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Category: Uncategorized

DICTIONARY JOKES – Real Definitions!

DICTIONARY JOKES – Real Definitions! Gravity: Not just a good idea, it’s the law! Gross ignorance: 144 times worse than normal ignorance. Clock: A small mechanical device to wake up people without children. Karaoke: A Japanese word meaning “tone deaf”. Opera: Where a guy gets stabbed in the back and sings about it. Racial prejudice: a pigment of the imagination. Normal: A setting on a washing machine. Health: The slowest possible rate of dying. Poverty: Having too much month left at the end of the money. Boy: A noise with dirt on it. Sleep: That fleeting moment just before the alarm goes off. Cynic: Someone who smells the flowers and looks in the casket. Witlag: The delay between delivery and comprehension of a joke. Skier: Someone who pays an arm and a leg to break them. Kidmin: The greatest job earth. Want help making the definition of your ministry, “AMAZING” – Get Coach Karl on your team at KarlBastian.club

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A Tribute to Larry Mahan — “Mr. SONshine”

A Tribute to Larry Mahan — “Mr. SONshine” By Karl Bastian I lost a dear friend in ministry this week—Larry Mahan. To many, he was a Gospel Magician. But to those who really knew him, he was far more than that. Larry was a joyful innovator, a creative light, and a humble servant of Jesus who spent his life making ministry not only impactful, but irresistibly fun. Affectionately known as Mr. SONshine, Larry lived up to his name. Wherever he went—whether a church, a school, or a Fellowship of Christian Magicians meeting—he brought the joy and warmth of Jesus. He wasn’t just shining; he was reflecting the “Light of the world” (John 8:12) with every trick, every laugh, every lesson, and every encounter. Larry created simple, fun illusions that anyone could use to share the Good News with kids. He understood something essential: ministry to children doesn’t need to be complicated—it needs to be engaging, joyful, and Jesus-centered. His book, Shtick: The Art of Entertaining Children, remains one of the first resources I recommend to children’s pastors. When I first read it, I felt like I could’ve written it myself—not to rob him of the credit, but because I found…

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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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Kidmin Covenant #4: A Relational Life Focus

Order the New Kidmin Covenant Reflective Guide, companion to the Kidmin Covenant series. If I could sit across from a new children’s ministry leader and offer one piece of advice, it would be this: take care of your soul. Ministry isn’t sustained by talent, strategy, or passion alone. It’s sustained by the quiet, consistent work of walking with Jesus. These 12 commitments are born out of that truth. They help me stay inwardly healthy so I can lead with lasting impact. Covenant Commitment #4: I will reach out relationally each day to at least one friend, relative or volunteer to encourage them so people are always put first. Ministry isn’t just about tasks—it’s about people. And the longer you serve, the easier it becomes to focus on checklists instead of connections. But behind every event, every lesson, and every role is a person made in God’s image who needs encouragement, support, and care. Hebrews 10:24 tells us, “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”Encouragement isn’t accidental—it’s intentional. It requires thought. And it’s often the simplest words that carry the most impact. When you pause each day to reach out to just one…

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The Gospel is #1. Tell it often. Tell it well.

Nothing is more important than sharing the Gospel. Nothing. I remember like it was yesterday. I was in seminary (not ‘cemetery,’ as kids often call it) with a room full of potential pastors. I was the only kids pastor. The rest were in training for much “higher office,” aka Lead Pastors. The professor in the front of the room described a horrible situation in graphic detail that I’ll spare you. In short, a man had been in a terrible car accident and was dying on the side of the road. In this hypothetical situation, he said that we happened along the scene and had only moments to share Christ with him and usher the dying man into the presence of Jesus. One by one he invited these future preachers to the front of the room to share the Good News with this dying man and explain the fullness of the Gospel. One by one as they came up and pontificated about substitutionary atonement, propitiatory reconciliation, the intricacies of redemptive sacrifice or Old Testament covenants fulfilled through the justification and subsequent glorification of Christ, the professor would interrupt them and say, “Too late, the guys dead. Next.” Finally, it was my…

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