Home Archive by category "Kidology" (Page 77)

Category: Kidology

Getting Started in Kids Ministry

Recently I got this comment on my blog on the YOU page, and wanted to answer her here on my blog for others to read as well: Hello There! I am Rachel. I am a children’s ministry major and a missions minor at central bible college in Springfield, MO. I have heard wonderful things about your website and your material. I am currently doing an internship and my pastor is having me subscribe to several blogs, yours now being one of them. I am planning on being a part of a church planting team in Seattle, WA next summer. I will be the kids pastor. Any advice on how to get started from the ground up? Well, Rachel – where to begin?! First of all, thanks for droppin’ by my blog and kuddos to your pastor for him having you subscribe to my blog! He is a wise and sage senior pastor! If you are not a member of my mega-site, Kidology.org, be sure to jump over there ASAP where you will find a wealth of help that has been growing since before there were any blogs! (since 1994) If you can’t afford the modest membership fee, note the scholarship…

Continue reading

Built in Pitstop

Is life crazy busy for you? Have you tried to get it in balance and failed? Have you strived for margin and seen it fill up over and over with church and other stuff and fought to get it out again? Have you wondered, “Can I ever win this battle to get control of my life?!” Me too. But at least something is different now. I have a built in pit stop in my life, called Yosemite Summit. Every May, me and eight other children’s pastors (or ministry leaders) go to Yosemite National Park for a complete break-away from ministry to just fellowship with each other and focus on our relationship with God and our  relationships with our wives and kids. And nothing else. and… We WALK AWAY FROM IT ALL. I’ve had to accept that while I will always be working on it, I will never master getting my daily life or week under control. There is just too much to do all the time. But at least I can look forward to once a year, every year, when I walk away from it all for four glorious days when I just enjoy God’s incredible creation in THE most…

Continue reading

Are We Too Cool to Care?

I’d like to ask a question for some honest reflection – and ask readers to be reflective, not defensive, because this is an issue that I have seen all over the country and was brought to my attention via an e-mail via facebook today. I have removed all personal information and name of church and some other details to protect both the person who sent it and the church they are talking about: Karl, Overall we really like the children’s ministry at our church. One area of concern, though, is the music played before, during, and after the children’s large group time. Basically, it’s often rock or heavy dance music and it’s played REALLY loud. I’ve talked to the children’s staff a few times and they seem to think it’s fine. This past Sunday I was helping out and a kid in my group was autistic – the music was really overpowering to him and later when I mentioned that to one of the kids’ staff, they said that special needs kids could wait in the hallway during singing if the music bothered them. What?? I was shocked. Why not just turn it down? Anyway, I wondered if you have…

Continue reading

Come to Canada! Be a KidBuilder!

I’m excited to be heading to Canada in May for the Kid Builders children’s ministry conference in Ontario. It is looking to be a wonderful gathering of practical trainers bringing a wide variety hands-on skills for leaders and volunteers who are in the trends of ministry to children. If you are one of the many who have e-mailed us asking when the next Kid U is, this will have the feel of a Kidology University in the quality of speakers and desire to provide real help to children’s workers. I’m honored to be a part of this event. (Download Fullsized Poster Here with COMPLETE DETAILS 3mb) Here is how I will be serving: Friday Evening, May 7th – Family event, open to the public! Come experience the humor, comedy and story telling of Karl Bastian live! Lions and Bears and Fire, OH MY! (The Power of Story why TODAY is the Best Day of Your Life!) Saturday Morning, May 8th, General Session – Kidology 101 – Shooting Straws and Other HIgh Tech Ministry Techniques! Saturday Afternoon, General Session – YOU! The Missing Piece in a Children’s Spiritual Puzzle Saturday Eventing (Leaders Only) – Putting the “Pastor” Back into your Job…

Continue reading

Speak! Your Audience Listens!

From my article in CM Pro in February 2010: (the article, scratch that, the entire ISSUE is FREE for downloading below!) There is an old saying that says, if you want to get a message across to a large group of people you must say it “seven times in seven ways.” When it comes to church ministry, there is no doubt this is a great principle to take into every planning meeting for any program or event. The chances are you know them all and have used them all. As you should, and should continue! Rather, my aim is to change your thinking from “how can I better get information out” to “why aren’t they listening?” I bet those you are trying to reach have no problem knowing when their sports teams are playing and on what television channel, or where they need to drop off their kids for all their various non-church activities and at what time and at what theater the latest blockbuster movie will be playing. (Is the hair on the back of your neck rising?) Before you wring your hands and start complaining about how the church is such a low priority in the lives of…

Continue reading