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Category: Kidmin

Living on Mission – Discovering my Ministry Manifesto

Why Did God Make YOU? By Pastor Karl Bastian, aka the Kidologist I received my call to ministry when I was ten years old. A children’s evangelist came to our church. I was completely captivated. He used magic tricks, puppets, and storytelling to teach the Bible in a way that made kids laugh, think, and listen. I remember sitting there thinking, That is the greatest job in the world. After the service I told my mom, “That’s what I want to do when I grow up.” Her response surprised me. “You start next Wednesday.” I protested. “Mom, I said when I grow up!” She calmly replied, “If God has called you to children’s ministry, what does growing up have to do with anything?” Then she did something that changed the trajectory of my life. She started telling me about the many young people God used in the Bible—David facing Goliath, Samuel hearing God’s voice as a child, the boy who gave his lunch to Jesus, and others who were young but willing. My mom didn’t just encourage me—she equipped me. She helped me get my first puppet. She coached me on learning simple magic tricks. She gave me opportunities to…

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2026 Children’s Ministry Safety Trends

Guest Post from KidCheck.com As you continue to steward the hearts of children in your ministry, safety isn’t just a side topic; it’s a priority. In 2026, children’s ministry leaders are innovating, learning, and implementing smart strategies to protect children. Whether you’re a volunteer, director, or church leader, here are the top safety trends to consider. Safety Frameworks Safety isn’t just about locked doors and policies on paper. It’s about creating an environment where children are protected, volunteers and staff feel confident, and families have peace of mind. Ministries are adopting safety frameworks that integrate clear policies and written guidelines, screening, training, onboarding, active supervision, and open communication. These frameworks are designed to support families and reflect best practices in securing the children’s area. Updated Screening & Onboard Protocols Advancements in candidate screening with technologies that enable deeper vetting are making the recruitment process more thorough and efficient. In 2026, ministries will begin to adopt the following: AI-enhanced background checks Automated alerts for rechecks and updating volunteer information Integrated onboarding processes that focus on child safety policy Trauma-Informed Training for Volunteers Understanding trauma responses is vital to cultivating an environment where children feel protected. In 2026, ministries will be investing…

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Winter Camp – Time Travel! 2004-2005

Going through some old DVDs I found my Arctic Blast Highlight Videos DVD! Ripped it and uploaded to YouTube! Most of these kids are now grown up and some are married! This is from Village Church of Barrington. ENJOY! 2004 Highlight Video: 2005 Highlight Video: THIS is why it is always worth the time to make a highlight video. Need help? See Kidology.org/highlightvideos

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Big Kidology News: It’s Time for a TWOFER!

  Kidology.org has been Equipping and Encouraging children’s ministry leaders since the 1990’s – and on it’s current website for over 20 years. That’s quite the legacy, but it also means our platform is aging and starting to squeak! Kidology.org isn’t going anywhere – but WE ARE making some strategic changes, mostly to our Store and Membership processes. Bottom line, keeping up with industry requirements on an old custom site is getting too costly and tedious to maintain. The good news is that, if we remove all financial transactions from the site, the woes vanish! Kidology.org will continue to offer THOUSANDS of creative children’s ministry ideas and resources, but without the mess of dealing with credit cards and financial transactions. We’re keeping the ideas on Kidology.org but moving all financial transactions to a new modern platform. THEREFORE: We are no longer accepting new memberships to Kidology.orgON Kidology.org. Instead, we are encouraging folks to join KarlBastian.club, our new coaching and content site – where resources will continue to grow and where our New Store will be hosted going forward. So, what’s the benefit to you? When you join KarlBastian.club, you’ll also get a free membership to Kidology.org! Please visit and read our…

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Kid Communicator Secret #12: End with a Challenge – Move Kids from Hearing to Doing

Calling kids to action today shapes warriors for Christ tomorrow. Don’t just inform — inspire action! Learn how to leave kids ready to live out what they’ve learned. A few years ago, a mom called me and said something had happened that she couldn’t quite explain and hoped I could shed some light. Her younger son, Gabe, had received five dollars in a birthday card from Grandma with a note encouraging him to buy something he’d enjoy. So off to the toy store they went. As they browsed the shelves, the boy suddenly asked, “What is Sam saving up for?” Sam was his older brother. His mom replied, “He’s saving up for a Spider-Man action figure.” That’s when the boy shocked her by saying, “Then that’s what I want to buy.” Assuming he was trying to make his brother jealous, she told him, “No, you need to get something different. I don’t want you picking the same thing just to make him mad.” But Gabe quickly responded, “No, sorry Mom, I wouldn’t do that. I want to buy it for him.” Now totally confused, she asked, “Why would you spend your birthday money on your brother?” And this is what…

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