Tag Archives: kidmin

Thinking For A Change

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Some of us haven’t made any changes to the way we approach our ministry in a long time.  If you are still doing ministry the way you were the first year you started, then it’s time to think differently.   “Thinking For A Change” takes some intentional focus.  Here are a couple of thoughts to help you become a better thinker…

How to be a better thinker:

1.    Set aside thinking time.

You will never be a good thinker unless you plan to.  You need to set aside time in your schedule that is distraction-free.  Take the time to think through and pray through all the different strategies you are implementing in ministry.  Ask God to give you a fresh perspective about these strategies.  Some may require tweaking.  Others may require overhaul.  One thing is for sure, you will never “fall into” thinking time.  It has to be scheduled and planned.

2.    Spend time with good thinkers.

Are there some great thinkers in your church?  Maybe they are business people, but God has gifted them with great thinking skills.  Are there Kids Ministers in your area that you respect?  Listen to how they process things.  Analyze the way they attack issues and difficulties.  It will stretch your ability to think.

For example – if you are a bad golfer, you don’t choose to play with guys that are as bad as you.  You know you will never learn anything.  Instead, you try to talk a couple of good golfers to let you tag along their foursome.  You try your best to pick up their habits and approaches.  It’s the same with thinking skills.

Find a good thinker:  ask them what they see, watch who they hang around, they don’t always act like they have the answer.  When they don’t know the answer, they go search and find someone who does.  Do the same thing.

3.    When you are with a good thinker, ask “WHY” they do what they do.

The person who wants to be a doer (task oriented) will ask “what do you do?”  The person who wants to be a learner asks “Why do you do what you do?”  It’s all about knowing what you don’t know.

Who are the thinkers that you can learn from?  Call them or email them this week.  Set up a time to meet with them.  Ask God to guide the conversation.  It’s time to THINK for a change!

New High Voltage Kids Ministry Website Launched!

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You’ve waited patiently, now the moment has arrived!  Get ready for the greatest 48 hours in High Voltage Kids Ministry HISTORY!  Before you head on over to our brand new redesigned website to check out our NEW LOOK, we want to make sure you have all the information you need to take full advantage of the festivities.

There is a very cool video you can check out right on the front page (as well as on the “About Us” page) that we know you will love.  It tells all about who we are and why we exist.  So, now to tell you what’s in it for you…

1)  GET 50% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER

You read that correctly!  All you have to do is place all of the items you wish to purchase in your shopping cart, then input the coupon code “NEWLOOK” in the correct space during checkout.  Make sure you click on the “Apply Coupon” button and doublecheck that your discount has been applied.

This offer is good October 1st and 2nd.  The coupon code will expire at 11:59 PM Pacific Time on October 2nd.

Spread the word via Facebook, Twitter, and e-mail.  We want everyone to know about our new site AND save big money in the process!

2)  REGISTER TO WIN A $500 SHOPPING SPREE!

It’s a new site, so we need all of our customers to register for a new account and password.  We are giving everyone ALL WEEK to register.  Next Monday, we will choose one name from all of the registered users and announce the winner of a $500 SHOPPING SPREE!  You don’t have to make a purchase, just register by clicking here!

3)  REVIEW PRODUCTS TO WIN $100 SHOPPING SPREE!

One of the features we are excited about is the “Customer Review” for each of our products.  We need our potential customers to hear from those of you who have been blessed by the resources so they will know how effective they will be when they purchase them.  All you have to do is click on the “Review This Product” button next to ANY of our online products, write a short review, and submit it.  That’s it! Review as many products as you want (just make sure they are ones you have actually purchased and used)!  

We will choose five reviews at random next Monday and award those people with a $100 SHOPPING SPREE!  Make sure you use your REAL NAME when writing the review.  That way we will definitely know who to reward.  :-)

4)  DON’T MISS THE DEADLINES

Just to recap – the 50% OFF code expires Tuesday Night at 11:59 PM Pacific Time.

You have until next Sunday, October 7th, to register and/or write a review and be entered in the shopping spree drawings.  Thanks for helping us spread the word.  We’d love to hear what you think of the new site.  Shoot us an email at info@highvoltage-kids.com.

Now, if you are still reading this…get on over to the new website!  There’s lots of fun waiting for you!

How Do You Handle Leaders Who Lack Energy?

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Everything can be improved with increased energy.  Nobody wants to hear a song, listen to a lesson, or participate in a class where the leader looks bored, irritated, or wishes they were somewhere else.

If you are a full-time Kidmin Pastor/Leader you know that you have NO EXCUSE not to have energy on Sundays (or whenever ministry takes place for you).  However, some of our Kidmin Volunteers struggle with this.  They work 5 days a week, run like crazy for their families on Saturday, and on Sunday it is tough to have the energy they need to make a great experience for the kids.

If you ever need to encourage your team and help them understand the importance of having energy during ministry time, consider teaching them the following principles:

How To Increase Energy

1.  Realize what’s at stake

SOULS!  We want these kids to see us excited about God’s word, worship, and serving others.  The level of passion we have will determine the level of passion THEY have.

2.  Take responsibility for your own energy

Too many people wait to be pumped up by situations or persons.  Take responsibility for your own energy.  Don’t wait for the right speech from your leader or for someone to “push the right button” for you to get pumped up.

Ben Franklin said, “The quality of your life is your gift to yourself.”

If you wait for someone else to strike up your energy before you do anything, then life will pass you by.

3.  Act your way into feeling

Stephen Covey said, “Right decisions will eventually bring about right emotions.”

Don’t wait until you feel right to do right.  Do right and you will feel right.  “Fake it ‘till you make it!”

Socrates said, “Assume a virtue if you have it not!”  Fake joy is better than genuine depression any day!  A passionate person with limited talent will outperform a passive person who possesses greater talent.

4.  GET ON YOUR KNEES.

The absolute best way to be infused with energy is to spend time on your knees in prayer.  Don’t rely on your own energy, ask God for HIS energy.

“To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.” – Colossians 1:29

When you are accomplishing GOD’S PURPOSE with GOD’S POWER, then you possess true renewable energy.

Are You An Insecure Leader?

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Security is the main ingredient of healthy relationships.  You need healthy relationships with others in order to fulfill the call God has placed on your life.  As a Kids Ministry Leader, your goal is to raise up others to join you in the vision of raising the next generation of life-long followers of Christ.  If you are not secure in who you are and who God has created you to be, you will (consciously or not) poison your relationships with the people God puts around you. 

My pastor, Rod Loy, challenged us last week in our staff meeting to evaluate whether or not we are Secure or Insecure Leaders.  Here is part of a grid he provided for us:

Insecure Leader – when someone else succeeds, they divert credit to themselves

Secure Leader – gives credit away to others.

Insecure Leader – surrounds themselves with weaker people because they have an inner need to be adored

Secure Leader – is comfortable with the strengths of others and surround themselves with strong leaders

Insecure Leader – when evaluating themselves, they only see weaknesses

Secure Leader – they know their weaknesses exist, but they are not crippled by them

Insecure Leader – evaluate by “how do I compare to others?”

Secure Leader – evaluate themselves by “how am I doing right now?”

Insecure Leader – can’t laugh at themselves

Secure Leader – laugh at their mistakes, seeing them as another opportunity to learn

Insecure Leader – resists evaluation (they have inextricably connected their performance with their self-worth)

Secure Leader – embraces evaluation as an opportunity to grow

Insecure Leader – they are very hard on others who make mistakes

Secure Leader – more patient with other people and with their growth process

Insecure Leader – may enjoy success for a season

Secure Leader – will enjoy success for a lifetime

Insecure Leader – says “Blessings are to be enjoyed by me!”

Secure Leader – asks “How many blessings can I share?”

Insecure Leader – produces insecure followers

Secure Leader – produces other secure leaders

So, are you a Secure Leader or an Insecure Leader?  It’s not too late to change course:

1)  Learn to see yourself the way God sees you.

2)  Hang around secure leaders and friends.

3)  Recognize when reactions are based on insecurity.  Retrain yourself away from those reactions.

4)  Ask God to help you become more secure in Him so that you can build a team of Secure Leaders to help you reach this generation and advance the cause of Christ!

The more secure you are, the better leader you will be.

Happy Birthday!

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Today, BRIAN’S BLOG turns 1 year old!  It was on August 1, 2011 that I posted my first “real” post.  Since then, I have watched God do many great things through this.  I have heard from many of the readers of the blog how a post has inspired, challenged, or changed you in some way.  I am very grateful for this opportunity.

My goal has always been to encourage and equip other Kidmin Leaders to increase their capacity to lead their teams, parents, and kids.  I appreciate all of you who are a part of this journey!

Wanna help?  Here are a couple of things you can do to help get the word out…

1)  Leave Comments.  - It doesn’t take long, and they don’t have to be wordy.  When you leave a comment you encourage others, show that you are reading, and help me see which posts are most effective.

2)  Ask A Question.  – When I began this blog, it was my desire to address topics that YOU are interested in – not just share my own thoughts.  I depend on each of you to spark conversation by asking questions about leadership, organization, ministry philosophy, or opinions on hot topics.  You can ask your question by filling out the form on this page of the blog.  If your question is used, you are given a $25 coupon to High Voltage Kids Ministry Web Store.

3)  Share A Post. – When you read something that is helpful, share it.  Click on the Facebook or Twitter SHARE buttons at the bottom of the post and post it to your wall.  This allows us to reach a MUCH bigger audience.  You never know – your friends may subscribe.

4)  Talk about BRIAN’S BLOG (www.briandollar.com)  – On Social Media, in an email, at a networking lunch, or at a conference – talk about BRIAN’S BLOG (briandollar.com) and how it has helped you be a better Kidmin Leader.  Talk about what we’ve learned and discussed.  YOU are the best advertisement this blog could ever get!

To help give you an incentive, I am giving away a free copy of my book, “I Blew It!” to one lucky person who leaves a comment this week.  Winner will be chosen by random draw on August 5th.

Thanks, again, for a great year!  I am so glad that I started this process.  It has been so rewarding for me.  I hope it has and continues to be for you.  God bless!