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As I recently blogged, I’m a huge Awana supporter and grateful for its impact in my life personally as a child and in the ministries I have led. Of course, like Awana, I’m a huge fan of reaching boys and girls for Jesus. I’m also a huge fan of my iPad and my iPhone. So, how excited could I BE when Awana started making Apps for the iPhone and iPad. (and, that other mobile OS too, what it’s called, Robot? AI? Droid?) First, they had the 100% Free Gospel App, which was fitting, since the Gospel is free, after all. And it adapts for the age of the person you are sharing the Gospel with. It works for adults, teen or children and has an iPhone and iPad version. Every Christian should have this on their device so they are “Always prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks… the reason for the hope that you have.” (I Peter 3:15) But now, Awana has released a BRAND NEW app called the Sparky App – and if you listen to my latest Kidmin Talk Webcast, you can even WIN A FREE download! The Sparky App is a very cute storybook…

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In these challenging economic times, children’s ministry budgets often get cut… sometimes eliminated. I read often online, even in the Kidology.org forums about ideas for fund raising and saving money. I’d like to take a different approach on this topic – while I AM sympathetic to leaders facing budget cuts and the challenges of ministering with less money, I’d like to pose a sincere question you are welcome to answer in the comments below –  my question is simply, “What do you need money FOR?” I think this is an important question. Because I’ve been in a children’s ministry where I had a $30,000 annual budget, a $6000 annual budget and a ZERO annual budget and honestly, my ministry was equally effective in ALL THREE. Honestly. No different. The  more  money I had to spend never increased the number of kids I could reach! My fear, is that in challenging times, leaders will devote more time to fund raising and get distracted from ministry. Don’t get me wrong. I’m on all for money and creatively investing in ministry! It angers me too when pastors and churches slash kidmin budgets first in tough times. It is WRONG in when they cut…

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O.K. – I usually stay quiet on these things – but since my good buddy Greg Baird isn’t being humble and quietly standing by and watching to see who wins, but using Twitter to drum up votes, and I’m in the same line-up as him – and he’s beating me – (and beat me in my last Karl vs. Greg contest) I figure – this year I’ll go for it and try to at least beat Greg! What am I talking about? Well, my good buddy Tony Kummer over at www.ministry-to-children.com does a Kidmin Blog March Madness each year to see who will be voted the BEST Kidmin Blog. While everyone hits the Blog and Twitterverse with “vote for me’s” – I’ve usually chosen to stay quiet and just watch and see who wins, (Hey, I’m human – I hope to win!) but I’ve chosen not to try and influence votes or buy votes swing it in any way. Guess I wanted it to be a PURE contest – and, I’m up against friends and GOOD blogs! So I just preferred to wait it out and see who wins. AND I think it’s wrong to vote for yourself anyway, out…

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