Volunteers

I’m asking for help.  In January I will be speaking to Children’s leaders about how to recruit and retain volunteers.  Here is where I need the help.  I know how we recruit and retain but how do you recruit and retain?  How does your ministry do it?  Where do you find your leaders.  What kind of application process if any do you have? Give me all the good details so that when we sit down I can share everyone’s experience, giving people the ability to think outside the box, outside of how they already do things.  Thank you for your help!!!! Leave comments please.

Friday thoughts!

Here it is Friday morning, and I have just completed 4 out of 5 days in the gym.  Winner, Winner, Chicken dinner!! It feels good, thought I’m tired.  I sit here though about to go talk to our school about what it is I do, as well as why it is important to have someone for this roll “Children’s Pastor”.  I have thought about it and recently (while sitting through staff) have come to the conclusion that similar to politics you need someone fighting for your rights, your beliefs, and your future! Thats me, thats us in children’s ministry we are here to stand up for Children, we are here to bring them the Good news.  This is not a job, it is a calling, one that takes dedication to see it through but it also takes love, patience, grace (mostly for parents ).  Why is it I, (we) do what we do?  I will sum it up like this, a youth who used to help in our children’s ministry said to me a couple weeks ago that he did not feel called to children’s ministry, which was weird because he obviously had a gift with them.  I allowed him to speak his peace and move on.  This past week we had Kidz Turn Ministries http://kidzturn.com/ doing a Kids Crusade and during this he helped out.  The first night the alter call happened and along with all the other kids his younger brother went up to accept the Lord.  I watched him go up there and hold on to him with love, and pray for his brother.  Afterword I pulled him aside and asked how he felt now that his younger brother accepted Christ, and he was full of excitement and emotion.  I asked about how he felt about all the other kids coming to Christ and he responded with the same answer.  Then I told him “Dont you dare deny the passion God has placed in your life”!

You see I, We do what it is we do because of the passion placed in our lives by God!

SHIFT: What it takes to finally reach families today (review)

SHIFT: Thats exactly what it takes in order to make changes to something you are already doing and in this case SHIFT from what we are doing in order to effectively minister to the children and families of our church and community.  Brian Haynes has put in the work and has seen the fruit from his efforts.  He admits to early failures in the book to when things were not working out at church and worse when things were not working out at home.  Then Brian took a SHIFT at home that later lead to a SHIFT in ministry.  To Pastors and Parents alike this book is a must read and even more importantly it is a must DO.  There are 7 milestones, moments in every childs life where we must take a chance to teach, to learn, and to celebrate whats happening in their lives. 

This book has brought focus to an area that is far to often overlooked and that area is the home.  We outsource everything in our lives and we must no longer outsource the spiritual growth of our children.  Recently becoming a father I have realized through this book that there is a heavy weight of importance on being a parent and there are these milestones that will happen throughout my child’s life that I must take advantage of and to teach, learn, and celebrate.  More importantly to everyone in a line of ministry whether it be full-time or volunteer this SHIFT must start in our own home first.  We must be the example that we wish others to be.  This is a MUST read, but after reading do not neglect the action start this process in your home and then introduce it to your church. 

http://shift.group.com/

Hello world!

This is my first personal blog, I have blogged on other sites but for other reasons i.e. children’s ministry, church and all that good stuff.  I’m excited about connecting in this way for a new out look on things in the internet world.  Here I am almost 5 yrs into ministry (children’s) at New Life A/G in southern VA and I am loving it, I love what I do and I love where I do it.  I have an amazing wife Kelly Criss Simpson, and we have a beautiful daughter Sage Criss Simpson .  Anyways that’s a quick summary of whats going on here, if you have any questions leave me some comments.  Other than that keep an eye out for new entry’s coming soon.  See ya.