How can I help?

I listened to Andy Stanley at the Orange Conference last week and loved every minute of his presentation! Although his primary focus was "staff culture" his message easily translates for volunteer teams as well! Some of my favorite quotes are;

"How can I serve the people that work for me?"

"Do for one what you wish you could do for all"

"When you can say yes, say yes"

"Do not be fair, be engaged"

"Create & maintain a sustainable pace"

"If your pace is too fast, you don't have time to serve others."

"What's rewarded is repeated, what's punished is avoided, what's neither punished or rewarded is neglected"

I'm sure as you read those quotes you were thinking of stories where you have seen this in action! I know my head is full of "Yes's" "Amen's" and "So true's!!"

I want to watch my pace, be engaged, so I can say yes to one volunteer on my team and reward them for their awesomeness!

Yeah, that sounds so easy, but is it? I say yes! If we remember the one question Andy Stanley ends every meeting with I think we could be well on our way in creating a serving culture on our teams! The question is; "How can I help?" The simplicity overwhelms me! You are communicating so much in four little words!

Today, I am going to focus on ending each conversation I have with staff and volunteers with those four little words!!

Big S helmet

A few years ago my daughter started playing softball. It was about that time during the elementary years when kids are warned not to share helmets, hats, brushes, etc. with other children because they could come in contact with lice. So you know what we did, we bought her a helmet. I don’t know if you have ever been to a sporting goods store for a softball helmet, but let me tell you, the basic ones are all blue and they all look the same. My husband is extremely creative and he decided it would be easy to for her to find her helmet if we put a giant “S” sticker on it. Worked for me and for our daughter!

Time for the first game! We were in the field first and away we go! First three girls up, three outs, time for us to bat. My daughter batted fourth which allowed plenty of time for all spectators to arrive before it was her turn. The coach tells her to get her helmet and of course, she can’t find it. She looks up in the stands and finds my hubby and I and says at the top of her lungs; “Mom, where’s my big S helmet? Where’s my big S helmet?” Say that a couple of times out loud…

Now you know my pain. Parents are all looking at me like I taught her to call her softball helmet that! They jumped to their own conclusions without asking any questions, they just stared at me with that disapproving glare. The nasty stares continued until they saw the real thing, a helmet with a big S sticker on it. Big learning experience for me!

If people do not understand you or where you are coming from, they jump to conclusions. This is the same thing that happens in ministry! As a leader, you must paint a picture of the vision over and over again so that your team does not connect the dots their own way and jump to a wrong conclusion. It’s easy to do! Be real, we all do this! We would rather connect our own dots instead of asking a question. It’s not something new, but since we know it happens, let’s do something about it! Communicate the vision to your team as often as possible! Write it down, share it at orientation, share it during one on one conversations, send it out in a weekly email and ask your coaches to communicate it during your gathering time before heading out to serve! We call our gathering time our VIP time, Vision, Information, and Prayer. I saw this example at Willow Creek and it works perfectly! It gives purpose to the gathering time! Every team member knows what VIP stands for and they know what they are going to get!

People follow a leader with a compelling God given vision who empowers them to help bring the vision alive! Not all people will ask questions, you need to answer those questions by connecting the dots every chance you get!! You might avoid the nasty glares, but more importantly you will glorify God as His vision comes to pass!

Secure kidmin environment, what do you need?

Where do you start if you want to implement a secured children's area? Here are some basic steps to take to start the process;

Volunteer Screening

1. Formal Application
2. Background Check
3. Reference Checks
4. Volunteer Orientation

Guidelines and Procedures for your ministry

1. Write them all down.
2. Train all of your volunteers; give them a copy.
3. Review and edit to keep current.

Limit access to your children’s area.

1. Know who is there and why.
2. Only let in those people who need to be there.

If you would like an example of anything mentioned, just leave a comment and I would be happy to send you what we use. You can also network with other churches and ask them what they use and what their procedures are!

Stop, Drop and Roll

One of our values in children's ministry is SAFETY! Why do we want safety as a value?

1. To protect the children in our ministry.
2. To protect the volunteers in our church.
3. To protect the church.

How and where do we start?

1. Pray

2. Evaluate

• Where are you weak? Can just anyone enter the children's area, or do you have a secured children's area?
• Where are you strong? Do you already have a number system in place so kids and parents numbers match for pick up?

3. Investigate

• Network with other churches! What are they doing that works? Never be afraid to ask other children's pastors, we are talking Big C church stuff here!!

4. Communicate

• Leadership - make sure your leadership knows the why behind the plan. Create a plan and get it "approved" before you move on.
• Parents - don't forget to communicate to parents! Parents want to make sure their children are safe, let them know the steps you take and they will be your biggest supporters!!

5. Initiate

• Put your plan in action. You will have people (volunteers and parents) who did not engage in the preplan conversation, be prepared to have a couple of one on ones with them, it will be time WELL spent!

When it comes to safety, there are plenty of examples out there to give us reason to take action. We need to be proactive in the church, not reactive because something has happened. The following quote really spurs me on to always evaluate and reevaluate our security procedures;

"We react when we are forced out of neutrality. We act when we refuse to stay there. If there is one secret to seizing divine moments, it is that you must take initiative." - Erwin Raphael McManus

Why "Stop, Drop & Roll" you ask? My clever and intelligent daughter came up with the title, she said parents should stop at church, drop off their kids and roll into service!! Amen!

Kidmin Genius

I just read an article at Business Insider about Apple's Genius Bars. The article says;

"Apple's "Geniuses" can tackle almost any problem you throw at them. But most people don't realize Geniuses can do more than troubleshoot technical problems. They have a great deal of power to act on their own."

How cool would it be if people talked about your kidmin first impressions check-in/information area that way? Could we actually call the team members geniuses? If we translate this for first impression team members, it might read something like this;

"Kidmin "Geniuses" can tackle almost any problem you throw at them. But most parents don't realize Geniuses can do more than troubleshoot classroom issues. They have been empowerment to leave their post, go the extra mile and walk with parents to make sure their experience is the best!"

I would like to think that we already have empowered them to be just that! Our first impression check-in/information area is called the Help Center. We felt that was a better representation of what we are trying to do. Helping families get their children registered and checked-in to kids ministry and then taking that extra step of giving the parents a short tour of the facility ending at the doors of the Worship Center.

It's the little things that make a little difference that make a big difference!! In my mind they are geniuses, I'm just not sure that verbiage would fly!

Be Strong...Joshua 1:9

This morning I found myself singing a kidmin song from years ago! I'm sure its because a friend of mine is having surgery to remove a cancerous tumor today. The song's lyrics are simple; "Be strong and courageous, do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go!" Joshua 1:9, duh!!

As I think about this day through my friends eyes, it must be overwhelmingly scary! The great news is that they can be strong because He is with them!

Are you facing something scary in your life? What about your ministry life? Although we can't compare cancer surgery with not having enough volunteers this weekend, the sentiment is the same. You don't have to be scared or discouraged! You are not in this alone, especially in ministry! Although there are so many times you feel like you are, take heart, the Lord your God is with you!!

Today I will pray for my friend, if you would like prayer as well, just leave a comment and I will pray for you too!!

Be Strong...Joshua 1:9

no money for kids camp

I met an amazing guest services volunteer at kids camp this week! He is actually the Children's Pastor at another church in the area that just didn't have the budget this year to put on a summer children's event and didn't want to stress families out to pay for camp, so what did he do? He volunteered at our kids camp and invited all of his students to attend the camp.

Say what?? I know, right! It's so awesome to hear about churches partnering with each other, it's not as common as it could be.

In this difficult economy this leader chose the best thing for his students, an inexpensive ($15.00) kids camp close to home where he could volunteer and still pour into their lives! He shared with me that his church is in a area hard hit by job loss and to ask parents to pay for their children to go to kids camp would be a hardship. Not wanting to stress out the families in his church he found a great inexpensive camp within driving distance for the children in his ministry!!!

Thank you for being a humble and resourceful servant! You are a Godly example to everyone you came in contact with!!