[Kid Inspiration]

I have given myself a challenge for the next 26 days – post the complete A-Z of Ministry to Children. (I almost pulled this off! Just missed yesterday through being a ‘little’ tired after Kidshaper Conference).

Z… zebra, zoology, zenith…

Z is for Zeta – A small room or closet in a church.

This might be a little heavy to finish this list on, but the final word for the A-Z of Ministry to Children is about safety and protection. The most pressing need of your Church is to safeguard your children!

The bottom line at Hillsong Church for our leaders is simply this: ‘never be alone with a child.’

Our toileting procedures is always in pairs (or groups), we don’t change nappies (diapers) and our new leader process is pretty blunt – you need to ask the hard questions up front.

There should be no Zeta’s in your church. No secret places, and no secretive volunteers (or pastors).

Our culture and society has seen enough abuse of children (rightly so). So your job is to avoid even the appearance of evil. Be diligent, be militant and proactive about the safety and care of your kids!

The next post will be a recap of this series. If you have enjoyed it or found it insightful or even remotely helpful then please push the retweet button on the side of the next post, or the facebook ‘like’ button at the bottom. Feel free to blog about it, tell your neighbours and your enemies, which of course you don’t, for you love all humanity and would want them to read this blog.

I have given myself a challenge for the next 26 days – post the complete A-Z of Ministry to Children.

Q… quit, queen, Qantas, quacksalver…

Q is for Question – Your kids have questions. Lots of them probably. They will ask the most random question at the most random times. I know that when I am with one of our KDG’s (Kids Discipleship Groups – small groups), and talking I can see certain kids brains veering wildly out of control on a tangent which inevitably leads to a question like “If God is my Father, then is Jesus my brother?”.

I talked in E is for Encouragement about this topic a little. Whatever happens, you do want to encourage questions because they show thought and intiative both things that kids have control over.

So I want to talk about the questions you ask as a leader and follower.

Asking questions shows:

1. That you are eager to learn
2. You care about other peoples worlds
3. You want to improve
4. You are aware of what is going on around you
5. That you are interested
6. You don’t think you have all the answers
7. You want to involve others in the answers

As a leader you need to ask the most questions in the room. There is so much that goes unsaid in a team, assumptions, traditions, the way that we do things that are never articulated. Even if you feel like everyone in the room has heard it all before, say it!

Beginner stand-up comedians will work on new jokes until they have a solid ‘five minutes‘ of material they know is funny. They may keep using those jokes for years and years as they develop. Jerry Seinfeld in the movie/documentary comedian restarts his stand-up career after TV by writing all new material, and it is painful to watch at times as he goes through the growing pains.

Say what you have to say as a leader and then say it again. It will make your whole team laser focussed and avoid all the questions you don’t want to hear.

The questions you hear reveal your weaknesses, and the questions you ask reveal your heart.

I have given myself a challenge for the next 26 days – post the complete A-Z of Ministry to Children.

P… Passion, people, pimples, palladiumizing…

P is for Paradigm – Here’s what you need, a shift in your paradigms. I hear you protest – “But I just had my paradigms rotated last month”, “these paradigms were meant to be good for at least 3,000 miles”.

I love the old school. But only when it is truly recognised as old school.

In fact if you are still rockin’ old school like it’s new school then you are not old school at all you are instead a roadblock to the purpose of God.

…

A little strong Dave?

- Tell that to Peter and his paradigm shifting food experience which paved the way for the salvation of Gentiles (Acts 10:9-23)

- Tell that to the children of Israel who walked the desert for a few years longer than they had to because they couldn’t quite get their heads around this God who provided for them everything they needed.

- Tell that to your senior Pastor when you suddenly become a pain in the butt, dragging your inability to change around like a wet blanket when a change in direction calls for all leaders to stand up and say, “Ah, we’re going this way… let’s go!”

Some of the questions, some of the methods, some of the answers that were relevant in your old paradigm are completely irrelevant now.

Deal with it, or get out of the way for someone who can.

P.S. Working with children and young people takes the MOST flexible leadership in the Church. Hope it’s you

I have given myself a challenge for the next 26 days – post the complete A-Z of Ministry to Children.

N… Naughty, nice, nothing, nautilus, numbers…

N is for New -  Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth (Ps 96:1). It has been said the the only constant thing in life is change, and the reality of the time we live in is that change is speeding up.

The thing that drives a lot of this rapid change comes down to the bottom line… money. It’s capitalism all the way down.

Fashion is a great way to gauge how fast society has changed. It wasn’t really until the 1900′s that fashion trends began to emerge more rapidly, so now we see trends that might have lasted for years have a cycle of a single season.

I often (well once, when shopping with my wife) wonder if a few hundred years ago a dressmaker could make the same style of dress her whole life and still be trendsetting?

We don’t have the same pressures on us in Church life, so what is driving us to change and innovate the most important institution on earth?

For me the answer is leadership.

Leaders with vision and foresight. Leaders who see the call of God as too important to ever settle and coast alone. Leaders who hate the status quo and dream of ways to move beyond it. Just like stand-up comedians who consider a show wasted unless they at least try out a few new jokes in their set, ensure you are trying new things every event and ministry opportunity.

I have given myself a challenge for the next 26 days – post the complete A-Z of Ministry to Children.

M… monkey, miracle, mountain, miffed, moro…

M is for Mystery – The universe is pretty big, and with all that science has figured out I wonder if we have even scratched the surface of our ability to understand reality. So “I don’t know”, is a perfectly good answer for a lot of questions. Obviously not for “Where is the bathroom?”, or “How do I get Tommy out of the roof?”. But for many questions in life there are no answers, only more questions.

God has revealed a few secrets to us: “This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people. For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory” (Col 1:26,27).

But some things God keeps to himself: Deuteronomy 29:29 “The secret things belong unto the LORD…”

My wife watched Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing as a young teenager and then watching years later (I can neither confirm or deny if I watched it as well) suddenly realised she had completely missed the story line involving abortion the first time around. It was there right in front of her face, but she missed it hidden in plain view.

Our kids are certainly not ready to explore every mystery, there is a maturity and understanding that will grow with them. I love a mystery along with every human on earth and I truly believe that some of the mysteries and unanswered questions only help strengthen our faith not weaken it.

In this culture and time, make sure you pass on to your kids the mystery that God has revealed – Christ lives in you. But also the mysteries that make this life of faith an adventure that may forever be unexplained.

I have given myself a challenge for the next 26 days – post the complete A-Z of Ministry to Children.

K… kindness, kids, karate, King Kong…

K is for Kidology – Kidology is the study of kids! The Apostle Paul said he became all things to all men so that they might be reached. If you know the work of Karl Bastian, aka “The Kidologist” you know what I’m talking about. Karl founded Kidology.org and blogs at Kidologist.com and I am going to borrow his phrase for this entry.

Studying human behaviour is a fascinating insight for all pastors and leaders who want to understand just what makes people tick. What helps them to change and grow beyond their current circumstance. You don’t need to be a counsellor to use information like this to help others. A lot can be accomplished in a single conversation if you know what you’re doing.

You and I are immigrants into the world of kids. We are strangers in a foreign land seeking to understand the natives.

Have a sit down with your kids sometime and ask them about their world, find out what their interests are and what their accomplishments are… you will be surprised. When you bring toys to Church, bring your own. Buy a Nintendo DS for yourself, not your kids. Swap Wii games, trade football cards, give away your old stuffed toys. In short, kids love to see that you are interested in what they are interested in.

I am pretty comfortable conversing with a 7 year old, it no longer terrifies me, but there was a time where it seemed we spoke different languages. I needed to study this strange creature in its natural habitat, I needed to understand its strange ways and in time it grew to trust me.

Become a student of children and remember… you used to be one.

I have given myself a challenge for the next 26 days – post the complete A-Z of Ministry to Children.

H… hope, happiness, Harry, highjinks…

H is for House – There are two ‘houses’ in our lives, the ‘house’ of God and our own family. In a NT theology the house of God is the gathering of the Church, and there is always a tension between promoting a works based religion and a relationship with our saviour. Church attendance does not equal salvation, just like living in a garage doesn’t make you a car, just like eating a hamburger doesn’t make you Ronald MacDonald.

But then I began to see how little time we get with our kids as the Church and all the competing activities there are in the life of a family.

Faith without works is dead (James 2:20).

All of the examples I want to follow when it comes to family life just have so much in common, they are passionate about passing faith on to their kids AND live a life of service to their local Church.

If a family would simply model a life of dedicated service, our calling as pastors to children would be infinitely easier and far more powerful, impacting, fruitful and significant!

Just watch this very recent video of Benny Hinn talking about how he neglected his family. The home and the family NEED to work together.

If I lose my family in my pursuit of ‘ministry’, I have lost everything!

A Special Message from Pastor Benny Hinn

I have given myself a challenge for the next 26 days – post the complete A-Z of Ministry to Children.

E… Education, entertainment, Eric, eternal, effervescant…

E is for Encouragement – (I recently wrote a post at the official Hillsong Blog ‘Collected’ about this topic – have a read, but I want to talk about it here as it relates to kids).

I firmly believe that one word of encouragement to a child can literally set in motion the call of God on their life. I still remember the words both positive and negative that we spoken to me as a child about what I was capable of. You as a leader occupy an important place in the mind of a child, you’re not as present as a parent but you are around enough to have a big influence on the kids you minister to, in short, you can be a hero or a zero. Take the opportunity to speak words of life over their future every chance you get.

Research written about in the book NurtureShock has shown that some forms of praise can actually hold children back. Avoid praising children about their natural talent and giftings. eg. “You’re so brainy”, rather praise and encourage their efforts and hard work.

Emphasizing effort gives a child a variable that they can control,” she explains. “They come to see themselves as in control of their success. (Location 376 Kindle Edition)

There is a lot more to be said on this topic, but try it this weekend in your services at Church – watch how many times you encourage kids about innate ability rather than the attempt they have made.

I have given myself a challenge for the next 26 days – post the complete A-Z of Ministry to Children.

D… Doctrine, dynamic, Donald Duck, delusion, darts…

D is for Delegate – I have seen it over and over in our team and in myself. You find yourself with a new volunteer who has a lot of potential to carry great responsibility. But after a few weeks they have faded into the background and either settled or possibly disappeared. Not every leader is going to hop on your ‘bus’, but I find to often brilliant leaders are sitting in the back row when they could be helping you navigate!

The missing ingredient is often authority. You have been great in delegating responsibility, but like a lot of leaders cling onto the authority either because you like to ‘be the boss’ or you don’t trust anyone to ‘do it’ as good as you!

Hey – it used to be that you weren’t as good as you are now and the only reason you are where you are today is because someone took a chance on you.

Heres a simple little procedure to help someone reach their maximum potential:

1. Give them a simple task (very time specific) and follow up on it extremely diligently knowing that in the future you won’t have to be so thorough
2. Thank the person in a big way and ask if there is any way they think we (the team) could do it better.
3. Repeat a few times adding in the important ingredient - authority.
4. If they rise to the challenge they become a leader – simple as that.

(There is a lot more to it than this but you get the idea… simple right?)

Final thoughts from Jim Wideman and his blog series Delegate or die:

Delegation is not an option for those who want to succeed in ministry. But to succeed you must take inventory of where you are. Start small and go from there. I try to recruit my team one worker at a time. Ask yourself and your volunteers, “What do I need to do differently?” What volunteers do you see potential in? Commit to coach volunteers and let them learn by doing. What are you waiting on? Delegate or Die!

I have given myself a challenge for the next 26 days – post the complete A-Z of Ministry to Children.

C… Christ, cooking, craft, cookies, camping…

C is for Culture – Whether we want to accept it, ignore it, or use it–the reality is that our kids are growing up under the influence of a media-saturated culture.

If we refuse to engage young people in biblical discussions about what they’re watching and hearing, we make it easy for them to compartmentalize their faith and put it aside when they move beyond the church walls.

Through discussions that reveal either the gospel’s presence or absence in popular culture, we help young people develop a biblical filter that shines the light of Jesus’ truth on media messages, encourages them to live authentically at school and church, and engages the Holy Spirit’s discernment in their lives.

Knowledge of kids’ culture also enhances our efforts as missionaries within that culture.

I like to USE culture, when you use something you have power over it, you take away fear. I certainly don’t want my kids to be afraid of any forms of media. Book burnings should be left in the past lest they turn into iPad burnings!

Now in an effort to drum up comments… Harry Potter – discuss

(please don’t)

P.S. Hillsong Church now has an official Blog! VIsit Hillsong Collected and read my first post at the site - The Dispenser of Enthusiasm.

I have given myself a challenge for the next 26 days – post the complete A-Z of Ministry to Children.

B… bread, bridge, bands, beginning, Barnabas, Beyonce…

B is for Bible - The potential for an image to convey emotion is very powerful. If I wrote on a wall – “The boy is sad”, any number of images could spring to mind but you probably won’t be overtly moved. If I instead place an image of a African child in despair over the famine he is experiencing… that ‘sad boy’ is far more powerful emotionally.

We need to be aware that it just might be the case that this current generation value images more than the written word, abstract more than the concrete. That’s scary for us logical, linear ‘oldies’ who grew up with ‘books’… but here is the awesome part… Jesus had it all covered way back in the first Century, he taught in pictures, in images, in metaphor. He took the prevalent culture and used it to bring understanding.

In a Image Based culture one of our highest callings is to develop children who love learning, not just kids who are learned. The way WE treat the Bible can have a big impact on that outcome.

The Bible is not a book! That’s JUST the way we have been reading the word of God for a few hundred years. In fact a Bible is useless unless the words have left the book and made their way into the hearts and minds of people. I am not bothered how my son chooses to interact with the BIble… in digital or paper versions it doesn’t really matter, my concern is that he chooses to.

I have given myself a challenge for the next 26 days – post the complete A-Z of Ministry to Children.

This will be neither comprehensive nor incomprehensible… it should fall somewhere in the middle I hope. So let’s start at the very beginning… a very good place to start.

A is for Adults: George Barna’s research has shown that at a typical Protestant church, more than four out of every ten people ministered to during the week are children, yet seven out of every eight ministry dollars are spent on adults. My own research has shown that every 9 out of 10 nagging children will get what they want from a toy store 2 out of every 3 times*. Whatever the stats are, the reality is that without parents… without adults both to volunteer/lead/train/inspire we cannot reach our kids.

If you see adults as the solution, they can become the solution. If you see them as the problem, then they can only become bigger problems.

Family Pastor (usually an adult) is currently the fastest growing new ministry title in the U.S. and this will continue into the next decade, as churches strive to equip and empower parents and work together to reach a generation.

*(Not really, more like 3 out of 4).

Why did I write about ‘US’ for the really cool ebook “What Matters Now?” (download free) released last month.

Why did I choose the word US?

The US I refer to is the Church.

I think that history, as told by God would be very different to history, as told by historians. The Bible doesn’t get too much into the politics of the day, it focuses on what really matters in God’s story. The fact is not everyone is called to be in politics, but everyone is called to be in ‘the Church’.

Compared to a lot of cultures around the world our ‘Western’ culture is massively individualistic. The problem is that strong families do not make for good reality shows or sitcoms, they do not serve up laughs at others expense or the drama of conflict.

Do you make jokes about ‘large’ families? You know, like ‘hey you guys ever heard of television?’.

If children are a blessing from God (they are), Then it follows that they are more blessed than you, right?

Anyway, that’s just one way our cocoon of individuality manifests itself (albeit a subtle one).

I love big families… it’s all so rebellious and counter-cultural!

Ha. We don’t burn bras anymore, we buy minivans!

So don’t just give lip-service to your cries for community, you will probably have to be different (different even to Church folks) to really nail the US thing… and that’s tough for adults… we’ve spent years trying to fit in!

Here is the chapter from the book:

South African Apartheid was not stopped by Nelson Mandela standing alone.

Segregation in the South of the United States was not extinguished by one speech from Martin Luther King, Jr.

It took a lot of passionate people building up a tidal wave of justice to overthrow inequality and prejudice. It’s true that one person can make a difference. In fact, more than ever in history one person can be heard.

Our children need to realize that their individual voices have the potential to be louder than ever before… but volume has never guaranteed influence. When enough voices unite together, a moment happens, a tipping point occurs and a movement emerges. The conversation turns from a lone voice in the wilderness to a crowd in the town square.

A Super Bowl ad is not going redeem a culture that desperately needs God. It will take a generation whose faith is not only personal but grounded in community. Their prayers should be filled with “WE” and “OUR” not just “I” and “MINE”.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has”. (Margaret Mead)

Forget about tradition for a moment. Don’t think ‘but that’s the way we’ve always done it’. Ignore the fact that your Church is probably comfortable with things the way they are.

I want to talk about your bad language.

• You call your kids spaces – Classrooms! – Huh? Do kids really want another day of school?
• Your ministry is called Sunday school! – Wah? Again, why another day of school?
• Kids Church!! – Wha?? Way to reinforce the myth that ministry to kids is separate to the rest of the Church
• Workers! - Man, when I think worker I imagine a coal mine and chimney sweeps.
• What about all the adults in Big Church – I know it’s cute… but seriously, this is not playhouse Disney
• A CRY ROOM?? – For the love of all that is holy!! You know words are powerful right? Why just not call it the unsettled and annoying baby room!

You are not building a Church in the 1950′s, most of us function in a post Christian world where a lot of children have not even heard of Jonah, Moses and all the other stories let alone have any connection to the Christian-speak you use. WOW – take the opportunity and reinvent yourself!!!!

You are also completely missing the cultural impact of branding, by using generic names you mark yourself and your ministry as boring and irrelevant!

Stop it!

A role of the leader is to communicate… sometimes you need to communicate CHANGE… this is one of those times.

In conclusion, corporations spend millions of dollars crafting just the right phrase to communicate their brand and product – why don’t you sit down and spend a few minutes choosing the words that communicate and reinforce the vision and mission of your Church.

Get rid of your BAD LANGUAGE and replace it with helpful/good/inspiring/innovate/interesting language.

Control makes change exciting. Uncontrolled change is unpredictable.

Here’s the thing: We only like change when WE are the one making the change. When we are in control.

I even hate it when I read about a fellow blogger who I may know only from reading their work or sharing comments is changing roles or perhaps Churches. What is that all about?

It’s because I have zero control over the situation.

As a leader you are setting the direction and keeping the team going forward — so when you change something, it’s exciting. In those times (Andy Stanley talks about that moment you realise you the most powerful person in the room), that it is wise to think about the last time your leader changed something and how you felt — maybe out of the loop, or disorientated or even a little worried about the future.

Communicating change means:

1. Communicating the WHY behind the WHAT
2. Taking time to answer the little questions
3. Reinforce the vision
4. Empathise with your team, don’t dismiss it as an easy decision (even if it was for you… remember: you’re in control)
5. Talk about what a blessing the ‘old way’ was to bring them this far
6. Choose your battles — attitude and heart need to fought for, not the colour of the carpet (that will be a much easier change 6 months later)

Wondering about the post title? Just an example of something that should change often

So you want to work for Hillsong Church, perhaps serve with Hillsong Kids at a high level?

I got this idea while reading Beat the Clock by Jim Wideman who filtered out speaking invitations to get rid of tyre kickers.

What kind of person am I looking for to be part of the team?

1. You better bleed/love/fight for the local church – Sure there are plenty of worthy causes out there, but our focus is Church, the one thing Jesus said he would build!
2. Your second mile better be well travelled – Above and beyond should be your local cafe, over-delivery should be your courier company.
3. I love great ideas, I hate great ideas poorly executed! – That is all.
4. You need to understand the devil is in the details – the comma in 1,000 is important! My first question might be “how did the event go?”, my second will be one of the following; “did the church van get returned clean?”, “did our volunteers feel appreciated?”, “how many kids exactly were there?”, “did it grow from last year?”, “what can we improve next time?” etc.
5. Are you committed to the vision of this house? – What’s in your hand right now at this moment in time is as important than what is in your heart for the future.
6. Sure you work hard, but can you holiday hard? – When you take a break… take a break… 8 months of leave owing is not a good sign.
7. I hope you believe that you are more important than the role you perform – Your well being matters, no workaholics/martyrs need apply.
8. Tell me HOW you manage your time – If you can’t clearly explain/define it we gotta problem.
9. The only way you can hope to survive and thrive is with God – Your job/role/task/mission will be more than you can handle, don’t come on expecting your talent/gifting is enough. Forget it, you will need God! (Although you will be a person who wouldn’t have it any other way).
10. Everyday will require you being creative – Everyone is creative, just because your 3rd grade teacher didn’t give you a gold star on your painting of your dog Pedro, and gives it to Tommy Wilkinson instead — doesn’t define your life. You are creative.
11. Expect to be inspected – Hey, if you’re not growing your volunteers probably aren’t.
12. You will have to pay the price – I’m not sure exactly what that will be, but on regular occasions there will come something that will touch your treasure (that’s where your heart is).
13. God will give you the desire of your heart – Tommy Barnett says hold on to a dream for five years, whatever you do — please dream big.
14. Please have a sense of humour – At some point I will make fun of your name or Funny Man Dan will live up to his name. The team that laughs together… will probably laugh at your expense.

I could go on… really I could.

Setting the bar high is very important in ministry. Don’t just accept warm bodies both on Church staff and volunteer teams – sell a vision, one that will require work, the kind of vision YOU would want to be part of.

Sure some of these will seem contradictory – that’s the point. Welcome to life (and life abundant)!