I made a decision early in my ministry training that built the foundation for my ministry to kids. I was only 20 years old and didn’t even realize I was doing something wise. This is my story about the most intelligent ministry decision I ever made. It was October of 1978. I was attending Rhema […]
After 45 years, I retired from my job as Kids Pastor. It was a good weekend. Many parents and kids came by to say “Thank You,” and I reconnected with many kids who grew up on our ministry teams and continue to serve the Lord as adults. So, what’s next? Debbie and I will take […]
Today, I want to share a story—a story that resonates deeply with the heart of children’s ministry. My wife and I consider ourselves fortunate that a few years ago we were granted a unique opportunity: participation in Jim Wideman’s coaching program. To many, he’s simply “Brother Jim.” His wisdom, experience, and passion for children’s ministry […]
Without question, the biggest challenge in ministry is creating healthy boundaries. Church, spouse, children, job, and friends all seem to blend together. “A boundary defines where you end and someone else begins.” Ask yourself these questions: The most basic boundary word is the word “No”. The demands of ministry are never-ending. If you are going […]
We have been going through The Red Book, chapter by chapter.
Leadership begins with following. The first test that Jesus gave His leaders was the test of following. If they had refused to follow Him, they never would have become leaders. God wants humble leaders who know how to obey Him and follow Him. God is also looking for leaders who have enough humility to be […]
This continues my plethora of stupid things I’ve done in ministry. I hope you can learn from me but at the very least laugh at me. I remember serving at a church and taking kids to camp one summer several years ago. I had asked one of our long time helpers/teachers to cover the lesson […]
It’s easy for a parent or a teacher to recognize leadership gifts in their children. If I can spend several hours teaching and observing a group of children, I can pick out who the leaders are. One thing about people who have leadership gifts is that they will find a way to use their […]
Each team has a leader and team members. What are you? “The leaders who work most effectively, it seems to me, never say ‘I.’ And that’s not because they have trained themselves not to say ‘I.’ They don’t think ‘I.’ They think ‘we’; they think ‘team.’ They understand their job to make the team […]
Is it possible to lead when you are not the top dog? The answer is a resounding yes. Leadership doesn’t always start at the top, but it always manages to affect the people at the top. The story of David and Goliath is a great example of leading from the middle. David wasn’t even […]