Archive for the 'Encouragement' Category

The One Thing

Published
by
Evan Doyle
on June 27, 2008
in Encouragement, Leadership and Remarkable
. 3 Comments

I went into Starbucks this morning to get a Grande Iced Coffee.  While I was waiting, I was looking at the wall art and noticed a theme: the one thing.  It’s repeated over and over all over the walls.

At Starbucks, their one thing is obvious.  It’s coffee.  Yes, they do pastries, tea, and other things too, but coffee is who they are.  It’s what they excel at.

Each of us need to have our one thing.  The thing we’re great at, our passion, our way of life.  For me, my personal one thing is passionately sharing with children not only what Christians believe, but why we believe it.   Our church’s children’s ministry’s one thing is raising kids to be their best physically, mentally, and spiritually.  KidzMatter’s one thing is to partner with churches to help them to make an eternal impact in the lives of kids.

Continue reading ‘The One Thing’

Summer Club Giveaway

Published
by
Jim Wideman
on June 1, 2008
in Blog Updates, Blogroll, Communicating, Conflict, Culture, Encouragement, Families, Leadership, News, Random, Technology and Volunteers
. 0 Comments

Same action brings same results… I’ve found out these past 53 years on the earth you can’t keep doing things the same way you have always done them and get different results. For the last 12+ years I have been teaching a monthly audio leadership lesson that I call the children’s ministers leadership club or theClub for short. Every workshop, book chapter, magazine article and blog post I do has come from a club lesson. TheClub has been a blessing to me and the lifeblood of income and support for JWM. They have also blessed a lot of leaders. In January I made the Young Guns Program available to CM Leaders under 30 so they could get theClub lessons free. I’ve had a great response. But I feel led to do something crazy over the next 3 months I’m going to give my June, July, and August club lessons away free to anyone of any age who signs up for my newsletter on jimwideman.com. Call me crazy, call me generous, call me a nice middle age gentleman who looks a little like the guy on the chicken bucket. Hurry and sign up before June 15th so you won’t miss a single lesson. I’m excited to see the growth that will happen when you dare to expand how you think about leadership.

Now…”that’s the way I see it!”

Think about your call

Published
by
Ryan Frank
on May 27, 2008
in Encouragement and Leadership
. 1 Comment

In First Timothy, Paul helped young Timothy reach his potential and fulfill all that God planned for his life and ministry. In chapter four, he gave some specific instructions on how to be a faithful minister and how to fulfill his call. In verse 15, Paul admonished Timothy to “meditate on these things”. Paul wanted Timothy to stop and think about his call.

When’s the last time you paused to meditate on your call? I’m talking about thinking intently about what God has placed before you.

Let’s take time to think together. If God has called you to children’s ministry, the following is true:

1. You have been given the opportunity to minister to the most fertile of hearts - boys and girls. Statistics estimate that 85% of salvation decisions are made as a child.

2. You have the opportunity to lead the largest volunteer force in your church. Children’s ministry requires more volunteers than any other ministry in the church.

3. You have the opportunity to help mom and dad raise champions for Jesus Christ. Remember, mom and dad have a lot more influence in the life of a kid than you ever will. (Click here to see a great book on the subject.)

4. You are going to be on Satan’s radar. If 85% of Christians get saved before their 14th birthday, don’t be surprised if Satan tries to get you to quit. If a person’s world view is established by the preteen years, don’t be dumfounded when the enemy makes you feel lonely and discouraged.

5. You have the opportunity to do today what many wish they could have done in the past. D.L. Moody was responsible for leading thousands of people to Christ, starting a Bible Institute that has sent thousands of missionaries around the world, and on I could go. Yet, at the end of his life he said that if he could relive his life, he would “devote it entirely to reaching children for God.”

Take some time to do what Timothy did. Stop and think about your call.

Just 15 minutes a day

Published
by
Ryan Frank
on May 12, 2008
in Encouragement and Leadership
. 1 Comment

Did you know that you will spend an average of 5 years of your life waiting in line? 6 of those months will be at stop lights! That’s not all. You’ll spend an average of 8 months opening junk mail, one year looking for things you misplaced, two years trying to call people back on the phone, four years cleaning the house, and six years eating. (Source: Priority Management Pittsburgh, Inc.)

The point? I don’t think we realize how much time we waste every day. It’s time to stop and ask, “What do I WANT to do with my time?” If we aren’t intentional with our time, it will waste away.

Here’s a good reminder: Everyone has the same amount of time in a day. True, some people live longer lives, but we each have 24-hour days. Have you noticed that the older you get the faster time goes? Boy I have. It seems to zip by. Since time keeps zipping by faster and faster, I need to spend my time doing what I WANT to do - with intent.

Edward Griggs said, “Fifteen minutes a day devoted to one definite study will make one a master in a dozen years.” Here’s the challenge. Let’s start with 15 minutes a day and intentionally do what we WANT to do. Pick something that will make you a better Christian, a better children’s pastor, a better parent, etc. Start now!

Say yes to no

Published
by
Jim Wideman
on May 10, 2008
in Encouragement, Leadership and Random
. 0 Comments

Good reasons to say no
1. There simply aren’t enough hours in a day to work on it, even if I get to work early and stay late.
Just say no!
2. You are booked
Just say no!
3. My other work will suffer if I take on this assignment.
Just say no!
4. I don’t have the necessary skills to complete this project and I will not be able to attain them in
time.
Just say no!

Ok it’s your turn again. Know any reasons to say yes to no?
jw

Say no to no…

Published
by
Jim Wideman
on May 9, 2008
in Encouragement, Leadership and Random
. 1 Comment

Bad reasons to say no
1. The project looks too difficult. Don’t say no to an opportunity to grow and learn.
2. It isn’t part of my job description. Never let these words come out of your mouth
3. I’m in the middle of planning my wedding and can’t focus on anything
right now. What? This was told to me by a leader once, life never stops, learn to balance personal stuff and your ministry. There will always be something going on at the same time as something you need to do for ministry. Both life and church must go on.

How about you? Know any bad reasons to say no?
jw

Reasons you might want to say no!

Published
by
Jim Wideman
on May 8, 2008
in Encouragement, Leadership and Random
. 1 Comment

Here are 6 questions to ask before saying no for no sake.
1. Am I already working on several important assignments that leave me no time for this one?
If so maybe no is the right answer.
2. Can I delegate some of my other work to make room for this assignment?
If no maybe no is the right answer.
3. Can I put some of my other assignments on the back burner while I work on this one?
If not maybe no is the right answer.
4. Will taking on this assignment cause harm to my other work?
If so maybe no is the right answer.
5. Do I absolutely lack the skills necessary to complete this assignment?
If yes maybe no is the right answer.
6. Am I the only person who can successfully complete this assignment?
If no maybe no is the right answer.

more to come…

Jesus said no…

Published
by
Jim Wideman
on May 4, 2008
in Encouragement, Leadership and Random
. 2 Comments

Let’s look at our example (JESUS) Here are eight times Jesus said no..
1. He said no to the devil (Luke 4)
2. He said no to religious people and their doctrines & traditions (Luke 5 & 6)
3. He said no to family (Luke 8:19-21)
4. He said no to a man who wanted Jesus to act as a judge between an inheritance dispute
with his brother (Luke 12:14)
5. He said no to miracles because of the lack of faith of people in their hometown (Mark 6:5)
6. He said no to his disciples when they asked him to send the people away so they could buy
themselves food. He said no, you give them something to eat (Mark 6:36 & 37)
7. Said no to the Syrian Phoenician woman because she didn’t have a covenant (Mark 7:26)
8. He said no to ministry (Matt. 8:18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake.)
Notice he didn’t say no to all these situations all the time but what these verse give me is permission to say no to even good things as well as bad things. It also let’s me know that sometimes no is the best answer.

The Best Part of Orange

Published
by
Jim Wideman
on May 2, 2008
in Encouragement
. 1 Comment

Have you ever wondered, “Am I really making a difference in the lives of kids?” “Are they really getting what I’m teaching?” The answer is yes. The cool thing about the Orange Conference for me was that I ran into at least one child or leader from all of the 4 churches I’ve worked at in the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and the 00’s and yes they got it. They are now all grown up, not only loving Jesus but they all also ministering to children themselves. They know this children’s ministry stuff works, it worked on them. Don’t ever forget this… YOU ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF CHILDREN THAT WILL IMPACT GENERATIONS TO COME!

The Art of Saying No

Published
by
Jim Wideman
on May 1, 2008
in Encouragement, Leadership and Random
. 1 Comment

Most people work on their strengths and ignore their weaknesses. I believe it’s good to know your strengths and develop them to their fullest. I get a lot done, I do, time management fascinates me.
I have a true confession: “My greatest strength also covers up my biggest weakness!” I’ve always been a sucker for “it can’t be done.” I’ve also had a hard time passing up the challenge, “no one can do this.” I don’t think I’m a workaholic. Sure I enjoy what I do. My wife says I have the gift to turn hobbies into work. Over the past year I have learned to separate my self-worth from my performance. I have been called driven and maybe I am. I sometimes have unrealistic expectations for myself and others. I have been known to enjoy the high of success although the pressure can be too much some time. The truth is I have a hard time saying no! Okay I said it!

I struggle with when. I struggle with how. I struggle with why. I’m having to work on walking out the fact of “just because I am asked to do something that it doesn’t mean it’s God’s will for my life!”
more to come…