When I first started with Cory Center I went though a series of post asking what you were reading and extolling the virtues of reading. It’s still true that reading is fundamental to leadership – but not just reading books.

If you are involved in Children’s Ministry, it helps to know you are not alone – even though it often feels that way. One of the best ways to find help, hear what others are thinking, learn from some of the leaders of the #kidmin world, and simply get some encouragement is to read some of the many Children’s Ministry blogs that are out there.

Some blogs come and go and others have been around for ages. Tracking these down could be painful – but thanks to Tony Kummer, it isn’t. Ministry-to-Children.com, Tony’s site, publishes a blog list that is kept pretty up to date. Each year they also publish a top 100.

In addition to doing all that work, Tony’s also created a fun way to peek interest in some of the more active blogs. Each March, in honor of March Madness, they host a children’s ministry blog madness. 60 some blogs go face to face, one round at a time to find the winner. The best part is that you get to choose that winner!

Take a moment and head over to http://ministry-to-children.com/kids-ministry-bm-2012/ and check out some of the best children’s ministry blogs on the web. After you browse, give them some props by casting a vote.

Most importantly, I want to introduce you to some connection points – but if you are so inclined, we wouldn’t mind if you voted for Cory Center and I wouldn’t mind if you voted for my personal blog, Coffee With Dad.

Enjoy the fun!

On May 17, 2010 the groundbreaking ebook What Matters Now in Children’s Ministry was released.  Here are some of the highlights from the past year:

• 3586 people form 31 different countries have downloaded the ebook
• Over 200 copies of the print edition have been sold
• 491 people from 17 different countries participated in our Video Edition, hosted by pajamaconference.com

To celebrate the 1 year anniversary of releasing What Matters Now in Children’s Ministry, you can watch and download 15 contributions from the Video Edition for free.  The videos are available at http://vimeo.com/album/1539487

Also, the print edition is only $5.99 for the month of May at https://www.createspace.com/3427965

The ebook that started it all can be downloaded for free at http://corycenter.org/uploads/what_matters_now.pdf

Spread the word!

Starting today, you can get your own printed copy of the book What Matters Now in Children’s Ministry. It’s only $7.99, but you can use the discount code N8XZJLWK to get 10% off (this week only).

When I met with with Amy Dolan and Henry Zonio a few months ago to discuss the idea of gathering many voices from the field of children’s and family ministry to answer an epic question, we had no idea that more than 3000 people would download the resource.  What Matters Now in Children’s Ministry has struck a chord with children’s and family ministry leaders.  But we knew that no matter how many people downloaded the ebook, there would many more leaders who would prefer a printed book over a screen-based resource.  So with the help of IMAGO, who donated their amazing work to the project, we designed a version for web and print.

Here’s some ideas for how I would use the printed resource:

•    Several children’s pastors and leaders have bought multiple copies for their volunteer teams.  I would use the book in this setting to spark conversation, especially if one of the themes in the book resonates with the themes in your ministry OR with proposed change in your ministry.  I would ask questions of the volunteers ahead of time such as: What theme speaks to you the most?  Why? What theme resonates the most with our ministry? What theme resonates the most with where we want to go/what we want to accomplish?

•    I plan on using the book as a one-on-one coaching tool.  I’ll ask the mentoree to read the book in its entirety and choose 2-3 contributions that they felt were the most helpful.  I’ll also asked the mentoree to create their own contribution.  In this setting, I would allow them 300 words to answer the question “What matters now in children’s ministry” – instead of the official 200 word limit.  But my goal would be to get the person I am coaching to hone their idea to 200 words.

•    The printed book is a great resource and gift to hand out to other staff members, especially a senior pastor.  I think that giving other staff members resources is a great way to lead your co-workers “up.”  I think the book is especially useful for senior pastors, who receive multiple emails/files/digital resources everyday and may not pay as much attention to the content of the ebook as they would a printed resource.

•    Note: You are the expert in your ministry.  For some of your “digital native” volunteers, the ebook is the best way for them to receive the information in What Matters Now in Children’s Ministry.  For others, perhaps the digital immigrants on your team, the printed resource would work much better.  I think you can and should use both.

If you are interested in buying 10 or more copies of the book, please email me for a special bulk-discount code!  Otherwise you can use the discount code N8XZJLWK to get 10% off (this week only).

I want to continue our series of posts about What Matters Now in Children’s Ministry with a few posts about the answers that really resonated with me.  Randy Isola contributed the answer “Wonder” to the What Matters Now project.  Randy is my boss, but that’s not why I’m reflecting on his contribution (I’m pretty sure he does not read this blog anyway).  Randy has re-taught me what children’s ministry is all about.  I say that he “re-taught” me, because before I met Randy I thought I knew everything about children’s ministry.  Here’s what Randy had to say about wonder:

I believe one of the most compelling questions in Scripture is the disciples’ asking about Jesus, “What kind of man is this?” After a glimpse of his power, the disciples were driven to discover the answer. Our churches should instill that wonder in children and propel them to a lifelong adventure of finding out the truth behind that question.

When it comes to children’s ministry, we all want engaging programming, flawless theology, deep relational communities, great tools to equip parents, etc. Ultimately, we want all that so we can point children to Jesus. Sometimes we do that by giving answers, other times by raising questions. I wish that children would always leave churches with answers and questions, with a sense of wonder and amazement at the person and work of Jesus. I hope that our ministries help children encounter Jesus in such a way that multiple times throughout the week they will, with a sense of wonder, ask themselves the question, “Who is Jesus?”

I pray that every child influenced by children’s ministries everywhere will wonder so fully, so deeply, so passionately that they embark on a quest to know, “Who is Jesus?”

This answer resonated with me because I’ve been reading Exodus lately.  And even a cursory look at Exodus will reveal the word “wonder” several times.  The source of wonder was simply God’s unique power.  It got me thinking along the same lines as Byron Ragain’s contribution – how hard will I work to perform wonders among children? Many times I try to do wonders – through programming, creative teaching, or resources.  Do my efforts direct and guide children to experience the wonders of their powerful God?  As Exodus 15:11 says, “Who among the gods is like you, O LORD? Who is like you – majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?”  There is simply no one like our God of wonders.  All my work should point to Him!

I want to continue our series of posts about What Matters Now in Children’s Ministry with a few posts about the answers that really resonated with me.  The final submission to be turned in was by my friend and mentor Byron Ragains.  If you do not know Byron, who ministers with David C. Cook, just wait – he’ll find you.  And when Byron finds you, he’ll never forget you.

Byron writes, “My word is MORE.  I am almost 50! I recall the days when my two sons were babies. Occasionally, I got the call to feed them a nutritious meal from a jar. I can still hear the click noise once the lid is opened! I creatively tried everything to magically force the boys to eat: Pickled squash, sweet potatoes and even some peas!

Nothing really worked. All of that seemed to change once we got to dessert: fruit and puddings! They went from refusing to enjoy the Gerber’s main entree to inhaling the desserts! I can hear them saying, “MORE, daddy! MORE!”

What I am hearing is children asking for MORE! We continue to ramp up the fun, excitement, lights, crazy and volume in hopes to satisfy their thirst for God. What if we became burdened and restless to make sure our ministries are creating space for our children to hear the mighty voice of God and a huge thirst to seek and follow Him? This is the MORE I am talking about! They want it. What about us?”

I love the idea that in the era of abundance, Byron challenges the field of children’s and family ministry to have a spiritual passion for the “mighty voice of God.”  Sometimes I minister from a posture that I have to talk kids into loving Jesus.  So we brainstorm better video ideas, snappier graphics, or clever series.  But as Byron posits, “[The kids in our ministry] want it.”  I do not have to become the master at everything digital or fluent in the language of technology and video games, I need to make space for kids to fulfill their desire to meet God and hear His voice.

I want to continue our series of posts about What Matters Now in Children’s Ministry with a few posts about the answers that really resonated with me.  Many weeks ago when I started asking people to participate in this effort, the first person to respond was Dr. Brianne Friberg.   I have had the privilege of being friends with the Friberg’s for several years and while many of you have not heard of Dr. Friberg, she is probably the most brilliant person I have ever met.  Dr. Friberg’s one-word answer to the question, “What Matters Now in Children’s Ministry” was empowerment.

Dr. Friberg reflects, “We need leaders who work under an empowerment model that is strength-based and family-centered.  What does that mean?  First, our ministries need to be empowered by the Holy Spirit.  Second, and more practically speaking, we need leaders who work to build on the strengths of children, families, and volunteers to promote spiritual growth and development for everyone involved.  Children’s ministry provides an opportunity for children to develop their skills within a safe context and use them in ways that serve the church (I Timothy 4:12).  It also allows for relationship development that has implications for socio-emotional and spiritual growth.  Further, this model helps leaders to partner with parents, building on family strengths to enable and equip them to be spiritual leaders at home.  Finally, we can empower volunteers, plugging them into areas that are congruent with their passions and abilities.  This approach increases commitment, consistency, and leadership potential.  I believe that when we are empowered by the Holy Spirit and a commitment to build on the strengths of children, families, and volunteers, the impact of children’s ministry programs will be amplified in both present and eternal outcomes.”

The reason why this answer resonates with me is that it bridges spiritual formation and child development.  So often we operate without the proper perspective on how children learn and develop. When that perspective is aligned, it liberates the partnership between church and home.  Partnership between church and home is not just Biblically mandated, it is developmentally supported.

I wanted to post my answer to the question, What Matters Now in Children’s Ministry.  I chose the word, digital.  Here’s why…

Research makes it clear that the generation of children in our ministries today is vastly different than any other group of children the Church has sought to reach.  They engage and edit media, experiment with culture, and experience community in new ways.  They are fluent in the language of technology.  They collaborate, teach, connect, and relate using a network of individualized digital tools.  They prefer a unique learning experience with parallel processing, multitasking, feedback, and relevance.  They navigate the digital world deftly and quickly.  They blur the lines between the physical and virtual.  They are open to the truth of God’s Word.

It is clear that this generation is fundamentally different than any generation that the Church has ever faced.  This generation requires agile leadership, renewed teaching and learning processes, openness to change, and creative resources. Such change will bring about a completely rewired children’s ministry, poised to connect children to the community of faith, teach children the truth of God’s Word, and help children grow in relationship with Him.

Several weeks ago I was struck with an epic idea.  I wanted to create a book with insight from people across the field of children’s and family ministry, education, non-profit, and para-church ministry about what matters now in children’s ministry.  Like any great idea, it occupied all of my mental space until I finally shared it with others.  I am proud today to be part of the release of the culmination of this idea: a free e-book that answers the question, “What Matters Now in Children’s Ministry?”

The team (Amy Dolan of Lemon Lime Kids, Henry Zonio of Elemental Children’s Ministry, and me) have gathered 33 perspectives from a cross section of denominations and ministry contexts to answer our epic question.  But we asked every contributor to answer the question with only ONE word (we gave a couple of contributors some grace and allowed two words).  After they honed the one-word answer, they were allowed to support their answer with another 300 words.  Not an easy task.

David Staal, Ivy Beckwith, Gregory Carlson, Larry Shallenberger, Rob Reinow, Michael Chanley, Scottie May, and many more individuals graciously agreed to partner with us.  Prepare to be inspired – these answers are industrial strength, not over the counter.