KidMin Stories & Inspiration Archives

What 2020 Reminded Me About Kidmin Leaders

01/03/202101/06/2021 Kathie Phillips

I have always been proud to be part of the kidmin community. There are many reasons I feel that way but one is that I believe kidmin leaders are some of the most creative and innovative leaders on the planet. We know how to stretch budgets, recycle and repurpose common items and think up some pretty amazing (and sometimes crazy) ideas.

COVID-19 Realities

Then 2020 rolled in and ministry (and the world as we knew it) changed. During all stages of the pandemic to the current day, words and phrases such as ‘unprecedented’, ‘pivoting’, and ‘new normal’ became part of almost every piece of communication sent to those in our ministries.

Those phrases, while accurate on many levels, also described how ministry to kids and families operated. Kids ministry leaders all around the world adapted to ministry during a time when everything around us changed. My fellow kidmin leaders worked tirelessly to keep kids, families and volunteers engaged during this historic time. It was important for leaders to keep some sense of normalcy and familiarity to the kids when so much around them had been taken away.

Through it all, I was reminded of a few things that are true about kidmin leaders.

Kidmin leaders are flexible.

On Thursday, March 12, 2020, our governor announced that group gatherings exceeding 250 people would not be permitted. That meant my church would not be able to meet that upcoming Sunday – just three days away. That was also true of countless churches around the country.

I remember seeing my social media feeds being filled with posts from frantic leaders about what to do next. Leaders like myself raced to come up with a plan and communicate that plan to family and volunteers. This plan included uploading curriculum content to websites, sending downloadable pages to families to do at home and coming up with a plan for the weeks moving forward.

Kidmin leaders are learners.

Much of COVID-19 kidmin has been technology-driven, which means that leaders had to (quickly) learn how to create, film, edit and upload content, teach families how to find and utilize the content, and navigate social media and other tools to help get the Word of God into the homes of families in their ministry. This was in addition to keeping up with health metrics to make wise choices in regards to regathering in person.

Kidmin leaders are passionate about sharing the love of Jesus, no matter what it takes.

Drive-through events, virtual gatherings, monthly activity bags, live videos, social media story times…these are just a few things that ministry leaders did to keep ministry going despite being apart. For ministries that met in person, editing curriculum activities to allow for physical distancing and adopting new health and safety protocols became top priorities. Why? Because sharing the love of Jesus no matter what it takes was of utmost importance.

To all of my fellow kidmin leaders, thank you for persevering. You’ve weathered a very difficult storm. Thank you for all of your hard work and prayers on behalf of your ministries. Thank you for being committed to the spiritual development of kids and families no matter what. I am proud to be part of this community. Your heart and passion for ministry keep me inspired.

Seeing Kingdom Potential in Each Child

05/26/201605/26/2016 Kathie Phillips

Seeing Kingdom potential in each child

As a little girl, I loved to go to church. I mean loved. It was the favorite part of my week. I remember walking through the doors of my church excited to be with friends and adults that I loved. The atmosphere in that pink (yes, pink!) classroom was warm and welcoming. The adult leaders taught me songs and scripture verses that I still remember to this day (and sing aloud occasionally). I was introduced to bible stories that deeply impacted my life. These precious experiences impacted my life so deeply that I wanted other kids to love going to church just as much as I did. Little did I know at that moment that God was preparing me for the call He had on my life.

When I began serving in Children’s Ministry as an adult, that desire was my drive…I wanted other kids to love going to church just as much as I did – even more than I did! I wanted to create experiences that would help kids know how much the God who created them loved them and cherished them. I wanted children to make friendships that could become lifelong. I wanted children to treasure God’s Word and be excited to learn it, know it and do what it says. I wanted children to develop a love of Jesus, one that would sustain them a lifetime.

You see, for me, leading Children’s Ministry is remembering that each child has Kingdom potential. That means seeing each child who walks through the doors of my church as children who might one day grow up and be a dynamic Christ-follower. That means seeing them not as the church of tomorrow but as the church of today. God is working in their lives now, preparing them for the call He has on their lives.

Leading Children’s Ministry is remembering that each child has Kingdom potential.

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Who but God knows the future He has for them? Maybe the next great theologian, pastor, ministry leader or church planter is sitting in one of your classrooms right now. Maybe God is preparing a boy or girl in your ministry to be the next author, politician, artist, business leader, or teacher to turn the world upside down for His honor and glory.

That’s why what we do each week is so much bigger than what we can see with our human eyes. Each week, we are privileged to welcome children through the doors of our church…children who come to us with all sort of family backgrounds, personalities, gifts, talents and potential.What we are part of is Kingdom investment right now. What an honor to be part of influencing the life of a child who might change the world and shine bright for Jesus!

If you’re a kidmin leader or volunteer, there’s something I’d like to challenge you to do. The next time you hold your mid-week or weekend programming, I want you to look around at all of the children in attendance. Look them in the eye. Look beyond the challenging behavior, family circumstances or personality issues. Look at them through a new, fresh lens…as one who could make Jesus known to a world who desperately needs Him.

If you’re a parent, there’s something I’d like to challenge you to do. Do everything you can to plug your child into a church that helps them know and follow Jesus, one that challenges them to grapple with what they believe and challenges them to put their faith in action. Attend church regularly so that your child can be connected to leaders and peers who can encourage them along their spiritual journey. Help them see the church as another voice to speak into their lives.

Keep the conversation going! How might this change in perspective affect how you minister and parent this week?

My Favorite #OC15 Tweets

05/01/201505/01/2015 Kathie Phillips 1 Comment

I was not able to attend this year’s Orange Conference but I stayed plugged in through their live feed and social media posts. Here are my favorite tweets from the conference:

Leadership

“You can only lead someone as far as you have gone yourself.”

“Time management hack: Look at your week and ask yourself “What 3 things have to happen for this week to be successful?”

“Saying yes to the wrong things is a momentum killer. Be willing to say no.”

“Language should be: • Relevant • Memorable • Repeatable • Effective.”

The first time you do something should be the worst time. Every other time you should be getting better at it.

“Never fight the battle of the “how to” until you have fought the battle of the value of why.”

“Courage is creating a stop doing list to do something better. Be intentional.”

“There’s an inexorable correlation between leadership and change.”

“You need 2 people in your life: 10 yrs ahead of you to show you potholes. 10 yrs behind to show you where the culture is heading.”

“You can’t fall in love with your method, you have to fall in love with your mission if you’re going to be an effective leader.”

“Change the world by investing in one life.”

“Celebrate what you want repeated.”

“Never apologize for having high standards for your leaders!”

“A healthy team culture, creates healthy church, which creates a healthy community.”

Volunteers

Church: we have the most important mission on the planet. Don’t apologize when asking 4 volunteers.”

“Few things are more demotivating to a volunteer than discovering staff didn’t set them up to succeed. Be organized.”

“Non-financial currencies to pay your volunteers: Gratitude, Attention, Trust, Empowerment, Respect.”

“Remind your volunteers often that even if they can’t always see it – they are making a difference.”

“Do we treat our volunteers well enough that they would recruit others to volunteer in our ministry?”

Taking Care of You

“If your only common ground with your spouse is your kids…they’re going to leave 1 day…then what?”

“Hustle is an act of FOCUS, not FRENZY.”

“Burnout doesn’t happen overnight. Passion fades. Your heart grows hard. Rest isn’t refuelling. Learn self-care, not self-medication.”

Family Ministry

“Parents don’t need something else to do. Give them an activity to do during times they all ready have with their kids.”

“For a blended family, attending church together 26 weeks a year is perfect attendance.”

“Reaching and keeping families at your church demands you plan and create systems so families can take next steps!”

“How to reach & keep families: Visitors will make a decision whether or not they will return within 7 sec of parking.”

“Only 18% of unchurched population fit into “traditional family” category. How does your strategy reach all families?”

“The church should be the BEST place that all parents can go to coached and equipped on becoming better parents.”

“One of the best gifts a church can give a kid or teen is to help parents have a thriving marriage.”

Connecting with Kids

“Kids will forget what you say, they will forget what you did, but kids will never forget how you made them feel.”

Next Gen Ministry

“Teenagers will never believe they are significant until you give them something significant to do.”

“The sooner you get students involved in ministry the more solid their relationship with Jesus becomes.”

You can find more tweets by searching the following hashtags: #OC15, #justaphase, #thinkorange.

Keep the conversation going! Did you follow the conference online or attend the conference in person? What were some of your favorite tweets or quotes?