Nick Blevins Family Ministry Podcast: Children | Youth | Students | NextGen

In this episode, I talk with Sherry Surratt, the Executive Director of Family Strategy at Orange, about a year long strategy for partnering with parents. Sherry shares what a 12-month plan looks like practically for your ministry, and previews some of the things Orange is working on to help church leaders in partnering with parents even more effectively.

Sherry Surratt

Connect with Sherry on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Email: [email protected]

Orange

Southeast Christian Church

Links Mentioned in This Episode

MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) – An organization that seeks to celebrate motherhood, connect moms, and equip, encourage, and mentor them. Hosting a MOPS group is a great way for a church to reach young families.

GoWeekly – A resource that helps church leaders connect with their small group leaders and partner with parents every week

• Leader–>Parent: Events, kits, and things to talk about at the dinner table, in the car, or during other naturally occurring moments
• Church–>Parent: The ParentCue connects parents to what their kids learned that week, complete with questions and discussion starters
• Directly–>Parent: Parent Cue Blog, Parent Cue Podcast, and the Parent Cue App

Orange's Social Media Plan for Leaders – Orange‘s weekly social media plans that help leader partner with parents. Posts correspond to the weekly teaching and cue the parent during natural moments like morning time, meal time, drive time, and bedtime.

Just a Phase – A project dedicated to helping parents understand and leverage each phase of their child's life

Phase Guides (books) – Individual books that each focus on a different year and phase of a child's life. These guides are designed to help parents make the most of each phase.

Levels of Partnership With Parents (article) – The different levels of engagement and partnership the church has with parents

Orange Conference 2018 – Orange's annual conference for children, student, and family ministry leaders. Registration opens October 12.

Annual Family Wheel

In this episode, I have a conversation with a student, Micah Fletcher, and his Student Pastor, John Cahill. Micah talks about serving as a student, what his experience has been, what his responsibilities are, and why he does it.  John then shares what he and his team do to empower students to serve.

Micah Fletcher & John Cahill

Connect with Micah on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Connect with John on Facebook or email him at [email protected]

Livingston First United Methodist Church

Links Mentioned in This EpisodeServing as a Student: John's Process

1. Challenge them to be actively involved in a small group and in student ministry
2. Check in with them weekly to see how their lives are going
3. Communicate to them that they are a huge value to your team
4. Affirm and encourage them
5. Empower them to be who God created them to be by helping them find where they can serve most effectively

Action Items

1. Create a development plan for your student volunteers
2. Gather five to ten students who are currently volunteering, and then listen and learn from them
3. Invite 1-2 new students to serve this week

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Leave a rating and a comment in iTunes to let me know how this podcast is helping you and your ministry. Also, let me know how we can make it better!

Next Episode: Sherry Surratt

In the next episode, I talk with Sherry Surratt, the Executive Director of Family Strategy at Orange. Sherry and I talk about a year long strategy for partnering with parents. She shares what a 12-month plan looks like practically, and previews some of the new things Orange is working on to help church leaders partner with parents even more effectively.

In this episode, I talk with Alex Beaverson of Mariners Church. Alex and I have a great conversation about how his team empowers students to serve and lead in high school ministry. He walks through the different volunteer teams they have, and their processes for training and onboarding students. Whether you serve in kids or student ministry, the principles for how to empower students to serve apply across the board.

Alex Beaverson

Connect with Alex on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Mariners Church

Links Mentioned in This Episode

Mariners HSM Instagram

Mariners HSM Facebook

Rooted – A 10 week discipleship curriculum that walks through the basics about faith–who God is, who the Holy Spirit is, tithing, breaking strongholds, etc. Mariners ends each 10 week class with a baptism celebration.

Mariners Church Student Programming

• Win: To help students take a next step in following Jesus
• 1 hour, 15 minutes on Sunday morning
• Student led
• Excellence is valued, especially in music
• Always includes a game that gets students laughing and interacting
• Message is about a topic students want to hear about, and calls them to something more

Timeline

1. Walk in video with a countdown timer playing to a song students hear on the radio
2. Welcome time, led by a student
3. 5 minute game
4. 3 worship songs
5. Story video to introduce the message
6. Message
7. 1 worship song
8. Announcements
9. In-N-Out Burger

Mariners HSM Volunteer Teams

1. First impressions
2. Band
3. Coffee
4. Tech
5. Middle school ministry
6. Kids' ministry
7. Disability ministry
8. Media

Action Items

1. Draw up a plan for how you can empower students to serve in your ministry if they are not already
2. If you have students serving in your ministry, what is the goal you are pushing towards to get more students serving? Create a plan to reach that goal.

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To make sure you never miss a post, hit the subscribe button in iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, or Tune In radio. Keep your friends and co-workers up-to-date as well by sharing it with them via email or social media.

In this episode, I talk with Amber Baker about the Real Colors Personality Test. Amber shares how she uses it with her team, and how they have leveraged it as a tool to help their children’s ministry develop. We also have a great conversation about women in ministry, and some of the barriers she has worked through in her role.

Amber Baker

Connect with Amber on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Email: [email protected]

Grace Church of Glendora

Links Mentioned in This Episode

Real Colors Personality Test

Understanding Your Team's Wiring

1. Gives you common language
2. Allows you to anticipate how team members will respond to something, and know how to communicate with them
3. Gives your team points to talk through and opportunities to understand one another better
4. Helps you decide who to onboard and what your team needs

Men Who Lead With Women in Ministry

1. Be a support to those staff members or volunteers
2. Champion the gifts you see in them
3. Be mindful of the words and verbiage you use

Tips for Women in Ministry

1. Connect with other women in ministry
2. Share and pray together with your spouse concerning this area
3. Find a safe space to process

Action Items

1. Take the Real Colors assessment to help you understand your team's wiring, and discuss it together
2. Learn together about women in ministry and have a conversation about why you believe what you believe

Subscribe | Share | Rate | Comment

To make sure you never miss a post, hit the subscribe button in iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, or Tune In radio. Keep your friends and co-workers up-to-date as well by sharing it with them via email or social media.

Leave a rating and a comment in iTunes to let me know how this podcast is helping you and your ministry. Also, let me know how we can make it better!

Next Episode: Alex Beaverson

In the next episode, I talk with Alex Beaverson of Mariners Church. Alex and I have a great conversation about how they empower students to serve and lead in high school ministry. He walks through the different volunteer teams they have, and the process for training and onboarding them. Whether you serve in kids or student ministry, the principles for empowering students to serve apply across the board.

 

In this episode, I talk with Ellen Stumbo about how to best serve families with individuals who have disabilities. Ellen shares her experience working with churches and her family’s own personal story. We then have a great conversation about key principles surrounding disability ministry, practical ways to put a disability framework in places, and specific ideas that you can apply to better serve the families at your church.

Ellen Stumbo

Connect with Ellen on Facebook

EllenStumbo.com | Facebook | Email: [email protected]

WhyDisabilityMatters.org | Facebook | Email: [email protected]

Links Mentioned in This Episode

JoniAndFriends.org – An organization that is all about advancing disability ministry and changing the church and communities around the world by providing resources, training, and other helpful tools

Beyond Suffering (class) – A course offered by Joni and Friends that helps prepare leaders in ministry, education, medicine, and science to become involved in disability ministry

KeyMinistry.org – An organization dedicated to promoting meaningful connection between churches and families of kids with disabilities for the purpose of making disciples of Jesus

Group KidMin Conference – A conference for children's ministry leaders, happening this fall. Amber will be teaching several breakouts on this topic there.

The Five Stages of Disability Attitudes

1. Ignorance–When you do not recognize that there are a lot of people with disabilities, and you are not aware of the need
2. Pity–When you look at people with disabilities and view their circumstances as tragic, thinking, “Wow, that must be so hard. I'm so glad my kid doesn't have a disability”
3. Care–When you look at people with disabilities and think “I can do something about it”
4. Friendship–When you pursue relationships with people who have disabilities, recognizing that each person has something to give and each person has something to take away
5. Co-laboring–When you recognize that people with disabilities are co-laborers in the kingdom and invaluable members of the body of Christ

Approaches to Disability Ministry

1. Develop a buddy system
2. Create a sensory room (Consider including low lights, a lycra or platform swing, fiber optics, squishy toys, a rocking chair, a rocking board, a crash pad, different textures. fidget toys, little cushions filled with air, and a tent in the corner)
3. Build a small group model where each group adopts a family with disabilities

Action Items

1. Determine what stage your church is at in the five stages of disability attitudes
2. Decide one step you can take to move to the next level as a church, when it comes to serving famili

In this episode, I talk with Joe Crabb of Woodside Bible Church about student ministry and youth ministry in the summer. Typically, youth ministry takes a break during the summer when students are off from school. However, Joe and his team have decided to leverage that time and lean in during the season when students have the most free time. We have a great conversation about what it looks like to practically plan and execute that strategy, and the vision behind it.

Joe Crabb

Connect with Joe on Twitter and Instagram

Email: [email protected]

JoeCrabb.com

Woodside Bible Church

Links Mentioned in This Episode

Woodside Students Summer Game Plan – An overview of Woodside's strategy for youth ministry in the summer with specific event and structural details

Oasis Summer 2017 SGL Brief – The document that Woodside distributes to its middle school small group leaders, outlining all of summer programming

Wake Summer 2017 SGL Brief – The document that Woodside distributes to its high school small group leaders, outlining all of summer programming

What Does “Alignment” look Like in the Summer? (blog post) – Joe walks through summer programming details and talks about the alignment between campuses that occurs, as well as the ownership given to each campus during this season

What Does Small Group Leader Commitment Look Like? (blog post) – Check out Joe's thoughts on the new commitment his church is asking small group leaders to make because of their different approach to summer

Episode 14: EJ Swanson on Teaching Students and Leading NextGen (podcast) – EJ shares what he has learned when it comes to teaching and discipling students, and what he's learned leading NextGen across twelve campuses

Youth Ministry in the Summer: Hype, Service, and Relationships

1. Text message devotional
2. Begin social media campaign: Every Monday, students are asked to repost or use a certain hashtag. The school and grade with the most shares receives frozen yogurt, doughnuts, or snowcones
3. Throw a block party on the last day of school with gaga ball tournaments, trophies, bubble soccer, and more fun
4. Meet up at a restaurant once a week for Tasty Thursdays
5. Mission trips launch mid-summer and students serve in the community, as well as at the church's kids' camp
6. End the summer with an emphasis on building relationships and preparing students for small groups in the fall

Woodside Youth Ministry During the Rest of the Year

• Runs September-May
• Middle school meets Wednesday evenings and high school meets Thursday evenings
• Sm

In this episode, I talk with Frank Bealer–the Executive Director of Leadership Development at Orange, and the CEO of their new Phase Family Centers. Frank and I talk about his new book, The Myth of Balance, in which he shows that you can't balance family and ministry life. However, you can pursue health in both areas. In this book, he shares the freedom you gain in overcoming the myth that you can balance family and ministry, and tools and tips he has found helpful along the way. He also talks about some new things Orange is doing for leadership development, and resources they are producing to help leaders like us grow. Finally, he shares some exciting news about Orange’s new project: the Phase Family Centers.  If you’d like to check out Frank’s first interview on the podcast, where we talked about empowering volunteers, listen to Episode 2 right here.

Frank Bealer

Connect with Frank on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

MythofBalance.com

Orange

Win a FREE Copy of The Myth of Balance

Like @nickblevinsblog on Facebook, and I'll pick 5 people from that page this week to receive FREE copies of The Myth of Balance!

Links Mentioned in This Episode

The Myth of Balance Workshop Series – Beginning July 10, join Frank for an 8-week workshop as he guides you through each chapter of the book, hosts Q&A's, fosters group conversations, and gives practical resources

Creativity Inc (book) – Ed Catmull, the co-founder of Pixar Animation Studios, shares key principles about creativity in business and leadership

You Lead Coaching – An initiative dedicated to coaching leaders via themed teaching, discussion groups, and projects within their own churches and organizations

New Resources from Orange

1. You Lead Coaching
2. Orange Leaders Blog
3. Think Orange Podcast
4. New Parent Cue App
5. Preteen Curriculum (coming soon)
6. Revamping kids' curriculum (coming soon)
7. Worship resource (coming soon)

Action Items

1. Let go of the myth that you can balance family and ministry
2. Get

In this episode, I talk with Gabe Boucher from Worlds of Wow. Gabe and I talk about what their organization does to create irresistible environments for kids, students, and churches overall. We have a great conversation about their process, what the outcome looks like, and cost. Then, he shares some practical tips for engaging families and creating welcoming environments.

Gabe Boucher

Connect with Gabe on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

WorldsofWow.com

Connect with Worlds of Wow on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Phone Number: 9407654708

Links Mentioned in This EpisodeWorlds of Wow Online Information Guide – A glance at everything you need to know about Worlds of Wow and what they offer to help you in creating irresistible environmentsWorlds of Wow Partnership – A video that walks you through what it looks like to partner with Worlds of WowWorlds of Wow Partnership Process – This document explains the eight-step process of a church partnering with Worlds of Wow

What This Kingdom-Minded Business Is Doing to Reach Children for Christ (Article) – Ministry Today shares their thoughts on the why behind this organization, what Worlds of Wow is doing in churches, and the impact creating irresistible environments can have

PhotosCompleted Projects | Signage | Indoor Play Areas | Themed Play Units | Student MinistryCreating Irresistible Environments: A Few Tips

In this episode, I talk with Tomy Cummins of Woodmen Valley Chapel. Tomy and I dive into what youth ministry trips look like at his church, from planning and fundraising, to details of where students are going and the mission work they are doing. He also shares what his team has done to help create a great volunteer culture, and walks through what their student programming looks like throughout the year.

Tomy Cummins

Connect with Tomy on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Email: [email protected]

Woodmen Valley Chapel

Links Mentioned in This Episode

Josiah Venture – A missionary organization that partners with the local church to transform society in Central and Eastern Europe

Compassion International – A ministry that seeks to release children from poverty through child sponsorship and other missionary work

Cure International – An organization that serves children born with physical disabilities

ManagedMissions.com – Software designed to help churches organize short term mission trips

Growing Young (book)– Dr. Kara Powell, Jake Mulder, and Brad Griffin dive into the six essential strategies that help churches reach young people and create churches they love to attend

When Relationships Matter (book) – Reggie Joiner, Kristen Ivy, and Elle Campbell share strategies, best practices, training tips, and real-life stories that will help you create an effective small group culture at your church

Youth Ministry Trips: Woodmen's Annual 3

1. Estonia: Partner with Josiah Venture to do English camps
2. Peru: Partner with Compassion International to do service projects, clean-up projects, and building projects
3. Kenya: Partner with Cure International to serve kids born with physical deformities

Youth Ministry Trips: Woodmen's Fundraising

1. Students learn to write letters for support
2. Host huge bake sale
3. Sell themed baskets
4. Students fundraise with local grocery stores and other businesses, selling goods that they receive a certain amount for
5. Student ministry partners with senior adults in the church, pointing them to students for jobs around their homes

Youth Ministry Trips: Woodmen's Process

1. October info meeting
2. Close sign-ups December 1st
3. First team meetings in January
4. Six team meetings filled with paperwork, team building. country and trip-specific training, and testimony training

5 Volunteer Culture Statements

1. We are warm

In this episode, I talk with Will Hutcherson of NextLevel Church in Fort Meyers, FL. Will and I talk about clarifying the win for family engagement and their five-part strategy for partnering with parents. He shares a lot of practical things they have done to simplify and maximize this strategy, and what it looks like all throughout the year.

Will Hutcherson

Connect with Will on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Email: [email protected]

NextLevel Church

Links Mentioned in This Episode

Parent Survey from Will

Orange – An organization that values the church and parents coming together to make a lasting impact on the next generation by providing curriculum and resources for both parties

Just a Phase – A project by Orange that helps parents understand how to win at each phase in their kid or student's life

Parent Ministry – An organization that comes alongside the church and helps them know how to partner with parents

Champion Tribes – A resource that helps busy dads connect with their sons in unique and life-changing ways

Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters (book) – Dr. Meg Meeker talks about why the father-daughter relationship is crucial and shares ten secrets every dad should know

13 Reasons Why – How Do We Respond as Parents? (Article) – A blog post to help parents know what conversations to have with their kids and students about this new Netflix show

Partnering With Parents: 5 Part Strategy

1. Celebrate major milestones
2. Reactivate felt needs
3. Connect parents with each other
4. Resource parents when they need it and create a bridge between the small group leader and parent
5. Cue weekly

Partnering With Parents: Developing a Strategy

1. Survey parents
2. Ask: If we could do anything, what would we do
3. Consider current resources–people, money, and organizational energy
4. Create a plan
5. Present it to key leaders
6. Launch and then begin to automate/delegate

Action Items

1. Clarify the win for parent partnership at your church
2. Evaluate what you are currently doing to partner with parents
3. Brainstorm ideas for partnering with parents with some key leaders at your church, and then map out a plan for the next year
4. Partner with small groups or adult ministries at your church to help connect parents with other parents

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