• 16
    Mar 10

    What if Every #KidMin Leader Was Like Me? Curious Minds Want To Know…

      Posted by Jamie Doyle
      8 comments

    So I was thinking back to a sermon that was once preached and then re-preached many times by other Pastors… the sermon title and concept was along the lines of “What if every Church-Goer was Like Me?”  And the sermon went on to  implore the congregation to ask them selves the following questions: What if everyone in this church gave like me? Served like me? Worshipped like me? Had the same attitude as me? (name your quality here) like me?  The point was then presented: Would this church have an abundance of resources or would this place be broke? Would this church have more than enough workers and volunteers or would we be closing the nursery and shutting down ministries? Would this church be full of incredible worship that usher’s in the presence of the Holy Spirit or would this place be dead? And so on…

    So, my questions to the many #KidMin peeps that are out there that peruse this blog are these:

    What if every #KidMin Leader was like me?  What would the entire world of Children’s Ministry look like?

    What if every #KidMin Leader taught the Word like me?  Would kids all over the world be learning the Word and walk away from childhood knowing how to apply it?  Or, would they know a lot of games and understand the importance of candy incentives?

    What if every #KidMin Leader taught on praise and worship like me?  Would the power of God overcome as kids entered into the very presence of an almighty God? Or, would they know a lot of actions and fun lyrics?

    What if every #KidMin Leader Lead like me?  Would there be armies of volunteers that are equipped as leaders to take these kids to the next level? Or, would there be a world full of burned-out one-man shows?

    What if every #KidMin Leader prayed like me?  Would kids and the many CM leaders in your ministry know that they are covered in prayer and follow your lead? Or, would you constantly feel defeated and your team sense that there is no hope?

    What if every #KidMin Leader taught stewardship like me?  Would we have a generation of kids that understands the value of the tithe, faith-filled giving and generosity so we could advance the Kingdom? Or would you have a world of kids who expect to know what’s in it for them?

    What if every #KidMin Leader taught on missions like me?  Would you have fervent prayers for missionaries and a lifelong, infused sense that those on the field need support in every way – would there be future missionaries? Or, would kids never know what it takes to reach others just like them in places where the gospel needs to be preached?

    Please don’t think that I am above giving away prizes as incentives, or that I hate fun lyrics and engaging actions, because, I do that stuff!  Please don’t assume that I don’t like to have a good time with kids in my church - read the post on how kids interpret their world… I’m simply advocating that we go a step further – no, several steps further. Realize that ministry to kids happens now so we can secure the future of the church.  Go ahead and add to the list if you care… but continue to ask yourself: What if the #KidMin Leaders, all over the world were just like me?

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      Excellence, Leadership, Quality, Responsibility, Vision
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  • 15
    Oct 09

    Who’s Vision Do I Have?

      Posted by Jamie Doyle
      7 comments




    When you look at the vision that God gave you to reach boys and girls, you have to keep in mind… and in heart, that God didn’t give you someone else’s vision.

    It sure is easy as a CM leader to look at Church A, B & C and desire what they have… or desire to do what they do – especially if that church is at the forefront of church ministry. I was recently at a friend’s church for a CM leader’s meeting and got a tour of the building. While touring this monster of a building, my friend showed me the CM resource room. I was envious… it was awesome! Huge; organized; with numerous matching shelves and cabinets; an insane amount of counter space for getting work done; every conceivable piece of office equipment – just of for the CM department… that CM leaders wish they had (color copier, giant laminator, large format printer, paper cutters and several work computers!) Get the idea here? Most public schools wouldn’t be able to touch this!
    I went home and told my wife about it – and the pursuit of a bigger and better resource room began to formulate in my mind. But, I had to realize that I was not called to pursue that vision, but vision that God has put in front of me for this church. Sure I can use the experience of seeing that big resource room to inspire me to pursue excellence in what we do in this church. But I was not called to fulfill that other church’s vision.
    Look at where you are now… what you have now… who you have now… and ask God where He wants you to go now… How He wants you to do what He’s called you to do… and – When His time frame allows for you to do all He’s asked you to do.
    Besides, my friend said that I could use his resource room anytime! Hmm… what could I laminate?

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      Vision
     
  • 28
    Jul 09

    Children’s Ministry Structure – Part Three

      Posted by Jamie Doyle
      1 comment

    In a few earlier posts, I’ve written about restructure. We’ve explored some of the steps to take – let’s keep going:

    • Meet with the level of leadership closest to you:
    Meet with your first level of leadership closest to you to help them understand their new role. I say new because, you’ve most likely make appropriate changes… right? Remember the job descriptions? Now is the time to help implement those job descriptions into action.
    • Provide Training and Empowerment to that level of leadership:
    I really cannot take the time to meet with every leadership position that falls under that first layer of leadership. So I must give that layer the power to take the new structure to that next level of leadership. They will essentially do what I have just done with them. They will help implement the new job descriptions into action with that next layer.
    • Tweak as you go:
    Yep… you’ve not now, nor will you ever arrive at a place when you’ve finished structuring your ministry. If you ever get to that point… quit. Seriously, complacency ministry is akin to death (perhaps someone somewhere will quote that one day). Our CM Leadership manuals are not bound in a book or even spiral bound – they are in three-ring binders because that manual will be progressive. It will change and be added to.
    I’ll have more next time – keep looking up!

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      Leadership, Vision
     
  • 20
    Jul 09

    Children’s Ministry Structure – Part Two

      Posted by Jamie Doyle
      1 comment

    You’ve begun the daunting task of restructuring a Children’s Ministry. Let me point out a few observations before we take any more steps in this process:

    This is hard work:
    There are a lot of little details that need to be done in order to do this right. I am so blessed to have my wife as my administrative assistant to help handle all of these details. Let’s remember an important principle: Anything that’s worth anything will take time and hard work.
    This is a process:
    You won’t get all of this done in a day – or even a week. If you do, please call me and I might hire you. This will take time… a lot of time… a lot of YOUR time. So, b impatient enough that you want to get it done – but have patients enough to know that you have to take each step separately and in some cases delicately.
    This has to be deliberate:
    Re-structuring won’t just happen (come to think of it, no ministry administration ever “just happens”). Be deliberate about having a plan to get the process started. Be deliberate in communicating to your people that you are doing this whole thing. Be deliberate in working your plan. Be deliberate about pushing the process and keeping it going. Can I be any more deliberate about being deliberate?
    OK – back to work… you can do this!

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      Leadership, Vision
     
  • 16
    Jul 09

    Children’s Ministry Structure – Part One

      Posted by Jamie Doyle
      1 comment

    I have been lacking in my blog posts as of lately – but I thought I would blog about the very thing I am dealing with right now… after all, that’s what a blog is intended for – right?

    Structure – What’s Yours Look Like
    As I have been speaking with friends in the ministry about the fun and challenges faced at a new church opportunity, I have made the mistake of mentioning that my wife and I are working to add structure to a ministry that has none. The mistake is in the phrase ‘this ministry has none’. Really when it comes down to it – Every Children’s Ministry has structure. Even when everything looks like it doesn’t work or is falling apart – it’s not due to a “no structure ministry”… it’s due to a flaw in the structure or a poor structure. Your ministry has a structure – and you either know what it is and it’s intentional… or you continue to build it and it’s unintentional… or, it’s unknown.
    Here a are a few steps for you and your ministry team to take to help you re-structure your ministry.
    • Define your current structure:

    Create a flowchart of all of your departments or sub-ministries that report to you. BE HONEST about how things really flow. Have you ever wondered why everyone in your ministry from the guy running sound, to the registration worker to the preschool teacher comes running to you… every Sunday morning… all at the same time… so you can solve their problems. It’s a flaw in your structure. You should be able to see this in your flow chart.

    • Define what you want your structure to look like:
    Re-work your flowchart. I mean dream about what leaders you would need to restructure your current ministry alongside of those who already serve. Decide who should really report to who – and who should report to you.
    • Start to create job descriptions for each box on your flowchart – including your own:
    You are going to need to get with the current leadership that already fill some of those boxes and get from them, their understanding of the role they play on your leadership team. Take this information and begin to design the job description for this position based on what needs to get done and the purpose of the position.
    In the next post, I will share the next steps. Now… GO… and begin on your journey towards better structure in your Children’s Ministry!

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      Leadership, Vision