Home Archive by category "Leadership" (Page 32)

Category: Leadership

Kid U 2008 Gets An Upgrade!

God is Great! The Kidology University 10th Anniversary Conference and Celebration just got a huge boost! Some unforseen construction plans at our previous host put some uncertainty over our big event this October, so we went to PRAYER and within a week God provided not only another location, but a much larger facility that will enable even more attendees and exhibitors to come! Read all about the new location and REGISTER TODAY for what promises to be the Best Kid U yet! A Bird’s Eye View of our New Location If you have never been to a Kidology University – you have no idea what you are missing out on! The cost is super affordable while the quality is superb. People often remark that after coming to Kid U that it is a conference worth several hundred dollars, but they are so glad we keep it so affordable. If you have not already, downloaded the Brochure PDF and check out the TOP-NOTCH speakers and sponsors we have coming to Kid U for our 10th Anniversary as we add several extra days to the event. DON’T MISS THE DISCOUNT: If you register by June 1st you save $100 off the at-the-door…

Continue reading

Midwest Teaching & Discipleship Convention NEXT MONTH!

If you live within driving distance of Chicago, mark your calendars for March 27-29, 2008 for a very affordable day of training and encouragement in West suburbs of Chicago. Great exhibitors (including Kidology!), great fellowship, and great training! Hosted by GCSSA (Greater Chicago Sunday School Association) this is an excellent training event that I’ve been privileged to be a part of many times over the years. It’s been a few years, but next month not only will I once again be doing some workshops and exhibiting, but they are adding a Kidology Pre-Conference! Here are the workshops I will be presenting: (NOTE: Thursday requires a pre-conference registration) THURSDAY, March 27th PRE-CONFERENCE FOR LEADERS HELP! I’m in Charge of the Children’s Ministry – PART 1 This workshop is for those brand new to leadership in children’s ministry, or those who may need to ‘start over’ more strategically. Learn the ABC’s of children’s ministry leadership. Get your bases in order! Leave with a practical step by step strategy for building a ministry that can stand the test of time! HELP! I’m in Charge of the Children’s Ministry – PART 2 Continue exploring the basics of children’s ministry leadership. This is an eye-opening…

Continue reading

What’s the Difference?

At dinner last night with friends who had gathered in Vista, CA for a meeting, we were discussing a wide variety of things, but one statement stood out for me. It was a quote from a person quoting someone else, so I don’t know who to attribute it to, but one of the guys was saying that in a job interview the candidate asked: What is the difference between an average person and a person of excellence? The answer was FOCUS. The excellent person is just an average person, but with focus. There are many good things that can consume our days and we can be busy about a great many things, but the key is asking what is God asking me to focus on today? Your walk with Him? Your family – spouse or a specific child? Another relationship – perhaps a relative or friend? Or a specific project? Every morning make it a habit to jot down 2-3 things that will be your FOCUS for the day. Put them first and allow them to DRIVE YOUR DAY and let the rest of the “stuff” that enters your day to come second, if you even get to them. Excellence…

Continue reading

How Can We Motivate Our Kids?

Here is an excellent post from the DiscipleLand newsletter: Many kids have lost interest in spiritual matters. They are discouraged about trying to please God. From their perspective, it is not “cool” to be godly. So they focus on their own desires and let the world guide them. The number one challenge in churches today is to overcome mediocrity. Christian kids are satisfied with lukewarm-ness. To counteract this trend, some churches have replaced content-rich children’s ministries with high-energy programs. This may keep kids from being bored and it may eliminate the need to recruit volunteers, but it also severs teacher-learner relationships that foster discipleship. If we routinely motivate kids with flashy events, we are doomed to the “bigger and better” cycle. Each new program must offer more energy, excitement, and “wow” than the previous one. Instead, we must move kids from extrinsic to intrinsic motivation. Throughout the Bible, God uses a variety of cause-effect techniques to motivate His people. Some are positive and some are punitive; some are earthly and some are eternal. Some are fascinating and some are frightening. Remind children that every human being will someday meet the Creator face-to-face-and give an account to Him. Every child can…

Continue reading

Art has no boundaries?

I happened to be in Fort Collins, CO earlier today (and yesterday) and I grabbed my camera when I saw this bumper sticker in front of me on a van… “ART has no boundaries” it said. Is it just me, or does that sticker seem to contradict itself? It is trying to express the freedome available in ART to break the boundaries and be free from restraint and to express whatever in new and liberating ways… all while being crammed into standard bumper sticker dimensions. I just thought it was kinda ironic. I would think “ART has no boundaries” would be splashed across the side of the car, or on an odd shaped sticker, at at least with a crazy fun colorful font… whereas that sticker was loaded with boundaries: the edges of the sticker were crammed, the dark area was tight, and it was placed where all stickers go, on the back of a car. How many times do we try to express a message – in fact, THE Message, and our very form or method of communication contradicts the very thing we are trying to express? Are we ever guilty of reducing Christianity to a bumper sticker that…

Continue reading