invitation out to lunch after church.

DON’T MISS THIS: The ministry with the most volunteers will be the ministry where people connect and make friendships. If you don’t connect volunteers to yourself and each other, you will always be recruiting, over and over and over. Because you won’t be meeting the real need.

The need isn’t to staff your rooms - it is to help the people who come to your church to connect with God and each other. Do that, and your classrooms will all be staffed by friends. I dare you to try it.

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Step Aside, and Let God Recruit

July 5, 2011 at 4:08 pm · Filed under Children's Ministry, Kidology, Leadership

Got a great e-mail today – one of those that says it better than I can.

Pastor Karl,

I recently was granted a Kidology scholarship and I am SO thankful. It would take a book to explain my situation but I am sure you have heard it all before… a struggling Children’s Ministry without a Minister so a member takes the task on and is just overwhelmed.

When I opened my email from Rachel (customer support) stating I had the Premium Membership there was a mention of this “Leadership Labs” series that was suggested I try out. I started the “First Things First” lab and had to pause the video after the first homework assignment. Can we say a gut check? I immediately started crying out to God and apologizing for making this MY task and MY service. I turned everything over to Him and asked Him to take care of everything. “Just show me what you want me to do,” I pleaded. I was in tears before our talk was over. That night I slept better than I had slept in weeks! I was actually planning on sleeping in the next morning, but the phone woke me up. On the other line was an older woman from our congregation. She explained that she just felt led to offer to be a volunteer with our kids (something we have REALLY struggled with). I was amazed. Here was a woman who was completely able to help, but that I never would have thought of to ask. I hung up the phone pretty much in shock, but immediately comforted in an assurance that He would indeed take care of everything — if I would just step back and let Him. Thank you for the gut check I needed it.

Amber

As I have written about many times, such as in my article, Give It Back to God, it is His Ministry, not yours. So give Him a chance!

Thanks, Amber for the encouraging note, you made my day, week… month! And I hope through this post encouraged many others as well!

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Why Yosemite Summit?

May 22, 2011 at 12:49 am · Filed under Adventures, Children's Ministry, Conferences, Kidology Update, Leadership, Yosemite

Every year when Yosemite Summit rolls around, I am never ready for it.

And that is exactly why I do it.

I have projects that are not where I want them. Deadlines I’m behind on, so many to do’s unchecked they are overwhelming at times, countless more items floating in my head that need to get on a to do list. Even more dreams and ideas of things I’d like to do. The reality is, I’ll never be “ready” for a week off of work to just relax, refresh, renew and re-create. I am too driven by my life Mission and Calling. But I am also driven by disappointment. We all have this ideal in our mind and hearts of the way life is supposed to be – and when life turns out differently and we don’t get want we want (the core of sin is selfishness) we bury it in busyness, and as Christians we can bury it in Christian service and “Godly” busyness – whereas the rest the world may attempt to hide it in entertainment, the accumulation of power, wealth or pleasure – if not outright debauchery. (Some do seek to redeem it through a life well lived, though those are rare.) I have this ideal in my mind of the type of man, husband, and dad I want to be – and I just can’t get there. And I’m not just talking the deep stuff, its the simple stuff too, like an organized garage or getting the landscaping in the back yard finished. Hanging out with my dad more or reading all the books stacked in my office. So much to do and not enough time to do it in. I have a Calvin and Hobbes T-shirt that says,

“God put me on this earth to accomplish a set number of things. Right now I am so far behind, I will never die.”

But the reality is, I am haunted by what I will left undone that I wanted to do, and what I did instead.

So I go to Yosemite Summit to STOP – stop everything – and Think. Listen. Reflect. Refocus. Reconsider. Recalibrate. Reconsider.

Have you ever just wanted to scream, “I need everything to just STOP ALREADY!” Well, that’s what Yosemite Summit is. The world freezes for several days. Everything stops. Nothing matters for a few days. You aren’t so important anymore. People can get along without you, and guess what? The world survives! And everything is OK when you get back. Sure, there is some pile up, but its manageable.

That’s why I created Yosemite Summit. Because first and foremost I need it. It’s for me. I know that sounds selfish, but it is the truth. But it’s so good and I need it so much, I decided NOT to be selfish about it, and decided I’d invite just a few guys to come with me. First of all, because part of me wishes someone had invited me to something like this a long time ago when I didn’t know I needed it. But mostly because its just too amazing a time to keep to myself.

I hope you will create your own Summit. Don’t wait until you are ready. You never will be. Just put it on the calendar, and promise yourself you won’t cancel it no matter what happens. And when the time comes, just go. Pick a place you love. Invite some others to go with you. And just do it. You know you need it. Freeze the world for a few days. Honestly, we’ll be fine without you. And we might like you better when you get back.

This will be my last blog post until June. Until then… try to survive!

CHECK OUT THE GUYS I’VE SHARED THIS EXPERIENCE WITH THE PAST THREE YEARS AND CLICK ON THE PICTURE FOR A REPORT, HIGHLIGHT PHOTOS AND VIDEO:

2008

2009:

2010:

2011: UPDATED:

Will you be in the 2012 picture?

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Help Wanted: Workers or Volunteers?

April 21, 2011 at 4:45 pm · Filed under Children's Ministry, Kidmin, Leadership

On Kidology.org right now there is a discussion right now titled Alternative Names for Volunteers, and folks are discussing what we can call those who staff our kids ministry besides “Volunteers” because that word can often not capture the commitment we are seeking to have. The word “worker” came up, and it reminded me of something funny from my college days.

Me and Gus on a PCM

As a Moody Bible Institute student, I always got a kick out of the evolution of the weekly volunteer “PCM” requirement. It stood for Practical Christian Ministry assignment. My ‘kick’ wasn’t that it was a bad thing or required, while lots of students complained, I loved it and learned a lot as they required a wide variety of assignments over the course of your college experience.

What I thought was a little funny was that when my parents attended MBI in the 60’s it was a PCW assignment: Practical Christian Work assignment. Over the years Moody dropped the unattractive word ‘work’ for the more appealing ‘ministry.’ Now, I could just as easily defend the change and see the benefits of the word “ministry” over “work, BUT we ARE called to WORK for the Lord!

I just think we sometimes soften too much what we expect of volunteers and the way many students treated their PCMs, perhaps Moody should consider returning to calling them PCWs. (Though the student might revolt! LOL)

Maybe WE need to call volunteers to WORK in the children’s ministry too?

Just a thought.

What do YOU think? Comment below, or in the forum.

Practical Christian Dating at MBI

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The 30 Percent Rule

April 16, 2011 at 1:03 pm · Filed under Children's Ministry, Leadership

Christine Yount

I loved Christine Yount’s “from the editor” in the latest edition of CM Magazine.

She admits, as we all would (or should!) – those unsettling moments when we feel out of control when everything isn’t going the way we think they should.

No matter how hard to try, there are constant crisis’ and struggles and things going wrong in our life and work… and we just can’t seem to get a handle on things.

It can be really frustrating. We have to look like we have it together for our staff and volunteers, so we let it out finally leak out to our spouses. (My poor wife!) Which Christine says she did on a walk with her husband, who gave her the following advice:

“You need to understand that one-third is going to be icky – and just accept it.”

Too often we focus on what we CAN’T CONTROL, instead of on what we CAN.

We can spend a lot of time complaining to our spouse about what we can’t change – instead of making changes we CAN make, or pursuing excellence in the areas we CAN control.

What can you change?

What do you need to change?

What are you afraid to change?

What are you waiting for?

“So if you, like me, get frustrated when things don’t go the way you want them to, embrace the 30-percent rule and consider what you can and cannot change…” – Christine Yount

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The Power of Encouragement

April 1, 2011 at 9:00 am · Filed under Children's Ministry, Kidology, Leadership

Before there was Kidology.org – (well, it was members.aol.com/kidologyweb) – Before most people had heard of this guy who called himself “the Kidologist” – there was just this kids pastor name Karl Bastian who threw himself 287% into whatever he did! One of those times was when he got invited to provide the children’s programing (not child care!) for the Okoboji Lakes Bible Conference waaaay back in 1996. I was hired by none other than Scottie May. You may have never heard of her, but she is the Mom of Phil Vicher (Creator of VeggieTales), and he wasn’t a household name in kids pastor’s homes (or American homes for that matter) back then. I think the first VHS tape was just hitting stores!

Anyway – Along with my wife and some youth I brought from my church, we were proving children’s programming for TEN DAYS while the parents were in sessions over in the “Big Tent.” We did full scale Kids Church-like lessons, game times, crafts, and so much more. As I always do whether I’m doing Kid’s Church, speaking at camp, or writing curriculum, I provide more than asked and try to make it the best I possibly can for the kids sake. I believe in making memories for kids – spiritual anchors that will last a life time. It’s always been my passion and philosophy that we aren’t just teachers – we are making spiritual Ebeneezers – reminders for the future of what God did in the past in kids minds – that’s why we should go ‘over the top,’ whey they stray from the faith – they can mentally (and spiritually) see these Ebeneezers and be led back!

Where am I going with this? At the end of this week, just a few years into being married, and a young children’s pastor at the beginning of my budding career,  Scottie May – a woman I looked up to as an expert and guru in kids ministry gave me a letter along with my pay check. It has been thumb tacked to the wall by my desk for over 15 years – from ministry to ministry, I have cherished it! I usually just get a check in an envelop, but she went the extra mile to write me a letter! It has faded and gotten worn with holes and folds, but it is still special to me.

She Wrote:

Dear Karl, Sara and Troop:

WOW!  You guys are phantasmagorical (I think that means unbelievable.) You amazed me with your organization, energy, efficiency, and execution.  Parents loved you.  Kids love you.  My cousin’s family had to stay overnight because her children cried when she said they’d be leaving this afternoon before your final session.

Thanks for going above and beyond the call of duty to show the love of our Lord to these kids.

May each of you be refreshed and renewed as you travel home tomorrow.  I know that God is pleased because you have been faithful and what you did was well done.

I’ll be praying with and for you about returning to minister again next year.

In awe of Him,

Scottie May

I don’t share this letter after all these years to brag or pat myself on the back – or I’d have shared it many years ago! But to tell you what an IMPACT this letter had on me as a children’s pastor of only three years! “phantasmagorical” ?!?! I had no idea what that meant! But it sounded good! I wanted to BE a phantasmagorical children’s pastor! I wanted to live up to how she described me! I wanted not just the kids to love me, (that was easy), but the parents too! I wanted parents to not be able to leave because kids had to hear my last lesson! I would always be known for “going above and beyond the call of duty” because anyone can do what is asked of them. And she caught why, it showed my love for these kids. And ultimately, I wanted the Lord to be pleased, and if I pleased the people I was serving, then there was a good chance, God would be pleased too. And being asked back – is always the best compliment you can get. (And I was asked back again!)

So I ask you…

• WHO encouraged YOU like this when you were starting out?
• WHO have YOU encouraged? Write them a note! (NOT an e-mail, a real hand written note on that flat white stuff called paper!) You never know, they may cherish and save it for years to come.

And Scottie, should you happen to read this – THANK YOU for believing in me and giving me a chance when I was just starting out and hardly knew what I was doing. I needed those opportunities early one to live and learn and love on kids! I am today what I am because of leaders like you and Mary Kay Meeker, Chris Yount, Byron Ragains, Linda Connell and so many others who gave me a chance before I had “made a name” for myself. You took a risk on a young guy who just seemed to be nuts about ministry to kids.

THANKS for encouraging ME! May many others do the same for others like me!

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