JamieDoyle(dot)com

How can you be creative, innovative, relevant and have fun?  We’d better answer these questions as these are crucial for survival in the #KidMin world.

Ask kids their opinion

I don’t care how or where – just meet with kids for 10 – 30 second and ask their opinion about current trends, fads, and especially your ministry and programs.  And BTW: get ready to have your bubble popped.

Ask your leaders what they are seeing

If your leaders are parents, consumers, TV watchers, surf the internet, have a job, leave their homes, have neighbors, go shopping or do life – they have a valuable opinion and observations that will be different than yours.  They key there is “different” than yours.  Don’t be offended when they don’t agree or have a different opinion.

Go on a field trip and take a camera

Too many pastors/church leaders rarely leave the four walls of their offices to see the world around them.  Hit the local toy stores, video game shops, activity centers, kid-friendly stores and places where kids party.  Take a camera, notepad and a few others with cameras and notepads.

Kid-Friendly Media

Kids watch a lot of TV – go to Kid-friendly channels and watch what these kids watch.  Go to the Kid-Friendly websites and surf what they surf. A little research will tell you what these kids listen to – download it. Find out the latest in books and magazines – read ‘em!

Networking with other #KidMin leaders

Twitter, Facebook, CMConnect.org, Kidology.org, local groups, and face to face/one on one meetings are invaluable!  I’ve said it before:  Get with the leaders of the churches that are the next level size so you can learn what it takes to get there… look to the churches that are about the same size so you can trade ideas that might be more “easily adaptable”… And (ready for this?) Look to the churches that are smaller than yours so you can see the drive, hunger and innovation they have to get to where you’re at now.

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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!

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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!

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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!

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For years – since I can remember, I have asked people to just call me “Jamie”. When in school I hated my first name, “Jamieson”. I thought it was weird and I had never met anyone else with the same name. But, I had met a few “Jamie’s” in my days as an elementary kid. On the first day of school, when the teachers would do roll call for the first time, “Jamieson Doyle?” I started about the 4th grade to just answer, “Just call me Jamie…”

As I got older I still introduced myself as “Jamie”. Even on staff at churches, I have always been, “Pastor Jamie” Later I was surprised that many had no idea that my full name was “Jamieson”. “No it’s not!” some would reply. And I would have to quick-draw my driver’s license to prove it.

My wife told me that when we get into a new church, that I should be original and get a fresh, new start. “Be, Pastor Jamieson,” she’s suggested. WOW, a name change! It would be kind of weird since, only a handful of people in my whole life have called or referred to me as “Jamieson” on a consistent basis. Is “Jamieson” more original than “Jamie” and would kids remember it? Is it a wast of breath and time to add another syllable?

Maybe I should post a poll at Kidology.org What do you think – “Jamie” or “Jamieson”?

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Well, It finally happened this morning at 10:00 AM. I was back in my element after an 12 month break. Kids Church! Yeah, I live for children’s church. A Friend of mine invited me to come to his church and fill-in for his children’s church while he filled the main service pulpit. All this week, I did some stuff that I haven’t ventured into for a time, but it felt great. Preparing PowerPoint, writing the lesson, gathering the props, packing all the stuff… and then this morning – the set up , greeting the kids, kicking it off with a big start and a fun service was the end result.

I have been accepting bookings at churches for the next few weeks as a way to make an entry back into the world of children’s ministry. (I will post on my website a speaking schedule page as well so you can keep up with where God has me going). As I said, I love children’s church – it’s my favorite way to pastor kids (after all to pastor means to shepherd – and to shepherd means to feed and care for the flock) so, I fed a group of kids the Word this morning.

It occured to me that, for the first time in 12 years, I am available to minister at other churches on Sundays! For the past 12 years, I have been on staff somewhere and just couldn’t justify being away (even when my pastor said I could have several Sundays a year for outside ministry). The only times that I missed a Sunday for ministry was in the event of a mission’s trip. Yep, this is a shameless plug. If you’re interested in having me at your church for a Sunday, e-mail me and let me know.

In the midst of all of the above, we are also in the process of looking for a great church in which to fill the children’s pastor’s position – We haven’t found it yet, but actively and aggressively looking (yeah, my resume – take a look) – I am, so pumped about that!

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