Ready...Set...Go Collaborate!

What would your ministry look like if you were to collaborate with your ministry leaders? Some of the best untapped resources lie within your team members. Hand pick a few key leaders and remember, not every idea they come up with will be an earth shaking idea, however; it might be the idea that springboards you into another incredible idea.

We need to create an environment where our leaders feel safe and supported and ready to do the best job possible. How do we create an environment that is conducive to sharing brilliant ideas? I say "Do unto others as you would have done unto you"... Think about how you would like to feel in that environment and create just that.

You know you are in a creative environment when:

*Your ideas are listened to and investigated before being judged. Give your leaders an umbrella of mercy.

*You feel appreciated when you suggest new ideas.

*Your ministry leader spends time with you and explains the reasons & politics behind it.

*You are given the freedom to do your work in your own way with the best tools.

*Experimental methods are encouraged. It is ok to fail forward.

*You feel comfortable talking with anyone in your organization.

*There is someone that will listen to your ideas.

*The generation of good ideas is rewarded, verbally or otherwise.

*You are treated with respect and as someone who can contribute to the organization.

*You are appreciated for what you do.

*You are appreciated for who you are.

Your volunteers aren't any different than you. My two favorite chapters in a book called, Orbiting the Giant Hairball by Gordon Mackenzie, is chapter ten: Containers Contain: you are confined... Contained in a box...find the grace to dance without stepping on toes...Don't build invisible walls...and Chapter nineteen:Orville Wright: Orville Wright did not have a pilot's license. I love that! Explore the possibilities! Be willing to let ideas free flow. Don't shut an idea down, just because it doesn't conform to the rules. Push the envelope. Give your leaders permission and an opportunity to be magnificent! Create an outline of what you are hoping to accomplish in your meeting. Prime the pump of ideas by giving your team leaders an agenda ahead of time. Are your ready? On Your Mark..Get Set...Go Collaborate!

Only 70 Hours Left

Only 144.com is selling $1074 worth of Children's Ministry products for only $97. You have only 70 hours left to buy! There are some great resources in this package.

Check them out:
ONLY144 DEAL: AUG 12-18, 2011
$97 FOR $1,074 WORTH OF CHILDREN'S MINISTRY RESOURCES
What's Included:
RIVER'S EDGE CURRICULUM
Go Green VBS/Camp Curriculum Download Only ($99)
*does not include sportpack, water bottle, earthball, or postcard. You can purchase these items as well as extras for a minimal price directly from www.riversedgecurriculum.com.
It's a Puppy's Life Curriculum Download (Preschool) ($50)
XTreme Feats Curriculum Download (Elementary) ($45)
DIGITAL STACHE
Gameshow Score Keep ($25)
2012 CONFERENCE COUPONS
INCM- $57.46 off registration for Children's Pastors 2012 Conference
ORANGE- $100 off registration for ORANGE 2012 Conference
YANCY CHILDREN'S WORSHIP VIDEOS
God Is For Me ($12)
Make It Loud ($12)
My Best Friend ($12)
No Other Name ($12)
Shout ($12)
TIMBUKTOONS
Blokhed at the Zoo ($8)
Big Race ($12)
Flash Light ($12)
Hip Hop2 Countdown ($8)
iWitnessed News ($8)
Psalm 139 ($8)
Six Days Countdown ($8)
Who's the King ($12)
Short Sheets ($32)
TimbukTunes Volume 1 ($12)
PRETEEN MINISTRY CURRICULUM
What's the Bible All About ($22)
School Days ($19)
Inside Out ($25)
Preteens Can Pray ($22)
RICK CHROMEY
The Growls eBook ($4.99)
JIM WIDEMAN
The Role of the Children's Pastor ($20)
BURNT TOAST
President Bush Volunteer Video Collection ($34.95)
Name It PowerPoint Games ($34.95)
Kidz Graphics 2011 ($50)
WIRED CHURCHES.COM
Children's Ministry Forms Bundle ($18.99)
HIGH VOLTAGE KIDS
Quiet Times for Kids (11 MP3's) ($11)
PowerPoint Games Volume 2 ($20)
CHURCH-VOLUNTEERS.COM
2 Things You Need to Know About Serving in Children's Ministry ($99)
4 Things You Need to Know About Serving with Student Ministry ($99)
KIDZMATTER COUPON
$50 off any order $150 or more from kidzmatter.com/
BONUS
71 printable coloring pages from Ministry-to-Children
THE FIRST PERSON WHO ORDERS
If you're the first person to order at noon when the sale goes live, you will win this desk from computerdesk.com worth $438.79.
THE FIRST 100 PEOPLE WHO ORDER WILL RECEIVE
Think Orange by Reggie Joiner ($21.99)
TOTAL VALUE: $1,109.33

Here is the link:
http://www.only144.com/

Free & Cheap Resources

I found a great website for Children's Ministry leaders, it is called CMBUZZ.com I copied and pasted their post on FREE & Cheap websites. Check them out!

Seeds is an incredible site produced by Church on the Move in Tulsa, Oklahoma. On this site they give you free access to the series they have produced for KOTM – Kids on the Move. These series include Openers, Countdowns, Music, & Teaching. It all FREE (my favorite price!).

Draw You a Picture.com - Low price, cheap logo design for ministries and podcasts. This site is run by James Kennison a Children’s Pastor in St Petersburg, Florida. DrawYouAPicture.com features low-cost artwork and services. James’ goal is to make high quality artwork, illustration and design affordable to those who might otherwise not be able to acquire professional grade work. He produces work for Podcasters, Ministries, Small Businesses and individuals.

Creative Kids Pastor - a website that creates and develops resources tailored for children’s ministries that want to incorporate Creative and Original Elements to teach and inspire young imaginative minds.

Free-Loops.com provides Free Loops and Audio Clip Downloads to the music production community. Our free loops can be used to produce; Hip Hop,RnB,Drum Loops,Bass Loops,Synth Loops,Fruity Loop Sounds,Techno Loops,Rock Loops,Piano Loops,Flash Audio Loops,Video Game Loops,Movie/Soundtrack Loops,Sound Fx,Vocal Loops,Pad Loops,808 Loops,606 Loops,909 Loops,Crunk Loops,Drum Rolls,Break Beat Loops,Acid Loops,Trance Loops,House Loops,Jungle / DnB Loops, Prank Calls,70′s Funk Loops, Live Instruments, Theme Songs, Midi Loops,and more. Think of Free-Loops.com as your online audio toolbox that you can access anywhere anytime.

FREE & CHEAP Part 2:

Muddy River Media – MRM is a great resource and it’s FREE (again, my favorite price!) MRM is a registered, non-profit mission society which exists to consistently provide free, quality media resources for churches using the internet as the primary delivery tool. Muddy River Media creates and offers media such as:

Illustrative Videos
Small Group Videos and leader’s guides
Motion Backgrounds
Life Story Videos
Countdown Timers
Stock Photographs and Illustrations

Animation Factory- Download PowerPoint Templates, Video Backgrounds, and Royalty Free Animated Clipart. If you have a desire to create your own Countdowns, Games, etc. Animation Factory is a great resource.

New Grounds - a website for people who love to make Flash games and movies and those who love them. The focal point of NG is the Flash Portal, where users submit their homemade games and movies so that other users may view and critique them. We also offer resources for artistic collaborations such as an Audio Portal where musicians can submit their music to be used freely in games and movies.

Countdown Creator – lets you make customized video countdowns using your own video, picture, and music files giving you unlimited possibilities.

Audacity® is free, open source software for recording and editing sounds.

You Cannot Go From Kindergarten To College

The Church and Its Leaders: 1 Corinthians 3
1 Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ.2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?

Have you ever had a leader who wanted to go straight from kindergarten to college? Here is how you can identify this type of leader:
1. They wrestle with God as He refines their heart.
2. They despise the process God has them in.
3. They say they feel underutilized.
4. They feel their way is the only way.
5. They struggle against the leadership.
6. They break ranks before they have the opportunity to watch God work in and through His leaders. They miss it! They jump the gun and try to make their way, not waiting on the Lord.

Read Job 28:1-28

Where Wisdom Is Found:
Job 28:1 There is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined...28 And he said to the human race,
"The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding."

a. Wisdom is fearing the Lord to the point where you have such an awe of His greatness you don't move unless he says move. b. You wait for Him to reveal His plan, trust in His ways, lean not on your own understanding. Watch His plan unfold before your eyes. Anything else is just plain sin.

Pray for your young leaders. Pray they seek wisdom. Don't give them solid food, if they aren't ready for it. They will choke. It is better for you to lead and to lead well.

As a leader; The right thing to do isn't always the popular thing to do; and the popular thing to do isn't always the right thing to do. Choose wisely.

How Are You Going To Lead?

"This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that He will drive out the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites." Joshua 3:10

God drives out your enemies. You just have to trust in God and LEAD! God told Joshua to have the priests who were carrying the ark of the Lord to set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream would be cut off and stand up in a heap. Did you catch that? They actually had to set foot into the Jordan before God would show up and stop the river. Wow, incredible...do you trust God enough to take action on your faith? What is your Jordan, what is God asking you to step into? More importantly, do you have enough faith and trust in God to take that step?

I often ask the people I am mentoring, as they are going through challenges "How are you going to lead through this?" Here is what I know, people are watching you...How are you going to lead them? Are you worthy to follow? Are you leading in a way that your faith is revealed? Are you pointing them to Christ as you lead them? Joshua had to tell the priests to trust God and get into the raging water. Joshua had to lead strong.

As a leader, if I stumble, I could potentially cause my followers to stumble. I am not saying I can't have challenges, I am not perfect... however, who I choose to share my challenges with is another story. As a leader, you need people in your life that you can share your heart with that will minister to your heart. They need to be able to hold you accountable in a way that lines up with the word of God. My accountability partner is a woman of God that I can count on to smack me back to reality, pray with and for me. She is also outside of my present church. She is a person, that God has given me from the last church I served at before Church @ The Springs.

God has given me everything I need to lead and to lead strong. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." (Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT)

"The Lord is my light and my salvation - so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?" (Psalm 27:1 NLT)

I Have A Little Braveheart In Me

One of my favorite all time lines from William Wallace in Braveheart, is when he is speaking to Isabella, the princess of Wales, She is complimenting him on his new status of having been given the rank of knighthood. William Wallace replies with, "I have been given nothing. God makes men what they are." There isn't a stronger position a person can take but to know where you have been given your existence.

As I read today in my bible about John the Baptist, John 3:30 "He must increase, but I must decrease." He must become greater, I must become less. This sounds like a recipe for...how to avoid the pitfalls of pride. John's humility is quite remarkable when you consider the human dynamics. Who doesn't want to receive adulation? He has been faithful to do what God put before him, right? Doesn't he deserve to be praise?...rewarded for his faithfulness? Yeah...I said that! Oh my, have we forgotten who gave us our very existence? Yes, we are faithful... and yes, we are obedient to serve out what God has put before us. Let us not forget Who has given us the privilege. Let's look to God for our rewards not man. Stay focused on Christ.

I am personally realigning my life with this scripture: May Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

You're A Character

I have heard that statement more than once! The truth is they are right. I am a character. I am a leader. We should be more concerned with who a leader is, than what a leader does. However, what a leader does can be a game changer.

What is the character of the leader? A true leader should be reflective, my character should be holy, I should reflect the character of Christ. I should have a rhythm...a pattern of good habits that cause the people I lead to say, "I want what Emmy has." That joy that can only come from within...from the Holy Spirit that is within me. I want to reflect Christ. I have an incredible privilege to serve our Lord and influence others. It is a humbling privilege that I do not take lightly. It is critical that I, as a leader, hold my thoughts & actions captive. It is critical that I remain humble, as I represent the Bride of Christ. I influence those around me. I don't always have the luxury of being lazy. I must remain diligent in all I do, I must remain constant in Christ.

If I keep my focus on Christ, it keeps my standard high. As I cannot attain perfection, I can however, strive for excellence. As I am a recovering perfectionist, (somedays not so much...recovering that is...) I have to remind myself that I am not going to achieve perfection. I cannot attach those feelings to my personal worth. My worth is far more than what I do...or how I do it...it is who I am in Christ.

If God is for me...then who can be against me.