No matter how great an individual player you are, a team can make you or break you. I’ve always loved being a part of a team. I love team sports. I love playing in bands. As a children’s pastor I have worked hard assembling and developing my teams. My least favorite times in ministry have been being on staffs at churches that were all doing their own thing and not functioning as a team.

My favorite definition of a team is Together Everyone Achieves More!
It’s plain that a team can accomplish more than an individual. Yet children’s ministers still insist on doing things themselves rather than build a strong team. I believe every children’s pastor or children’s ministry coordinator should see himself or herself as a coach and desire to build a super team. Here are four things a successful coach should instill in his team and expect from each player. #1-BE OWN THE BALL. A team player must be alert of what’s going on and able to assess the situation for themselves and the team. A team player puts the goals, needs and good of the team first, rather than individual goals, wants, and needs. Each member of the team must value the team. Don’t ever think about quitting the team in hard times. Don’t let setbacks stop you. See problems as challenges and situations for your team to excel. Get after it-work it with all your might to make your team Be it’s best. #2- GIVE A LOT! Let your teammates slam-dunk while you take an assist. Rejoice in the abilities and accomplishments of those around you. An excellent team player chooses to prefer others to excel. Their motto is: “It doesn’t matter who gets the credit.” Never complain, but seek opportunities to motivate others. Don’t be negative. You cannot maintain a winning attitude and be negative. Being positive is a choice! A team player complements others and hand out praise. In ministry we can’t control every event, but we can control our response to it Do your best even if you go unnoticed. Always ask, “What’s best for the team?” Never be too busy to help others. The team that gives a lot accomplishes a lot. #3-OVER COMMUNICATE! Let those above you know what’s going on. No surprises ever. Surprises hurt the team. Let those around you know what’s happening and what they should be doing. The military calls this the need to know. Talk with the team; build a relationship with your teammates. Don’t take things personal. A good communicator is a good listener. Determined to learn from everybody, not just your coaches. This includes learning from your own mistakes. #4-DO YOUR JOB! Do what you know to do. A team player understands their role and does it with all their might. A valuable team player must possess knowledge of the game. They are always a student. It’s imperative to know and follow the game plan. Know your job or position. Always be loyal to your coaches.

The best teams in the world review and evaluate constantly. Not just the accomplishments but also the mistakes. Take blame but never assign any. Never talk bad about teammates at anytime. Never talk bad about the coaches or the front office anytime. Desire to share any victories together. Value your team and you’ll enjoy the value of teamwork first hand.

It is always the right thing to do to give thanks and be thankful.
It’s not just a seasonal thing. It should be a way of life for the Christian. Not only should we practice thanks living but we should also practice thanks giving. All of us like to hear thank you that includes your volunteers.
Here are some practical ideas to motivate your workers with thanks:
1. Begin to say it. Get in the habit of saying thanks. If the Apostle Paul can tell people he thanks God for them every time he thinks about them we can too! Walk around before service & thank workers personally. When you are in front of a group of workers- say thanks. Be on the lookout by catching people doing things right.
2. Begin to write it. The best purchase any children’s leader could make is a box of thank you notes. Write a heartfelt note to your leaders when they’ve done something thanks-worthy. A couple of times a year as well as after every major event send a letter to say thanks. Even a form letter is better than no thank-you at all. Always sign each letter personally and write a short note to personalize it.
Don’t forget Christmas cards, Valentine cards, Birthday cards and Anniversary cards. I’ve found that when I write a personal note on all reports, forms and checklist workers complete so they know you read them and know what they are accomplishing.
3. Begin to show it. Candy treats and little sayings are cute but nothing says thanks better than letting your actions speak louder than words. Things like special worker parking places, breakfast for your volunteers and their families before your earliest service, Worker Appreciation Day as well as a free tape of the service they work shows volunteers you really appreciate them.
4. Invest in them. Plan a retreat or special training event for your workforce that includes training, inspiration, and fun. Bring them as a group to a conference or seminar. Give them training products as gifts. I’m always purchasing tape sets and teaching CD’s for my workers. Books are best. If a book has blessed you bless someone else with it. I gave every key leader and coordinator in my ministry a copy of my new book “Children’s Ministry Leadership-the you-can-do-it guide” sure they enjoyed the book but the fact that I invested in them spoke volumes to them. But the greatest investment is when you give them your time. I take key workers with me all the time; I look for ways to invest myself in them constantly.
It’s never the wrong time to begin to show thanks!
Make thanks giving and thanks living a part of your yearly calendar planning. Look for every opportunity to say thanks, write thanks, show thanks, and invest
in your children’s ministry team!

Okay so I opened a can of worms last week. I have always had a gift for this. I remember at my first church that what we paid a guest to come in and do a week long Kid’s Crusade was more than my budget for children’s church. When I added up travel costs, hotel, and food. It was way more than my yearly budget for props, puppets, characters, etc. (and you could forget about an a/v equipment.) So I had an idea what If I took the money we would spend for a crusade and buy all new stuff that would be new to the kids but then also I would have it all year long. It made a lot of guests mad at me. I believe in guests, I’m having KidzBlitz, Yancy,and Miss Patty Cake for Easter this year. But some time because of budgets, because of the need to re-think and re-invent what you do you have to come up with an alternitive. What are some of your plans and ideas for VBS, Camp, Crusade and other alternatives for summer programing. Let us hear from you. I’d love to hear what you are doing differently this summer.

I’m not a fan of VBS. I’ve never seen one that brought tons of new families into a church. One of the problems is when you have them, the first week out of school to me it’s just bad timing. In many communities it seems like churches all have them at the same time. I have seen better success moving my VBS alternitive event to a date in late July when nothing is going on. To keep from doing a traditional VBS, I’ve done Kids Crusades, Day Camps, Music or Art Camps.Kid’s Day Out every Tuesday in the Summer, and many others. One goal of mine is to provide a school of rock for kids in the near future (I’ll be Jack Black) I’m really excited about a new product from Kidzblitz called “Fitness Camp” I ordered it at CPC and can’t wait to use it. I think another factor that makes me not a fan of traditional VBS is it’s hard to get workers in the daytime because of families needing multiple incomes. If I was going to do VBS I would do it at night and no matter what I wouldn’t call it VBS. I had great success getting families to and in our church by doing a Summer Sizzling Film Festival the 4 or 5 Sundays in July, We did special stuff the kids weren’t use to, adding huge visitor contests will great prizes for weekends and Wednesdays that month and saw great results. I’ve also done a different special guests every weekend plus the other stuff I mentioned. I also added more chances and points for kids bringing their parents to church. I think it’s time to give VBS a makeover and do something different to get better results than what most churches see from the same ole VBS. I know not everyone’s going to love this post but I for one am willing to take a punch or two to make people re-think new and creative ways to reach today’s kids in a more unique way. Sorry VBS lovers, that’s the way the old guy sees it.

One of the best books that shaped my ministry was Sam Walton’s “Made In America” Sam revealed the keys to him becoming the largest retailer in America. The most important key was to serve people. I learned so much from this book that I could immediately put in my ministry. After Sam died this book got harder and harder to fine. They no longer live by these principles. I’m wondering if it’s not time to go “old school” and serve people, overstaff for training and roth, learn to think small (Chapter 15, my favorite) I think you gain those you serve. Do yourself a favorite find a copy of this book and do what it says it will help your children’s ministry get back on focus. It’s not always true but sometimes thinking “old school” will take you to a new place and new level. Thanks Evan for your post! It got me posting again!

I am so excited about being a part of this year’s Orange Conference! And now that I know Ryan will be there I’m even more excited. Orange is different from most children’s ministry conferences because it’s not another children’s ministry conference. It’s a place to rethink the same ways to do ministry to children and to include the entire family. Orange is an event to celebrate a movement! A movement that includes every single person on staff to be part of a movement to touch the next generation. I loved the worship, evey main speaker understood the purpose and essence of orange. Another thing that makes it different from other conferences is that the workshops are not done by exibitors, or curriculum company employees they are done by people who actually not only do ministry but who are knocking it out of the park in some of America’s most effective churches and ministries. Last year I took one of my youth pastors with me. It was wonderful to be able to go to an event that both children’s and youth ministers can attend together. Many churches had their whole staff there even their senior pastors. There where so many people there and so many folks where wanting to spend time as a team it was a little hard to network. It’s something I will plan ahead to be able to connect with others better. There are not tons of vendors everything I purchased I think I got from the Orange Store. This year I’m bringing more of my team and looking for opportunities for them to connect with others who do the same thing as them in other big churches in smaller towns. I love Reggie and the rethink folks, I appreciate their heart for the family and how they are able to rally and assemble the children, youth, college, and family ministers of forward thinking churches all in one place. Last year I came away with not only new ideas but with a new heart to do more to work together with the family and the other ministries within my church. Yancy has spoken at Orange more times than me! She has been at all three, not all sure what all she’s doing this year but hope to attend one of her sessions. Should you attend Orange? Only if you want your eyes opened to what’s next. I’m going to learn, I’m also going to hear from God. I’m going to listen with an open heart and mind of what I need to rethink. I can’t wait to see what God does in me and in my team. I’ve have attended a ton of conferences in my lifetime. Orange is not predictable it’s not this year’s edition of last years conference, it’s brand new thinking for a brand new way to do church to a new generation. It’s not just yellow and red hanging out in the same space it’s about the two coming together to do something different, something new, something Orange. I hope to see you there!

Like Ryan I enjoy attending CPC. It’s been fun to watch how it has changed over the years. I was invited to the first one in 1980 but was having Yancy. I attended the second one, and most all of the early years in Denver, in fact that’s where I was when the Challenger blew up. I really enjoyed the format of the early years. The meal times weren’t sponsored they where pure “network and share what you are doing with others” times. I took away as much from those meal times as I did the workshops. Maybe more. In my opinion, it’s the best conference in America to network with others! Some of the best friends I have on this earth I met at CPC. It’s amazing how the different cities that it’s held in also affects the personallity of the conference. I perfer certain cities over others, I can’t help it and the city choices have affected my attending. Also taking a break has made me appreciate the conference more. I’m excited about it being in Nashville again. I always feel like people networked more in Nashville and some of the other cities than they did in Orlando. (It seemed like people were off to Disney rather than hang out) Some years I haven’t been able to attend and I’ve missed it. The addition of the precons were a huge addition. I enjoy teaching those more than anything. (Except the years I’ve been a keynote speaker in an evening session.) This year Ryan and I are teaching a precon together in Nashville. We’re not teaching one in San Diego and I’m going to miss it. Each year I walk away with a new favorite thing about the conference. Most of the time it’s the wonderful people that CPC attracts that’s my favorite part. If you’re going to either one I’d love to meet you come by the exibit area and hang out with us. Yancy and I will be sharing a booth space right next to Ryan and the Kidzmatter & K! gang. If you want to make the most of the conference start now connecting with those you want to spend time with, pick their brain or learn what they are doing. I’ve already started booking my meal times and after hours times with speakers, exibitors and conference attendees. I call it the ultimate CPC experience “The conference within the conference.” CPC is not the only conference I attend but I will forever be grateful for the impact it’s had and still has on my life and ministry! That’s the way I see it.

If you are serious about mastering the art of simplifying life you must master the habit of evaluating constantly. Listen to your spouse. Ask the timeless question…”Where’s the beef?” Examine and inspect fruit, gains, and losses. Evaluate efficiency and look for ways to build systems and streamline efforts. Every experience in you life teaches something a great question is what did I learn today from life?
Ask daily “What should I discontinue, change and/or add to my life? Last but not least, look for your next step. God leads us in steps not leaps or jumps. We calm the crazy and simplify life by walking life out in steps and climbing them one at a time.

18. Do more by doing less. Focus on the main thing. Why were you put on the earth? If God has a wonderful plan for your life, (and He does!) then what is that plan? Focus on your main thing. Focus calls for a concentrated push or intentional actions. What are you doing presently that’s keeping you from your main thing? Just because it a good idea doesn’t make it a God idea.

17. When it’s over, crash! Get some rest. I try to always schedule a break between big pushes. Watch out for too many irons in the fire. Be realistic on the amount of projects you take on. I have learned to get others on board to help you limit what you do. I have a group I run outside projects b so I don’t take on more than I can handle.