Dry Policy and Living Vision

Writing policy is about as much fun as writing non-fiction about mold. For the most part policy for children's ministry centers around abuse, legal backside covering, and basically every other unpleasant subject concerning children.

I'm getting to do it!

OK, so it's not that much fun... OK, so it's no fun... OK, so it's like a trip to the dentist after a 5 month chocolate binge. There is one part I like. I can set vision. So I'd like to get some thoughts from you my faithful readers (all 4 of you). This is the vision statement I've come up with for my ministry.

AG Kids connects kids with Jesus.

I know it's simple, but I don't want to get caught up in the buzz word circus. Let me know your thoughts.

Icon Buffet

BTW, if you are looking for some kewl ways to spruce up publications etc. go here. If you participate in the community forums, you can get lots of neat little icons.

It's also a bit of a picture of a healthy Christian community. The philosophy of the forums is "pay it forward". You give to someone looking for an icon set you have, and ask for what you need. If you don't need anything, you give anyhow. It is a breath of fresh air from many other online forums.

Howto: 4 Cures for BLAH

I've been accosted with a bit of BLAH lately. You know exactly what it is... a lack of passion and a drained feeling brought on by doing to stinking much. It's not burnout, it's not massive emotional failure, it's just a state of "BLAH". Here's my little list of cures:

1. Stop looking in: You aren't the point. Review who you are reaching and why. If you don't know the answer to that question... time to do some vision casting.
2. Restart Your Bible: Half the time I'm out of sync because I've let my Bible reading and study become impersonal or solely ministry focused. Remember that the Bible was written by God for us to know Him, not for us to tell others about Him. You own a Bible for YOU first, then for others.
3. Shut your mouth: If you've been complaining, it effects your mood. I've found that things go wrong no matter what... plans in place, people trained, prep done, it matters not a bit. It's attitude that makes things work, even if they don't work just how you planned them.
4. Quit working for a second: If you're overworked, stop working. Durring a special event, you have to work super hard. After those are done or when you've just been working a bunch, TAKE A BREAK. If your work piles up so fast you can't take a break for a second, you need to do some unloading of responsiblity.
   

These are all just "pull your head out of your... hands" kinda stuff. If you are burnt out, washed out, or knocked out, these won't be a cure. For that you need a divine intervention. That being said, these do work as a good preventative cure.

Where the Trees Turn to Flowers

After just a month and a half in Vermont I've been treated to one of natures grand displays. The trees here are breath-taking reds, oranges, and yellows. It is quite something to look in the distance and see a mountain side full of this fiery foliage. I'll try and post a picture soon.

Bad Recruiting Practices (Part 2 of the "Bad Kids Ministry Ideas" series)

Look... just because you have to take what you can get for volunteers doesn't mean you can go to extremes...

Upscale Vermont

Yep... there is truely no accounting for taste, not even in Vermont.

Giving Your Kids Informed Answers

I don't know if you've ever hit this dilemma. You get asked an "interesting" question (meaning "theologically complex") that you, the children's pastor/director understand but don't know how to explain in simple terms. You might have tried a washed out platitude that leaves all but the most simple minded kid with the "OK, I'm not that dumb, but I'll play along" look on their face. You may also have tried throwing them the uncooked theological steak in the hope they would know what to do with it.

Or you changed the subject.

Well, I found this site on the Internet through my searching about. It seems pretty squared away and it gives intelligent and clearly stated answers to many of these questions. Check it out. You might even learn something yourself.

Teens: E-mail is for old people

So what's going to happen when kids from our children's ministries grow up... guess I'm going to have to retire my carrier pigeons.

Is e-mail only for the old? That's the contention of a string of articles published in the last four months, the most recent appearing today in the Chronicle of Higher Education. The Chronicle says that in a study last year, "teenagers preferred new technology, like instant messaging or text messaging, for talking to friends and use e-mail to communicate with 'old people.'" The Mercury News says, "For those of you who have just figured out how to zap spam or manage your inbox, prepare for the bad news: E-mail is, like, so yesterday..." (read more)

A Visual History of Who Has Controled Palestine

Check this out. It's certainly interesting.

Yep, Campaign Time is Here

Check this out. It's a short historical snapshot of how goofy political ads can get. Gotta love those campaign spots.