Home Articles posted by kidologist (Page 3)

Yosemite Reflections

  I’m often asked why I return to Yosemite time after time. I think the answer lies partly in the words of Psalm 121: “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from Yahweh, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Listening to God is something every Christian knows they should do. But it’s hard—especially with all the noise, distractions, and daily demands of life. As I enter my mid-fifties, I find myself becoming more reflective… I wonder: What will be the sum of my life? What will I have truly invested my days in? I’m thankful that, as a young college student, I read a book that challenged me to create a life ministry manifesto— 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. This mission has led me to countless outreaches, guided me to become a children’s pastor, and maybe—just maybe—part of my legacy will be this annual event I created for children’s pastors: Yosemite Summit. It’s a chance to unplug, to get away, to spend time with the Lord in…

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Why Yosemite?

I began YosemiteSummit.org in 2008 first for myself, to restart my weary pastors heart in a difficult season of life – and invited other pastors to join me. Over 50 have since on multiple annual Summits. I call it The UNconference for Children’s Pastors.  No Workshops, Just Worship No Resources, Just Relationships No Networking, Just God Working.  On the plane today I started re-reading from my first Summit Journal and decided to share it as many people often ask me – “Why do you keep going back?” This was my first journal entry, back in 2008. I was struck today by how well I described WHY I do this. If you want a taste of our Summits, visit the Highlight Videos at YosemiteSummit.org/videos Below is the transcript, but here are the journal pages: This place is beyond description, though of course, I will try. As I often say it is where God showed off. Our language lacks adequate words to do Yosemite justice. Incredible. Amazing. Spectacular. Breathtaking. Beautiful. Magnificent. I suppose the best I can use is awe-inspiring. Awe at the sheer size, and height, and depth, and distance, and beauty, and splendor that hits your eyes all at once.…

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The Influence of a Child: How an 11-Year-Old Girl Helped Shape a President

As a kids pastor, I often reflect on the profound impact children can have on the world around them. Recently, I discovered a story that beautifully illustrates this truth—a tale involving none other than Abraham Lincoln. A Personal Connection While Abraham Lincoln has no direct living descendants, my father-in-law was a descendant of the Hanks family, Mary Todd Lincoln’s lineage. Standing tall and bearing a striking resemblance to Honest Abe, he often donned the iconic stovepipe hat, embodying Lincoln’s spirit. Yet, it wasn’t until a friend shared this particular story with me that I realized the depth of influence a single child can wield. The Letter That Changed History In October 1860, 11-year-old Grace Bedell from Westfield, New York, penned a letter to presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln. Having seen his campaign portrait, she believed he would look better with a beard and suggested that growing one might help him win more votes, especially from women who would then persuade their husbands to support him. Dear Sir, (she wrote)  … I am a little girl only 11 years old, but want you should be President of the United States very much so I hope you wont think me very bold to…

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Ministry Needs More Hawaiian Hippos

Stand Out for Jesus!   Let’s face it—ministry can sometimes start to feel like a slow-moving hippo, just plodding along week after week. Same lessons. Same snacks. Same games. You love the kids, but deep down you wonder: Is this really making an impact? Now picture that hippo again… but this time, he’s rocking a loud, colorful Hawaiian shirt. Suddenly, he’s not just blending in—he’s standing out. He’s turning heads. He’s getting noticed. And not for vanity’s sake, but because he’s embracing something different. That’s what we need in children’s ministry. It’s easy to look at what other churches are doing and feel pressure to follow the crowd. But God didn’t call you to be a copy of someone else’s ministry—He called you to be creative, courageous, and bold right where you are. “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” — Romans 12:11 (NIV) Zeal doesn’t come from playing it safe. It comes from trusting God enough to try something new—even if it’s a little crazy. Host a cereal buffet. Turn your sanctuary into a jungle. Dress up like a time-traveling Bible character. Yes, some ideas may flop—but they’ll still create energy. And energy…

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Celebrating 20 Years of Blogging

Celebrating 20 Years of BloggingOn March 1st, 2005, at 4:43PM,  I published my very first blog post. YouTube had just launched two weeks earlier. People were still using flip phones. And Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith hadn’t even hit theaters yet. That first post launched a journey of 1,286 entries since, filled with ministry adventures, silly stories, serious insights, and the kind of real talk only a children’s pastor can offer. I’ve written from hotel rooms at conferences, airport gates between flights, and late at night when I should’ve been asleep. I’ve shared victories, flops, tech hacks, heartaches, puppet jokes, and even a few rants (with love, of course). This March 1st, 2025 marks the 20-year anniversary of that first post. And after 20 years of showing up in the trenches of ministry and online, I’m celebrating with gratitude. The blog is now moving to a new home here at Kidology.org, where it can live among the very resources it helped inspire. But the heart remains the same: to equip and encourage those called to reach kids for Jesus. And while the blog began in 2005, Kidology itself goes back even further—to December of 1994. Back before YouTube, Google,…

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