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

In this episode, we chat with Keturah Boston about ministry to families both online and in-person after her church pivoted for almost two years before regathering after the pandemic. Keturah has years of experience within family ministry and has helped develop a diverse approach to partnering with parents and focusing on getting them back to church.

Keturah Boston

Connect with Keturah on Facebook | Instagram |  Email

Clearstream

Clearstream works with thousands of churches worldwide and integrates with tools your church already uses such as MailChimp, Church Community Builder, Rock RMS, Planning Center, and more. Find out more at Clearstream.io.

Episode Notes

Quote: “Don’t just manage what God intends to multiply.”

Digital Discipleship for kids and families:

• Heavily reliant upon the parents
• Used online curriculum
• MADE IT PERSONAL
• Short intro and a short outro
• Held discipleship loosely
• After stopping Zoom calls, got more intentional about engaging parents through social media
• Just wanted to be “helpful” to families, so they created a landing place for families to have other options for kids who were still home
• Social justice landing page for parents to know how to talk with kids

Partnering with Parents:

• It’s all about them “coming back”
• Welcome and interactions
• Interactions must be intentional
• Every time you see a face you recognize, saying “welcome back”
• Engaging with questions, asking how long they’ve been at church and what their kids are liking about church
• Parent Engagement Nights
• Have student leaders help with events for kids
• Have parents connect with the entire family ministry… not just their kids’ age groups
• Relationships first… measure that!

Action Items

1. Make your online personal – somehow
2. Racial Injustice page
3. Events for parents and diversity of households

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Multiply Ministry Conference – All-Access Pass

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In this episode, I spend time chatting with Kenny Conley about some stats from a survey on staff and volunteer ratios in kidmin and student ministry. Then, we continue the conversation around a new survey just developed to gather new information on the state of staffing and volunteers in churches post-pandemic.

Kenny Conley

Connect with Kenny on Facebook | Instagram |  Website

Clearstream

Clearstream works with thousands of churches worldwide and integrates with tools your church already uses such as MailChimp, Church Community Builder, Rock RMS, Planning Center, and more. Find out more at Clearstream.io.

Episode Notes

Key comparisons between the NEW and the OLD survey:

• This is not about what’s “right” or “better”, but it is about seeing where other churches are around similar size

Average church from the original survey:

• Children’s Ministry – a ratio of one full-time staff member for every 98 kids (1:98 or full-time equivalent – FTE)
• Youth Ministry – 1:51
  ***It’s not about the number of staff, but how many hours of staff

Average ratio for volunteers:

• Children's Ministry – 4 volunteers to every 5 kids (4:5)
  • These volunteers, however, did not serve every week
• Youth Ministry – one volunteer for every 5 students (1:5)
• It’s not about the number of volunteers as much as it is about whether or not the ministry is adequately and efficiently staffed for each weekend

***The new survey results will include info regarding post-COVID ministry, how Saturday or mid-week services affect staffing, what digital ministry looks like for churches, and much more.

Action Items

1. Take the survey
2. Take the survey (book call)
3. Take the survey (talk with leadership)

Ministry Boost Coaching is back!

Click here to check out the amazing benefits of coaching groups with Ministry Boost.

Multiply Ministry Conference – All-Access Pass

Click here to get the All-Access Pass to get access to the Multiply Ministry Conference replays of every main session and breakout. Over 30 sessions of content about empowering volunteers.

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In this episode, Ashley Bohinc gives some practical and applicable practices to implement around communicating with middle schoolers. Ashley shares several key points from her new book which is focused on this topic and directs us toward some free resources to help leaders get better in this lane of ministry.

Ashley Bohinc

Connect with Ashley on Instagram  |  Facebook  |  Website

Clearstream

Clearstream works with thousands of churches worldwide and integrates with tools your church already uses such as MailChimp, Church Community Builder, Rock RMS, Planning Center, and more. Find out more at Clearstream.io.

Episode Notes

What do people need to know and understand about middle schoolers before they begin communicating?

• Who we are talking to should change the way it's presented
• Know them developmentally AND culturally
  • Culturally – the way they communicate with one another, and what things capture their attention within culture
  • Developmentally – they way they are changing physically, emotionally,
• Surround yourself with people who are culturally in the trenches with middle schoolers

How do you develop content for middle schoolers?

• Take time – organize your thoughts – see them play out before you present
• Develop the “pieces”
  • Connect the dots
  • Make the clear transitions
  • Scriptures: the breakdown of the words, explanation of the content/context, making abstract ideas more tangible
  • Think about the sequence of learning (is that the next question they are thinking about)
  • Do you need to read the entire passage? Can you summarize the content and only read key verses?

When you communicate, how do you keep their attention?

• Expectation is everything
• It's a lot like bull-riding; when you fight the movement of the bull, you don't stay on as long, but if you surrender to the movement, you will last the full 8-seconds
  • It's more of an art than it is a science
  • What works for someone else may not work for you
• Plan for them to TALK at some point
• Keep their interest by keeping them involved
• Use “re-engaging” techniques

How do you get others involved in the process?

• Build a teaching team and a feedback team
• Find people who are passionate about middle schoolers, not just passionate about “teaching”
• Recruit people with different learning/communicating styles

Action Items

1. Read the book with a team
2. Start message run through / debrief process

In this episode, I am joined by Carl Barnhill and Jason Noble to discuss digital media within children's ministry as well as some tips, tricks, and best practices within a digital strategy. Carl and Jason curate and provide resources through multiple sites including 1230kids.com and TwelveThirty.media.

Carl Barnhill & Jason Noble

Connect with Carl and Jason on these websites: 1230Kids  | TwelveThirty Media

Clearstream

Clearstream works with thousands of churches worldwide and integrates with tools your church already uses such as MailChimp, Church Community Builder, Rock RMS, Planning Center, and more. Find out more at Clearstream.io.

Episode Notes

Struggles for kid's ministry leaders and what has changed:

• A search for what to do in the “new normal” after COVID
• How to reach kids and families
• Finding digital solutions and media
  • Teaching/Lead Pastors only need the media
  • Kid's ministry leaders need curriculum and media
  • Volunteers need support
• Leaders are tired and worn out
  • Looking for plug-n-play solutions
• How to do ministry moving forward
  • Discipleship for kids

What should online kids' ministry look like?

• People are hungry for connection and relationship
  • This will trump whatever is online
• Promote family time
• Promote a strong relationship for each kid with another caring adult
• Plan to have both an in-person and an online experience (not as a replacement, but something to take them further)

Most important equipment to invest in?

• Dedicated iMac computer (new or refurbished)
• Suite license to a presentation software (Media Shout or ProPresenter are options)
• TVs to present on (but if you can't do that, then a projector works)

Action Items

1. Check out 1230 Kids and TwelveThirty Media
2. Evaluate your digital strategy
3. Streamline your digital process – with the right gear

Ministry Boost Coaching is back!

Click here to check out the amazing benefits of coaching groups with Ministry Boost.

Multiply Ministry Conference – All-Access Pas

In this episode, Tony Kummer joins us to share some results and statistics from a survey distributed to smaller churches throughout the country, helping give us a sense of what the average-size church is experiencing post-COVID. Tony also shares about a couple of ministries he operates to help serve smaller churches that operate on small children's ministry budgets.

Tony Kummer

Connect with Tony on his websites: Ministry to Children  |  Sunday School Store  |  Sunday School Works

Clearstream

Clearstream works with thousands of churches worldwide and integrates with tools your church already uses such as MailChimp, Church Community Builder, Rock RMS, Planning Center, and more. Find out more at Clearstream.io.

Episode Notes

Children’s Ministry attendance and stats:

• Basic results from the survey – just to see how things are going 2 years post-COVID
  • 1200 responses
  • Are you meeting in person – 12% are still not in-person
  • How many kids part of the ministry – 87% have less than 50 kids
  • Just under 10% are seeing more kids
  • 52% are seeing fewer kids
  • 38% same amount
• **One key factor: Family life is built around routine… so once that is broken, it’s hard for families to stay connected

Action Items

1. Check out the survey – how does your church compare?
2. Check out sundayschool.store
3. Check out The Unstuck Group Quarterly Report

Ministry Boost Coaching is back!

Click here to check out the amazing benefits of coaching groups with Ministry Boost.

Multiply Ministry Conference – All-Access Pass

Click here to get the All-Access Pass to get access to the Multiply Ministry Conference replays of every main session and breakout. Over 30 sessions of content about empowering volunteers.

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In this episode, Vance Martin from the Slingshot Group helps reveal some details on the current state of children's and youth ministry staffing within the local church. Vance also provides some observations on how the church today can prepare young leaders to move into ministry roles in the future.

Vance Martin

Connect with Vance on Email | Website

Clearstream

Clearstream works with thousands of churches worldwide and integrates with tools your church already uses such as MailChimp, Church Community Builder, Rock RMS, Planning Center, and more. Find out more at Clearstream.io.

Episode Notes

Some observations on the state of ministry staffing:

• Calling has become much more fluid
  • Older millennials and younger Gen Xers are walking away from ministry (1500 pastors a month)
  • Finding fulfillment doing other jobs and just volunteering in the local church
• Great need, but so many dropping off
• Where are ministry leaders coming from?
  • 90% of student pastors went to a church camp and felt a calling
  • 90% of kid's pastors/ministers were “tapped” on the shoulder and felt a calling after helping fill a need
    • and of these, the majority cannot make a nationwide move because they are not the primary bread-winner
  • 90% of NextGen/Family Ministry leads were previously a Kid's or Youth Pastor
• Many churches are beginning to bump up the salaries of kid's pastors
• The local church is both the problem and the solution for the current leadership pipeline
  • Huge need for developing young leaders, preparing them to leave and take on ministry roles somewhere else
• **If we aren't careful, we will become caretakers of a program instead of a cultivator of people.
• The question for ministry leaders should not be “where should I go?” but should be “who should I become?”

Action Items

1. Look in the mirror – where does God want you? (who?)
2. Develop young leaders with an eye toward vocational ministry
3. Consider Slingshot

Ministry Boost Coaching is back!

Click here to check out the amazing benefits of coaching groups with Ministry Boost.

Multiply Ministry Conference – All-Access Pass

Click here to get the All-Access Pass to get access to the Multiply Ministry Conference replays of every main session and breakout. Over 30 sessions of content about empowering v

In this episode, Tom Bump brings some practical ways to find renewal as a ministry leader and some insights on what to look for. Tom has decades of experience in church ministry and now helps leaders navigate the hills and valleys of ministry.

Tom Bump

Connect with Tom on Instagram | Facebook | Website

Clearstream

Clearstream works with thousands of churches worldwide and integrates with tools your church already uses such as MailChimp, Church Community Builder, Rock RMS, Planning Center, and more. Find out more at Clearstream.io.

Episode Notes

Some insights on the need for finding renewal:

• A small sample size identified as being overwhelmed, stressed, or burnt-out
  • • 75-85% of Ministry leaders say they are burned out
    • 80% say they may not be in ministry in 10 years
    • 80% of leaders say ministry has a negative effect on them and their families
• A large number of ministry leaders are considering stepping out of local church ministry
• There is also a void with new leaders due to fewer people attending college and seminary

What if I am experiencing this type of stress?

• When you are going into a valley season, it will never look the same; but there are some principles that won't change
  • • Don't walk through it alone; find someone you trust
    • Keep your head and heart open
• This season may not look like what you thought it should look like
• Some of the best seasons of ministry won't be while you're on a mountain, but while you're in a valley
• Stop thinking of changing job positions or roles as a “bad thing”

Action Items

1. Who can journey with you? Ask them.
2. Read something – Tom labeled multiple books + his new book
3. Check out restoringleaders.org

Ministry Boost Coaching is back!

Click here to check out the amazing benefits of coaching groups with Ministry Boost.

Multiply Ministry Conference – All-Access Pass

Click here to get the All-Access Pass to get access to the Multiply Ministry Conference replays of every main session and breakout. Over 30 sessions of content about empowering volunteers.

Get Exclusive Content from this Week's Episode

Use the form below to subscribe to my email list where you’ll get an email each Tuesday when a new podcast comes out. That email will also include something exclusive related to the podcast that’s not found in the post or in the episode.

In this episode, Clay Scroggins helps share some helpful tips for approaching the future of leadership within the church and the changes that will come. He also shares about his new book and some leadership principles that have shifted in recent years.

Clay Scroggins

Connect with Clay on Twitter | Instagram | Website

Clearstream

Clearstream works with thousands of churches worldwide and integrates with tools your church already uses such as MailChimp, Church Community Builder, Rock RMS, Planning Center, and more. Find out more at Clearstream.io.

Episode Notes

Some insights on leadership:

• Great leaders have extended trust before just demanding trust
• It's not about old versus new – it's about everyone getting better together
• Conflict has always been a part of relationships, but we are going to have to become more mature about handling more conflict in better ways
  • 4 A's – Affirm, Ask, Acknowledge, Advise

• Flexibility and convenience
  • Ex: before setting a meeting, consider what type of meeting you want it to be and what you want to accomplish
  • Being intentional about scheduling things with leaders/volunteers without requiring them to be somewhere (think digital)
• Vulnerability
  • Being able to say “I don't know”
  • Accept that other people may know more than you and be open to feedback

Action Items

1. Get the book (The Aspiring Leader's Guide to the Future)
2. Use the conflict framework
3. Work on one idea a month

Ministry Boost Coaching is back!

Click here to check out the amazing benefits of coaching groups with Ministry Boost.

Multiply Ministry Conference – All-Access Pass

Click here to get the All-Access Pass to get access to the Multiply Ministry Conference replays of every main session and breakout. Over 30 sessions of content about empowering volunteers.

Get Exclusive Content from this Week's Episode

Use the form below to subscribe to my email list where you’ll get an email each Tuesday when a new podcast comes out. That email will also include something exclusive related to the podcast that’s not found in the post or in the episode.

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In this episode, I speak with my friend Matt McKee, one of the leading voices on the topic of online safety for kids and parenting within a tech world. Matt also shares some practical principles and mindset shifts in regard to technology and helps clarify some goals for parents who have questions about boundaries with technology.

Matt McKee

Connect with Matt on Twitter | Instagram | Website

Clearstream

Clearstream works with thousands of churches worldwide and integrates with tools your church already uses such as MailChimp, Church Community Builder, Rock RMS, Planning Center, and more. Find out more at Clearstream.io.

Episode Notes

Parenting in a Tech World

• Number one question/fear of most parents = What do I do with my kid and technology?
• Goal: Helping make kids good digital citizens no matter what is out there
• Parents/families don’t have to be experts in a specific technology, but we must learn how to ask “how does it work” or “can you teach me how…”

A couple of principles to help:

• Stop asking “how much time should they spend on the device” and start asking “what is the purpose of them spending time on the device”?
  • • Ex: One hour of Youtube… What’s the purpose? (consumption vs. creation)
• Some purposes to rally behind:
  • • Create
    • Collect
    • Compete
• Build a relationship with your kids around technology

Info on Bark:

• Artificial Intelligence operating inside of programs
• Allows kids to make minor mistakes online, but with the filters to screen content
• Helps give some intelligence and data for parents to better understand how technology is being used

Action Items

1. Get the book and course
2. Create a plan to share it with your church
3. Check out Bark – for you (if you're a parent) and church

**BONUS: If you plan on attending the Orange Conference, use the discount code BLEVINSPOD to receive 10% off tickets

Ministry Boost Coaching is back!

Click here to check out the amazing benefits of coaching groups with Ministry Boost.

Multiply Ministry Conference – All-Access Pass

Click here to get the All-Access Pass to get access to the Multiply Ministry Conference replays of every main session and breakout. Over 30 sessions of content about empowering volunteers.

Get Exclusive Content from th

In this episode, Chris Sasser shares insights from his new book and gives some brief but helpful examples for parents to lighten the load for their kids. Chris has been leading within family ministry for just over thirty years and has developed a unique and powerful partnership with parents within his community in Wilmington, NC.

Chris Sasser

Connect with Chris on Facebook | Instagram | Website

Clearstream

Clearstream works with thousands of churches worldwide and integrates with tools your church already uses such as MailChimp, Church Community Builder, Rock RMS, Planning Center, and more. Find out more at Clearstream.io.

Episode Notes

Partnering with parents is absolutely critical — but a WHOLE family ministry — kids, teenagers, AND parents

Overarching thoughts about BAGS:

• Parents prefer connection over content
• Lots of resources about “unpacking” baggage, but nothing about “preventing” the packing of bags
• Kids collect baggage that takes them a lifetime to unpack to be spiritually, emotionally, and relationally healthy – this is about equipping parents to lighten the load
• Example:
  • Relational Bag – kids develop a sadness around key relationships in their lives (“I love my ____, but”)
    • Parents
      • Time and attention
      • Grace
      • Display humility
      • Help them build healthy friendships
      • Avoid comparisons
      • Be emotionally mature

Action Items

1. Get the book
2. Check out the parent network – try ONE thing
3. Host a parent focus group
   

**BONUS: If you plan on attending the Orange Conference, use the discount code BLEVINSPOD to receive 10% off tickets

Ministry Boost Coaching is back!

Click here to check out the amazing benefits of coaching groups with Ministry Boost.

Multiply Ministry Conference – All-Access Pass

Click here to get the All-Access Pass to get access to the Multiply Ministry Conference replays of every main session and breakout. Over 30 sessions of content about empowering volunteers.

Get Exclusive Content from this Week's Episode

Use the form below to subscribe to my email list where you’ll get an email each Tuesday when a new podcast comes out. That email will also include something exclusive related to the podcast that’s not found in the post or in the episode.