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The Kidmin Covenant

My Kidmin Covenant 12 Commitments for a Ministry that Pleases the Lord   Order the New Kidmin Covenant Reflective Guide, companion to the Kidmin Covenant series. 1. I will start each day in prayer—first for my own walk with God, then for my family, and finally for my ministry. Mark 1:35 – “Very early in the morning… Jesus got up… and prayed.” Philippians 4:6 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer… present your requests to God.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 – “Pray without ceasing.” 2. I will be in the Word daily—first to grow spiritually, then to grow in biblical knowledge for teaching others. Psalm 119:105 – “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 – “All Scripture is God-breathed… so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped.” Joshua 1:8 – “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night…” 3. I will submit my daily plans to the Lord, seeking His priorities before mine so that I remain intentional. Proverbs 16:3 – “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” Proverbs 3:5-6 –…

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Supporting Kids with Special Needs in Your Children’s Ministry

Every week in our children’s ministry, we are entrusted with the incredible privilege of loving and leading God’s precious children. Each one is uniquely created by God, and every child matters. Jesus made that clear when He said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14). At The Outpost, our goal is for every child to feel safe, loved, and welcomed — and that includes those who may need a little extra care and support due to special needs or behavior challenges. But as any leader knows, inclusion also comes with complexity. Sometimes the needs of one child can unintentionally disrupt the experience for others. That’s why I created a short, practical guide for my volunteers to help them navigate these situations with wisdom, patience, and compassion. The goal is to empower leaders to care for children with special needs while still maintaining an engaging environment for the entire group. It also reinforces important safety guidelines to protect both the child and the adult in every scenario. This guide includes helpful tips on how to handle disruptions, utilize sensory tools, and provide redirection in…

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The IF ONLY’s of Kids Ministry

  Let’s be honest. Kids Ministry is TOUGH. Yes, it is full of joy, but it seems equally loaded with challenges. There are moments of laughter, life-changing conversations, and the privilege of guiding kids toward Jesus. But there are also long days, unexpected hurdles, and seasons where things don’t go the way we hoped. And if we’re honest, in those tough moments, it’s easy to slip into ‘If only…’ thinking. If only I had more money… If only I had more workers… If only I had more support from parents… If only I had more space… If only my pastor understood kids’ ministry better… If only I had more time… If only I had better resources… If only the culture wasn’t so against us… If only kids weren’t so distracted… If only I had more energy… These thoughts creep in when we feel like we’re not measuring up, when we’re stretched thin, or when we see another church that seems to have everything figured out. But here’s the problem with “If Only” thinking: it keeps us focused on what we don’t have rather than what we do. The Trap of “If Only” Thinking It’s easy to believe that if we…

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Celebrating 20 Years of Blogging

Celebrating 20 Years of BloggingOn March 1st, 2005, at 4:43PM,  I published my very first blog post. YouTube had just launched two weeks earlier. People were still using flip phones. And Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith hadn’t even hit theaters yet. That first post launched a journey of 1,286 entries since, filled with ministry adventures, silly stories, serious insights, and the kind of real talk only a children’s pastor can offer. I’ve written from hotel rooms at conferences, airport gates between flights, and late at night when I should’ve been asleep. I’ve shared victories, flops, tech hacks, heartaches, puppet jokes, and even a few rants (with love, of course). This March 1st, 2025 marks the 20-year anniversary of that first post. And after 20 years of showing up in the trenches of ministry and online, I’m celebrating with gratitude. The blog is now moving to a new home here at Kidology.org, where it can live among the very resources it helped inspire. But the heart remains the same: to equip and encourage those called to reach kids for Jesus. And while the blog began in 2005, Kidology itself goes back even further—to December of 1994. Back before YouTube, Google,…

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GUYS ONLY – Time to UNPLUG and Reconnect!

Have you ever wanted to UNPLUG from the hectic busy pace of ministry life? That is the entire point of Yosemite Summit. It is a week where you are unplugged in every sense of the word. No computer, no e-mail, no phone calls, no work, no deadlines, no ’emergencies’, no pressure. Better than a day off spent catching up on personal things – it is a complete break for the sake of complete rest and renewal. I was once told by a very wise mentor, “Karl, you need to stop being a human doing, and learn to become a human being.” That is what Yosemite Summit is all about. It is an annual cessation of activity. Too often we confuse busyness with what God is truly seeking from us. Not that we aren’t busy doing good things! But we get so busy doing these good things that our relationship with God can grow distant, and soon God is wondering, why or who we are truly busy for. Stopping completely, once a year, is an opportunity to recalibrate. It is a time for reflection and renewal. It is not a time of evaluating ministry goals and seeking a new “ministry vision”…

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