Simple Kids Ministry

In this training session we break down how to run high quality huddles with your team, and we'll share a five-part formula you can start using this weekend!

QUICK LINKS:

Huddle Notes Template

Simple Kids Ministry

Awana’s president and CEO Matt Markins joins Jeremy to talk about how a 70-year-old ministry reinvented itself without abandoning its roots. Matt shares how asking “what actually makes this work?” led Awana to its theory of change (belong, believe, become) and why discipleship should start with the gospel, not just good character. He also gets candid about the rocky first launch of Brite curriculum, what it taught him about hiring for values, and the four cultural values that shape Awana’s team: pray, hustle, craft, and love. Plus: why Bible literacy is likely the next big shift in children’s ministry, and what the changing “ocean” of the American church could mean for the years ahead.

QUICK LINKS:

Matt Markins: X + Instagram + Books

Child Discipleship

Awana

Simple Kids Ministry: Website + Social

What if your social media, your curriculum prep, and even your summer programming strategy could all work smarter — not harder?

In this conversation, Katie Cummins, NextGen Director at Church of Hope in Ocala, Florida, pulls back the curtain on how she approaches three areas every kids ministry leader navigates: social media, AI, and summer programming. Katie shares how she uses her ministry's social platforms to equip and inspire parents rather than just push announcements, and why AI tools like Claude and ChatGPT have become a genuine part of her weekly workflow — from content calendars to curriculum prep.

She also makes a compelling case for why her church ditched VBS in favor of overnight camp, and what it looks like when that investment pays off with real discipleship moments.

QUICK LINKS:

Simple Kids Ministry

Sunday Shot List

Top Kids Ministries to Follow on Social:

Hope in Ocala Kids

River Valley Kids

Highlands Kids

Grove Kids

TBCO Kids

Radiant Kids

Zion Kids

Eleven22 Kids

What actually produces lasting faith in kids? LifeWay has been researching that question for over a decade — and the answer keeps coming back to the Bible. Jana Magruder, Director of Kids Ministry Publishing at LifeWay, joins the podcast to talk about what that research found, what it means for the local church, and how it shapes everything her team builds.

Jeremy and Jana dig into the origin stories behind The Gospel Project, Explore the Bible, and LifeWay's newest curriculum Hi-Fi — including the three-year research process that shaped it and why belonging and identity are at its core. Jana also breaks down LifeWay's "Big Picture Questions," a catechism hiding in plain sight, and why theological grounding for kids matters more than ever.

QUICK LINKS:

Flip the Script

Nothing Less

Hi-Fi curriculum

Explore the Bible curriculum

The Gospel Project curriculum

Levels of Biblical Literacy

"Big Picture Questions" resource

Instagram: @janamag

Podcast: Kids Ministry Calling

In this conversation, Amy pulls back the curtain on how one of the most popular VBS experiences gets made, from the messy, prayerful brainstorming process all the way to final execution. She shares what most churches get wrong about their VBS budget (hint: it's not the stage), where leaders consistently underspend their energy, and how her thinking has shifted over the years on whether VBS is really an outreach event or a discipleship opportunity.

Amy also breaks the news on Orange's most unexpected collaboration yet: a full VBS partnership with Dude Perfect for 2027. She takes us inside how the deal came together, what it actually looks like in the curriculum, and why she thinks it has the potential to bring record numbers through church doors this summer.

Plus, Jeremy and Amy close the conversation with something a little more personal — what it looks like to raise kids in the middle of full-time ministry, and the grace it takes to do both well.

QUICK LINKS:

HOW TO VBS Book

KIDMIN U

What does it look like to build a thriving kids ministry team — and lead the people above you just as well as the people beside you? Jeremy sits down with Andrae Jones, Kids Pastor at One Community Church in Plano, Texas, to talk community, culture, and what it takes to lead well over the long haul.

Andrae shares how he helped launch DFW KidMin, a grassroots quarterly gathering for kids leaders across the Dallas-Fort Worth area. We talk about why giving ministry away raises your stock, what the Netflix Q2 report revealed about church engagement, and how getting kids involved in serving shapes their faith for life.

Andrae also breaks down how to speak your senior pastor's language — and why you need a 60-second pitch, a 5-minute pitch, and a full pitch ready at all times.

QUICK LINKS:

KIDMIN U

OneHope

One Community Church

Andrae Jones on Instagram

Justyn Smith has spent decades raising the bar for kids ministry — from building Disney-inspired environments at River Valley Church to coaching leaders and writing books that have shaped how the whole field thinks about volunteers, systems, and discipleship. In this conversation, Jeremy and Justyn cover a lot of ground — from what the Disney model actually teaches us about environments and family engagement, to the real ROI of investing in physical spaces (including a church that saw over 2,100 first-time kids in year one of their new building). They also dig into the staffing conversation: why churches are searching for unicorns they can't afford, why your next great kids pastor might already be sitting in your pews, and how flexible leadership structures could open doors to high-capacity leaders churches would otherwise never recruit.

QUICK LINKS:

Kidmin Magic

Justyn Smith's Books

KIDMIN U

What does it actually take to build a kids ministry that doesn't burn you out? Annette Safstrom — author of Sustainable Children's Ministry and consultant with Ministry Architects — knows firsthand what it feels like to hit the wall. In this conversation, she shares the turning point that brought her back into ministry, why the "workhorse syndrome" is silently crushing so many kids pastors, and the practical systems she put in place to build a ministry that actually works.

In this episode:

• Why Annette quit kids ministry — and what brought her back
• The workhorse syndrome and how to break the cycle
• How to build systems that create consistency (and protect your team)
• Leading up: what your senior pastor actually needs to hear from you
• Why kids ministry is harder than anyone tells you — and how to get the support you need

QUICK LINKS:

Annette Safstrom: [email protected]

Ministry Architects

Sustainable Children's Ministry Book

KIDMIN U

What does it look like when kids actually encounter the presence of God? Mal Corwin, Kids Pastor at The Belonging Co, shares how they have cultivated a place where children lead in worship, pray for healing, and hear from God in real and tangible ways.

Mal unpacks the philosophy behind the phrase "there's no junior Holy Spirit" — and what it actually looks like in practice. From teaching kids how to worship (not just sing songs) to creating space for prayer ministry, and big faith moments, this episode is packed with practical wisdom for any kids pastor who wants more of the Holy Spirit's presence in their ministry.

Quick Links:

KIDMIN U

The Belonging Co

malcorwin.com

The Volunteer Buy-in Blueprint

What does it look like when God calls you to something that terrifies you? David Rausch, founder of GO! Curriculum and author of Feeding Faith, shares the story behind his leap from kids ministry director to curriculum creator.

Jeremy and David dig into what makes curriculum actually work: developmental appropriateness, the E.A.T. framework, and why GO!'s chronological scope and sequence was built around the rhythms of the calendar year.

If you've ever used GO! Curriculum, wondered how curriculum gets made, or needed a reminder that God often calls the wrong person on purpose, this one's for you.

Quick Links:

GO! Curriculum

Feeding Faith by David Rausch

Two Minute Trainer for Small Group Leaders

Two Minute Trainer for Large Group Teachers