book review
June 12, 2017
The death of a loved one. The death of a pet. These are some of the most difficult tragedies and losses that parents struggle to explain and help their children through. The questions abound… How much do I tell my kids? Do I tell them everything is fine when it isn’t? Do I allow them to be a part of family discussions? Do I let them go to the funeral? Should I let them look at the body in the casket? How do I handle their questions about death? These are all legitimate questions. They are all not so easy […]
July 31, 2015
I will never forget sitting in the company of a preacher while I was in Bible College. This preacher railed against Science and technology. He viewed them as vehement enemies of the Kingdom of God. He firmly believed that any sort of connection between Science and The Bible was a lie. Growing up in a Spirit-led church community, I often heard arguments against "those churches who plan and prepare their services." It was believed that those who use their human minds to plan Church services were "not allowing God's Spirit to lead them." The assumption, of course, was that God […]
May 21, 2015
I didn't always enjoy reading the Bible. I know - it's really BAD for a pastor to admit this. Just to clarify, it's not that I disliked the Bible. It's just that I saw it as more of something I NEEDED to do rather than something I WANTED to do. We've all been there. Our Western mindset causes us to make reading the Bible something to be achieved and knocked off the list. We make a grand goal of "reading the Bible through in a year," but barely get through the book of Numbers before we abandon that and skip […]
September 10, 2014
Throughout their academic life, children will have to face the onslaught of scientific theories, teachers, professors, and peers who will pressure them into leaving behind the "primitive and uneducated" belief that Earth was created by Almighty God. A recent Gallup poll reveals that over 60% of Americans believe in the theory of evolution - many of them believing that it is the PRIMARY explanation for where life on Earth comes from. Earlier this year, Ken Ham, a well-known Christian apologist debated the outspoken evolutionist, Bill Nye (the Science Guy). It was a classic (and public) Creation-versus-Evolution debate. Nye is more […]
October 3, 2013
According to a 2013 report released by the CDC, an estimated 1 in 50 children receive a diagnosis on the autism spectrum. Churches are finding themselves in a place where the need is great, but the answers and resources are few. Kids Ministry Leaders are encountering an ever-increasing pressure to help parents navigate through these tough waters, but establishing an effective ministry to children with special needs can be a daunting task. Amy Fenton Lee’s new book serves as a practical “how-to” handbook for the Kidmin Leader who desires to create an atmosphere of inclusion for children with special needs. […]
April 1, 2013
"Strong churches don't make strong families. Strong families make strong churches." - Dr. Tim Kimmel What is the center of your Family Ministry strategy? Is it safety and protection from the dark influences of this world? Is it reaching unchurched families through evangelism? What drives your ministry to kids and families? Dr. Tim Kimmel offers a one word answer in his new book, "Connecting Church & Home." That one word: GRACE. Dr. Kimmel suggests that God's grace can and should be what encompasses everything we do as a church - especially ministering to families. Kimmel begins with the book with a challenging […]
June 26, 2012
About a month ago I received a complimentary autographed copy of Craig and Mary's book. I was excited to dive into it because I had already read the first chapter via a free download on their site. Let me just say, this book is a life-changer. Like many of you, I have been blessed by Craig's ministry for the last decade or so via his position as Kids Pastor at Saddleback to his incredible leadership materials and teaching resources at Empowering Kids. I was saddened when I heard several years ago that Craig was having a difficult time, but was […]
April 16, 2012
I am very pleased to be able to talk about The Eric Trap, a new book written by Jim Wideman, Sam Luce, Kenny Conley, and several others. I received a copy a week or so ago and immediately began diving into it. I have to say, I was blown away by it. Here are the things I LOVED about The Eric Trap: 1) It is written as a leadership fable. If you are not familiar with this style of writing (a la Patrick Lencioni, Ken Blanchard, and others), it is told as a fictional story of Eric Newman. Eric is a […]
January 25, 2012
When I first began seeing Roger tweet about the book he was writing, he was billing it as "The Kidz Blitz Story." That is a major understatement! While this book does chronicle the story of how the Kidmin phenomenon KIDZ BLITZ got started, it is so much more than that! "Jumping The Track" is Roger's story. It's the story of a man who refused to follow the mold set by others in ministry. It's the story of a man's struggle with his own overwhelmingly shy personality to become a mesmerizing stage host and people-person. It's the story of a man […]
January 6, 2012
I'm very excited to announce that my book, "I Blew It!", officially released this week! This has been a labor of love that was nearly a year in the making (well, 20 years if you want to be technical LOL). It chronicles my twenty years in Kids Ministry and all the biggest mistakes I have made - plus offers insight and principles to help YOU avoid those mistakes. I was honored to have one of my heroes, Jim Wideman, write the Foreword for the book. Jim is a legend in Kids Ministry and has served at some of the […]
December 14, 2011
WEEKLY KIDMIN QUESTION: "So, why did you decide to write a book?" - submitted by Aaron in Arkansas Since I announced that I was writing a book several months ago, this question has been asked of me many times. I will have to admit, I asked it of myself many times - in many various forms. I have read many books relating to Kids Ministry. There are some that focus solely on practical ministry helps (i.e. Learn To Juggle In 15 Short Lessons or Understanding Your Pre-Teens). There are others that focus solely on Leadership Lessons (i.e. 12 Habits Of The […]