Administration Zone

Phrases that everyone should refrain from saying in front of any Children's Pastor.

Need some new workers in your children's minsitry? (Who doesn't?!?) Here are a variety of recruiting ideas compiled by the Kidologist.

If you want your application to stand out from the rest of the pack, the key may be found in writing a great cover letter. This article examines what people are looking for and how to best write a letter that reflects the real you.

The interview is often the key event that determines whether a candidate moves on in the ministry calling process. This article will present several suggestions that can improve how you present yourself in an interview.

A tool for allowing parents and leaders to evaluate your children's ministry.

This is the code used in the Awesome Adventure Discipleship Series that you can use to write your own notes in the code.

These are the Kidologist's workshop notes for his workshop on developing a team of 5-6th Graders to help run children's church.

You went into children’s ministry because you love working with kids, but the ‘higher up’ you get in leadership, the less it seems you get to minister directly to children. Learn how to continue to make a personal impact on many children so that you are as much a shepherd of children as you are an administrator of children.

What the Kidologist, Karl Bastian, suggests as the "Top Ten" books, websites, and events for children's ministry leaders.

In the busyness of life and ministry, don't forget your Primary Objectives, because one thing is for sure: your Enemy won't.

Looking for church policies to ensure "Child Safety" in the church? The Kidologist has done extensive research on this and offers his findings and his manual for his church.

Every children's ministry needs a gifted leader who is able lead by coaching. He or she is able to call the plays that mobilize a team or class full of children to meet a goal.

Are "FIC" (Family Integrated Churches) really better? Or are we merely trading one ineffective extreme for another?

Some advice on planning an all-nighter!

These are the workshop notes and additional details from the workshop that the Kidologist taught at the Children's Pastor's Conference in Nashville and San Diego in 2001.

These lessons are part of a four week class that Pastor Karl does annually at his church. The lessons cover Salvation, Baptism, Communion and Discipleship.

Here is a list of compnies and websites that sell puppets and puppet equipment. A valuable resource!

This is a sample of a year-end interview form to use with teachers at the end of the year.

This is a guide on how to prepare a written salvation testimony with the Kidologist's as a sample. Written for kids, but good for all ages. See the PDF for printing and the sample.

this is a children's ministry promotional peice from my church that is requested whenever I mention it at conferences. You are welcome to adapt the idea for your own church.

On my palm pilot I keep a simple file I use for self-evaluation. It is posted here because it is requested often after I mention it in workshops.

Kidology takes a look at DiscipleLand curriculum in this Kidology Spotlight Ministry Resource, a ministry we believe deserves a closer look by leaders in the children's ministry marketplace.

When you stress over your ministry, you have taken the ministry away from God and have made it your responsibility to solve its problems.

You can put together a plain 'ol résumé, or you can create one that demonstrates the creativity and effort and zeal that you will put into your ministry once you are hired!

A brief essay about in the trenches leadership, where leaders labor alongside those they lead to execute ministry strategies.

The Kidology Report tackles the "Top 10 Trends in Children's Ministry" that will impact your ministry in the years ahead.

Several people have requested sample children's pastors job descriptions, here are several, plus a sample application for a children's pastor.

This document has been requested repeatedly after I refer to it in workshops, so I am making it available here. It is a statement that I require all workers in my ministry to read and agree to before they are permitted to serve in the Children's Ministry. They are also held accountable by it. Most of the things covered in it are 'common sense,' but I have learned that if they are not stated - they won't always be common sense.

Oftentimes, Pastors call me when they begin looking for a Children’s Pastor. In recent years, those searching for a Children’s Pastor have described their dream person as someone that is “cutting edge.” When I question the prospective pastor as to what he means, I get all kinds of answers. WHAT DOES 'CUTTING EDGE' REALLY MEAN?

What do you bring to the table when it comes to partnering with parents? Maybe it's time to renegotiate your terms.

Some Websites to Keep Current with Kids (in addition to Kidology.org, or course!)

When you allow your children’s ministry to be designated as a “child-care” program, you succumb to secularizing your ministry, which makes it more conducive to a “baby-sitting” service, than a legitimate ministry function that is complimentary to a church.

Ideas for group names

Kidology takes a look at God Rocks! and their Starlight Rescue VBS in this Kidology Spotlight Ministry Resource, a ministry we believe deserves a closer look by leaders in the children's ministry marketplace.

Q and A with the Kidologist! How do you know when a child is ready for baptism? How do you explain the meaning of baptism? How do you make a child's baptism memorable?

I shared this with my workers at are monthly get together. The information is pulled from different sources noted in the notes. Enjoy

The Kidology Report reviews Larry Fowler's book, Rock Solid Kids, and discusses the need for churches to give "Children's Ministry" back to parents.

Here is where to go for craft supplies.

Here are some places to get some great music and song books for kids!

Here is where to go for prizes for your ministry.

Here are some places I have found that have great stories for children's ministry.

Here are some great ideas and sources for videos to use in your ministry.

25 ways to build up a child verbally. Don't always say it the same way. Be creative and vary the ways you build kids up!

Ideas for promoting camp in your children's ministry.

Honest evaluation, although at times painful, maintains the cutting edge on your ministry and your leadership.

Jesus and Technology

A great system for kids picking up name tags.

A great way for teachers to let you know when they need help in the classroom without having to leave the room.

We approached an age old problem, "too few workers so let's draft the parents" with a fresh perspective and got "more than we could ask for" results.

Mark it well, if you are trying to accomplish anything great for God, you will be criticized by those that are doing nothing. Your motives will be questioned; your character may be assaulted. But as leaders, we need to develop the self-confidence and thick skin so to manage criticism constructively.