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Category: Conferences

The UNconference for Kid’s Pastors

Back in 2008 God gave me an idea. It was a crazy idea. But then, that’s how you know it’s from God, right? It was to create an “UNconference for Children’s Pastors.” In time, I welcomed other Christian leaders, but most were children’s pastors, because honestly, it’s one of the most challenging jobs in the Church. The title “Kid’s Pastor” sounds fun – and it is – but it’s name hides the challenges it brings. Often, it is the largest ministry of the church; overseeing the largest group of volunteers, the most hours of programming, every single week of the year (no breaks like other ministries enjoy) and often with special programming and the list could go on, but I won’t play the violins because we LOVE every minute of it. The hard reality is, burn out isn’t just common, it is standard and expected, and the average length of tenure for children’s pastors is three to five years. Many go back to being volunteers, while some quit altogether. I know, I was there. In the midst of “great success” from all ministry metrics, my soul was running on empty. I didn’t need another conference. I needed something different. If…

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Do You Need a BREAK from Ministry?

So, just HOW excited would you be to get AWAY from your job for a week? You can only IMAGINE… no e-mail, no texts, no meetings, no phone calls, no to-do lists, no boss dropping in with some new task… how excited would you me? Maybe as excited as this guy on Yosemite Summit at the top of Sentinel Dome! Yosemite Summit is a week long sabbatical retreat for men in the heart of Yosemite National Park. This is not camping. This is a week at a relaxing lodge for refreshment, renewal and recharging away from the hustle and bustle of fast-paced ministry life. You can leave your watch behind as there is no schedule other than eat breakfast, hike, chill, and return for home cooked dinner in the evening enjoying fellowship with other men during the day. Explore YosemiteSummit.org to learn more or register here! I’m praying for the guys that will join me on next year’s Summit. Will it be you?

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CPC Honors Me but the REAL Honor Goes to…..

I was honored to be interviewed at #CPC18 during one of the general sessions last week. While this was an amazing honor, the bigger honor was the friends cheering me on from the front row. While I was being interviewed about what I’ve learned from 50 consecutive CPCs – from my Big Mistake at my first CPC to sharing some advice for the newbies – the greatest honor was not being on stage, it was seeing the joy my team and friends got seeing me up there. They knew, as I do, that they are Kidology as much as I am. Kidology truly isn’t about me. It is the incredibly humble, loyal and dedicated friends who have made Kidology.org what it is for over two decades. It is the friends who care nothing for the spotlight, who have no aspiration to be on stage and need no public recognition because they serve the Body of Christ through Kidology.org behind the scenes with no thought for ‘what’s in it for me.” They genuinely enjoy the applause I received knowing that they share with me the joy of why we do what we do. While some are on my staff, there are…

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Join Me Online for the Coolest Preteen Onference!

I’m excited to be a part of the FourFiveSix.org Online Conference in just a few weeks! Or, as 456 calls it, the Onference! (Get it? Online Conference = Onference!) The line up is amazing! Several of my friends will be presenting: Heather Dunn, Patrick Snow, Ryan Frank, Johnny Rogers, Gregg Johnson, Yancy, Gordon West, Chip Henderson and more! If you work with preteens, this is THE training event for you! My workshop is called: Mutiny! The Preteens Have Taken Over Kids Church! It’s all about how to have preteens plan, prepare and pull off children’s church – so they are learning to lead for life now! I hope you’ll register and join us! P.S. You can learn more about 456 on their website.

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Join Me at the Kidmin Conference

Join Karl at Kidmin Conference this fall! Save $100 – If you register by May 1st! I’m excited to be presenting at Group’s Kidmin Conference in Chicago this fall. I’ll be teaching workshops on Unleasing Your God-Given Creativity, Adding Pizzazz  to Your Teaching, and Becoming KIDmissional. These are extended hands-on learning experiences that will transform your teaching and give you practical ministry tools you can go home and immediately implement! Learn more and save $100 by registering before May 1st. To see my workshop descriptions, visit the Presenters page and click View Sessions under his name. I hope to see you there! Because Jesus Loves Children, Karl Bastian

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