Children's Ministires Manual - in the bookstore

I am really excited to announce this latest addition to the bookstore. Excited because it's a project that my wife, Jennifer and I worked on together. It's our Children's Ministries Volunteer Manual. It's the very manual that we developed and used in our own children's ministries department - and now we're making it available to you.

It's a great resource for those of you who need to develop a manual of policies, procedures and resources for your children's ministry leaders. Just take the ideas and adapt them. You can get it in the bookstore.

My beautiful wife did the layout/design and helped with the editing.

Check it out and let me know what you think!

Creativity - Part Four

Be creative WITH the very ones you are being creative FOR…

Kids are your target - so get into their minds and let them into yours. Believe it or not, kids are the most creative of God’s creation. Their imagination is amazing... crazy amazing! Give a kid a toy and in 10 minuets, it becomes something else than what it was designed for. My son can take any object and turn it into a gun, sword, or some ninja thing. My daughter can take any toy or object, and rock it to sleep.

So get with them. Just give them a chance to be heard. Gather together the kids in your church in age appropriate groups and buy them lots of pizza and ask them questions.

• Poll - Position:

I like to hand out paper and let kids take simple polls. I ask about favorite music, movies, shows, hobbies, sports, etc. It will give you a look into their world and sometimes, gives you some insight as to what's going on at home... (I'll let you think about that one). It may cause you to shelve your current curriculum to focus on a subject or topic that's relevant to your kids... NOW.

• The Perfect Storm

Brainstorming is a great way for your older elementary kids to get in on the planning in your CM. Get your 3, 4 & 5 graders together and present some ideas - then, let them voice their opinions. Write those ideas down. Here's an important note: take each one idea seriously and consider it. Get down to getting their reactions to some of your ideas for events, lesson topics and design.

Remember the silly-putty exercise - do it! Or hand out other props related to your research and allow them to play and come up with games and fun things to do with them.

• The Thick and Thin

Have thick skin... in other words: don’t be offended by their ideas – they are telling you what they think is cool and what are good ideas in their minds. This is not about you - if they like your ideas, they will tell you... and, if they hate it - they will pop your bubble! But, your goal is not to sell them your ideas, it's to get into their minds. You may come up with the most innovative program, ministry or event just because you listened.

Creativity - Part Three

Don’t let the concept of “other people” be foreign in your process of being creative and developing ideas. Some of the greatest inventions and ideas in the world wee created by a team of two or more. I don’t care who you are... what your level of experience is... where you’re going... how you got to where you are today... or what you think of yourself – I can guarantee you this: If you and, at least one other person, sat down to brainstorm together, you would come up with some incredible plans, ideas and creations!

• Push the creative process further than just the front of your desk:

You know others on your staff, on your team and in your congregation who are creative and artistic... you know those who are planners, thinkers and dreamers. Take you idea to them and run it past them and get their initial reactions. They will not only respond - they feed off of such an approach. Pull these people into your life and onto your creative team.

• Be strategic about it:

Sit down right now and make a list of people that you know you could "run and idea past". Get the church directory or look it up on your church's database - scroll and take note.

• Take them further with you on the journey:

Don't just use these folks. They may not have much experience with children's ministry, but they would love to be part of a creative group. Perhaps you need some folks on a sermon planning team that could help you come up with ways to illustrate the message - or a design team to help you with publications.

Creativity - Part Two

Here is a practical execise you can do to motivate and stimulate your mind to be more creative:

• Get some silly putty and a note pad or sit in front of your computer.

• Open the silly putty and begin to make stuff out of it. (hint - don't be limited - there are no rules... remember: you are free to be the creative being God made you to be).

• Write down everything you do with it – even if the shapes or actions you perform make no sense at all.

• Look at your list... Could you use those shapes or actions to tell a story or teach a concept? Are there key words on your list that would get a spiritual truth across? Are you having fun yet?

Now:
Get into the minds of kids.

• Give some silly putty to your thrid, fourth and fifth grade kids at your church.

• Have them do the same thing that you did.

• Collect the responses and...

...well, you figure it out.

Creativity - Part One

I have heard it over and over again at so many training conferences, staff meetings and with individuals on my children’s ministry staffs and teams… It goes something like this:

• “I know that you just said to be creative and have fun – well, God just didn’t bless me with the gift to be creative."

Or

• “You know… I’m just not a very creative person.”

I really believe that nothing could be further from the truth. But this seems to be a general consensus in the Body of Christ among those, who you would think, would be the most apt to declare and have a high self-esteem of their creativity. Perhaps you are one of these who has voiced this very concern -like the quotes above - of your lack of creativity or maybe just the thought has continued to cross your mind. Let me tell you that the very fact that you were able to formulate that thought means that you are creative. Let me make this simple and practical for you.

The definition of creativity is simply this: The ability to take any idea that is at any stage and to add to it, or deconstruct it, or take away from it, or any combination of the three…

This means that you have the freedom to either be the one who has come up with the idea or, take an idea that already exists and modify it. Let me be obvious and point out the key word in that last sentence: freedom. Creativity is not meant to be a frustrating concept or practice. It is, like any other art form, the freedom of expression. It is meant to be fun and refreshing. In order to start down the path of creativity - start with this simple idea: Don't worry about being right, wrong or looking foolish. Give yourself permission to be free to express yourself, whether it be on paper, the computer screen or in conversation with others.

In the next post, I will start listing some practical steps you can take to promote, perpetuate and propel creativity.

Incredible Object Lessons Vol. 1

Need some object lessons? Object Lessons are my favorite! Well... next to the evils of Gospel Magic. The cool thing about object lessons - is that, they're everywhere! A couple of years ago, I took some of my favorite object lessons and put them together in a book to sell at conferences and lectures. It was such a hit that I wrote another and then another and finally two more on simple pyro-technique object lessons.

Here's that first book - it's called: "Incredible Object Lessons Vol. 1". It's 13 incredible object lessons that you can use to illustrate Gospel truths to children. Some are scientific in nature, others present more like gospel magic routines and still others use common items from around your home. You'll have fun presenting these lessons and the children will remember the truths taught!

It's in the store so click here and you can download it for a small fee. Don't worry, I plan to add the others as I go!

Let me know how you like the book!

The "Evils" of Gospel Magic... AHHHHH!

I tell people all the time that I practice "the evils of Gospel magic..." I usually get laughs, sometimes stares and most times I get, "Yeah, uh, welcome to McDonald's..."

So this post I have included a great Easter Illusion that clearly illustrates the Resurrection of Christ. You get to make the prop (so easy - um, a caveman could do it...) so you can re-use it or make more. The utility prop has been coined "the Bag O' Plenty" by friend and fellow illusionist, Eric Reamer. Once the bag is made and you have experimented around with it a few times, you could make more and create all kinds of routines and lessons!

it's a free download with the same company that I publish my books through and put online:

Go Here for the Download and enjoy practicing the "evils of Gospel Magic!"

Why I Read Children's Ministry Blogs

Let me keep it pretty simple: I like reading children's ministry blogs. Why? Because it gives me insight into the worlds of children's pastors, from all over the world! I get a chance to see how a children's pastor in a church of 100 thinks... and how a children's pastor in a church of 20,000 thinks. At times I laugh with them, and I also cry with them. I get encouraged and I gain ideas and insight. Sometimes I disagree and I decide whether or not comment. I love the fact that blogs - from ministry people allows the rest of us to see your philosophy in ministry.

If you are a children's minister, and you blog - thanks! If you are a children's minister and you don't blog, consider it. It won't cost you anything but some time to tell us all what you are doing, what you think, share good news, bad news and ugly news. It would equip, encourage and amaze the rest of us.

Super Fans - Da Yoot Paaaastor

Any Bears Fans out there? As many of you have heard, my wife and I are in the process of finding a new church in which to take a children's pastor position. I have been asking all of the tough questions (Get Jim Wideman's Questions for Sr. Pastors if you're in the process of looking). Can I just say, without being disrespectful, It's funny to hear pastors try and make up answers over the phone. In an effort to create a seamless transition from one ministry to another I have inquired quite a lot about the youth ministries - and whether or not I could interview the youth or student ministries pastor.

Answers are mixed - some offer it up right away others are apprehensive. Why? Why do these pastors get uptight about me talking with their youth pastors? Is it because they are scared I will find out something about them, (the pastor) that they don't want me to know until after I am hired? OK - so, that's really a side-note, tangent kinda thing.

I am a strong believer in the idea that you should be a "Super-Fan" of the Youth Pastor or Student Ministries Pastor and you need to get him/her to be your biggest fan as well. Work, plan, play and dream together as a way to glorify God in your calling... together.

So, if you know of a great church, with winning youth ministry, that needs a children's pastor, and the pastor isn't intimidated by tough questions... send 'em my way!

I Might Change My Name at Kidology.org

Yesterday I said that I was thinking of changing my name (see the post from earlier). Whether people -especially kids should call me "Jamie" aka "Pastor Jamie" OR "Jamieson" (my given name) aka "Pastor Jamieson"

Well, now you can vote - I mentioned in the earlier blog posting that I should put a poll at kidology.or - at first I was kinda joking... But now, I've done it! Yeah, I'm posting the poll as something fun to read and do, but I really do want your input. Go to:
http://www.kidology.org/network/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5507&PN=1
and vote. Sorry, if you're not a member, you will only be able to see the results - if you are a member, then vote and add your two cents!