kidmin | dandibell

In kidmin

confident in Christ

October 22, 2012 1 Comment

in ministry, i desire direction, desperately need a filter, and highly respect evaluation. that is why one of my first projects at my new church home was to work with a team to develop a ministry signature before we simply continued on or began charting a new course.

i have the great pleasure of working with a group of parent champions that pray and dream God-sized dreams for dawson kids. we have also worked through a uniques process to come up with our ministry signature. at first, i didn’t think they were enjoying themselves. the room was silent and their faces were serious. when i reminded them that they could smile during this activity, their response assured me they understood they were about serious business. hearing their hearts and looking on their intense faces so endeared each one of them to me. they wanted God’s best for their children and the children dawson kids gets the privilege of ministering to each week.

direction

our signature is dawson kids – confident in Christ. this simple, yet power statement now becomes the vehicle in which we will direct the ministry. what programs, curriculums, conversations, ideas, and strategies need to be put in place to ensure we are a ministry where children become confident followers of Jesus Christ? how can we help them understand their salvation in a perfect Savior and stand confident in Him alone?

filter

next, this phrase acts as a filter. (i love that, because i have a hard time saying no.) as new ideas are brought to the table and old traditions are examined, confident in Christ becomes the filter for a yes or no. we can’t just do things just to say we do them or because it has always been done. we also can’t add something just try something new. we want to be purposed. if an event is not an agent to help children become confident in Christ, we either tweak, change, or cut it.

evaluation

lastly, confident in Christ becomes our standard for evaluation. when children are in our ministry are they understanding the Gospel as the only way to live confident in Jesus? are tools being provided for children and families to walk daily as confident followers of Christ? when the world’s foundation begins to shake and peers insist on a more worldly approach, have we armed these children to stand firm in the One who was, who is, and is to come?

no, confident in Christ is not just a t-shirt slogan or a ministry byline. we strive for it to be the very core of what dawson kids is about. we want to lead children to a confident relationship in Jesus, help them walk boldly in His Truths, teach them to share the Gospel with a dying world, and see them stand firm in the One in whom they have placed their trust.

In kidmin

press on video (KidMin “broken, burned-out, & bored” workshop)

October 6, 2012 1 Comment

here is a video i edited using the simple lyrics to the selah song, “press on.” this is how we ended my “broken, burned-out, and bored in KidMin” workshop. don’t we all need a reminder to press on in the name os Jesus?

[vimeo width=”600″ height=”400″]https://vimeo.com/50451736[/vimeo]

In kidmin

KidMin ’12 takeaways

October 5, 2012 No Comments

ministry leaders need/long to be ministered to – through interactive, Christ-centered worship experiences; “the shelter” ministry (counseling and prayer center) that was busy everyday; and my “broken, burned-out, and bored in kidmin” workshop, i experienced people in desperate need of ministry. and the best news is, i heard story after story of those who were met “just as they were” and experienced Jesus. isn’t that what it is really all about? after seeing this, i come back to my own ministry and wonder how many of my leaders are in need of a fresh touch, word, or encouragement? how will i make it a priority to minister to them as they faithfully pour out on children and families each week?
you can never have too many friends in kidmin – i love people! i was thrilled going into kidmin with all the familiar faces i would get to see and spend some time with each day. (never enough time, though.) i wasn’t expecting all the new people i would be fortunate enough to meet, share a meal with, laugh with, and hang around on sack chairs and just talk about life with in any spare moment we could find. i leave with deepened friendships and brand news ones that i know will make me a better person and minster. ministry and life are more pleasant and precious in community. may i gave back to them as willingly as they have given to me.
the Holy Spirit empowers me to do what i cannot – one of the greatest blessings i had during the days of KidMin was a group of people (some in alabama and some in tennessee) that had my packed conference schedule and committed to pray me through my days in chicago. my simple request was that i would dare not lean on my own strength or wisdom, but press into the power provided through the Holy Spirit. not only did i receive their prayers, but i was constantly encouraged through their texts. they prayed expectantly and they couldn’t wait to hear about what only God could do. boy, do i have some stories for them. 🙂
i am blessed – after leading a tough ministry conversation and hearing heart-breaking stories from other ministers in the trenches, i left knowing how blessed i am to serve in a church that not only values children’s ministry but supports it through word AND action.
the IT team can party – with just a large stack of deep-dish chicago pizza and soda, the KidMin IT team had so much fun in a luxury suite that hotel security might have been called a couple of times. what a fun group of people that have no idea how to “use their inside voices.”
prayer changes things – as i stood before a group of over 200 in my last workshop of the conference, i was a wee bit stressed. i had optimistically planned for about 20-25. i mean, who wants to hear me when there are so many other choices and what a great last chance for them to sleep in before general session. so i began, not knowing how it would go and i had the tables introduce themselves to one another. that was when my friend gina met me in the middle of the room to pray over me. “i wish you would,” i said. “how can i give all these people what they need? i didn’t prepare for this many.” after she prayed, i started the workshop in His strength and have never had more fun leading. God showed up and taught us all a thing or two about “helping kids have a friendship with Jesus.” gina was my God-sighting for the day!
all about experience and relationship – a few days into KidMin ’12 i marveled at the fact that i just had no time to blog. see, i was either experiencing the conference and the life-changing lessons it brought or i was building relationships! the REAL learning experiences brought me closer in my journey with Jesus and the relationships formed continue to encourage me as i traveled back home. oh there was plenty of meat, but it was so beautifully delivered through transparent speakers and hand-on activities that no single blog post could capture what happened in my heart. i guess i will not only continue to chew on each truth but carry them with me as God uses me to minister to others.
the grand gift of laughter – spending time with my dawson team at KidMin taught me that not only am i working alongside gifted, passionate people, but they are oh so fun!!!! i haven’t laughed that hard in a long time. i am talking side-splitting, tears-streaming laughter. i’ll take two spoonfuls of that daily. so grateful to work with those that see the joy in life and ministry.

is it too early to begin countdown to KidMin ’13 in ohio? okay, if you were at KidMin ’12, what was your greatest takeaway?

In kidmin

transitions article in Children’s Ministry Magazine

October 4, 2012 3 Comments

Here is the link to my latest article in Children’s Ministry Magazine. If you have time, take a look. Honored to be included in the article with Melissa and my good friend Kathie.

In kidmin

a song in the storm

September 21, 2012 No Comments

i stood silent and still in my hallway the other night as the wind began to blow. as each gust grew a bit stronger, so did the sound of my chimes. they didn’t buckle or break as the wind battered them. as they beat together, they rang louder and louder with their sweet song of grace. see, they are “amazing grace” chimes. each metal rod is tuned to a different note that together create this classic hymn.

this analogy captivated me in its simple truth. the harder the winds of life begin to blow, the louder His grace, mercy and peace seem to ring. even in the middle of the storm, He is present with exactly what we need. (i blogged about this very truth in my first post on this blog.) we just need to remain still enough to hear His song.

as i prepare to teach a workshop next week entitled “broken, burned-out, and bored in kidmin,” we will talk about the rest, grace, mercy, and peace that are present in the storms of ministry life. and of course, i will have to mention the lesson of my chimes. (i just love it when He teaches me like that.) may we all leave with our ears a bit more tuned to the song in our storms.

what song do you hear Him playing?