Resources — Ministry Leaders

“Can I help you?” I looked up to see nine-year-old Josh smiling at me, eager to assist. His mom had brought him to my Sunday afternoon seminar on “Partnering with Children.” Throughout the seminar Josh was always the first to volunteer for activities, he enthusiastically participated in discussions, and at the end of the seminar he asked, “How do I sign up to help you do what you do?” This young man was ready to be used by God. Earlier, during the morning worship service, the pastor had taught about evangelism. All the adults were given a special wristband with...

Since the very beginning of time, the Story of God and His story of man has been told verbally. It has been handed down from generation to generation via the personal telling-and-receiving of the spoken word. Storytelling is an art of communication that remains as viable today as it was in the Garden. Research verifies that the greatest learning takes place where we can be involved in the story experience itself. The storytelling format can include both passive listening/watching, and active participation in the telling of the story. The listeners can have opportunity for hands-on portions of the telling. This...

In a media driven age when children, youth and adults have become mostly passive participants in life, spending hours upon hours in front of screens and texting, we can miss the value of participating IN the experience of life itself. Where we used to connect with others face to face, connecting via media has removed communication nuances such as facial expression and body language that are part of the communication experience. When we don’t “see” those we are connecting with, our communication can be misinterpreted, and can lead to false or misleading understanding. Let’s pause and delve into a process...

I made a significant mistake early on in my ministry career. I made several decisions that were unpopular — but that was not my mistake. We are going to make decisions that don’t please everyone. That is a good case of the normals. My mistake was in recruiting some individuals who were vehemently opposed to the changes that I was making. My mistake came when I thought about the old axiom, “Keep your friends close but your enemies closer.” Of course I don’t want to view these individuals as my enemies by any stretch of the imagination! However, I thought...

When asked to summarize his theology, Karl Barth, the prolific Swiss theologian, was said to have simply replied, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” Now the question is, “How do we get that message to children?” Often this question has been answered through program and curriculum, and the challenge becomes to make the program fun, jazzy, and exciting enough that kids will want to be there. That just may be getting more difficult all the time as children are growing up in a world where they have access to all kinds of exciting things...