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

In this episode, Josh takes time to cast some vision about leading volunteers and how recruiting is an avenue for discipleship. Josh also talks about Kidmin Science and his experience within schools and churches sharing about faith and character.

Josh Denhart

Connect with Josh through Instagram | Facebook | Podcast

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

Notes Coming Soon!

Action Items

1. Check out LeadVolunteers
2. Make 5 recruiting calls
3. Digital training – TrainedUp

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Special Sponsor: Clearstream

This episode is sponsored by Clearstream. Clearstream.io 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. You can get started on a free-trial, and if you're with a new church plant under 1 year old can use Clearstream free for 12 months.

In this episode, I talk with TJ McConohay about the things that helped grow a student ministry beyond 10% of the overall attendance in his church. He also shares some best practices for connecting with youth through social media and how to increase attendance through specific incentives and events.

TJ McConohay

Connect with TJ through Instagram | Facebook | Podcast

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

Thoughts on relational and pastoral leadership that builds trust:

• Let youth stay as long as they want after service
• Be prepared to stick around for the kids who “need” a place
• Recruit volunteers who will stick with you

Thoughts on the programming for youth ministry:

• Program is not above anything
• Program is only as good as the people you have trust in
• Don't get married to programs (because the relational aspect changes as culture changes)
• Good coaches lead based on the team they have, not constantly changing their team to fit their system/program
  • Start with the students, then build the program

What do you point to as the biggest reasons the youth grew above 10%?

• Don't get insecure about the numbers… everyone should look at the numbers
  • What are numbers? Numbers are accountability
  • Not all growth is healthy
  • Some growth is toxic
  • Hold yourself accountable to the numbers
  • Don't get insecure with down nights, and don't become inflated with big nights
• Understand that your ministry/church is constantly changing
  • You should know where your “healthy” range is (by percentage)
• Attendance drives
  • A few times a year, incentivize numbers/attendance
  • Offer a special night based on an attendance record
  • Plan for them during natural dips/events throughout the year

Thoughts on ministering to students through social media:

• Mindset: connect with kids even if they don't attend the youth ministry
• Do not bank on being present on school campuses
• Focus on the power of the invite
• Stop thinking about youth ministry within the walls of the church
  • Don't mention “what was talked about in youth group”
  • Try not to make it exclusive for those who have attended
• IT MUST BE DONE – you must meet them where they live on social media
  • Most teens spend 6 hours a day on a screen
  • Thought: if you knew students spent 6-8 hours at the mall every single day, wouldn't you show up to connect with them?

Action Items

This episode features an interview with Heidi Hensley focused on the topics of volunteer appreciation and new beginnings. Heidi and I chatted pre-pandemic but many of these principles and practices are still valuable and extremely applicable in the church today.

Heidi Hensley

Connect with Heidi through Instagram

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 things did you learn coming into a new church/role?

• No matter how healthy the church/ministry is, transition and change is difficult
• Invited leaders to a round table (“ask me anything” style)
• Find common ground and give teams a voice
• Only changes in the first year were things that could compromise the safety or the message
• Learn the culture first
• Book: The First 90 Days

Talk about Volunteer Appreciation Events:

• Once a year celebration that includes every aspect of children's ministry
• Decided to keep this separate from any type of training
• Created awards for volunteers
• Celebrated why volunteers are needed and why what they do matters

How are training events different from appreciation and how do you get 100% attendance?

• Three scheduled trainings (required to attend at least one)
• Volunteer trainings are mandatory
• Training events are prompt and don't waste time (this produces retention)
• Casting vision for the ministry
• **Reveal new color of volunteer shirt at the Fall training

Keys to great volunteer appreciation:

• Make sure they KNOW it's about them – don't mix training with appreciation
• Make sure it accommodates their family (family BBQ type of event, or childcare available)
• Make sure it can be replicated
• Make sure they see where they have come from… celebrate the growth… celebrate the empowerment
• Sing Happy Birthday – give cupcakes
• Write 5 random “Thank You” notes
• Equip volunteers well
• Never underestimate the value of kind words

Action Items

1. Write 5 notes
2. Hold an event (maybe)
3. Check out

In this episode, Jim and Paul, co-pastors of Preston Trail Community Church reveal the heart behind their church's NextGen strategy and what prompted their book about God's Great Story. Jim and Paul also share some key insights into the success of their relationship as co-pastors.

PB & JJ (Paul Basden & Jim Johnson)

Connect through 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 does your ministry look like?

• Submit to one another out of reverence to Christ… Ephesians 5:21
• Trust each other implicitly – long friendship
• Gifts complement one another (visionary communicator vs. pastor/shepherd)
• Equal competence but different preaching styles
• Strengths cancel out weaknesses
• Unique factors that all work together
• Same theologies, same demos, same passion

How did this new book come about?

• Sermon series: God’s Big Story
• Reasons: presence of biblical illiteracy within much of the church and Christianity; trying to create a resource to help give the foundation of God’s redemptive story
• Doing three versions gives parents a tool to create a curriculum tp talk about God’s arc of redemption within the family and be able to connect with their kids

Talk about your strategy change within the church.

• From Come and See —> Grow and Go
• Pushed ministry outside the four walls of the church – but how do we connect the dots for all of these new attentions apart from the weekend services
• “We want to grow as followers of Jesus so we can go wherever He leads us”

Why do you champion the next generation within the church?

• Frisco demographic – More children birth thru 4 years old living in the local school district than there were all kids K-12th grade
• If we are going to reach the community, we need to reach young families
• Launched the church through Dude Ranch, a kids program geared toward the family while they met in a local school
• Very first value… Think Family
• After so many stories of broken families, realized we needed to focus just as much on marriage as we had been on parenting

Action Items

1. Put the book in front of parents
2. Check out 365discipleship.com
3. Look out for the other versions of the books

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In this episode, Lindsay Felstow from River Valley Church gives a behind-the-scenes look at what kid's ministry a large multi-site church has changed and developed since the pandemic. Lindsay also shares more about the dynamics of their volunteer teams, curriculum, weekend services, and beyond.

Lindsay Felstow

Connect with Lindsay through Instagram | Facebook | 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

What does your ministry look like?

• Blend of Large Group and Small Group, and there is also a “LIVE” program/experience that youth help lead
• Writing their own curriculum for elementary (collaborated between Kid's Pastor writing team)
• Using Life Church curriculum for preschool
• Developed a mix between teaching, fun elements, worship, etc., to post through Youtube

Post-pandemic, what did ministry look like?

• **Started back in-person with Family style services, which included a 5-minute object lesson during the main services
• 6-8 weeks later, started back in kid's environments (with about 1/4 of their volunteer force)
• Currently, about half the size as pre-pandemic
• They are one of the churches that was opened earlier than others, so many new families coming from other churches

How has online ministry changed?

• Developing new strategies
  • worship, games, segments, etc.
• Still thinking creatively to grasp the attention of kids online
• Online content is being used for midweek services for kids

Action Items

1. Collaborate with others for curriculum writing and editing
2. Check out Go Kids on Youtube
3. Evaluate online strategy

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In this episode, Steve Cullum shares his experiences about growing a student ministry in the midst of the pandemic and he gives some practical steps to prepare for this type of growth. Steve also breaks down some of the changes they experimented with to enhance their youth programs.

Steve Cullum

Connect with Steve through Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Podcast

Multiply Ministry Conference

Click here to get your free ticket to this upcoming conference on August 25-26 with Ministry Boost.

Episode Notes

Noticeable trends in Student Ministry

• Junior High was quicker to drop off during the pandemic, especially with virtual communities
• The hand-off from kids' to student ministry was lost in the pandemic
• However, depending on the area of the country, some high school ministries have been outpaced by junior high
• 30-35% of new growth has been due to invites from friends
• The first groups to check out online were the first groups to jump back into on-campus gatherings (longing for in-person connection and community)
• You can virtually attend many churches anytime, but few things replace true relationships

What has really changed?

• Perspective – the WHY question (Why are we doing things this way?)

What do camps look like for you?

• Typically would partner with other churches to do Winter Camps throughout Colorado
• Instead, planned Winter Camp experience on campus, and were at 125% of the number they had the previous year (and planned it 6 weeks out)
• Students all stayed overnight at the church (but with an option for parents to pick up)

Action Items

1. Gather students in smaller groups now during summer
2. Focus on students inviting friends
3. Empower volunteers to own more – Plan for a big launch this fall

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In this episode, my friend Phil Bell gives insight on how to develop a family ministry playbook for partnering with parents. After years within the local church and coaching ministry leaders, Phil has a unique perspective on how these principles can effectively change your family ministry.

Phil Bell

Connect with Phil through Instagram | Twitter | Website

Multiply Ministry Conference

Click here to get your free ticket to this upcoming conference on August 25-26 with Ministry Boost.

Episode Notes

Why have an updated strategy to partner with parents?

• Culture is changing around us (how families live and breathe and interact with the church)
• The makeup of the families change
• Parenting strategies/philosophies changes
• Give updates in the context to improve specific examples

What’s your approach?

• It starts with YOU
• Evaluate what you’re doing
• If God is working in you He can work through you
• Get real honest and build on the foundation of authenticity as leaders — that is what people follow

What are some traps to avoid?

• Focusing on pleasing people
• Building platforms
• Losing devotional lives
• Unhealthy boundaries
• Missing worship and not being fully present

Final Thoughts:

• Listen intently… Listening is active
• Ask the parent… What does it mean for us to partner with you?
• Define what they need
• Given your context, what is the best first step for you?
  • First step… Be captured by the vision of partnering parents

Action Items

1. Get the book
2. Gather a team to implement this with you – staff/vols/parents
3. Talk with and listen to 1 parent this week

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In this episode, Micheal Byrd shares about SignPresenter, a unique way to leverage digital signage for church ministry, and how it already integrates with some wonderful curriculum. This platform and strategy could help save hours of time each week within your ministry.

Micheal Byrd

Connect with Micheal SignPresenter.com or on Facebook.

Multiply Ministry Webinar

Click here to get your free ticket to this upcoming webinar on August 25-26 with Ministry Boost.

Episode NotesWhy digital signage?

• It's already begin used for signage in so many places (restaurants, theatres, etc.)
• Saves time
• SignPresenter originally created using raspberry pie computer systems
• Now it runs fully from Amazon Fire Sticks

How can it be used?

• Not just used for complicated playlists
• Runs curriculum
• Runs playlists that are pre-built
• It automatically updates

How does it work?

• It's broken down by messages, playlists and screens
• There are vertical and horizontal orientation options
• Works with different curriculums

Action Items

1. Check out Ministryboost.org/screens
2. Try one for digital signage
3. Try one for curriculum

Ministry Boost Membership + New Courses

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In this episode, Kristen Ivy, the new President of Orange, explores ideas about how to engage every parent everywhere. While this seems almost impossible, with some key thoughts and the use of technology, it is much more feasible than ever to connect, communicate, cue, and coach parents in our communities. For more info, check out the show notes and the replay of the Engage Every Parent Everywhere Webinar.

Kristen Ivy

Connect with Kristen through her website.

Multiply Ministry Webinar

Click here to get your free ticket to this upcoming webinar on August 25-26 with Ministry Boost.

Episode NotesWhat is new with Orange and ways to engage parents?

• We must think about engaging in both physical and digital spaces
• New updates to the Parent Cue App
  • Strong focus on helping parents have daily faith conversations
  • Integration and customization with individual churches
• New ways to track metrics and data for logins/downloads from families

What would you recommend for church leaders and parents?

• Think about the parent who doesn't come to your church yet
• New marketing materials coming soon for parents both inside and outside the church walls
  • The hope is that it looks like your church created the app specifically for your community
• Simplify by putting everything in one location
• The app is not the ministry; it just exists as a tool to enhance your ministry
• Think about your digital platform as a relational baseline for engagement
  

What about families who may never return to in-person gatherings (or only sporadically)?

• What is your WHY for a family attending in-person?
• Some have legitimate reasons for choosing NOT to attend an in-person gathering
• Have more than one solution for how a parent/child can develop their faith

Action Items

1. Watch the replay of the webinar HERE
2. Check out Parentcueapp.church
3. Create a rollout plan and ongoing plan at your church

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In this episode, Will Hutcherson shares about his new book SEEN which focuses on helping broaden the conversation about the mental health of kids and students. Together with Dr. Chinwé Williams, this new resource sheds light on the newest statistics surrounding this topic and the current state of the next generation.

Will Hutcherson

Connect with Will on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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Episode NotesInitial thoughts about mental health:

• Limit the labels
• A feeling of sadness does not equal depression
• No one is immune to struggling with depression
  • This doesn't mean you don't have faith
• Take steps toward health, just like you would for your heart or eyes
• Connection is key — it has the ability to heal and influence the brain toward healing

How do we set up our ministries to be ministries of connection (to be seen)?

• Consistent training – this must be a first priority
• Showing up – being present (the ministry of presence)
• Make sure they are SEEN – and see beyond the behavior (how they feel)
• Listen (tell me more)
• Speak life
• Build up grit in the next generation
  ***Every kid is one caring adult away from success

Links for Trisha's resources:

• The Seen Book
• Amazon Book link

Action Items

1. Get the book and books – many of them
2. Go through it with your team
3. Make a plan to share this with parents

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